The cup holders do suck.
I have to drive holding the cup so it won't tip over. Not much of a cup-holder if you have to hold it.... LOL



But I think this is the best design 5 series ever. I love the look. It's just slick looking. I never had a single question about liking the look of the design.

 

I love the design of the car. The front looks great. The headlights make the car look agressive. The same for the back. The way the lights are angled gives it a great, sporty look.
The only thing I have noticed is if you approach the car from the side and draw an imaginary line from the hood to the back of the car it seems that the hood is 5" to low and offset from the rest of the car. I don't know if you guys get what I am trying to say, but that is the only thing I feel could be improved.

 

I like it. It looks like its always ready to go.

 

It was my one of my wished car. The interior does not look impressed, but if you sit in the back and look at the whole dash, it looks good from one curve to the other. However, it does not look good from either passenger or driver's seat.
Exterior is beautiful. I like it from day one except the butt, but it looks good with red reflector on white .
Chris Bangle did not screw up, only those conservative people blame his great works.
"Bad art looks good at first, then get boring"

 

When I heard that BMW was redesigning their 5 series car, I read everything printed, stared at all the spy photos and computer enhanced shots printed and just waited for more. I wanted this car, the problem was when I saw the car in the flesh I hated it. They killed a legend and the active steering on the car I tested wasn't working properly, I was devistated, what was I going to buy. I owned a 2002 330i, great car but it was being updated and I could not wait till 2006, so I drove everything. Everytime I saw an E60 on the road it got better looking, so I drove it again still can't believe its in my garage. Changes, yes but not the front or even the back, I wish the car could have a side body molding to protect its panels without hurting its looks, the cup holders must be recalled,the interior could be improved as many have already said, but I'm beginning to like it more each day. I am living with I-drive but I still wish it was easier to set and change radio stations. But, the way it drives, this car is just plain fun. Great car.....

 

Absolutely love it. I was a big fan of the E39, but now when I see one beside the E60, it just doesn't have the same appeal. If I were BMW, I wouldn't change a thing, except improve on some of the quality issues discussed.

 

JBOO I'm with you. Everytime I go to the parking lot at my office there are at least 2 E39s and I say to myself "Those are some ugly, boring looking cars".

 

I loved the car from the moment I found a video of it on the net early last summer. Those of us who bought the car shortly after launch were treated like leppers - on the bb that cannot be named - for liking the design. That sort of rubbish still goes on over there - incredible!

Now that there are lots of E60's on the road here in the UK the car has lost it's novelty value and the design has become more gnerally accepted through increasing familiarity.

Car designers have a tough job and Bangle has come in for a lot of stick (unfairly in my opinion). He is head of design at BMW and didn't actually "design" the new models personally. I had to laugh at an article in Autocar a month or so ago about the new 997 Porsche 911. The authour was bemoaning the fact that Porsche had continued to just recycle the original design from the 60's and was wondering whether or not they shouldn't have taken a bold new approach with a clean sheet design. Can you imaginge the uproar that would have been caused if they had done that? They were savagely criticised for daring to be different by introducing the Cayenne so one can only wonder what would have happened if they had got rid of the traditional 911 shape. They tried that back in '78 with the 928 but the 911 just kept on selling. And it's still going strong long after the 928's design shelf life expired.

 

I had many compliments from people about the new 5s. Most of them are impressed of the Head-up display too. But personally i am not a very happy owner, need a bigger engine.

 

After 8,000 miles:

First, here are my gripes.

The cupholders do suck - so I modified them and they're fine now.

The clutch feel is poor. Too much travel and no feel. I installed a clutch stop and replaced the CDV valve. It's perfect now.

Interior could look more luxurious. Installed wood shift, ebrake, and back console panel and the interior looks very nice.

Beige leather gets dirty incredibly quickly. I clean it once a month.

Don't like having to hit the idrive button every time I start the car.

The runflats suck. I replaced them with 19" BBS RS-GT's and Goodyear F1 GS-D3's. Unlbelievable.

Jet black is a godawful dirt color.

Cell phone reception is 'OK', not great.

That's about it.

Now, the things I like:

The engine. Best in class by a long shot. Just friggin incredible - I'm still impressed every time I drive the car.

The handling. With the BBS/Goodyear setup I daresay it handles as well as the M3 I've test driven a few times. But it rides much better. What a blast to drive. Feels like a much smaller car.

Comfort seats. The best I've ever sat in. The ability to tune in the side bolsters really helps in 'spirited' driving.

Logic 7/ Sirius. Best OEM sound system I've ever heard. Sirius is CD quality on 100 some stations.

Idrive. I can't imagine navigating through Sirius, my books-on-tape on the 6-cd changer, my music CD, and my phone without it.

Winter package. The heated seats and wheel are tremendous in the cold weather. In the warmer weather I switch the seat heat to my back - like a heating pad.

The looks. I've had a number of people walking around my car in a parking lot. When it's clean, it's one of the best looking cars on the road.