[MCL_24]

I recently found a CPO 2019 540i x-drive at my local dealer with 26,XXX miles. It has the M-package which really caught my eye and looks super clean. I immediately fell in love.

I'm in a position where my wife and I would like a car with a bit more space as we're expecting our first child soon. I currently have a 2015 Lexus IS250 and she has an Acura TSX. I was initially looking for an SUV (Audi S/Q5, Acura R/MDX, Lexus RX350, etc), but given the current car market I keep pushing it off and telling myself I'll look more next spring.

Randomly the 5 series came across my radar and it so happens more of them have been catching my eye on the road. The car enthusiast in me is falling for this car fast. I went to the dealer after hours tonight to look at it in person without getting hassled by a salesman. As expected, it's super clean in person and has all of the options I'd want inside and out.

The car is listed for ~$51k with an internet price of $47.5k. I was a little disappointed to read that BMW's certified warranty is only 1 additional year, but I believe I'd have about a year left on the new car warranty.

Any insights from current owners on their experiences with a similar car? Does it have enough room for a newborn, stroller, and all the baggage you wind up lugging around? Any common/known issues I should be aware of? How does the price sound to you guys?

I've had Audis in the past before jumping ship to Lexus and I'd love to get back into a german car. I'm just a little hesitant and trying to be 'somewhat' practical given I'm about to have a child.

[NGT2]

This will be long, but I think good feedback and perspective…

I bought a 2018 540 in December with 30k miles on it. It had about one year left of warranty and the one year additional CPO. I have a 5 year old (and another on the way). I feel like I can relate and give some feedback here. Feel free to send me a private message if you want to talk more about it.

Money and warranty:

The price sounds comparable to most. At 47.5, you're about 4,500 over what I paid. But you're getting less miles, one year newer, and the M Sport package. I do not have M Sport. I do have Driver Assistance Plus, the upgraded seats with the padded headrest (though not Nappa leather), parking assistance package, and 19 in wheels. I say all that to say, I feel like the price is fine. Of course you should haggle for whatever you can get.

You can buy additional CPO coverage before your first year of CPO ends, by then you'll know if it's worth it to you.

So far, mine has been great. I LOVE how it drives. This is tied for my favorite car ever. No mechanical problems. Just had the AC and a few other small items fixed under warranty - no problem.

Lifestyle:

I suspect your wife won't be in the TSX long, either. But that's just a suspicion based on experience. When we had our first, my wife went from an Infiniti G sedan to a Lexus RX. It that's beside the point… I think you will also benefit from having a more practically sized car. The 540 definitely has enough space for what you'll need, especially with one kid. And you can also get a roof box if you decide to do some serious road tripping. Look up pictures of 5 series with Thule or BMW roof boxes, it actually looks pretty good. Not goofy. I 100% think it's enough car for your kid/family needs.

I would be happy to tell you more, if you want to bounce some of the lifestyle/practicality stuff off of me. Just send me a private message.

I'll end with this, and I think it says a lot…

My wife got a new Lexus GX at the same time I got this car. We had a 1,000 mile round trip planned in May. By the time we got to May, we opted to take the 540, not the Lexus SUV. The 540 trunk held all our luggage, no roof box or bags in the back seat. It drives better. And the gas mileage is great. I think the fact we had those options for a family road trip and chose the 540 days a lot, as far as what you're contemplating.

With 2 kids, it will get smaller for me. But I'm not trading it. The only reason I'd say you might need a roof box (and I will for sure with a 6 year old plus newborn) is that newborn stuff takes up a lot of space on a road trip: Pack 'n Play, bouncer chair, etc, etc.

Last plug I'll give… my wife will hardly admit it, but she wishes she hadn't insisted on the Lexus. And she's been a Lexus loyalist. Having been in my car, she wishes she'd gotten a couple year old X7 instead. I suspect we will have two BMWs within two years, but time will tell! Haha

Cliff's notes: From one family man to another, get the 540. You won't regret it. Neither will your wife. You just might have to get her one too!

[RonronEG]

I'm 6'3" and my wife is 5'9" we have a child on the way and I'm looking at the back seat of the 5 and thinking there's no way I can fit a car seat back there without putting knees into the dash. My RSE definitely chews up some space the seat would take but I still don't know how you do it. The trunk always seems huge until I start putting luggage in it, too.

