[530iDriver]

Another nice aspect of the 530i is being lighter upfront. The car is 3700 vs 4000+ pounds for the 540 and M550.

I understand that for some hardcore guys, there is no replacement for displacement and I am cool with that. But to piss on someone else choice (That May not necessarily be in tune with yours) just to feel better about your car is really immature and juvenile. But hey what else can you expect here in the 'nets?

[magbarn]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

Another nice aspect of the 530i is being lighter upfront. The car is 3700 vs 4000+ pounds for the 540 and M550.

I understand that for some hardcore guys, there is no replacement for displacement and I am cool with that. But to piss on someone else choice (That May not necessarily be in tune with yours) just to feel better about your car is really immature and juvenile. But hey what else can you expect here in the 'nets?

I'm not even knocking on the 530i. It's faster than most cars out there and smokes them in MPG. But to say the 540i is useless is a bit much
Try driving both cars with the windows down and having some fun with the car, the difference is sound is noticeable and we both live in areas with nice year round climate so you can do that.

The difference in acceleration is real and not imagined. The lag is also there. I'll let the numbers speak for themselves.

530i msport from C&D
Zero to 60 mph: 6.1 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 15.7 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 24.0 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.0 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.7 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.7 sec @ 97 mph

540i msport

Zero to 60 mph: 4.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 11.1 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 20.0 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 5.6 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 2.5 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.2 sec @ 109 mph

The 530i can move but you have to flog it a bit more, the rolling start difference between 5.6s and 7.0s is huge and makes a big difference getting the car moving. Of course the m550 is a whole another class better.
As I said if acceleration is important, but not that big of a deal the 530i is perfectly fine. But even around town test drive the difference was immediately noticeable for me.

[clee1982]

I wouldn't call 530i under powered, it's just not as powerful as 540.

540 is a bit front heavy (52~53% weight in the front per BMW?), though I can't personally feel it (I didn't even bother to test drive 530i so maybe someone who did can say something about that)

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by magbarn

I'm not even knocking on the 530i. It's faster than most cars out there and smokes them in MPG. But to say the 540i is useless is a bit much
Try driving both cars with the windows down and having some fun with the car, the difference is sound is noticeable and we both live in areas with nice year round climate so you can do that.

The difference in acceleration is real and not imagined. The lag is also there. I'll let the numbers speak for themselves.

530i msport from C&D
Zero to 60 mph: 6.1 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 15.7 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 24.0 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.0 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.7 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.7 sec @ 97 mph

540i msport

Zero to 60 mph: 4.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 11.1 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 20.0 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 5.6 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 2.5 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.2 sec @ 109 mph

The 530i can move but you have to flog it a bit more, the rolling start difference between 5.6s and 7.0s is huge and makes a big difference getting the car moving. Of course the m550 is a whole another class better.
As I said if acceleration is important, but not that big of a deal the 530i is perfectly fine. But even around town test drive the difference was immediately noticeable for me.

Originally Posted by magbarn

I'm not even knocking on the 530i. It's faster than most cars out there and smokes them in MPG. But to say the 540i is useless is a bit much
Try driving both cars with the windows down and having some fun with the car, the difference is sound is noticeable and we both live in areas with nice year round climate so you can do that.

The difference in acceleration is real and not imagined. The lag is also there. I'll let the numbers speak for themselves.

530i msport from C&D
Zero to 60 mph: 6.1 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 15.7 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 24.0 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.0 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.7 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.7 sec @ 97 mph

540i msport

Zero to 60 mph: 4.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 11.1 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 20.0 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 5.6 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 2.5 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.2 sec @ 109 mph

The 530i can move but you have to flog it a bit more, the rolling start difference between 5.6s and 7.0s is huge and makes a big difference getting the car moving. Of course the m550 is a whole another class better.
As I said if acceleration is important, but not that big of a deal the 530i is perfectly fine. But even around town test drive the difference was immediately noticeable for me.

Did you read my post? I said if you buy the 540i for the engine sound alone you are fooling yourself. I never said the 540 is useless, pointless or slow.

