Lomag

2004 BMW 5 Series: Raising Eyebrows Across America

http://edmunds.nytimes.com/new/2004/bmw/5s...imes.e.....BMW*

"MY mother used to introduce me to her friends by announcing, "This is my youngest son, and he can tell you which car is the best." Her silver-haired chums would nod and await this pronouncement as if Moses were in the house. ..."


Comments?

legalman

Generally, a fairly accurate review, but the issue of disconnect from the road, that many of the reviewers talk about, appears to be more parroting of each other, than based on the actual feel and handling of the car.

I have driven my 530 about 6,000 miles, with a manual transmission, and I have no feeling of a disconnect with the road, or the driving feeling "distant". The car does tend to drift more than I expected, but I have adjusted to that, and do not feel that I have less control over the car.

JDN

His ending statement:

"You'll respect it after just one date. Love may come later." would be absolutely true if he had said, "You'll respect it after just one date. Love will come later." That is what has happened to practically everyone in this forum.

kigerka

Could not agree more with JDN.

Love at first sight. Good thing she wasn't a hooker. I would be broke. Though she does charge by the month

Iceman

Not just by month, Kris... She (our car) is charging you for riding her... The more you ride her, the more it costs...

kigerka

Not just by month, Kris... She (our car) is charging you for riding her... The more you ride her, the more it costs... [/quote]
No wonder our vacations keep getting shorter.
I must say though she is good, she is good.

JDN

Of course she is, kigerka. Why else would we all be this infatuated and addicted.

mrbelk

I concur. My 545 6speed feels just as "connected" as my sport pack 330i/5sp was. The steering feels wonderful, the suspension is simply sublime, yada, yada.

AFS + ARS is the best automotive suspension innovation since power steering, IMO. There was no "adjustment" period at all. It works completely transparently.

What kills me, though, more than the AFS or iDrive complaints are the complaints about the turn signal behavior. What is so freaking difficult to figure out? I got used to it on a 20 minute test drive.

When I got back from my ED trip and had to drive my 330 around, I found myself only nudging the stalk up for a lane change and not getting any turn signal blinks. It's so awesome to not have to worry about it anymore. One nudge and you get 3 blinks. How easy is that?

And who really cares whether the stalk returns to center or stays deflected on a "full turn?" Do the lights not shut off when you complete the turn? Of course they do! You still have to nudge in the opposite direction to get them to shut off if you don't make a "full enough" turn, just like the "old" way.

Anyway, I just think that it's fashionable to bash BMW right now. You're not going to see a US car mag break ranks with the others too often. Had the first mag to review the new 5er given it a rave review, all the others would have, too.

-MrB

browellm

absolutely spot on with that post MrB. It the same with the I-drive gripes. Car reviewers normally the the car for a day - tops.

None of them are going to spend the 30 minutes or so required to become completely familiar with i-drive. Much easier to bash concept, and say useful things like "I couldn't find the bass or treble controls"

Jimbo

Anyone with computer experience will find the iDrive a snap.