I know I want to get a 04,05,06 545 or a maybe a 530. It will be my summer car, but it will get plenty of miles put on it. I have a beater for the winter for now. I have a Cabrio E46 I am selling, need a bigger car for the family. We have an SUV for trips and stuff, but the BMW will make the 2 hour drive to see my parents and family 1 or 2 a month. I want VERY option, so I am trying to decide whether to get a 530 or a 545, sport of course. How reliable is the V8? Will it last a long as the I6? Of course I would like the extra power, but will it hold up as well as an I6? MPG? Sorry if it's long winded, but you guys will know the facts.....

 

Personally, I really don't think you can go wrong with either option. Depending on your driving style you probably won't see a massive difference in MPG between the 545 and 530 (certainly nothing that would unduly influence your decision to buy one over the other). Some say the 530 is a little more tossable, others will argue the V8 is much quicker (I think both perspectives are right, though the 545 is closer to the 530 in handling than the 530 is to the 545 in speed). Ultimately, if you find a good car optioned as you want just take it - you won't go wrong with either one. That said, if it were me, I'd go for the 545 .

 

+1

 

Reading your thread, and reading that you are going to be dpoing a lot of miles, i would suggest the 530i over the 545i, it will be more pocket friendly in the long time.

Best of all if you can get it in Your country would be the astonishing effiecy dynamics 520d - 65mpg combined (imperial)

let us know what go with and get us some pics

E60BEEMER

 

If you are doing a lot of miles at a fairly constant engine speed I'm not sure it really is, servicing costs will probably be slightly less with a 530i but I regularly get between 30 and 32mpg (UK) in my auto 545i on my daily commute (130 mile round trip up and down the M3 1.5 - 2 hours depending on traffic) with a fair bit of stop start traffic. With the price of petrol in the states I can't imagine the cost difference will be worth worrying about.

swajames hit the nail on the head when he said about finding the car with the right options for you and i'd recommend comfort seats, they really are sooo much better than the sports seats I had in my previous 5 and have really made a difference for me in how much I enjoy being in the car.

 

Is it possible to find a used car that has the sports package but comfort seats? Could an individual order such a car?

 

Yes, you can order sport and comfort. In fact, on the 2008 and possibly the 2007 they were part of the sport package.

 

What is the reliability of the V8 vs the I6? Is one more problematic than the other?

 

530i my friend, i have just parted with mine,

was you looking for stock 530i,or wanted options?

 

I want a stock 04,05 530i or 545i. I want to lightly mod it myself. But I do want it LOADED. HUD, PDC, Active Cruise.....

I will be purchasing around the end of the year. I'm still researching now......