Test Drive Report 525i (LCI)
12-28-2007, 11:42 PM
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At long last, after months of trying to find a new (LCI) petrol E60 to test drive (UK dealers run 99% of their E60's as diesels), I managed a couple of days with a 525i M Sport (UK Spec) with the new auto transmission. Just in case anyone else is struggling to find one, I thought I'd share my experiences.
For background, I should say why I wanted to try a petrol model when most UK cars are petrol. BMW diesels are superb (I drive one currently), but most of us switched to diesel due to UK company car tax legislation which favoured diesels (even with the 3% diesel weighting they worked out cheaper to run from a personal taxation perspective).
All that has changed with the LCI modifications. BMW has now achieved significantly lower CO2 emissions for their petrol engines and, as a result, their tax rates have plummeted. Petrol E60's with auto transmission, whether 523i, 525i or 530i, now attract a 22% personal taxation charge compared to 24% for similarly equipped 525d and 25% for a 530d.
Furthermore, leading UK car magazine 'What Car' has awarded the 525i it's 'Executive Car of the Year' title for 2 years running due to its quietness and 'extra civility' compared to the 525d. As my fuel is paid for, mpg wasn't an issue, so it was down to tax costs (petrol cheaper) and personal preference. I have driven several diesel E60's (525d and 2 530d's) so wasn't sure how I'd find the petrol. Well, here goes;
My first slight dissapointment was at start up. With diesels, even great BMW ones, you are left with no doubt at start up that they are diesels. I was hoping for a throaty petrol flat 6 rumble but no - near silence! As time went on, I relaised that this was in fact a good thing as it makes for a very civilised drive. From outside, the noise is audible and, if anything more of a slight whine than a rumble (apparently a characteristic of the direct injection LCI modifications).
Having become used to diesels for many years (with their vast torque surges), I was fearful that a petrol equivalent would feel sluggish - but how wrong I was! This engine is superb. If you drive with a very light foot, you feel as though you want a little more pick up when overtaking, but depress the accelerator more firmly and it springs into life and will rush past anything with ease. And that's without even using kickdown, which was something else!
I had recently driven a 530d and was impressed with its kickdown acceleration, but the 525i felt even better and that's before the accoustics kick in! The 530d was fast, but had a mechanical sound (and a whine) on hard acceleration. The 525i was in a different class of aural delights! Not only is the engine note pleasant rather than mechanical, as the revs climb towards the limiter (and prior to gearchange) you get a noise that I can best describe as the sound you hear when watching the drivers cockpit shots of Formula 1 cars on TV as they accelerate. Sensational!
I was agonising over whether to push the boat out for the 530i but decided very quickly that there was no point whatsoever and I would save the money. The 525i has more than enough power for speed camera swamped UK roads!
In spite of the above, most of my driving is not 'in anger' but at sensible speeds. Here the 525i is superb and, unlike the diesels, is near silent. BMW claim 37.7mpg for the LCI model petrol versions (523i, 525i and 530i). This is nonsence and I am convinced is a blatant lie in order to reduce the CO2 outputs and make the car more competitive!
The best I achieved, on a 60 mile steady 80mph run, was 34mpg. This fell to 32mpg within minutes of leaving the motorway. When driven 'in anger' consumption plummets to the low 20's (and you can get into the teens if you try!). I reckon that 'normal' and mostly motorway driving will average out at 30mpg, almost 8mpg less than BMW's claims.
These exagerated mpg claims are not exclusive to the petrol models. My recent test on a 530d returned 34mpg rather than BMW's claimed 43mpg.
I had read mixed reports about the new gearchange, but it is superb. Changes are seamless and almost imperceptible. The 'joystick' control is easy to master (even though I don't play computer games!) and is an improvement on the old version.
The new style 'anti whiplash' head restraints are great. You now have a pad which slides forwards (as well as the normal up and down adjustment). I loved the light Servotronic steering and the cruise control with brake function is superb when travelling downhill on cruise as it maintains your speed (my current car drifts over the limit as it doesn't brake).
