Help Me Choose: 2005 530 Or 545

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120yz

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Dear all

I am planning to buy a 5-series next year in feb, therefore I am still deciding whether to buy the 530 with 225hp now, or wait till the 06 version with R6 258hp engine...

What do you think? is it worthwhile to wait for the 2006 R6 engine? I am afraid if wait till 2006 and the next year bmw make another facelift.. who knows??

And what about the 545? is it worth to buy a 5-series with V8?

I am soooooo confused... which one is the BEST BEST value? 530, 530 with R6 or 545??

Thx for the reply guys...
 
K

kscarrol

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I went w/ the 545 for the power, hard to beat. Wouldn't expect a major facelift for MY06, but who knows. 530 vs. 545 depends a lot what options you want. Many things come standard on the 545 that are extra on the 530, such as the dakota leather, the xenons etc. When you get all the bells an whistles on the 530, your only a few thousand dollars below the 545. As my lovely wife said to me as I had the same debate you're going through now, "get the big engine and enjoy it. I don't want you a year or two from now regretting your decision". If the power is less important to you, save the $'s and get the 530 w/ the premium sound, xenons, navigation etc.
 
Tom

Tom

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I agree with kscarrol and would also go with the V8 if faced with the same decision.

Did you get the opportunity to test the current 530 and 545 yet?
 
Average Jae

Average Jae

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go test drive em both, and see. if you are leaning towards the 530, you have few options to consider: time you'll have to wait to get the new engine, can you do it? also, since it'll be a new engine, w/ even w/ the raving and all, there just might be first year production issues.. heck even some of the m3's s56? (can't remember the engine model) batches had to be recalled, so while remote, it's not totally out of hte realm of possibility. and yes, the recall was only on small number of m3s sold, but talk about a headache if yours was one of them.. on paper, the new engine looks sweet. lighter, more powerful and 17% more fuel efficient.

again the most important thing is for you to go and take it for a test drive, sit down consider the financial aspects, and how you felt about the car. go back for a second or a third test drive even. (original excitement can throw off your senses. since how often do you drive like you do during a test drive?) and proceed to drop your hard earned cash for one of the best handling sedans in the world.
 
I

iDriveguy

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Cheers!

I agree with above replies - ultimately it is what really matters to you. However consider this... If hp is not a priority, then I say take a 530 and LOAD it to the MAX! It's what I did. I'm about bells, whistles & bang for my buck. I'd rather spend the extra 5+ grand on options I may not be able to afford otherwise. If you're a REAL bargain hunter do the aforementioned to a 525!

As for facelift - not likely before 2006. Even then nothing considerable before 2008 (model year that is)
[:D]
 
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120yz

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i am considering either one of these

530i auto xenon nav premium sports
or
545i auto nav sports

they will look the same except the engine... which one should i choose then?

is the 545 has poor gas mileage? because i heard the 530 has good gas mileage... around 20 is it?
 
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120yz

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yes... i will choose either one of the two with exactly the same options... remember that 545 has xenon, automatic and premium as standard... the only options needed to make it the same as the 530 is just the two; nav and sports...

the 545 has the valvetronic but does it help so much in the gas mileage? the 530 has pretty good gas mileage you see.. like about 20mpg
 
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120yz

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i tested the 530 and 545... i know that 545 has much better engine... in terms of performance of course.... but yeah... the gas mileage thing... because i won't spend so much in gas expense... that's why if the 545 has similar gas mileage... probably the 545 still be considerable... i am driving around San Francisco area (lots of hills and inclines)
 
K

kscarrol

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Tom said:
Yes, it's supposed to reduce fuel consumption by 10%.

Here is an article if you are interested. [:)]
http://www.bmwworld.com/technology/valvetronic.htm
Click to expand...

I'm getting a composite of around 20 mpg in my 545, mostly city, some highway commute. On the interstate, for long trips, MPG approaches 30 mpg, closer to 17 mpg city. Can't recall what the posted MPG is for the 530, but frankly I don't think it's that much better, maybe 20-22 city and 32 highway. If the finances are tight and buying this car is a big step up, then the added cost of gas might be an issue that has you leaning towards the 530. But the annual gas savings from a 530 vs. 545 is not a major incentive, at least for me. Frankly, if gas mileage is a major consideration, we'd be driving Accords, not BMWs. IMHO.
 
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120yz

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thx guys for advise...

no diesel in US and US ppl dont like diesel right?

yes i am in california.. so better do the 545...

kscarrol, is that right you get 30 mpg for the long trips? if I go from SF to LA then it will be around 30 mpg? wow!! that's a good V8 engine!! i never heard a V8 can make 30mpg (usually 20-25 right?)... and the city is around 20? you sure? that's a 530 gas mileage...

545 is my choice then
 
Average Jae

Average Jae

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Dutch said:
Nice suggestion but bad luck BMW will probably not sell the twinturbo diesel to our U.S. friends.
Click to expand...
good luck finding a diesel station around, esp when yer low on gas. also, nothing like stepping out onto the diesel puddle in your brand new 5er, then driping it all over your rear panel.. then walking into work stinking of diesel.. (from the horror stories of diesel, i've never used diesel myself..) other than that, diesel is sweet. good gas milage, cheaper price tag, etc..
 
Chesty Bonds

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Average Jae said:
good luck finding a diesel station around, esp when yer low on gas. also, nothing like stepping out onto the diesel puddle in your brand new 5er, then driping it all over your rear panel.. then walking into work stinking of diesel.. (from the horror stories of diesel, i've never used diesel myself..) other than that, diesel is sweet. good gas milage, cheaper price tag, etc..
Click to expand...
I reckon Diesel smells good (i'm actually not joking) and it's no more difficult to have it spilling all over your car than petrol... A lot of the diesel opposition seems quite fickle to me.
 
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