BMW 5 SERIES [/tmp] [tmp meta_description] AUTOSUPERMART.COM 2004 BMW 525I ROAD TEST CAR REVIEW BMW 5 SERIES 530I 540I BMW 5 SERIES CAR REVIEW[/tmp] [tmp meta_keyword] BMW 525I ROAD TEST CAR REVIEW BMW 5 SERIES 530I 540I BMW 5 SERIES CAR REVIEWBMW 525I ROAD TEST CAR REVIEW BMW 5 SERIES 530I 540I BMW 5 SERIES CAR REVIEWBMW 525I ROAD TEST CAR REVIEW BMW 5 SERIES 530I 540I BMW 5 SERIES CAR REVIEW[/tmp] <html> <head> <META NAME="robots" CONTENT="index,follow"> </head> <body>  <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber1"> <tr> <td width="101%" colspan="4"> <img src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/carreviewslogoblack.jpg" width="819" height="87"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%" align="center"> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com" style="text-decoration: none">CAR REVIEWS</a></td> <td width="25%" align="center"> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com" style="text-decoration: none"> AUTOMOTIVE NEWS</a></td> <td width="25%" align="center"> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com" style="text-decoration: none">AUTO SHOWS</a></td> <td width="25%" align="center"> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com" style="text-decoration: none"> CAR BUYING SERVICES</a></td> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="10%" valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">  <a target="_blank" href="http://www.itunes.com/podcast?id=278076693"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/subscribetopodcast.jpg"></a> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/testtrack.jpg"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/"> <IMG SRC="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/traffic.jpg" BORDER="0" width="136" height="131" ></a> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/gasprices/states/index.shtml"> <IMG SRC="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/gasprices.jpg" BORDER="0" ></a> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.autosupermart.com/store/shop/brands/menu/carsforsale.html"> <IMG SRC="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/carbuying.jpg" BORDER="0" ></a> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.autosupermart.com/store/shop/brands/menu/carsforsale.html"> <IMG SRC="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/autofinancing.jpg" BORDER="0" ></a>  <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script>  <script LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.1">  </script>   <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript"> rnum=Math.round(Math.random() * 100000); ts=String.fromCharCode(60); if (window.self != window.top) {nf=''} else {nf='NF/'}; document.write(ts+'script src="http://www.burstnet.com/cgi-bin/ads/ad12796a.cgi/v=2.3S/sz=120x600A/'+rnum+'/'+nf+'RETURN-CODE/JS/">'+ts+'/script>'); </script><noscript><a href="http://www.burstnet.com/ads/ad12796a-map.cgi/ns/v=2.3S/sz=120x600A/" target="_top"> <img src="http://www.burstnet.com/cgi-bin/ads/ad12796a.cgi/ns/v=2.3S/sz=120x600A/" border="0" alt="Click Here" /></a> </noscript>   <IFRAME SRC="http://ads.addynamix.com/creative/2-2131275-2i?" 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src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i1-01.jpg" width="225" height="131"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i2.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i2-01.jpg" width="225" height="137"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i3.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i3-01.jpg" width="225" height="136"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i4.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i4-01.jpg" width="225" height="182"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i5.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i5-01.jpg" width="225" height="138"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i6.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i6-01.jpg" width="225" height="111"></a> <a 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src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i12-01.jpg" width="225" height="300"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i13.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i13-01.jpg" width="225" height="239"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i14.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i14-01.jpg" width="225" height="300"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i15.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i15-01.jpg" width="225" height="169"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i16.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i16-01.jpg" width="225" height="169"></a> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/quicktimelogo.gif" width="49" height="43">Download Apple QuickTime viewer <a target="_blank" href="http://quicktime.com/">here</a>. See a movie of the interior of the 525i <a target="_blank" href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525interior.mov">Click Here</a> Watch a Exterior walk around <a target="_blank" href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525exterior.mov">Click Here</a> Watch a night time view of the adaptive lights in action and the interior of the 525i at night <a target="_blank" href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525lighting.mov">Click Here</a> </td> <td width="77%" valign="top"> 2005 BMW 525i The Good: Ultra smooth engine - transmission - steering - ride - driving feel. Free revving engine reaches triple digits easily, Amazingly flat cornering, Amazing active steering feel, High level of road feel, Super quiet interior, Great build quality. The Bad: Low horsepower, High price, Tight feeling of interior, Sport seats not very comfortable, IDrive complex even for us. The illustrious heritage of the BMW 5 series can be traced back to 1972. Since then, each reiteration has been modified and improved to offer the latest in driving technology and performance. Recently remodeled into its fifth generation, the BMW 5 continues in tradition delivering by the motto "Do your best, now do it better." What sets BMW apart from other brands is their rigorous testing of every vehicle well ahead of production. Its engineers are constantly looking for ways to improve what the car can do and this leads to amazing driving feel. Amazing can also describe the quality and fit of all parts inside and out. The feeling of solidity is around you, even more so than Mercedes and this is something rarely achieved by car manufacturers. New technologies such as active steering, active roll stabilization and adaptive headlights are offerings that few others currently place on their vehicles. BMW is also the only manufacturer to join steel and aluminum using a revolutionary bonding process. The steel passenger cell is bonded to an aluminum front end, a first for a production car. At the factory, robots and cameras monitor everything in production, some of which is done by other robots. Another first is in-line laser measurement of every body component as the robots build the vehicle. While many components and interior parts are put together by hand, robots do a great amount of the framework. What is truly special is that every car is run and tested at the factory in Germany before being sent out of the factory, something we wish more manufacturers would do. The exterior of our new BMW 525i is clean and flowing. The word "tight' immediately comes to mind. Putting your hands on the panels and feeling the body is what truly makes you appreciate how curvaceous and large the panels really are. The wheels seem to be pushed out further due to the flattened portions on the sides of the front hood. All plastic parts on the outside are large and flowing. The front bumper, rear bumper and lower valences all around serve an aerodynamic purpose and make the 5 seem very low to road. This is a very aerodynamic body. While Honda has copied the BMW styling cues from the side view, we definitely got stares as we drove down the road, signifying that this is still a new and eye-catching design one that can be attributed to the brand 'BMW', whose heritage is hard to copy. The interior at first sight is full of straight lines and flat panels. Our model featured dark grey colored wood with lines that resembled shark skin crossing through. The door trim is aluminum and the look matches that of the new BMW X3 closely. The interior cabin is not very large so things are easily within reach of the driver. All window switches are on the driver's door, and this makes asking your passenger to lower a particular window impossible. The steering wheel holds controls for volume, telephone, voice activation, station seek, and two user programmable buttons. Automatic headlights and wipers make driving easy and hassle free. We especially liked the electronic feeling in the turn indicator stalk. It felt more solid than traditional levers and gave us that futuristic car feeling. A simple small screen in the instrument cluster shows the trip computer and fuel remaining. Warnings are shown in a small upper window in the instrument cluster. Instrument dials and the interior ambient lighting is all in red color at night and we wish that orange or