Power, handling, engineering, quality, just about everthing

All minor - cupholders, width of front doors and a bit more wind noise than should be. Wind noise is noticeable at 80+ mph in a cross-wind. Parts and repair costs are what you would expect from BMW - high.

Bought it used a year ago and have put 21k on it. Absolutely the most enjoyable car I have ever owned. It is a true "drivers car." The suspension is a perfect blend of comfort and handling. Acceleration is startling. Before I bought it I tried Lexus LS400, Lexus GS400, Infiniti Q45 and several others. Nothing compared. Buy a new one if you have $58k to spend on a car. Buy used if you don't have, or don't want to spend, the $58k. It's a great car.

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Q45 - Q had about the same power but BMW is much better engineered and road manners of the BMW are unsurpassed. BMW quality is much better than Infiniti.

Power, Panache, Quality, Styling, Safety, Sence of security, Stereo, Trunk space, the list goes on and on....

This can be summed up in one word, CUPHOLDERS! The cupholders are jokes, they hold only a 12oz can of soda. Also the "base" price and the real price are quite different. I went to the dealer expecting a price around 40,000 because the base is 39000. When i got done the price was 53,000!

This car truly is an incredible vehicle. if you are lucky enough to afford a 50000 dollar car, i cant think of another place to spend it. You get the safety, security, cargo cappacity, passenger comfort of a full size sedan, as well as get the performance of a 2 seater sports car. As you drive down the road you can't help but smile at how great this car really handles. the steering is perfect, and the ride/quiteness of the cabin is ideal at high speeds. I had the car up to 125mph (shhhh) and felt in complete control!! After having a car of this calliber i don't know if i can ever go back to a "normal" car. If only the price was not so high it would be the best car money could buy. What kind of person would drive this car? Well.... anybody. Anybody that enjoys performance, and luxury wrapped into one great package.

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We also have a Mercedes Benz E430 and the 528i will destroy it of the line and even at cruising speed. NOthing else really compares.

Handling, Styling, Control, Service

Dealer Attitude - it was like they did me a favor selling me the car! And of course - Cup holders.

This car was described to me as "once you drive BMW, you don't go back" by my former boss (who had owned BMW's for 30 years). After buying the 528i w/SP I must say he was right.

This car handles, glides, speeds, and everything great. The service is easy (oil change only required every 15k miles), and is a general pleasure to drive. I usually get bored with a car every 3 years, or stop loving them after the first year. Not the 528, I actually look forward to the drive through the mountains every day!

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Saab 95, Mercedes E Class

Acceleration, handling, ride, comfort,

Interior space

Prefer Sport? go for it
Prefer luxury? go for E430

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MB E430, Jaguar S-Type V8, Audi A6 4.2, Lexus GS 430

Performance, handling, feel, acceleration, solid looks, good stereo, nice interior, large trunk, fun to drive,

cup holders, cost, CD player in trunk

Almost 3 years ago I was debating between a BMW 328 or an Acura 3.2 TL, and I decided the BMW 3 series was not worth the extra $12000 - and I enjoyed the Acura for the last 2 1/2 yrs. I recently read several articles gushing about BMW, and I read from this web site. I tried the new BMW 330xi with all-wheel drive, liked it...BMW is worth the extra cost now. The new Acura 'Type S' was a disappointment. Then I got to try a used BMW 5-series - wow. The dealer showed me a black on black 1999 540i with sport package and all the extras with only 15500 miles on it...I ended up trading in my beloved Acura TL for the BMW 540i, and I am very pleased with the BMW. My kids love the car. Installed the 6-CD changer in the trunk (more difficult to change CD's, but I can live with that).
The Lexus 430 GS we tried was sure luxurious with a great stereo, but it was not fun to drive - turning was like trying to turn a large, fat boat in choppy waters. The IS 300 Lexus had a rough ride, weird look, and not that sporty I didn't think. The BMW 330xi was nice, but for the same price I got the used BMW 540 and am glad - it is a more substantial car...and what a car. Driving though Logan Canyon near here is an exhilerating experience. BMW really does have it figured out: the connection between driver and car and the road.

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Acura 3.2 TL, Camry, Maxima, Lexus

The overall driving experience. The power. The handling. The comfort.

The sound of the engine when accelerating hard. The only true Sport Sedan I have driven. Feels extremely solid, even at high speeds.

Despite what some people have written, 50/50 weight distribution is a truly wonderful thing - you will not get exceptional handling without it.

0-60 is great. 60-90 is baffling! (Bye-bye Lexus!)

Sport Suspension is a must. My 540i/6 Sport 100% outhandles my wife's 328iA non-sport. Sport package does not significantly increase harshness of the ride.

Many unadvertized options available, if your dealer knows what he or she is doing. E.g., turn off the alarm chirp, automatically lock the doors at 5mph.

Ok, the cup holders could be better. (minor)

540's Recirculating Ball steering feels just a hair less heavier than the 528's Rack and Pinion steering. (minor)

Alarm chirp is annoying. A plain beep would be better. (extremely minor)

I searched for several months after I narrowed my search down to an E36 M3, waiting for an E46 M3, or an E39 540i/6-speed. I love the 540 more every time I get in it.

Here is my opinion on some of the common complaints that I heard in my research:

Cup holders - these are marginal. I am constantly throwing containers that don't fit snugly out on corners and while accelerating.

Interior Storage - Now that I am used to putting my stuff in the door and not in the console, I have no complaints. There is a surprising amount of room in the doors.

Interior wind noise - Minimal - if you are getting any, try closing the moonroof cover (or whatever you call that thing). If that fails, try using door sealer treatment as recommended on bmwtips.com.

DSP Stereo - I like mine and think that it is worth the $1200. However, if your name is Billy-Bob or Cleetus and you want to rattle the neighbors windows, then save your money and get an aftermarket upgrade. For the rest of us, the DSP is more than adequate.

