[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

My original treatise was acknowledging the M850 to only the BMW line-up. Comparing it to other makes & models was not the intent of my thread.

That would involve a much, much wider discussion. Although, I feel it would acquit itself quite nicely.

Yeah, I get it. In this space, but I'm with you. I legitimately think the 8er is the best GT in its class when you consider all factors - price, performance, luxuries, etc. I just didn't get want to get into saying one is better than the rest due to subjectivity.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

It was probably the best car I ever had (you can't beat the engineering and sheer power of a V8 M-Car), but the ride can be harsh in town, the brakes squeal like a school bus and the A/C was never good enough.
.

interesting, i was told the Competition had improved damping, was yours a Comp?

steel brakes?

presumably most of the AC was channelled to cool the engine

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by G30M

interesting, i was told the Competition had improved damping, was yours a Comp?

steel brakes?

presumably most of the AC was channelled to cool the engine

I buried this early on in the thread - sorry for the confusion.

I had a 2019 M5 Base (the Comp I test drove at the time felt quite rough on my city streets.) At 17 months, my dealer sent me a letter saying to "Come on down and get a new (2021) LC M5 - and we'll keep your payments the same." I was already at 22,000 miles. So, I went down. They only had 2 M5s on the lot - both LCI Comps, which I was dying to try out anyway, since they really put in a nice suspension upgrade - you are correct. After 2 minutes I knew it was a huge improvement over my pre-LCI Base. The Comp was an $8,000 upgrade at the time, but somehow I was able to wangle a killer deal and drove away with it for about $50/mo more and a fresh new warranty - and wiped 22,000 miles off the clock. The car had a much more enjoyable ride for sure, but small pavement imperfections, manhole covers and potholes eventually drove me batty. It's not horrible, I just felt a $125,000 car should just ride better. Especially when my 3 series loaner didn't bang over the same spots.

Yes, they were steel brakes. There's about 50 threads on the M5 and M8 forums talking about noisy brakes. This was before the Isweep brakes came out, I believe, which a lot of forum members swear by. They are way quieter and eliminate most of the dust - which is totally nuts on the M5.

My M850 brakes have never squealed once and the dust is manageable. The M3 poster currently at the top of the front page is complaining about the noise and dust, and why a car of this caliber and cost has to put up with it. The struggle is real my friends.

A/C re-routed to cool the engine........... You might have something there.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

but small pavement imperfections, manhole covers and potholes eventually drove me batty. It's not horrible, I just felt a $125,000 car should just ride better. Especially when my 3 series loaner didn't bang over the same spots.

Yes, they were steel brakes. There's about 50 threads on the M5 and M8 forums talking about noisy brakes. This was before the Isweep brakes came out, I believe, which a lot of forum members swear by. They are way quieter and eliminate most of the dust - which is totally nuts on the M5.

thanks, i feel vindicated getting the M550 because the roads in my area are the worst roads in the entire developed world (1st world problems i know). and somehow the 550 just glides over them like a magic carpet even with RFTs on 20s. i'm actually going to go to 19s soon.

also glad to know about the steel brakes, i am just finding every reason to not get the M5C, and I think i have enough reasons now thanks a million. reason i asked if steel - i guess it's the brake pads. because all other cars have steel brakes too and luckily mine don't squeal.

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by G30M

thanks, i feel vindicated getting the M550 because the roads in my area are the worst roads in the entire developed world (1st world problems i know). and somehow the 550 just glides over them like a magic carpet even with RFTs on 20s. i'm actually going to go to 19s soon.

also glad to know about the steel brakes, i am just finding every reason to not get the M5C, and I think i have enough reasons now thanks a million. reason i asked if steel - i guess it's the brake pads. because all other cars have steel brakes too and luckily mine don't squeal.

It's the steel in the full M Car brakes. I had an M550 for 34,000 miles. They never squealed once, either. BMW has to have brakes on the M Cars be able to handle track sessions. Even though probably less than 10% of those folks would ever track their car. My M850 weighs as much as an M8, goes nearly as fast, yet there's nary a peep out of them. Same with your M550 vs the M5, I'm sure.

