2008 BMW 5 Series User Reviews

The Perfect Car For Someone Who Doesn't Want Another Suv Or Truck. — My mom is currently leasing a 208 BMW 535xi sport wagon with a 6 speed manual and as someone who has been fortunate enough to have driven an E46 M3, been in a ride along in a highly modified Supra, and been in a few Porsche 911 Turbo's this car is surprisingly fun to drive. My mom is leasing this car with the sport package and the suspension is fairly stiff but the ride is not harsh at all. I've found myself on empty stretches of highway pushing this wagon into the 140mph range effortlessly. The N54 Twin Turbo in this car has plenty of power almost everywhere in the rev range. The boost from the turbos kick in down low in the 2000 rpm range and don't let off until well after 6,000 rpm's. It's very nice not to have to down shift in 6th gear to pass a slower car. I can't say enough about how great the mechanics in this car are, but it's a BMW, so you should expect the best. This is not the prettiest car ever built but it's nicer looking than most other sports wagons you will see on the road. In terms of interior the new E60/E61 5 series is not as traditional as the E39 which I am accustomed to. The interior is very nice in my opinion and the i-Drive is a very nice feature. If you can use an i-pod, you can use i-Drive, so I don't know why people dislike the system. All I can say is if you are trying to decide between an X5/X3 and something else, look at the 535xi. It has the same all weather abilities as an SUV with about the same storage capacity but appeals to those who don't want to drive an SUV and want something that is more like a car. For this, the %35xi Sport Wagon is the perfect solution.

Love This Car — Fantastic acceleration and good gas mileage. Absolutely no compromises. Handles great through the corners, setup for a little bit of understeer, but you can create oversteer with a little extra throttle. One of the best engines in the world...period.

Very Pleased With This Model. — Bought this car used from a BMW dealership without it being certified pre-owned. This saved me about $3,000. It has nearly every option including the $4,300 M sport package. This is the 12th BMW I've owned in the past 15 years and the one I'm most happy with. (Still own my 2002 525i with nearly 200,000 miles on it) The 550i performs outstanding in every aspect. Its equipped with the automatic but when placed in manuel mode, comes off the line strong and shifts very smoothly. Handling is excellent as is the breaking. And compliments - get them every time I pull into a gas station, toll booth plaza or just stopped in traffic. The sport package sits low and looks very aggressive. Super looks, performance, breaking and not to bad on gas for such a powerful and heavy car. There's nothing negative about this BMW. Having two teenagers in the house it's the perfect car to transport them while still having a car with style, performance and safety.

Primary Use: Sport/fun (spirited driving, track racing, off-roading, etc.)

Brilliantly Balanced: Power, Performance, Ride Quality — The BMW 535i is one sweet ride. The ride quality is balanced quite well with performance, never sacrificing power. The car is an experience to drive. It handles well, but the first gear ratio can create some tire spin out of a turn with so much torque. One of my complaints would be the stitching on the steering wheel. It collects on the back and feels as if it is coming undone when in reality the stitch is just left wide. It takes away from the crisp clean feeling of the rest of the interior. The other complaint would be how you control the computer/radio/communication system. There is a knob located near the mid-car armrest. It dials around, as well as having the ability to "bump" in the four cardinal directions. It is very difficult to change from radio to satellite to a CD or you iPod while driving. The tasks become dangerous. A touchscreen would have been a much safer choice.

Understated & Subtle Elegance — Good low range torque, slick and understated. Very good sport sedan with a solid V-8. Very quiet interior - definitely a head turner. Great exterior color and really nice looking wheels. iDrive takes some getting used to and the LED screen is a bit dated