BMW 5-Series Touring (1992 - 1997) 525iX SE 4WD 5d (1992/K) Owner Review
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Summary
What does this car say about you?
what a nice person for buying me and looking after me
What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?
Would you buy this car again and why?
yes...although I'd probably go for a 530 or 540 V8 as the consumption is likely to be about the same, but the grin factor a lot higher.
What are you likely to buy next?
swapped for an E36 328i saloon
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Buying experience
Type of dealer you bought from?
Didn't buy from a dealer
Did you buy this car new?
No
What price did you pay?
£500
When did you buy the car?
August 2007
Did you get a good deal and why?
Yes...bought unseen on a whim from a private seller on eBay. The car turned out to be a bargain...absoloutly as described.
Is there any special reason why you bought this car?
Big and cheap
What was the dealer like?
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Driving it
What's it like to drive?
Not bad considering the size and weight. It handles extremely well and fairly neutrally for a 4wd car. The brakes are good and, unlike all other E34 models, the steering is excellent in feel as the car has a rack and pinion whereas all other models have a steering box. The performance is only adequate, though...the 2.5 M50 engine has it's power sapped by the drag of the 4wd system and this makes the car a bit thirsty...I only managed to average 22-23mpg at best!
What's it like to park?
No problems
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Living with it
Have you had any problems with the car?
It needed 2 driveshaft gaiters (one front, one rear), the aircon regassed and a lever for the self-levelling suspension ride height (that was hard to get, but a breaking M5 supplied the part). The fuel tank breather pipes needed replacement...Not a big job, but a ramp is needed as the tank needs to be lowered. The only other major fault was a (apparantly common) issue with the double sunroof...The indicator peg in the drive motor (that tells the motor to stop when closed) was worn and giving a false closed reading...A new s/h front motor solved the problem at a very low cost.
What's most practical about your car?
It's huge
Favourite gadget, option or accessory?
The double sunroof