I am into four door luxury sport. I am not a real man - I do not track, and I do not hoon. Worst of all, I'm not very good with a manual. I rotate my own tires and change my own oil, but that's about it.

Currently, been in a 2009 328i with premium package (but not sport) for over three years.

Considering an upgrade to this:

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2015&zip=20634&sellerType=d&sellerTypes=d%2Ct&maxPrice=40000&mmt=%5BBMW%5B550I%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&modelCode1=550I&sortBy=derivedpriceASC&showcaseOwnerId=72415&makeCode1=BMW&startYear=2010&maxMileage=60000&searchRadius=100&listingId=372993807&Log=0

...to be at least a 5 year daily driver (15k miles/year). Thinking of making the trip this weekend for a test drive. Never owned anything but an NA engine, so I don't know what I'm getting into on that front - I've read everything from "they WILL fail" to "if you're a normal driver who opens it up every now and then, then the OEM stock scrolls will be fine."

So let's hear it - green light, or am I a fool?

8/8/2014 2:40:52 PM

I upgraded to an f10 and love it. It's a big heavy bitch, but the ride is not numb like you would get in similar non-german luxury cars of the size. that's a little more mileage than mine so I can't tell you if there are any maintenance issues after warranty (mine is a company lease, so I don't care about that). I can't remember what packages I have, but I have the upgraded seats that move and bend in a million directions and I've never been more comfortable in a car.

(Have you owned a black car before? I hate black cars because they only look clean and polished for a few hours.)

8/8/2014 2:49:00 PM

Go get an Infinity M37 or M56 instead. 2011 - same year.

You'll get a lot more car, features and performance for the price.

I just bought a 2011 M56 Sport + Touring package with 42,000 miles on it for $31K. Heated/cooled seats, heated steering wheel, 16 speaker bose system (2 on top of the driver and passenger seat), nav/traffic/weather, 10 GB harddrive in addition to blue tooth / iphone hookup / cd player, 20" rims, sun shade, more wood grain, better seats and a 420 hp 5.7L v8

8/8/2014 2:52:01 PM

^

Quote :

"more wood grain"

Careful, they'll crucify us around here for that.

Quote :

"Have you owned a black car before?"

Yes, before the 328i was a 2005 Lexus IS300. Black on black. It got hot.

I guess there's aesthetic preference consideration here too. I never even bothered searching because I really, really dislike the exterior on those Infinitis. But considering the magntitude of this upgrade, I will add them back into the mix.

8/8/2014 3:02:02 PM

Quote :

"Careful, they'll crucify us around here for that."

I'll allow it.

8/8/2014 3:15:58 PM

8/8/2014 3:24:44 PM

Infinity is rwd, tho

8/8/2014 3:30:18 PM

Quote :

"I just bought a 2011 M56 Sport + Touring package with 42,000 miles on it for $31K"

You got raped on that deal.

8/8/2014 3:50:14 PM

Infinitis have terrible steering feedback, they feel too numb.

And don't infinitis depreciate like a mofo?

8/8/2014 5:10:55 PM

ahem, NMSJ

8/8/2014 6:17:01 PM

GTFOH with that Nissan shit

8/9/2014 9:20:23 AM

Toyota Avalon

8/9/2014 10:36:47 AM

Quote :

"Infinity is rwd, tho"

Yea I know. But they look too similar.

Anyway a buddy of mine recently got a 550i. It's nice GT style sedan.

8/9/2014 10:50:24 AM

if you're getting an auto and not taking it to the track, get a hyundai genesis v8 or equus. you get more luxury in those than any nissan or bmw. i'd also look at an amg merc

8/9/2014 11:21:53 AM

The car that he is looking at is listed at $36k, the new equus cost twice that and the new genesis with the 5.0 has a list price starting at just over $50k (and a spec'd v6 is going to be in the $40k's)

8/9/2014 11:37:00 AM

why would you assume I wasn't suggesting a similarly used car?

[Edited on August 9, 2014 at 11:38 AM. Reason : hyundai has a 100k warranty, too]

8/9/2014 11:38:20 AM

i was assuming you meant the new genesis (which you can't find a similar mileage used model yet) which is awesome and not the last gen genesis which is okay/meh

8/9/2014 11:59:44 AM

Last-gen Genesis R-spec with the 5.0 is a little better than meh. Though I've never driven one so there's that.

Equus is an incredible car, but it's an S-class/7-series competitor. Those things are HUGE.

