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This page reflects my personal opinion of my 530i (manual transmission) and BMW cars in general.  All standard disclaimers apply.

Unlike a road test where a writer beats the hell out of car and declares it needs better cup holders, I would like to present the practical aspects of 23 months of ownership and a bit of engineering commentary based on my mechanical engineering education and 18 years of industrial experience.  Although this was my first BMW, it is my 13th car and I expect at least the same value out of it that the other twelve provided.

To some extent an owner's impression of a car is closely determined by its daily use.  If you drive on a windy road on your way to work you would love to drive a BMW.  On the other hand here in Southern California, roads are straight and traffic is heavy, so my impressions are less influenced by heart-pounding speed and cornering - more so by practical transportation needs such as reliability and safety.  Economy is less of a concern to me, and "image" is of absolutely no concern.

My objectives in buying the 5-series were twofold: safety, and a desire to own an example of "exotic" engineering.  The 530i came about as I drove a 525iA and decided it was too slow.  I didn't know a 540i model existed, and in retrospect it's a good thing!

In a few instances below I've referred to my 9-year old Nissan pickup as an engineering comparison baseline when needed, not pretending it's a similar vehicle but it's a good example of current Japanese automotive engineering.

Driveability

Engine

The best things about the M60 V8 is the sound and smoothness.  It's just what you would expect from a chain-driven quad-cam 32-valve V8.  However the powerband is less than smooth, weak under 3000 rpm, strong 3500 through 5500 then levels out to the redline.  The sudden burst somewhere around 3500 makes the car a little awkward to drive around town - exasperated by excessive driveline play, a difficult 1-2 shift, and the fuel injection system shutting the fuel off on overrun - and back on again at about 1200 rpm.

The driveability gets a bit worst in summertime temperatures. It's aggravated by the locking action of the fan clutch when it detects higher-temperature air coming out of the radiator. When it locks, it causes substantial engine drag and air noise from standstill to 2500 rpm from almost every stop.  What's that all about? I've asked numerous knowledgable bimmer folks and a BMW technician about it and all have said it's normal.

A second or two of light pinging will also be observed if you attempt to pull away at low revs.  

My truck exhibits none of these problems, yet it is also a rear drive manual transmission vehicle, with a very similar cooling system design.  I would rate the 530's engine driveability "adequate."

On the other hand, I find engine power to be more than adequate.  I always lose all surrounding traffic with a few seconds of full-throttle acceleration away from a traffic light. Of course they all catch up with me by the next light.

Gearbox

The ZF 5-speed is a very conventional design yet manages to be difficult to shift from first to second.  A slight pause in neutral to let the revs drop, some careful timing, and a firm grip provide acceptable shifts.  Redline MTL (oil) improved the action but it is still poor compared to my truck, which is the proverbial "knife through butter."  Other shifts are fine but the throws are all longer than they need to be, especially for a "sports sedan."  How hard can it be can get this right?  The gearbox gets an "adequate" rating.

Steering

The steering (and chassis in general) has a characteristic that in my experience is typical of older German luxury touring cars: it doesn't really feel "right" until speeds well above the legal limit on U.S. roads.  At 90+ MPH the steering and chassis "tightens-up" and are very stable and precise.  At any lower speed the steering is somewhat ponderous and heavy.  Still, I would rate the steering "excellent" as almost every other car you drive afterwards feels like a toy.  I drove an '98 528i and a '99 328i at the last two "Drive for the Cure" events and noticed both had better steering at low speeds.

Brakes

BMW brakes have the best performance in the business.  In terms of driveability, they rate an "excellent."

Driving Controls

With so many seat adjustments, I can always find a comfortable driving position.  The steering wheel and pedals are comfortable for my 5'-10" height and the "dead pedal" is at the right angle and depth.  The control pedals are quiet and free of excessive play.  Although the inside armrest is soft, the door side is rock hard and can be painful if you rest your funny bone on it.  The inside mirror is good but the outside ones are too small for good visibility.  The driver controls get an "very good" rating.

Accessory Controls

HVAC controls are easy to use despite the overall system complexity.  The lighting control should be on the left stalk like most other cars, not on the dash.  The vertical orientation of the center dash makes the radio and OBC (on-board computer) controls hard to read in the daytime, requiring you to take your eyes off the road long enough to read the small text.  The stalks on the steering wheel are easy to use although I would prefer the steering height adjustment not be located here.  Accessory controls get a "good."

Safety

This was the main reason I bought a 5-series.  I wanted a heavy 4-door European sedan for protection from the proliferation of obnoxiously-large and overweight SUV's on Southern California roads.  Having previously owned two Saabs and two Mercedes, I though this was the ideal opportunity to try a BMW.

