[Neusser]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

You write that the 550 is less dynamic, whatever that means, and that it is only good for straight line acceleration, which does not interest you. I’d like to see a track test of both and my guess is the 550i would spank the 540i in a straight line and around the track. Both the 540i and the 550i are mid size luxury cruisers.

What we know for a fact is that one car has 55% of its weight over the front axle (about 54% is usually considered a critical threshold for anything that purports to be sporting), but runs the same tire size and track width as the car that doesn't. Even the brakes are the same with the M pack.

Balance makes a driver's car a driver's car. The 550 is not only less dynamic, it is less dynamic in a way that you can't change once you near the limits of grip--add in AWD and you have bags of understeer.

[pbonsalb]

Maybe the 530i is the most dynamic 5 series? You should get one.

[DrVenture]

Thanks for the info. I missed that it was only for the 540. The reflective tape is a good thought. Wrapping the cat piping is also a good idea.

[pbonsalb]

I read that one should not wrap cats — that it could make them too hot internally, so I wrapped only the pile in and out. Then while changing the oil on my 2021 Cayenne S, I noticed the Porsche cats in the hot V are fully wrapped from the factory, though with that thin quilted metal sheet wrap.

[drive_to_survive]

Don't know if OP has made a purchase or not, but here are my 2 cents.

I have a 2021 540i (Stage 2 E30 now) and have also driven a 2021 M550i extensively.

Stock to stock, the M550i feels like a powerhouse in regular driving, and I would go for the M550i, hands down.

Between a stock M550i and a Stage 2 E30 540i, I would go for the 540i.

If you plan to keep the car stock mostly or NOT keep it outside warranty period, the M550i is the experience to choose.

If you want to mod it overtime and keep it for longer periods, go for the 540i.

the B58 is cheaper to mod, generally more reliable to keep, super efficient even after stage 2 MOD. (I still get 34- 36 mpg on highways) and feels a tad more responsive and smoother than the N63TU2.

[BlkGS]

I would never used the words "more reliable" when speaking of a modified turbo BMW. Certainly compared to a stock V8 BMW.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by Captain Starbucks

Hi all,

After a 4 year break from owning a BMW (2011 M3 w/6MT) and going down the EV trail, I'm considering stepping back into the world of not only ICE, but BMW as well.

Considering that I'm mid 50's, two kids 7 and 10, wife, and I commute 52 miles a day, it's easy to justify keeping my EV (2012 Model S) because it's truly easy to live with, but the range is starting to suffer and I need a new car one way or the other. Another boring but fast AF EV makes sense.

Reasons for the M550i is that it'll be one of the last V8's made. Regardless of how amazing the 540 and B58 is, I do like V8's (still own a 1968 Impala w/327 bought brand new by my folks, and my 2001 F250 diesel w/6MT). But the reality is, I just drone back and forth to work, run errands, etc. I'm definitely a car guy, but my weekends are spent fishing, hunting, camping, boating, kids stuff. No canyon carving, no car related stuff for the most part.

So, my comfort level of spending is $50k-ish. CPO a must. 2022 M550's are a bit over that amount, 540's a bit below. So if you had to choose, would you step the budget up a bit and go M550, or go 540i Xdrive w/DHP? I'm finding DHP is not super common. Or maybe just not listed.

I've watched all the videos, read all the chatter, I just feel like talking about it and if you're here, you probably do to.

Rob in Tacoma

No 5 series experience but my experience with other cars is when available I prefer the V8 engine option over fewer number of cylinders engine.

The V8 makes more power which given the usage in this context isn't required but what it does mean is the engine is very lightly stressed.

But I note the 540i has xDrive and maybe where you live/drive AWD is a real benefit? If so that could tip the scales in favor of the 540i with its 6-cylinder engine. Still a good engine and equally unstressed given your usage.

[drive_to_survive]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

I would never used the words "more reliable" when speaking of a modified turbo BMW. Certainly compared to a stock V8 BMW.

how about a stage 1 Gen1 B58 vs the Gen 1 STOCK N63

(And yes, its the TU3 here which is vastly more reliable than the gen1 N63.)