8/9/2014 5:25:57 PM

we test drove one and seriously considered it. if you are used to BMW's (or any German luxury vehicle and I suspect any luxury Japanese) its nice but nothing special, price is really what it had going for it.

i haven't driven the new Genesis yet but love the styling and if I changed jobs and had to by myself a car it would be the leading contender

8/9/2014 5:37:59 PM

Also - I'd like to point out that you can have an e9x M3 for 36k now. Why would you look at any of this other bullshit - 550i included

[Edited on August 10, 2014 at 1:55 PM. Reason : .]

8/10/2014 1:54:05 PM

haha, he already isn't enough of a car guy to appreciate a 328i. You and I would love an M3 (although I probably wouldn't get one over a 335i unless I planned to track it, which I would, so...), but it sounds like he should probably steer towards Lexus (or even a Camry or Avalon), not the other direction towards an ///M, haha.

8/10/2014 6:13:55 PM

^^probably because he doesn't care about performance as much, and wouldn't be happy getting 19 mpg hwy with the M3.

8/11/2014 8:23:58 AM

I've actually driven (rentals, family members) Camry, Accord, Avalon, Lexus ES, and really, really, really despised my time in them. Steering was liquid and unconnected, had no pickup, zero excitement from engine note, no fun on on-ramps, and body styles that I would not be caught dead in.

I love my 328i for all those reasons. So I am enough of a car guy to appreciate a 328i. But yes, it is probably a true statement that relative to you folks, I "don't care about performance as much."

Anyway, I am expecting the 550i to be a step further in that direction. Maybe I'm wrong. I would just go test drive one, but there isn't one within many miles of where I live. Hence this thread. It's a full day commitment and a long drive to make, and I'm trying to vet whether it's worth it or not.

edit: I do not, nor have I ever cared about gas mileage. It absolutely has never factored into any car I've purchased.

[Edited on August 11, 2014 at 1:25 PM. Reason : ]

8/11/2014 1:22:55 PM

Yes, my statement was said in the manner of you caring somewhat about car aesthetics and handling already (given your 328). Going from a 328 to a 550 is not, in my opinion, going towards a more performance minded vehicle. Gaining lots of power yes, but also losing as much, if not more, in the handling department.

And unless you drive very little I'm pretty sure you would care about fuel mileage if it was a pitiful as what the M3 delivers. But if you still don't care, then may I suggest test driving an E90 M3 sedan and a Mercedes C63 AMG?

And forgive me if I missed it, but why exactly do you want to make the switch to the larger 5 Series? If you need the room disregard my above suggestion.

[Edited on August 11, 2014 at 2:48 PM. Reason : k]

8/11/2014 2:47:25 PM

if you want a car that's great at eating interstate miles and being comfortable while stuck in traffic, this car is great. if you want to occasionally go to VIR, this is not the right car.

8/11/2014 2:49:29 PM

Quote :

"Going from a 328 to a 550 is not, in my opinion, going towards a more performance minded vehicle. Gaining lots of power yes, but also losing as much, if not more, in the handling department."

Ding ding. This is the kind of advice I was looking for.

Quote :

"And forgive me if I missed it, but why exactly do you want to make the switch to the larger 5 Series? If you need the room disregard my above suggestion."

Really, I'm in a good place right now as far as life situation goes, and was going to treat myself. I've actually never even been in a 5 series before - I thought it would be essentially a "more 3 series" ish. But I'm understanding that the added weight is not compensated for, and it suffers in handling.

Seems more and more like I should skip the whole thing and just spend the weekend detailing my 328i, do some long-overdue minor repairs, wash+wax, and fall in love with it all over again...

8/11/2014 3:29:24 PM

There ya go. And if you're a huge fan of your 3 series (who wouldn't be) but want more power you can always upgrade to a 335i.

8/11/2014 4:50:13 PM

Absolutely. The "3-series but more" is the 335i. Best all-around car per dollar that I've ever driven.

That said, I'd just clean up the 328i really nicely and keep your very nice car and money, unless you're more of a car guy than it sounds like you are, even if you are into cars enough to not want a Camry.

5-series is very nice, but unless you need the size (and a 3-series is as big as a 5 was not too ago, so I'd say that most people really don't need the larger size if they're honest with themselves). The 5 drives well, but it is nowhere near as lively as the 3. There's really a significant difference. The 550 will produce more power, but it's also bigger. It'll be faster than your 328, but I seriously doubt it's meaningfully (if any) faster than a 335i.