white be used instead for a cleaner more futuristic look. Nonetheless, it is quite amazing how simply BMW has managed to offer such an advanced and complex vehicle with so little mess in the instrument cluster. A slimplistic interior leads to a car which the driver enjoys more and the main fun in the 5 is behind the wheel on a twisty fast road. The 525i is full of great everyday features. Windows are all one touch open and close, not just the drivers window. The rear windows also fully open which we liked very much. Three garage door opener buttons are located below the rearview mirror. A ventilated storage compartment is also located in the center armrest. The passenger side mirror also points downward when you select the reverse gear. An automatic air filter detects pollution and automatically blocks the flow of outside air when too much pollution is detected in the air. The power moon roof is also one touch for any of its directions; from fully open to tilt, all you need to do is touch one button and let go. We had a small issue with the door locks that would not all unlock when the driver would unlock his door and get out. This was very annoying when coming back and trying to open the trunk without a key or trying to open the back doors for your pet. The button to unlock the doors is located in the center of the dash a very hard to reach area once you are on the outside of the car trying to open the rear door. There was not simple menu screen in the IDrive system for this. The IDrive system is shown on the screen in the center of the dash. By using a jog dial located near the armrest, the IDrive system lets you perform functions that let you customize the car, as well as display car trip computer information, control the telephone, stereo and ventilation air direction. We thought that it was difficult to use and view at first, but after three or four days we felt somewhat comfortable with all its features. The challenge is getting to know where all the adjustments are in the menu system, something like folders in your home computer. The I Drive system does clean up the mess of buttons and provides a graphical dislpay of everything in a cool futuristic manner. We think if it was a touch screen with quicker menus it would be more simplistic to use while driving. The climate menu allows you to select automatic air direction or manual control of the front, feet, and windshield vents. The main climate controls are buttons and dials set below the IDrive screen and are outside of the IDrive system. We did not really understand why half of the system was outside of the IDrive and half inside the IDrive system. However one thing we must mention is that it was much faster to do something using the old method rather than push through the IDrive system. This is where the IDrive needs to excel, it should be a better looking and a better functioning system, not just one. Particularly difficult to use was the stereo side of the IDrive. The slanted grid menu was difficult to read. Changing between sources was difficult and performing a scan function was even harder. Although we did set our steering wheel buttons to change source, having to do it through the IDrive was difficult. We much prefer the Audi system in the A8L. We did not use the telephone or the trip computer menus much although we do want to mention that the system showed a great 29 mpg in mixed driving. Pushing the center of the IDrive menu in its main menu leads you to the vehicle controls menu, which lets you set a base tire pressure, or set if the lights should blink three times when you touch the turnning stalk lightly once, as well as other vehicle funtions. The IDrive system is standard on all 5 series vehicles. Although it does add to a modern car with nice graphical menus and a large colorful screen, it is not very easy to use. A touch screen as used in Lexus would be much easier to use and much more intuitive. The IDrive does not make it faster to accomplish what you are trying to do while driving and this should have been the first goal. We would like many of these functions controlled by voice as well in such a expensive vehicle. Ultimately that would be the best control system. What instantly makes a BMW different than everything else on the road is innovative technology called Active Front Steering. Steering systems have not changed for fifty years. With this new system, the driver does not have to shuffle the wheel when making turns, there is very little crossing of the hands. Much more driving pleasure is achieved with the Active Steering system. While the standard steering is amazingly precise and responsive to even the slightest move of the steering wheel, the new active steering is jaw dropping. The active steering makes turning in parking lots and around your driveway simple and easy. The car maneuvers as if it has four wheel steering. Turning the steering wheel from end to end is very fast at low speeds and requires very little effort and little wheel movement. At low speeds a smaller turn of the wheel is required to make a normal turn as compared to non-active steering. At faster speeds the steering offers more control and better feel. Even with the steering being very easy to control and the wheel very easy to turn, road feel is not forgotten. Through the wheel you can feel all four tires, turning the wheel even the slightest to either side actually moves the vehicle. This makes the car incredibly fun to drive. The car feels nimble like a sports car, and is extremely fun to drive. It is quite difficult for words to describe the feeling behind the wheel of this 5 series. Another great feature was active roll stabilization. This kept the 525i flat in corners. The 525i felt like it was on rails going through a turn. The vehicle was supremely flat, stable and with the new steering, very responsive. Body lean is almost totally reduced. Driving with these two systems puts you ahead of all other vehicles on the road. You are a better and more confident driver. You can drive faster and more precisely than most other drivers on the road; especially in turns. These two systems really do make you want to forget the price and buy a new 5 series even with its IDrive issues. We especially liked the adaptive headlights that turn with the road while driving at night. We first experienced these on the 330ci we recently tested. Xenon lights are very bright and the 5 series headlights were quite good. High beams were very bright towards the center of the road and cast a oval glow on a very large area ahead of you. Turning the wheel causes the headlights to look in the direction you are headed. It is like having eyes on the car guide you through turns. These lights should be retrofitted to all cars on the road today, the system is just that good. The 525i engine is a meager powered inline V6. Even though the engine only produces 185 horsepower, it is liquid smooth and free revving. The 5 cabin is very quite and so is this engine. We could hardly notice the engine was revving even at 5000 rpm. All forms of exterior noise is virtually nonexistent. The vehicle easily achieves high speeds and all this happens very smoothly. The six speed manual transmission in our tester was also smooth and easy to use. The clutch was soft and had a good amount of range for engagement. Shifts could easily be performed smoothly. The 2.5 liter engine is silky smooth to its top speed of 130mph, however passing quickly at highway speeds is a bit slow. Because horsepower is low, we do not recommend this engine to those who are accustomed to faster vehicles. With many Japanese models offering 270 horsepower, we think that BMW should also produce engines that make much more horsepower using a six cylinder engine, something like the new Mercedes six cylinder engine. Price is the biggest issue with the 5 series. The cost with a sports package and premium package is about $46,000; that for a car with not that much interior room, a low amount of horsepower, and navigation system optional. For such a high price we think that at least the car should come with Navigation standard. Otherwise the IDrive screen is a bit of a waste. Also missing is an on call service for information such as the 'I' button in Mercedes vehicles. Bluetooth telephone compatibility would allow us to all use our telephone with the car system. We need more value for the dollar and with competition from the likes of the Chrysler 300c this segment becomes even more competitive. Interior space is also a bit low when compared to other vehicles. Our sport seats were a bit uncomfortable up front. The seat bottoms had large side bolsters which made for difficult entry and exit. Although the rear seats were comfortable, due to deep bottoms, legroom was quite low. There is no room to move or stretch out. We think that the rear wheels should be pushed back a bit more, increasing rear seat legroom and lowering trunk space. The large trunk space is really not necessary in everyday life for most people. We also think that the dash was a bit large and the flat shape of it coming slightly towards you makes the car seem smaller inside. In the back, the majority of your view is blocked by the large front seats. The front seats curve up into your face, towards you with large view-blocking headrests as well. This makes for a