Used 2002 BMW 5 Series Consumer Reviews
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Wondering which way to go???
Mark Shaw, 08/31/2009
2002 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
I've owned my BMW for 4 years now - grey with sport pkg. Love the drive as I used to own a 1988 535i. After the mechanic called me today with a radiator/fan bearing replacement bill, I almost went out to trade it in. I have had a series of small issues with the car: dash pixels, xenon light failure, oil leaks, rubber dipstick boot oil leak, and more...I have 102K miles on the car but wondering if I should cut my losses and move on to newer...positive is that it has ALWAYS started like a charm...maybe I've replaced most of the parts that can wear over time...
Trade it before it goes out of warranty
Samuel Reese, 04/17/2015
updated 04/17/2018
2002 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)
26 of 28 people found this review helpful
I own a 2002 530i purchased in 2005 with 34k miles. After 100k interior cooling fan burned out and short circuited my electronics $1500. Rear door gaskets went bad $500. Transmission failed $4500 used. Had to replace the guibo. Passenger window regulator replaced then drivers window regulator failed. Within 2 yrs drivers side failed again.Inner and outer tie rods have been replaced 3 times. Both seat motors no longer work. Windshield wiper motor burned out twice. Fan clutch failed. Of course the cup holders broke before 100k and radio display you can't read.Even doing the majority of the work myself the car is a money pit. Now I have 213k and want to sell it. No characters left to list all. Finally got rid of that headache. Thank God!
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The Ultimate Driving Machine - not just a slogan!
Seemyad, 02/10/2016
2002 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)
28 of 31 people found this review helpful
I own a 2002 BMW 530i. My car has all of the packages (sports, cold weather, premium) that were available at time of purchase. OMG! What a fun car to drive! This car is the best compromise between sport/luxury, power/economy, and it is oozing with class. Due to exceptional handling, my confidence on the road under any driving conditions is extremely high. Other than a six-figure sports car, my 530i can handle any driving maneuver better than other vehicles due to the Sport Package suspension system. The cab is quiet. The car is heavy as a tank yet rides like a gazelle. I feel very safe in my vehicle. Owners have made the mistake of filling the coolant system expansion tank to the top. You are suppose to only fill it until the float is level with the the top. This leaves about 1/3 air inside the expansion tank. As the coolant heats up and "expands", it overflows into the expansion tank. When it cools down and contracts, it brings the level back down. By overfilling the expansion tank, excessive coolant pressure builds as it expands. This eventually caused the expansion tank and/or the radiator to rupture (via a hairline crack). Then the very people who have overfilled the tank go into BMW forums and complain about the coolant system being cheap rather than realize that overfilling it caused the problem. The same is true of the transmission fluid. BMW basically lied and claimed their transmission fluid lasts forever and does not need to be changed. This sometimes results in a torque converter going bad somewhere between 100,000 ~ 200,000 miles. If you ignore BMW and change the ATF every 30,000 ~ 60,000 miles, this too would not be an issue. BMW handles so great because they figured out decades ago, if you achieve even weight distribution be tween the front and rear axle, the center of gravity will be as perfect as it can be, which makes the car hug the road much better under any condition. To achieve a 50/50% f/r weight distribution, BMW used light-weight parts under the hood, and even placed the battery in the trunk on the passenger side (opposite corner from the driver). Due to the slightly larger 530i engine (compared to the 528), my car weigh distribution is 51/49% f/r. She handles superbly. Although I would likely never buy a BMW off of the showroom floor (aka brand new), I really enjoy owning one. You can wear blue-jeans or a three piece suit and still look right for the car. She never fails to turn heads. She never fails to paint a big smile on my face on the road. There are some cars out there that are faster. However, there are few cars out there that can out perform her in all weather conditions. The body style of these cars in the early 2000s is timeless. I purchased a Dynavin E39 NAV Unit for her, which looks better and has more features than the head units that come stock in the 2016 models of most cars today. It's touch screen and feature rich. Great car for her time AND for today!!!
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My 2002 BMW 530i has 464,000 miles BUT never again
Strat, 08/20/2018
2002 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)
15 of 16 people found this review helpful
My 2002 BMW 530i has 464,000 miles on it and is still getting me to work everyday yet I'd never buy another one. It is fun to drive, and after 12 years of ownership, I am still not sick of it. The build quality in this era (1997-2003) is better than present day. Another reviewer wrote, "It feels like a Sherman Tank but handles like a gazelle." Yes, it does. The doors shut solidly and visibility is awesome. I think I have had better luck than others with this model. I took very good care of it and the key to getting these cars to last is preventative maintenance. Original engine. Never let it overheat! Tow it in, don't drive it. The premium leather sport seats are firm but very comfortable and still work as they should. The interior is rather luxurious. I am amazed that all the knobs and handles still work, as do all the windows and sunroof. Despite many miles of motoring, this model is prone to the following and I have replaced the following multiple times: upper and lower control arms, tie-rods, front struts, the entire cooling system, transmission at 250,000, the engine oil usage is high due to the lousy VANOS oem parts, tires wear on the inside shoulder due to the camber setting and have to be replaced more than usual but this is the price to pay for performance I guess, the electrical display readout is crap and the pixels burn out, the ABS brake module is mounted near the exhaust manifold and the heat kills it, the CAT throws a code around 130,000 miles and is an expensive replacement, and the interior fan blower motor relay will drain the battery when parked if you don't replace it. Other than that, it's the usual maintenance for a car: brakes, rotors, belts, etc.
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Money pit
happyharps, 01/20/2012
2002 BMW 5 Series 525i 4dr Sport Wagon (2.5L 6cyl 5M)
36 of 41 people found this review helpful
This car is really fun to drive, when it will drive. It has been a money pit. We have had many electrical problems. We have had the dealership repair it, just to have more electrical problems. The interior design is poor as far as convinience goes (lack of a good drink holder), tiny seats in the back, not a lot of space on passenger side for legs and knees, etc. It has great pick up, the transmission is smooth, you can drive 120 mph and feel like your going 65mph. This car really is fun to drive, but it has so many machanical and electrical problems. Wish I hadn't purchased this car.
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