2003 BMW 525i Reviews

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2000, 2003, 2010 and 2015 BMW 5 Series sedan and wagon as a used buy.

Graham Smith reviews the BMW 5 Series from 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 as a used buy.

The BMW 5 Series is a medium-large German machine that’s aimed as much at the sports sedan market as at the buyers of luxury saloons.Older 5 Series are rather smaller inside than you might expect. That’s chiefly because it has rear-wheel drive and the engine is set well back in the bay, meaning the gearbox is beside your feet. Recent cars, since about 2004, are better off in this respect, but it’s still wise to try all seats for size.Handling is enhanced by the near-perfect weight distribution that’s the result of rear-wheel drive and the engine’s position. This is a car that feels just wonderful; seemingly the harder you drive at a bend the better it feels and responds.The really clever thing is that this sports handling is achieved without upsetting comfort. Some of the worst of Australian roads may catch it out at times, but it generally makes light work of rough surfaces.The great majority of BMW 5 Series sold in Australia are four-door sedans, but in recent years we seem to be joining our European cousins in choosing station wagons. Called ‘Touring’ wagons in BMW speak, these have a reasonable carrying capacity, though, as is often the way in the boutique-wagon class the slope of the rear end does restrict the entry of bulky objects.Engine performance is good, even from the models with relatively small capacity. The non-turbo straight-six with a relatively small size of 2.0 litres, but has enough performance for many owners. The silky smooth nature of the straight sixes is excellent.Big capacity BMW straight-sixes are some of our all-time favourite powerplants, providing effortless performance and a willingness to rev that’s delightful.Many recent BMWs have turbocharged four-cylinder units that have plenty of torque. Though the engineering to minimise turbo lag is impressive, they still don’t provide the near instantaneous response we have loved in BMW non-turbo engines for many decades.Rounding out the petrol engine range are superb V8 units. Big on power and torque they are much loved by enthusiastic drives. Their fuel consumption isn’t as high as you might anticipate as they are an excellent design.BMW Australia was one of the early adopters of turbo-diesel technology downunder. These have become increasingly popular over the years. Turbo lag is better than average, but can still be a pain at times. But once that lag has gone and you’re into the big-torque midrange, you will love the endless grunt they provide.Insurance can be expensive due to the cost of parts and the high status of trained repairers. So if you are moving up from a more mundane car to a BMW for the first time, shop around on premiums before becoming over-committed to the dream car.Spare parts and repairs are about average in price for a vehicle of this type and prestige rating.BMW is well represented in most major areas in Australia. Some factory-trained BMW mechanics have since left the company and set up independent repair shops. They don’t have the same factory contacts as the official dealers, but are often highly regarded by owners. This is certainly not a car for the amateur mechanic to attempt to work on.WHAT TO LOOK FORCheck on the insides of the front wheels and brake callipers for excessive brake-pad dust. That may be a sign of a hard driver.Make sure all electronic and electrical items are operating correctly. Use the owner’s handbook to make sure you find everything as these are among the most complex cars on the planet.Look over the car for body damage and previous repairs.Be sure the engine starts virtually immediately and idles smoothly from the moment it fires up, even when it’s stone cold.The engine should accelerate without hesitation and not blow smoke from the exhaust, no matter how hard it is worked.Automatic transmissions should change smoothly and, except for some changes on big throttle openings, should be all but impossible to feel.CAR BUYING TIPIf moving upmarket to a European car after a series of sensible low-cost Asian models make sure you budget for the high cost of servicing and repairs. 

