[mlitebimmers]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this community and I'm in the market for a new 5 series (my 2019 540i got wrecked 2 weeks ago, other driver took liability today so im expecting the check soon).

I have found another very similar 2019 540i xDrive with 21k miles on sale near me for list price of $34,000. It's not really spec'd out with any packages. Standard 18" wheels. It has the convenience package.

I found another car nearby though - 2018 M550i xDrive with 39k miles. List price $44,000, so 10k more. But this car is fully loaded - Cold Weather Package, Driving Assistance Package, Driving Assistance Plus Package, Executive Package, Luxury Seating Package, harman/kardon Surround Sound, 19" M double-spoke staggered wheels, Power rear sunshade w/ manual rear side window shades, ventilated front seats (I live in a hot humid region)

So my question is, what do you guys think is the better deal? or are they both good deals and its just up to me what I want out of the car?

This will be my daily driver. I dont need the power of the M-lite but obviously it's awesome to have. I'll be driving approximately 1600 miles a month, so above average. 80% highway. I already had the 540i so I definitely know I like that car. the B58 engine also has plenty of power so I cant decide!

Let me know your thoughts

[M5pnw]

m550i all day son!

[Drifttime85]

Originally Posted by mlitebimmers

Hello everyone, I'm new to this community and I'm in the market for a new 5 series (my 2019 540i got wrecked 2 weeks ago, other driver took liability today so im expecting the check soon).

I have found another very similar 2019 540i xDrive with 21k miles on sale near me for list price of $34,000. It's not really spec'd out with any packages. Standard 18" wheels. It has the convenience package.

I found another car nearby though - 2018 M550i xDrive with 39k miles. List price $44,000, so 10k more. But this car is fully loaded - Cold Weather Package, Driving Assistance Package, Driving Assistance Plus Package, Executive Package, Luxury Seating Package, harman/kardon Surround Sound, 19" M double-spoke staggered wheels, Power rear sunshade w/ manual rear side window shades, ventilated front seats (I live in a hot humid region)

So my question is, what do you guys think is the better deal? or are they both good deals and its just up to me what I want out of the car?

This will be my daily driver. I dont need the power of the M-lite but obviously it's awesome to have. I'll be driving approximately 1600 miles a month, so above average. 80% highway. I already had the 540i so I definitely know I like that car. the B58 engine also has plenty of power so I cant decide!

Let me know your thoughts

I just recently purchased my ‘23 m550 almost two months ago now and had a chance to be in a 2021 540i for a week while they were doing my ppf/ ceramic coat/tint. Both cars are great. I think the only feature my car doesnt have that the 540 did was the hand motions. Lol. I actually got used to it and got back in my car and tried doing the next song motion and realized that feature was missing.

I think if you’re not looking for just power I’d say then it comes down to the additional features. Sounds like the 540 comes with similar or less features than your original which might be disappointing since you’re getting into a new car. It maybe worth spending extra on either another 540 with more features or the 550. I don’t think you could go wrong with the 550 because you’ll get power and more features.

Are you planning to mod ?

[G30M]

550 is a muscle car that is thirsty for fuel, louder and grunts a lot
540 is a gentle cruiser that sips fuel and stealthy

both are fast, one is faster

[wakebord99]

540i w/the mppk+ is a great car. Have had mine for 4 years and its amazing, but i would trade it for the m550i's power.

[mlitebimmers]

Originally Posted by Drifttime85

I just recently purchased my ‘23 m550 almost two months ago now and had a chance to be in a 2021 540i for a week while they were doing my ppf/ ceramic coat/tint. Both cars are great. I think the only feature my car doesnt have that the 540 did was the hand motions. Lol. I actually got used to it and got back in my car and tried doing the next song motion and realized that feature was missing.

I think if you’re not looking for just power I’d say then it comes down to the additional features. Sounds like the 540 comes with similar or less features than your original which might be disappointing since you’re getting into a new car. It maybe worth spending extra on either another 540 with more features or the 550. I don’t think you could go wrong with the 550 because you’ll get power and more features.

Are you planning to mod ?

Is the gesture control actually a useful feature? never really considered it as something to value

My previous 540 had the convenience package, M steering wheel, front+rear heated seats. Other than that no special packages, so this one im looking at would be pretty similar since im not used to those fancy packages anyways. BUT the option of a fully loaded car with v8 is so enticing. I just dont want a gas-guzzler necessarily since I drive 1.5-2x the average person. Is the mpg really that bad if I dont always drive aggressively? (for ref I got 26mpg on the 540i)

[mlitebimmers]

Originally Posted by g21

550 is a muscle car that is thirsty for fuel, louder and grunts a lot
540 is a gentle cruiser that sips fuel and stealthy

both are fast, one is faster

how bad we talking for mpg? I got about 26mpg on my 540

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by mlitebimmers

how bad we talking for mpg? I got about 26mpg on my 540

Depends how you drive it. I’ve owned both. 2018 540 I bought CPO and kept about 15 months and then sold and bought a 2020 M550.

