Owner Review: For the thrill of driving - My 2007 BMW 525i (E60)

** This article is published on WapCar Community, represent the opinion of users. Click the link below to enter the community for car enthusiasts in Malaysia
https://forum.wapcar.my

Basic information about my car:

2007 BMW 525i (E60)

Reasons why I bought this car(purpose)

Having driven a 4x4 for quite a while and many others “normal” sedans, I decided for a change of taste. I had always love high power cars (use to own a muscle car during my school years in USA), but due to the high cost of road tax in Malaysia, I brush off the idea of looking for one. The 4x4 diesel is the next best choice in terms of power, performance and running cost (road tax, insurance and fuel consumption). Finally, after owning it for 8 years, I got rid of it and was actually looking for a SUV, like the Toyota Harrier. One day while doing my car service, I saw this car at the workshop getting a new paint job, and it is available for sale. Took it for a spin and fell in love with it. Never driven a BMW before. It came with a very nice plate number, which the owner asks for a slight premium on the selling price.
I already sold the 4x4 a month ago and didn't want to wait any longer so I decide to buy it since it is within my budget. The mechanic had maintained the car all these while and the owner had replaced all the parts needed and was thinking to use it as his daily car. But he eventually agrees to sell since he has quite a few cars on hand. Also, in my mind I wanted to try a different class of cars. 

Car selection process

My total budget is under Rm 50,000 and this fits into it well. Initially I had considered the Toyota Harrier, and a Mercedes E230. The Harrier is a hot item and well maintain units are hard to come by. I avoided going to car dealers since I am not too sure of the conditions of those cars. This E60 was recommended by mechanic and the since the car was maintained by him throughout, I decide to buy it.

User Experience

I have already done 10000 km, My average fuel consumption is 11.2L/100km.
Having no knowledge of this car brand, I begin doing research on it… I heard it is a money pit from some friends, but on the other hand, some told me it is a good buy for what it is… after doing some research, the car has a very interesting story…the E60 model. This is what they call the Chris Bangle era (actual designer was Davide Arcangeli). A revolutionary design that everybody hated during that time. But till today, the design is timeless. It has 155,000 km on it. The engine sounds perfect and the performance is flawless for a 14 years old car. The engine produces about 215 Hp, coupled with a 6 speed AT transmission make this a perfect match in terms of performance, and reliability. This is a M Sports model, with comes with 18” wheel, lowered suspension, M Sports front seats with an additional adjustment for the tights. 

Rear Seating
The interior is quite spacious with enough leg room and head room. Although it can sit 3 at the rear, 2 would be ideal since the centre seat is more suited to be use as a arm rest and as a drink holder. The centre area is a bit raised up and is more suited for a child rather than for an adult. The interior is full leather and is black, easy to maintain and clean, but it tends to get a bit hot and sweaty at times of hot weather. A seat cover took care of this problem. There is a power sunshade at the back window and can be activated as needed from the driver side. There are 2 manual retractable sunshades on each of the rear windows as needed. Under the seat there are 2 air con vents and also on the rear centre console, with 2 12v power ports.
  

Front Seating
The front comes with power adjustable seats, with the driver side comes with additional 2 memory seat positions. The seating position is comfortable and enough lumbar support. There are 2 retractable cup holders, driver and passenger, enough to hold a soda can or similar. Anything taller is not recommended since it is not strong enough for that purpose. The centre arm rest storage is however, very small and can accommodate up to a size of a soda can. Actually, that is the purpose of it. There is an air vent inside that allow cool air in to cool the can while you are driving. Nice thought. One small gripe; there is not much storage room around the car other than the glove box. And finding a place to mount a phone holder is a slight challenge. After trying out a few options, the best place is on the centre aircon vent. 

 Exterior

Being black in color, maintaining is a slight challenge, the main culprit is the water spot. Give it a good wash and a polish waxing, the shine that it produces is rewarding. I have decided to go with Black / Red theme; thus the red BMW emblems and I painted the rim black too. I change the front grill to black too, original was chrome.