I didn't like the fact that the windscreen wipers are set for European or US drivers, in that if you are a UK driver, they clear to the passenger side leaving a dirty arc above the drivers line of vision. That's just lazy on BMW's part. They should modify UK cars to operate the other way round. I also found the 'Sports' mode to be pointless as it 'holds' on to revs long after you need them, causing unneccesary noise and additional fuel useage. I never once found kick down in standard mode to be inadequate. One other minor gripe is that the fog lights (front in particular) are difficult to find when driving.
I had already selected my options before the test drive and the 48 hours confirmed that I had made the right choices, with one exception - the standard stereo was awful. I adjusted it through every setting and it never sounded good, particularly on radio (which I listen to often). I've therefore upgraded to the BMW Hi-Fi Loudspeaker system.
Other options I'm going for (and reasons) are;
SE Model with Style 244 17" alloys - I prefer the softer / less harsh ride than that provided by sports suspension and 18" alloys.
Leather, metallic paint and Auto transmission (obviously!)
Comfort Seats (I find that both the standard and sports seats 'slope away' rearwards and don't provide enough support to the upper back. The comfort seats have independent upper back adjustment as well as electric adjustment of eveything you can imagine!)
Soft Close Automatic doors (free with the UK Luxury Package)
Visibilty package (I'm used to Xenons and found the standard lights on the E60 to be inadeqaute)
Hi-Fi loudspeaker system (see above) plus DAB Digital radio and 6 CD Changer
Extended Interior Lights Package
Sports Steering Wheel (I felt that the sports wheel was too big, so the standard one must be like driving a bus)
So, in summary, I can now see why the 525i is the Executive Car of the Year over the diesel models. It's quieter, sounds better and is more refined - yet also manges to be more fun when driven hard. I'll spend a bit more time refuelling, but that's a small price to pay. I'd be happy to answer any questions from anyone who, like me, has struggled to get behind the wheel of one of these vehicles.
For background, I should say why I wanted to try a petrol model when most UK cars are petrol. BMW diesels are superb (I drive one currently), but most of us switched to diesel due to UK company car tax legislation which favoured diesels (even with the 3% diesel weighting they worked out cheaper to run from a personal taxation perspective).
All that has changed with the LCI modifications. BMW has now achieved significantly lower CO2 emissions for their petrol engines and, as a result, their tax rates have plummeted. Petrol E60's with auto transmission, whether 523i, 525i or 530i, now attract a 22% personal taxation charge compared to 24% for similarly equipped 525d and 25% for a 530d.
Furthermore, leading UK car magazine 'What Car' has awarded the 525i it's 'Executive Car of the Year' title for 2 years running due to its quietness and 'extra civility' compared to the 525d. As my fuel is paid for, mpg wasn't an issue, so it was down to tax costs (petrol cheaper) and personal preference. I have driven several diesel E60's (525d and 2 530d's) so wasn't sure how I'd find the petrol. Well, here goes;
My first slight dissapointment was at start up. With diesels, even great BMW ones, you are left with no doubt at start up that they are diesels. I was hoping for a throaty petrol flat 6 rumble but no - near silence! As time went on, I relaised that this was in fact a good thing as it makes for a very civilised drive. From outside, the noise is audible and, if anything more of a slight whine than a rumble (apparently a characteristic of the direct injection LCI modifications).
Having become used to diesels for many years (with their vast torque surges), I was fearful that a petrol equivalent would feel sluggish - but how wrong I was! This engine is superb. If you drive with a very light foot, you feel as though you want a little more pick up when overtaking, but depress the accelerator more firmly and it springs into life and will rush past anything with ease. And that's without even using kickdown, which was something else!
I had recently driven a 530d and was impressed with its kickdown acceleration, but the 525i felt even better and that's before the accoustics kick in! The 530d was fast, but had a mechanical sound (and a whine) on hard acceleration. The 525i was in a different class of aural delights! Not only is the engine note pleasant rather than mechanical, as the revs climb towards the limiter (and prior to gearchange) you get a noise that I can best describe as the sound you hear when watching the drivers cockpit shots of Formula 1 cars on TV as they accelerate. Sensational!