You can throw at me all the magazine numbers you want. For me the real world test is what I feel in my butt when I am behind the wheel and I can tell you the 530i is a decently enough fast car for the vast majority of the population. I daily drive one so I know how this car behaves and accelerates in different traffic scenarios. This car eats highway miles in the manner and fashion a fine German sedan should. I can drive this car 5 hours non stop and not feel beat up and tired at the end of the journey. That is my measuring stick and in that regard, the 530i does not disappoint. Anything above that takes already a very good car to the next level and this is what the 540, M550, M5 and Alpina B5 exceed and do quite well.

To suggest the 530i is an inferior rendition of the 5er because of the likely under rated 2 liter turbo (in good BMW tradition) is just ludicrous. I can understand some having disdain for 4 cyl engines on big luxury sedans but to automatically dismiss this excellent vehicle because of it is just, well, ridiculous.

The 540i is faster as it should be. It is more expensive ($5000 more than the 530i) but no one is questioning its virtues of added torque, HP, smoothness and speed.

[magbarn]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

Did you read my post? I said if you buy the 540i for the engine sound alone you are fooling yourself. I never said the 540 is useless, pointless or slow.

The 540i is faster as it should be. It is more expensive ($5000 more than the 530i) but no one is questioning its virtues of added torque, HP, smoothness and speed.

I did misinterpret your post. I guess I equated sound with speed. It's ultimately up to the OP where their priorities are. At least BMW allows the buyer to outfit the 530i with as little or as many options as they want. Even DHP is available which is cool. Other manufacturers force you to upgrade a model to get options the buyer may want.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by magbarn

I did misinterpret your post. I guess I equated sound with speed. It's ultimately up to the OP where their priorities are. At least BMW allows the buyer to outfit the 530i with as little or as many options as they want. Even DHP is available which is cool. Other manufacturers force you to upgrade a model to get options the buyer may want.

It's cool man, I get your point.

[wknddrivr]

Originally Posted by clee1982

I wouldn't call 530i under powered, it's just not as powerful as 540.

540 is a bit front heavy (52~53% weight in the front per BMW?), though I can't personally feel it (I didn't even bother to test drive 530i so maybe someone who did can say something about that)

I've got the 530i and drove the 540i a few times before getting mine. The added weight over the front is not a huge difference but it was immediately noticeable to me. If I had gone with a 540i, I'm sure I'd have gotten used to it and would not think twice about it. But there was no mistaking the extra heft over the front axle and the slightly more isolated feel of the steering in the 540i.

[babaikram]

Originally Posted by ssquared

I've got the 530i and drove the 540i a few times before getting mine. The added weight over the front is not a huge difference but it was immediately noticeable to me. If I had gone with a 540i, I'm sure I'd have gotten used to it and would not think twice about it. But there was no mistaking the extra heft over the front axle and the slightly more isolated feel of the steering in the 540i.

This is something driver of 4 cylinder G30 would readily notice on test driving 6 cylinder G30. I had the same experience when I test drove 530d

[wknddrivr]

Originally Posted by babaikram

This is something driver of 4 cylinder G30 would readily notice on test driving 6 cylinder G30. I had the same experience when I test drove 530d

Yeah i think if someone just test drove the 540 and never tried the 530i they wouldn’t think twice about it. I test drove the 540 and 530 a few times back to back when I was deciding between the two.

When I had the 530I for about a year I went to the BMW ultimate drive event and took the 540 out for a street drive. Again, noticed the same thing about the handling that I noticed a year earlier on my test drives.

If I didn’t have so much traffic on my commute p, I’d go with the 540I for the better sound and more refinement over the 530. The added weight wouldn’t deter me at all.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by ssquared

Yeah i think if someone just test drove the 540 and never tried the 530i they wouldn’t think twice about it. I test drove the 540 and 530 a few times back to back when I was deciding between the two.

When I had the 530I for about a year I went to the BMW ultimate drive event and took the 540 out for a street drive. Again, noticed the same thing about the handling that I noticed a year earlier on my test drives.

