2002 BMW 5 Series 525i review from North America
"Great car, but underpowered"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Absolutely nothing. Did one oil change, and that was it.
General comments?
I was both impressed and disappointed by this car. The 525i is an amazing car in terms of handling, comfort and reliability. In the year I drove the car, I didn't have a single problem. Not one.
Additionally, even with the standard seats, the car is extremely comfortable. Even with the non-sport package, my car still handled extremely well.
Overall, the car was very excellent except for one point... power. The 2.5 liter 184 hp inline 6 is just too underpowered to haul that car's 3450 lbs. Getting on the freeway and passing was difficult, and starting in second gear is impossible. In fact, all the gas mileage benefit of the smaller engine is lost because you have rev it out just to get decent speed. If you are considering this car, go with the 530i, because it has all the positive qualities (same engine, just larger) of the 525i just with better power.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2002 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5 liter gas Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 55000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 65000 miles |
| Previous car | BMW 3 Series |
| Date of Entry | 9th May, 2007 |