I was agonising over whether to push the boat out for the 530i but decided very quickly that there was no point whatsoever and I would save the money. The 525i has more than enough power for speed camera swamped UK roads!
In spite of the above, most of my driving is not 'in anger' but at sensible speeds. Here the 525i is superb and, unlike the diesels, is near silent. BMW claim 37.7mpg for the LCI model petrol versions (523i, 525i and 530i). This is nonsence and I am convinced is a blatant lie in order to reduce the CO2 outputs and make the car more competitive!
The best I achieved, on a 60 mile steady 80mph run, was 34mpg. This fell to 32mpg within minutes of leaving the motorway. When driven 'in anger' consumption plummets to the low 20's (and you can get into the teens if you try!). I reckon that 'normal' and mostly motorway driving will average out at 30mpg, almost 8mpg less than BMW's claims.
These exagerated mpg claims are not exclusive to the petrol models. My recent test on a 530d returned 34mpg rather than BMW's claimed 43mpg.
I had read mixed reports about the new gearchange, but it is superb. Changes are seamless and almost imperceptible. The 'joystick' control is easy to master (even though I don't play computer games!) and is an improvement on the old version.
The new style 'anti whiplash' head restraints are great. You now have a pad which slides forwards (as well as the normal up and down adjustment). I loved the light Servotronic steering and the cruise control with brake function is superb when travelling downhill on cruise as it maintains your speed (my current car drifts over the limit as it doesn't brake).
I didn't like the fact that the windscreen wipers are set for European or US drivers, in that if you are a UK driver, they clear to the passenger side leaving a dirty arc above the drivers line of vision. That's just lazy on BMW's part. They should modify UK cars to operate the other way round. I also found the 'Sports' mode to be pointless as it 'holds' on to revs long after you need them, causing unneccesary noise and additional fuel useage. I never once found kick down in standard mode to be inadequate. One other minor gripe is that the fog lights (front in particular) are difficult to find when driving.
I had already selected my options before the test drive and the 48 hours confirmed that I had made the right choices, with one exception - the standard stereo was awful. I adjusted it through every setting and it never sounded good, particularly on radio (which I listen to often). I've therefore upgraded to the BMW Hi-Fi Loudspeaker system.
Other options I'm going for (and reasons) are;
SE Model with Style 244 17" alloys - I prefer the softer / less harsh ride than that provided by sports suspension and 18" alloys.
Leather, metallic paint and Auto transmission (obviously!)
Comfort Seats (I find that both the standard and sports seats 'slope away' rearwards and don't provide enough support to the upper back. The comfort seats have independent upper back adjustment as well as electric adjustment of eveything you can imagine!)
Soft Close Automatic doors (free with the UK Luxury Package)
Visibilty package (I'm used to Xenons and found the standard lights on the E60 to be inadeqaute)
Hi-Fi loudspeaker system (see above) plus DAB Digital radio and 6 CD Changer
Extended Interior Lights Package
Sports Steering Wheel (I felt that the sports wheel was too big, so the standard one must be like driving a bus)
So, in summary, I can now see why the 525i is the Executive Car of the Year over the diesel models. It's quieter, sounds better and is more refined - yet also manges to be more fun when driven hard. I'll spend a bit more time refuelling, but that's a small price to pay. I'd be happy to answer any questions from anyone who, like me, has struggled to get behind the wheel of one of these vehicles.
12-29-2007, 08:14 AM
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Originally Posted by UK 5 Series' post='511572' date='Dec 29 2007, 08:42 AM
At long last, after months of trying to find a new (LCI) petrol E60 to test drive (UK dealers run 99% of their E60's as diesels), I managed a couple of days with a 525i M Sport (UK Spec) with the new auto transmission. Just in case anyone else is struggling to find one, I thought I'd share my experiences.
