[Falafel Combo]

I’m a bit confused. I don’t find anything substantially superior about the ///M550i (except for some cool badging and the “V8”) that would make me upgrade from a 540i M Sport. Neither is it good enough to be a full fledged ///M car. What am I missing?

What made you choose an ///M550i over the 540i M Sport?
And who is passing the ///M550i over, choosing to wait for the ///M5?


Please share your experiences, if any. Thanks!

[Roger_M]

Dear Falafel,

Good question, in the beginning I didn't "get" the M550i at all, as it appears neither a strong mid-range 5-er nor an M-car, but seemed to simply hang in the middle.

But after a lot of thought I realised it was ideal for someone like me i.e. I wanted plenty of power, I wanted the M-suspension and some of the toys which come standard, but I did not want a sports car. I was driving Porsche for 10+ years and honestly getting sick of feeling like I should be on the track all the time. I wanted speed but even more than that I wanted comfort and relaxation, to be able to drive a few hours and not make it feel like a marathon.

With all that in mind, I felt the M550i could be the perfect compromise and it has turned out so: after 16 weeks with it, I'm absolutely delighted with the car, no regrets at all - I hope I have explained myself in a way you guys can sympathise with.

Taking it one step further with respect to the M5, who really wants a fire-breathing monster every day (which is how often I would use it), and how compromised must such a large sports saloon feel when you are used to a very nimble, hyper-responsive small 2-door sportscar?

Also, I'm getting older.....need a car which lies well with my image!

[r33_RGSport]

Good topic.
I personally think that I am out of road even with my 540.
Last year when I have my F06 650GC, I thought it was too much for daily driver. Everywhere I go, can?t enjoy the car. With a tap of gas pedal, you have to step on the brake.
So I took it to the track, man, I tell you, long chassis car doesn?t belong on the track.
Car only lasted me for 6 months before I dump it and trade it to a 997C4S. Less power but more fun to drive.
That?s what made me decided to get back into 6cyl when I shop on the G30. It is the best for both world. I have had F10 528, luckily was my wife?s primary car, otherwise I would dump that car in 6 months too for being too slow, haha.
The F10 ActiveHybrid was good, too bad it have defect, so it got bought back by BMW.
I should?ve get the V8 on the F15 X5 though, the 6cyl on my F15 was merely enough.

[Canuck99]

Currently have an M550i sitting in Germany waiting for a boat. Delivery expected late November here on the west coast of Canada.

I don't know if I'm the "ideal" m550i buyer but here's my reasoning. Over the years I've had many coupes - RX7, Preludes, Acura CL-S, one of the first 645Ci 6 speed manuals in Vancouver (had it 11 years) and now sitting in an F-Type R (2015 RWD only). When I bought the 645 back in 2003 I never thought I'd own a BMW because everyone and his dog owned a BMW here in Vancouver and I found there external design mundane but that new 645 was distinctive and after driving it I loved it.

The F-Type R is gorgeous, has stupid amount of power but unfortunately Jag hasn't tamed that power and allows this tail happy beast to slide all over the place even on dry pavement with all the rain/snow electronic nannies turned on. In the wet (11 months of the year here in Vancouver) it's just stupid. The road noise is terrible in the cockpit, you can't enjoy music. The ride is hard in all settings. The electronic features are basic - no voice control, no maintenance info,... As a daily driver it sucks for a good portion of the year. When it's dry and sunny it's a ton of fun and OMG the sound of the supercharged V8 is fricking amazing. I suspect the newer AWD version of this beast would be better but at the end of 3 years I've had my fun and it's time to look at something a bit less track like (although most would say the Jag is too tail happy to be a good track car).

Ideally, what I was looking for was performance of the Jag in a much more refined less neanderthal implementation. I want torque off the line, a coupe, and distinctive styling. It needs to be around the 100K mark or less Canadian. Except for the distinctive part, the 6 series had a lot of what I wanted but of course that is discontinued. The 8 series concept looks amazing but it's likely coming in at 175K Canadian (hardly a 6 series replacement). I won't bore you with comments about Audi and Mercedes.

I test drove the M4 with a competition package - if that was what I was looking for I'd keep the Jag, the Jag has much better torque off the line and is a more comfortable ride. I test drove the M550i and loved it. It will be interesting to see how I feel about it after driving it for a few months. The styling is mundane and the sound is pathetic for a V8. As I wait for delivery I find myself looking at M Performance and AC Schnitzer aero parts to try to kick the styling up a notch and am having no luck whatsoever in finding an upgrade to the exhaust sound. But I do love the handling on the sportier settings and the performance is great. In a nutshell, it's a compromise that I think I can live with. Why didn't I wait for the M5 - timing, price and the impression I have from other M models.