There seems to be plenty of other aftermarket brake pads out there for the M5s and M8s, but no one seems totally happy.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

It's the steel in the full M Car brakes. I had an M550 for 36,000 miles. They never squealed once, either. BMW has to have brakes on the M Cars be able to handle track sessions. Even though probably less than 10% of those folks would ever track their car. My M850 weighs as much as an M8, goes nearly as fast, yet there's nary a peep out of them. Same with your M550 vs the M5, I'm sure.

There seems to be plenty of other aftermarket brake pads out there for the M5s and M8s, but no one seems totally happy.

got it, thanks. this surely has to douse my M5 itch, surely.

the more i drive my Kia (it's a fun fling toy with mental sound system but super crashy harsh over bumps) the more i appreciate the luxury of the higher number non full M BMWs. (sold my M340i because of the Kia lol)

hope you get to enjoy many more miles of the 850

[Gautam]

Wow, putting BMW’s to work as they were made to do!

[chassis]

Great thread, thanks for the photography and enthusiasm!

[eliphil]

Love your car great lines reminds me of my old rs7. I just could not get comfortable in the 850, the M550 just fit me better. Your lucky w a great car and great views….

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by Gautam

Wow, putting BMW’s to work as they were made to do!

Ain't no garage queens around this house

Originally Posted by chassis

Great thread, thanks for the photography and enthusiasm!

Thanks. This car (and the road) makes it easy to be enthusiastic.

[Gautam]

I was resisting but can resist no more, why the m850 over the m550 LCI? What makes the 8er better?

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by Gautam

I was resisting but can resist no more, why the m850 over the m550 LCI? What makes the 8er better?

Hah.........how much time ya got?

Kidding......I see you have a 2018 M550. Which means you know what a great car it is. My M550 was a 2018 also. I had it for 2 years and we went 34,000 miles in it. I was only able to take it on 2 long trips, however: 2,500 miles out to Yellowstone and 2,300 miles down to Yosemite by way of the Pacific Coast Highway.

Grand Tetons


I'll try to be as objective as possible. I personally think the M550 was the best value in the BMW line-up: Great styling (that hadn't been effed up yet), great power, great handling and at a not break the bank price. Too bad they discontinued it.

I absolutely loved the G30 M550, after coming from a 2014 F10 550xi. It was pre-LCI, so only 456 hp instead of 523 hp. Still plenty fast, though. The seats were unreal - best I've ever had in any car. I had the Dynamic Handling Package, so the ride comfort and handling were exceptional. But, the F90 M5 called. I answered. My 2019 Base lasted 17 months and 21,500 miles. One trip to Utah for 3,500 miles. The ride left me missing the comfort of the M550, however. A friend of mine then upgraded his 2017 540xi to a new 2021 M550. I drove it, but was still glad to get back in my M5. His car had the 523 hp engine, but this was before anyone knew that they weren't putting out full power yet. Soon after, I stepped up into an LCI M5C because of the new suspension upgrades. Big improvement. I had that car for 17 months and drove 23,000 miles. It went on a 2,000 mile trip to Wallowa Lake and 4,200 miles out to Mt Rushmore and the Rockies. What an awesome road car that was.

All in, I've been able to pull off 10 long trips in my 4 V-8s since 2017. Two in the M550, three in the M5s and five in the M850. I feel my sample set is sufficient for this discussion.


I drove my friend's M550 after he got his full horsepower. I also drove an M850 for fun, around the same time. Both equally fast, but the M850 cabin felt more luxurious - and cocooned. Which is weird, because I didn't like the feeling when I drove a couple 650s before I settled on the M550 back in 2017. You sit a lot lower, too. But the styling of the F06 6 Series is just killer. So, I really wanted an 8 series as soon as I saw them. I originally wanted an M8, but deals had vanished, rates were going up and the market was going down. I kept thinking maybe the M850 is the right car, because I knew how much I enjoyed the M550. When I found my M850 on the lot and then drove it, I knew I would be happy - even with almost 100 fewer HP than my current M5. And a less harsh ride. A person still has to drive around in their city. I had built several M550s and M850s on the configurator in the previous 2 years, but the M850 styling always won me over.