very cramp feeling in the rear cabin, causing you to think that the car is going faster than it actually is. The feeling is totally the opposite at the wheel. Amazing crash testing of all BMW models makes them one of the safest vehicles available today. The force of a offset frontal impact can be channeled to send forces around the passenger cabin, leaving doors fully unaffected, even the door seams untouched. Dynamic Stability Control applies brakes individually to wheels that slip to keep you on the road. Pressing the DSC button on the dash turns on DTC (T=Traction) for snowy conditions and turns off the braking feature. Holding this button down for a few seconds turns off both features for tire burning fun. There is even a flat tire monitor to warn you should a rapid deflation occur. This is much more error free than the Mercedes system which shows you actual tire pressures and is prone to faults in its reading. Engine services are also easily shown on the IDrive system in a easy to read graphical interface, when the car needs something done a red indicator next to that menu shows you its time to go to the dealer. BMW Assist calls a SOS representative should an accident occur and there is a button on the ceiling for manual calling of aid. These systems are combined with solid seatbelts and front, side and head protection airbags all around. Most potential buyers will probably have their mind set on the 5 series when they go and take a test drive. The ride is significantly different than the Mercedes E-class and Audi A6. Products from Japan such as the Acura TL do not offer the image of a BMW. We can look ahead to the new A6 due later this year for a true competitor. There are still those that prefer more value for the dollar and choosing a Acura TL with its nearly 300 horsepower engine and DVD navigation system with Bluetooth telephone connectivity all for around $35,000 is sure to entice more than just a few. However, no competitor offers the feeling that only driving a BMW can offer. The smoothness of the engine, the amazing road feel, and superbly planted feeling from the active roll stabilization and steering are all features that other competitors cannot match. With attractive lease terms currently, this car may be in the reach of more than just the wealthy. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%" id="AutoNumber2" height="154"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="53%" height="19">PRICING</td> <td width="13%" height="19">INVOICE</td> <td width="34%" height="19">RETAIL</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Base Pricing</td> <td width="13%" height="18">36,380</td> <td width="34%" height="18">39,800</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="17">Destination</td> <td width="13%" height="17">695</td> <td width="34%" height="17">695</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Manual, 6-Speed w/Overdrive & Sequential Manual Gearbox</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,425</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1500</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Automatic, 6-Speed w/Overdrive</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,210</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1275</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Cold Weather Pkg Includes Heated Front Seats, Headlamp Washers & Heated Steering Wheel.</td> <td width="13%" height="18">685</td> <td width="34%" height="18">750</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="13">Premium Pkg Includes Garage Door Opener, Power Lumbar Support, Inside & O/S Automatic Day/Night Mirrors, Additional Lighting, Leather Seat Trim & Poplar Wood Interior Trim.</td> <td width="13%" height="13">2,185</td> <td width="34%" height="13">2,400</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Premium Sound Pkg Includes Logic 7 Sound System & 6-Disc CD Changer in Glove Box.</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,640</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1,800</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Sport Pkg (Req's Leather Seat Trim) Includes Star Spoke Cast Alloy Wheels, (4) P245/45WR17 Run Flat Tires, Sport Seats w/Dual 12-Way Power, Active Steering, Active Roll Stabilization, Sport Suspension & Chrome Shadowline Exterior Trim.</td> <td width="13%" height="18">3,005</td> <td width="34%" height="18">3300</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Sun Shade, Power Rear Includes Manual Rear Side Window Shades</td> <td width="13%" height="18">525</td> <td width="34%" height="18">575</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Headlamps, Xenon Adaptive </td> <td width="13%" height="18">730</td> <td width="34%" height="18">800</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Instrument Display, Head-Up</td> <td width="13%" height="18">910</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1000</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Navigation System, On-Board (Late Availability) Includes Voice-Activated Control & Expanded On-Board Computer Functions.</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,640</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1800</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Parking Distance Control, F&R</td> <td width="13%" height="18">635</td> <td width="34%" height="18">700</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Radio Equipment, Sirius Satellite</td> <td width="13%" height="18">540</td> <td width="34%" height="18">595</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Restraint System, Rear Side Impact Air Bag</td> <td width="13%" height="18">350</td> <td width="34%" height="18">385</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Seat Trim, Leather</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,320</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1,450</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Seat, Split Folding Rear</td> <td width="13%" height="18">430</td> <td width="34%" height="18">475</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Speed Control, Active</td> <td width="13%" height="18">2,000</td> <td width="34%" height="18">2200</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3"> <tr class="stripe-five"> <td width="162" valign="top"> </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2004 BMW 5 Series 525i 4dr Sedan (2.5L 6cyl 6M) </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2004 Lexus ES 330 4dr Sedan (3.3L 6cyl 5A) </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2005 Chrysler 300 C 4dr Sedan (5.7L 8cyl 5A) </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2004 Infiniti G35 AWD 4dr Sedan w/Leather (3.5L 6cyl 5A) </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2004 Acura TL 3.2 4dr Sedan (3.2L 6cyl 5A) </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="printsection" width="100">Pricing</td> <td class="printsection">5 Series</td> <td class="printsection">ES 330</td> <td class="printsection">300</td> <td class="printsection">G35</td> <td class="printsection">TL</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>MSRP</td> <td class="basecarfield">$39,800</td> <td>$31,725</td> <td>$32,370</td> <td>$32,100</td> <td>$32,650</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Invoice</td> <td class="basecarfield">$36,380</td> <td>$28,130</td> <td>$29,973</td> <td>$29,526</td> <td>$29,755</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Basic</td> <td class="basecarfield">4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> <td>4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> <td>3 yr. / 36000 mi.</td> <td>4 yr. / 60000 mi.</td> <td>4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Drivetrain</td> <td class="basecarfield">4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> <td>6 yr. / 70000 mi.</td> <td>7 yr. / 70000 mi.</td> <td>6 yr. / 70000 mi.</td> <td>4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Base Engine Type & Cylinders</td> <td class="basecarfield">inline 6</td> <td>V6</td> <td>V8</td> <td>V6</td> <td>V6</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Base Engine Displacement</td> <td class="basecarfield">2.5 liters</td> <td>3.3 liters</td> <td>5.7 liters</td> <td>3.5 liters</td> <td>3.2 liters</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Valvetrain</td> <td class="basecarfield">24 Valves double overhead cam (DOHC)</td> <td>24 Valves double overhead cam (DOHC)</td> <td>16 Valves overhead valves (OHV)</td> <td>24 Valves double overhead cam (DOHC)</td> <td>24 Valves single overhead cam (SOHC)</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Horsepower</td> <td class="basecarfield">184 hp @ 6000 rpm</td> <td>225 hp @ 5600 rpm</td> <td>340 hp @ 5000 rpm</td> <td>260 hp @ 6000 rpm</td> <td>270 hp @ 6200 rpm</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Torque</td> <td class="basecarfield">175 ft-lbs. @ 3500 rpm</td> <td>240 ft-lbs. @ 3600 rpm</td> <td>390 ft-lbs. @ 4000 rpm</td> <td>260 ft-lbs. @ 4800 rpm</td> <td>238 ft-lbs. @ 5000 rpm</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="printsection" width="100">Handling</td> <td class="printsection">5 Series</td> <td class="printsection">ES 330</td> <td class="printsection">300</td> <td class="printsection">G35</td> <td class="printsection">TL</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Turning Circle</td> <td class="basecarfield">37.5 ft.