Frankly I can’t say enough good things about either. Obviously I traded up to the M550. But it was a meticulous search for the perfect one, because I loved the 540 and didn’t want to swap just for the first M550 I could find.

Sooo… forget what you need. You could drive an Accord or a Camry. What do you want? What do you like in a driving experience most? Does fuel efficiency matter a lot? Does crazy power and torque make you grin ear to ear? Do you appreciate something lighter and smoother or heavy but powerful?

If they’re both nearby, I’d try and drive both back to back in the same day if possible. At least test drive the M550 since you already know the 540.

I had to go 3 hours away to just test drive one but it sold me and that was that.

[NGT2]

Both are fast in their respective classes of cars. Both are efficient in their respective classes of cars.

I do think you’ll probably be happy with all the options in the M550. But I’d test drive it. Contrary to popular belief, so guys do prefer the 540.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by mlitebimmers

Is the gesture control actually a useful feature?

the only thing you can do with this thing is to disable it

[G30M]

Originally Posted by mlitebimmers

I just dont want a gas-guzzler necessarily since I drive 1.5-2x the average person. Is the mpg really that bad if I dont always drive aggressively? (for ref I got 26mpg on the 540i)

i have a 3 series with the 540 engine and when driving gently there is a 25% difference in fuel consumption. with the 540 i am guessing there will be a 20% difference.

when you go crazy on the gas pedal the 550i can drink faster than you can put it in, not so with the 540 when you drive like crazy there is little difference. i guess this is not relevant for you.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by mlitebimmers

s the mpg really that bad if I dont always drive aggressively? (for ref I got 26mpg on the 540i)

there is a thread discussing this, i think people got around 23-26mpg with the 550 using eco pro but who drives a V8 on eco pro!

(you better check that thread i might just be making things up)

[AP]

Echoing what others have said really
Both great cars
I had a 540 which I was prepared to keep. Fast frugal (relative to size of engine and power) and an all round great car
Then had opportunity to get a 550 and now feel this is a better car
Tough to improve on the 540 but the 550 does

For fuel economy, gentle motorway driving is surprisingly not much less than the 540 but any kind of fun will mean using more fuel.
So as you’re going to be a higher mileage driver , that’s a consideration. If you can afford it, you’ll enjoy those miles but if fuel costs are tight, the 550 may not be the answer

With either car, I think they are best with as much equipment in them as possible
The semiautonomous stuff in there is pretty good , not perfect but could make long journies less stressful. The LCI improves on these quite a bit.
The 550 will cost more though , the hidden costs to consider , insurance and servicing.

If I hadn’t have got the 550, I would have been more than happy keeping the 540. Once you’ve driven the 550 though, I think the odds are you would probably prefer it

[G30M]

Originally Posted by mlitebimmers

how bad we talking for mpg? I got about 26mpg on my 540

there is a thread somewhere in this forum everyone is discussing their mpg on the 550

i get 23 mpg when driving gently

doesn't sound too far off your 540

in my 340 i get 30 mpg

[Lancelot]

M550i i have long term average 9.7l/100km or 24.3mpg

[Drifttime85]

Originally Posted by mlitebimmers

Is the gesture control actually a useful feature? never really considered it as something to value

My previous 540 had the convenience package, M steering wheel, front+rear heated seats. Other than that no special packages, so this one im looking at would be pretty similar since im not used to those fancy packages anyways. BUT the option of a fully loaded car with v8 is so enticing. I just dont want a gas-guzzler necessarily since I drive 1.5-2x the average person. Is the mpg really that bad if I dont always drive aggressively? (for ref I got 26mpg on the 540i)

I think for most it’s not useful or annoying. I just got used to for music and volume control.

You mention the gas guzzling but although I drive mostly highway with some spirited driving, I avg around 23-25 mpg. I’m not sure if the older 550s had less mpg but this was one of my selling points. V8 twin turbo with mpg this high was so much better than my v6 twin turbo.

[MelbourneFinn]

Originally Posted by g21

the only thing you can do with this thing is to disable it

Spot on! 🤣 Absolutely useless…

I had a 2019 540 for 8 months or so when living in Spain, now back in Australia with a 2021 550 - as other have said, both are great cars, but 550 steals your heart…

Prior to these G30s I had a 2017 F06 M6 - I actually think the 550 is more comparable to the M6 than to the 540 considering luxury, performance and how it drives.

You won’t go wrong between the 2, but if you end up with a 540, try to find one with plenty of options, a luxury car is not really a luxury car without the luxuries - if that makes sense. A few things that would be on my must have list, whether a 550 or 540:

• HUD
• Napa or Merino leather
• Soft close doors (can’t live without them when you get used to them…
• Sound system - well, B&W is nice, but not really hifi… If you like music, anything but B&W as they are easier to upgrade
• Striking colour - my M6 was San Marino Blue, 550 is Aventurine Red - these cars come to life with some colour in them - oh, and not black interior
• Ventilated seats
• Adaptive cruise control - because the adaptive part can be easily turned off when you don’t want it
• Comfort seats

Good lunch with car hunting, if anything you see makes you feel meh, find the next one…

[BMW012]

Originally Posted by mlitebimmers

Hello everyone, I'm new to this community and I'm in the market for a new 5 series (my 2019 540i got wrecked 2 weeks ago, other driver took liability today so im expecting the check soon).

