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Sedans BMW 5-Series BMW 5-Series Sedans
12657 messages, Last post on Nov 05, 2009 at 6:14 PM
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I currently have a 2006 525 leased in December 2005. Love the car and am thinking about another 525 or possibly 325i or 330i. Other than size and price, what would be reasons to choose one over the other (performance,ride,feel,etc)? Thank you. |
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Replying to: markcincinnati (Jun 01, 2006 4:04 am)  2007 530i (Silver Gray, Beige Leather) Steptronic Premium Package Sports Package Park Distance Control Navigation MSRP: $56,570 Invoice: $52,250 In Short, I paid $3,188 Drive-off and monthly payment is $758.88 (including tax) Here are the details: Final Negotiated Price: $53,780 (which is $1,531 above invoice, this also includes the $825 acquistion fee) 36 Month Lease / 12k Miles per year Cap Cost Reduction: $1,830 Tax on Cap Cost Reduction: $156 1st Month Pmt: $759 License Fee: $407 Others: $37 Drive-off: $3,188 Cap-Cost: $51,951 Lease Term: 36 Residual: 61.0% Money Factor: 0.002476136 (based on my calculation) Tax Rate: 8.5% Monthly Payment: $758.88 Best luck shopping everyone! |
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"Hi, my name is Shipo, I've now been 15 months without a single ride in a 5-Series." The folks gathered around the table enthusiastically shout, "Hi Shipo!" And then I start to bare my soul... As some of you might know, my business partner and I are in the midst of launching a new business and as such, the whole "New car" thing for both of us got tossed. So, with a tear in my eye, I returned my beautiful Sapphire Black/Black Leather 2002 530i 5-Speed, with PP, SP, Xenon and Premium Audio at lease end last year. Not too long after that tragic event, I picked up a "short term" contract that was about 50 miles from home, and that required me to enlist the services of our spare car, a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan to tote me back and forth. Well, nearly a year and 30,000 miles later I find myself REALLY missing my 5er, however, now that I'm driving nearly three times the miles that I normally drive (with that likely to go up to 4x as my contract keeps getting extended AND my client is moving another 20 miles or so down the road next year), leasing or buying new is roughly akin to financial suicide, automotively speaking. So, with all of that in mind, I've decided that I simply cannot stomach buying a FWD appliance and while the DGC is the cheapest thing going (can buy LOTS of gas given that there is no car payment and very little maintenance), I want something nicer, and so into "Frog Kiss" mode I've gone. Criteria: 1999 or 2000 BMW 528i, any color (preferably metallic as they seem to age better), 5-Speed, PP, SP, Sport Seats (apparently they had to be ordered separately from the SP back then), less than 80,000 miles, full maintenance history and within 500 miles of southern New Hampshire. Geez, you'd think that I'm asking for the world as I've probably looked at an easy 500 cars by now (online of course), and I've only seen three cars that met all of the above criteria (and a few others that might but the information on the car was incomplete). Of those 500 cars, I'm sure that some were cross-listed so let's say that I've actually seen 450. Of those cars, I've seen roughly 10% with manual transmissions. Of those remaining 45 cars, about 10 have had the PP & SP, but the wrong seats. And then there were the three that met the criteria... The first one only had about 40,000 miles on it but it was being listed at $32,000! Yikes! The second one had fake and ill fitting M5 bumpers, quad exhausts and horrid wheels. Yuk! The last one had an aftermarket audio system, including a dash mounted DVD player. Geez, you'd think that someone who wants to drive a stick wouldn't feel the need to watch movies while they drive (messing up the dash in the process). So, should I: - Hold out and keep searching? - Keep driving the DGC until it literally falls apart (I figure that will take another 4 years at this rate)? - Cave in and go with my original plan and get an Audi A3? Best Regards, Shipo |
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Replying to: shipo (Jun 01, 2006 8:36 pm) The price seems to be a typo. Retail on such a car (MY 2000) is around $22K. I would look into it further. Maybe you could broaden the possibilities by being less demanding with the options. Aren't the stick and SP what you really want? Of course there are worse things in life but I feel sorry for you having to drive that van. They have to be the sloppiest handling things on the face of the earth next to a Hertz rental truck. |