I like my 5 but I can't imagine it being the primary family mover in my specific situation.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by RonronEG

I'm 6'3" and my wife is 5'9" we have a child on the way and I'm looking at the back seat of the 5 and thinking there's no way I can fit a car seat back there without putting knees into the dash. My RSE definitely chews up some space the seat would take but I still don't know how you do it. The trunk always seems huge until I start putting luggage in it, too.

I like my 5 but I can't imagine it being the primary family mover in my specific situation.

Haha okay, I missed an important piece of this puzzle. I'm 5'6" with sneakers on and my wife is a couple inches shorter than me. Definitely makes a difference.

Look, it's not a Tahoe. I've had Tahoes. So many damn Tahoes. But yes, there are bigger cars.

For a family that doesn't need as much leg room as you, I can say the 5 works. I'm glad I gave up the excess size for the enjoyable drive. Maybe I'd just had enough of the big ass SUV driving.

Luggage is easy to pack. Golf clubs and strollers are more cumbersome. I guess it just depends on what you're packing. But I do think a 5 with a roof box will handle a whole lot of stuff. And my golf clubs do fit in the trunk, which was a must for me.

But even my vertically challenged family will need more than the 5 offers within the next 24 months. That's why I suspect we will end up in a big family SUV that's a better drive and more satisfying than the tank/truck that is the GX. Hence the prediction that we end up with an X7 by 2024. I think a 7 series would do the job, but my wife likes being higher up. The X5 really isn't much bigger than the 5, aside from height and vertical trunk space.

[RonronEG]

That's a well packed trunk. I think I'm going to have to test fit a car seat in mine to see what's really going on. My wife's car is due to be replaced and she's looking at the X7 or GLS (F me that things is hideous) as we reached the same conclusion as you in regards to the X5.

[ppointer]

Just took delivery last month of a '22 540i, and am very happy with it. I chose the spare tire option and was initially disappointed in the limited trunk space. After dragging all of those spare tire components to the basement, it opened up 6" of trunk floor, and I am no longer disappointed. The car is plenty large for us, certainly a bit larger than our '09 528i that we still have.

Love driving this car. The steering is acceptable even without some of the feel of our older BMWs. Engine and transmission are excellent. I chose the m-sport option, so the car is a looker. If I had to pick a negative, it would be the run flats. The car rides well, but I know it would be marginally better with some nice Michelin A/S 4 go flats.

[MCL_24]

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful responses. I appreciate it a ton. It's very helpful to hear from others who are in similar positions as I am.

As NGT2 pointed out, yes I also suspect our trusty TSX will be leaving the stable soon. I've gotten used to not having any car payments so adding two cars in the next year or so, while financially doable, is giving me a bit of pause.

I still miss the way my previous Audis drove. I've been in friends BMWs and while a bit different, I got that German inspired 'feel' that I've missed for awhile now. I know that I will 100% love this 540 - although I also know it will make me a car fanatic again and I'll spend most of my Sunday evenings washing/polishing/detailing every inch of the car (not a bad thing at all).

In my mind, there are 2 ultimate questions. The first being is the 5 series the 'right' vehicle for my family that I can justify as practical. Only we can answer that question... but deep down I can get comfortable with the answer being yes.

The 2nd question is - is this particular vehicle mechanically sound and going to run trouble free for a long time. I don't think anyone can really answer that... but I have been scouring the carfax report. With low mileage and a very clean exterior/interior, it gives me hope that the previous owner took pretty good care of the car. The fact that it was 1 owner, purchased, and serviced all at the dealer that is selling it also gives me a bit of hope. The thing that makes me uncertain is the amount of tires that have been replaced per the carfax. It makes me wonder if the previous owner was driving recklessly and could have potentially damaged any steering or suspension components. I'll most likely never know the answer to these questions until it's a bit too late, but they are giving me pause. Gosh it stinks getting a bit older and more responsible... when I was in my 20s looking at German cars i'd say... ehh if something goes wrong I'll figure it out and get it fixed. Now I think about the mortgage, child expenses, etc haha

https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistor...&partner=DON_0

[Joe-BMW33]

Here is my two cents. The size of the G30 can definitely meet your needs with one child, car seat and all the goodies that go with newborns. The backseat is tight, but the seat will fit fine, but when the newborn becomes a toddler, he or she will be kicking your seat or the passenger, no matter what your height is. The G30 is definitely doable, but I would want the second car in the family to be some type of SUV with a rear hatch. It is just easier than figuring out the geometry of the items going into the trunk. This is also one of those rare situations where I will encourage someone to get a car optioned with runflats. Cars options with non-runflats come with a spare that significantly reduces the depth of the trunk, so anything overly bulky will be a challenge. That said, most 540's are optioned with runflats. I would be shocked if the one you are looking at has non-runflats and a spare. You mostly see this on the M550.