[Roadkiller]

My M550i is in the last stages of production and hope to get it in ~30 days or so. My last 4 cars:

• 2009 M3
• 2012 F10 550i
• 2014 M4
• 2015 C63S AMG

In my opinion, for me the M550i is the perfect combo of these cars and I'm not sure the 540i could do the trick. Each of my previous cars had something I really liked but was missing something that lead me to the next car. I see the 540 in the category of my F10 550i. My AMG was tuned to over 600tq/600hp but there was absolutely no way to put that power down. The tech sucked and the appearance of luxury is a bit misleading.

The M550i -- with xDrive and S1 tune, new technology, luxury, etc. -- will be M5-like in my mind. I don't track my cars so I could not justify paying additional $$ for the full all out M treatment. The power I get (and can put down) from the M550i will exceed my previous cars and the tech/luxury will beat them hands down. We travel a lot and my wife is excited to get the new tech and luxury packages again. The only car that came close to meeting her standards was the F10 550i so I'm looking forward to combining M-type power with the luxury she enjoys. The 540 is a great car and if I did not have the power provided by the cars in my past, I would go after it.

[visualguy]

Originally Posted by Falafel Combo

I’m a bit confused. I don’t find anything substantially superior about the ///M550i (except for some cool badging and the “V8”) that would make me upgrade from a 540i M Sport. Neither is it good enough to be a full fledged ///M car. What am I missing?

What made you choose an ///M550i over the 540i M Sport?
And who is passing the ///M550i over, choosing to wait for the ///M5?


Please share your experiences, if any. Thanks!

My opinion... Go with the 540i. More than enough power for any kind of real-world driving. The M550i gets you overkill power at the price of worse handling (the car is much heavier in the front), horrible fuel consumption in the city, much worse reliability of the V8TT engine, and a higher price. With the M5 you get something truly special, but it's pointless overkill from a practical perspective, and suffers from all the problems mentioned above (probably other than the handling). Save your money, and get the 540i - light, more than powerful enough, good handling, good fuel consumption, more reliable.

[Mbbrewer]

Originally Posted by Falafel Combo

I’m a bit confused. I don’t find anything substantially superior about the ///M550i (except for some cool badging and the “V8”) that would make me upgrade from a 540i M Sport. Neither is it good enough to be a full fledged ///M car. What am I missing?

What made you choose an ///M550i over the 540i M Sport?
And who is passing the ///M550i over, choosing to wait for the ///M5?


Please share your experiences, if any. Thanks!

The fact that you only think the difference is some cool badging means you are clueless. You are the ideal 530 customer who doesn’t give a crap about driving.

[morellomax]

Well That's Some Constructive Input Right There !

The OP even has 2 x M3's listed in his sig....

[Roadkiller]

Originally Posted by Mbbrewer

The fact that you only think the difference is some cool badging means you are clueless. You are the ideal 530 customer who doesn’t give a crap about driving.

I've seen Falafel around for a long time...I think he knows these cars.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by Roger_M

Dear Falafel,

Good question, in the beginning I didn't "get" the M550i at all, as it appears neither a strong mid-range 5-er nor an M-car, but seemed to simply hang in the middle.

But after a lot of thought I realised it was ideal for someone like me i.e. I wanted plenty of power, I wanted the M-suspension and some of the toys which come standard, but I did not want a sports car. I was driving Porsche for 10+ years and honestly getting sick of feeling like I should be on the track all the time. I wanted speed but even more than that I wanted comfort and relaxation, to be able to drive a few hours and not make it feel like a marathon.

With all that in mind, I felt the M550i could be the perfect compromise and it has turned out so: after 16 weeks with it, I'm absolutely delighted with the car, no regrets at all - I hope I have explained myself in a way you guys can sympathise with.

Taking it one step further with respect to the M5, who really wants a fire-breathing monster every day (which is how often I would use it), and how compromised must such a large sports saloon feel when you are used to a very nimble, hyper-responsive small 2-door sportscar?

