2001 BMW 5 Series Reviews, Pricing & Specs
What owners say
"Overall, drivers rave about the 2001 BMW 5 Series, particularly its blend of performance and comfort. Many appreciate the powerful engines, excellent handling, and sleek design. The fuel efficiency, especially for a larger sedan, is often highlighted as a surprising benefit. However, some owners do express concerns about maintenance costs and the lack of storage space in certain areas, like the armrest. Despite these minor drawbacks, the driving experience remains a significant favorite among owners."
When time came to trade in my track toys, in this case, a '99 BMW M Coupe (yes, the funning looking 2 seater) for a more practical, yet equally exclusive and high performing vehicle, nothing fits the bill better than the Individual Series BMW 540i Touring with M Sport Package. This wagon is painted in M Series exclusive Carbon Black colour, with black Montana (ordinary top grain) leather and sporty brushed aluminum trims. What make this car exclusive are the lowered and stiffened suspension, front and rear M5 spoilers/bumpers, and a more aggressive final drive ratio. The results, a wagon that handle like (and superior to in many aspects) an M5 with a fewer horsepower (100 hp) and one less gear ratio. The handling is actually more superior due to the stiffer rear suspension (designed originally to limit travel and to withstand heavier payload, employing adjustable air springs). Also being 200 lbs. lighter than an M5, this wagon is noticeably more tossable in turns and can be driven harder. Due to the lack of limited slip differential (standard on the M5), it is much harder to power slide the rear end out of turns making driving sideways less often practiced than an M5. Its pick-up is still amazing, especially when you consider how effortless it is due to the automatic transmission taking care of all the tricky bits. It certainly felt faster in the straight than all the 6 cylinder M cars I used to own. There are a few odd short comings related to its chassis dynamic: the front end geometry seems to be less tolerant to wider rim/tire/traction setup and tends to wander when the pavements are crowned (while the M5 using even wider tires did not exhibit this characteristic); and the rear end, at times, can be too jiggly and unsettling giving the car a "truck like" ride. All-in-alll, this is the aristocrats' bimmer - quite often people ask "When you can afford a 5 series bimmer, why waste your fortune on a wagon", and I usually tell them "... because I have choices." and I quite often wonder why people choose SUVs and give up precise handling, safety, and precious cargo room!
February 8, 2009Love it, The Ultimate Driving Machine! 4.4 liter V8 with 6- speed sports package. Has more torque then the Porsche 911~! 324 lb-ft of torque! All the luxury! Great gas mileage! I got 27+ mpg when I drove it to Chi-Town!
September 30, 2009Most beautiful five series ever made and designed timeless with an inline six engine or a V8 under the engine bay, you won’t regret purchasing automotive history.
May 25, 2023What owners say
When time came to trade in my track toys, in this case, a '99 BMW M Coupe (yes, the funning looking 2 seater) for a more practical, yet equally exclusive and high performing vehicle, nothing fits the bill better than the Individual Series BMW 540i Touring with M Sport Package. This wagon is painted in M Series exclusive Carbon Black colour, with black Montana (ordinary top grain) leather and sporty brushed aluminum trims. What make this car exclusive are the lowered and stiffened suspension, front and rear M5 spoilers/bumpers, and a more aggressive final drive ratio. The results, a wagon that handle like (and superior to in many aspects) an M5 with a fewer horsepower (100 hp) and one less gear ratio. The handling is actually more superior due to the stiffer rear suspension (designed originally to limit travel and to withstand heavier payload, employing adjustable air springs). Also being 200 lbs. lighter than an M5, this wagon is noticeably more tossable in turns and can be driven harder. Due to the lack of limited slip differential (standard on the M5), it is much harder to power slide the rear end out of turns making driving sideways less often practiced than an M5. Its pick-up is still amazing, especially when you consider how effortless it is due to the automatic transmission taking care of all the tricky bits. It certainly felt faster in the straight than all the 6 cylinder M cars I used to own. There are a few odd short comings related to its chassis dynamic: the front end geometry seems to be less tolerant to wider rim/tire/traction setup and tends to wander when the pavements are crowned (while the M5 using even wider tires did not exhibit this characteristic); and the rear end, at times, can be too jiggly and unsettling giving the car a "truck like" ride. All-in-alll, this is the aristocrats' bimmer - quite often people ask "When you can afford a 5 series bimmer, why waste your fortune on a wagon", and I usually tell them "... because I have choices." and I quite often wonder why people choose SUVs and give up precise handling, safety, and precious cargo room!
February 8, 2009Love it, The Ultimate Driving Machine! 4.4 liter V8 with 6- speed sports package. Has more torque then the Porsche 911~! 324 lb-ft of torque! All the luxury! Great gas mileage! I got 27+ mpg when I drove it to Chi-Town!
September 30, 2009Most beautiful five series ever made and designed timeless with an inline six engine or a V8 under the engine bay, you won’t regret purchasing automotive history.
May 25, 2023I have had my 530i for 1 years now. It has been a solid reliable car. It handles really nicely and has tons of power even for having an automatic transmission. The interior is spacious and is very well appointed in leather and only a small amount of wood trim. It seems just right. The quality of the materials are great. My car has about 86000 miles on it and the interior still looks very close to new. There are no rips or tears in the leather, really no signs of wear at all. The car is in great condition.
October 11, 2013A pleasure to drive this car if you can afford to keep it very well maintain. A good looking car and very comfortable to drive it with very powerful engine. Not a family car, just for those which they like speed and power.
October 8, 2013Classic BMW styling, built like a bank vault, V8 grunt and roar sounds terrific with the windows down. Almost no noise inside when they are up. Will easily top 160 mph with the current Dinan tuning. Aftermarket and OEM parts are cheap and plentiful. Fun and comfortable, every day driver reliable and well balanced sportiness the way a sport sedan should be!
June 7, 2010I waited for years for the opportunity to buy a car like this, and when I finally got one, it exceeded all my expectations. This car has superb comfort, true power, practical load space, and the most beautiful lines among its competition. I hope I can keep this car for many many years to come.
September 10, 2008There is nothing that I dislike about this car. It is impressive for a sedan, very comfortable and startling performance from the inline 6. It was a major car when new and it still is. With a little love and creativity, these older BMW's can be amazing values.
September 2, 2013This 2001 BMW 525i is one of the best driving cars I have ever owned. It has plenty of power and handles great in tight corners when needed. It accelerates smoothly and has very little road noise, both around town and on the highly. The exterior and interior cosmetics are classic BMW.
January 9, 2013Expensive to repair and high running costs. All worth while for driving long distance in comfort just soaking up the miles. Big boot and plenty of interior space with enough power under the bonnet for when the roads open and good handling for a large car
March 28, 2010