6-speed - Some say that it is hard to shift smoothly. All I can say is that they must need to practice driving a manual. I have never actually owned a manual before, and I don't have a problem with it. And, no, I don't slip the clutch excessively. Also, it is not bad in stop and go traffic - as I was led to believe.

Mileage - I get 19 mpg in town and 26 on the road. Not bad for a 4.4L V-8.

Unsporty looks, doesn't turn heads. Personally, I love the understated looks. What percentage of 5 series owners want to attract attention?


My next car... M5... if I can afford it! Otherwise, I'll get an e60 (the next generation 5 series, due out in 2003) with a V-8 (545i???)

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BMW E36 M3 - unreal performance, just not big enough for my needs.
Mercedes E-class - nice, decent performance, but not enough of a driver's car. Only available with a slushbox.
Lexus - nice amenities, felt like driving a tug boat or a Lincoln.

Sporty and luxurious interior. Excellent driving. Plenty of power for a six cylinder.

The infamous cup holders are a joke. Replace the cup holders with every oil change. The transmission won't shift during the first five minutes of driving during cold mornings. Service at the local dealership is poor. Took me three trips to get some of the defects worked out. Telephone system is not worth the money.

I would recommend the BMW for those who have the patience and time to deal with multiple service calls. I believe BMW has a good product but they should focus in those functional areas of the car requiring frequent service calls. Their stockholders and customers would profit from a more reliable product. The only department that would loose is their service department who in 5 more months when my car runs out of warranty will start charging me $80 per hour. Two months ago when I bought this car (used), I thought I wanted BMW to take me to a new level in driving experience. Now that I'm half way there, after frequent service calls, I'm ready to go back to the hassle free experience of owning an Asian product.

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Lexus LS 400. Lexus rarely saw the service department. BMW handles better however the LS400 was designed to give a luxurious instead of a sporty ride. Lexus premium sound system far ahead of the BMW.

Looks good, not too flashy, good acceleration, OK Stereo, Xenon headlights are bright and the rear neon tail lights also bright. The secondary headlight has a lighted ring which looks nice. Strong leather smell if you like that. Bright orangy red instrument lighting, easy on the eyes at night. Nice big wheels and huge brakes. The black trim in 2000's 528 has been taken out and now it's all metal and door handles also metal. Very convenient quarter holder in driver side door. Sunvisor has bright lights for the mirror. More horsepower than last year's 528i, 225hp.

The acceleration on the automatic is not smooth in 3 to 4th gear, you can feel a bump.
The trunk is not as big as my previous volvo 850, had to move a suitcase to the bmw when trading my old car in- it did not fit.
The doors hinges are stiff, very hard to get out of the car. When the car is locked you need to open the handle twice to unlock the car. With the volvo it automatically unlocks as you open it.
The car is rear wheel drive, last week the car spun around in a circle during a snow storm. Front wheel drive cars are less likely to do that. In my 5 years with the volvo, never spun around. Also there is a 50/50 distribution so it is even easier for the car to spin.
The middle compartment is just a arm rest, no storage at all except for a 3"x2" tiny compartment. I have the in-dash cd player but no place to store cd's.
The steering wheel controls are made of cheap plastic. Also no button to change the band of the radio. The power seats do not tilt, for people with long legs.
The rear seating is small- 3 people can squish together.
The manual and video are very out of date, probably unupdated since '96. Rear window is small so it is difficult to see oncomming cars.
The engine is quite loud if you're on the outside, the interior is insulated so you don't notice.
The Car body is made of cheap aluminum, don't feel as safe as in a volvo.

Most of the money you will spend goes into the engine, about 4 thousand more than the 525. But in city traffic, I think it's a waste of money. Heated seats are not standard, this was the only car in stock with the convienence option. Would have liked the navigation system but again the car would have to have been custom ordered = 3 months. I suggest order the car to your specs so start shopping 3 months before you decide to get rid of your current car.
This car is really fast if that is what you care about get it. Only major problem is rear wheel drive, get snow tires or all season not sport tires. Consider the 3 series with all wheel drive if you live in a snowy area. The body has not changed since 1996, it's everywhere so people do not get jealous and scratch the car.

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Mercedes E320, Volvo S80, Lexus GS300, the bmw's ride is smoother and interior quality also better. But mostly based my decision on the reviews at this site, did not even visit the other dealers. Also Mercedes = Show off, Volvo = soccer mom, Lexus = doctor, BMW = Bond, James Bond

world's-best road manners - luxury ride with great handling(mine has sports package)
nicely done interior
sexy body styling
xenon lights a must
awesome brakes - watch out for those behind you

not as spacious in the rear as competitors
climate control buttons are cheap
multiple electrical glitches
mediocre mileage
those cheapie cup-holders!

sports car in sedan packaging
buy it for the driving dynamics (best in class)
not as reliable as Japanese cars though

Great looks. Best V-8 engine of any sports sedan. Powerful, but quiet and smooth. First class interior and accoutrements. 6-speed manual makes you feel like a teenager again. Great warranty, including 3-years free maintenance. Great handling.

Molding around doors caused "squeeking" when driving over bumpy roads. Otherwise, car has been flawless.

My 3rd BMW (1984 325e and 1990 535i), and I'll be a lifetime fan of BMWs. My 98 540 is fast, good-looking, luxurious, and based on my other two BMWs, which are still running with 230k and 175k miles, I'll drive my 540 into the ground. The 540i is routinely rated a "Top 10" automobile, and I concur. Though relatively expensive to purchase (>$50,000), the total cost of ownership after 10 blissful years can't be much more than a run-of-the-mill domestic sedan. For those that just can't picture themselves in a Mercedes.

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