Here is what Edmunds

What Edmunds.com says

Upcoming redesign notwithstanding, the 5 Series is an excellent midsize luxury car, whether you choose the high-performance 540i or a comparatively basic 525i wagon. If you can afford one, we'd highly recommend it.

Pros

Thrilling to drive, superb ride quality, upscale interiors, wide range of trim levels, clean exterior styling.

Cons

Some confusing interior controls, demanding manual transmission, high-end models are pricey.

What's New for 2003

This is your last chance to get a traditionally styled 5 Series -- next year, its styling becomes more closely aligned with the controversial 7 Series. For now, BMW will offer a DVD-based navigation system for the existing 5 Series -- but alas, you must still give up an in-dash CD player if you opt for the nav system. Besides that, rear head protection airbags (optional last year) are now standard across the line. Additionally, all six-cylinder models get a standard moonroof. Standard on the manual-shift 540i (and optional with the automatic) is a new sport package that includes 18-inch wheels, a revised sport suspension, front and rear spoilers, visible exhaust outlets, black side molding, a black headliner, titanium-ringed gauges and an M footrest for the driver. Finally, the 525i gets a new alloy wheel design, and its premium package now includes rain-sensing wipers.

Here is what kbb.com review sounds like:

Professional Reviews

2003 BMW 5 Series

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High 5
There is a philosophical change happening within BMW. It began with the new 7 Series and continues to show strength in such cars as the Z4 roadster and the upcoming 6 Series coupe. It's a brave new world for BMW and some die-hard enthusiasts are showing a visible reluctance at going along peacefully. You really can't blame them, not when the product that so captivates them is as good as the current crop of cars from BMW. If you think you may be of a similar mindset and have been eyeing the 5 sedan for some time, now may be your last chance to get a 5 Series the way you like it, because there is a very strong possibility that the 2004 model will be completely overhauled in the new BMW esthetic.

Of all the BMWs, the 5 Series is probably the most adaptable model. Unlike the 3 Series, it has a useable back seat fit for two adults and yet still maintains a light, athletic size and feel that is somewhat lost in the lengthy new 7 Series; the current 5 Series also retains the traditional BMW cockpit that makes driving this car such a blast. The 5 Series lineup is composed of a single sedan and wagon differentiated by three engine and suspension choices. The engine size determines the car's numeric designation, so for example, the 525 has a 2.5-liter inline six engine, where the 530 has a 3.0-liter inline six and the 540 a 4.0-liter V8. Perhaps the best thing about the 5 Series is that it comes in wagon form, yet still offers all the performance found on the sedan. Let's be honest, when you're driving a 540i Sport Wagon, the phrase "fun for the whole family" takes on an entirely new meaning.

Sitting behind the wheel of the entry-level 525 is much the same as in the 530 and 540. You'll experience the same snug seating, enjoy the same driver-oriented cockpit and experience the same general sense of joy every time you turn the key. The 525i is equipped with a precise shifting 5-speed manual transmission that makes the most of the 2.5-liter's 184-horsepower. Rolling along on 16-inch cast alloy wheels (17-inch if you opt for the sport package) you feel very little of the road's imperfections, yet you are amazingly in tune with the car's suspension. Every turn of the wheel, every stab at the accelerator, all produce the expected response to which you immediately signal your gratitude by flashing a big wide grin. The sensation when driving the 530i is almost the same, only with 225-horsepower under the hood, it all happens a bit quicker and your heart beats a little faster. For those of you who still want to be in on the fun but are not keen on the manual transmission, BMW offers its Steptronic 5-speed automatic. The Steptronic will select gears for you like an automatic or let you decide when to shift without the need for a clutch pedal.

"So what about the 540," you ask? Ah, that is a special animal, one that must be treated with a greater sense of respect and awe. If the 525 and 530 put little butterflies in your stomach after each turn and hill, the 540 will leave you with the feeling an entire Monarch migration has invaded your insides! With 290-horsepower, the 4.0-liter certainly has bragging rights among the world's great V8s, but it's the engine's 324 lb-ft of torque that makes this middleweight dance. Choose the first of six gears, pop the clutch and feel your head and body snap back as the car rockets forward. Shift to second and the acceleration only gets faster; the same with third and fourth and even fifth gear. The massive 18-inch wheels and tires that come on the 540's sport package ensure that the car stays planted on the road like a lead weight in water.

