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- ralphrye's review
Have a picture of BMW 5 Series 530i Sport?, please send it to us.
Picture courtesy of Robbo.
| Performance | 9.3/10  |
|---|---|
| Practicality | 8.4/10 |
| Reliability | 9.5/10 |
| Value for Money | 9.5/10 |
| Reviewer Rating | 9.4/10 |
| Overall Rating | 8.9/10  |
By ralphrye
on 26th May 2008
| Year Manufactured | 2001 |
|---|---|
| Length of ownership | 3 years |
| Doors | 4 |
| Performance | 9/10 |
| Practicality | 6/10 |
| Reliability | 10/10 |
| Value for money | 10/10 |
| Overall value | 10/10 |
 ralphrye's recommendation | |
Practically everything. Engine. manual gearbox at high RPM, confort, ride, superb cornering ability, seats, driving position, brakes, looks.
Servicing. Standard stereo, Main dealer, small boot and no folding rear seats.
I posted a brief review of this car 3 years ago, having just bought a 2001 Y model. Those 3 years have passed and due to employer's rules, I have to get something under 7 years old. So the BMW 530i Sport is to be sold. How have thise years been? In a word, fantastic. This is the best car I have ever owned, and realistically ever likely to own. Everything about the driving experiece is superb. Out-corners and out-grips everthing short of a Boxster, leaves most hot hatches for dead, despite being a heavy car with 'only' 231bhp, rides like a magic carpet on all but the worst 3rd-world roads (that is, parts of High Wycombe) and is fantastically reliable. No rattles inside, trim and upholsyery have worn very well in 105000 miles, and it still has a whiff of that brand new BMW smell. The MPG gas remained the same in the high 20's or low to mid 30's using the CC. Always used 95 RON fuel and not had any problems. Likes oil fairly frequently. Keep some in the boot, and top it up every 3 weeks or so, when the oil light comes on.
The issue that I though was one of fuelling, that caused the car to lurch slightly when upshifting, turned out to be a sensor, which was replaced by my local garage for 150. But not after a BMW Specialist (not main dealer) had (probably) unecessarily replaced the clutch and flywheel for £800! A lesson learned. Main dealer in Reading not really recommended. Verbally qoted me £140 for an oil change on the phone, and charged my wife £200 when they dropped the car off. My fault for not telling her the sum I guess. You need to find an independent BMW garage that can troubleshoot problems with consideration ofo the client's wallet, or have a trusted local garage that can take time to learn the car.
Also, a word of warning, the BMW Business cassette head unit that came with the car is utterly hopeless. First one channel crackles, the dies. Then another and another until you ave no sound, or maybe from just one speaker if you're lucky. Bought a 2nd hand replacement, and within weeks, same problem. So in went a Nakamichi head unit and a less than attractive facia blanking plate. The OEM unit is made by Alpine. Hopefully the fault was due to BMW bean-counters rather than Alpine.
I've (hopefully) bought a Fabia VRS as a low-cost replacement, and, as good a car that the Skoda is, not a day will pass for some time to come that I will not mourne the departure of the 530. I will sorely sorely miss this car. I like the E39 sport so much I bought a 530d sport touring for the Mrs.
In conclusion, I would strongly recommend this car, if you can afford the insurance and tax and fuel, and know a reliable independant garage that is not frightened to take the serviceing on. To be totally honest, if I had the money and the space, I would build a shed and put the BM in just to look at. It's a sexy beast. Oh, and if you can find one in light metallic green like mine, it looks the dogs do-da's.
Oh, and it IS fast.
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