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Used 2006 BMW 5 Series Sedan Consumer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
151 reviews
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5 out of 5 stars

Must own one of these cars, if you buy it used

Eric, 08/11/2016
2006 BMW 5 Series 530xi 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
39 of 39 people found this review helpful

So basically this car is my favorite material possession. AND I am not a car nut. I really like this car. We bought ours used in Colorado for $16K. It had 92,000 miles on it. I had it inspected by a BMW dealership for about $300. They tore through it and found some issues. The electronic cable sleeve between the computer and the transmission. It typically leaks every 100K. It was leaking. The shocks were bad. And the coolant system had a leak. I bought the car after some further negotiations. It was in the shop quickly for a radiator replacement, a lower radiator supply hose, a worn out wheel bearing, shocks, and new tires. That was about $3000. We had about $19k into this car with 105,000 miles on it. Regret started to sink into our minds. But since then the car has just had maintenance visits. I replaced the coil over ignition plugs at 180,000(they lasted 80k more than BMW says they should). I changed the oil every 7k, it does eat 1 qt of oil every 7000 miles. I just deal with that. I put continental contipro contact tires on it. This car powers through corners now. It drives through 12" of snow and heavy rains with NO problems. Folks this car is reliable if you take care of it. The car must go to a great mechanic who knows BMW's. Don't skimp on non-OEM parts. Go to Bavarian autosport for parts if you want to DYI the repairs. The car may the basic 6 buts fast. So fast. Faster than our 2009 BMW X5 with the turbo diesel. I am at 196,000 miles now and I have no intention of selling it. In fact I might just buy another 06-08 BMW 530xi. New technology be damned.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
4 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

My 4th BMW and the best one!

Olivier Gosse, 03/27/2016
2006 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
43 of 45 people found this review helpful

This 530i is well designed and the overall reliability is good. Beyond 150K miles, I started having some oil leaks but it's all fixable. Over 150K miles. the original radiator was replaced, a rear window actuator replaced around 60 Kmiles and the regular brakes were replaced front and back every 30 to 40K miles. Spark plugs replaced every 100K miles. DTML pump was replaced around 90K miles. The coolant tank was replaced around 120K miles but this car is solid and performs well month after month. The starter was replaced at 148K miles as well as a front wheel(crack in the metal). The microfilter needs a change every 30K miles and the trunk actuator had to be replaced at 165,000 Miles. It has 179K miles and it's still going strong! I religiously get an oil service every 7,500 miles + visual inspection. The external body still looks great but the car spends its nights in a covered garage. Total maintenance costs(incl. $3,800 100K warranty) = $18.425(incl. 4 sets of tires) up to date.

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
4 out of 5 stars
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4.5 out of 5 stars

Great car and great value (if purchased used)

klrsmile, 01/16/2012
2006 BMW 5 Series 550i 4dr Sedan (4.8L 8cyl 6M)
24 of 25 people found this review helpful

I purchased an '06 with 48k on it - a CPO car with some protection (and maintenance) remaining on the warranty. Sticker was $64k in 2006, and I was fortunate to purchase the car for under $22k from a BMW dealer in Houston. What can I say? The car has amazing performance and handling, with stock 18" rims and Yokahama run flats (odd, since there is a spare). Suspension is a bit stiff for an everyday driver, so says my wife, however, it allows the corners to be straightened out a bit when you get the nerve. Rear leg room is A+ and trunk space is huge. I-drive not too bad once used to it, but could have been made friendlier.

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4 out of 5 stars

Great looking car with performance that matches

Lawrence Katzenstein, 08/19/2015
updated 08/22/2016
2006 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
23 of 24 people found this review helpful

I bought this car three years ago and I've generally been quite satisfied. It gets decent mileage overall and over 30mpg on the road. New passengers not aware of the brand will often ask what kind of car it is because it's so comfortable. Since the car has had very little wear its frequently confused with a newer car since the basic body design remained the same until 2010. It does have some flaws. One of these is that the I-Drive computer occasionally doesn't boot at start up and leaves me without a radio until it does. The parking radar often takes a while to shut off after leaving a parking space. However in the basics like comfort and performance the car is great. I did purchase an extended drive train warranty, but I've recently had a large number of systems fail in short order including the water pump, purge valve, and transmission pan and filter. There's also the standard German oil leak which is so minuscule that I've chosen not to fix it. My mechanic and I both think that this bad period will pass and that the car will remain reliable so I'm currently still positive about it. It's a great machine. Addendum: On the positive side I've just been in an accident where I was broadsided by a driver who didn't try to stop. He must have been doing at least 65 in a 45 speed limit zone. The car lost a fender and deployed the side but not front airbags. I lost one fender and little else. I walked away without a scratch. Very impressive! The only negative about this car and other BMWs is that some systems are unique so it's hard to find a mechanic who will work on one other than the dealer. Nevertheless, performance and now safety are excellent.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
4 out of 5 stars
Value
4 out of 5 stars
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4.63 out of 5 stars

550i

BRokicki, 10/30/2009
2006 BMW 5 Series 550i 4dr Sedan (4.8L 8cyl 6M)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful

I purchased a CPO 06 550i 6 months ago with 46K miles. This car is amazing, it already has over 53K on it and there isn't one rattle, this car really has held up over the years. I drove a new 535i and could hardly tell the difference, so I decided to save $30K and buy it used. This car is such a joy to drive, it begs to be tossed around. Every seat is comfortable, and there is tons of cargo room. The only thing that bothers me is that I only average 9 mpg in the city driving normally, but much better than expected on the highway, about 25. You really need to watch the pot holes, I had to replace 2 tires at $500 a piece, don't get the sport package if you live in an area with bad roads!

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