2012 BMW 5 Series

Riding on a fast cloud.

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 24

This is a fun luxery car.

Disatified Owner

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 1 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 1 Value Rating: 1

I owe a 2012 BMW 528i. This car has been nothing but trouble since I got it. It breaks down without warning only to find out it can not be towed because the vehicle cannot be put in neutral. The car has to be put on a lift to deactivate the transmission which cannot be down when you are stranded. Dont waste your time with this vehicle. It looks great but not dependable. Not worth the price or inconvience.

5 Major Failures in 50K miles

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 2 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 3 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 1

I'm the first and current owner of a 5 series BMW. The car has had the following failures - power train, tie rods, turbo charger, engine tune-up, oil filter housing, and coolant system. We've had the car towed twice and have had the car in the dealership a half dozen times for repairs. We've escalated to BMW USA but they have refused to provide any additional assistance. Save yourself the trouble...

Best comfort and handling car IMO

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: Value Rating:

I test drove a used silver 528i. Owned a 3 series in the past. BMW handling is given and this one was no exception. This 5 series was by far the most comfortable ride with great handling. Perfect balance. Did test drove 550 couple years ago, super power but little to stiff for me. The car was comfortable, roomy with grest view. Navigation was easy to operate. Everything was great. The only thing I did not like was the auto stop. I got caught in 5 traffic light within 4 minutes. The car being shut of and starting again to me was very annoying.

Run Flat Tires will disappoint!

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 3 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 4

Only four things you need to know about run-flat tires (RFT) First, they wear fast, don't last as long as stated (we got roughly 20K on first set). Second, they are more susceptible to flats! (we've had 3 flats in 3 years) Third, they are very, very expensive ($450 a piece for cheapest all-season). And fourth, though sold under the guise of 'safety' and protection for the vulnerable driver upon flatting... driving to safety (insert image of wife or children stranded), in my experience they burst at the sidewall, which renders them undriveable, and therefore driver is subject to a massive inconvenience of waiting for a tow truck, and being driven to dealership (more on BWM assist later) or tire shop for the pleasure of spending more on a new run-flat tire. We have flatted twice in the last 4 months, both times in the middle lane of an interstate, in the flow of traffic. And three times total in the life of our 2012 BMW (and I've been driving for over 30 years w/o a flat, until buying a BMW). Regarding BMW roadside assistance: It will be sold as a first class experience. Any issue and free tow to dealership. Truth: BMW needs this lifeline, and second, it's not first class. It's run by All State, and requests for towing are farmed out to their network of towing vehicles. They state bids over 1.5 hours are rejected. But expect to remain stranded (regardless of location), and be held hostage to their queue. We've used the service twice, both for RFT incidents. The first happened on a Friday after work, my wife managed to drive home on side streets under 50 mph. We decided not to get picked up that night (leaving BMW on a tow overnight in a random lot), and waited until the next day. It took ALL DAY to get picked up and have tire replaced. The second happened on I-70, in the middle of Denver. Waited over 2 hours (really, in a big city, on a major highway?)... Tow truck driver said BMW's (flat tires) and Honda's (electronics) keep him in business. Here's the deal... it's a known issue! The company line is 'safety'. If you don't like the all-season option, they'll sell you on the plan to have two sets of tires, one for winter the other for summer - paying them to store and change out the sets twice a year. After repeat visits, and getting the know the staff.. you'll start to get the 'no comment' response when inquiring if you are the only one with less-than-acceptable experiences. The staff can not speak to it, some holding firm... others will acknowledge the issue, quietly. We love the car, no other issues. We are not hard drivers and follow the book on maintenance suggestions... but I will not buy another car with fun flat tires.

unleash the kracken!

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 2 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 3

If your looking for good gas mileage the automatic 550i 2012 is not your car! But if you want a mustang/ vette killer this is your car! The torque and speed is hair-raising! I timed my 0-60 @ 4.4 . The 550i paddle shifters launches you out the box so fast that no crappy rice burner or Mustang 5.0 will ever recover. I havent loss a street race yet. ( lol) The fit and finish is first class and the seat position feels custom fitted. You will never find a a better combo of performance and luxury for under 35k.

My Second

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

My first BMW was a 328i which I got new back in 2007. I really liked that car in many ways. This time around I was looking for something bigger and faster that could handle a mid west winter and the crappy roads that such winters leave behind. I looked at various choices and settled on a CPO 2012 535xi with sport package, tech, premium, cold weather, sound. Although I've only had it a short time, I've been hugely impressed thus far. There's a lot of power on tap, but at the same time it gets great MPG. The ride is also spectacular, absorbing all but the most obnoxious of road imperfections.