A careful tune where the individual components are not pushed to their full duty cycle, on a reliable platform to begin with will probably run good for many miles.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by drive_to_survive

how about a stage 1 Gen1 B58 vs the Gen 1 STOCK N63

(And yes, its the TU3 here which is vastly more reliable than the gen1 N63.)

A careful tune where the individual components are not pushed to their full duty cycle, on a reliable platform to begin with will probably run good for many miles.

I'd probably say both of those are just waiting to cost you a fortune, lol. And to be fair, if you're gonna compare to a Gen1 N63, you have to compare that to a modded N54. Which well, those are almost all broken by now, lol.

[drive_to_survive]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

I'd probably say both of those are just waiting to cost you a fortune, lol. And to be fair, if you're gonna compare to a Gen1 N63, you have to compare that to a modded N54. Which well, those are almost all broken by now, lol.

lol. That’s fair. The point I was trying to make on reliability was it’s not just about modded vs stock, rather the current state of stress on all the components involved.

[Captain Starbucks]

Thanks for all of the info gents. No, I have not bought a car yet. June 2025 is my target. I'm one of those people who will research sometimes years prior to making a large purchase like this.

I do have a few more questions:

Is rear seat-heater wiring already in place? I live in Washington State. Not super cold, but I made a promise to my kids (spoiled I know) that the next car will have heated rear seats. I can certainly install myself but if the wiring is already in place, that makes me not consider rear-seat-heater optioned cars only. I know a shop or myself can do for cheap though.

Is the Bowers and Wilkens available on the 540 as well?

Does the Harmon Kardon actually suck, or just not great? Hard to tell from the reviews. Some love it, audiophiles seem to dislike it. Crutchfield doesn't really show any easy upgrades to the HK system.

Reading through all of your comments made me understand something about myself I've never noticed before. I think there is a difference now between a "drivers car" and "an enthusiast car". My E90 M3 6MT was both so I didn't realize there was a difference. Maybe the 540 is the drivers car, maybe not. Maybe the M550 is the enthusiast car, maybe not. Regardless, V8 noises make my skin goosey so that's most likely the route I'll go.

Either choice, I'm not going to tune. The Model S I drive now is about 4.4 secs. I'll be the last person in the world to say point and squirt is over rated, but the 550 is more than quick enough for me and the 540 close enough to what I have now to make me content and I'm sure they both handle way better than my 4,700 lb electric that eats 4 tires at $1600 every single year.

Thanks again for your input.

Rob in Tacoma, Washington.

[BMWbiker]

Originally Posted by Captain Starbucks

Thanks for all of the info gents. No, I have not bought a car yet. June 2025 is my target. I'm one of those people who will research sometimes years prior to making a large purchase like this.

I do have a few more questions:

Is rear seat-heater wiring already in place? I live in Washington State. Not super cold, but I made a promise to my kids (spoiled I know) that the next car will have heated rear seats. I can certainly install myself but if the wiring is already in place, that makes me not consider rear-seat-heater optioned cars only. I know a shop or myself can do for cheap though.

Is the Bowers and Wilkens available on the 540 as well?

Does the Harmon Kardon actually suck, or just not great? Hard to tell from the reviews. Some love it, audiophiles seem to dislike it. Crutchfield doesn't really show any easy upgrades to the HK system.

Reading through all of your comments made me understand something about myself I've never noticed before. I think there is a difference now between a "drivers car" and "an enthusiast car". My E90 M3 6MT was both so I didn't realize there was a difference. Maybe the 540 is the drivers car, maybe not. Maybe the M550 is the enthusiast car, maybe not. Regardless, V8 noises make my skin goosey so that's most likely the route I'll go.

Either choice, I'm not going to tune. The Model S I drive now is about 4.4 secs. I'll be the last person in the world to say point and squirt is over rated, but the 550 is more than quick enough for me and the 540 close enough to what I have now to make me content and I'm sure they [...]

Here are a couple more thoughts.

