In my recent foray into the BMW world I spent several hours "playing" with a 330 sedan (see my review on epinions) and a 525 wagon. Both these cars with an automatic transmission. This review fits into the 5 series slot but concerns mostly the 525 wagon I drove. Most comments however also apply to other 2002 5 series cars.
Of all the cars that south Germans build and ship to America the 5 series is one of the best. I am including in my comment all the extensive collection from Mercedes Benz, Audi and BMW. It is one of the best because it incorporates a fantastic array of engineering solutions, in a highly well put together product, that looks good and that has a great market image. Notice that the four characteristics are listed in what I consider to be the order of preference in the minds of the decision makers of Munich.
First you make it technically advanced and pleasing to drive, then you build it well, but it also has to be pretty, and finally folks must be impressed by seeing other folks drive it.
The 5 series is the incarnation of this. Here are my views on why...
PROS:
This car has one of the most marvelous chassis of any mid size car. Many people think it is indeed the best in the world. I would not go that far. But it is certainly up there. It is just remarkable how a car with these dimensions can feel so small. I drove the 525 wagon which is
actually an improvement over the sedan. There is a little more weight on the rear axle and this rear wheel driver likes that. This wagon felt so precise, so crisp, so near perfect that it is hard to express it with words. And then you look around you and you have enough room to haul a family and lots of junk... What a package. I entered a couple of 90 degree corners at 35 mph, coasted, hit the apex, slammed it, and this bad boy took off like a rocket. No over steer, no hesitation, no excessive body roll, no excessive harshness, just a wonderfully balanced chassis. I could go on and on... But you get the picture.
The interior space... This car is roomy front and back. It fits 5 adults easily and with comfort. It has enough head room, shoulder room and leg room for large passengers like myself. It is also very well packaged considering the exterior dimensions. I did the old test. I drove the car, adjusted the front 8 way power seat to my liking (I'm 6'2'') and then got out and sat behind the driver's seat. No complaints. Plenty of room.
The build quality and interior ergonomics are remarkable. Better even than the 3 series. I wont spend too much time on this as you can see my comments on the 330 review. But simply put everything is built with the best materials, every dial, switch and knob is where you want it to be, everything feels solid and looks like built to last.
I believe BMW is closing the gap to Mercedes and AUDI initial quality. It used to be big, now it is smaller.
Styling... It is always a subjective issue. But this wagon
is in my opinion one of the best looking wagons around. And the same goes for the sedan. They look great and I hope BMW restyles them in an evolutionary way. And not in a revolutionary way like they did with the new goofy looking 7 series. This 5 series is a classic.
BMW image is very important especially in the US where this car is very much perceived as an upper tier, white collar, live hard play hard kind of folk car. They have it and they charge you for it.
And finally a word about the nice techie features this car has. I dont like to spend time describing features. Instead I like to give my personal view of the car. My feelings on the car. So here is a quote from Edmunds's review:
"As one would expect in a top-end luxury/sport vehicle, equipment levels are first-rate. Standard fare includes a 10-speaker premium sound system, car and key programmable memory, dual-zone air conditioning, eight-way power adjustments with memory settings and cruise control with steering wheel controls. All-Season Traction Control (AST), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Dynamic Brake Control are standard on all 5 Series cars.
Standard safety equipment includes dual-stage front airbags, door-mounted front side airbags and head-protection airbags for front passengers. The optional Rear Side-Airbag package also includes head-protection airbags. Three-point seatbelts at all seating positions, impact sensors that unlock the doors and activate the hazard lights in the event of a serious accident, remote keyless entry, two-step unlocking, coded drive-away protection and a vehicle security system are also standard. To list all of the 5 Series' luxury options would take more space than we have. A few of the more noticeable ones include a Cold Weather package with heated front seats, Park Distance Control, a navigation system and 17-inch wheels with performance tires. "
Basically the point is... This is not just a sexy, great handling wagon. It has many very advanced technological features that are a product of the enormous amount of new patents BMW engineers register every year.
This is an engineering firm that makes cars. Not a marketing firm that sells cars like some Detroit outfits...
CONS:
This wagon does not have a large trunk. It is a shame. Because if it did it would be more useful as a wagon. It is way short of AUDI's A6 and especially of the ubber wagon the Mercedes E series wagon. There is certainly a great gain over the sedan. But I think that the option of maximizing passenger comfort took away form the depth of the trunk. And that rear differential does not help. Oh well, I had to find some negative points too... :)
And then we come to the BMW crux. The 540 is completely out of range for most people. The 525 is very reasonably priced unless you start adding options. And then the price skyrockets away form the A6 and into E320 territory. And that is not where a BMW should be priced. However if you are modest with the options the 525 is a great deal for a reasonable price for the class.
CONCLUSION:
This is a fantastic wagon in almost all aspects. In my opinion the 525 is by far the better deal. OK, it's only a 185HP 6 but it has ample power from what I could tell. It felt much faster than it sounds on paper.
If you want a cargo hauler get another vehicle. If you want a refined wagon that truly defines what a luxury car should be than this car should be on your shopping list. Beware of the price, it can easily get away from your ~$40K budget.
Thanks for reading!
If you want to check out my
related BMW 330 sedan review you can find it in the following link:
http://www.epinions.com/content_47801601668
Thanks again!
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