BMW 5-Series Sedans

hpowders · August 2005

BMW's : brake dust = bees : honey

ponytrekker · August 2005

People do not get that the only part of a car that makes contact with the road is the tire . . . :sick:

erickpl · August 2005

PBS Axxis : None :shades:

-Paul

markcincinnati · August 2005

I think this is close to the Terracotta my wife has in her new X3 (she has a black gloss exterior) -- it is stunning.

I have the Amaretto color (in my new Audi A6) which when parked side by side my wife's BMW looks pretty close, my exterior is a pearl green -- BMW offers this combination too, and, once again it is stunning.

I had ordered the Infiniti M with a liquid platinum exterior and burbon leather (but Infiniti's take on this is more orange than the German's.)

I swear if I see one more black or silver BMW though, I'm gonna hurl -- our local BMW dealer's lots are a "sea of black and silver" 3's, 5's and 7's -- with a rare white or red one dotting the landscape.

Must be the market (for BMW's -- since neither Audi nor Infiniti seems to be dominated by Black Gloss, Pearl Black and/or Silver Pearl [or whatever the names du jour are] the way that BMW's are.)

I admit I like the silver and I love my wife's black gloss X3 -- but I am also questioning my own "imagination" since it seems like every Tom, Dick and Harry has a black BMW these days.

Maybe that's why I went with the pearl green -- just to be a "smidge" different.

erickpl · August 2005

like the one Edmunds used in its recent test was nice with the color interior they had...

I think Audi has some of the best interiors...

-Paul

kdshapiro · August 2005

The light color is nice enough, but I really dislike the wood. That same thing drives me crazy about Lexus interiors. To me a car is not a peice of furniture.

cmybimmergo · August 2005

BMW's : brake dust = bees : honey

Yup, and BMW brake dust : rims :: grass and mud stains : little boys

manybmws · August 2005

either of the blues and white of course.

bksport · August 2005

I have a similar issue and the front tires are being replaced today. They were apparently out of round. I'm not sure how that happens to a brand new tire. We'll see if that fixes the problem or if it persists. I'm also experiencing rough shifting at low speeds in traffic however there is no prescribed solution for that yet.

sdg380 · August 2005

My 2¢ if I might.

For an auburn interior, I think you might find that a dark (black) or white exterior may look best together--both look very classy to my eye. And while I think I'd further counsel you to go with the Silver Gray, if that's to your liking, it seems that for some time tan/brown interiors were not being offered with gray/silver exteriors, which I presume was dictated by a lack of popularity--so consider if this could possibly negatively impact resale value (or maybe you don't care, which is somewhat understandable, it's supposed to be what YOU like!)

While the comments above about all the black and silver BMW's is right on point, that is simply a reflection of these being among the most popular car colors for many years. And I think that may reflect the fact that while blue or red cars (etc.) may look nice, everybody's taste changes over time, usually faster than car ownership, so more under-stated colors have a more lasting appeal.

For the record, I go for the monochromatic look, gray interior with TiAg on my E39--and there is no denying that silver is absolutely the best color for not showing dirt. But think I'd go with the Sterling Gray if I was buying today, sort of split the difference between light and dark tones--but would still have to consider a gray interior, even though, by itself, I think tan.auburn interior looks great (but best with blue, red, etc. or white exterior, IMO.)

cmybimmergo · August 2005

Having previously sworn that I would never have another black interior (or silver car, for that matter), last December I purchased a Ti Ag e39 530 with black leather. It wasn't my choice; it's what I got stuck with because it was the only e39 530i 5 spd sport in the entire DC/Baltimore area. I still think it's boring, even though it is very pretty to look at, but I don't mind the black interior at all. It doesn't show dirt the way light leather does, and it stays surprisingly cool even when the temps are in the 90s.

hull · August 2005

I have been thinking about BMW's for 5 years and am finally ready to get one. I recently moved to Portland, OR from San Diego. I initially considered the 530xi with MT, but I think I can feel the extra weight impacting the handling, and the extra $2000 doesn't seem worth it for Portland. I am now leanilng towards a 525i with stick. Unfortuantely, I will probably have to order from the factory, as there is not a single stick on the local dealers lot (not even a 3 series!).

In the past I was a beliver in the 530, but the 525 now has 200+ hp and is really the same engine as the 530, just detuned.

The local dealer will give me $1200 below MSRP (no discount on options) as the "Costco" price. It seems reasonable.

