[BMW012]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Haha I am in NYS. I would have all 3 too!
Pulling the trigger on one is the hard part. My x3 is DGM and when I saw a 550 on that I liked it a lot. The lines don't exactly pop in the same way on the lighter cars. But I am hesitant to just repeat my color First time buyer I'm getting DGM no questions as I already did haha

Exactly, on the LCI M550i the DGM hides the black contrast of 3D taillights, additionally if you didn't go with the shadowline (which you are) it hides the grill, side mirrors, side vents etc.

[BMW012]

Originally Posted by NGT2

There are threads on different colors. Also easily googled.

Skyscraper is lighter and almost silver as opposed to gray: Maybe I little boring but probably easy to maintain.

Black is black. It's got metallic flakes, so not jet black. But still going to show dirt and swirls more than others.

DGM is what I have. I love it. Very dark gray with almost a purple-ish hue to it. Changes shades in different light. Really need to see in person if you can. The configurator isn't not accurate at all for that color. At night, it's almost black.

These are all pictures of my DGM 540 in different conditions.

you are definitely appreciating the DGM more due to your silver accents. looks great!

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by BMW012

Exactly, on the LCI M550i the DGM hides the black contrast of 3D taillights, additionally if you didn't go with the shadowline (which you are) it hides the grill, side mirrors, side vents etc.

Not sure I follow this.
But do consider this hiding a good thing?

[BklynNYBMW]

Hi there. Have you tried the dealer in the city (Manhattan) to see if they have one for a test drive. They are a corporate store. They can get or have demos if everything. Just a thought
Oh btw. I love the specs. I hope you are able to get it exactly how you want the car

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by BklynNYBMW

Hi there. Have you tried the dealer in the city (Manhattan) to see if they have one for a test drive. They are a corporate store. They can get or have demos if everything. Just a thought
Oh btw. I love the specs. I hope you are able to get it exactly how you want the car

Thanks. I work in manhattan so I'll try calling them. According to cars.com there isn't one there but you never know.

My local dealer called me today though, they have an x5 m50 I can drive so im going tomorrow just to feel what the v8 is like.

On the spec front, I'm on the fence still im either going all out, what I posted plus DHP. About 1185 a month on 90.5k sticker or I'll strip it all out for 1085 a month and 82.5k sticker.
In the middle doesn't make much sense. You add in a couple of options and the delta to get everything gets smaller and smaller…All or nothing haha.

Granted the lease programs will change prior to delivery so me quoting these numbers mean nothing!

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Thanks. I work in manhattan so I'll try calling them. According to cars.com there isn't one there but you never know.

My local dealer called me today though, they have an x5 m50 I can drive so im going tomorrow just to feel what the v8 is like.

On the spec front, I'm on the fence still im either going all out, what I posted plus DHP. About 1185 a month on 90.5k sticker or I'll strip it all out for 1085 a month and 82.5k sticker.
In the middle doesn't make much sense. You add in a couple of options and the delta to get everything gets smaller and smaller…All or nothing haha.

Granted the lease programs will change prior to delivery so me quoting these numbers mean nothing!

For $100 I'd probably just load it. But that's just me haha

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by BMW012

you are definitely appreciating the DGM more due to your silver accents. looks great!

Thanks! Those are different times since I got it because my main goal was to show different light. I did put 3M wrap on the chrome window trim. I agree the chrome pops on DGM, especially those chrome vents on the front bumper (luxury line, not m sport).

Side note - I was happy with the 3M wrap to chrome delete the windows. Then I got my wife's X7 m sport with shadowline and I'm even more happy about my wrap. Side by side, you really can't tell. I'd have to tell you and then you'd have to inspect it close. So if anyone is contemplating wrap vs paying the money for the real thing, I highly recommend doing the wrap first.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by NGT2

For $100 I'd probably just load it. But that's just me haha

You're prob right. I gotta stop over thinking everything.

