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1997
BMW 528

Starts at:
$38,900
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New 1997 BMW 528
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Expert 1997 BMW 528 review

our expert's take
Our expert's take
By
Full article
our expert's take

The interface between car and driver is critical to the enjoyment of driving. I was reminded of that last week as I shifted from second to third gear in a manual-transmission version of BMW’s 528i.

The 5-series BMW is totally new. It has a totally redesigned body structure, sleek exterior and numerous advancements in weight saving and crash protection. It looks smaller than the car it replaces, even though it is larger. If there’s any criticism to be leveled at the new 528i it could be that the exterior may be too conservative, but that’s the BMW way.

This is the third one I have sampled, and it may actually be the most appealing all-around configuration, especially considering its base price is $38,900 versus $49,900 for the 540i. It is not as fast as the ferocious 540i, which has a 282-horse V8, and it is not as effortless as the 528i with the automatic transmission. Yet, the properly weighted clutch and precision-shifting manual transmission connects the driver to the silky-smooth, inline six-cylinder engine so directly that you can pull off shifts that are as smooth as an automatic.

For those looking to share this same powerplant in a smaller vehicle at a lesser price, it is also offered in the 328i.

I often found the 528i gobbling up the interstate at a prodigious pace because it is so quiet and composed. The lack of wind and road noise contributes, of course, but the suspension is tuned to keep the tires firmly in touch with the road without extracting a penalty in ride quality, and that is not a balance easily struck.

Even riding on fairly smallish 15-inch tires it clings to exit ramps like a six-year-old to a Beanie Baby. The all-aluminum suspension saves 46 pounds of unsprung weight and that means the tires and wheels react quickly to irregularities. That lessens the impact felt inside the vehicle while enhancing grip on the pavement. Anti-lock brakes and traction control contribute to its all-weather performance.

The smooth ride gives passengers more time to appreciate the excellent interior layout and gauge design. Our metallic silver test car had an all-black leather interior, with dark gray wood trim. I would prefer actual wood tone instead of the dark gray, and I found that the wood on the center console occasionally reflected light back into my eyes. The texture on top of the dash not only looked rich but reduced glare very effectively.

The automatic climate control system has separate controls for right and left passengers, a nice touch.

BMW continues to use stereo systems that have excellent sound quality but complicated controls that often require a search of the manual in order to figure them all out. The cassette player is hidden under a strip of wood in the center of the dash, good for anti-theft protection. The standard weather band is great for checking weather forecasts if you are traveling.

The back seat is not overly generous, with 0.6-inches more legroom tha n the old model, but it is more than adequate for occasional use.

The redesign of the 5-series has resulted in a taut, elegant four-door that is quiet, refined and athletic.

Price

The base price of our test car was $38,900. Its only options were metallic paint and premium sound system, and they brought the sticker price to $41,445.

Warranty

The standard warranty is for four years or 50,000 miles.

Vehicles for The Star’s week-long test drives are supplied by the auto manufacturers.

Point: The 528i with a manual transmission is a rewarding combination for folks who like to feel involved with their machines. The handling is taut, the interior plush but understated.

Counterpoint: The stereo is too complicated and the dark gray wood trim looks unnatural.

SPECIFICATIONS:

ENGINE: 2.8-liter, 6-cyl.

TRANSMISSION: Five-speed

WHEELBASE: 111.4 inches

CURB WEIGHT: 3,450 lbs.

BASE PRICE: $38,900

PRICE AS DRIVEN: $41,445

MPG RATING: 19 city, 28 hwy.

1997 BMW 528 review: Our expert's take
By

The interface between car and driver is critical to the enjoyment of driving. I was reminded of that last week as I shifted from second to third gear in a manual-transmission version of BMW’s 528i.

The 5-series BMW is totally new. It has a totally redesigned body structure, sleek exterior and numerous advancements in weight saving and crash protection. It looks smaller than the car it replaces, even though it is larger. If there’s any criticism to be leveled at the new 528i it could be that the exterior may be too conservative, but that’s the BMW way.

This is the third one I have sampled, and it may actually be the most appealing all-around configuration, especially considering its base price is $38,900 versus $49,900 for the 540i. It is not as fast as the ferocious 540i, which has a 282-horse V8, and it is not as effortless as the 528i with the automatic transmission. Yet, the properly weighted clutch and precision-shifting manual transmission connects the driver to the silky-smooth, inline six-cylinder engine so directly that you can pull off shifts that are as smooth as an automatic.

For those looking to share this same powerplant in a smaller vehicle at a lesser price, it is also offered in the 328i.

I often found the 528i gobbling up the interstate at a prodigious pace because it is so quiet and composed. The lack of wind and road noise contributes, of course, but the suspension is tuned to keep the tires firmly in touch with the road without extracting a penalty in ride quality, and that is not a balance easily struck.

Even riding on fairly smallish 15-inch tires it clings to exit ramps like a six-year-old to a Beanie Baby. The all-aluminum suspension saves 46 pounds of unsprung weight and that means the tires and wheels react quickly to irregularities. That lessens the impact felt inside the vehicle while enhancing grip on the pavement. Anti-lock brakes and traction control contribute to its all-weather performance.

The smooth ride gives passengers more time to appreciate the excellent interior layout and gauge design. Our metallic silver test car had an all-black leather interior, with dark gray wood trim. I would prefer actual wood tone instead of the dark gray, and I found that the wood on the center console occasionally reflected light back into my eyes. The texture on top of the dash not only looked rich but reduced glare very effectively.