Now I am torn on color combos:

Should I get Mystic Blue with Gray leather or Oxford Green with Auburn Leather? I don't like the silver stuff at all (or white). The black and dark blue look good, but I think those dark colors will be hard to keep looking clean.

I am also trying to decide on options.

I am NOT interested in the sports package, as the ride is too stiff for my taste, or active steering or NAV.

I will probably get the premium package so that I can get adjustable lumbar support. I will defintely get the cold weather package, as Portland is very cold by Southern California standards.

I am wondering if I should consider the comfort seats. The posts seem mixed on this. I am also wondering about the audio system upgrade. $1800 seems expensive, but I do like good sound. I don't care for the idea of a changer in the glove box.

Are the Xenon headlights really that helpful? Also wondering about the power sunshide and the park distance control.

All these gadgets sound nice, but are they worth the money. If you take all the options the price of the 525 starts looking more like a 545!

equan1 · August 2005

Xenons for sure. PDC is very helpful. While I am a BMW diehard, you might want to consider a M35, or even a G35

cmybimmergo · August 2005

Which color excites you when you see it? If you really don't care one way or the other, it doesn't matter which you choose. But if you think that in six months you will regret not having gotten one or the other, then that is the one to buy.

Sit in the comfort seats before you decide. Do NOT buy something you haven't experienced for yourself unless you can adapt to anything. (But if you can, then you won't need those expensive comfort seats, will you--the standard ones will be fine because you will adjust to them.)

Listen to the standard audio. If it sounds good to you, you might not need to upgrade. Personally, I like the in-dash changer since I usually drive alone and have to do it myself while driving.

I love my Xenons. I don't have a sunshade or park control, and I don't miss them. But that's just me.

And remember, you really can't miss no matter what you choose; it's a great car! (Did you check out the Prices Paid board for pricing info?)

mp2 · August 2005

Did they fix the vibrations after the replacement, please let me know. They replaced 3 sets on my car and now they have fixed it to an extent , I only have slight vibration at 60 to 65 mph, it is 90 to 95 % better than before.
Dealer also thought it could be steering rack, I am still leaning to get a replacement since car has still to date 600 miles only.

cmr530i · August 2005

Hi riez. Nice to see you post again.
I have three questions for you. What would one experience if one's car were out of alignment? What would one experience if one's wheels were not balanced? Is it possible for one's car to be out of alignment and have wheels that are unbalanced and not be able to notice it?

kyfdx · August 2005

You just pulled his post from over a year ago... I'm not sure that qualifies as posting again....

I hope we hear from him, but you aren't likely to get a reply...

regards,
kyfdx

dagman · August 2005

I purchased a 525i/auto/premium/sport last week. Overall, the car drives and handles great, but I am noticing a small problem/quirk with the acceleration/transmission in first gear. When stepping modestly on the accelerator from a stopped position, the car seems to suffer a reduction in power at about 1000 RPM's, just before shifting into second gear. If you accelerate quickly enough, you do not experience the issue. However, in traffic, rapid acceleration is not possible.

The sensation when this occurs is like a very poor shift, slightly bucking the car. Sometimes it is minor, and sometimes more significant.

Has anyone else experienced/heard of this problem. Is it a defect, or simply a quirk with the transmission?

nyccarguy · August 2005

Having never sat in the Comfort Seats on a 5 series, I can tell you that the stock seats will suit you just fine. You'll be glad you get the car in a stick too! My Mom drives an '05 530iA. She doesn't have the Sport Package (when she ordered it ONLy came with active steering which she didn't want) or Comfort Seats. On a recent trip form their NYC suburb home to Pittsburgh, PA, my Dad who is 59 with back issues had no trouble sitting in the car and driving for almost 8 hours (including rest stops).

cmr530i · August 2005

Oops!

Jeez, I must have been tired or something. Guess I was hitting too many threads in a day.

bksport · August 2005

They only replaced one tire on mine, however it did little or no good. I still have a noticeable vibration from 45+ and up. I really thought the tire would fix it since you can definitely hear what sounds like more tire nose at medium speeds - similar to driving in a truck with offroad tires.

I'm curious when you say "3 sets"? Did they replace 3 tires or did they replace multiple tires 3 times. I believe mine are a Goodyear Eagle RS.

hull · August 2005

OK, I placed my order for my new 525i MT.

I decided on the following options:

Leather, cold weather package, Comfort seat, halogen lights, park distance control.