[m3rxn]

I have a tuned M4 and the 540i is plenty quick -especially in sport + manual/shift mode. She gets to 60mph real quick.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by m3rxn

I have a tuned M4 and the 540i is plenty quick -especially in sport + manual/shift mode. She gets to 60mph real quick.

You think the manual shift makes a difference? So much of what I see says the ZF transmission is so good that it's hard to gain anything by going into manual mode

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by m3rxn

I have a tuned M4 and the 540i is plenty quick -especially in sport + manual/shift mode. She gets to 60mph real quick.

Also - not to hijack the thread - how do you like that JB+ on the 540? Any issues? Had it on for a while?

[Gautam]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

You're prob right. I gotta stop over thinking everything.

Lots of differing perspectives on this but I personally feel pretty strongly about dhp. For me, the m550 is overkill in speed, but I wouldn’t mind it being nimbler. Dhp goes a long way with that.

[23109VC]

Originally Posted by Gautam

Lots of differing perspectives on this but I personally feel pretty strongly about dhp. For me, the m550 is overkill in speed, but I wouldn’t mind it being nimbler. Dhp goes a long way with that.

Lots of different opinions here.

I drive a 2018 M550. My mother has a 2018 540i Msport with 20's. With the exception of the engine, our cars are extremely similar. Both have a sporty wheeland suspension set up.

I have driven each car extensively and have drive them back to back. I think the 540 feels slow. it has good power on the top and but it lags on the lower end. It feels like you have to wait for the turbos to spool up.

On the M550 as soon as you hit the gas, even at low rpm, you are gone.

I would happily pay the difference for the M550.

Everyone has different needs and budgets. If I were shopping today I'd probably upgrade to an M5… if I wasn't crazy about performance and I was on a budget then a 540 is a good all around the car.

It probably depends on your budget. It also depends on how obsessed you are with torque and horsepower.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by 23109VC

Lots of different opinions here.

I drive a 2018 M550. My mother has a 2018 540i Msport with 20's. With the exception of the engine, our cars are extremely similar. Both have a sporty wheeland suspension set up.

I have driven each car extensively and have drive them back to back. I think the 540 feels slow. it has good power on the top and but it lags on the lower end. It feels like you have to wait for the turbos to spool up.

On the M550 as soon as you hit the gas, even at low rpm, you are gone.

I would happily pay the difference for the M550.

Everyone has different needs and budgets. If I were shopping today I'd probably upgrade to an M5… if I wasn't crazy about performance and I was on a budget then a 540 is a good all around the car.

It probably depends on your budget. It also depends on how obsessed you are with torque and horsepower.

Agree on all of that. It's also relative. The 540 is my first BMW and first sedan since high school. I've driven two Yukons, 2 Tahoes, and a Sierra. As you can imagine, the 540 in Sport+ is fast as shit in my mind.

But I'll get a V8 next

[MelbourneFinn]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Agree on all of that. It's also relative. The 540 is my first BMW and first sedan since high school. I've driven two Yukons, 2 Tahoes, and a Sierra. As you can imagine, the 540 in Sport+ is fast as shit in my mind.

But I'll get a V8 next

I was going to ask the same question - why not go for a proper M car?

I'm driving a 2019 540i xDrive, it's a fantastic car and considering only 340 hp the performance is a lot more that I was expecting, coming from an F06 M6… But what I'm missing from the M6 (had a couple of them, and an Audi RS4 before them - sorry, you guys didn't get them in the US) is the feel of something special. The M-Sport cars just don't feel special the same way, even if a new 550 is probably quicker off the line than the M6 was (due to xDrive).

Also, if you want one of the last proper V8s, I think M5 would be the way to go…

And if that's out of budget, why not consider an M3… It's not that much smaller, and retains the "specialness" of a proper M car…

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by MelbourneFinn

I was going to ask the same question - why not go for a proper M car?

