2000 BMW 5-Series

While most luxury cars are over-engineered and have every electronic gadget under the sun, the BMW luxury recipe is simple; combine pace with grace.

The BMW 5-Series is well balanced and composed, no matter what you throw at it. Toss is into a corner and you're rewarded with loads of grip that you can actually feel through the controls. It talks back to you, it tells you what’s going on. You are the center of its universe and strives to please your every whim. No other car rewards its driver like a BMW 5. It has enough power and luxury equipment to please even the most picky buyer, and it's all wrapped in a handsome package that's as solid as a rock. It's hard to imagine why you would even consider another car.

The 5-Series comes as either a 525i, 528i 530i, 540i & iA, 525iT or 540iT. The 525i gets a 2.5L inline 6 and makes up to 190-hp. The 530i gets a 3.0 6 which is good for 225-hp. The 540 gets BMW's 4.4L V8 and makes up to 290-hp. The 525iT and 540iT are the station wagon versions. All can be had with manual, or automatic transmissions.

Being luxury cars, the BMW 5-series comes loaded with standard power this and automatic that. There's side airbags, head airbags, ABS and stability control for all models. There are also Sport packages that add various levels of suspension, trim and wheel upgrades.

Really, you could write a book about the various equipment found on these cars. But the bottom line is, they're great driver's cars. Keep in mind, a used BMW is going to be a tad expensive to maintain. But if you can afford it, it's sooo worth it. . YEAR TO YEAR CHANGES FOR THE BMW 5-SERIES: 1998: Rear side airbags became available this year, along with head airbags. A new Sport Package became optional for the 528i and the automatic-equipped 540i. It included black body trim, a sport-tuned suspension, and 17-inch wheels and tires. 1999: The station wagons joined the lineup and xenon headlights, memory for power seats and mirrors, Park Distance Control and self-leveling rear suspension for wagons were new features. Standard on V8 models and optional for 6-cyl versions was BMW's Dynamic Stability Control. 2000: The high-performance M5 returned and used a 400-horsepower V8. M5's came with a firmer suspension, 18-inch wheels, 6-speed manual transmission, and exclusive interior trim. Rain-sensing windshield wipers and xenon headlamps became standard on the 540i. The 528i also got the antiskid system. All models now had daytime running lights, fog lamps, and a power outside mirror that tilts down when backing up. 2001: The 525i sedan and wagon joined the lineup. The 528i wagon was dropped and the 528i sedan became a 530i thanks to its new 3.0-liter six. All models got minor cosmetic changes and a wider dashboard screen for the optional navigation system. 2002: The 540i got an extra 8 horsepower, bringing it up to 290 hp. All models got a standard in-dash CD player, 6-cyl models added a standard power passenger seat, and 525s got automatic climate control. 2003: All 6-cyl models got a standard sunroof. Standard on the manual-transmission 540i sedan and optional on other 540i models was a new Sport Package with 18-inch wheels, front spoiler, and a sport suspension. . COMMON PROBLEMS FOR THE BMW 5-SERIES: VANOS solenoid (M52 engine only) (1997-1998) - $290 Electronically Heated Thermostat (1997-1998) - $210 Water Pump (1998) - $380 Wiper Relay (1998) - $60 Ignition Coils (2.5 L and 3.0L engines only - Recall #121305) (2003) - $500