528LCI review
10-23-2007, 02:34 PM
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So I dropped my car off for the ongoing squeaky brake issue that has haunted me from day 1 but got a new 528xi with 2k miles on the clock. I was expecting a total slug due to the 230hp and the heavier xi but I must say I was extremely impressed.
This also was not a sport model and had basic 17 inch wheels. It was raining out so I could not push the handling all that much but on my regular routes I pushed it pretty much to the degree I usually do and even the non-sport handles REALLY well. First bimmer I have driven that was not a sport and I must say for 99 percent of drivers I really do not think they ever truly appreciate or utilize the increased suspension the sport offers. Aside from a MUCH better/nicer wheel/rim package that comes with the sport-the ride is firm and quite good.
What surprised me more was how speedy the car was. I do not know if it is the new software or what but it feels like more than 230 hp. I could see them underrating the hp in order to keep 530 owners happy but I would guess it is more inline with 250 hp easy. More than enough pull for me to be honest even though I always need more power. I would say plenty of speed for 99 percent of drivers as well. I am actually surprised how well the 535 is selling considering how nicely the 528 pulls.
No comfort seats and MY GOD I could hardly stand it. The thing I miss the most is the upper back/neck support that moves forward. I felt like my upper back and neck had to work hard to stay straight up-I have gotten very lazy in those seats. Also missed the side bolsters tightening up-just a HUGE mistake in an e60 not to go with comfort seats. They make or break the total experience with the car. To me it makes you feel like you are in a cockpit of a plane how it squeezes you into place.
LCI stuff- HATE it. I despise the new gear shifte and most annoying is the armrests are not longer angled upwards and are instead pretty much horizontal and much lower. I tended to use the armrest just where it was to rest my arm and importantly my dog laid there-now no can do. I also hate reaching down to control the windows and buttons on it-it was much more convenient when they were higher up.
I did notice with no intake or exhaust how quite the car is-certainly missed my sound but at the same time a stock bimmer has a classic nice sound that still sounds great to me. I have always loved the german car sounds and the bimmer is the classic example of that.
Overall an impressive car that far exceeded my expectations and surely far exceeds the 525 it replaced. On par with a basic 530 forsure.
This also was not a sport model and had basic 17 inch wheels. It was raining out so I could not push the handling all that much but on my regular routes I pushed it pretty much to the degree I usually do and even the non-sport handles REALLY well. First bimmer I have driven that was not a sport and I must say for 99 percent of drivers I really do not think they ever truly appreciate or utilize the increased suspension the sport offers. Aside from a MUCH better/nicer wheel/rim package that comes with the sport-the ride is firm and quite good.
What surprised me more was how speedy the car was. I do not know if it is the new software or what but it feels like more than 230 hp. I could see them underrating the hp in order to keep 530 owners happy but I would guess it is more inline with 250 hp easy. More than enough pull for me to be honest even though I always need more power. I would say plenty of speed for 99 percent of drivers as well. I am actually surprised how well the 535 is selling considering how nicely the 528 pulls.
No comfort seats and MY GOD I could hardly stand it. The thing I miss the most is the upper back/neck support that moves forward. I felt like my upper back and neck had to work hard to stay straight up-I have gotten very lazy in those seats. Also missed the side bolsters tightening up-just a HUGE mistake in an e60 not to go with comfort seats. They make or break the total experience with the car. To me it makes you feel like you are in a cockpit of a plane how it squeezes you into place.
LCI stuff- HATE it. I despise the new gear shifte and most annoying is the armrests are not longer angled upwards and are instead pretty much horizontal and much lower. I tended to use the armrest just where it was to rest my arm and importantly my dog laid there-now no can do. I also hate reaching down to control the windows and buttons on it-it was much more convenient when they were higher up.
I did notice with no intake or exhaust how quite the car is-certainly missed my sound but at the same time a stock bimmer has a classic nice sound that still sounds great to me. I have always loved the german car sounds and the bimmer is the classic example of that.
Overall an impressive car that far exceeded my expectations and surely far exceeds the 525 it replaced. On par with a basic 530 forsure.