What awaits you inside the 5 Series is just as alluring and twice as addictive. Order the sport package and a marvelous contoured leather seat capable of adapting to almost any size driver rewards you with hours of comfort. The instrument cluster is tightly grouped directly in front of you and includes speedometer, tachometer, temperature and fuel gauges and a fuel economy meter. A thickly-padded, three-spoke heated steering wheel with controls for cruise control, audio and cell phone presents itself to you via a set of electric motors that regulate the tilt and telescoping functions. Music blares from a standard audio system that sounds better than most other company's high-end offerings, though you can opt for an even better model by checking off the Harman-Kardon option.

Of course, there is a luxury side to the BMW equation, and here again, the 5 Series shines brightly. The 525 comes standard with such nice touches as automatic dual-zone climate control, power windows with one touch up/down features, fog lights, ABS, illuminated entry, 10-way power driver's seat with memory feature, dual-heated outside mirrors with tilt-down feature, power glass moonroof, AM/FM stereo with CD, tilt/telescopic steering wheel with touch controls, cruise control, traction control, front side-impact airbags and a front and rear head-airbag curtain. 530 models have all these features plus the larger engine and upgraded wheels. The 540 includes leather seating, 17-inch alloy wheels, Dynamic Stability Control, rain-sensing wipers, automatic day/night mirror and real burl walnut trim. Options include a DVD-based navigation system, Harman-Kardon audio upgrade, rear side-impact airbags, power lumbar support, a power rear sunshade and a heated leather steering wheel.

A little more than the speed limit.

Written by: 2manycars on 12/04/2009

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating


Performance:	8	Fun-to-Drive:	10	Build Quality:	9
Comfort:	9	Interior Design:	10	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	10	Exterior Design:	8

Vehicle

2003 BMW 5 Series 525i 4dr Sedan (2.5L 6cyl 5M)

Review

I don't care where I'm going or how long it takes to get there, this car is way too much fun. Four people and trunk full, run 80 or so, and still get 29mpg. Stop for minute, get in and do it all over again. No road weary travelers in this car. 8 hour drive seems like 4. Regular maintenance, no major problems, not the cheapest car to maintain, and it's not easy to find a "good" BMW shop, but still it's worth every penny. I think I'll keep this car for a while, if I can get it back from the wife.

Favorite Features

Handling, style, ride quality, quiet interior, reliability.

Suggested Improvements

Better cup holders. Dude, we like coffee okay. Radio doesn't stink but could be better.

Very Reliable

Written by: scott on 11/20/2009

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating


Performance:	9	Fun-to-Drive:	9	Build Quality:	10
Comfort:	9	Interior Design:	9	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	9	Exterior Design:	10

Vehicle

2003 BMW 5 Series 530i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)

Review

Bought this car with 85k on it. Sold it with 130k. Only had one problem ac related 150.00 fixed it. Ran great good gas mileage and looks beautiful. Blizzaks on the back will make winter driving no problem (within reason). Don't be afraid to buy. Engine and tranny are bulletproof.

Favorite Features

heated steering wheel, solid ride

Suggested Improvements

Cup holders, fan control button flimsy and time consuming to use.

Awesome fast sporty sedan

Written by: BMW 540iA, M5 susp on 04/19/2009

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating


Performance:	10	Fun-to-Drive:	10	Build Quality:	10
Comfort:	9	Interior Design:	10	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	8	Exterior Design:	10

Vehicle

2003 BMW 5 Series 540i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 5A)

Review

I bought my 540iA new before the body style changed and I'm glad i did. I tested the 6 speed manual first but the sales rep convinced me to buy the automatic with manu-matic shift. The car is fast yet unassuming. My 540iA came with the M5 sports package complete with M5 steering wheel, suspension/brakes and front/rear spoilers. I was shopping for an M3 as I was already driving a 1998 528E but the M3 was too small - am so glad I made the right decision. I would recommend the 540ia to any sports, luxury and German car enthusiast.

Favorite Features

Sports seats, steering wheel, handling and style.

Suggested Improvements

Get real cup-holders and correct the LED dashboard readout which in my 540ia faded only after 1 year.

Love my BMW

Written by: DBCAFY on 02/24/2009

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating


Performance:	10	Fun-to-Drive:	10	Build Quality:	10
Comfort:	9	Interior Design:	9	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	9	Exterior Design:	10

Vehicle

2003 BMW 5 Series 540i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 5A)

Review

Best car ever build. Combination of 5 passenger seating, room for golf clubs and best of all - sports car!

