BMW 5 Series (1996 - 2003) Car Review

AS GOOD AS IT GETS

Our Rating: 7.3 / 10

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Trying to pick faults with the BMW 5 Series is a largely thankless task. If pushed to name a car that approaches automotive perfection, most industry observers would nominate the BMW that tops most executive wish lists. The fact that there really isn’t a great deal to objectively criticise has led to the two areas that could be described as the 5 Series’ Achilles heel, namely value for money and image. Premium pricing from new and high demand means that there aren’t too many used bargains around, whilst many are turned off by the predictable choice, preferring something a little more individual such as the Audi A6 or Volvo S80. Still, if you want the best, here it is and here’s the information you’ll need to be armed with to find a good used example.

History

It’s hard to believe that in one form or another the BMW 5 Series has been with us for over a quarter of a century. Those with longer memories will remember the early chrome rimmed boxes with ‘interesting’ wet handling. As the years passed, the 5 Series grew larger and more assured. Constant development from the Munich company ensured that the car was never anywhere but at the top of its class. The introduction of the fifth-generation 5 Series in April 1996 dealt the opposition a hammer blow which took them years to recover from, whilst a series of revisions in late 2000 saw BMW move the game on yet again.

The 5 Series formula has been easy to trace throughout its history. Take a well-proportioned saloon body, with a range of chiefly straight-six cylinder engines directing power to the rear wheels and fit with a cabin that few can rival for quality and ergonomic excellence. Bolster with advertising proclaiming perfect weight distribution, call it the Ultimate Driving Machine and you’ve got a recipe for success. Of course, it doesn’t hurt if the car actually lives up to these promises, as Scandinavian rivals have found to their cost.

When the fifth-generation Five arrived in 1996, the range was reasonably straightforward. Saloon models existed fitted with a 2.0-litre six cylinder engine developing 150bhp (520i), a 2.5-litre version with 170bhp (523i) a 2.8-litre variant punching out 193bhp (528i) and the flagship straight six, the saloon-only 3.5-litre 535i, which could muster a healthy 235bhp. Sitting at the top of the range was the 540i saloon, which sported a creamy V8 engine, (still something that people were slowly getting used to in a 5 Series) which displaced 4.4-litres and had 286 horsepower at its disposal. 520i and 523i models were available in either base or SE trim, whilst the 525i, 528i, 530i and 540i saloons were latterly also offered in Sport trim. The Touring (BMW-speak for Estate) models arrived in 1997, with the 528i and 525tds diesel arriving in

Opinion

There aren’t too many surprises with a 5 Series. You know it’s going to be beautifully built, great to drive, understated and well equipped – at a price. You really can’t finger a poor model in the range, although if we were being really harsh, the 525tds and two-litre 520i aren’t the most inspiring drives. The 530d and 540i are the highlights for the mainstream buyer, with the M5 deserving honourable mention for its sheer all-round dynamic excellence.

Once you’ve chosen your engine, is it worth choosing manual or auto? The auto boxes are good, and the larger engined models (528i and above) suit the automatic best. With less power at your disposal, opt for a manual. SE specification model boost the basic trim to the tune of more attractive wheels, halogen foglamps, air conditioning or sunroof and an on-board computer. After September 1997, that list also included a multi-function steering wheel, whilst in September 1998 parking distance control and a redesigned alloy wheel featured. Sport trim includes M-sports suspension, 17-inch light alloy wheels, body colour bumpers and side skirts, fog lights, air conditioning, Stability and Traction control and so on. If you can afford it, the Sport specification pack gives you practically the entire list of extras on BMW’s options list.

Cost

Entry level for fifth generation 5 Series ownership is £2,700, which will net you a 1996 N-plated 520i saloon. Opt for SE specification and you’ll need to dig another £300 from the back of the sofa. Touring models fitted with the same engine start at £3,200. A better value bet is the 523i, which opens at £3,300 for a manual car or £3,700 for an auto, with premiums for SE trim.

If you’re looking for a larger engined model, the 535i is a good choice, starting from £3,500 for a P-plated 1996 saloon, or £5,600 for a later 1999 T-registered example. If V8 power appeals, the excellent 540i starts at just over £5,800 for a 1996 N-registered model, or £6,700 for a 1997 R-plated Touring.

Diesel models start at just over £3,300 for the 525tds, but if you can afford it, try to stretch to the 530d. At £7,700 for a 1998 S-plate SE specification saloon, it certainly isn’t cheap, but console yourself with the fact that you’re getting one of the world’s great engines. With over 40mpg available, you could even try to justify it on the balance sheet. You’d have to drive a long way, but there are worse places to spend your time. Prices for the M5 were hit by BMW’s decision in late 2000 to cut many of their prices, the M5 falling from £63,000 down to a bargain £55,000. With the used market for used M5s patchy at best, if you want one of these magnificent cars, it’s probably best to price them on a car-by-car basis.

Problems?

Just about the only problem reported with the 5 Series has been sticking valves on early 528i models, caused by running them on high sulphur petrol. Most of the cars you’ll come across will still be covered under warranty, and the service history should carry the stamps of franchised dealers or well-respected specialists. When paying this sort of money you should expect the best and negotiate big discounts for tired interiors or less than cosmetically perfect bodywork. Avoid dull colours and be aware that V8-engined models won’t be so easy to sell on.

Parts

(approx based on a 520i SE ) BMW spares have gained an enviable reputation for quality and value and consumables are distinctly affordable. A air filter is around £15, whilst you’ll pay a similar amount for a fuel filter. Oil filters are around £6, whilst spark plugs are £17. A replacement cam belt is around £24.

Road

Even the base models offer respectable performance, although if you can afford it, try to stretch to the 2.2-litre 520i over the basic 2.0-litre variant. All engines are impressive, the 530i mid-ranger offering performance that betters many rivals so called performance models, with rest to sixty occupying around seven seconds on the way to an electronically-limited maximum of 155mph. These are the kind of figures that make you wonder why anyone bothers with the 286bhp V8-powered 540i, which continues at the top of the range beneath the all-conquering 400bhp M5 super saloon.

Of course, speed isn’t everything. Even boardroom executives are coming round to the benefits of diesel power, thanks to the huge advances in refinement and performance introduced to the luxury sector in recent times. With the original 5 Series, BMW’s 530d led the way, the first car of its kind that could truly satisfy the Director needing to combine 140mph performance with 40mpg parsimony. The facelifted version is just as impressive – and even faster, with output up 9bhp to 193bhp. Even now, with BMW however, the only issue is price. The 525d is also pretty rapid, reaching 60mph in 8.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 136mph, yet manages a combined consumption figure of 42.2mpg, giving an effective range of 650 miles.

Opt for the M5 and you get the sort of performance that embarrasses many temperamental two-seat exotics. With 400bhp on tap, the M5 will acce