BMW 5-Series Touring 520i SE 5d (97) (1998/S) Owner Review
Want to know everything there is to know about this car?
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Economy
Value
Retail price dropped 10% just after it was bought.
Costs
Depreciation steeper than I was lead to believe.
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On the road
Driving
Good, but not as good as the adverts suggest. Previous cars (Omega etc) were quieter!
Performance
Excellent for size of engine. Quick enough, but economical.
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Living with it
Reliability
Build quality not as good as the journalists make out. Electrical problems are a regular occurence and it has suffered from plastic (yes plastic) door handles breaking, rattles in tail gate, etc.
Image
Wrongly percieved as an excellent car. No better than most other modern and cheaper family cars.
Comfort
Leather seats are great, but could do with adjustable lumbar support. But what other car costing £30,000 drips water on the seats when opening the doors?
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Security and Service
Security
Very good. Can't get in when electrics fail!
Service
Main dealer always too busy repairing other BMWs to get a quick turnaround on cars that break down!
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Problems and Ownership
Problems
Engine
Smooth, but currently in garage due to overheating problems.
Other
Electrics are unreliable. Car has let me down when I needed it the most.
Ownership
Did you buy the car new?
New
Would you buy the same model again?
No
Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?
No