Favorite Features

Engine, ride, drive in rails

Suggested Improvements

lumbar support on seats

2003 540i 6spd Sport

Written by: lochaven on 02/14/2009

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating


Performance:	10	Fun-to-Drive:	10	Build Quality:	9
Comfort:	9	Interior Design:	9	Reliability:	9
Fuel Economy:	8	Exterior Design:	10

Vehicle

2003 BMW 5 Series 540i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 5A)

Review

Purchased new in Sep 03 after driving 2004 530i (liked the styling, interior, and lack of iDrive of 2003 better). Traded a 2 year old Corvette. 540i only has 85% of the Vette's performance but is 200% more refined. The manual 6 spd was a little notchy for the first few months but was smooth after that. Seat and door seal squeaks were the only quality problems I had and the dealer eventually fixed/replaced them. One dealer frustration was they didn't know why my auto-headlights didn't work after two trips the the shop. I later learned that this feature is disabled when foglights are on! After 5 years I want to buy a new car but just can't find one with better styling or performance.

Favorite Features

Performance, styling (particularly with M-Tech package), comfort. The V8 is incredibly smooth with adequate HP and good torque. Lowered suspension and 18" wheels that come with Sport package really help handling.

Suggested Improvements

Cup holders, front and rear leg room.

Still love this car after 5 years

Written by: Tom Mager on 04/16/2008

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating


Performance:	9	Fun-to-Drive:	9	Build Quality:	10
Comfort:	10	Interior Design:	10	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	8	Exterior Design:	10

Vehicle

2003 BMW 5 Series 540i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 5A)

Review

This has been a great car. Fun to drive, fast, extremely comfortable (the sport seats are wonderful for me - the only car I can drive for hours with no lower back pain), very reliable, and looks great. With the 6-speed manual transmission, I also get decent mileage considering the size and power of this car - 21 in mixed city/hwy, and mid-to-high 20s in all hwy driving. BMW makes some very nice cars but I don't see a new one I would trade this car for.

Favorite Features

M-Package with 18-inch wheels look great and make handling excellent. Sporty, understated styling. 6- speed makes it fun to drive. Solid, high quality feel.

Suggested Improvements

None - I have the aftermarket cup holder that hooks into side of console.

Best of the best

Written by: blues55555 on 08/21/2007

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating


Performance:	9	Fun-to-Drive:	9	Build Quality:	10
Comfort:	8	Interior Design:	10	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	7	Exterior Design:	10

Vehicle

2003 BMW 5 Series 540i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 5A)

Review

The E39 style 5 series is a great mixture of classic BMW styling with modern technology. The later E39s (2001-2003) benefit from an upgrade to xenon headlights (with angel eyes), LED tail lights, steering wheel, and other cosmetic pieces. The V8 in the 540i is very quick for a mid-sized sedan. The quality of materials inside the cabin are top-notch. I could not be happier with this purchase. It is a lot of fun to drive. You read about people complaining about cup holders all the time, but I could care less about that. I don't think BMW is designing their cars for the Starbucks or Slurpee crowd. These cars are meant to be driven at fairly high speeds on the Autobahn. No car is perfect, but the 540i is close!

Favorite Features

Performance. High quality materials inside and out. Styling.

Suggested Improvements

2003 540i - Ultimate Driving Machine!!!

Written by: J.J. on 04/08/2007

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating


Performance:	10	Fun-to-Drive:	10	Build Quality:	10
Comfort:	10	Interior Design:	10	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	9	Exterior Design:	10

Vehicle

2003 BMW 5 Series 540i 4dr Sedan (4.4L 8cyl 5A)

Review

If you're like me, and don't like what BMW has done to the interior of the new 5 series than you'll love the 540i. It's still a "driver's" car with the interior cantered to the one behind the wheel. Having just purchased a pre-owned with relatively low miles this car is going to be a collector's car someday. It's the last of a BMW classic. The thick steering wheel in the M sports package add to the 540i's overall handeling and driving sensation. The engine is more than enough and commands repect even amongst it's peers. Fun, superb road handling, saftey and style define everything that has built BMW to what it is today. If you're not into the new look and confusing iDrive, the 540i is it!

Favorite Features

Thick steering wheel, V-8 engine, smooth engine & transmission, solid handling and driving is simply fun. Cantered driver's cockpit and the M sports package. This car has it all and will become a classic in time.

Suggested Improvements

Cupholders. Even aftermarket cupholders are flimsy. It's actually helped to keep my interior looking cleaner though as I tend not to eat or drink in my car as much. Hey we still have to look at the bright side.