10-24-2007, 07:17 PM
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So had to keep the car a 2nd day. Thank goodness they heard myb rakes squeak and now can do something about it.
However I noticed something curious and quite baffling-the gearing on the 528 is different than my 530 for the worse. Basically the shift points are decreased by 5mph so it shifts at 25-55-85 etc compared to 30-60-90 etc in the 530.
For the obvious reason this is worse since you spend less time in each lower gear. Second especially considering 0-60 is such a big number that they advertise in cars-this drastically hurts the 0-60 time. I did a couple runs and whilte it pulls pretty well up to 55-that third shift at 55 really adds to getting to 60. By the time it shifts and gets that extra 5 mph up to 60 must add a whole .5 seconds onto the time when simple gearing so it shifts at 60 would alleviate this as on the 530.
I love the gearing on my car to be able to run 2nd to 60 and 3rd to 90 if I am feeling so spiritedly inclinded however I do not see why they did this and so drastically hurt the 0-60 time or even the highway passing speed since at speeds near 70 which are typical highway speeds, if you go to 80 to pass someone you are at the end of 3rd gear and at the end of the torque curve rather than being in the middle of 3rd gear and more in the meat of the curve on my car. A couple crucial speeds that I think the gearing hurt in the 528
However I noticed something curious and quite baffling-the gearing on the 528 is different than my 530 for the worse. Basically the shift points are decreased by 5mph so it shifts at 25-55-85 etc compared to 30-60-90 etc in the 530.
For the obvious reason this is worse since you spend less time in each lower gear. Second especially considering 0-60 is such a big number that they advertise in cars-this drastically hurts the 0-60 time. I did a couple runs and whilte it pulls pretty well up to 55-that third shift at 55 really adds to getting to 60. By the time it shifts and gets that extra 5 mph up to 60 must add a whole .5 seconds onto the time when simple gearing so it shifts at 60 would alleviate this as on the 530.
I love the gearing on my car to be able to run 2nd to 60 and 3rd to 90 if I am feeling so spiritedly inclinded however I do not see why they did this and so drastically hurt the 0-60 time or even the highway passing speed since at speeds near 70 which are typical highway speeds, if you go to 80 to pass someone you are at the end of 3rd gear and at the end of the torque curve rather than being in the middle of 3rd gear and more in the meat of the curve on my car. A couple crucial speeds that I think the gearing hurt in the 528
10-24-2007, 08:35 PM
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My Ride: G30 M550i
Model Year: 2018
I'm glad you're able to have a little fun with your "extended demo" of the 528 LCI. I've never driven one but I'm sure that it's a fine car -- even if it doesn't have all the bells and whistles like comfort seats and the sport package.
One thing to note though is that most of the LCI stuff like the armrests and window switches seem odd and strange at first but it's really no big deal to adjust to them after a short time. I know at first I didn't like the position of the pre-LCI window switches because of the angle they were facing. It used to strain my wrist muscles to operate the windows in the beginning. It didn't take too long for me to get used to it, etc. on that car but then, when I got my new (LCI) car, it felt strange again and I had to struggle to adapt to the new switch positions but overall, it really didn't take too long to get comfortable with the changes. I'm sure now if I'd sit in a pre-LCI car, I'd say I don't like the layout just as much as you don't like the new layout.
On the "dog ledge" front -- I can't comment on that since I don't have a dog riding on the door handle like you do...
One thing to note though is that most of the LCI stuff like the armrests and window switches seem odd and strange at first but it's really no big deal to adjust to them after a short time. I know at first I didn't like the position of the pre-LCI window switches because of the angle they were facing. It used to strain my wrist muscles to operate the windows in the beginning. It didn't take too long for me to get used to it, etc. on that car but then, when I got my new (LCI) car, it felt strange again and I had to struggle to adapt to the new switch positions but overall, it really didn't take too long to get comfortable with the changes. I'm sure now if I'd sit in a pre-LCI car, I'd say I don't like the layout just as much as you don't like the new layout.
On the "dog ledge" front -- I can't comment on that since I don't have a dog riding on the door handle like you do...
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