I have found another very similar 2019 540i xDrive with 21k miles on sale near me for list price of $34,000. It's not really spec'd out with any packages. Standard 18" wheels. It has the convenience package.

I found another car nearby though - 2018 M550i xDrive with 39k miles. List price $44,000, so 10k more. But this car is fully loaded - Cold Weather Package, Driving Assistance Package, Driving Assistance Plus Package, Executive Package, Luxury Seating Package, harman/kardon Surround Sound, 19" M double-spoke staggered wheels, Power rear sunshade w/ manual rear side window shades, ventilated front seats (I live in a hot humid region)

So my question is, what do you guys think is the better deal? or are they both good deals and its just up to me what I want out of the car?

This will be my daily driver. I dont need the power of the M-lite but obviously it's awesome to have. I'll be driving approximately 1600 miles a month, so above average. 80% highway. I already had the 540i so I definitely know I like that car. the B58 engine also has plenty of power so I cant decide!

Let me know your thoughts

considering you drive 1600 miles, do you somewhat consider driving a chore? on average its 53.3 miles per day which isn't horrible. if you just need it to drive from point a to b 540 should be fine. but then again why not get a upgrade while you are at it?

then again you just joined the forum so guess you arent really an enthusiast. how long did you have the 540 for?

recommend a test driving is a must here in order to decide.

[mlitebimmers]

Originally Posted by AP

Echoing what others have said really
Both great cars
I had a 540 which I was prepared to keep. Fast frugal (relative to size of engine and power) and an all round great car
Then had opportunity to get a 550 and now feel this is a better car
Tough to improve on the 540 but the 550 does

For fuel economy, gentle motorway driving is surprisingly not much less than the 540 but any kind of fun will mean using more fuel.
So as you’re going to be a higher mileage driver , that’s a consideration. If you can afford it, you’ll enjoy those miles but if fuel costs are tight, the 550 may not be the answer

With either car, I think they are best with as much equipment in them as possible
The semiautonomous stuff in there is pretty good , not perfect but could make long journies less stressful. The LCI improves on these quite a bit.
The 550 will cost more though , the hidden costs to consider , insurance and servicing.

If I hadn’t have got the 550, I would have been more than happy keeping the 540. Once you’ve driven the 550 though, I think the odds are you would probably prefer it

I drive a lot for work, but I love driving so I want a car that is fun and has the features. But since I’m putting so many miles I have to consider those hidden costs too… obviously no matter what these cars need expensive maintenance. That being that I know the B58 is one of the most reliable BMW engines. Can the same be said for the N63 tho? If the V8 comes with double the expected maintenance then I can’t say it’s for me..

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by mlitebimmers

I drive a lot for work, but I love driving so I want a car that is fun and has the features. But since I’m putting so many miles I have to consider those hidden costs too… obviously no matter what these cars need expensive maintenance. That being that I know the B58 is one of the most reliable BMW engines. Can the same be said for the N63 tho? If the V8 comes with double the expected maintenance then I can’t say it’s for me..

No. V8 reliability is up, but the design is the same and some think it's a flawed engine with a lot of band aids.

I've had both a 540 & 550. I prefer the greater comfort and reliability of the 540. I do not care for any of the options except hud. Adaptive cruise, especially on older cars, sucks.
Ventilated seats are a gimmick that don't perform well.

Those are my opinions, worth about twice what you paid for them.

[mlitebimmers]

Originally Posted by BMW012

considering you drive 1600 miles, do you somewhat consider driving a chore? on average its 53.3 miles per day which isn't horrible. if you just need it to drive from point a to b 540 should be fine. but then again why not get a upgrade while you are at it?

then again you just joined the forum so guess you arent really an enthusiast. how long did you have the 540 for?

recommend a test driving is a must here in order to decide.

Yeah I drive a fuck ton for work. About 80 miles round trip 5 days a week. So although I want a nice fun car if the N63 comes with a bunch of extra expected maintenance I’d probably stay away. Not sure if that’s actually the case tho.

Also I would consider myself an enthusiast who up until recently didn’t have the funds to put it into action lol I drove an F10 for about 3 years. During that time it needed about $5k in service aside from regular maintenance. It was the timing chain that finally made me trade it in instead of repairing. Got about $8k for it so I’m happy with that! Then I got the g30 about a month ago.

I’ve always preferred the 5 series tho. 3 is nice too but I’d have to get the M lite to have the same power that is standard in the 5 series. It’s the perfect balance of size, weight, and power. 4 has always looked great, but I hated that they don’t have proper window frames..

[AP]

I’m only 4 months into a new 550 so don’t know what the Maintenon might be when the car is several years old
The engine so far seems to be reliable, I’ve not read any horror stories as of yet so the TU3 seems to be good to date

Time will of course tell

Either way you can’t go wrong with which ever you choose