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Sedans BMW 5-Series BMW 5-Series Sedans
12657 messages, Last post on Nov 05, 2009 at 6:14 PM
You are in the BMW 5-Series Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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By 25K I didn't just mean Camry only. Soon all the lowly Accord/Altima V6 will be on part power-wise with the 50K BMW530/E350/A6. There is no doubt that these 50K cars are better ones, more solid, better dynamic and balance (means chasis/suspension/sheet metal, though electrial things like NAV/audio etc seems to be just a wash). Those extra 25K has to be somewhere. I was disappointed with most of the responses I got though... all too defensive and not much rational there (sorry, said what I read). I am 39, married with 2 kids, drive a 97 camry V6 for 9 years, thinking about my next car. That camry is now worth about 2.5% of my annual household salary or 0.5% of my net asset. So I do have some freedom of choice. I drove or sit in all of them, For an automatic tran., driving under 80MPH on a highway, I am hard-pressed to know which car I am sitting on. Where I live (SF metro) doesn't have much of any place (highways, <80MPH) to utilize the full potential of the car either. So, the only reason for me to spend 50K on an AUTO trans. sedan (instead of said a porche, M3, or even a 325 manual) is... well I was hoping you can fill those blank, not meant to be a troll. |
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If the Bangle designs are so bad, why are BMW's so successful these days? And why are other manufacters immitating them? If the bass mouth Audi was so awful, why did Audi have a record year? I have been a long time Mercedes guy until I traded my 2001 E430 for a 2003 Audi allroad biturbo 6spd manual that was 7 grand less (new)! Why, The mercedes was boring! I got a car with less HP and am much happier! THe audi is great. Now Audi does not make a manual tranny in anything bigger than the A4. So I m looking at either the X3 or a 5 series sedan. I tested a 525 (auto only at dealer) and without looking at the spec times I found the smaller engine entirely satisfying. Why? Cuz it handled excellent! A part of me is still a bit of a HP whore and might consider the 530. I also have to consider AWD issue even though IM in central North Carolina. I don't care for all the tech toys so important on many cars. Navigation seems to be the benchmark gotta have accessory. Rear cameras and active cruise also. I have Active cruise on my Sienna Minivan because it was packaged. I want a car with soul. Not perfections, not insulated from the world, but an interactive driving experience. Not a 7 series, S-class or LS lexus. Damm nice cars! If I were spending that kinda of money I'd get a M5, or E55, or Audi RS class. By the way, pictures today showing some new sheetmetal changes on the 5series, this for 2007? Check this picture out. link title
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Replying to: bargamon (May 19, 2006 10:45 am)  While the picture is rather small, it looks like my two most significant complaints about the Banglesque E60 have been erased, namely the headlights and the trunk lid/rear lighting. Now if I could only arrange things so that my annual milage drops from my current 30K+ to my more normal 12-15K, I might once again be in the market for a ride in the LPS class. :-/ Best Regards, Shipo
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Replying to: markcincinnati (May 17, 2006 7:36 pm) Your everywhere! |
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Recently I bought my son a 2002 Subaru outback. Large 2.5 4cyl Boxer Engine. 5ok miles in mint condition. Its a very nice car, good on gas for AWD, comfortable and does the job. Im very impressed! Why? I paid 12k for it! I drove it for a few weeks and was thinking maybe Im spending too much on cars! Then I drove my 03 audi allroad and it all came back to me why. CUz its really really nice! Not necessary mind you, does not get me there any differently, but its a luxury I choose to indulge. 0-60 is overrated. "it got a Hemi" is not the end all for most cars. If it is, then get max HP for the money and be happy! Life is short. |
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Replying to: shipo (May 19, 2006 11:00 am) I think they made a mistake by labeling it an M5 (as do others) but it looks like the next 5 series. Is this a 2007 thing? Its been 3 years since the current 5 is out. |
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Replying to: ctl (May 19, 2006 10:24 am) The new e60 styling first caught my eye and, after one test drive, I was hooked! The excitement of driving the BMW continues to this day, which is something that the Camry never offered. |
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Replying to: ctl (May 19, 2006 10:24 am) I was told today that I will be allowed to test drive one in 5 weeks. I am out of the market at that point by about 19 months, but I plan to take a nice long test drive of an 07 530xi -- apparently they are pretty rare with a stick. Given a choice, at either 25K or 50K, I wouldn't even bother with the automatic unless it becomes impossible to acquire one otherwise.
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Replying to: ctl (May 19, 2006 10:24 am) The Infiniti M was NOT my first choice at the time I ordered one to my specs, placed my money down and began the countdown (120 days.) But it was darn close to the Audi A6 in terms of content, feel, etc that for what would have been some $200+ less per month on a lease, I just couldn't remain with Audi. When Audi's price came in a bit less than the Infiniti, I did go with my marginal first choice. No BMW 5x series was yet on the market although within weeks of my Audi acquisition 530xi's (but NOT in stick) came to market. My choice, today would probably still be between the Audi A6, the BMW 530xi and the Infiniti M35x. TODAY, were I to buy, the BMW 530xi with the stick shift would be the choice. Further test drives of the others would be a waste of petrol. The issue then again becomes both availability and price as I have driven, extensively, the three of these cars all equipped with an autotrans (Audi's 6spd, BMW's 6spd and Infiniti's 5spd.) Equip them with premium and technology packages (more or less the offerings these guys provide) and the behind the wheel experience is quite the same. Only the Audi offers a sport suspension -- but then again it may have the greatest need for it. The BMW 530xi sport package is a joke and the 5X's with the autotrans seem slightly less peppy than either the Audi or the Infiniti. The cool toys that have to do with performance are not ready for prime time apparently according to BMW's marketing types. Yet, oddly, the BMW alone can be had with the stick shift but sans performance package. The Audi can be upgraded to SLine status which this year bumps the wheel size to 19" and it alone for the same (less actually) money than the BMW can be had with a V8 that is among the best sounding engines ever made by the human race. The M can be had with the V8 option but sans AWD, ditto, today, the Bimmer. The dynamics of the BMW are superior. But, heck, the Infiniti M35X with the upgraded wheel tire package is darn near its equal, specially since the BMW is not allowed to be had with any suspension upgrades. The Audi in SLine trim -- to me -- begs for a manual transmission or at least the DSG offering. Alas none is offered. The BMW if you are leasing is likely to be seriously subvented so its minimal $5,000 premium over the other two really is darn near insignificant. It is as if these car companies all get together in Iceland or somewhere and agree what they will offer to the market "boys, there's plenty of biz for us all, let's not put all the good stuff in one car, let's make the choice more shall we say, interesting." Way back when even I was in graduate school in the late 1970's taking Marketing 601 or whatever they called it, the concept of "mass customization." was being discussed as the next new thing. I want my "fill in the blank" to come thusly: sport suspension, great 6 cylinder FSI engine, manual or DSG transmission, All Wheel Drive, Servotronic steering, backup camera AND parktronic, front and rear heated seats if I order the cold weather package and never having to wonder what package hides the in car garage door opener, and so on. The era of differentiation by style rather than content and performance dawned not all that many months ago (2004 seems about right), and it has continued its forward (and downward to the lesser cars) progress. Sometimes it is a bit frustrating though -- why can't we just configure the darn things the way we want? 
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