For reference, my dad has a 645i and a 535i (that his wife primarily drives). He has owned the following BMWs: Z3 2.8, 330i sedan (e46), 335i (e90), 530i, 535i, 645i, X5 (1st and 2nd gen).

He's about to sell the 645i and go back to a 335i convertible. He's not a die-hard car nut like me...probably more like the way you describe yourself, and even he prefers the drive of a 3 (and could buy any BMW he wants).

I have driven all of those cars, along with an e36 M3, a few e46 M3s, a 135i, and an e46 330i coupe that I owned. In my opinion, aside from the ///M cars, the 335i/135i are the best by a wide margin (I have not driven a 328i of that generation). My next favorite would have been my old 330i, followed by the 535i and 530i. I actually prefer the 5-series sedan over the 6-series coupe, and I prefer a 3-series coupe over either of them.

_________________________________________________

Short answer: You have the right car already. Keep what you've got and save your money, to boot. If you absolutely cannot stand to keep the money, then sell the 328i and buy an '09-'11 335i (I think those are the best years. You want e90 generation, whatever the least problematic years are for high-pressure fuel pumps [HPFPs]).

[Edited on August 11, 2014 at 6:17 PM. Reason : treat yourself to some mutual funds and/or some cool travel or something.]

8/11/2014 6:16:57 PM

Thx fellas. So the answer to my thread is a resounding no. It is decided.

8/11/2014 7:37:10 PM

Yeah, the 5 is great, but what it offers over a 3, for a price premium, is more space and a more sedate nature. It isn't meaningfully "nicer", in my opinion...just bigger and less energetic.

8/11/2014 11:28:48 PM

I’d say things, but I don’t need to, duke’s already said everything I would say, in pretty much the way I’d say it, so just consider this a +1 of whatever he’s saying.

On that topic, I’ve read that the 5 series is FAR more profitable than the 3, precisely b/c it’s essentially a larger 3 series, with a very significant price bump for not much difference other than size.

Side note, say no to any BMW engine that’s not a modern inline 6. BMW continues to prove that they’re not good at making other engines lol

8/11/2014 11:35:57 PM

thanks

Minor, minor correction: I meant to say that I would prefer a 3-series sedan over either a 5 or 6-series, not a 3-series coupe, although that would be a true statement, too.

...but screw a 3-series coupe. The sedan is more practical, equal or better performance, less money, and shorter door arcs. There are only 3 reasons to ever buy a 3-series coupe:

1. ///M3 of a generation when the sedan wasn't offered (e30 and e46)
2. e92 ///M3 without a sunroof, so as to get that sweet carbon-fiber roof.
3. e36 ///M3 coupe is acceptable, because the sedans with a manual are way harder to find.

There is no reason to ever buy a non-///M, 2-door, 3-series.


The same logic means that there is also a pretty weak case for the 135i, because it is so damned heavy...it's like they made a 3-series the size of a 3 instead of a 5-series again, but still pretty much as heavy as a 3-series (or probably a 5 from a few years ago), and don't charge much less money for it.

Oh, and apparently somehow made it understeer more than a 3.

It's pretty perplexing. I have long been a BMW fan, and I still love their motorcycles, but their cars and I are drifting more and more apart over the last few years.

[Edited on August 11, 2014 at 11:58 PM. Reason : i'd still probably prefer a 328/330 or certainly a 335i coupe over any non-///M 5 or 6 series.]

[Edited on August 11, 2014 at 11:59 PM. Reason : unless I had a dedicated track/fun car like my Turbo 7.]

8/11/2014 11:56:42 PM

I can understand that the 3 series is more enjoyable for tiny little small men, but for those of us in the 6'+ range the 5-series is a lot more comfortable. I hated the e90 on long trips, but this thing is like driving in a perfectly hugging lounge chair.

8/12/2014 8:39:34 AM

my e90 is great on long trips (when the cruise control works )



but I also don't let people ride in the back... who would want to, anyway?

8/12/2014 8:59:13 AM

Quote :

"There are only 3 reasons to ever buy a 3-series coupe: 1. ///M3 of a generation when the sedan wasn't offered (e30 and e46) 2. e92 ///M3 without a sunroof, so as to get that sweet carbon-fiber roof. 3. e36 ///M3 coupe is acceptable, because the sedans with a manual are way harder to find. There is no reason to ever buy a non-///M, 2-door, 3-series."

