jet190rs

the 1st year 7 series supposedly had a lot of problems...

info@trinityautosport

i vote for the e60 period. even if the reason is for having a family, the 5er still gets the job done and is still comfortable with a full car of 5.

SergeyM

same is true for the first year of E60...

I would not come close to any of the two cars.

ebski

What problems specifically are you referring to?

cvb

BMW bought my 2002 745 back as a lemon. That car was a total POS. The list of problems became comical. I would advise you run, not walk, away from this one....especially if it is out of warranty.

BMW did the right thing by me by buying it back, but I learned my lesson. I will never be a paying beta tester for a first year BMW ever again!!

jet190rs

mainly electronic issues. problem is, they're not simply nagging issues like on other cars. for example, if active steering malfunctions, well then....you might have unreliable steering until you take it to the dealer!

for the 5's issues, you can search this board.
for the 7's issues, try here. fyi some members there refer to buying an '02 745 as playing russian roulette LOL.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=126

if i were you i'd just make sure to get an extended warranty, then at least you'll be covered if the car is in the shop.

e60-545i

We have both 545i and 745Li. Both are great cars, but as many have mentioned 5 is sportier and more agile than the 7. Since they use the same engine, 7 does seem more sluggish when stepping on the gas. It doesn't pull as quickly since it is much heavier. However, you may find 7 more comfortable and the ride is quite softer. Personally, I prefer to drive 545i due to its driving characteristics. While 7 series is not as nimble, it does make up for it in terms of comfort, especially for the rear passengers. But as for the driver's comfort, if you have the active comfort seats in the 5 series, you will find 5 series just as comfortable as the 7 series. I suggest you test drive both to see which car fits your personality better.

Also, the difference between the active steering 545i and the non-active steering 745 is quite noticeable. In that sense, the steering input on the 7 series is kind of vague. You find yourself turning the wheel much more to get around twisty roads. And I think 7 series steering wheel is bit bigger than the one on the 5 series which makes quick maneuvers relatively harder on the 7 series.

Hope this helps

Uk525i

I wouldn't say one is better than the other, but I wouldn't touch either one due to being early development models. I would fear that they could prove to be too expensive to maintain to be viable. I'd rather buy a later ' lower ' spec car for similar money.
This is from an extremely unhappy late 2003 E60 owner ( which has been blitzed by the most irritating problems of any car that I have ever owned. New Fords are built better ! ).

pinguhk

in Hk I will 100% go for the 5er cos HK roads are just too small and parking is not good for a big car like the 7er.
If you like driving go for the 5er if you like luxurious and more comfert feel then the 7er.
They are both good car so good luch on getting them

cocy00

At present, its only for the Chinese market, but I strongly do believe they will eventually have it at other market. I have heard from friends in china that they will produce them in china and ship it to the rest of the world.