(As is the 525d)Remember fuel consumption figures are always created in a lab and not actually on the road. They should only be used for relative comparison and should not be seen as achievable unless you're going continuously downhill...
12-29-2007, 08:32 AM
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Originally Posted by colejl' post='511665' date='Dec 29 2007, 05:14 PM
Great review! For those who don't know the LCI 525i is now actually a 3 litre engine... (As is the 525d)
Remember fuel consumption figures are always created in a lab and not actually on the road. They should only be used for relative comparison and should not be seen as achievable unless you're going continuously downhill...
(As is the 525d)Remember fuel consumption figures are always created in a lab and not actually on the road. They should only be used for relative comparison and should not be seen as achievable unless you're going continuously downhill...
I was aware that, in spite of the badge, it is a 3 litre engine. And the 523i is in fact a 2.5 litre engine!
It's a shame that BMW don't badge the 523i as 525i and the 525i/d as 530i/d as both would then reflect true engine size.
I guess the problem comes with then having to call the 530i a 535i (as it's a different type of engine to the 335i) and the 530d can't become a 535d as there's already one!
And, of course, as well as 'understating' the lower end models, BMW overtstate the top end ones - the 550i should be a 548i as it has a 4.8 litre not 5.0 litre engine and the 535d is in fact a 3.0 litre.
Life used to be so simple when the last 2 numbers denoted the engine size. Perhaps I should design a badge for 525i and 525d drivers to stick under the model designation saying "It's actually a 3 litre".
Of course there's always the 'Model Designation Deletion' option, but in the UK that's the sole preserve of 520d drivers who think we'll miss the single tail pipe and non-chrome grille slats (by the way, I'm only kidding as the 520d is a fantastic car).
12-29-2007, 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted by UK 5 Series' post='511669' date='Dec 29 2007, 05:32 PM
I was aware that, in spite of the badge, it is a 3 litre engine. And the 523i is in fact a 2.5 litre engine!
Confused?
12-30-2007, 01:56 AM
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Originally Posted by colejl' post='511721' date='Dec 29 2007, 10:14 PM
Yeah, the badge is an indication/guideline not a fact... They could use the 's' option like they do on other models... so the 525i could be the 530i and the 530i could be 530si. The 523i would then become the 525i proper...
Confused?
Confused?
I think that's a great idea. I just can't understand why BMW understate engine sizes on their most poular (in UK) models. Ford wouldn't put a 1.8 badge on a 2.0 litre!
12-30-2007, 07:46 AM
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My Ride: 2011, X6 Hybrid . Alpine White , every option. 20" Conti' NON runflats,OEM trunk spoiler , LUX V3 AE's , HP Thunder Fogs , custom front bumper reflector delete........
Debadging would solve the issue, excellent write up !!
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12-30-2007, 12:53 PM
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Originally Posted by UK 5 Series' post='511572' date='Dec 29 2007, 08:42 AM
At long last, after months of trying to find a new (LCI) petrol E60 to test drive (UK dealers run 99% of their E60's as diesels), I managed a couple of days with a 525i M Sport (UK Spec) with the new auto transmission. Just in case anyone else is struggling to find one, I thought I'd share my experiences.
For background, I should say why I wanted to try a petrol model when most UK cars are petrol. BMW diesels are superb (I drive one currently), but most of us switched to diesel due to UK company car tax legislation which favoured diesels (even with the 3% diesel weighting they worked out cheaper to run from a personal taxation perspective).
All that has changed with the LCI modifications. BMW has now achieved significantly lower CO2 emissions for their petrol engines and, as a result, their tax rates have plummeted. Petrol E60's with auto transmission, whether 523i, 525i or 530i, now attract a 22% personal taxation charge compared to 24% for similarly equipped 525d and 25% for a 530d.