You sound like an excellent candidate for a 550e, if you can stretch your budget. You get the smooth and reliable b58, and an electric motor. You can charge the car overnight, and drive your children to school then go to work solely on electric power. (Bonus if you can charge the car for free at work.) You can put it in sport mode and accelerate rapidly as you play in the twisties.

Have you considered an M440i xdrive Gran Coupe? It can be ordered with rear seat heaters. It has plenty of room for four, and can fit a fifth if the rear seat occupants get along well. It’s a hatchback, so it holds a lot of stuff. Its rated 0-60 MPH is 4.4 seconds. It gets remarkably good gas mileage. They’re harder to find, depending on what options you want (such as heated rear seats—mine doesn’t have that), but worth the effort.

[STi from DSM]

Just me but I would get a 2018 - 2020 M5 instead. $50k wouldn't cut it, but I bet $55k could get you into an F90 M5 instead. The LCI look is great, but pre LCI still looks pretty good. If you can swing a 2020 M5 they are pre LCI, but have the updated display which is a huge upgrade.

[Captain Starbucks]

Thanks for the replies guys, I do appreciate it. The reason the M550i post LCI appeals to me so much is that it's a great cruiser, sounds fantastic and has all the lux I want, but it's also not too heavy. From a resale perspective (and one of the primary reasons I'm selling my EV) the M5 makes the most sense, but the modern M's are just too hardcore for a daily. And let's be real, I'm just a middle aged dad that never goes to the track.

As far as a plug in hybrid BMW..well, I think I'll leave the hybrid market to the Japanese. I don't want a 5,000 lb German barge. And hybrid technology on a luxury car hardly pencils out.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by Captain Starbucks

Thanks for all of the info gents. No, I have not bought a car yet. June 2025 is my target. I'm one of those people who will research sometimes years prior to making a large purchase like this.

I do have a few more questions:

Is rear seat-heater wiring already in place? I live in Washington State. Not super cold, but I made a promise to my kids (spoiled I know) that the next car will have heated rear seats. I can certainly install myself but if the wiring is already in place, that makes me not consider rear-seat-heater optioned cars only. I know a shop or myself can do for cheap though.

Is the Bowers and Wilkens available on the 540 as well?

Does the Harmon Kardon actually suck, or just not great? Hard to tell from the reviews. Some love it, audiophiles seem to dislike it. Crutchfield doesn't really show any easy upgrades to the HK system.

Reading through all of your comments made me understand something about myself I've never noticed before. I think there is a difference now between a "drivers car" and "an enthusiast car". My E90 M3 6MT was both so I didn't realize there was a difference. Maybe the 540 is the drivers car, maybe not. Maybe the M550 is the enthusiast car, maybe not. Regardless, V8 noises make my skin goosey so that's most likely the route I'll go.

Either choice, I'm not going to tune. The Model S I drive now is about 4.4 secs. I'll be the last person in the world to say point and squirt is over rated, but the 550 is more than quick enough for me and the 540 close enough to what I have now to make me content and I'm sure they both handle way better than my 4,700 lb electric that eats 4 tires at $1600 every single year.

Thanks again for your input.

Rob in Tacoma, Washington.

I had a M340i. then I drove a M550i with DHP. it was so good i sold the M340i.

If you ever think about a M550i vs anything with a lower number, you want to get the M550i, preferably with DHP.

[bortous85]

Originally Posted by G30M

I had a M340i. then I drove a M550i with DHP. it was so good i sold the M340i.

If you ever think about a M550i vs anything with a lower number, you want to get the M550i, preferably with DHP.

This is exactly what I thought after test driving both.
The M550i is just better in every way, from the steering to the brakes and feels more planted.
It does have a superior double wishbone suspension setup also.
The DHP is amazing.
I saw a track time for this vehicle and it was actually quicker than a non competition M5 and around 3 seconds slower than an M5 competition.
However, I'm not sure what tires the M550 had or if it was also with DHP.

[pbonsalb]

I have never seen any test showing any M550 faster than any M5 around a track and every review I have seen says it would not be. Here is one.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a35942311/2

I think the non-crossover exhaust manifold gives a better sound to the M550.