2001 BMW 5 Series Review
Fuel Economy
16 - 21 mpg
Summary
What Edmunds.com says
Every vehicle in the 5 Series is a wonderful car. If you can afford to buy one, we recommend that you do. Sure, there are other great cars out there in this price range; we just think this is one of the best.
Pros
Thrilling to drive, luxurious ride quality, clean exterior styling.
Cons
Confusing interior markings, demanding manual transmission, high-end models are pricey.
What's New for 2001
The former base 2.8-liter engine gets bumped up to 3.0 liters, with an expected horsepower and torque increase to go along with the larger displacement. A new 2.5-liter engine premieres this year, as do rear seat head airbags and a slightly freshened exterior. BMW also improved some of the optional equipment, including Park Distance Control for both the front and rear of the vehicle, a bigger LCD screen for the navigation system, and an optional single-disc in-dash CD player.
Consumer Ratings & Reviews
Great ride despite high maintenance cost
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 9 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 8 | Reliability: | 7 |
| Fuel Economy: | 7 | Exterior Design: | 10 | ||
Vehicle
2001 BMW 5 Series 540i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 6M)
Review
I was looking for a luxury car to modify into a performance vehicle (gs300 +turbo kit & +tranny swap). When I found this car looking for 6 speed rear wheel drives, I was immediately taken. Quick, comfortable & connected. Why buy another luxury automobile and turn it into a performance vehicle when you can buy one that is already dialed in. They are rare to find, and even more rare w/ low miles & in good condition. Car feels glued to the road at any speed the governor allows. After leaning on the throttle uphill in 6th, I realized how much power this engine has. If you understand the cost of ownership, go for it. You will not be disappointed. If you care about MPG, get a different car!
Favorite Features
6 speed getrag tranny, lowered stance, predictability in behavior, defeatable DSC, raw low end power. Car pulls hard in any gear. 540i manual w/ Sport package is almost the performance of the revered M5, but half the insurance & maintenance cost. Last & most refined of the classic BMW styling.
Suggested Improvements
Gremlins that mess with my turn signals & fan blower. Costly replacement parts, generally quirky electrical system, trip computer resets, failure prone cooling system.
love my 540
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 9 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 9 | Reliability: | 8 |
| Fuel Economy: | 8 | Exterior Design: | 9 | ||
Vehicle
2001 BMW 5 Series 540i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 6M)
Review
love my 540 It is the 5th BMW i have owned I still like the classic BMW look of the 540 It is a 6 speed manual fun to drive on the high way Veary techno for 2001 model(heated seats leather) Sport seats are comfortable except back seat passengers do not have much leg room
Favorite Features
6 speed transmission good stereo have to use radar detector because it is so fast
Suggested Improvements
improve mpg ( I have the v8)
Great Car
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 10 |
| Comfort: | 10 | Interior Design: | 10 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 7 | Exterior Design: | 10 | ||
Vehicle
2001 BMW 5 Series 540i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 6M)
Review
This is my dream car. Having owned a couple of 3 series over the years I am partial to BMW. So take my advice for what it is worth. The motor is great. Mileage is not great. Comfort high. Transmission smooth. 18" wheels look great and the ride is still good. The only complaint from me is the steering does not feel quite as crisp as the 530I. I think this is due to the weight of the V8 so BMW had to use a different setup. And about those flimsy cupholders. Who in their right mind would eat and drink in a $60,000 car while driving around...
Favorite Features
Everything. All around a great car!
Suggested Improvements
Steering is somewhat numb. I do like the steering on the 530I better.
Best car I've ever owned
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 10 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 9 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 7 | Exterior Design: | 9 | ||
Vehicle
2001 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)
Review
This car is one of the best bimmer ever made. Reliable and performance are the words describing this baby. For best drive you will need to maintain the car...and when I say maintaining I mean it. So far I spend about 1000$ a year (it's my 3rd year for breaks, oil and air filter...tune up). But I still enjoy and love this beast!!!!
Favorite Features
Very reliable and performance is second to none. I never drove a car this fun to drive. The ultimate driving machine.
Suggested Improvements
more horse power
Not that bad!
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 7 |
| Comfort: | 9 | Interior Design: | 8 | Reliability: | 7 |
| Fuel Economy: | 9 | Exterior Design: | 9 | ||
Vehicle
2001 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)
Review
I bought this car in October of 2008 and I must say I'm not ashamed of my BMW. I get a lot of compliments all the time. It gets good gas mileage and has a lot of get up and go. I had a 2003 Nissan Maxima SE before this car and the BMW is as good as it. I'm only 16 also. I recently had to replace the alternator and I'm having to get new tires and rims because of a roaring noise but I was gonna get new tires and rims anyways so that is not a real big deal. Overall I LOVE THIS CAR!!!
Favorite Features
Powerful, smooth ride, handles well, fun to drive. Compliments I get from my friends!!!
Suggested Improvements
Improve radio, CD player will not played MP3 discs.
View Pricing for Other Years
Research the 2001 BMW 5 Series
Buying & Selling
Vehicle Details
Multimedia
Ratings & Reviews
- Model Review
- Road Test Ratings
- Road Test Reviews
- Consumer Reviews
- Awards History
- Reliability
- Consumer Discussions
Payment Calculators
Helpful Tools