Furthermore, leading UK car magazine 'What Car' has awarded the 525i it's 'Executive Car of the Year' title for 2 years running due to its quietness and 'extra civility' compared to the 525d. As my fuel is paid for, mpg wasn't an issue, so it was down to tax costs (petrol cheaper) and personal preference. I have driven several diesel E60's (525d and 2 530d's) so wasn't sure how I'd find the petrol. Well, here goes;
My first slight dissapointment was at start up. With diesels, even great BMW ones, you are left with no doubt at start up that they are diesels. I was hoping for a throaty petrol flat 6 rumble but no - near silence! As time went on, I relaised that this was in fact a good thing as it makes for a very civilised drive. From outside, the noise is audible and, if anything more of a slight whine than a rumble (apparently a characteristic of the direct injection LCI modifications).
Having become used to diesels for many years (with their vast torque surges), I was fearful that a petrol equivalent would feel sluggish - but how wrong I was! This engine is superb. If you drive with a very light foot, you feel as though you want a little more pick up when overtaking, but depress the accelerator more firmly and it springs into life and will rush past anything with ease. And that's without even using kickdown, which was something else!
I had recently driven a 530d and was impressed with its kickdown acceleration, but the 525i felt even better and that's before the accoustics kick in! The 530d was fast, but had a mechanical sound (and a whine) on hard acceleration. The 525i was in a different class of aural delights! Not only is the engine note pleasant rather than mechanical, as the revs climb towards the limiter (and prior to gearchange) you get a noise that I can best describe as the sound you hear when watching the drivers cockpit shots of Formula 1 cars on TV as they accelerate. Sensational!
I was agonising over whether to push the boat out for the 530i but decided very quickly that there was no point whatsoever and I would save the money. The 525i has more than enough power for speed camera swamped UK roads!
In spite of the above, most of my driving is not 'in anger' but at sensible speeds. Here the 525i is superb and, unlike the diesels, is near silent. BMW claim 37.7mpg for the LCI model petrol versions (523i, 525i and 530i). This is nonsence and I am convinced is a blatant lie in order to reduce the CO2 outputs and make the car more competitive!
The best I achieved, on a 60 mile steady 80mph run, was 34mpg. This fell to 32mpg within minutes of leaving the motorway. When driven 'in anger' consumption plummets to the low 20's (and you can get into the teens if you try!). I reckon that 'normal' and mostly motorway driving will average out at 30mpg, almost 8mpg less than BMW's claims.
These exagerated mpg claims are not exclusive to the petrol models. My recent test on a 530d returned 34mpg rather than BMW's claimed 43mpg.
I had read mixed reports about the new gearchange, but it is superb. Changes are seamless and almost imperceptible. The 'joystick' control is easy to master (even though I don't play computer games!) and is an improvement on the old version.
The new style 'anti whiplash' head restraints are great. You now have a pad which slides forwards (as well as the normal up and down adjustment). I loved the light Servotronic steering and the cruise control with brake function is superb when travelling downhill on cruise as it maintains your speed (my current car drifts over the limit as it doesn't brake).
I didn't like the fact that the windscreen wipers are set for European or US drivers, in that if you are a UK driver, they clear to the passenger side leaving a dirty arc above the drivers line of vision. That's just lazy on BMW's part. They should modify UK cars to operate the other way round. I also found the 'Sports' mode to be pointless as it 'holds' on to revs long after you need them, causing unneccesary noise and additional fuel useage. I never once found kick down in standard mode to be inadequate. One other minor gripe is that the fog lights (front in particular) are difficult to find when driving.
I had already selected my options before the test drive and the 48 hours confirmed that I had made the right choices, with one exception - the standard stereo was awful. I adjusted it through every setting and it never sounded good, particularly on radio (which I listen to often). I've therefore upgraded to the BMW Hi-Fi Loudspeaker system.
Other options I'm going for (and reasons) are;
SE Model with Style 244 17" alloys - I prefer the softer / less harsh ride than that provided by sports suspension and 18" alloys.
Leather, metallic paint and Auto transmission (obviously!)