Ultimate Driving Machine, Not Ultimate Warranty

Performance: 3 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 3 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 2 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 3

My recent dealer experience was good as always. The background experience with BMW Corporate was unacceptable. My 2012 5 Series with EDC emits a crunching, groaning metal-on-metal sound that the dealer did a good job of diagnosing, but BMW would not authorize warranty repair for the reason that it is "characteristic." Exploding airbags that spray shrapnel, deadly ignition system failures, and self-accelerating cars are "characteristic" of other brands, so this does not give me comfort. It seems the ultimate driving machine is not backed up by the ultimate warranty. Since the defect is characteristic, I will find a class-action lawyer, who have their own unfortunate characteristics.

Run Flat Tires will Fail

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 3 Build Quality: 2 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 1

2012 BMW 550, low miles but already 5 run flat tires have failed on me. Sidewalls splitting - effectively destroying tire. The left front tire has been replaced THREE times. Unfortunately BMW does not stock these tires, so when it falls apart your car will be in shop 5-7 days while they order new tire. Motorwerks in Minneapolis does not have any loaner cars when this happens, so consider your BMW a $70,000 bus pass. YOU WILL BE TAKING THE BUS A LOT. Not a fan of run flats - what are you supposed to do when the sidewall splits and you are 1000 miles from home in the middle-of-nowhere? . Give me a spare BMW!!!

Great car but different from past BMWs

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Got a 2012 528 M Sport, traded in my 2002 540i 200k miles later. The 540 was a 4 door sports car and I loved it. Negatives first - this one is a luxury car that tightens up in sport mode to be a great grand touring vehicle, but its not a sports car. Which is fine with me because it is my daily driver. Positives - WAY more comfortable and quiet, spectacular fuel economy (getting 34mpg hwy and 27.5 average). Love the interior (switches all in the same place as my E39) + large NAV screen. The turbo 4 takes a little getting used to coming from a V8 but it really goes if you push the pedal far enough.

My first BMW

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

I have always been attracted to BMW design (with the brief exception of the Bangle years). I was looking for a luxury car but wanted something efficient. I was hoping for a diesel 5 but apparently BMW isn't quite ready so I opted for the 528i as more efficient than anything from Audi or Lexus. I sprang for the premium and technology packages and added the heads up display. I should have taken the heated seats but didn't. The car is a beauty. I've had it one year. I wouldn't call it the ultimate driving machine but it makes an impression and it's reliable w/ strong fuel economy. Kids fit comfortably in the back on road trips. Electronics are disappointing compared to my wife's 2011 Toyota.

Most boring BMW I've ever owned...

Performance: 1 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 1 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 1 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 4

Lets just say that I've had the car for 3 weeks and am already looking for another car. I've had 3 BMWs before this one, and none of them were this soul draining and boring. It lacks power, and handles more like a Cadillac than a BMW. The steering it far too soft as well. The X1 that I drove when it was in for a recall was more engaging and exciting to drive. I actually was hoping that the dealer would wreck it or that it would catch on fire to keep me from having to deal with a trade in. The car is almost as boring as my 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.

This vehicle is a $60K joke!

Performance: 3 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 2 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 3

The car drives & performs like it should except for two major faults: The start & stop is very rough & passengers quickly notice it. To shut the vehicle off is a real bummer - Push the off button & the interior stays on - Push it again & cthe vehicle restarts . . . Frustrating to say the least.

This New BMW 5 Series Leaves Very Little to be Desired!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I bought my new 528i back in March. This was my very first luxury car. I was looking for something fuel efficient but loaded with all the luxury options you can get. The fuel efficiency is outstanding for such a large car and I love the engine start/stop feature when waiting at a light. I got the Space Grey Metallic with Dakota Leather, Luxury Seating Pkg, Premium Pkg, Technology Pkg, Premium Sound Pkg, and Comfort Access Keyless Entry. The seats are the most comfortable car seats I've ever been in. I test drove the Mercedes E Class Driving feedback is much better than the E Class. The steering wheel was very light on the E Class car, plus there were fewer luxury options available.

Love my M Sport 535i

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 3

Don't know why Edmunds have only manual 6-speed option for 535i, but this car with auto sport shifter is very responsive and quick. It feels heavy when you start driving but you can't feel the speed unless you look at your speedometer. I like the comfy feel of this car. I like the damper control that you can choose the mode. I don't know why ppl criticize the interior, to me, this interior is far better than Audi's cheap plastic feel interiors. Overall space is good as well and at this point, i can't say anything about reliability since I just got the car for 2 days. I will update of course in the future.

