Owners' Stories

l love this car but need to know one thing after how long do i service e gearbox and what type of atf do i use.

BMWs are cars to be leased only. Power seats, a/c blower, p/s hoses, windshield washer pump, front shocks, crankcase vent valve, headlights adjusting mechanism, cup holders, are of poor quality. They sell because have tight ride, great steering,solid feeling, excellent braking, and timeless design. But they are not reliable. Infinity G37,and Cadillac CTS, are to be considered when thinking about a 530.

Purchased the car new, only owner, wifes car and she's no Formula driver. Transmission went south at 63k miles, out of warranty. Dealer agreed to replace with a new trans if we paid for labor ($2500.) vs $6000. otherwise as BMW does not rebuild trannies, and a very reputable transmission fellow I know says he has a very difficult time getting parts for repair. Paid the labor fee, repaired the tranny and have garaged the vehicle since 2006, driving it sparingly. Bought a Lexus. BMW alternator went south last year and now there is an issue with the air/heating system. Blower/fan will not operate. The money drain continues. Bought

We bought the car @27k miles - CPO - in 2005. Right off the bat, car wouldn't start: got it jump started but it quit soon after, so the alternator and battery were replaced under warranty. The next problem that was vexing this car was the cooling system - the expansion tank (small crack), thermostat, cap and bleeder screws were replaced @48k miles. Also replaced leaking p/s hose; a badly leaking valve cover gasket and grommets; and a worn out front thrust arm bushings. But soon @51k "check coolant level" warning, as well as "service engine soon'' light, kept showing up which was very annoying since the issue wasn't resolved. Anyways, tech determined that the radiator leaked and needed to be replaced; and for the "SES" warning, two possible causes were presented - faulty tank vent valve and/or leaking crankcase vent valve causing lean mixture. We declined both fixes at the time and drove car for a year and half with these issues. Had to add lots of water and coolant as a temporary fix in the meantime. @60k, we found a good repair shop (shout-out to Swiss Motors) other than the dealer and replaced radiator, belts, hoses, all 4 brakes, pcv valve,..., for less than half what the dealer quoted. Overall, the car makes up for the upkeep with its looks and performance. Finding a fair shop other than the dealer is a prerequisite for owning this type of vehicle.

2004 530i-transmission failure at 47k miles. Needs to be replaced to the tune of $5,200. No help from BMW or the dealer because the car is over 5 years old. We took very good care of the car with regular service at the dealer, and the car is like new. We never drove it more than 6,500 miles per year. 1,000 of that was our annual trip to Palm Desert. This transmission failure is so rare, they don't even have a transmission in the U.S. for replacement. This is not my first BMW, but it is my last.

Bought it used with about 60K miles. The cup holders failed immediately The exterior lights and dashboard display failed or are failing. The tires wear unevenly due to bushing falure. the radiator failed. the brakes cost over $1,000 to replace because they come an integrated unit. Need I go on? When it's fixed, it runs great, but if you cannot afford high maintenance, buy it new and sell before 60K miles.

Third BMW 325, 528 and now 530. I finished a long time ago with Asian autos. Plenty of mechanics out there to do normal maintenance at a very reasonable price. German engineering seems to be of higher quality than that of past Japanese and American autos.

car is great but like most owners probably agree after 50,000 you better start looking for another car

great car, smoothe ride. However, when warrant is over our pockets will feel the raft of what is means to own a bmw

Have an '01 530 with 110k. Everything has been great on car but just had to replace starter and radiator. Other than that, car has always ran perfectly. Next car will have to be the M5

Good Car, but had a problem with Crankcase Ventilation System freezing up, which was expensive