</td> <td>36.8 ft.</td> <td>38.9 ft.</td> <td>36 ft.</td> <td>39.7 ft.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Max. Cargo Capacity</td> <td class="basecarfield">14 cu. ft.</td> <td>15 cu. ft.</td> <td>16 cu. ft.</td> <td>Being Researched</td> <td>13 cu. ft.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>City</td> <td class="basecarfield">19 mpg.</td> <td>20 mpg.</td> <td>17 mpg.</td> <td>18 mpg.</td> <td>20 mpg.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Highway</td> <td class="basecarfield">28 mpg.</td> <td>29 mpg.</td> <td>25 mpg.</td> <td>26 mpg.</td> <td>28 mpg.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Length</td> <td class="basecarfield">190.6 in.</td> <td>191.1 in.</td> <td>196.8 in.</td> <td>186.5 in.</td> <td>189.3 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Width</td> <td class="basecarfield">72.7 in.</td> <td>71.3 in.</td> <td>74.1 in.</td> <td>69 in.</td> <td>72.2 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Height</td> <td class="basecarfield">58 in.</td> <td>57.3 in.</td> <td>58.4 in.</td> <td>57.7 in.</td> <td>56.7 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Weight</td> <td class="basecarfield">3428 lbs.</td> <td>3460 lbs.</td> <td>4018 lbs.</td> <td>Being Researched</td> <td>3575 lbs.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Wheel Base</td> <td class="basecarfield">113.7 in.</td> <td>107.1 in.</td> <td>120 in.</td> <td>112.2 in.</td> <td>107.9 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Front Headroom</td> <td class="basecarfield">37.7 in.</td> <td>37.6 in.</td> <td>38.7 in.</td> <td>40.1 in.</td> <td>38.7 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rear Headroom</td> <td class="basecarfield">37.9 in.</td> <td>36.9 in.</td> <td>38 in.</td> <td>37.9 in.</td> <td>37.2 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Front Shoulder Room</td> <td class="basecarfield">57.3 in.</td> <td>56.8 in.</td> <td>59.4 in.</td> <td>56.4 in.</td> <td>58.3 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rear Shoulder Room</td> <td class="basecarfield">57.2 in.</td> <td>55.8 in.</td> <td>57.7 in.</td> <td>55.5 in.</td> <td>55.7 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Front Hip Room</td> <td class="basecarfield"> </td> <td>55.5 in.</td> <td>57.1 in.</td> <td>52.2 in.</td> <td>55.6 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rear Hip Room</td> <td class="basecarfield"> </td> <td>55.5 in.</td> <td>55.9 in.</td> <td>54.1 in.</td> <td>53.8 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Front Leg Room</td> <td class="basecarfield">41.5 in.</td> <td>42.2 in.</td> <td>41.8 in.</td> <td>43.6 in.</td> <td>42.8 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rear Leg Room</td> <td class="basecarfield">36 in.</td> <td>35.6 in.</td> <td>40.2 in.</td> <td>33.6 in.</td> <td>34.9 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Maximum Luggage Capacity</td> <td class="basecarfield">14 cu.ft.</td> <td>14.5 cu.ft.</td> <td>15.6 cu.ft.</td> <td>14.8 cu.ft.</td> <td>12.5 cu.ft.</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Tires</td> <td class="basecarfield">P225/55VR16 all season</td> <td>P215/60VR16 performance</td> <td>P225/60HR18 performance</td> <td>P215/55VR17 all season</td> <td>P235/45WR17 all season</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Wheels</td> <td class="basecarfield">alloy rims 16 x 7.0 in.</td> <td>alloy rims 16 x 6.5 in.</td> <td>chrome alloy rims 18 x 7.5 in.</td> <td>alloy rims 17 x 7.0 in.</td> <td>alloy rims 17 x 8 in.</td> </tr> </table> 2004 BMW 5 Series Technical Specifications General 525i 530i 545i Curb weight, lb.: Manual transmission 3428 3472 3803 Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) 1 3450 3494 3814 Automatic transmission 3450 3494 3814 Weight distribution, front/rear, %: Manual transmission 49.8/50.2 50.8/49.2 50.3/49.7 Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) 1 50.2/49.8 51.1/48.9 51.4/48.6 Automatic transmission 50.2/49.8 51.1/48.9 51.4/48.6 GVWR, lb.: Manual transmission 4530 4575 4905 Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) 1 4552 4597 4916 Automatic transmission 4552 4597 4916 Wheelbase, in. 113.7 2 Track, front/rear, in. 61.3/62.3 2,3 Length, in. 190.6 2 Width, in. 72.7 2 Height, in. 58.0 2 Ground Clearance, in. 4.5 2 1 - Delayed availability. 2 - Specification applies to all models. 3 - With standard wheels. Body 525i 530i 545i Type 4-door sedan 2 Aerodynamic drag coefficient 0.29 2 EPA size classification Compact 2 Accommodations Seating capacity, persons 5 2 Shoulder room, front/rear, in. 57.3/57.2 2 Head room, front/rear, in. 37.7/37.9 2 Leg room, front/rear, in. 41.5/36.0 2 EPA interior volume, cu ft. 99.1 2 EPA cargo volume, cu ft. 14.0 2 Engine & electrical Engine type DOHC inline 24-valve DOHC 32-valve 6-cylinder, Double VANOS 4 (4-cam) V-8, steplessly variable intake- & Valvetronic variable exhaust-valve timing 5 valve lift & Double VANOS 4 steplessly variable intake- & exhaust-valve timing Bore x stroke, mm/in. 84.0 x 75.0/ 84.0 x 89.6/ 92.0 x 82.7/ 3.31 x 2.95 3.31 x 3.53 3.62 x 3.26 Displacement, cc/cu in. 2494/152 2979/182 4398/268 Compression ratio 10.5:1 10.2:1 10.5:1 Power @ rpm, hp 184 @ 6000 225 @ 5900 325 @ 6100 Torque @ rpm, lb-ft. 175 @ 3500 214 @ 3500 330 @ 3600 Engine-management system Siemens MS 43 5 Motronic ME9 Fuel requirement Premium unleaded 2 Fuel capacity, U.S. gal. 18.5 2 Battery capacity, amp-hr. 80 5 90 Alternator output, amp./W 120/1680 5 170/2380 2 - Specification applies to all models. 4 - VANOS = VAriable NOckenwellen Steuerung = variable camshaft control, or variable valve timing. 5 - Specification applies to 525i & 530i Drivetrain 525i 530i 545i Drive system Front engine/rear drive 2 Manual transmission ZF Type H, ZF Type G, 6-speed 5 6-speed Ratios: 1st 4.35:1 5 4.06:1 2nd 2.50:1 5 2.40:1 3rd 1.66:1 5 1.58:1 4th 1.23:1 5 1.19:1 5th 1.00:1 5 1.00:1 6th 0.85:1 5 0.87:1 Reverse 3.93:1 5 3.77:1 Final drive ratio 3.15:1 2.93:1 2.93:1 Sequential Manual Gearbox 1 Electrohydraulic/electronic controls applied to 6- speed manual transmission, ratios as for Type H or Type G as appropriate to model; includes Dynamic Driving Control (Sport button) affecting shift characteristics & engine response to accelerator pedal Automatic transmission ZF 6 HP 19 5 ZF 6 HP 26 6-speed STEPTRONIC with Adaptive Transmission Control, selectable Manual & Sport modes 2 Ratios: 1st 4.17:1 2 2nd 2.34:1 2 3rd 1.52:1 2 4th 1.14:1 2 5th 0.87:1 2 6th 0.69:1 2 Final drive ratio 3.73:1 3.46:1 3.38:1 1 - Delayed availability. 2 - Specification applies to all models. 5 - Specification applies to 525i & 530i. Chassis 525i 530i 545i Body/frame construction Unitized; aluminum front end, otherwise steel Front suspension Struts, double-pivot lower arms, coil springs, twin- tube gas-pressure shock absorbers, anti-roll bar; aluminum suspension system & subframe (OZSP: sport suspension calibration, Active Roll Stabilization) 2 Rear suspension 4-link Integral suspension, coil springs, twin-tube gas- pressure shock absorbers, anti-roll bar; aluminum suspension system & subframe (OZSP: sport suspension calibration, Active Roll Stabilization) 2 Steering type Rack & pinion, engine-speed-sensitive power assist 2 (OZSP: Active Steering with Servotronic vehicle- speed-sensitive power assist) Overall ratio, standard steering Mechanically variable; mean ratio is 14.1:1 2 Overall ratio, Active Steering Electrically/electronically variable over wide range of 10:1 - 18:1 2 Turning circle, ft. 37.5 2 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes with aluminum calipers: Front, diameter x thickness, 310 x 24/ 324 x 30/ 348 x 30/ mm 12.2 x 0.94 12.8 x 1.18 13.7 x 1.18 6 Rear, diameter x thickness, 320 x 20/ 320 x 20/ 345 x 24/ mm 12.6 x 0.79 12.6 x 0.79 13.6 x 0.94 6 Assist Vacuum 2 Wheels: standard Lightweight Cast alloy, Cast alloy, forged alloy, 17 x 7.5 17 x 7.5 16 x 7.0 optional (OZSP) Cast alloy, Cast alloy, Cast alloy, 17 x 8.0 18 x 8.0 18 x 8.0 front/ 18 x 9.0 rear 2 - Specification applies to all models. 6 - Compound rotors, aluminum/cast-iron construction. OZSP - Sport Package Chassis (cont.) 525i 530i 545i Tires: standard 225/55R-16 225/50R-17 225/50R-17 V-rated V-rated V-rated all-season all-season all-season optional (OZSP) 245/45R-17 245/40R-18 245/40R-18 F/ W-rated run-flat W-rated run-flat 275/35R-18 R performance performance W-rated run-flat performance Stability-enhancement system Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), including Dynamic Traction Control, electronic brake proportioning, antilock braking (ABS), Dynamic Brake Control & cornering/braking stability enhancement 2 Performance data 525i 530i 545i Acceleration, 0-60 mph, sec.: 7 manual transmission or SMG 1 7.8 6.6 5.7 automatic transmission 8.2 6.9 5.8 Top speed, mph: manual transmission or SMG 146 150 8 150 8 automatic transmission 144 150 8 150 8 Fuel economy, EPA est. MPG, city/highway: manual transmission 19/28 20/30 17/25 SMG NA 20/29 16/24 automatic transmission 19/28 19/29 18/26 <table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber1" height="57"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%" valign="top" height="49"> <img border="0" src="http://www.autosupermart.com/auto/images/arrowrt.gif" width="22" height="9">Talk about this car and other cars on our message board with other car fans like you. <a target="_blank" href="http://autosupermart.com/forums/">click here</a> <img border="0" src="http://www.autosupermart.com/auto/images/arrowrt.gif" width="22" height="9">To sign up to receive new car updates and reviews as well as some coupons for our site, <a href="http://autosupermart.com/shop/maillist/">click here</a> <img border="0" src="http://www.autosupermart.com/auto/images/arrowrt.gif" width="22" height="9">Do you want to see what parts and accessories are made specifically for this vehicle today? <a href="http://www.autosupermart.com/shop/process?mv_pc=88&mv_todo=return&mv_nextpage=results&search_type=SIMPLE&search_terms=bmw 525i 2004">click here</a>. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>   </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="5" valign="top" align="center" class="small">  <img src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/carreviewslogoblack.jpg"> Copyright © 2008 Carreviewsandnews.com Privacy Policy: CarReviewsandNews.com does not collect any personal information about its visitors thus your privacy is always protected.  </td></tr></table> </body> </html>