As already alluded to (though with the 5 Series) there is another reason to buy a 3 series coupe. If you're over 6 feet tall you'd probably prefer the coupe. The damn sedan has the B pillar too far forward. When I put the seat back to accommodate my legs my head is no longer next to the window. Instead the B pillar is next to it, and the armrest doesn't work very well either. I don't have this problem in my brother's 335i coupe.

8/12/2014 9:21:49 AM

Quote :

"There are only 3 reasons to ever buy a 3-series coupe: 1. ///M3 of a generation when the sedan wasn't offered (e30 and e46) 2. e92 ///M3 without a sunroof, so as to get that sweet carbon-fiber roof. 3. e36 ///M3 coupe is acceptable, because the sedans with a manual are way harder to find. There is no reason to ever buy a non-///M, 2-door, 3-series."

disagree. e30 coupes were the only ones worth owning. fuck e30 sedans.

8/12/2014 3:33:56 PM

Yeah that's valid.

8/12/2014 5:45:23 PM

Quote :

"There is no reason to ever buy a non-///M, 2-door, 3-series."

Except that for reasons I have a hard time articulating, I find the E90 3-series sedans ugly. I can't quite pin down what it is that I dislike so much about them, but there's something. And that something really, really bothers me.

The E92 coupe is differentiated enough, stylewise, that it doesn't have the same negative effect.

I realize I'm probably the only person who feels this way, but... Obviously if you're looking for the best possible sports sedan, it's probably the 335i. But if I was going to spend that much on a car I'd want one that doesn't offend my eyes.

And the 135i looks way too stubby. Like someone squished an E92 and made it less long, but just as tall, and distorted the roofline in the process.

8/16/2014 1:28:25 AM

^I think the E92 looks better than the E90 as well, so you're not alone.

8/19/2014 8:29:58 AM

ls460?

9/14/2014 8:15:38 PM

Quote :

"Camry, Accord, Avalon, Lexus ES"

Quote :

"had no pickup"

I'll take any of those in V6 trim against your 328i in a drag race

9/14/2014 8:38:45 PM

What’s wrong w/e30 sedans?

RE: E90, I, as usual, only like the sedan. As for the “ultimate” e9X, I’d rather have a 330i than a 335...

9/14/2014 9:17:24 PM

Quote :

" I'll take any of those in V6 trim against your 328i in a drag race "

and be looking at 328i tails

I remember running 13.9 @100mph in my measly E36 M3 vs much, much more powerful FWD VWs. RWD has so much more advantage in a drag race.

9/15/2014 3:34:48 AM

2012 camry 5.8 sec 0-60mph; 14.3 sec @ 101 mph
2008 328i 6.0 sec 0-60mph, 14.7 sec @ 96 mph
2007 camry V6 5.8 sec 0-60 mph, 14.3 sec @ 99 mph
2005 avalon 6.0 sec 0-60mph, 14.6 sec @ 99 mph

9/15/2014 7:04:06 PM

oh i know on paper they are faster launching FWD with decent 60' times is not that easy.

9/15/2014 7:50:38 PM

Quote :

"I can understand that the 3 series is more enjoyable for tiny little small men, but for those of us in the 6'+ range the 5-series is a lot more comfortable. I hated the e90 on long trips, but this thing is like driving in a perfectly hugging lounge chair."

The average American man is 5'8".

9/18/2014 11:51:08 PM

Anyone else noticing a lot of newer v8 bimmers coughing up smoke when floored? I haven't really noticed it but I've seen 2 750s and a 550 blow out a cubic yard of thick white/bluish smoke ( not condensat or steam ) when they pulled out into traffic and floored it. If I had to guess all in the 5-7 year old range.

9/19/2014 4:42:41 AM

Anyone else noticing a lot of newer v8 bimmers coughing up smoke when floored? I haven't really noticed it but I've seen 2 750s and a 550 blow out a cubic yard of thick white/bluish smoke ( not condensat or steam ) when they pulled out into traffic and floored it. If I had to guess all in the 5-7 year old range.

9/19/2014 4:42:41 AM

^I've seen a bunch of cars do that, in general. Last notable one was a CX-7

9/19/2014 8:18:14 AM

^^^^what's your point? You would think, in this day of technological advances, that it would be easier to accommodate both sizes.

9/19/2014 9:19:23 AM