Iceman

Nope.
It's not a REAL MY06, it's a US MY06. The REAL MY06 started its production September05.
It is a MY05 with the new engine, not a real MY06!

It would be REAL with the start/stop button...

das

Nope.
It's not a REAL MY06, it's a US MY06. The REAL MY06 started its production September05.
It is a MY05 with the new engine, not a real MY06!

It would be REAL with the start/stop button...
[/quote]

Iceman, this is splitting hairs. I know exactly what you are saying, and you can see I know what the issues are from my post, but yes, his car is a real 2006 model (at least as defined in the US). Unfortunately, it's all marketing on BMWNA's part, but BMWNA felt the engine upgrade was important enough to make the distinction. Whether or not it is BS is left as an exercise to the reader.

There have been plenty of times that model years and body styles of vehicles have not coincided between the US and other worldwide markets. This is just another one of those times. By any definition, his car WILL be a 2006 525i, period. Even if you want to call it marketing BS, it's still, by any legal definition, a 2006 525i. Yes, we all know the factory didn't switch model years until September, but that doesn't change the fact his car is still a 2006. Any nation that respects US transportation law and recognizes US corporations and international VIN definitions will also recognize the car as nothing but a 2006.

Yes, it would have been easier if BMWNA didn't do this, but it's still a "2006".

Iceman

No, it's not really splitting hairs.
He doesn't have the start/stop button in example, so if somebody tells him he has a real MY06 he will be confused and doesn't know why he is missing the button...
The whole markeitng idea behind is is a big BS in my eyes, since it is only confusing the people!

stream

If it's a US car (perhaps valid outside US, but not sure), the 8th from last digit of the VIN is the year--if it's a 6 you have a MY06.

das

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you completely.

But if he sells this car someday, even outside of the US, it will be identified from a legal standpoint as a US-spec 2006 E60 525i.

If anything, if BMW wanted to really make a distinction for the new engine, they should have done a 2005 1/2 or something like that (even though I think that would have been stupid, too).

I understand BMWNA's motivation, but I also wholeheartedly agree that it is confusing. BMWNA had two choices:

Keep the new-engined 525 and 530 as 2005, and then have that confusion, or call it a 2006 and have the added confusion of the factory MY2006 changes. In BMWNA's view, it was probably more important, in a land where the December issue of some magazines is already out even though it's only September, to call the new-engined 525 and 530 the "2006" model - most US buyers are US-centric, and will never talk to someone who owns an E60 from anywhere but the US or their own dealer. So as far as US buyers are concerned, the difference for them will be whether or not they have pre- or post-Sept production. From a global view, everyone else sees the engine change in mid-MY2005, and the factory MY changeover in September. Determining if someone has the new engine or not is just as "confusing" as determining whether someone has a Start/Stop button on a US 2006: you still need to know production week.

Now, on a forum like this with members from all over the world, I will agree that the US 2006 nonsense is nothing but confusing. But for the purposes of his question, yes, he has a 2006 525i. Now, if he means, does he have a 2006 like the rest of the world will have, the answer is no.

But his original question actually makes my point:

Like most US buyers, the most important aspect is the new engine: something that BMWNA can quickly and succinctly say ALL US "2006" models have (and, in my view, is a lot more important than whether it has a Start/Stop button or leather on the iDrive knob).

So, in sum, yes, it was marketing BS, but I believe his question was answered accurately.

Iceman

For him the question was answered correct, but as you know there are allways other people reading and they can easily get confused this way, that's why I chimed in and corrected the statement as I did before so many times, just that everybody is aware that this is marketing, and there are more changes when the real MY sitchover happens...

Anyways, I guess now we have confused everybody even more.

JFiRB

EXACTLY. Why not take a look at your window sticker. It has everything.

jakethesnake

If your engine looks like this then its the 255hp one.


[/quote]

I just checked my car and it was built in March 2005 and the engine also looks like the one pictured here, that means I do have 255hp engine...woooohooohhh.

EBMCS03

Wait wait... all these 2006 / 2005 talk...

So people are saying if he has got the changes, as in start stop button, it makes it a REAL 2006? Nooooooo thats not it... no matter how much I dont like it and how "fake and lying" BMW NA is his is a 2006. I dont think BMW should have called a March production 2005 car a 2006 thats stupid. But it is... Mercedes did the same... dumb!

BUT so ya... about this September changes... BMW makes changes every March and Sept to their cars... sometimes, but rarely... even July! They always add changes... a change in Sept doesnt make it a 2006 more than a March change. BUT BMW AG does do their change over to the new year model during sept for Europe I understand that.

But they also did their change over in March for the US, one of their largest markets to make them 2006s. So how is his a "fake" vs "real" 2006? just because BMW AG hasent changed it for Germany yet?

There might be more "fake" 2006s out there than "real" 2005s from March to Sept. world wide...