Comfort Seats (I find that both the standard and sports seats 'slope away' rearwards and don't provide enough support to the upper back. The comfort seats have independent upper back adjustment as well as electric adjustment of eveything you can imagine!)
Soft Close Automatic doors (free with the UK Luxury Package)
Visibilty package (I'm used to Xenons and found the standard lights on the E60 to be inadeqaute)
Hi-Fi loudspeaker system (see above) plus DAB Digital radio and 6 CD Changer
Extended Interior Lights Package
Sports Steering Wheel (I felt that the sports wheel was too big, so the standard one must be like driving a bus)
So, in summary, I can now see why the 525i is the Executive Car of the Year over the diesel models. It's quieter, sounds better and is more refined - yet also manges to be more fun when driven hard. I'll spend a bit more time refuelling, but that's a small price to pay. I'd be happy to answer any questions from anyone who, like me, has struggled to get behind the wheel of one of these vehicles.
For background, I should say why I wanted to try a petrol model when most UK cars are petrol. BMW diesels are superb (I drive one currently), but most of us switched to diesel due to UK company car tax legislation which favoured diesels (even with the 3% diesel weighting they worked out cheaper to run from a personal taxation perspective).
All that has changed with the LCI modifications. BMW has now achieved significantly lower CO2 emissions for their petrol engines and, as a result, their tax rates have plummeted. Petrol E60's with auto transmission, whether 523i, 525i or 530i, now attract a 22% personal taxation charge compared to 24% for similarly equipped 525d and 25% for a 530d.
Furthermore, leading UK car magazine 'What Car' has awarded the 525i it's 'Executive Car of the Year' title for 2 years running due to its quietness and 'extra civility' compared to the 525d. As my fuel is paid for, mpg wasn't an issue, so it was down to tax costs (petrol cheaper) and personal preference. I have driven several diesel E60's (525d and 2 530d's) so wasn't sure how I'd find the petrol. Well, here goes;
My first slight dissapointment was at start up. With diesels, even great BMW ones, you are left with no doubt at start up that they are diesels. I was hoping for a throaty petrol flat 6 rumble but no - near silence! As time went on, I relaised that this was in fact a good thing as it makes for a very civilised drive. From outside, the noise is audible and, if anything more of a slight whine than a rumble (apparently a characteristic of the direct injection LCI modifications).
Having become used to diesels for many years (with their vast torque surges), I was fearful that a petrol equivalent would feel sluggish - but how wrong I was! This engine is superb. If you drive with a very light foot, you feel as though you want a little more pick up when overtaking, but depress the accelerator more firmly and it springs into life and will rush past anything with ease. And that's without even using kickdown, which was something else!
I had recently driven a 530d and was impressed with its kickdown acceleration, but the 525i felt even better and that's before the accoustics kick in! The 530d was fast, but had a mechanical sound (and a whine) on hard acceleration. The 525i was in a different class of aural delights! Not only is the engine note pleasant rather than mechanical, as the revs climb towards the limiter (and prior to gearchange) you get a noise that I can best describe as the sound you hear when watching the drivers cockpit shots of Formula 1 cars on TV as they accelerate. Sensational!
I was agonising over whether to push the boat out for the 530i but decided very quickly that there was no point whatsoever and I would save the money. The 525i has more than enough power for speed camera swamped UK roads!
In spite of the above, most of my driving is not 'in anger' but at sensible speeds. Here the 525i is superb and, unlike the diesels, is near silent. BMW claim 37.7mpg for the LCI model petrol versions (523i, 525i and 530i). This is nonsence and I am convinced is a blatant lie in order to reduce the CO2 outputs and make the car more competitive!
The best I achieved, on a 60 mile steady 80mph run, was 34mpg. This fell to 32mpg within minutes of leaving the motorway. When driven 'in anger' consumption plummets to the low 20's (and you can get into the teens if you try!). I reckon that 'normal' and mostly motorway driving will average out at 30mpg, almost 8mpg less than BMW's claims.