Personally, regardless if I had a spare SUV (and I do), if I loved the car like you do, you can certainly make it work. Maybe inconvenienced every now and then, but the driving expereice is worth the inconvenience.

In terms of reliability, the 540 with the B58 I6 engine is as reliable as any BMW. The I6 is BMW's bread and butter for 30 years. They have it down. Will you have knits and knats? Sure, a false seatbelt warning, a cracked guibo, maybe a coolant leak, but nothing major.

As part of the purchase, negotiate another year of CPO. The first year of CPO is $2,500, the first and second year of CPO bought together is $4,000. The already CPO's it for sale on their dime (but in the purchase price), make them add another year and don't let it increase the price by more than $1,500. I would offer the internet price with year two of CPO and call it a day.

[spiciercheez]

I currently have 2 car seats in my 540. It is completely fine from a space perspective there. I have to agree with Joe, you will definitely have little feet on the back of your seat as they get bigger. Get some seat protectors and no big deal.

I will say, I really can't imagine using this car as the primary family vehicle with 2 kids though. My wife has an Acura MDX that we use (and beat the crap out of to be honest) for any longer road trips or family outing type things. Which is completely fine by me...keeps the 540 in great shape lol. Trunk space is pretty good on the 5 though, you will easily fit strollers and that type of stuff.

I say go for it and have your fun!

[ArchieV]

I would say that price is pretty on par for current market, depending what packages are on the vehicle. I didn't end up getting mine until my daughter turned about 4 but I can say in terms of rear seat space for the kids there is no problem unless you have a bigger individual sitting in the front seats. The only downside over the SUV is obviously the car is much lower so when the kids are younger there's a lot of bending up/down to pick them up, just something to consider.

As far as trunk space, it's more than plenty IMO. Can easily fit a weeks vacation worth of things for 2 adults/2 kids and all the fixings that go with having an infant or toddler. As mentioned by spiciercheez definitely get some of those seats protectors for the back of the front seats and invest in good rubber floor lines. Two of the best upgrades you can probably make to the car

[MCL_24]

I am so appreciative of the responses, especially given I’m new here and don’t even own a G30 (yet!). I definitely think I can make the space and size work. We will definitely be looking into an SUV as well in the near future, especially before having a 2nd child down the road. Also, thanks a lot for suggesting negotiating additional warranty. I hadn’t thought of that. I do hate the games of sitting at the dealership and having the salesman run back and forth spinning me a story… but maybe I can get started over the phone and see how it goes.

I know it’s impossible to know how a previous owner drove the car… but do you guys think it’s a big red flag that tires were replaced so many times on the car fax?

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by MCL_24

I am so appreciative of the responses, especially given I’m new here and don’t even own a G30 (yet!). I definitely think I can make the space and size work. We will definitely be looking into an SUV as well in the near future, especially before having a 2nd child down the road. Also, thanks a lot for suggesting negotiating additional warranty. I hadn’t thought of that. I do hate the games of sitting at the dealership and having the salesman run back and forth spinning me a story… but maybe I can get started over the phone and see how it goes.

I know it’s impossible to know how a previous owner drove the car… but do you guys think it’s a big red flag that tires were replaced so many times on the car fax?

The tires being replaced more often than expected could be due to bad roads. If it's a local car, then you'd know best what kind of roads you've got. I have 19" wheels and all season run flats, no issues yet.

[MCL_24]

I agree - I mean yes NJ doesn’t have the best roads. And it doesn’t mean someone is beating on the car if they had bad luck with a nail or pothole. Just makes me concerned about the suspension and steering components

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by RonronEG

That's a well packed trunk. I think I'm going to have to test fit a car seat in mine to see what's really going on. My wife's car is due to be replaced and she's looking at the X7 or GLS (F me that things is hideous) as we reached the same conclusion as you in regards to the X5.

I actually like the GLS as much as the X7, just based on looks. Both would definitely get the job done.

