Supreme Luxury for Mom, Spirited Driving Pleasure for Me

What a time to be living with my parents; during my mom's mid-life crisis. My mother has always wanted a 3 series BMW so she finally set out to shop, and I went along for the ride. After giving a 528 a spin her mind was changed. If you plan to have more than two people in the car the 528 is a much better choice. In the used market a 528 can be had for a good price, not much more than a 3. The 528 is obviously much roomier than the 3, which is a bit tight in the back. I also found it more comfy in the front. The 5 is also a much more quiet car on the road.

I am lucky enough to chauffer my parents around on the weekends and steal the car when my mom isn't paying attention. It's great to con people into thinking that I'm an early twenty's dot com tycoon! I am thoroughly impressed with the attention to detail and performance of this machine. The interior engulfs its occupants in luxury. Leather everything of course. Name any feature and this car has it. Some of the features that I think are most interesting include individual settings for up to three different drivers. One touch of a button remembers each driver's mirror, seat, and steering wheel positions. You don't have to flip the rear-view mirror for night driving. All rear windows have shades that can be pulled up to block out the sun yet you can still see through them. The stock radio is impressive for a stock radio. One feature that I think every car should have is auto down (AND UP!) on EVERY WINDOW! This car has it! The final test is the close the door test. Any good luxury car will end with a dull and quick thud as the door is closed. BMW has passed this test with flying colors. Shutting the door of the 5 I sometimes forget I'm not closing the hatch on a Sherman tank. This gives a very solid feel to the car. I can compare this a Camaro I tested out. Shutting the door on that brand new car I thought I broke something the car made so many rattling sounds.

I have heard the comment that the 528 is too slow. Those people obviously didn't hold the gas pedal down long enough! Once the revs have built (just wait a second or two in an automatic), this car takes off. Be careful, it is easy to speed and not know it in the 528 because it is so quick an quiet at speed. Handling and braking are impeccable. My mother's car came with the factory sport package. This includes big wheels, and M steering wheel, and it is lower than the normal 5. This is actually a problem for her because she keeps damaging the bumper on parking blocks. I have experience racing my MR2 on various professional race courses and can say that my mom's car would belong out there if it were only a stick shift. I can corner so hard that my butt slides off the super slick leather seats before the car even hints at losing traction. Don't try that in any American luxury car. For those not so adept at racing, the car takes care of you with traction control and anti lock brakes.

As for economy, the car gets 21 mpg around town which I think is excellent for a car with that weight and power. Premium gas is recommended but we are running mid-grade, and I am convinced that cheap gas would be fine. This first set of super sticky Dunlops lasted 30k. Very good for those tires on a rear wheel drive sporty car. Reliability seems wonderful, but the car is only at 30k mi so it is too early to tell. I'm not sure if I believe those BMW horror stories any more after having time to familiarize myself with the apparent quality of the car. A brake service did seem quite expensive to me however. The rotors had to be replaced not long ago due to "high performance brakes". I think my mom got taken on that one. I do believe that once you have a problem the money will start to flow. The parts are not cheap.

Another plus of this car is safety. It does not roll like an SUV, and can definitely be controlled better than an SUV. I would agree with BMW's claims that the best way to survive an accident is to avoid it altogether. The 528 has received excellent safety ratings in every aspect by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ratings.htm). This can be attributed to the size, weight, BMW's extensive testing and engineering, and front and side air bags.

The only complaint so far is that there is a small climate control button that keeps popping off. I find it funny that if you want a car that's perfect you still have to buy a Honda.