So, M850 styling over the M550. The price delta was about $25,000 dollars (I'm still not sure where it all goes) and the M850 cabin felt nicer. I feel like my car rides a lot better than my friend's. I think it sounds better. The overall experience felt better, just like an M550 would feel better than a 540, which feels better than a 530. All great cars - the more expensive ones are just better. Especially when you are tooling down the road at 75 mph on a windy road for 10 hours a day.

I now have 36,600 miles on the M850. More than the M550, but relatively equal. Again, I really liked my M550, but, it's M850 all the way.

The M550 is such a fine looking car.


But, it's not this.




Sorry for the long winded answer, but, you asked

[2011ninja]

Outstanding!

I have a road trip planned for Destin, Florida from Connecticut.

2022 G80 6 MT M3

[MT6]

Amazing trip and write up

[zamboni]

Excellent write up and thanks for sharing the epic trip photos.

[bholler]

Legendary

[Bimmerfun82]

This brought back some memories from my road trips out west, especially 395 and hwy1 (in a measley ol’ 3 series!) and telluride (in a Tahoe, boo). Thank you for sharing! My guess is the M850 is the perfect GT.

[xmanpro]

Awesome journey ! Congrats on the front page!

[John Casey]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

There's a lot of fabulous things to see on this side of the country.

Please delete all of the Utah photos immediately. It's a terrible place to be. Everyone move to Colorado instead.

[HP Guy78]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

Its been a glorious two years of driving. As such, I am very enthusiastic about this car. Is this thread overkill? Probably.

Sedona, AZ
Attachment 3437633

Crested Butte, CO
Attachment 3437634

Southeastern Utah
Attachment 3437635

Jasper, Alberta
Attachment 3437636

Glacier National Park
Attachment 3437637

The answer to the above question is a resounding yes. Yes, it is the best GT car in the BMW lineup. There, I made it easy for you.

Note: There'll be a lot more pictures at the end of my blathering.

My 2022 M850 turns 2 years old today and now has 36,500 miles. It has also become my favorite car......ever. And I've driven nearly 820,000 miles so far, thus, I don't make this distinction lightly.

Granted, I haven't owned gobs of BMWs - but, I have owned 10. The E60 5 series turned into the F10 5 series - all six cylinders, one MT. Then the first of the V-8s: an F10 550xi, a G30 M550xi, an F90 M5 Base and also an F90 LCI M5 Comp. All great cars. All great on the road. The fun factor really ratcheted up with the graduation to the V-8s. The M550 was sublime, even with "only" 456 HP. The M5s were insane, obviously. Part of me wanted an M8 (well, most of me....), but I thought the M850 might be the real sweet spot for what I wanted in a car. I needed very fast - check. I needed great styling - check (Duh). I needed luxury and comfort - check. (M cars can be a "tad" harsh, [...]

Just awesome read. 👏

[deemo319]

I recall your original post when you got the car and took it on an epic trip.

Now you have a two year up date and to say you are doing exactly what the car was built for, long drives and arriving at your destination relaxed.

Your pictures are just gorgeous and they only make me want to visit the western states that much more. Although, I am going to say that I will resemble Clevon Little in Blazing Saddles when I go out west.

Your detailed and thorough descriptions of your car and experiences traveling the western states behind the wheel makes for great reading and the pictures only enhance your story. Well done.

[Neusser]

BMW's best brawny cruiser, IMO.

I also like the looks quite a bit--particularly the rear.

Not the best in terms of the drive, though. Quite a few above it, I'd say. The '50 cars all have the problem of being hefty in the nose like an Audi, but they don't get the same attention the M versions get in order to help dial that out, and I am not sure straight line power could offset the sum total of deficiencies vs. another series BMW that is lighter but tunable--or just going straight M car.