I left out the enhanced stereo, as the base stereo is fairly good and $1800 for the upgrade is too much. The sports package is too aggressive for my tastes, as the low profile tires are expensive, noisy, and pass road irregularities on to my bum. However, I really wish they would offer active roll stabilization as a separate option (instead of active steering). Based on my experience driving a 3-seris around a track, the active roll stabilization really is nice. I also didn't bother with the premium package as the combination of leather+comfort seat covers all of the useful stuff. I can live without the built in garage door opener and auto dimming rearview mirror.

I figure park distance control will pay for itself if it gets me out of one minor ding.

Halogen lights are going to be useful in the hills in Portland near where I live.

Cold weather package is a no brainer now that I live outside Southern California (probably don't need in Florida or HI either, but everywhere else it is worth it I think)

I sat in the comfort seat. Not sure it is worth the $1200, but I decided to go for it. My body build has very short legs and I end up moving the seat close and reclining the seat back in order to get away from the steering wheel. The problem is that the top half of the seat back ends up not contacting my back due to an excessive slope. Having independent control of the upper part of the seat back and also the headrest should help me get the right adjustment on the seat.

By the way, I did test drive the Accura RL and Infiiti M35. They are both very nice cars, but only come in automatic. My soul is stick shift. The Infiniti G35 was a possibility. I rented it once for about a week (an automatic one), and I also drove it around the track and compared it to the Audi A4 and the BMW330i (at a BMW event). The G35 automatic is poorly executed (M35 is much nicer) and the engine noise sounds unrefined to my ears. Also, it is not as well balanced as the BMW. That being said, it is a very good value, and with a stick it probably would make a nice car for the price. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to test a G35 stick, so I really don't know if the manual transmission is good or not. It is definitely a powerful car though, though the 0-60 times of the new 330i are essentially identical to the G35 (for both automatics).

cdnpinhead · August 2005

Thanks for a very useful post. . .from a fellow fan of the manual transmission.

hihomike · August 2005

I had a 2001 5 series, and truly loved it!!! When I went out looking to replace the vehicle, I obviously ended up at my BMW dealer. I drove the 05 530i, and when he told me thbe 06's would be in shortly, just a change in hp for the engine, I decided to look at the E60 seriously.

The comparisons are difficult, to be honest. By the way, I loved my 01 so much, I decided to keep it. But I did buy the 06 530i. The E39 is more nimble - responds more quickly to handling and acceleration, rides a bit more harsh (sportier) and is more classic in its interior design as well as the exterior, of course. The seats are harder/harsher in the E39.

As for the E60, the ride is nimble, but more subtle. It handles more like a Mercedes Benz than the E39, but far superior to the Benz. Acceleration with the new engine (255 hp) is good, but not as responsive as the E39. The interior seems more plush and the seats are a bit more comfortable on a longer drive. It is bigger on the inside and the trunk is far superior to the E39. Rear seat room is superior, as well. The I-drive, even though a "bugger" to learn and get used to, removes many dials and buttons off the front dash. Don't like the fact that on the E60, you have to get into the I-drive to change the direction of air-flow in the cabin, but on the E39, it's right there in the center lower dash - one push, it redirects air.

As for styling, I like them both. The E39 is classic in its appearance and stance while the E60 is more graceful and progressive - looks like a cheetah ready to pounce on prey. The interior of the E60 is less obtrusive - fewer buttons and gadgets to press - looks cleaner on the inside. But, I also like the simplicity and ease of control of functions in the E39.

To sum it all up, I love by E39, but I also love my E60. It seems that our inner thoughts or memories of the pride of owning/driving a BMW zero-in on the previous body styles. But, the future is hear - and BMW appears to be heading down the road that attracts a wider range of buyers. Lexus, Infiniti, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Acura, etc., owners find the new E60 more attractive and less harsh on the road. Perhaps that is the market niche BMW is trying to infiltrate.

I don't know all the answers, just love my Beemers.

markcincinnati · August 2005

First off, I will chide you for getting one of these machines with an automatic, but I have room to talk since I recently got an Audi A6 3.2 which also comes with one of these "awful" automatic transmissions. This is neither unique to Audi and BMW nor is it exactly a flaw in the transmission.

We Audi owners call the condition you are experiencing, TIP lag, for BMW's it is STEP lag and for Mercedes owners, well you get the picture (oh, BTW, I have no evidence that the "perfect" Japanese cars have somehow managed to program around the "hesitation" these transmissions are apparently intended to provide.)