I'm driving a 2019 540i xDrive, it's a fantastic car and considering only 340 hp the performance is a lot more that I was expecting, coming from an F06 M6… But what I'm missing from the M6 (had a couple of them, and an Audi RS4 before them - sorry, you guys didn't get them in the US) is the feel of something special. The M-Sport cars just don't feel special the same way, even if a new 550 is probably quicker off the line than the M6 was (due to xDrive).

Also, if you want one of the last proper V8s, I think M5 would be the way to go…

And if that's out of budget, why not consider an M3… It's not that much smaller, and retains the "specialness" of a proper M car…

Thanks for the thoughtful suggestion! I don't disagree with you. Just feel slightly different, the m550 is enough of an M car to feel somewhat special to me. The 540 would not deliver on that at all. I feel exactly the same about My current x3 m sport and why I want to avoid not having something special again..

M5 is out of budget for me.

M3 - I do not like the new idrive / no hard buttons dashboard. That's prob a deal breaker to begin with. Plus, I have a horrible back and prioritizing seat comfort. I haven't sat in the m3 seats, but if they are anything like the sport seats in the 3 series x3 then they are not comfortable (to me, this is very individual).

M550 is perfect balance of comfort while giving a little feeling of something special, at least to me.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Agree on all of that. It's also relative. The 540 is my first BMW and first sedan since high school. I've driven two Yukons, 2 Tahoes, and a Sierra. As you can imagine, the 540 in Sport+ is fast as shit in my mind.

But I'll get a V8 next

The 540 is an awesome introduction to bmw. You are already up that in-line 6.
For me, I had a 328 (always wanted the 340 while I had it) and an x3 30i (always wanted the m40i).

I know how much better the 540 is because of the 6cyl. I drove it. It moves! I'm just worried I'll create the same shoulda woulda coulda that I've done 2x now.

I'm going to drive the 8 cycl today in an x5 m50i. Get a sense of what I would be missing out on.

[BMW012]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

The 540 is an awesome introduction to bmw. You are already up that in-line 6.
For me, I had a 328 (always wanted the 340 while I had it) and an x3 30i (always wanted the m40i).

I know how much better the 540 is because of the 6cyl. I drove it. It moves! I'm just worried I'll create the same shoulda woulda coulda that I've done 2x now.

I'm going to drive the 8 cycl today in an x5 m50i. Get a sense of what I would be missing out on.

If your last 2 weren't M's - sounds like a no brainer!

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

The 540 is an awesome introduction to bmw. You are already up that in-line 6.
For me, I had a 328 (always wanted the 340 while I had it) and an x3 30i (always wanted the m40i).

I know how much better the 540 is because of the 6cyl. I drove it. It moves! I'm just worried I'll create the same shoulda woulda coulda that I've done 2x now.

I'm going to drive the 8 cycl today in an x5 m50i. Get a sense of what I would be missing out on.

I think you should get the 550. No regrets!

But let us know how that X5 M50 drives. Especially compared to the 540 you drove. I think I'll still be leaning toward a sedan for my next one, but the X5 M50 and M550 (or current equivalents) will probably be the primary targets to test out. But that won't be anytime soon.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by NGT2

I think you should get the 550. No regrets!

But let us know how that X5 M50 drives. Especially compared to the 540 you drove. I think I'll still be leaning toward a sedan for my next one, but the X5 M50 and M550 (or current equivalents) will probably be the primary targets to test out. But that won't be anytime soon.

I'll definitely be back to share my thoughts!

Everyone has been great to chat with.

[DNYC1919]

Always a hard decision.
If you don't mind the extra payment on car and gas , and not worried about tickets too much and can use the power yes do the 550.
Also not having the 360 cameras would bug me.

I got a 21 540 with the 360 cameras so I'm lucky there. And to really have some fun I go sport plus. it probably gives you a little glimpse of 550 life, And for me it's good enough.

[Rocket455]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Black is black.

Carbon Black has always looked a bit "deep blue" to me in the sun, which is why I've always preferred Black Sapphire.