The automatic climate control system has separate controls for right and left passengers, a nice touch.

BMW continues to use stereo systems that have excellent sound quality but complicated controls that often require a search of the manual in order to figure them all out. The cassette player is hidden under a strip of wood in the center of the dash, good for anti-theft protection. The standard weather band is great for checking weather forecasts if you are traveling.

The back seat is not overly generous, with 0.6-inches more legroom tha n the old model, but it is more than adequate for occasional use.

The redesign of the 5-series has resulted in a taut, elegant four-door that is quiet, refined and athletic.

Price

The base price of our test car was $38,900. Its only options were metallic paint and premium sound system, and they brought the sticker price to $41,445.

Warranty

The standard warranty is for four years or 50,000 miles.

Vehicles for The Star’s week-long test drives are supplied by the auto manufacturers.

Point: The 528i with a manual transmission is a rewarding combination for folks who like to feel involved with their machines. The handling is taut, the interior plush but understated.

Counterpoint: The stereo is too complicated and the dark gray wood trim looks unnatural.

SPECIFICATIONS:

ENGINE: 2.8-liter, 6-cyl.

TRANSMISSION: Five-speed

WHEELBASE: 111.4 inches

CURB WEIGHT: 3,450 lbs.

BASE PRICE: $38,900

PRICE AS DRIVEN: $41,445

MPG RATING: 19 city, 28 hwy.

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
4 years / 50,000 miles
Corrosion
6 years
Roadside Assistance
4 years / 50,000 miles

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
Certified Pre-Owned Elite with less than 15,000 miles; Certified Pre-Owned with less than 60,000 miles
Basic
1 year / unlimited miles from expiration of 4-year / 50,000-mile new car warranty
Dealer certification
196-point inspection

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Consumer reviews

4.6 / 5
Based on 11 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.7
Interior 4.7
Performance 4.8
Value 4.9
Exterior 4.4
Reliability 4.4

Most recent

  • Most impressive car I have ever owned.

    Great appearance and performance. Lot's of safety features for a vehicle of this vintage. love driving manual transmission after many automatics. 1997 Motor Trend import car of the year.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 3.0
    5 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • 5 speed manual luxury

    Docile at low speeds/rpm, but comes alive & ready to hold its own on curves and hills of Provence France. A $40k car for $4k! Mine only has 40,000 km, just preventive maint. Would be leery if it had high mileage. Dealership maintenance as a last resort.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 3.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 3.0
    Reliability 4.0
    3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • The Ultimate Driving Machine

    Loved this car from the first day of ownership. What a pleasure to drive, and a pinnacle of success. Sad to have to part with it.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    2 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Great reliable car

    The car met my needs and has got me from point A to point B love this car!!!!! Would recommend this car and cars.com thank you cars.com
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • My first car and I really loved driving it

    Before buying this car, I already heard from all the people that BMW's are the best to drive. Later on, when I purchased this car I was so happy. The interior is really awesome and even if it's 1997 made. it has a lot of features like the 6 CD-changer, Cruise control, Sunroof, Alloy wheels, Power windows, and driving a 6-cylinder car is really good experience with a lot of power in it. Also, I got some new features like the Bluetooth connectivity for the Music, Calls and USB charging port into my car.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Ultimate Driving Machine

    This purchase was my dream vehicle and has been babied with ultimate care. Hard to part with but due to my medical condition, I can no longer enjoy it, must get it to someone to enjoy. Plenty of quality life left with only 69k low mileage miles so far.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Great Price

    I am pleasingly surprised that I recieved more than what was advertised regarding my new vehicle. I am happy with my purchase.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 3.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 3.0
    Reliability 4.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • The Ultimate Driving Machine.

    I've owned a mercedes benz and an audi and they just dont measure up. the car handles like a dream and one of my favorite features is the button to turn off the abs and trac control. bmw knows some of us actually like to DRIVE our cars. :D
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Very Reliable and comfort car!

    I always had a bmw and to be honest i have no problem with em. just one thing to say..you own it and you'll know how good it feelz driving it!!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 4.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Great car to drive.

    Great handling car at all speeds. Higher mileage cars 100,000 + miles can become a problem. For me every month, give or take I seemed to have spent $500. or more in repairs. Water pump is a poor design and the coffee cups are worse than a Kia.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 3.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Very reliable, awsome performance,outstanding car

    Car is next to perfect -no need to buy a new one. Once out of warranty, stay away from dealer service - its too expensive
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No

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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 1997 BMW 528?

The 1997 BMW 528 is available in 1 trim level:

  • 528i (1 style)

What is the MPG of the 1997 BMW 528?

The 1997 BMW 528 offers up to 19 MPG in city driving and 28 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

What are some similar vehicles and competitors of the 1997 BMW 528?

The 1997 BMW 528 compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

Is the 1997 BMW 528 reliable?

The 1997 BMW 528 has an average reliability rating of 4.4 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 1997 BMW 528 owners.

Is the 1997 BMW 528 a good Sedan?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 1997 BMW 528. 100.0% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

4.6 / 5
Based on 11 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.7
  • Interior: 4.7
  • Performance: 4.8
  • Value: 4.9
  • Exterior: 4.4
  • Reliability: 4.4

BMW 528 history

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