I would rate the car's safety as "excellent" based on BMW's reputation for attention to this, not from any personal experience so far.

Serviceability

Documentation

The 530's owner's manual is excellent but is the only factory supplied documentation you can get for this car.  For comparison, Nissan publish a comprehensive service manual for my '91 truck, 2-1/2 inches thick, about a thousand pages, and costing only $40.   It covers every aspect of the car including electrical connector designations and physical locations, troubleshooting flowcharts, and detailed R+R (remove and replace) procedures including engine overhaul.  This is the manual that service technicians would use and it assumes you are a trained mechanic.  It is also a publication that I would expect should be available from any manufacturer selling a high-volume, complex product.

Why does BMW not sell a service manual to the public?  Greed and attitude, presumably.  They want you to have your car serviced at the dealer who have privileged information.  No doubt they are not the only manufacturer to do this, but as a consumer I consider it unacceptable.

Documentation gets an "unacceptable" rating.  The aftermarket Bentley manual by the way, while an essential reference and useful for the E34 chassis, is poor as regards to detail, and with its kindergarten-level sketches, an absolute joke as regards the M60 engine.

Dealership

I've only taken this car to a dealer twice.  The overall "service experience" was poor at one and excellent at the other. The technical quality of the work and care taken of my car was excellent at both dealers.

DIY Access

Service access for the "do it yourself" home mechanic is actually not bad.  With the exception of the atrocious location of the HVAC microfilter, the remaining service items are mostly a breeze to deal with.  The chassis could use some generic jacking points.  DIY access gets a "very good."

Durability

Paint

Not bad, but the front of my car is covered with small chips from road debris.  Mercedes have in the past used a thicker, softer material in these areas, so why doesn't BMW?  Resistance to sunlight fade seems acceptable.

Windshield

Adequate.  My windshield is somewhat pitted and needs replacement at only 42k miles.  The optical quality is excellent, at least when new.

Window Trim

Adequate. Felt material may rot after a few years.  Grim build-up on felt surfaces caused one of my power windows to stick.

Engine

Although valve cover, timing case, and oil pan gaskets are known to weep on the M60, the engine seems to be pretty reliable. The issue with the oil pump is too new to comment on.

The engine bay is tight on the 530. Power steering hoses, A/C pipes, fuel lines, and wires are all directly exposed to radiated heat from the exhaust manifolds, yet are mostly not protected.  Power steering hoses are a common failure item at around 100k, according to posters on the www.bimmer.org E34 board.  The heavy wires to the starter and other parts seem to be insulated with a silicone rubber jacket, which shows at least somebody was thinking.  Why not pay attention to the other items?

Cooling System

The M60's cooling system is actually pretty well designed, certainly when compared to the bizarre reservoir and hoses on some earier E34 models.  Bleeding is automatic and the only weakness appears to be the plastic radiator tanks and a reputation of early water pump failure.

Drivetrain

Only the "Guibo" (rubber torsional damper) is susceptible to early failure.  The rear CV joints seem to last forever, judging by the lack of problem reports on the E34 board.  The drivetrain gets an "excellent" for durability.

Chassis

The well-known early failure of thrust arm bushings and susceptibility to shimmy earn the chassis an overall "good" rating.

Engineering

It's clear to me that BMW does pay attention to engine and chassis design engineering.  Such refined performance does not come by accident, and some older BMW engines (M30) are known to last up to 300k miles, although with significant maintenance applied.  Critical engine and chassis systems such as DME, airbag, ABS controllers are as reliable as anyone else's.

However, they are not paying attention to the small details.  This is where the Japanese shine.  Oil leaks, the Nikasil issue, early water pump and radiator tank failures, less than perfect hot-weather driveability, heavy manual transmission shifting are all common BMW characteristics and things they need to improve upon.

Suspension bushing failure at well below 100k miles, susceptibility to front-end shimmy, premature windshield pitting, all are items that a typical Camry owner would never even know about.

Overly complicated design of non-critical electrical systems combined with sloppy wiring layout and poor choice of connectors make for a steady string of intermittent electrical problems.  Unrefined power seat mechanisms break or develop excessive clearance.  The very complicated HVAC system (with no apparent benefits) is a maintenance time bomb.

On the plus side, I'm impressed with the exhaust system design, the rear suspension, body sound insulation, door and ignition lock cylinder quality, and a general solid feel to most controls and interior features.

Styling

What can I say?  Drop dead gorgeous.  Even thought the car is stock, I frequently got comments on how nice it looks.  Why is that?  E34's are as common as sunlight here in San Diego, and mine is nothing special.  The E34 combines the classic look of past BMW's with the smooth, muscular lines of a modern autobahn stormer.