These exagerated mpg claims are not exclusive to the petrol models. My recent test on a 530d returned 34mpg rather than BMW's claimed 43mpg.
I had read mixed reports about the new gearchange, but it is superb. Changes are seamless and almost imperceptible. The 'joystick' control is easy to master (even though I don't play computer games!) and is an improvement on the old version.
The new style 'anti whiplash' head restraints are great. You now have a pad which slides forwards (as well as the normal up and down adjustment). I loved the light Servotronic steering and the cruise control with brake function is superb when travelling downhill on cruise as it maintains your speed (my current car drifts over the limit as it doesn't brake).
I didn't like the fact that the windscreen wipers are set for European or US drivers, in that if you are a UK driver, they clear to the passenger side leaving a dirty arc above the drivers line of vision. That's just lazy on BMW's part. They should modify UK cars to operate the other way round. I also found the 'Sports' mode to be pointless as it 'holds' on to revs long after you need them, causing unneccesary noise and additional fuel useage. I never once found kick down in standard mode to be inadequate. One other minor gripe is that the fog lights (front in particular) are difficult to find when driving.
I had already selected my options before the test drive and the 48 hours confirmed that I had made the right choices, with one exception - the standard stereo was awful. I adjusted it through every setting and it never sounded good, particularly on radio (which I listen to often). I've therefore upgraded to the BMW Hi-Fi Loudspeaker system.
Other options I'm going for (and reasons) are;
SE Model with Style 244 17" alloys - I prefer the softer / less harsh ride than that provided by sports suspension and 18" alloys.
Leather, metallic paint and Auto transmission (obviously!)
Comfort Seats (I find that both the standard and sports seats 'slope away' rearwards and don't provide enough support to the upper back. The comfort seats have independent upper back adjustment as well as electric adjustment of eveything you can imagine!)
Soft Close Automatic doors (free with the UK Luxury Package)
Visibilty package (I'm used to Xenons and found the standard lights on the E60 to be inadeqaute)
Hi-Fi loudspeaker system (see above) plus DAB Digital radio and 6 CD Changer
Extended Interior Lights Package
Sports Steering Wheel (I felt that the sports wheel was too big, so the standard one must be like driving a bus)
So, in summary, I can now see why the 525i is the Executive Car of the Year over the diesel models. It's quieter, sounds better and is more refined - yet also manges to be more fun when driven hard. I'll spend a bit more time refuelling, but that's a small price to pay. I'd be happy to answer any questions from anyone who, like me, has struggled to get behind the wheel of one of these vehicles.
For those who didn't spot my deliberate error, the start of the 2nd paragraph should state that most UK cars are diesels, not petrol.
12-30-2007, 03:32 PM
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My Ride: 1996 525 M Sport
Silver Grey on Beige
Get the MSport and change to conventional rubber.
You get the nice M Sport bits i.e. body kit, steering wheel, door trims, roof liner and 18's which IMO are essential on the E60 styling without the runflat bone jarring ride. Best of both worlds.
Enjoy your new ride eitherway.
PS: Interestingly the LCI 525 here in Aus is still the 218hp version of the 2.5, not the detuned 3.0.
You get the nice M Sport bits i.e. body kit, steering wheel, door trims, roof liner and 18's which IMO are essential on the E60 styling without the runflat bone jarring ride. Best of both worlds.
Enjoy your new ride eitherway.
PS: Interestingly the LCI 525 here in Aus is still the 218hp version of the 2.5, not the detuned 3.0.
12-30-2007, 07:11 PM
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uk 5 series, that was a good review of the 525i. Did you try out the 523i? I believe that the 525i is also a 2.5l engine identical to the one in the 523i, except that the 523i is a detuned engine.
12-31-2007, 12:03 AM
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Originally Posted by my2007' post='512093' date='Dec 31 2007, 04:11 AM
uk 5 series, that was a good review of the 525i. Did you try out the 523i? I believe that the 525i is also a 2.5l engine identical to the one in the 523i, except that the 523i is a detuned engine.