[Rob_G77]

My dealership has a very nice 2023 BMW 540i in stock with just about every feature you want including driver assist pro. It's a beautiful looking car (Sapphire Black) and it's not that terribly expensive either. But, it also doesn't sell and has been sitting for months in their showroom. Even a much more expensive, used M850i GC sold before this 5 series. I just checked and there's now $5k drop in price now as they are just trying to get rid of it.

I just thought it was strange since it's not much more than an M340i.

Rob

[dangerus_car]

Originally Posted by Rob_G77

My dealership has a very nice 2023 BMW 540i in stock with just about every feature you want including driver assist pro. It's a beautiful looking car (Sapphire Black) and it's not that terribly expensive either. But, it also doesn't sell and has been sitting for months in their showroom. Even a much more expensive, used M850i GC sold before this 5 series. I just checked and there's now $5k drop in price now as they are just trying to get rid of it.

I just thought it was strange since it's not much more than an M340i.

Rob

Near the end of the generation, possibly next year all new model, so difficult to sell as the all new comes out, huge drop in resale price

[BMWCCA1]

It's been that way with the 5-series for years. BMW's best car and all anyone wants is an SUV. 3-series sales aren't anywhere near where they used to be, either. Biggest seller is always the X5 or X3, depending on which one BMW has built the most of each month as there are few in-stock and most are special-ordered these days.

It's a lot like the hi-fi industry—but opposite. No one buys large speakers anymore. Everyone wants sound bars and small satellites. That doesn't mean it's the best tool for the job, it's just what people think they want.


I don't think the next-Gen issue is the problem. Many customers don't want what BMW is putting into the new cars and would just prefer a simpler presentation of features and better ease-of-use in the OS. Add Bluetooth and backup camera to an E34 and you've got the perfect BMW with climate controls you can easily access intuitively. Have you had the chance to try the new X1 with not shift knob and no iDrive controller? The shape of things to come for all BMWs, sadly.

[zachdog]

BMW has a ridiculous catalog right now. It used to be pretty simple:

3-series was small 2 or 4 doors
5 was regular size 4 doors
7 was large 4 doors
Z was a convertible
X was SUV

Now we have 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 in a mix/mashup of 2/4 doors plus seven X varieties and three electrics.

The 5-series is now in no-man’s land. People who want a 4-door car buy a 3. Most buy an X. Those with large garages and wallets buy a 7.

[ppointer]

Originally Posted by Rob_G77

My dealership has a very nice 2023 BMW 540i in stock with just about every feature you want including driver assist pro. It's a beautiful looking car (Sapphire Black) and it's not that terribly expensive either. But, it also doesn't sell and has been sitting for months in their showroom. Even a much more expensive, used M850i GC sold before this 5 series. I just checked and there's now $5k drop in price now as they are just trying to get rid of it.

I just thought it was strange since it's not much more than an M340i.

Rob

Took delivery of a 540i in June and love it. It took a few weeks to get the driver profiles sorted out, meaning I was constantly fighting with the driver's aides that I will never use. Now everything is good.

They gave me a loaner 740i a month back and I hated it. I needed help getting out of the parking lot because I could not get the HVAC turned on. Everything was too complicated in that car when I just wanted to get in and drive.

I have been begging the dealership to put pressure on "headquarters" to bring us their next gen 5-series wagon. I would be the first in line to add one of those to our stable. I won't be getting any of their SUV/SAV's anytime soon.

I agree with other posters here. Too many people want an SUV, and so in general bypass nice sedans. BMW SUV's in particular make too many compromises, in my opinion. If I needed a new SUV to tow a trailer or go off road, I would not pick a german SUV for that duty. I have no other reason to own one.

[e61it]

My bet is that lots of folks are considering an ev suv at the moment. The new X5 equivalent is large and expensive. No X3 ev. Lot of competition coming along for size and value.

[nerdogray]

Because it's not perceived as the B E S T. Everybody who's anybody wants and deserves only the best. Take my money! Give me that Tesla with the full self-driving option. It's not available yet? Doesn't matter. All that matters is I can brag about it. Why would I want a well-optioned 540i? It's too cheap. I want the 96-month car note. It's also the BEST because it has higher numbers.

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by e61it

My bet is that lots of folks are considering an ev suv at the moment. The new X5 equivalent is large and expensive. No X3 ev. Lot of competition coming along for size and value.

Maybe where you are, but where I live EV sales tanked when the IRS (Inflation Reduction Act) became law—even if no one understood what it really meant for tax rebates.

[zachdog]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

Maybe where you are, but where I live EV sales tanked when the IRS (Inflation Reduction Act) became law—even if no one understood what it really meant for tax rebates.

I believe the EV rebates were for USA-made vehicles only. Are BMW EVs made here or in Germany? I do not know, but that might be why sales tanked.

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by zachdog

I believe the EV rebates were for USA-made vehicles only. Are BMW EVs made here or in Germany? I do not know, but that might be why sales tanked.

BMW is shifting SUV EV production to South Carolina to get access to those rebates again.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

...snip... Many customers don't want what BMW is putting into the new cars and would just prefer a simpler presentation of features and better ease-of-use in the OS. Add Bluetooth and backup camera to an E34 and you've got the perfect BMW with climate controls you can easily access intuitively. ...snip...

You now have my attention! We actually have a 528i F10 with N52 as it is the closest we could get to the above ideal! Pretty good car other than the crap EPS. Keeping it in a straight line at speed is tiring. Climate controls kind of suck... I have to look and figure out which one is which to turn up the air. At least the temp has a knob!

