1998 BMW 5 Series 523i SE from UK and Ireland - Comments

Some pixels on the digital temperature display fail to light intermittently.

There was a split in the screen washer fluid line which had been bodge-repaired; the dealer repaired it properly for me as soon as I spotted it.

Rear cup-holders have jammed.

I am so pleased to have a BMW again. I last drove a collection of 3-series in the early 1990s and then had two Volvos in succession, but this is a welcome return to the BMW fold. The 523 is a seriously comfortable, good-looking, practical and relatively economic family car. I got this one at 6 years old and it looks and feels like a much younger car, having been well maintained by the previous owner and having a full BMW service history.

It goes quickly, the leather seats are very comfortable, and easy to keep clean, and with the heated seats option there is no need necessarily to use the very powerful climate control except to give a quick burst of heat to the interior on a cold day. I'm getting about 30 miles to the gallon.

What more can I say? The car has given me 1,200 miles of very pleasurable motoring since I got it 2 months ago, in towns, on motorways and down country lanes, and with a full family load as well as with just me on board. I love it. Not for nothing was the E39 model 5-series thought of as the best saloon car in the world. Pity its successor is so plug-ugly. What will I do when it is finally time to replace this one?

My only criticism is that the cup-holders are rubbish, a terrible afterthought by BMW, for the American market, or so I understand, but I knew they would be before I got the car.

I had the same problem with the digital temperature display and the rear cup holders in my 523i, it seems these are common problems that occure in the 5 series.

Besides that, this car is one of the best driving experience you can get.

One year on - still really pleased with the car. It has a tiny dent in the boot lid now as my wife (honestly, not me) reversed into the overhang of a skip, trusting too much to the rear parking sensors which of course were only picking up distance at bumper level. Will get that fixed shortly.

Other than that, there has been one problem, but a fairly spectacular one in that the ignition key barrel sheared off with the key in the lock and the engine running. Had to disconnect the battery to stop it and spend £300 getting the barrel drilled out and replaced. Apparently there is a little plastic lug which breaks off if forced as a safety measure, and just occasionally it fails anyhow.

That was a really boring and awkward thing to happen, but apart from that am still very happy with the car and intend to keep it for the foreseeable future.

How does the E39 compare with the Volvo 850 in terms of comfort and ride smoothness?

I think the best way I can draw a comparison between the E39 and the Volvo 850 is that my daughter has never once suffered from car-sickness in the 18 months I have had the E39, whereas it was a constant problem with the Volvo. I thought it was her! Funnily enough we were talking about the difference she has experienced only the other day.

Driving it is just completely different as well of course, and the serious wind noise problem of the 850 at speed is entirely absent.