BMW’s 5-Series is universally admired by owners and rival carmakers alike. So much do its rivals admire it that they have regularly used it as a yardstick when developing cars of their own.Holden used the then current 5-Series as the main benchmark when it was developing the VB Commodore in the 1970s, and again when it did the VE a couple of years back, and Ford has also used it in developing its recent Falcon models.Remarkably, given so many companies have used it as a benchmark for their own new cars the BMW has managed to keep its allure. It seems that it remains tantalisingly out of reach.MODEL WATCH The E39 5-Series followed one of the best, and most successful models BMW has ever produced, the E34, in 1996. Previous 5-Series BMWs were highly regarded, as can be seen by then Holden chassis guru Peter Hanenberger’s choice of the 5-Series as a benchmark for the VB Commodore in the mid-1970s, but the E34 cemented its place at the head of the pack.It had a unique blend of chassis agility and six-cylinder sweetness in a fully equipped package able to accommodate five in refined comfort that no other carmaker could match. Even its great rival Mercedes-Benz couldn’t match it for dynamics.The E34 really brought BMW to the attention of the Australian motoring public. Here was a good-sized car they could afford, at a pinch, if they were doing well. It’s now 20 years old, but it’s still popular with buyers of used cars.So the E39 had lots to live up to when it was launched in 1996. Unlike the models that followed it the E39 was a mild evolution of the E34, which was wonderfully elegant with clean lines and perfect proportions. The E39 was sleeker and smoother, but it retained the elegance that keeps the E34 looking fresh even today. There were new headlights and a new grille at the front, a smoother roofline and a stubby tail reminiscent of the smaller 3-Series. It was a car that looked good from all angles, a modern classic and a worthy successor to the great E34.The six-cylinder is BMW’s signature engine and the E39 had a number of choices of engine size. All had the silky smoothness, purposeful response, and seductive snarl that were so characteristic of BMW sixes down through the ages, but in the E39 they also delivered more power and torque for an enhanced driving experience.They started with the 2.5-litre double overhead camshaft engine with 125 kW and 245 Nm, but for more grunt there was the 2.8-litre engine that boasted 142 kW and 280 Nm. They were followed by the sportier V8 models, which packed the considerable punch of a 180 kW 3.5-litre double overhead camshaft bent eight and its bigger 240 kW 4.4-litre brother. All were linked to a five-speed auto transmission, but it had the option of the Steptronic sequential shift that aped a manual change.The agility of the BMW classic has always been one of its most admired attributes and the E39 could claim even better dynamics, partly because of its much stiffer body shell that gave it a very stable foundation. Independent suspension front and back with a sporty tune, precise and responsive power steering, and the power of ABS-supported disc brakes on all corners combine to deliver a dynamic driving package. All models were well equipped with all the fruit you could wish for in a prestige luxury car.IN THE SHOP The attraction of a used 5-Series is strong for those who couldn’t or wouldn’t afford one new, but they need to be approached with both eyes open and a questioning mind. As with any used car buy the best you can afford within your budget and leave enough left over to service it.Servicing BMWs can be expensive if you stick with the dealers. They generally give good service, but you pay top dollar for it, so link up with a specialist service mechanic with a good knowledge of BMWs and you will save heaps. Little goes wrong with BMWs on a regular basis, but brake wear is a consistent complaint with owners facing a hefty bill for replacement rotors and pads.Look for oil leaks around the engine. A rough idle could indicate a lack of servicing and extended oil change periods. BMWs also require the factory replacement parts, like shocks, exhaust etc. to give their best, but that’s not to say non-genuine parts will completely ruin the driving experience. A BMW specialist should know which non-genuine parts can be safely used and those to steer clear of.IN A CRASH The 5-Series has an array of airbags to protect the occupants in the event its chassis and braking prowess aren’t enough to avoid a crash. Front and side airbags were standard across the range.AT THE PUMP Expect to get around 11.0 L/100 km on average from a six and 13.0 L/100 km from a V8.OWNERS SAY Ed Malek’s 2000 523i had done 79,000 km when he bought it. It was clean and tidy, performed well and passed a mechanical and safety check. He hesitated for a while before buying it, but each time he hopped back into his 2005 Magna, he was convinced he should. He was impressed with its handling, low level of road and wind noise, comfort, and safety with eight airbags. The 2.5-litre six lacks a little grunt from take-off, but on the open highway it powers along admirably. Around town he gets 10.7 L/100 km. A few rattles have developed, which he believes could be the window regulators, and the CD changer is malfunctioning.LOOK FOR • BMW badge cred.• Timeless elegant looks• Great chassis dynamics• Sweet six under the bonnet• Roomy interior• Costly parts and serviceTHE BOTTOM LINE Great looking and performing sporting saloon that rewards the driver.RATING 80/100