[g21]

list price is expensive. sell at discount. i got my M550i as a 8 month old demo done 1,000 miles for a 40% discount. couldn't resist.

[Germanauto]

A bunch of SUVs in the BMW portfolio to choose from now, the 3-series is quite spacious enough and cheaper, the existence of Tesla, and performance enthusiasts rather opting for an M3 in that $70-80k price range since the 5-series has driven like a luxo-boat since the F10 came out.

There's clearly a market for EV sedan cruisers as evidenced by the Model S, so maybe that's the next move BMW must make for the 5er.

I had a G30 540 M Sport as a loaner not too long ago. Nice car, great all-rounder. But I'd rather have an M3.

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by nerdogray

Give me that Tesla with the full self-driving option. It's not available yet? Doesn't matter. All that matters is I can brag about it. Why would I want a well-optioned 540i? It's too cheap. I want the 96-month car note. It's also the BEST because it has higher numbers.

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by Rob_G77

My dealership has a very nice 2023 BMW 540i in stock with just about every feature you want including driver assist pro. It's a beautiful looking car (Sapphire Black) and it's not that terribly expensive either. But, it also doesn't sell and has been sitting for months in their showroom. Even a much more expensive, used M850i GC sold before this 5 series. I just checked and there's now $5k drop in price now as they are just trying to get rid of it.

I just thought it was strange since it's not much more than an M340i.

Rob

Sedans are a dying breed.

[Egrunt]

While I enjoy driving my 18 M5 that I purchased new in August of 2018, it is a large car. Over the past several years it remains in the garage and I find myself driving my other cars or my motorcycle. I believe the 5 series will only appeal to a certain segment of drives. In the Untied States most drivers want a SUV and BMW sells a plethora of them along with Porsche. I personally would like to see more performance station wagons. I miss my 2015 F80 M3 that I traded for the M5. I do not miss the exhaust note of the M3.

[pbonsalb]

I agree with the comment that most Americans find that if they want a midsize or large car, an SUV has more room while at the same time offering AWD and the opportunity, should they one day desire it, to help them with pursuing an active, outdoor lifestyle.

[Equilibrandt]

For me specifically, it's a simple cost comparison.

In the family sedan realm, I've got the ability to choose a 2023 3 series, 4 series, or 5 series.

The 3 will fit. The 4 is about the same size. The 5 has more amenities and a little more space. But the M340i and the M440i are about the same price. And the same power. The M550i like 25k more. For a V8. For 140 more hp. For me, it's a no brainer: worse gas mileage, likely less reliability than a B58, and $155 per horsepower (whereas the M340i is $150/hp). If I need the amenities or the space, it's an X3 M40i for much cheaper.

I'd argue most Americans are probably thinking similarly: if a 3 series is too small or has too few amenities, the 5 series is too much of a price jump; they'll option for an X3. This bars comparing an M340i to a 530i/540i at the same price point. But in my mind, if you asked if I wanted an M-lite or a 540i, I'd take the M any day; I'd bet most BMW fans would, too. The only 5 series I'd consider is a 530e, echoing what Germanauto stated above: for a cruiser at that price point, I'd need it to be a mild-hybrid or PHEV.

[14Down]

We've had 5 series before. Now have an X3 M40i and an M340i. The 5 series has gone too soft for us. It reminds me of a Buick. There is little driving joy in the five. HP is down to the M340i (335 for the 540 vs. 382 for the M340). The V-8 suffers from BMW's V-8 foibles (reliability, oil consumption and low gas mileage). We had a friend with an M550i who tried our M340i and found the sport he had been missing. He ordered an M340i.

I hope BMW improves the new 5, though I am not confident they will. I have been contacted by BMW a couple of times in the last couple of years to provide input for their new cars. The first time they only were asking about screens. The second was whether it was better to have an electronic version of a door lock on the rear doors towards the front or rear of the door (rather than the old fashioned rod operated button that you pull up or push down). Not once did they ask about driving characteristics, performance, handling, comfort, steering feel, styling or anything that would appeal to an enthusiast.

[DavesZupra4]

Originally Posted by Rob_G77

My dealership has a very nice 2023 BMW 540i in stock with just about every feature you want including driver assist pro. It's a beautiful looking car (Sapphire Black) and it's not that terribly expensive either. But, it also doesn't sell and has been sitting for months in their showroom. Even a much more expensive, used M850i GC sold before this 5 series. I just checked and there's now $5k drop in price now as they are just trying to get rid of it.

I just thought it was strange since it's not much more than an M340i.

Rob

Because the x5 is the BIGGEST seller now. People don't know how to drive and crash often. They don't know what handling is (not that the 5 is so great at it but a sedan will handle better than a big suv), so people buy the x5 instead due to low iq and or more space for family, but mostly because they take corners at 0.0001mph anyway so they might as well get a suv so when they inevitably crash a few weeks or months after they get their car. They're not the ones who go to the hospital (assuming they didn't hit another suv anyway)

[Pictor]

Haters are going to hate.

Bottom line, the G30 is wrapping up production. The G60 will be announced soon and scheduled to enter production this summer. If you follow trend for the 5-series, the last year of production is always a struggle as people anticipate the new generation. To pile on, there has been a long trend towards SUV's and a more recent trend towards EVs. The G60 will have a BEV option along with the ICE variants so I suspect most shoppers for the 5-Series will wait to place an order for a 2024.

[chassis]

It's an SUV thing in North America.

Peak sales year for 5er in the U.S. was 2013. MB E-Class sales in the U.S. have been nosediving in recent years.

It's an SUV thing.