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src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i1-01.jpg" width="225" height="131"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i2.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i2-01.jpg" width="225" height="137"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i3.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i3-01.jpg" width="225" height="136"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i4.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i4-01.jpg" width="225" height="182"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i5.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i5-01.jpg" width="225" height="138"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i6.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i6-01.jpg" width="225" height="111"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i7.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i7-01.jpg" width="225" height="138"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i8.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i8-01.jpg" width="225" height="170"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i9.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i9-01.jpg" width="225" height="169"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i10.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i10-01.jpg" width="225" height="169"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i11.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i11-01.jpg" width="225" height="169"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i12.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i12-01.jpg" width="225" height="300"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i13.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i13-01.jpg" width="225" height="239"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i14.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i14-01.jpg" width="225" height="300"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i15.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i15-01.jpg" width="225" height="169"></a> <a href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i16.jpg"> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525i16-01.jpg" width="225" height="169"></a> <img border="0" src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/quicktimelogo.gif" width="49" height="43">Download Apple QuickTime viewer <a target="_blank" href="http://quicktime.com/">here</a>. See a movie of the interior of the 525i <a target="_blank" href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525interior.mov">Click Here</a> Watch a Exterior walk around <a target="_blank" href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525exterior.mov">Click Here</a> Watch a night time view of the adaptive lights in action and the interior of the 525i at night <a target="_blank" href="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/2004bmw525lighting.mov">Click Here</a> </td> <td width="77%" valign="top"> 2005 BMW 525i The Good: Ultra smooth engine - transmission - steering - ride - driving feel. Free revving engine reaches triple digits easily, Amazingly flat cornering, Amazing active steering feel, High level of road feel, Super quiet interior, Great build quality. The Bad: Low horsepower, High price, Tight feeling of interior, Sport seats not very comfortable, IDrive complex even for us. The illustrious heritage of the BMW 5 series can be traced back to 1972. Since then, each reiteration has been modified and improved to offer the latest in driving technology and performance. Recently remodeled into its fifth generation, the BMW 5 continues in tradition delivering by the motto "Do your best, now do it better." What sets BMW apart from other brands is their rigorous testing of every vehicle well ahead of production. Its engineers are constantly looking for ways to improve what the car can do and this leads to amazing driving feel. Amazing can also describe the quality and fit of all parts inside and out. The feeling of solidity is around you, even more so than Mercedes and this is something rarely achieved by car manufacturers. New technologies such as active steering, active roll stabilization and adaptive headlights are offerings that few others currently place on their vehicles. BMW is also the only manufacturer to join steel and aluminum using a revolutionary bonding process. The steel passenger cell is bonded to an aluminum front end, a first for a production car. At the factory, robots and cameras monitor everything in production, some of which is done by other robots. Another first is in-line laser measurement of every body component as the robots build the vehicle. While many components and interior parts are put together by hand, robots do a great amount of the framework. What is truly special is that every car is run and tested at the factory in Germany before being sent out of the factory, something we wish more manufacturers would do. The exterior of our new BMW 525i is clean and flowing. The word "tight' immediately comes to mind. Putting your hands on the panels and feeling the body is what truly makes you appreciate how curvaceous and large the panels really are. The wheels seem to be pushed out further due to the flattened portions on the sides of the front hood. All plastic parts on the outside are large and flowing. The front bumper, rear bumper and lower valences all around serve an aerodynamic purpose and make the 5 seem very low to road. This is a very aerodynamic body. While Honda has copied the BMW styling cues from the side view, we definitely got stares as we drove down the road, signifying that this is still a new and eye-catching design one that can be attributed to the brand 'BMW', whose heritage is hard to copy. The interior at first sight is full of straight lines and flat panels. Our model featured dark grey colored wood with lines that resembled shark skin crossing through. The door trim is aluminum and the look matches that of the new BMW X3 closely. The interior cabin is not very large so things are easily within reach of the driver. All window switches are on the driver's door, and this makes asking your passenger to lower a particular window impossible. The steering wheel holds controls for volume, telephone, voice activation, station seek, and two user programmable buttons. Automatic headlights and wipers make driving easy and hassle free. We especially liked the electronic feeling in the turn indicator stalk. It felt more solid than traditional levers and gave us that futuristic car feeling. A simple small screen in the instrument cluster shows the trip computer and fuel remaining. Warnings are shown in a small upper window in the instrument cluster. Instrument dials and the interior ambient lighting is all in red color at night and we wish that orange or white be used instead for a cleaner more futuristic look. Nonetheless, it is quite amazing how simply BMW has managed to offer such an advanced and complex vehicle with so little mess in the instrument cluster. A slimplistic interior leads to a car which the driver enjoys more and the main fun in the 5 is behind the wheel on a twisty fast road. The 525i is full of great everyday features. Windows are all one touch open and close, not just the drivers window. The rear windows also fully open which we liked very much. Three garage door opener buttons are located below the rearview mirror. A ventilated storage compartment is also located in the center armrest. The passenger side mirror also points downward when you select the reverse gear. An automatic air filter detects pollution and automatically blocks the flow of outside air when too much pollution is detected in the air. The power moon roof is also one touch for any of its directions; from fully open to tilt, all you need to do is touch one button and let go. We had a small issue with the door locks that would not all unlock when the driver would unlock his door and get out. This was very annoying when coming