Joe is right, when the kid gets to be tall enough the seat back will get kicked. But the seat backs in the G30 are pretty dang durable and easy to clean. You could definitely get seat protectors, and I have one beneath the car seat. But I just clean the back of my seat once a week.

Here is a picture of mine with the seat in the back. Keep in mind, I'm almost a foot shorter than you and my kid is now in a booster seat that is a bit less bulky. I think you'll have a tighter fit, but it really won't matter until the kid is older.

[MCL_24]

Very helpful to see these pics of trunks and car seats.

I’m 5’10” and my wife is about 5’6” so I think we’d have enough room for awhile. She knows how particular I am with keeping my cars clean so she reminded me that a baby will inevitably make a bit of a mess at times. Given it’s ‘my’ kid I think I’ll be just fine with that :-) and then of course I’ll just meticulously clean the seats every week haha

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by MCL_24

Very helpful to see these pics of trunks and car seats.

I’m 5’10” and my wife is about 5’6” so I think we’d have enough room for awhile. She knows how particular I am with keeping my cars clean so she reminded me that a baby will inevitably make a bit of a mess at times. Given it’s ‘my’ kid I think I’ll be just fine with that :-) and then of course I’ll just meticulously clean the seats every week haha

Just one man's experience here… everyone says that about kids making a mess. Sure, it can happen. But I'm OCD about my cars staying clean and I've never had a problem. It's usually as much on the adult as it is the kids. My wife will give the kid a sucker and a drink back there. What the hell do you think is going to happen??

Okay I won't rant on about it. I'll say that if you use common sense, you'll be fine. Cheerios and goldfish vacuum up fine. Water with a top on it won't hurt a thing. And no one needs a snack to ride across town or a few blocks to school. Give the kid some suckers, anything that melts or sticks, etc, that's on you!

[cna90]

Saw the post early this morning and I said to myself I gotta be on my computer to write what Joe beat me to it.
I picked up a 2017 540i CPO last year and I'm loving every second of it. I did not get extended CPO warranty and mine ended on march 2022. That's a very personal decision, but in my case I don't see a huge maintenance thing happening that cost more than the warranty in the next 1.5 years. So I decided to keep that money and risk it.
Although I, like most people in the forum, do recommend the tire and rim insurance. I didn't get it for mine and already spend more than half of a 4 year tire and rim warranty on one tire pop.

I recommend MPPSK or a BM3 stage 1 tune with an after market exhaust to wake up the beast inside a little if you want a little flair so to speak.

All around an amazing car. If I go back, I would still pick up the same exact car and the only thing I would do differently is the tire and rim warranty. I opted in for a spare wheel after the fact; it was expensive and it took some of the trunk for sure but I always have it filled with my tool box and my golf bag (even had two golf bags there) and those Costco runs fills it up a ton but I never had to use the rear seats for anything. I'd say it's still pretty big considering.

Don't have kids but I often have friends sitting in the back. I'm 6' 1", my partner is 5' 10" and our friends are 1-2 inches possibly shorter. We both have saved two sitting positions on memory; one for when we are alone and we both like to ride as low as possible which tends to make the rear tight and the other a very comfortable high position with 2 people real comfortable in the back. I've done more than 5 long trips with my friends and everyone was real happy with the ride and although they have a SUV they prefer our seats better.

If I were you, I make sure I get Nappa leather, vented front seats and comfort seats. They make a huge huge difference in your ride quality in my opinion.

[cconz]

I have an 8 and a 5 yr old so with two big car seats in the back of my 540, they still have plenty of room and have even squished a small adult in between for a short trip. We've done a couple of long weekends and packed a lot in the trunk. Honestly it's not much of a space sacrifice vs. our GLE 350 which is what we usually take for family trips. I can get 3 sets of golf clubs in the trunk pretty easily too. It does everything I could possibly ask for in a family car that is also a blast to drive. It's also fun to get both kids involved with the pressure washer and foam washing. They enjoy helping me detail it to keep it pretty and have more respect for the back of the front seats because they know they have to clean up their footprints!

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by cna90

Saw the post early this morning and I said to myself I gotta be on my computer to write what Joe beat me to it.
I picked up a 2017 540i CPO last year and I'm loving every second of it. I did not get extended CPO warranty and mine ended on march 2022. That's a very personal decision, but in my case I don't see a huge maintenance thing happening that cost more than the warranty in the next 1.5 years. So I decided to keep that money and risk it.
Although I, like most people in the forum, do recommend the tire and rim insurance. I didn't get it for mine and already spend more than half of a 4 year tire and rim warranty on one tire pop.

