what would you tell yourself about your 545i
04-07-2011, 10:09 AM
#12
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325hp 
but are they more reliable because they are smaller engine? im not worried about gas or sticker price im just a really anal budgeter so im trying to find out how much a year this things gonna cost me on top of insurance, payments and gas
but are they more reliable because they are smaller engine? im not worried about gas or sticker price im just a really anal budgeter so im trying to find out how much a year this things gonna cost me on top of insurance, payments and gas
04-07-2011, 10:30 AM
#13
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My Ride: ///M5 BEAST
Model Year: 2006
whatever you buy, make sure its BMW certified with the 100k warranty. trust me on this one. its worth the money.
i just bought my 545i last fall at my local BMW dealership. ive had a couple small problems, but my dealer (Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills) has been amazing and repaired some things free of charge even though it was out of warranty. I could have easily came out of thousands of dollars.
if you cannot go with a warrantied car, then make sure you get records that show its maintenance was kept properly. also, choose a car that is in very good condition. i bought my 04 545i with only 41k miles on it...the previous owner babied it. the interior is literally 99%....i had to buy it!
last but not least, make sure it has the options you want. I personally have to get the mtech kit installed and will have to retro-fit the navigation this summer (a $2k investment).
oh one more thing....the gas mileage is horrid. here in detroit premium is now over $4/gal...and since i have the Dinan S3 pkg...it runs very lean and guzzles gas...fun to drive...nightmare to feed!
good luck!
i just bought my 545i last fall at my local BMW dealership. ive had a couple small problems, but my dealer (Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills) has been amazing and repaired some things free of charge even though it was out of warranty. I could have easily came out of thousands of dollars.
if you cannot go with a warrantied car, then make sure you get records that show its maintenance was kept properly. also, choose a car that is in very good condition. i bought my 04 545i with only 41k miles on it...the previous owner babied it. the interior is literally 99%....i had to buy it!
last but not least, make sure it has the options you want. I personally have to get the mtech kit installed and will have to retro-fit the navigation this summer (a $2k investment).
oh one more thing....the gas mileage is horrid. here in detroit premium is now over $4/gal...and since i have the Dinan S3 pkg...it runs very lean and guzzles gas...fun to drive...nightmare to feed!
good luck!
04-07-2011, 11:28 AM
#14
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My Ride: 06 550i
Model Year: 06
IMO it all depends on the car you get. I had skimmed the forum when I bought my 06 550 last year and I have been lucky so far and have not had any problems with my car. I read horror stories of other people with the same car tho. Its a shame that BMW can build one car so well and it seems like the next one off the line will have all kinds of problems. The worst part of all of this is you won't know what kind of car you got until you've had it for awhile.
I recommend you should get the sport, cold weather, Logic 7 (is a must), nav packages (not too important since you can get a Garmin or something), and xenon headlights.
I recommend you should get the sport, cold weather, Logic 7 (is a must), nav packages (not too important since you can get a Garmin or something), and xenon headlights.
04-07-2011, 02:54 PM
#15
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My Ride: 2005 545i Sport 6 speed Manual
before i bought my 545..........if i had spent 15 mins in this forum reading all the whacked out things that go wrong and how generally unreliable they are....there is no way i would have gone through with it. mine only has 45k on it, bought it with 34k, but i don't even enjoy driving it b/c i'm so fearful of it breaking, this forum has a way of doing that, but i'm still here reading it every morning filling my mind with nightmarish visions of broken e60s. when it chimes and tells me that its 37º or that the fuel is low, i almost have a heart attack, b/c i assume its serious
i thought i would be ok since i got a 6mt, ignorance was bliss.
had an audi ZF automatic once, broke at 80k, 4000 to replace, never again with automatics, the bmw smg may be worse.
if you must have one.....drive it for about 2 miles until its nearly at operating temp (of course there is no gauge so how is one to really know) and listen carefully to the top end, if it clacks or ticks, walk the F away. valvetronics can do that you know, so many moving parts, how could it be as reliable as a normal valvetrain.
the first time you get an active steering warning and you find yourself driving down the road with the steering wheel 90º out of phase from center, you'll know what i'm talking about.
i did not do my research first, don't make the same mistake i did.