If I didn’t have so much traffic on my commute p, I’d go with the 540I for the better sound and more refinement over the 530. The added weight wouldn’t deter me at all.

I don't understand comments about the 530i not being sufficiently refined vs the 540. I get the power delivery difference but my gosh this car is so silky smooth and relaxing to drive you are never ever reminded you are behind the wheel of a four banger.

I would suggest anyone here to drive a Mercedes 4 cyl, like a C300 or E300. Talk about a car that will constantly remind you in the worst possible way that you should have spent the extra dough on the V6 version...

[wknddrivr]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

I don't understand comments about the 530i not being sufficiently refined vs the 540. I get the power delivery difference but my gosh this car is so silky smooth and relaxing to drive you are never ever reminded you are behind the wheel of a four banger.

I would suggest anyone here to drive a Mercedes 4 cyl, like a C300 or E300. Talk about a car that will constantly remind you in the worst possible way that you should have spent the extra dough on the V6 version...

Relative to pretty much every other brand's 4 cylinder engine, the BMW 4cyl is the smoothest, quietest and has the best power delivery of any of the ones I have experienced.

So yes, I agree that the 4cyl is silky smooth compared to every other 4 cylinder, and its smoother than most V6 engines, but its definitely not as refined as the inline 6 in the 540. It's probably smooth enough for most people, I mean it was smooth enough for me. But that doesn't mean I can't tell the difference between the 530i and 540i in terms of refinement. The difference is obvious for me, but I was okay living with the trade off in exchange for improved mileage and lower up front cost.

[silberma]

I got the 540i because of the better and smoother acceleration it just makes the car more enjoyable to drive and it is more like a sport sedan rather than a highway cruiser. Driving in the mountains of NC it makes a big difference. For me getting the 530i defeats the purpose of buying a BMW. But then to each his own.

[JayBimmer83]

Depends on what you want. My friend has a 530 and its nice and pretty quick for a 4 cylinder but BMW is known for their 6 cylinder engines. If money wasn't a factor I would shoot for the 540...just my 2 cents

[enigma01]

Originally Posted by silberma

I got the 540i because of the better and smoother acceleration it just makes the car more enjoyable to drive and it is more like a sport sedan rather than a highway cruiser. Driving in the mountains of NC it makes a big difference. For me getting the 530i defeats the purpose of buying a BMW. But then to each his own.

So, in your mind, the engine alone makes your car a sports sedan? I would argue that G30 540i is less of a sports sedan (and more importantly, BMW) than the E39 525i with much lower HP/TQ rating than that of the G30 530i. Yes, indeed, to each his own.

Originally Posted by JayBimmer83

Depends on what you want. My friend has a 530 and its nice and pretty quick for a 4 cylinder but BMW is known for their 6 cylinder engines. If money wasn't a factor I would shoot for the 540...just my 2 cents

BMW is not known for inline 4 cylinder engines? You might want to see what the iconic 2002 had under the hood (hint: M10 ain't an I6).

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by JayBimmer83

Depends on what you want. My friend has a 530 and its nice and pretty quick for a 4 cylinder but BMW is known for their 6 cylinder engines. If money wasn't a factor I would shoot for the 540...just my 2 cents

BMW is actually known for 4 Cyl. The iconic 2002 as referenced by the poster above me was a four pot. Also take a look at the headquarter buildings of the BMW Group in Munich:


They represent 4 cylinders, not six.

You have to understand that most Americans believe that the 6-inline is a core representation of BMW vehicles and engineering. And while that maybe true to a larger extent, the reality is that BMW did not sell a single new 4 cyl BMW from 1999 until 2011 in the United States. That is a 12 year period where only 6 cyl BMWs were available, even in base models.

This is how most have come to associate the sixer with being intrinsically BMW.

But the four banger BMW was and is the staple of BMW and has been for decades in overseas markets.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by silberma

I got the 540i because of the better and smoother acceleration it just makes the car more enjoyable to drive and it is more like a sport sedan rather than a highway cruiser. Driving in the mountains of NC it makes a big difference. For me getting the 530i defeats the purpose of buying a BMW. But then to each his own.