My 3rd BMW in 6 years

Performance: 3 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 3 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I had a 2007 BMW 530i, a 2009 BMW 328i and now a 2012 BMW 528i. My favorite was the 2007. My second favorite is the 2012 528i. The 3 Series, which was a 2 door coupe, was nice, but way too small. I'm not a big guy...not over weight and i'm only 5-9. The 2007 was really sporty and in my opinion drove like it was a train on rails! The 328i drove the same, but again...too small. The 2012 528i is absolutely beautiful. It looks like a small 7 series. Only problem, is it just doesn't "feel" like a BMW to me. It is not the "ultimate driving machine" I'm used to. However, in sport mode, it feels much better and sportier, but it is bulky like a Lexus (which i have owned). Interior is nice.

Beat my expectations!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I came out of a 2010 BMW 528i Xdrive and was concerned about the new design, new engine etc. Well, I have the care 2 days now and love driving this car! The 4 CYL was my biggest concern and after a few days of highway and street driving, I am totally impressed. How did the Germans figure out a way to increase the HP and Torque, provide much better gas mileage with a smaller engine, GENIUS! The new look of the car is beautiful with striking hood design, the classic kidney grill and a wider stance than my previous car. I purchased the car in Dark Graphite Metallic and black leather interior, a perfectly beautiful combination.

I'm actually amazed

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

After driving a '12 A6 for less than a month I wisely traded it in for he 528i. What an incredible car! The technology is awe inspiring, and for being a 2.0 T this care really moves. Plus I am getting over 30 mpg, which is unheard of in a luxury car. The auto shut off feature takes some getting used to, but other than that I can't thing of a single thing i would complain about! The nav system is actually fairly easy once you spend a few minutes playing around with it.

My first Bimmer

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

Handling is exceptional, no issues with run flat tires as reviews suggest. The car handles bumps very well and corners like a charm. Sport mode makes it handle like a true sports sedan. Even at high speeds (100 mph+), driver feels totally in control of the car. Technology: The Navigation software is buggy and hard to work, I prefer to use my phone over car's GPS. The car is not 100% keyless. You would still need to pull the remote out of your pocket each time you need to lock/unlock the car. The 4 cylinder turbo has a lag and takes some time to get going. Downshifting from 2nd to 1st gear, drivers can definitely feel the minor ‘thud’

WOW

Performance: 3 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 2 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

Not sure what happened to BMW. Car has so much lag when you press gas that Donot know if it will move before the car from behind will hit me at red light when it turn green. It is my BMW no 3. Interior is better but BMW seem to lack lot of other luxury items. There are no indicator lights on mirrors . MIRRORs are small with mimited view. Rear view camera hold view after you set to drive, this didnot happen with my Lexus truck. Honestly I will drive it for some time and if continue like that I will think radical and go for some other luxury car. Fast line it do perform excellent along with nice brakes you rely upon. Will Try winter drive with x drive and post it later.

Wish I could return it

Performance: 3 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 3 Interior Design: 2 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 2 Reliability Rating: 3

I think I write an unfavorable review of my 2012 528i in my head every time I drive it. Its a real disappointment. Computer features are so counter intuitive. Interface crashes iPod regularly. Navigation- ridiculous use your iPhone. Start stop makes you feel like a you're driving a beater. And you'll choke out at an intersection. Interior storage is cramped. Car has gone in to Park twice a stop lights its a safety measure I think....?? Turning the car off is even hard push once to turn the engine off and perfectly synchronized double push to shut the car off completely otherwise you just turn the car back on. Sound system uneven the volume varies does not interface easily with iPod.

Should Have Kept My Mazda

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 3 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

I really liked the new design for the 5 Series. Test drove a 2011 model. It was great. Ordered a 2012 and have had it for 3 months. The new ECO feature can be annoying. Car automatically turns off at stops and kinda jerks when it restarts. You can disable ECO by pressing a button every time you start the car. Still peppy in ECO. HD radio is poor in my area. Read SIB 65 25 05, a BMW bulletin about poor radio perfomance. It is normal for volume changes to occur and stations to drop off the air! Run flat tires annoying when flat. You have to take the whole car in. There is no spare. Many local auto shops won't touch run flat tires. Also, keyless start does not mean keyless entry.