USED BMW 5 Series Saloon (03 - 11)

My car

I bought my car new in May. This is my first BMW. My last car was a SAAB 9-5. While I think the car looks good and is great to drive, I have been disappointed with the build quality of some aspects of the interior. I have had some rattles from the interior and some trim come loose. There is a constant irritating sqeak when I have a rear seat passenger. The overall build quality of this car is disappointing considering the price. My Saab was just as good and cost £10,000 less.

My car

I got to test drive a 530d Sport with Steptronic and active steering.

Looks wise, the deeper grille looks great giving the front end a more aggressive look. The flared skirts enhace the "flame" surface styling really well. The whole car looks better for the body kit. Inside the combination of black with aluminium cube trim gives a high-tech sporty look.

Out on the road the diesel is very quiet and smooth. There's masses of torque, awesome acceleration and the Steptronic auto is smooth. It's very flat and stable in corners. The active steering really works well. There is some road noise though, particularly on poor surfaces. The ride is harder than in a 3-series sport.

The whole car feels smaller and lighter than the Audi A6 3.0 TDi, but doesn't lose out on space. It's more nimble but isn't as sure footed, although I never ran out of grip.

I've ordered the 525d sport. A lot less money and almost as quick in the real world.

My car

Incredible car to drive, economical and so much space.

The i-drive was infuriating to start with but with time I find it so useful. It surely does away with the need for an awful amount of switches.

On one occassion the car would not start, due to computers not shutting down and as a consequence the battery drained. Customer service was excellent!

Unfortunately I find I need an estate, so I am tempted to stretch to a 535d Sport Touring.

My car

A good car over all but the I drive is like everyone else has said - it is an absolute nonsense!

The idea is good in principle to remove the clutter of buttons from the dash board but it should be simpler to operate.