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fishdreams
Written by: div2 on Mar 23, 2005 6:30:23 AM
The dealer is trying to hose you big time-tell him I said so...;) Is the car cranking slow? You need to top up the battery cells with distilled water every six months or so. Do that and your battery will last quite a while; my 1995 318t1 and 1997 528i still have their original batteries. The BMW OEM batteries don't seem to be as robust as the ones that come with ... Read More
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rgrossman
Written by: div2 on Jan 1, 2005 9:05:02 PM
I can't say that I've found BMWs to be expensive to run; the repair and maintenance costs on my wife's 1997 528iA work sled have averaged about $84/month over the last two years/30K miles-and that number includes an Inspection II as well as changes of the AT, final drive, brake system, and cooling system fluids, a set of BMW OEM brake pads, and four V-rated summer tires. And by the way, ... Read More
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erice
Written by: div2 on Oct 16, 2004 8:42:06 AM
Here's an excerpt from a post I made in the 5er forum a few weeks ago: >My wife uses a 109000 mile 1997 528iA as her commuter sled. Aside from a failed windshield washer motor($35), the fuel door hinge($12), and a power steering hose($80), it has only required scheduled maintenance over the past two years and 32000 miles. City/suburban fuel mileage averages 21 mpg while an 80 mph interstate cruise will ... Read More
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rancher2
Written by: div2 on Jul 14, 2004 12:25:16 PM
BMWs have had problems with oil level sensors going back to the E28. OTOH, if the owner took the car in because the nitwit lacked the mental capacity to check the oil manually... As for the SRS light, it would be helpful to know what fault was being detected. The two most common faults are the sensor in the seat belt buckle and the sensor in the bottom seat cushion. For ... Read More
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nobmw
Written by: shipo on May 19, 2004 10:15:45 AM
First off, I wouldn't confuse a low-ball dealer trade-in number with what your car is really worth. As far as I can tell, there are no 1995 525i vehicles anywhere in the country worth only $2,200. That is, unless the car is thoroughly thrashed and bashed. Assuming that your car had decent paint it should be worth around $7,000 as a trade-in, and maybe as much as $10,000 if you sold ... Read More
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BMW Horror
Written by: nobmw on May 18, 2004 6:50:21 PM
I have a 1995 525i and now that it is in its "later years", I find myself spending so much money on maintenance. Looking up the blue book value of 9,000, I've just spent 3500 fixing the damn thing. I thought BMW's were known for their "getting better with age", well, this is one unhappy customer who will NEVER by a BMW again.
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riez
Written by: habitat1 on Feb 28, 2003 8:41:35 AM
The "gross" savings of ED are real and anyone can do that math. But I will concede that, depending upon your situation and perspective, there may be some actual and imputed costs that will result in differences in our respective "net" savings. You seem to want to subtract every conceivable minute of your time including a "recovery" period from the trip. And I don't fault you for looking at it that ... Read More
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pen101
Written by: habitat1 on Feb 21, 2003 5:01:11 AM
I have a 1995 Nissan Maxima still going strong with 136k miles on the original clutch and was told by the BMW service manager at the same dealership (VOB BMW, Rockville, MD) that 5-series clutches should last just as long. Especially the 530i. Even the 540i and M5 clutches are expected to last into the 100k+ territory. From the sounds of it, I drive like you - not abusive, but occasionally ... Read More
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bajabob1, SergeyM, ksqrd
Written by: habitat1 on Jan 27, 2003 3:33:26 AM
The 530ia is fine, including in the power area. It's down right quick when equiped with a 5-speed manual, but the automatic is still potent and a noticable improvement over the 528ia. I too have decided that I would opt for the 530i (5-speed) over the 540i (6-speed). The cost savings, better fuel economy, and likely lower maintenance and repair costs make the 530i a better choice for me. If I ... Read More
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RE: 95 540i/530i vs. 97 ES 300 by gorrilla800lbs
Written by: habitat1 on Nov 23, 2002 7:21:17 PM
One of my neighbors who is a BMW fanatic bought a 1995 530i and had lots of problems. He claimed it was the "worst of both worlds". A finnicky V-8 that had less displacement and power than many 6 cylinders. That engine was not one of BMW's high points. BMWNA finally took the car back after 2 years and he got a 1997 528i which he still drives. As for the ... Read More
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dzuba, mseals
Written by: habitat1 on Nov 1, 2002 6:27:02 PM
If you are considering a 528i 5-speed, I think it will be quicker than an automatic 1998 Maxima GLE. If I'm not mistaken, the automatic (4-speed) Maxima is at least 1+ second slower in 0-60 than the 5-speed manual. I even think an automatic 528i would be close to an automatic 1995-2001 Maxima, since the BMW automatic is a 5-speed and the performance penalty of the automatic over a manual isn't ... Read More