back and trying to open the trunk without a key or trying to open the back doors for your pet. The button to unlock the doors is located in the center of the dash a very hard to reach area once you are on the outside of the car trying to open the rear door. There was not simple menu screen in the IDrive system for this. The IDrive system is shown on the screen in the center of the dash. By using a jog dial located near the armrest, the IDrive system lets you perform functions that let you customize the car, as well as display car trip computer information, control the telephone, stereo and ventilation air direction. We thought that it was difficult to use and view at first, but after three or four days we felt somewhat comfortable with all its features. The challenge is getting to know where all the adjustments are in the menu system, something like folders in your home computer. The I Drive system does clean up the mess of buttons and provides a graphical dislpay of everything in a cool futuristic manner. We think if it was a touch screen with quicker menus it would be more simplistic to use while driving. The climate menu allows you to select automatic air direction or manual control of the front, feet, and windshield vents. The main climate controls are buttons and dials set below the IDrive screen and are outside of the IDrive system. We did not really understand why half of the system was outside of the IDrive and half inside the IDrive system. However one thing we must mention is that it was much faster to do something using the old method rather than push through the IDrive system. This is where the IDrive needs to excel, it should be a better looking and a better functioning system, not just one. Particularly difficult to use was the stereo side of the IDrive. The slanted grid menu was difficult to read. Changing between sources was difficult and performing a scan function was even harder. Although we did set our steering wheel buttons to change source, having to do it through the IDrive was difficult. We much prefer the Audi system in the A8L. We did not use the telephone or the trip computer menus much although we do want to mention that the system showed a great 29 mpg in mixed driving. Pushing the center of the IDrive menu in its main menu leads you to the vehicle controls menu, which lets you set a base tire pressure, or set if the lights should blink three times when you touch the turnning stalk lightly once, as well as other vehicle funtions. The IDrive system is standard on all 5 series vehicles. Although it does add to a modern car with nice graphical menus and a large colorful screen, it is not very easy to use. A touch screen as used in Lexus would be much easier to use and much more intuitive. The IDrive does not make it faster to accomplish what you are trying to do while driving and this should have been the first goal. We would like many of these functions controlled by voice as well in such a expensive vehicle. Ultimately that would be the best control system. What instantly makes a BMW different than everything else on the road is innovative technology called Active Front Steering. Steering systems have not changed for fifty years. With this new system, the driver does not have to shuffle the wheel when making turns, there is very little crossing of the hands. Much more driving pleasure is achieved with the Active Steering system. While the standard steering is amazingly precise and responsive to even the slightest move of the steering wheel, the new active steering is jaw dropping. The active steering makes turning in parking lots and around your driveway simple and easy. The car maneuvers as if it has four wheel steering. Turning the steering wheel from end to end is very fast at low speeds and requires very little effort and little wheel movement. At low speeds a smaller turn of the wheel is required to make a normal turn as compared to non-active steering. At faster speeds the steering offers more control and better feel. Even with the steering being very easy to control and the wheel very easy to turn, road feel is not forgotten. Through the wheel you can feel all four tires, turning the wheel even the slightest to either side actually moves the vehicle. This makes the car incredibly fun to drive. The car feels nimble like a sports car, and is extremely fun to drive. It is quite difficult for words to describe the feeling behind the wheel of this 5 series. Another great feature was active roll stabilization. This kept the 525i flat in corners. The 525i felt like it was on rails going through a turn. The vehicle was supremely flat, stable and with the new steering, very responsive. Body lean is almost totally reduced. Driving with these two systems puts you ahead of all other vehicles on the road. You are a better and more confident driver. You can drive faster and more precisely than most other drivers on the road; especially in turns. These two systems really do make you want to forget the price and buy a new 5 series even with its IDrive issues. We especially liked the adaptive headlights that turn with the road while driving at night. We first experienced these on the 330ci we recently tested. Xenon lights are very bright and the 5 series headlights were quite good. High beams were very bright towards the center of the road and cast a oval glow on a very large area ahead of you. Turning the wheel causes the headlights to look in the direction you are headed. It is like having eyes on the car guide you through turns. These lights should be retrofitted to all cars on the road today, the system is just that good. The 525i engine is a meager powered inline V6. Even though the engine only produces 185 horsepower, it is liquid smooth and free revving. The 5 cabin is very quite and so is this engine. We could hardly notice the engine was revving even at 5000 rpm. All forms of exterior noise is virtually nonexistent. The vehicle easily achieves high speeds and all this happens very smoothly. The six speed manual transmission in our tester was also smooth and easy to use. The clutch was soft and had a good amount of range for engagement. Shifts could easily be performed smoothly. The 2.5 liter engine is silky smooth to its top speed of 130mph, however passing quickly at highway speeds is a bit slow. Because horsepower is low, we do not recommend this engine to those who are accustomed to faster vehicles. With many Japanese models offering 270 horsepower, we think that BMW should also produce engines that make much more horsepower using a six cylinder engine, something like the new Mercedes six cylinder engine. Price is the biggest issue with the 5 series. The cost with a sports package and premium package is about $46,000; that for a car with not that much interior room, a low amount of horsepower, and navigation system optional. For such a high price we think that at least the car should come with Navigation standard. Otherwise the IDrive screen is a bit of a waste. Also missing is an on call service for information such as the 'I' button in Mercedes vehicles. Bluetooth telephone compatibility would allow us to all use our telephone with the car system. We need more value for the dollar and with competition from the likes of the Chrysler 300c this segment becomes even more competitive. Interior space is also a bit low when compared to other vehicles. Our sport seats were a bit uncomfortable up front. The seat bottoms had large side bolsters which made for difficult entry and exit. Although the rear seats were comfortable, due to deep bottoms, legroom was quite low. There is no room to move or stretch out. We think that the rear wheels should be pushed back a bit more, increasing rear seat legroom and lowering trunk space. The large trunk space is really not necessary in everyday life for most people. We also think that the dash was a bit large and the flat shape of it coming slightly towards you makes the car seem smaller inside. In the back, the majority of your view is blocked by the large front seats. The front seats curve up into your face, towards you with large view-blocking headrests as well. This makes for a very cramp feeling in the rear cabin, causing you to think that the car is going faster than it actually is. The feeling is totally the opposite at the wheel. Amazing crash testing of all BMW models makes them one of the safest vehicles available today. The force of a offset frontal impact can be channeled to send forces around the passenger cabin, leaving doors fully unaffected, even the door seams untouched. Dynamic Stability Control applies brakes individually to wheels that slip to keep you on the road. Pressing the DSC button on the dash turns on DTC (T=Traction) for snowy conditions and turns off the braking feature. Holding this button down for a few seconds turns off both features for tire burning fun. There is even a flat tire monitor to warn you should a rapid deflation occur. This is much more error free than the Mercedes system which shows you actual tire pressures and is prone to faults in its reading. Engine services are also easily shown on the IDrive system in a easy to read graphical interface, when the car needs something done a red indicator next to that menu shows you its time to go to the dealer. BMW Assist calls a SOS representative should an accident occur and there is a button on the ceiling for manual calling of aid. These systems are combined with solid seatbelts and front, side and head protection airbags all around. Most potential buyers will probably have their mind set on the 5 series when they go and take a test drive. The ride is significantly different than the Mercedes E-class and Audi A6. Products from Japan such as the Acura TL do not offer the image of a BMW. We can look ahead to the new A6 due later this year for a true competitor. There are still those that prefer more value for the dollar and choosing a Acura TL with its nearly 300 horsepower engine and DVD navigation system with Bluetooth telephone connectivity all for around $35,000 is sure to entice more than just a few. However, no competitor offers the feeling that only driving a BMW can offer. The smoothness of the engine, the amazing road feel, and superbly planted feeling from the active roll stabilization and steering are all features that other competitors cannot match. With attractive lease terms currently, this car may be in the reach of more than just the wealthy. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%" id="AutoNumber2" height="154"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="53%" height="19">PRICING</td> <td width="13%" height="19">INVOICE</td> <td width="34%" height="19">RETAIL</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Base Pricing</td> <td width="13%" height="18">36,380</td> <td width="34%" height="18">39,800</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="17">Destination</td> <td width="13%" height="17">695</td> <td width="34%" height="17">695</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Manual, 6-Speed w/Overdrive & Sequential Manual Gearbox</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,425</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1500</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Automatic, 6-Speed w/Overdrive</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,210</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1275</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Cold Weather Pkg Includes Heated Front Seats, Headlamp Washers & Heated Steering Wheel.</td> <td width="13%" height="18">685</td> <td width="34%" height="18">750</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="13">Premium Pkg Includes Garage Door Opener, Power Lumbar Support, Inside & O/S Automatic Day/Night Mirrors, Additional Lighting, Leather Seat Trim & Poplar Wood Interior Trim.</td> <td width="13%" height="13">2,185</td> <td width="34%" height="13">2,400</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Premium Sound Pkg Includes Logic 7 Sound System & 6-Disc CD Changer in Glove Box.</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,640</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1,800</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Sport Pkg (Req's Leather Seat Trim) Includes Star Spoke Cast Alloy Wheels, (4) P245/45WR17 Run Flat Tires, Sport Seats w/Dual 12-Way Power, Active Steering, Active Roll Stabilization, Sport Suspension & Chrome Shadowline Exterior Trim.</td> <td width="13%" height="18">3,005</td> <td width="34%" height="18">3300</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Sun Shade, Power Rear Includes Manual Rear Side Window Shades</td> <td width="13%" height="18">525</td> <td width="34%" height="18">575</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Headlamps, Xenon Adaptive </td> <td width="13%" height="18">730</td> <td width="34%" height="18">800</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Instrument Display, Head-Up</td> <td width="13%" height="18">910</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1000</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Navigation System, On-Board (Late Availability) Includes Voice-Activated Control & Expanded On-Board Computer Functions.</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,640</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1800</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Parking Distance Control, F&R</td> <td width="13%" height="18">635</td> <td width="34%" height="18">700</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Radio Equipment, Sirius Satellite</td> <td width="13%" height="18">540</td> <td width="34%" height="18">595</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Restraint System, Rear Side Impact Air Bag</td> <td width="13%" height="18">350</td> <td width="34%" height="18">385</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Seat Trim, Leather</td> <td width="13%" height="18">1,320</td> <td width="34%" height="18">1,450</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Seat, Split Folding Rear</td> <td width="13%" height="18">430</td> <td width="34%" height="18">475</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="53%" height="18">Speed Control, Active</td> <td width="13%" height="18">2,000</td> <td width="34%" height="18">2200</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3"> <tr class="stripe-five"> <td width="162" valign="top"> </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2004 BMW 5 Series 525i 4dr Sedan (2.5L 6cyl 6M) </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2004 Lexus ES 330 4dr Sedan (3.3L 6cyl 5A) </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2005 Chrysler 300 C 4dr Sedan (5.7L 8cyl 5A) </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2004 Infiniti G35 AWD 4dr Sedan w/Leather (3.5L 6cyl 5A) </td> <td width="20%" valign="top"> 2004 Acura TL 3.2 4dr Sedan (3.2L 6cyl 5A) </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="printsection" width="100">Pricing</td> <td class="printsection">5 Series</td> <td class="printsection">ES 330</td> <td class="printsection">300</td> <td class="printsection">G35</td> <td class="printsection">TL</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>MSRP</td> <td class="basecarfield">$39,800</td> <td>$31,725</td> <td>$32,370</td> <td>$32,100</td> <td>$32,650</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Invoice</td> <td class="basecarfield">$36,380</td> <td>$28,130</td> <td>$29,973</td> <td>$29,526</td> <td>$29,755</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Basic</td> <td class="basecarfield">4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> <td>4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> <td>3 yr. / 36000 mi.</td> <td>4 yr. / 60000 mi.</td> <td>4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Drivetrain</td> <td class="basecarfield">4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> <td>6 yr. / 70000 mi.</td> <td>7 yr. / 70000 mi.</td> <td>6 yr. / 70000 mi.</td> <td>4 yr. / 50000 mi.</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Base Engine Type & Cylinders</td> <td class="basecarfield">inline 6</td> <td>V6</td> <td>V8</td> <td>V6</td> <td>V6</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Base Engine Displacement</td> <td class="basecarfield">2.5 liters</td> <td>3.3 liters</td> <td>5.7 liters</td> <td>3.5 liters</td> <td>3.2 liters</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Valvetrain</td> <td class="basecarfield">24 Valves double overhead cam (DOHC)</td> <td>24 Valves double overhead cam (DOHC)</td> <td>16 Valves overhead valves (OHV)</td> <td>24 Valves double overhead cam (DOHC)</td> <td>24 Valves single overhead cam (SOHC)</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Horsepower</td> <td class="basecarfield">184 hp @ 6000 rpm</td> <td>225 hp @ 5600 rpm</td> <td>340 hp @ 5000 rpm</td> <td>260 hp @ 6000 rpm</td> <td>270 hp @ 6200 rpm</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Torque</td> <td class="basecarfield">175 ft-lbs. @ 3500 rpm</td> <td>240 ft-lbs. @ 3600 rpm</td> <td>390 ft-lbs. @ 4000 rpm</td> <td>260 ft-lbs. @ 4800 rpm</td> <td>238 ft-lbs. @ 5000 rpm</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="printsection" width="100">Handling</td> <td class="printsection">5 Series</td> <td class="printsection">ES 330</td> <td class="printsection">300</td> <td class="printsection">G35</td> <td class="printsection">TL</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Turning Circle</td> <td class="basecarfield">37.5 ft.</td> <td>36.8 ft.</td> <td>38.9 ft.</td> <td>36 ft.</td> <td>39.7 ft.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Max. Cargo Capacity</td> <td class="basecarfield">14 cu. ft.</td> <td>15 cu. ft.</td> <td>16 cu. ft.</td> <td>Being Researched</td> <td>13 cu. ft.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>City</td> <td class="basecarfield">19 mpg.</td> <td>20 mpg.</td> <td>17 mpg.</td> <td>18 mpg.</td> <td>20 mpg.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Highway</td> <td class="basecarfield">28 mpg.</td> <td>29 mpg.</td> <td>25 mpg.</td> <td>26 mpg.</td> <td>28 mpg.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Length</td> <td class="basecarfield">190.6 in.</td> <td>191.1 in.</td> <td>196.8 in.</td> <td>186.5 in.</td> <td>189.3 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Width</td> <td class="basecarfield">72.7 in.</td> <td>71.3 in.</td> <td>74.1 in.</td> <td>69 in.</td> <td>72.2 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Height</td> <td class="basecarfield">58 in.</td> <td>57.3 in.</td> <td>58.4 in.</td> <td>57.7 in.