Also, I'm getting older.....need a car which lies well with my image!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

Good topic.
I personally think that I am out of road even with my 540.
Last year when I have my F06 650GC, I thought it was too much for daily driver. Everywhere I go, can?t enjoy the car. With a tap of gas pedal, you have to step on the brake.
So I took it to the track, man, I tell you, long chassis car doesn?t belong on the track.
Car only lasted me for 6 months before I dump it and trade it to a 997C4S. Less power but more fun to drive.
That?s what made me decided to get back into 6cyl when I shop on the G30. It is the best for both world. I have had F10 528, luckily was my wife?s primary car, otherwise I would dump that car in 6 months too for being too slow, haha.
The F10 ActiveHybrid was good, too bad it have defect, so it got bought back by BMW.
I should?ve get the V8 on the F15 X5 though, the 6cyl on my F15 was merely enough.

Hey congrats on the 540i!! I think that is really the sweet spot of the G30 range.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by Canuck99

Currently have an M550i sitting in Germany waiting for a boat. Delivery expected late November here on the west coast of Canada.

I don't know if I'm the "ideal" m550i buyer but here's my reasoning. Over the years I've had many coupes - RX7, Preludes, Acura CL-S, one of the first 645Ci 6 speed manuals in Vancouver (had it 11 years) and now sitting in an F-Type R (2015 RWD only). When I bought the 645 back in 2003 I never thought I'd own a BMW because everyone and his dog owned a BMW here in Vancouver and I found there external design mundane but that new 645 was distinctive and after driving it I loved it.

The F-Type R is gorgeous, has stupid amount of power but unfortunately Jag hasn't tamed that power and allows this tail happy beast to slide all over the place even on dry pavement with all the rain/snow electronic nannies turned on. In the wet (11 months of the year here in Vancouver) it's just stupid. The road noise is terrible in the cockpit, you can't enjoy music. The ride is hard in all settings. The electronic features are basic - no voice control, no maintenance info,... As a daily driver it sucks for a good portion of the year. When it's dry and sunny it's a ton of fun and OMG the sound of the supercharged V8 is fricking amazing. I suspect the newer AWD version of this beast would be better but at the end of 3 years I've had my fun and it's time to look at something a bit less track like (although most would say the Jag is too tail happy to be a good track car).

Ideally, what I was looking for was performance of the Jag in a much more refined less neanderthal implementation. I want torque off the line, a coupe, and distinctive styling. It needs to be around the 100K mark or less Canadian. Except for the distinctive part, the 6 series had a lot of what I wanted but of course that is discontinued. The 8 series concept looks amazing but it's likely coming in at 175K Canadian (hardly a 6 series replacement). I won't bore you with comments about Audi and Mercedes.

I test drove the M4 with a competition package - if that was what I was looking for I'd keep the Jag, the Jag has much better torque off the line and is a more comfortable ride. I test drove the M550i and loved it. It will be interesting to see how I feel about it after driving it for a few months. The styling is mundane and the sound is pathetic for a V8. As I wait for delivery I find myself looking at M Performance and AC Schnitzer aero parts to try to kick the styling up a notch and am having no luck whatsoever in finding an upgrade to the exhaust sound. But I do love the handling on the sportier settings and the performance is great. In a nutshell, it's a compromise that I think I can live with. Why didn't I wait for the M5 - timing, price and the impression I have from other M models.

Totally agree about the styling of the M550i. Little distinction from an M Sport. For some reason, it seems BMW is going the way of Mercedes with more conservative designs.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by Roadkiller

My M550i is in the last stages of production and hope to get it in ~30 days or so. My last 4 cars:

• 2009 M3
• 2012 F10 550i
• 2014 M4
• 2015 C63S AMG

In my opinion, for me the M550i is the perfect combo of these cars and I'm not sure the 540i could do the trick. Each of my previous cars had something I really liked but was missing something that lead me to the next car. I see the 540 in the category of my F10 550i. My AMG was tuned to over 600tq/600hp but there was absolutely no way to put that power down. The tech sucked and the appearance of luxury is a bit misleading.

The M550i -- with xDrive and S1 tune, new technology, luxury, etc. -- will be M5-like in my mind. I don't track my cars so I could not justify paying additional $$ for the full all out M treatment. The power I get (and can put down) from the M550i will exceed my previous cars and the tech/luxury will beat them hands down. We travel a lot and my wife is excited to get the new tech and luxury packages again. The only car that came close to meeting her standards was the F10 550i so I'm looking forward to combining M-type power with the luxury she enjoys. The 540 is a great car and if I did not have the power provided by the cars in my past, I would go after it.