If the Steptronic (which I just drove two weeks ago in a 530xi) has a regular and sport mode, just simply NEVER EVER EVER again use the regular mode and switch instead to sport mode -- or like my friends with BMW's they just "row their own" in step-mode.

I don't even think it technically is a quirk -- the damn thing(s) are programmed to be very quick to get out of first gear (and very quick to upshift generally) probably to improve mileage. Moreover, the transmissions generally have a gradual and mostly appropriate down-shift capability (from speed) that is smooth and approximates what most of us who are closet manual transmission shifters would do were our fine sheens sticks.

First gear, there's another issue -- virtually as long as the car has NOT come to a full stop, the steptronic transmission (in regular drive mode) will NOT shift to first gear. Then, when you want to accelerate, the engine's rpm's are so low it is unlikely that the car will have sufficient power to accelerate normally.

The steptronic's brain "computes" or evaluates your "intention" and if you persist in this desire to accelerate it gives in and downshifts (of course this is often at the exact moment you, in your impatience [and who can blame you?] press even further down on the accelerator pedal which when coupled with the delayed downshift causes the car to "lag" then "lunge" or lurch forward with almost reckless abandon.)

"Bucking," yep, that is another word for it.

You have "classic" tip or step or whatever the heck the modifier to "tronic" is du jour.

You however can be criticized since you actually had a choice and you chose an automatic -- what in the wide wide world of sports were you THINKING?!? See if you can turn this puppy back in and get a stick!

(I'm kidding -- mostly -- about that last sentence.) :shades:

kdshapiro · August 2005

"I don't even think it technically is a quirk -- the damn thing(s) are programmed to be very quick to get out of first gear (and very quick to upshift generally) probably to improve mileage."

The steptronic transmissions start in 2nd gear. When you use sport mode it starts in first gear. Definitely a gas saving measure. But when you average 20 mph going to work, there really is no need for jack rabbit starts. I never experienced the lag others talked about.

markcincinnati · August 2005

No wonder I was "underwhelmed" with the 530xi automatic I took out -- it was WAY less powerful than either my wife's stick 3.0 X3 or my 3.2 Audi (which DOES -- reluctantly -- start in first gear and immediately upshifts.)

I don't "hate" these "something-tronic" transmissions, but I don't really like them much. They are (especially on upshifts) hardly ever upshifting when I would upshift my manual transmission cars (I drove the Audi TT 6spd for the last time yesterday when I turned it in off lease.)

I have never driven ANY of them, Audi, Cadillac (CTS or STS), BMW, Chrysler 300C, Jeep Grand w/Hemi or Infiniti M35x that didn't have some sensation that could be accurately (and broadly) described as "hesitation."

I have resigned myself to "that's the way it is and probably ever shall be," and since I am not going to get a gas sucking V8 S4, I will probably be stuck with some form of a two pedal car.

The only car, today, I would probably really thoroughly enjoy is the 530xi with the stick shift. Timing, as they say, is EVERYTHING.

Next time, hopefully.

shipo · August 2005

Of late Ive been commuting daily along a 6.4 mile section of I-93 between Exit #3 in New Hampshire and Exit #48 in Massachusetts, a portion of a stretch that seems to have the highest number of Rear-End style of collisions of anywhere in the country. Hardly a week goes by where I dont see at least three such accidents on my very short portion, my wife who doesnt exit I-93 until Exit #39A, reports many more.

I told yall that so that I could tell ya this. Ive become aware of a troubling trend in these accidents, a trend that should be worrying to all of us who like driving BMWs. In just the last three weeks Ive seen five different BMWs and one MINI Cooper S involved in such a collision and in every case but one, the other car happened to be a Ford truck. Coincidence? I certainly hope so. The good news is that all of the drivers and passengers involved seem to have survived the incident without significant injury, including the folks who sat in the back seat of the Cooper that was Rear-Ended by a Ford F-250 4WD truck. Yikes! Just the thought of that scares me. Of course the bad news in all of this is that when a BMW (or a Cooper) gets hit from behind by a truck of any kind (Ford or otherwise), it makes a nasty mess of the car.

