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2003 BMW 525i Stories
2003 BMW 525i
2 Stories
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Overall Score (2 stories)
  • Body, Interior & Misc.
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  • Brakes
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BMW 525i Owner Stories (31 stories)
  • 2003 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Little Mountain, SC, January 22, 2012 15:41
    I bought used 2003 525i and it has been a nightmare. Twisted seat, LED display, pulley coming off, cracked radiator, belt replacement, fuel filter, brakes, heated seates, cup holder, headlight, brake light, shocks, loss of hp, service light, leaking oil, leaking power steering fluid and other problems have all be taken place in the short 6 month time I have owned it. No wonder there are so many you-tube videos on how to fix a BMW. I would never recommend a BMW. i am sticking to American Made next time.
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  • 1993 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Raleigh, NC, January 17, 2012 09:07
    I am holding this bmw 525i model 1993. I am having problem in replacing ac regulator. Can anyone guide me how to replace the same? Also how to remove radiator, dynamo belt, fan clutch, plugs and injectors along with the photographs.
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  • 2001 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Fairfield, CA, October 13, 2011 19:10
    I own a 2001 BMW 525i my battery is not holding a charge it is fairly new I believe my alarm has something to do with my battery draining do to it being so sensitive. my alarm goes off at night and I don't hear it when it goes off, in which it continues to sound. by morning my battery is low and my car wont start without a jump. my question is if I have my battery fully recharged at a shop would that help. I did have my alarm toned down at the dealer.
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  • 1995 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Sacramento, CA, June 04, 2011 13:21
    i have a white 1995 bmw 525i and it starts up and runs perfect it can also race and beat alot of other cars because of the engine size and it is a foreign car. i love it
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  • 1995 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Red Oak, TX, April 12, 2011 21:09
    my wife and i just purchased a 1995 525i,we have owned it just three months,2nd owners,no major troubles,i would like to know more about bleeding the cooling system,even is it necessary to overhaul the system at 164k miles...i curious about tranny's oil...we are just hoping we made a good choice in this car.
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  • 1993 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Lynch Station, VA, April 11, 2011 13:48
    Fun to drive but the electrical glitches will drive you crazy. Purchased with 110,000 miles on the ticker. Replaced upper and lower chains and tensioners, VANOS was rebuilt and the anti rattle fix installed. Replaced brake pad sensors, calipers, rotors, pads, reaer window regulators, TPS, speed sensor, tranny was fushed and filled. All for a grand total of $3600(including the purchase of the car itself.) Now to remove that @#$%! speed limiter.
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  • 2004 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Saint George, UT, March 27, 2011 20:22
    I love my car. It is a 2004 525i. I just put M6 take offs on it and it runs perfect. until i recieved the transmission error on the dash. Do i need a whole transmission? BMW said that they would beglad to help at a tune of 6500.00. Any other solution to look at first?
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  • 1995 BMW 525i
    Enrique, Oxnard, CA, December 12, 2010 13:43
    Profile_thumbnail
     Enthusiast
    Why BMW make cars so complicate? Both front power seats do not work, or work when they feet like it. We are in our second radiator and we replaced the original water pump( the one with the plastic impeler??????)with a new BMW design.Even with overprice parts and labor, our car has been a solid automobile but not a reliable one.
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  • 2007 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Fayetteville, GA, December 07, 2010 23:51
    Once ny transmission is warm, it begins to slip. The shift is hard when i stop. i have to feather the pedal to speed up so the car wont jerk. I have taken it to BMW several times and the "RESET" the transmission. A few days later it goes back to slipping. Any suggestions?
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  • 2002 BMW 525i
    KER, Holly Ridge, NC, November 22, 2010 12:58
    Profile_thumbnail
     Rookie
    This is the best car that I have ever owned. It rides great after 7 years and 60,0000 miles. I have spent approx. $2,000.00 on maint. now using a mom & pop BMW cert. mech. oil changes run $80.00 Ken Baker Originals uses all OEM parts. Located in Myrtle Beach, SC and Wilmington NC
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  • 1990 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Winchester, VA, October 10, 2010 03:13
    love the car, hate the expense
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  • 1991 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Van Nuys, CA, September 24, 2010 19:44
    I have a 91 went I do oil change after a 1 month my car need one core of oil again any suggestion I need to fix this problem.
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  • 2002 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, September 05, 2010 23:54
    i'm a 2nd owner but still very pleased with the performance. got it 2005 and still running good in 2010. just minor changes. all i did was took care of the mengine oil every 4000 miles using synthetic oil. lots of friends still say "nice car".
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  • 2004 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Aurora, IL, August 23, 2010 08:36
    trouble free and an outstanding "driving machine." My next car will be a bmw...Joe Lucas
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  • 1995 BMW 525i
    somchai, Hampton, VA, August 03, 2010 11:19
    Profile_thumbnail
     Rookie
    How to reset the engine light ?
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  • 2003 BMW 525i
    Deutschlander, San Francisco, CA, June 15, 2010 16:17
    Profile_thumbnail
     Enthusiast
    No problems for the first 6 years, now they are starting to mount @ only 75,000 miles
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  • 1992 BMW 525i
    zovc9, Minneapolis, MN, June 04, 2010 18:06
    Profile_thumbnail
     Rookie
    This car is a nice car for a 18year old car
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  • 1995 BMW 525i
    MATTOXMUSIC, Boca Raton, FL, May 10, 2010 06:53
    Profile_thumbnail
     Rookie
    I HAVE 207,000 MILES ON MY CAR NOW. I AVE A WATER RESTRICTION SOME WHERE TAHT WTH WATER WILL NOT CIRCULATE. I FOUND A ROUND 2 INCH CYLINDER WITH A HOLE IN IT FLOTING IN THE RADIATOR THIS WEEKEND. ANY IDEAS?