I would wager 80% of M5’s never see the track. I doubt that is a factor in any M5 owners purchasing decision.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by visualguy

My opinion... Go with the 540i. More than enough power for any kind of real-world driving. The M550i gets you overkill power at the price of worse handling (the car is much heavier in the front), horrible fuel consumption in the city, much worse reliability of the V8TT engine, and a higher price. With the M5 you get something truly special, but it's pointless overkill from a practical perspective, and suffers from all the problems mentioned above (probably other than the handling). Save your money, and get the 540i - light, more than powerful enough, good handling, good fuel consumption, more reliable.

Is the V8 really that unreliable? I’ve always wondered about that. What are some of it’s main issues?

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by Mbbrewer

The fact that you only think the difference is some cool badging means you are clueless. You are the ideal 530 customer who doesn’t give a crap about driving.

Well I will admit that I am confused (or bored maybe?). I’m shopping for an M550i while having a model 3 on order so go figure.

Besides, if the 530i is anything like the 528i, then it’s a perfectly good BMW with an incredibly competent Powertrain. Really, that’s all that most people need for daily driving. Let’s not fool ourselves into thinnking that any 5 series is a “drivers car”. Driving a 5 series is by definitition and outwardly admission to the world that you don’t “give a crap about driving” and that you prioritize elegance and luxury.

But to cut to the issue at hand, the M550i probably made a lot more sense when the M5 was RWD. But I still fail to see what the M550i “unique selling proposition” is, aside from the badging and a burning desire for a V8, but not an M5 price tag.

Any upgraded suspension bits, software tweaks and other marketing punchlines are virtually imperceptible to the average owner daily driving a 5 series.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by morellomax

Well That's Some Constructive Input Right There !

The OP even has 2 x M3's listed in his sig....

Originally Posted by Roadkiller

I've seen Falafel around for a long time...I think he knows these cars.

Thanks guys. I understand why he made those comments. No big deal.

[Falafel Combo]

The funny thing is I will probably end up with an M550i, only because I can afford it, like the unique badging distinction and yes, have a “burning desire” for the V8 with an aftermarket exhaust. And frankly I do not think another $30k is in the cards for an M5.

I was just hoping there was something more special about it that I may have been missing.

[Canuck99]

Do you have an idea which after market exhaust yet or perhaps you have to get over the "I'm going for an M550i" hurdle first

[Roadkiller]

In the end, there is nothing special. If I had the EXTRA $30k and it did not require a change in lifestyle, I might have moved to the M5. I guess the same argument -- to some degree -- could be made at a much lower level about the 440i GC xDrive with all the M performance goodies and an M4.

[visualguy]

Originally Posted by Falafel Combo

Is the V8 really that unreliable? I’ve always wondered about that. What are some of it’s main issues?

It's reliable-enough for a lease, but you don't want to own it long term. There are numerous threads about it... Many of the issues seem to be related to damage from the intense heat in the area of the turbos within the V. Valve guide seals and other parts go kaput surprisingly quickly. Excessive oil consumption is common with these engines (Consumer Reports complained about that as well). There have been a few technical updates which alleviated or eliminated some of the problems, but others remained.

[Roger_M]

Originally Posted by Falafel Combo

The funny thing is I will probably end up with an M550i, only because I can afford it, like the unique badging distinction and yes, have a “burning desire” for the V8 with an aftermarket exhaust. And frankly I do not think another $30k is in the cards for an M5.

I was just hoping there was something more special about it that I may have been missing.

You're right, for me it's an "ideal compromise" rather than out-and-out "nail on the head" kind of car. But it works fine!

I also like the fact it comes in "under the radar": strong V8 engine but visually little to set it apart to the non-afficiando. Interesting thread!

[TreyWaters]

I've said it once, so I'll say it again: I don't see the non-M ///M cars as a real M car. To me, it's nothing more than marketing...and it's apparently worked very well. The M550i (as far as I can tell) is nothing more than the replacement for the F10 550i. There's not much that's really 'M' about it, beyond badging it with some M stickers.

For me, an M5 has been my dream car for a long while. Unfortunately, buying a new M5 is out of the cards for me at this point. Price-wise, an M3 would probably have been comparable to the 550i; plus better handling and power-to-weight ratio. However, I wanted the larger back seat for my kid that the 5-series offers. I had started looking at the 550i as my next car about 2 years ago. The G30 was just starting to be teased, and I had some investments that worked out for timing, so I got the new 550i. Oh, sorry, M550i.

So, the "M" didn't really factor into my decision (although, I can't say I haven't been sucked in by the "M" excitement of it at times - which means their marketing has worked). I would have gotten it if they didn't do the ricer thing by upping the speed factor with a sticker.