</td> <td>56.7 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Weight</td> <td class="basecarfield">3428 lbs.</td> <td>3460 lbs.</td> <td>4018 lbs.</td> <td>Being Researched</td> <td>3575 lbs.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Wheel Base</td> <td class="basecarfield">113.7 in.</td> <td>107.1 in.</td> <td>120 in.</td> <td>112.2 in.</td> <td>107.9 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Front Headroom</td> <td class="basecarfield">37.7 in.</td> <td>37.6 in.</td> <td>38.7 in.</td> <td>40.1 in.</td> <td>38.7 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rear Headroom</td> <td class="basecarfield">37.9 in.</td> <td>36.9 in.</td> <td>38 in.</td> <td>37.9 in.</td> <td>37.2 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Front Shoulder Room</td> <td class="basecarfield">57.3 in.</td> <td>56.8 in.</td> <td>59.4 in.</td> <td>56.4 in.</td> <td>58.3 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rear Shoulder Room</td> <td class="basecarfield">57.2 in.</td> <td>55.8 in.</td> <td>57.7 in.</td> <td>55.5 in.</td> <td>55.7 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Front Hip Room</td> <td class="basecarfield"> </td> <td>55.5 in.</td> <td>57.1 in.</td> <td>52.2 in.</td> <td>55.6 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rear Hip Room</td> <td class="basecarfield"> </td> <td>55.5 in.</td> <td>55.9 in.</td> <td>54.1 in.</td> <td>53.8 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Front Leg Room</td> <td class="basecarfield">41.5 in.</td> <td>42.2 in.</td> <td>41.8 in.</td> <td>43.6 in.</td> <td>42.8 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rear Leg Room</td> <td class="basecarfield">36 in.</td> <td>35.6 in.</td> <td>40.2 in.</td> <td>33.6 in.</td> <td>34.9 in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Maximum Luggage Capacity</td> <td class="basecarfield">14 cu.ft.</td> <td>14.5 cu.ft.</td> <td>15.6 cu.ft.</td> <td>14.8 cu.ft.</td> <td>12.5 cu.ft.</td> </tr> <tr class="lightfield"> <td>Tires</td> <td class="basecarfield">P225/55VR16 all season</td> <td>P215/60VR16 performance</td> <td>P225/60HR18 performance</td> <td>P215/55VR17 all season</td> <td>P235/45WR17 all season</td> </tr> <tr class="darkfield"> <td>Wheels</td> <td class="basecarfield">alloy rims 16 x 7.0 in.</td> <td>alloy rims 16 x 6.5 in.</td> <td>chrome alloy rims 18 x 7.5 in.</td> <td>alloy rims 17 x 7.0 in.</td> <td>alloy rims 17 x 8 in.</td> </tr> </table> 2004 BMW 5 Series Technical Specifications General 525i 530i 545i Curb weight, lb.: Manual transmission 3428 3472 3803 Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) 1 3450 3494 3814 Automatic transmission 3450 3494 3814 Weight distribution, front/rear, %: Manual transmission 49.8/50.2 50.8/49.2 50.3/49.7 Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) 1 50.2/49.8 51.1/48.9 51.4/48.6 Automatic transmission 50.2/49.8 51.1/48.9 51.4/48.6 GVWR, lb.: Manual transmission 4530 4575 4905 Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) 1 4552 4597 4916 Automatic transmission 4552 4597 4916 Wheelbase, in. 113.7 2 Track, front/rear, in. 61.3/62.3 2,3 Length, in. 190.6 2 Width, in. 72.7 2 Height, in. 58.0 2 Ground Clearance, in. 4.5 2 1 - Delayed availability. 2 - Specification applies to all models. 3 - With standard wheels. Body 525i 530i 545i Type 4-door sedan 2 Aerodynamic drag coefficient 0.29 2 EPA size classification Compact 2 Accommodations Seating capacity, persons 5 2 Shoulder room, front/rear, in. 57.3/57.2 2 Head room, front/rear, in. 37.7/37.9 2 Leg room, front/rear, in. 41.5/36.0 2 EPA interior volume, cu ft. 99.1 2 EPA cargo volume, cu ft. 14.0 2 Engine & electrical Engine type DOHC inline 24-valve DOHC 32-valve 6-cylinder, Double VANOS 4 (4-cam) V-8, steplessly variable intake- & Valvetronic variable exhaust-valve timing 5 valve lift & Double VANOS 4 steplessly variable intake- & exhaust-valve timing Bore x stroke, mm/in. 84.0 x 75.0/ 84.0 x 89.6/ 92.0 x 82.7/ 3.31 x 2.95 3.31 x 3.53 3.62 x 3.26 Displacement, cc/cu in. 2494/152 2979/182 4398/268 Compression ratio 10.5:1 10.2:1 10.5:1 Power @ rpm, hp 184 @ 6000 225 @ 5900 325 @ 6100 Torque @ rpm, lb-ft. 175 @ 3500 214 @ 3500 330 @ 3600 Engine-management system Siemens MS 43 5 Motronic ME9 Fuel requirement Premium unleaded 2 Fuel capacity, U.S. gal. 18.5 2 Battery capacity, amp-hr. 80 5 90 Alternator output, amp./W 120/1680 5 170/2380 2 - Specification applies to all models. 4 - VANOS = VAriable NOckenwellen Steuerung = variable camshaft control, or variable valve timing. 5 - Specification applies to 525i & 530i Drivetrain 525i 530i 545i Drive system Front engine/rear drive 2 Manual transmission ZF Type H, ZF Type G, 6-speed 5 6-speed Ratios: 1st 4.35:1 5 4.06:1 2nd 2.50:1 5 2.40:1 3rd 1.66:1 5 1.58:1 4th 1.23:1 5 1.19:1 5th 1.00:1 5 1.00:1 6th 0.85:1 5 0.87:1 Reverse 3.93:1 5 3.77:1 Final drive ratio 3.15:1 2.93:1 2.93:1 Sequential Manual Gearbox 1 Electrohydraulic/electronic controls applied to 6- speed manual transmission, ratios as for Type H or Type G as appropriate to model; includes Dynamic Driving Control (Sport button) affecting shift characteristics & engine response to accelerator pedal Automatic transmission ZF 6 HP 19 5 ZF 6 HP 26 6-speed STEPTRONIC with Adaptive Transmission Control, selectable Manual & Sport modes 2 Ratios: 1st 4.17:1 2 2nd 2.34:1 2 3rd 1.52:1 2 4th 1.14:1 2 5th 0.87:1 2 6th 0.69:1 2 Final drive ratio 3.73:1 3.46:1 3.38:1 1 - Delayed availability. 2 - Specification applies to all models. 5 - Specification applies to 525i & 530i. Chassis 525i 530i 545i Body/frame construction Unitized; aluminum front end, otherwise steel Front suspension Struts, double-pivot lower arms, coil springs, twin- tube gas-pressure shock absorbers, anti-roll bar; aluminum suspension system & subframe (OZSP: sport suspension calibration, Active Roll Stabilization) 2 Rear suspension 4-link Integral suspension, coil springs, twin-tube gas- pressure shock absorbers, anti-roll bar; aluminum suspension system & subframe (OZSP: sport suspension calibration, Active Roll Stabilization) 2 Steering type Rack & pinion, engine-speed-sensitive power assist 2 (OZSP: Active Steering with Servotronic vehicle- speed-sensitive power assist) Overall ratio, standard steering Mechanically variable; mean ratio is 14.1:1 2 Overall ratio, Active Steering Electrically/electronically variable over wide range of 10:1 - 18:1 2 Turning circle, ft. 37.5 2 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes with aluminum calipers: Front, diameter x thickness, 310 x 24/ 324 x 30/ 348 x 30/ mm 12.2 x 0.94 12.8 x 1.18 13.7 x 1.18 6 Rear, diameter x thickness, 320 x 20/ 320 x 20/ 345 x 24/ mm 12.6 x 0.79 12.6 x 0.79 13.6 x 0.94 6 Assist Vacuum 2 Wheels: standard Lightweight Cast alloy, Cast alloy, forged alloy, 17 x 7.5 17 x 7.5 16 x 7.0 optional (OZSP) Cast alloy, Cast alloy, Cast alloy, 17 x 8.0 18 x 8.0 18 x 8.0 front/ 18 x 9.0 rear 2 - Specification applies to all models. 6 - Compound rotors, aluminum/cast-iron construction. OZSP - Sport Package Chassis (cont.) 525i 530i 545i Tires: standard 225/55R-16 225/50R-17 225/50R-17 V-rated V-rated V-rated all-season all-season all-season optional (OZSP) 245/45R-17 245/40R-18 245/40R-18 F/ W-rated run-flat W-rated run-flat 275/35R-18 R performance performance W-rated run-flat performance Stability-enhancement system Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), including Dynamic Traction Control, electronic brake proportioning, antilock braking (ABS), Dynamic Brake Control & cornering/braking stability enhancement 2 Performance data 525i 530i 545i Acceleration, 0-60 mph, sec.: 7 manual transmission or SMG 1 7.8 6.6 5.7 automatic transmission 8.2 6.9 5.8 Top speed, mph: manual transmission or SMG 146 150 8 150 8 automatic transmission 144 150 8 150 8 Fuel economy, EPA est. MPG, city/highway: manual transmission 19/28 20/30 17/25 SMG NA 20/29 16/24 automatic transmission 19/28 19/29 18/26 <table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber1" height="57"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%" valign="top" height="49"> <img border="0" src="http://www.autosupermart.com/auto/images/arrowrt.gif" width="22" height="9">Talk about this car and other cars on our message board with other car fans like you. <a target="_blank" href="http://autosupermart.com/forums/">click here</a> <img border="0" src="http://www.autosupermart.com/auto/images/arrowrt.gif" width="22" height="9">To sign up to receive new car updates and reviews as well as some coupons for our site, <a href="http://autosupermart.com/shop/maillist/">click here</a> <img border="0" src="http://www.autosupermart.com/auto/images/arrowrt.gif" width="22" height="9">Do you want to see what parts and accessories are made specifically for this vehicle today? <a href="http://www.autosupermart.com/shop/process?mv_pc=88&mv_todo=return&mv_nextpage=results&search_type=SIMPLE&search_terms=bmw 525i 2004">click here</a>. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>   </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="5" valign="top" align="center" class="small">  <img src="http://carreviewsandnews.com/images/carreviewslogoblack.jpg"> Copyright © 2008 Carreviewsandnews.com Privacy Policy: CarReviewsandNews.com does not collect any personal information about its visitors thus your privacy is always protected.  </td></tr></table> </body> </html>