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  • 2004 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Fort Myers, FL, April 30, 2010 17:00
    This car is very reliable, I purchased it new in June 2005. The body style is still the same in 2010, so most cannot tell the difference between my 2004, and a 2010. My 525i is a great value. If you check newspapers and car lots, you will rairly see one for sale. They're keepers.
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  • 1995 BMW 525i
    Visitor, Irvine, CA, April 23, 2010 14:13
    Owned for 15 years and it's still the best handling car I have experienced (it's now my son's car).
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  • 2004 BMW 525i
    MIZZOUNNC, Lumberton, NC, February 24, 2010 06:34
    Profile_thumbnail
     Enthusiast
    Learning the interior controls requires the owners manual. All controls pivot around the center control knob and the display screen. It takes a few times to find all the hidden areas to go, which control, navigation, radio, A/C and heating, trip information.
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  • 1995 BMW 525i
    Dr Dias, Miami, FL, December 14, 2009 19:11
    Profile_thumbnail
     Enthusiast
    Bought used, great car so far! Need to replace the radiator and various other small goodies!! I will order all my parts on line!! I did so with my 1991 535ia with no problems! This 525ia will be good for the next five to ten years! Dives great and has been real good in tight traffic so far!
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  • 2002 BMW 525i
    gary01757, Milford, MA, December 12, 2009 13:31
    Profile_thumbnail
     Rookie
    I've been very, very pleased with my '02 BMW 525i ever since I purchased it new. Perhaps the most incredible thing is that it's still fun to drive and I still get some people saying, "nice car!" The one down side is the high cost of repairs.
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  • 1995 BMW 525i
    reflectionscc, Ipswich, MA, December 11, 2009 19:53
    Profile_thumbnail
     Enthusiast
    ONE OF THE BEST CARS I'VE OWNED,LIKE ANY VEHICLE YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT UP,I DO THE WORK MYSELF AND BUY PARTS ON LINE,I JUST REPLACED THE WATER PUMP,THERMOSTAT,FAN CLUTCH,PULLEY AND BELT FOR $162.00,ALL NEW PARTS.HAS 182,000 MILES AND RUNS AND DRIVES PERFECT.
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  • 1994 BMW 525i
    rmag, Philadelphia, PA, November 24, 2009 18:08
    Profile_thumbnail
     Enthusiast
    I love my car with some minor problems.
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  • 1994 BMW 525i
    Louis55, Schenectady, NY, June 12, 2009 09:44
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     Enthusiast
    This is an excellent and reliable vehicule. Very good millages confortable. good value for resale.But there is no raison to sale it i expect to draw an other 3 to 5 years from it easy by doing regular and normal maintance. Louis55
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  • 2001 BMW 525i
    jalolojalolo, Memphis, TN, May 26, 2009 10:20
    Profile_thumbnail
     Rookie
    Overall a highly exceptional Ultimate Driving Machine. I have 70K miles (95% of this is long distance intense Highway driving) since brand new in 2001 and i do not drive it like 'there is no tomorrow'. Most people with any major complaint on this fine machine likely abused it by thinking it better built than Titanic. If I have choice between a 3010 BMW 528i and 2001 525i version I'll sure will pick my 2001 all over again! Since 2001 I have replaced 3 things in the care: end stage resistor blower; left low headlight beam; and front brakes (at 40K miles on extra Warranty) . Car is garaged and I still have my ORIGINAL Continental tires (I'll change it this year 2009 after 8 years of use for safety reasons since rubber eventually can break down more quickly after many years). Long live my 2001 525i. I do my oil change/service regularly, never had tires aligned (they wear perfectly evenly well) and had rotated/balanced tires only twice.
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  • 2002 BMW 525i
    hcabsar, Glendale, AZ, April 20, 2009 10:45
    Profile_thumbnail
     Enthusiast
    The best kept secret about this car is the fact that it's so easy to work on. Anyone that can turn a wrench can fix the rare problem that this car has. I've had mine for over 5 years now, and I've replaced camshaft position sensors, and changed the fluids in the transmission and differential. I replaced the entire cooling system (radiator, water pump, thermostat, hoses, etc...) just because it seemed like good preventive maintenance and I couldn't believe how easy and cheap it was to do ($400). One word of caution, if you find you need to replace a sensor- do it yourself and don't buy a FEBI Germany (made in China actually) replacement. Get all sensors from a BMW Dealer, they are not that much more expensive than the Chinese knockoffs and they actually work. Nothing worse than when a new sensor you just installed is dead and you have to do it all over again. Buy the cheap code scanner from Autozone to read the check engine light codes- it works perfectly for this car. The Bentley Service Manuals pay for themselves the first time you do a repair- GET THEM! Parts are easy to find for this car too- Autohausaz.com and Bavauto.com are the two best (in that order) places to go. This is one of the best cars ever built. Very reliable and very mechanic friendly!
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  • 1991 BMW 525i
    coppertop, Orlando, FL, April 15, 2009 19:57
    Profile_thumbnail
     Enthusiast
    great car but expensive to keep even though its old.this seems to have been a very bad year for heating and ac. I almost had to leave at the repair shop but he loved the car and replaced the head gasket and other things after much searching
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  • 2001 BMW 525i
    robotz, Sherman Oaks, CA, April 13, 2009 09:08
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     Rookie
    the best car ever made....
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  • 2002 BMW 525i
    call, Mandeville, LA, November 02, 2008 21:26
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     Enthusiast
    generally good
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