This time it's the 5-Series, the car at the heart of the German maker's showroom contenders, that has been given the wheels-up makeover on style and substance.The result is a car that shares the dramatic new design work already seen on the flagship 7-Series and sporty Z4, as well as taking a more refined drive into 21st-century luxury motoring.This new Five is intended to be more youthful, more stylish and a much tougher challenger to the pace-setter E-Class from the rival Mercedes-Benz stable. It's a tough job, but BMW has decided it's a job that has to be done now.The new Five – its official label in BMW-speak is E60 – obviously has a new look, but the mechanical package includes everything from a new six-speed automatic gearbox and a second-generation iDrive computer controller to a world-first Active Steering system that provides variable assistance to keep the steering lock down to 1.7 turns at any speed up to 120km/h.All Australian cars will come with leather trim and a colour monitor in the dash, a reflection of the car's luxury position.Not that it's really needed, because price tags from $87,400 will definitely set the tone.There will be a full family of Fives in coming years, from the baby 525i up to the master blaster M5 with a grand prix-inspired V10 engine.But BMW Australia has just begun its delivery program with the emphasis on the mid-level 530i, priced from $103,400. The 525i (from $87,400) and V8-powered 545i (from $149,000) will be added over coming months, but the M5 is still at least 18 months away.Opening the action with the 530i gets customers into a car that has the best of the new Five without the exotic price tag of the 545i. It should be swift enough with a hi-tech, six-cylinder engine and there are plenty of options for people with fat wallets and a yen for toys, but it doesn't give uncommitted shoppers the impression the car is out of their reach.The whole Five line-up benefits from a new-look body that is one of the most dramatic shapes on the road, as well as a cabin that's a minimalist-design delight.There is still plenty of space for four adults – five will be a bit of a squeeze – and a second-generation take on some of the electronics previewed in the big new Seven.The Five still has a conventional ignition key, gearlever and handbrake, while the iDrive system has been simplified and a ¿heads-up¿ display added to the options list.The mechanical package is much as you'd expect, with 141 to 245kW available from the various six-cylinder and V8 engines, and 245 to 450Nm of torque.The standard luxury gear runs from alloy wheels to electric seats, windows, mirrors and steering column. And as you'd expect in any new BMW, airbags are set front, side and roof.But BMW owners are expected to have the cash or credit for high-octane fuel. On the roadThe new Five is more refined than the cars that have worn the badge in the past.It's not just the body. People make their own choices on what's attractive or ugly, and we prefer to concentrate on stuff we can touch, feel and measure.Driving the new Five is much like before, apart from the Active Steering. The first 90-degree corner comes as a big shock, because the first time you turn the wheel at more than walking pace you think you're going into an unplanned U-turn. It's that dramatic.But a few kilometres gets you adjusted, then the variable-assistance package – perfect for tight parking, light and easy at speed – is a revelation.We think it's a big breakthrough and will provide the link to the days of steer-by-wire systems similar to the commonplace "drive-by-wire" electronic throttles used on many cars today, and the "brake-by-wire" electronic stoppers on some Mercs.We'll concentrate on the 530i because that's the car we drove, and because it sets the tone for the new Five.It is very comfy and fully equipped, but doesn't flaunt it. The cabin is a masterpiece of restrained design and shows that car cockpits don't have to be loaded with buttons and gadgets to do the job. We definitely prefer it to the electronic trickery of the Seven and the overly plastic look and feel of the E-Class Benz.But we still don't love iDrive, even if this one is smarter and simpler, though the sound system is great.The new 530i gets along well with 170kW of power and 300Nm of torque, but it's so quiet, smooth and refined that it feels a bit slow. And it can take a while to get a response if you push the accelerator to the floor in a tall gear.The new six-speed is a smooth shift with well-spaced ratios, we like the BMW touch-change shifter, and the brakes are great. The headlamps – our car had the xenon brights – are brilliant, the boot is big and well shaped, and the back seat is comfy with plenty of room.But BMWs are designed to be driven, and the new Five shows its strengths everywhere from arrow-straight freeway to city backstreets and twisting country roads.The suspension is plush and well controlled, and the car turns well and has great grip.It is quiet and relaxing to drive.Compared with the E-Class from Benz, it's a new type of challenger. It actually looks and feels more substantial for the first time.There is plenty to celebrate in the new Five. It has moved on without losing its roots, it makes a new type of challenge to Mercedes, and it leaves plenty of space for coming improvements with the V8.The M5, complete with a Formula One-inspired V10 engine, will be a cracker.