BMW 5-Series Saloon
  • Economy

    Value

    4 out of 5 4.0

    Better than any Ford or Vauxhall for the money. Equipment levels ok, not great, but times have changed and a Fiesta gets more kit nowadays!

    Costs

    3 out of 5 3.0

    Parts expensive, though do seem better than aftermarket bits.

  • On the road

    Driving

    4 out of 5 4.0

    Excellent - comfortable, quick and quiet. Nice attention to detail in cabin, made you feel good driving it. Great on long journeys and motorways, maintains fast motorway speeds with impressive stability. Handled better than a car of this size should!

    Performance

    4 out of 5 4.0

    Very good for the size of car - slight delay before it really picks up, so when overtaking, you need to put your foot down earlier than you would think, but once going they are pretty quick. Rear drive gives good traction from rest in the dry.

  • Living with it

    Reliability

    3 out of 5 3.0

    Had a lot of electrical gremlins, switches and lights etc, so were never fixed despite several attempts by garages. Never failed to start though.

    Image

    4 out of 5 4.0

    To my eyes better styled than the later cars, but do look dated to a degree. In the right colour (silver for me thanks!) they still look good!

    Comfort

    5 out of 5 5.0

    Excellent. Good seats and driving position, quiet cabin, good ride.

  • Security and Service

    Security

    3 out of 5 3.0

    Ok, no problems.

    Service

    1 out of 5 1.0

    Main dealers to pricey so can't comment. Used good quality local gagage.

  • Problems and Ownership

    Problems

    Engine

    None save fairly heavy fuel consumption.

    Other

    Mainly electrical problems, some quite serious, and switch failures.

    Ownership

    Did you buy the car new?

    Used

    Would you buy the same model again?

    Yes

    Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?

    Yes