I recommend MPPSK or a BM3 stage 1 tune with an after market exhaust to wake up the beast inside a little if you want a little flair so to speak.

All around an amazing car. If I go back, I would still pick up the same exact car and the only thing I would do differently is the tire and rim warranty. I opted in for a spare wheel after the fact; it was expensive and it took some of the trunk for sure but I always have it filled with my tool box and my golf bag (even had two golf bags there) and those Costco runs fills it up a ton but I never had to use the rear seats for anything. I'd say it's still pretty big considering.

Don't have kids but I often have friends sitting in the back. I'm 6' 1", my partner is 5' 10" and our friends are 1-2 inches possibly shorter. We both have saved two sitting positions on memory; one for when we are alone and we both like to ride as low as possible which tends to make the rear tight and the other a very comfortable high position with 2 people real comfortable in the back. I've done more than 5 long trips with my friends and everyone was real happy with the ride and although they have a SUV they prefer our seats better.

If I were you, I make sure I get Nappa leather, vented front seats and comfort seats. They make a huge huge difference in your ride quality in my opinion.

I wouldn't pass up Nappa if it fell in my lap. But that is one thing I'm not prioritizing until I don't have kids climbing on the seats.

[Gautam]

Originally Posted by cna90

Saw the post early this morning and I said to myself I gotta be on my computer to write what Joe beat me to it.
I picked up a 2017 540i CPO last year and I'm loving every second of it. I did not get extended CPO warranty and mine ended on march 2022. That's a very personal decision, but in my case I don't see a huge maintenance thing happening that cost more than the warranty in the next 1.5 years. So I decided to keep that money and risk it.
Although I, like most people in the forum, do recommend the tire and rim insurance. I didn't get it for mine and already spend more than half of a 4 year tire and rim warranty on one tire pop.

I recommend MPPSK or a BM3 stage 1 tune with an after market exhaust to wake up the beast inside a little if you want a little flair so to speak.

All around an amazing car. If I go back, I would still pick up the same exact car and the only thing I would do differently is the tire and rim warranty. I opted in for a spare wheel after the fact; it was expensive and it took some of the trunk for sure but I always have it filled with my tool box and my golf bag (even had two golf bags there) and those Costco runs fills it up a ton but I never had to use the rear seats for anything. I'd say it's still pretty big considering.

Don't have kids but I often have friends sitting in the back. I'm 6' 1", my partner is 5' 10" and our friends are 1-2 inches possibly shorter. We both have saved two sitting positions on memory; one for when we are alone and we both like to ride as low as possible which tends to make the rear tight and the other a very comfortable high position with 2 people real comfortable in the back. I've done more than 5 long trips with my friends and everyone was real happy with the ride and although they have a SUV they prefer our seats better.

If I were you, I make sure I get Nappa leather, vented front seats and comfort seats. They make a huge huge difference in your ride quality in my opinion.

Echoing your experience. Don’t have kids or pets but was seriously considering the x5. Overall we found it to have no real advantage vs the 5er. The rear seats actually feel more comfortable on the 5 imho. Have had many happy rear passengers as well.

[Mandingo9]

Good points all around here. One thing I will make mention is rear facing seats can eat up quite a lot of room in depth as oppose to width (which you'll be ok on). I think youll be ok if you put it on the passenger rear side since your wife is shorter but it maybe a squeeze if a second newborn comes along before you can swap the current newborn into forward facing convertible behind you. I currently have a 4y/o and pretty leggy 6 y/o and they both have plenty of room both in foward facing seats. I'm 6 ft with the 6year old siting behind me. A well packed trunk should take care of any sort of road trip. It's deceptively deep and wide. Agreed with others that a second suv should be in the garage if possible but we use my g30 as the primary when we go out.

[Mandingo9]

Originally Posted by MCL_24

I agree - I mean yes NJ doesn't have the best roads. And it doesn't mean someone is beating on the car if they had bad luck with a nail or pothole. Just makes me concerned about the suspension and steering components

Ask the dealer for the service invoices if they serviced it. Could be replacement for bubbles or nails. Or they guy was driving like an animal. I need to get my tires replaced every 15-20k because of the latter.