2005 BMW 5 Series Consumer Reviews

Fun to drive, not without issues

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 545i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 6M)

Review

I bought mine in 2008 with 28K miles. I sold my 2003 325i to get this car. Just like the 3 series, I LOVE the way this car drives. The power, acceleration and steering are incredible. It's super smooth at high speeds - you just don't know you're speeding! After about 50K miles I was experiencing jerkiness in the transmission. Sometimes at a stop the engine would race and I'd have to shove my foot on the brake. I mentioned it several times to my dealer and finally, at 99K miles (I had the extended warranty) I asked to have a mechanic ride with me and I got a new transmission :) Cupholders suck; don't like the iDrive and interior is so-so, but I still like the car!
Read the full review

---

Loves it

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6M)

Review

Owned my 2005 530i for 3 years and never had one problem with it. Drove like a dream and always loved driving it. I put on about 12,000 a year mostly city driving and it performed great. A little tight up front (I'm 6'3) but overall the space inside is good. The interior design is very good the bluetooth always worked great with my phone and IDrive didn't bother me once I got used to it. The cup holders are ok they're not to bad never had a problem with them. The car is also very safe I got into an accident and the car held up great. Just recently sold it with 57,000 miles I upgraded to a 2008 535xi I hope I have the same luck with it !
Read the full review

---

Buyer Beware!!

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 545i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 6M)

Review

I had 3 cars sitting in my garage, one was a BMW 545i (2005) one is a GMC Envoy (2002) and the other is a Toyota Tacoma Truck (1996) The BMW continued to leak oil all over the garage until I finally sold it. The Envoy and the Tacoma have about 200,000 miles each and I doubt that I have even spent $500 combined on the 2 of these cars since I have owned them. The BMW has been nothing but problems with every maintenance bill being at least $1,000. Just a battery alone for the car is almost $500! The car was the best driving car I have ever owned but reliability was the worst of any of the 20 cars I have owned since I first started driving. I traded it recently for a Toyota!
Read the full review

---

Automatic Transmission Issues

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 545i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 6M)

Review

In all, the 545i is a well-balanced rig -- amazingly fast and agile for a car of its size and comfort. My car has been plagued with electrical issues however, and a glitch with the transmission is enough to force me to replace it. When driving under slight power between 35 and 40 mph, the car feels as if there is a disruption in the fuel delivery or ignition. When I first demonstrated this to the dealer, a tech said it was the transmission, it was normal, and by shifting it to sport mode I could eliminate the issue. Unacceptable, in my opinion. This isn't "normal" behavior for any car, and I don't want to drive in sport mode to fix a transmission malfunction. Major buzz kill.
Read the full review

---

CCC Problem

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 545i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 6M)

Review

Great car but there is a issue with the CCC aka iDrive. I had one go out under warranty at about 40,000 and now again it went out at 79,000 but this time I have to pay and it costs $1600 to replace. I have the certified pre- owned warranty which the dealership that I bought from said was bumper to bumper (the salesman lied) and now I have to suffer the consequences. Also the brakes squeal even though they do not need to be replaced. The rear tires wear fast because in the sports suspension, the wheels are slightly inward on purpose for handling so you will have to change tires frequently. Do not recommend if you don't have a lot of money to pay for service.
Read the full review

---

Design Defect

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 525i 4dr Sedan (2.5L 6cyl 6M)

Review

I love my car, but there is a definite design defect. The electronic module that controls most of the electronics in the car is located under the tire well in the truck. It's very easy for liquids to seep into the compartment and cause an "electronic malfunction". I was carrying groceries in my trunk and some liquid spilled. Before I made it home, my car's electronic system went haywire. I took it to the dealer and explained my problem and he new exactly what it was. It seems many other car owners have had the same problem. At a cost of $790 they repaired the problem and relocated the electronic module. It seems this is an ongoing problem and BMW should have made owners aware of the issue
Read the full review

---

I-drive (CCC system) is an issue

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 525i 4dr Sedan (2.5L 6cyl 6M)

Review

I LOVE this car. It is fun to drive and is sporty while still being a 4-door sedan. It handles well and really does adjust to your driving style which I really love. There is one BIG issue, the iDrive system that controls the a/c, heat, radio, entertainment, etc. It malfunctions about twice a year and the dealership acts as if they've never seen anything like it. (After researching, it is evident this is an ongoing issue with 5-series.) They did replace my CCC/ iDrive unit while under the warranty but now it is doing it again! This time it's NOT under warranty and it is quoted to cost thousands of dollars to fix this computer module! This issue needs to be resolved.
Read the full review

---

Brake Booster failure with 53K miles

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 545i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 6M)

Review

I am very disappointed to drive with a supposedly quality build car just to figure out it started to fail breaking while waiting in the car line to pick up my children. Unbelievable, I needed a full replacement of the brake booster and the brake Master cylinder after only 52K miles. Good luck to all of you driving this car which almost became a liability for me. That will be my first and last BMW ever.
Read the full review

---

Top of its class!

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6M)

Review

The car is great, loaded with all the features (premium, sport, cold-weather, navigation, etc) although rather pricey. The car is an absolute joy to drive, and handles like a dream. The performance isn't the greatest, i recommend not getting 530 because the 530i isn't such a great investment. If you want power, just go with the V8, its not much difference the 530 with 525. However, the quality of the car is great, and it is a real head turner. The leather has great quality, as well as the dash, real wood, and other things. What I don't like is the cost to own, but I guess you should expect it since you own a BMW. Also bothers me that everything is optional. (htd. seats, mp3, cd changer, etc)
Read the full review

---

Stay away from 545i

Vehicle

2005 BMW 5 Series 545i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 6M)

Review

Great handling but there it ends. One of the most unreliable cars I've owned (and I've had Italian cars!). Some of the problems the dealer has been unable to fix because they are fundamentally flawed: radio (because of terrible computer in the car), transmission shifts. If you need to find it, look in the shop.
Read the full review

---