don't intend to sound negative and hopefully have not offended anyone, cuz i know you all love your cars....but you asked for opinions.
i thought i would be ok since i got a 6mt, ignorance was bliss.
had an audi ZF automatic once, broke at 80k, 4000 to replace, never again with automatics, the bmw smg may be worse.
if you must have one.....drive it for about 2 miles until its nearly at operating temp (of course there is no gauge so how is one to really know) and listen carefully to the top end, if it clacks or ticks, walk the F away. valvetronics can do that you know, so many moving parts, how could it be as reliable as a normal valvetrain.
the first time you get an active steering warning and you find yourself driving down the road with the steering wheel 90º out of phase from center, you'll know what i'm talking about.
i did not do my research first, don't make the same mistake i did.
don't intend to sound negative and hopefully have not offended anyone, cuz i know you all love your cars....but you asked for opinions.
04-07-2011, 02:54 PM
#16
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My Ride: 2004 545i, 6-speed Manual, Silver Grey Metallic, Grey Dakota Leather, Cold Weather Pkg, Premium Sound Pkg, Sport Pkg, Lumbar Support
This is all I needed to know before I bought my 545i, Car and Driver Road Test
Well that and a test drive.
Well that and a test drive.
04-07-2011, 03:05 PM
#17
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before i bought my 545..........if i had spent 15 mins in this forum reading all the whacked out things that go wrong and how generally unreliable they are....there is no way i would have gone through with it. mine only has 45k on it, bought it with 34k, but i don't even enjoy driving it b/c i'm so fearful of it breaking, this forum has a way of doing that, but i'm still here reading it every morning filling my mind with nightmarish visions of broken e60s. when it chimes and tells me that its 37º or that the fuel is low, i almost have a heart attack, b/c i assume its serious
i thought i would be ok since i got a 6mt, ignorance was bliss.
had an audi ZF automatic once, broke at 80k, 4000 to replace, never again with automatics, the bmw smg may be worse.
if you must have one.....drive it for about 2 miles until its nearly at operating temp (of course there is no gauge so how is one to really know) and listen carefully to the top end, if it clacks or ticks, walk the F away. valvetronics can do that you know, so many moving parts, how could it be as reliable as a normal valvetrain.
the first time you get an active steering warning and you find yourself driving down the road with the steering wheel 90º out of phase from center, you'll know what i'm talking about.
i did not do my research first, don't make the same mistake i did.
don't intend to sound negative and hopefully have not offended anyone, cuz i know you all love your cars....but you asked for opinions.
i thought i would be ok since i got a 6mt, ignorance was bliss.
had an audi ZF automatic once, broke at 80k, 4000 to replace, never again with automatics, the bmw smg may be worse.
if you must have one.....drive it for about 2 miles until its nearly at operating temp (of course there is no gauge so how is one to really know) and listen carefully to the top end, if it clacks or ticks, walk the F away. valvetronics can do that you know, so many moving parts, how could it be as reliable as a normal valvetrain.
the first time you get an active steering warning and you find yourself driving down the road with the steering wheel 90º out of phase from center, you'll know what i'm talking about.
i did not do my research first, don't make the same mistake i did.
don't intend to sound negative and hopefully have not offended anyone, cuz i know you all love your cars....but you asked for opinions.
wow so youre saying i definately SHOULDNT get this car?
04-07-2011, 03:19 PM
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My Ride: 2005 545i Sport 6 speed Manual
04-07-2011, 03:47 PM
#19
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haha thats what im trying to accomplish with this thread
umm the 545's im looking at have automatic transmissions, i can drive stick but SHE cant... despite her not being able to drive it are there any reliability advantages with a manual over an automatic - i know smg isnt necessary the most reliable - although its supposed to be a blast right?should i shoot for an 04 with 50,000 miles instead of an 05 with 75,000?
so many questions, so little time between now and my trip saturday
04-07-2011, 03:58 PM
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My Ride: 2005 545i Sport 6 speed Manual
don't know, never drove an smg, wifeys a8 has a tiptronic, and is a pos, broke at 80k, had it rebuilt, now at 135k its already having the same symptoms as before.
she likes automatics?
read this
https://5series.net/forums/topic/110...mission-issue/
she likes automatics?
read this
https://5series.net/forums/topic/110...mission-issue/