Anyway, to the point of this tragic story, yesterday morning while I was engaged in the uphill merge onto southbound I-93 at Exit #3 I saw a beautiful dark gray metallic E39 528i SP go cruising by me in the left (of two) lane, moving with traffic at somewhere north of 75 mph. Less than a mile after I completed my merge, and before I had been able to work my way into the left lane, I saw a cloud of rising blue smoke from the left lane a few hundred yards in front of me, very quickly followed by an arcing plume of car parts. Of course my lane immediately dropped anchor as well, taxing the brakes of my current mount (1998 Grand Caravan) to their very limit. As I approached the accident scene, I saw that that lovely 528i had managed to return the favor as it were and slam into a large Ford Econoline delivery van. Ouch! The hit was hard enough to make the drivers airbag egress from its usual hiding place in the steering wheel, buckle the hood in half and judging from the twin plumes issuing from the area of the engine, one blue (oil and/or rubber), one white (coolant), do significant damage to the contents of the engine compartment. My bet is that this world has seen the last of that E39, which gave its all to inform the Ford trucks of the world that BMWs dont like being pushed around. Unfortunately the Econoline, while damaged, will probably live to drive another day.

Best Regards,
Shipo

kdshapiro · August 2005

Yikes! Remind me not to drive anywhere near where you live. I'll take my chances on the free-for-all in the tri-state area. The driver of the that BMW is probably going to be facing some nasty financial surprises in the next couple of years.

larryoflebanon · August 2005

I could not agree more with your opinion on the 2001 BMW. I had a 2001 540i until it was totalled last month. No car I have driven since quite measures up to that. I have been wondering if the new 3 series may be a good substitute since it is almost as large as the old 5. Has anybody compared the two?

anthonyp · August 2005

It is easy to have things change in a hurry on the Interstate...I have seen alot of sliding around in the heavy thunderstorms the pop up.....I must admit even though I am getting more proficient with the Idrive, it really is dangerous to use except for the most easy things...I guess the worse danger would be to try and use the navigation..Tony

manybmws · August 2005

http://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/5/550isedan/default

SMG 0 -60 5.4 seconds!

kdshapiro · August 2005

Woot. They made sure it was a brute. I can't wait to see the real world gas mileage.

rich545 · August 2005

Hmm, I don't even think that makes it faster than the 545 was. In Edmunds' road test they took 5.6 seconds in the 545 with automatic so I imagine with SMG it would be about the same. I had heard from my salesman that the 550 would only be .01 seconds faster 0-60 so I guess he was at least close to right. I think where the real difference shows up is at higher speeds (say, 60-100). Anyway, I also noticed that Active Steering is now optional with the Sport Package whereas it wasn't when I bought mine. Also, the price jumped a bit of course!

rich545 · August 2005

Oh, and the gas mileage on my 545 is just about dead-on with what BMW published so I would guess that what they say the 550 will get will be very close to accurate as well.

manybmws · August 2005

Last 5-series brochure quoted:

5.7 seconds 0-60 SMG - so 550 is .3 seconds faster than 545.

rich545 · August 2005

Right, but Edmunds pulled 5.6 with an AUTO, not SMG. Maybe they'd be able to better the 5.4 SMG for the 550 too though. I'm just saying that it isn't that much faster at least 0-60 wouldn't you agree? Especially considering that you're paying about $3K more for that .3 second. Come on, work with me here! I'm trying not to be too annoyed that 2 years after I bought my 545 they came out with a 550! What do you think AUTO vs. AUTO would be in the real world?

kdshapiro · August 2005

Rich - BMW is quoting 5.5 seconds to 60 with the Auto. If BMW is quoting 5.5 seconds, the rags ought to be able to pull in the low 5s with an auto by their usual array of destructive write-once testing methods.

manybmws · August 2005

ya BMW brochures show a consistent .3 second difference independent of the transmission type. Their numbers are always conservative relative to real world independent tests. Just enjoy your 545 - it's plenty fast! I think that BMW has to up the ante versus the competition - it's about time. Even a Hemi Chrysler 300 is in the low 5s.

The brochure also shows that the area in the console below the radio has wood - that would be a nice upgrade.

rich545 · August 2005

I know, I know. I'm just kidding (for the most part!). It's actually scary to think that the 550 really is slightly faster because the 545 already feels ridiculously fast for a sedan. I noticed that additional wood too. I wonder if they can put it in any E60. I hope so because I think it looks a lot better. Does anyone know if the E60 is getting a facelift for 2007? That's about when I'll be trading this one in (I never keep BMW's past the original warranty so I'll be interested to see what changes (if any) are made to the car's appearance.

juniorbmw · August 2005

Is this what it costs to upgrade the warranty Full maintenance upgrade?

BMW service advisor was telling me that it would cost approx $3.5K to upgrade, but I think he was stating that it included an extended warranty and full maintenance.