Driving Experience / Tips
Being used to the height of the 4x4 with AT tires, this car is completely the opposite. Quiet and low (being an Msports model). The sound of the engine and transmission shifting is smooth and quiet. I have driven about 10000km since owning the car. During these times of the COVIT pandemic, unable to travel at all and thus this low mileage traveled. The initial problem is I keep on hitting the kerb and bump, being used to the height of the 4x4.
The steering is fully adjustable tilt and telescopic, with cruise control and rain sensor wiper. The side mirror is also power adjustable, but not foldable. There is a nice feature on the left mirror, in that when you reverse, the mirror tilt down to enable you to see the floor better so as not to hit things.  When you shift to D, it automatically goes back to the set position. This function can be set together with the seat positions memory.
This car is powered by the N52, 2.5L NA (non turbo) 6-cylinder engine, with 215 Hp and 251nm torque with 0-00km/h time of 7.9 seconds, with top speed of 240km/h. Average fuel consumption was at 11.2 l/100km for city driving, which is about the same as the 4x4 I had (2.4 L Turbo Diesel). 
This model in particular does not come with comfort access, which is the keyless entry and engine start, which in a way is good and bad. The key fob has 3 buttons and it has a few functions. The far top is to unlock the trunk without unlocking the car, good if just want to access the trunk only. You can just close it after and the car will remain lock. The center button has 2 functions. Press once is to lock the car. Press and hold for more than 3 seconds, it will roll up any open windows. The bottom button also has 2 functions. Press once to unlock the car, press and hold and it will roll down any closed windows. To partially open or close the windows, just stop when desired. You are required to insert the key fob into the slot in order to start the car. There is a spare key on the key fob just in case if needed to unlock the car when the battery goes dead. This is the main advantage. There is a keyhole on the door and also on the trunk. But, if you accidentally left the key cob in the trunk and closed it, there is no way to open it. Newer models are able to detect the key fob if it is left in the trunk and will automatically pop open the truck as soon as you close it. 
This model year comes with a spare tire, which is good in my opinion. At least there is no need to use those run flat tires, which costs more. Some may have a different view, to each his own. All BMW wheel comes with a lock nut to prevent the rim and tire getting stolen. It is a good feature, but sometimes it comes at a cost. The unlocking adapter nut might get lost or misplaced, or often not, it get broken when attempting to remove the tire. I personally already remove the locking nut and replace with a regular one. 
The light bulbs inside the car originally comes with halogen. They are dim by today standard and it produce a lot of heat, thus shortening the plastic parts around the bulb. Other than the 2 rear signal bulbs, I had replaced all of them to LED, including the headlights. Much brighter and a tiny bit cooler.

Pros and Cons

Pros of my car

1. Less maintenance as compared to a Turbo version
2. The N52 is one of the best 6-cylinder engine made
3. The design does not get outdated 
4. Ample trunk space of 520L
5. Auto sun shade for rear windshield
6. Manual sun shade for rear seat windows
7. Spare tire provided

Cons 

1. Not much interior storage compartment
2. No oil dip stick
3. Flimsy cup holders
4. Small hand rest compartment
5. Useless Navigation system for Malaysia
6. No temperature gauge indicator

Ratings:

Total Score: 4

Performance: 5

Quality & Features :5

Space :5

Ride comfort : 4

Fuel Economy: 4

Price & cost : 4

Summary:

The cost of maintenance is a bit higher than most of the cars on the road. And the main reason is reliability issue. Yes, I do agree to a certain extent. This is the reason that many people shy away from this car. But with proper care and regular maintenance, this model year BMW is not as bad as all might think. Just make sure to replace with the original parts and it will last a long time. I have seen those with over 300,000 km and still running in perfect condition. The thrill of driving in one far out weight it. The selling price of these models’ years range mostly in the low 30’s to about 50’s. Those with the M54 and N52 6-cylinder NA engine are one of the best choices around.

📢📢Announcement:

After reading a countless number of Owner Review stories, are you interested in sharing your own story also? WapCar sincerely invites YOU to share the genuine feelings of your car!

You may receive special souvenirs from WapCar! Sign up now to know more! WapCar staff will contact you shortly after you sign up.