2003 BMW 5 Series 525i sport from North America - Comments

So far, nothing.

-Just picked up an alpine white 525i with the premium, sport, and cold weather packages. The exterior design is attractive, and the gray leather interior is classic BMW style, designed with the driver in mind. Perhaps the only reservation I have with this car is the engine performance. When I originally test-drove the 525i, I thought the engine felt lively enough. In fact, I decided that there was no point in looking at the 530i with its bigger 6 cylinder engine because the output from the 525's 2.5l was good enough. Now, however, I realize that I was wrong; the engine feels short of torque during town and city driving and gets rpm-winded on the highway. Getting the sport package speeds things up a bit, but if you've got the cash you should go with the 530i. Before deciding on the 525i, I looked at cars such as the Audi A6 3.0 and the Volvo S80 2.9. I didn't feel at ease behind the wheel of the Audi, and according to Consumer Reports S80's were unreliable.

In conclusion, if you decide that a 5 series is right for you, but don't think you have the money to get the best model, try to fish out the extra dollars to get the 530i. If you can't, you'll still get an attractive, reliable, and fun to drive sedan.

I also currently own a 1999 Acura Tl and a 2003 Ford Ranger. Both are highly recommended by me.

Is this a review of the new Spangle styled 5 series. If not, are there any readers out there who have bought the Spangle styled 5 series? I have heard a lot of negative comments in the press including derogatory comments about the vehicles styling and cheap interior. Is the owner experience any better?

Hi.

Yes, I am, happily, the owner of the newly styled 530i. Don't believe all the things you hear in the reports, the car is a pleasure to drive, you certainly pay for it! ha ha. It's fabulous, the active steering is magnificent at low speeds and the general ambiance of the car is one of prestige and individuality. If you read the reports closely, the main gripe seems to be with the styling, you either love it or hate it. I love it, its definitely a head turner, that's for sure! Only one issue seems to be the some-what flawed i-Drive, which takes getting used to, and happily, I believe I have mastered the technique of driving and using the system at the same time. Great car!

I have a 2005 530i. I agree that the styling is quite horrible when you first see the car in print. However, the low, wide front give it a sinister and purposeful look in the metal. Rear end is still a bit unresolved, but certainly far better than pictures indicate. It actually has a great deal of on-road presence. As for the interior, it certainly doesn't have the class of a Mercedes, but it's far from low-budget. However, some of the plastics don't feel as though they'd last as long as they should (some have started to discolour slightly in my car)

The Spangle BMWs look horrible in print, but I don't often look at pictures of my 530! I can honestly say that after initial reservations, I actually like the sytling of the car now. Most drivers spend their time looking out from the inside anyway, so styling shouldn't really matter as much as it does. The new look is interesting, if a little unresolved in places (I think someone slipped with the crayons when designing the Z4).