I think this link from BMW's site is only for FULL MAINTENANCE.

Anybody's experience on this?

kyfdx · August 2005

Yeah... I would say that the $3500 is for warranty and maintenance..

The $1195 on the website is just for the maintenance..

bradesp · August 2005

I'm considering the purchase of a 120K mileage, 1999 528i BMW Wagon. I've never owned a BMW and have heard that if cared for properly will last a long time.

Can anyone comment on a 1999 528i with 120K miles from the following perspectives:

1. If cared for, how long should a model of this year/make last before a major engine overhaul?

2. What "expensive" maintenance shoudl I be certain has been done, or will need to be done given the mileage of the vehicle.

3. Anything else I should look out for as a buyer of this used vehicle?

Thanks!

bradesp

tyart · August 2005

Hi - I am thinking about buying a new BMW 530 and happen to be going to
Europe in a few months. I wanted to see if anyone had done the European
pick up before and how everything went. Thanks

tyart · August 2005

I am thinking about buying my first BMW - I am thinking about the 530 - What should
I expect to get off the MSRP. I am thinking around $2000, does that seem about right.
What do you think about the prium sound package, it seems a little much for $1800.
What do you think about the navigation system, it to seems a little high sense the car
already has the screen from the I-drive. That leads me to the next question, how
do you like the I-drive, is it helpful or a pain to workwith.

Anything that you can tell a new BMW owner will help!

THANKS

kyfdx · August 2005

Try here

freddybb · August 2005

Hi tyart,

I purchased my first BMW recently as well -- a 2006 530xi (all-wheel drive) that I am delighted with. I paid $2500 off the MSRP of $58,205 in the Boston area, and was able to thankfully do all of my negotiating painlessly by email with four or five different dealerships.

I got the Navigation and Premium Sound and think they are worth it. I am a HUGE fan of Navigation systems and will never buy a car without one. All my friends who buy cars without navigation systems end up regretting their decisions once they use one. IDrive is very easy to use for me (I work with computers although I am NOT a software engineer) and I very much like the way the console is clean and uncluttered because of IDrive. They have done a lot to make it easier to use (the programmable buttons on the steering wheel, the menu button, etc.) and it is really not a problem at all. In fact, it is beginning to grow on me and I like it.

Hope that helps.

anthonyp · August 2005

Got a stationwagon, and discount of three thousand...They had three on hand and were motivated at the end of the month...Tried to get a 7 and they would not come down (2500) on that so am now looking at Audi.. The navigation is o.k. but after you have had them for a while you really need to know where you are going and be careful as they will route you the long way if not careful....The upgraded stereo is very nice...Tony ps the bmw was msrp over sisty one thousand

juniorbmw · August 2005

I too got my first BMW in Nov 04 (05 530i) & I got the NAV.

And the NAV is indispensable to somebody who uses their vehicle on the road a lot to earn their living, such as any sort of a salesperson, or any sort of a field person who visits clients in the field.

And while I hear that Acura has the NAV system, BMWs does take some getting use to, but after one long road trip with it, any driver should be comfortable with it.

Its the best $2K Ive spent for this accessory, I would strongly recommend you get it & you wont be sorry.

spiritinthesky · August 2005

I just returned from a spur of the moment trip to Germany in whcih I had the opportunity to drive a new BMW 550i 6-speed and accompany a business partner to pick up his new 997S coupe. Well worth the frequent flier miles and slight abuse from my wife for missing my mother in law's birthday party.

Rich545, I've got bad news for you. The new 550i is much faster than the 545i verses what BMW published test times would indicate. The engine revs much more freely and I'm guessing that in actual performance, it would split the difference between my 2002 M5 and the 545i 6-speed. It might even be closer to the M5. It's that good. The particular car I drove was a BMW executive's personal car with 8,000 kilometers on the odometer. I was assured that it was a standard production car without any extra goodies under the hood.

On a side note, I also got to try out a 911 S out on the Porsche test track. That was also quite an experience. Porsche is even worse than BMW in low balling the performance of the new 997 S. Their published figures show 4.6 seconds 0-60. However, the car I drove - also properly broken in - was every bit as quick as a 996 Turbo (sans X50 package). Based upon my experience, the 3.9 figure Road and Track got was no mistake. Equally impressive to me was the improvement in handling and overall build quality and refinement.

Nice time to be in the market for a performance sedan or sports car.

BMW 5-Series Sedans

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