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Replying to: shipo (Jun 01, 2006 8:36 pm) My wife and I recently drove a new A3, though and both of us remarked it was a heckuv a lot closer to an A4 (until you looked over your shoulder) -- we were driving the 2.0T version with a stick shift. We did not drive but did get into a new 325xi (which, for reasons I cannot remember at this time, seemed to be about the same "lease price" -- as the A3 -- this, of course given your situation may or may not translate into a real number that make $ense at this time.) With respect to leasing, BMW makes it pretty "interesting" to lease their cars and run over the miles. Make your deal, make your deal at 45,000 miles for 3 years. Within 39 months, e.g., you can -- at $.16 mile -- buy more miles, and ONCE you can spread those miles out over the lease payment; subsequent adjustments will be billed 30 days after the fact. You can keep the full maint and full warranty alive beyond 50K if you want. If you go used (but NOT CPO'd?) your up front cost (in cash or on a monthly basis) will theoretically be lower, but of course the chances of repair costs sooner rather than later will be out there and, unless the car IS CPO'd, your wallet runs the financial risk. The outlay on a newer car -- if leased with the above considerations of prepayment of overages -- may or may not be less, but the risk for at least 50K miles is nil and you will likely be able to delay the cost of brakes and tires and belts, etc. that may crop up sooner on the used vehicle. The NEW 3's seem, interior wise, to "feel" no smaller than the USED 5's (that you have described.) If you are in the north eastern part of the US, winter is certainly an issue and the new 325xi copes very well with that. Of course, here in SW Ohio as the 2007's loom on the near horizon, the prices and subventing seem very attractive -- but but but, the number of cars on any dealer's lot that are manual transmissions continues to shrink (from small to darn near nil.) I don't know if you could actually order a new one as you want and get the kind of subventing that is being offered on in stock and "last year's" models. A3 2.0T's are FWD -- but often have the manual transmissions. The A3's, mostly, will have the full maint or at least it can be elected for $500. Audi does not offer the, "I changed my mind" on miles option either. But a free of cost (besides gas, more or less) DGC is attractive and I can relate to the needs of the biz when in startup mode. Been there, done that, and doing it again in the IT world -- well, here we go again. Makes me muse, "I remember what it was like to be rich." Keep us posted. 
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Replying to: shipo (Jun 01, 2006 8:36 pm) |
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designman "The price seems to be a typo. Retail on such a car (MY 2000) is around $22K. I would look into it further." I looked. It is being offered by a dealer and he has two other 528i offerings both in the high twenties, and both have more miles. Geez, I could have kept my 530i for only $28,000! "Maybe you could broaden the possibilities by being less demanding with the options. Aren't the stick and SP what you really want?" Well, yes, and the Sport Seats (which typically means PP as well). I had the same non-Sport Seats in my 328i that are in the standard 528i and while they were nice, the Sport Seats in my 530i were soooo much better. Given the time I'm going to be spending in whatever I drive, a happy butt equates to a much happier me.  markcincinnati "Have you considered a BMW 325?" Yeah, I've considered 3ers in virtually every E46 and E90 guise. I had an E46 before my 530i, and while it was a good and competent car, there were certain little things that made the 5er just that much more enjoyable of a driving experience. Regarding leasing. I'm thinking that is rather impractical given that I'm already driving some 30,000 miles per year. Assuming that I stay on the current contract, that will jump to somewhere north of 45,000 miles next year. If that scenario does in fact come to pass, I could easily see a total of 120,000 miles over the next three years. Even at $0.16 per mile I'd need to cough up $12,000 in excess mileage charges. As far as the full maintenance/warranty/CPO warranty issues go, I turn a pretty fair wrench and about the only thing I shy away from are transmission overhauls. As such, general maintenance items and such really aren't an issue for me, and even the odd major job is something that I kind of look forward to in a cathartic kind of way. Regarding the AWD issue. Personally I much prefer RWD and a good set of winter skins as opposed to AWD. With a set of Michelin Arctic-Alpin tires on my 530i I drove it through three winters up here in New Hampshire, and two of those three featured total snowfall numbers of well in excess of 100". Through it all it never put a foot wrong and proved to be the best winter car I've ever had, and I have no doubt that a well maintained 528i will be just as capable. Regarding the A3, wow, what a fun and practical car, and if it was available with the 2.0T, a 6-Speed and RWD, the combination might just be too much for me to pass up. Alas, RWD isn't an option at any price, and to get the engine and tranny of my choice I'd have to opt for FWD. Makes me muse, "I remember what it was like to be rich." Hey! I resemble that remark! bdkinnh "Why not just combine options 1 and 2 and drive the DGC until the right 5er comes along?" I strongly suspect that is exactly what I will end up doing. I sure hope it doesn't take a year or more to find the perfect car. Best Regards, Shipo
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There is an E39 at a dealer near me (non-BMW). Want me to get the specs on it for you? -Paul
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Replying to: erickpl (Jun 02, 2006 6:58 am) Best Regards, Shipo |
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Replying to: shipo (Jun 02, 2006 6:53 am) Patience, young padwan. I've been looking for a house in Windham for three years; I hope your luck is better than mine.
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