1997 BMW 5 Series 535i review from Australia and New Zealand
"Brilliant"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Had to replace the main engine fuse when I plugged a car fridge into the cigarette lighter and overloaded it.
Factory alarm siren malfunctioned and went off randomly; had to be replaced.
Erroneous 'check coolant level' warnings at times.
Has developed a 10-second rough idle on cold start.
General comments?
The E39 5 series BMW was often named 'best car in the world' during its lifetime, and it's a well deserved recognition.
The car is beautiful to drive, especially on long distance. The ride quality is excellent, and it handles very well for a large car. It's also a very good looking car.
My one complaint would be that the car doesn't feel quite as solid as my previous (E34) 5 series, but this is relative, and it still feels like it built from granite compared to other manufacturers. Because I have the satellite navigation and 6 stack CD, the boot space is a little restricted, and the rear seats are not split/fold as my previous 5 series had.
I bought my 5 series in the UK while living there, and liked it so much I imported it back into Australia with me.
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| 1996 - 5 Series 528iSE 2.8 litre petrol As a driver's car it is still stunning, 10 years on from its launch |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.5 petrol V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 58000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 76000 miles |
| Previous car | BMW 5 Series |
| Date of Entry | 15th July, 2007 |