Actually Edmunds would disagree with you. I have to look up the article, but the 530i is viewed as the "Driver's car" flavor vs 540i due to lighter weight, good power to weight ratio, etc.

I make no mistake, my 530i is more tuned to luxury and comfort but the car is fun to drive and doesn't complain/misbehave when pushed around the corners.

And also realize that your 540i is first and foremost an excellent highway cruiser that is capable of eating mile after mile effortlessly and so does my 530i. This is the main mission of these cars. If you think your 540i is a sports sedan first and foremost, you are mistaken. It is a fast off the line and smooth/comfortable highway cruiser. The real sports sedan in the G30 realm is the M5 and M5 Competition but sold and marketed as such.

Unfortunately for most Americans what makes a car "Sporty" is the sheer horsepower and torque and the number of cylinders under the hood. Yes it is fun to drag race on a straight line but there is so much more to that metric than meets the eye.

[wheresmy5]

Anyone here with the 530 put a JB4 tuner in? Wondering how well the 4 responds to it.

I had the Stage 1 in an F10 528 and the improvement was moderate but noticeable.

[Big boi m5]

I'd advise you OP, to just make sure you get the M sport version of whatever with track handling if possible.

Thé suspension geometry is what actually made BMW popular and the sport / lux line do not have it.

Also, the 4 cylinder is underpowered for a 5 and a 3 series with modern BMW weight. It's still faster than a BRZ and other entry level sports cars so it's not bad but The editor of roundel recommends a p/w ratio of 10 or less similair to the old 2002 if you want to really have fun.

That said the -30i's are balanced properly and 40is are not. You're not going to ever show up a 40i at either track because of that though.

That all said, I don't know that a 40i is necessarily the engine for this car either. If I hop into a g30 it's going to be a 550 or a 530e.

For you, just get the m sport package. That makes it fun. Power helps of course. But the handling is key.

[prince1566]

Originally Posted by wings700

Would you rather have a 530i or 540I for 2020 model year. Does the 6 cyl make that much difference over the 4?

I was in the same situation as you are, While everyone suggested 540i and I did think about it but ultimately more features and the tech was more important to me than the engine. As I knew I wouldn't be driving that rough every time I got into the car, yes for the first few time but not all the time. so I went with 530i. I would choose more interior features over the engine every single time. That's just me. Btw way I did end up adding RaceChip GTS Black for extra +67 HP :P

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by SleepingBMW

I'd advise you OP, to just make sure you get the M sport version of whatever with track handling if possible.

Thé suspension geometry is what actually made BMW popular and the sport / lux line do not have it.

Also, the 4 cylinder is underpowered for a 5 and a 3 series with modern BMW weight. It's still faster than a BRZ and other entry level sports cars so it's not bad but The editor of roundel recommends a p/w ratio of 10 or less similair to the old 2002 if you want to really have fun.

That said the -30i's are balanced properly and 40is are not. You're not going to ever show up a 40i at either track because of that though.

That all said, I don't know that a 40i is necessarily the engine for this car either. If I hop into a g30 it's going to be a 550 or a 530e.

For you, just get the m sport package. That makes it fun. Power helps of course. But the handling is key.

You really make no sense. You make the false claim that the B46 is underpowered in the 530i yet you would go with a 530e that weighs 400+ more than the 530i, doesn't handle as well and suffer from a smaller trunk and reduced capacity fuel economy.

Haters are gonna hate, facts be damned...

[ksoze]

Originally Posted by prince1566

I would choose more interior features over the engine every single time.

Looks like you went whole hog on the exterior also, especially with the front lip. Get many cows to catch in Dallas?

[Big boi m5]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

You really make no sense. You make the false claim that the B46 is underpowered in the 530i yet you would go with a 530e that weighs 400+ more than the 530i, doesn't handle as well and suffer from a smaller trunk and reduced capacity fuel economy.

Haters are gonna hate, facts be damned...

Yeah but I have an M5 right now so if it dies I'm just going to get something economical. 530 is underpowered but I could get to work and back without using gas.