e61 545i / 550i - any good?
Discussion
Vladimir said:
They appeal greatly to my Q car side but every one up for sale has more wood than a local pine store. I will not own a car with wood in it.
I do need to scratch a V8 itch though before they are banned.
Easy enough to change the interior trim inserts for 'brush chrome' ones.I do need to scratch a V8 itch though before they are banned.
Vladimir said:
I don't remember seeing any grey/black trees?
I don't remember seeing any trees which have a metal substrate and which are lacquered and polished so that they look like plastic, either.My F30 is coming with brushed aluminium trim; I couldn't bear the idea of paying an extra quid a month on the lease just to have wood, but if I had been buying it outright myself then I'd probably have gone for the individual leather and some sort of wood.
Jobbo said:
D I don't remember seeing any trees which have a metal substrate and which are lacquered and polished so that they look like plastic, either.
My F30 is coming with brushed aluminium trim; I couldn't bear the idea of paying an extra quid a month on the lease just to have wood, but if I had been buying it outright myself then I'd probably have gone for the individual leather and some sort of wood.
Ooh you have it bad! Bentleys are allowed it but nothing else.My F30 is coming with brushed aluminium trim; I couldn't bear the idea of paying an extra quid a month on the lease just to have wood, but if I had been buying it outright myself then I'd probably have gone for the individual leather and some sort of wood.
330d I assume?
Vladimir said:
They appeal greatly to my Q car side but every one up for sale has more wood than a local pine store. I will not own a car with wood in it.
I actually agree despite having wood in my 550i. I've got "dark" wood, which in most lights just looks dark but in photographs does look very woody.Picture I took (looks very woody):
A photo the previous owner took (more like reality and less woody):
To be honest I don't like many of BMW's interior strips; I think the alumiunium looks cheap and I don't like wood. If I was buying new I'd have the piano black every time, but the dark wood wins over the cheap looking aluminium.
Have to agree that all the E60 trims are pretty rubbish. My E70 was much nicer with the metal trim border which complimented the wood.
The darker stuff above I think is acceptable and I had it in my 535d. My 550i unfortunately has a lighter oak which is, for me at least, a little too light and wouldn't have specced it new.
At the end of the day, it's all about the engine, so doesn't bother me greatly!
The darker stuff above I think is acceptable and I had it in my 535d. My 550i unfortunately has a lighter oak which is, for me at least, a little too light and wouldn't have specced it new.
At the end of the day, it's all about the engine, so doesn't bother me greatly!
I think the wood rather suits the car - or at least my car? No? I don't think an SE touring in silver with a light interior would suit a metal / carbon trim personally... I like the contrast. Anyway, plenty of other things to get excited about as has been said... I still havent been able to drive it further than round the block other than the first 40 mile drive home and its driving me nuts!
My topaz blue e39 530i sport on the other hand did look quite dashing with the metal trim.
Maybe it is simply a case of what you first get used to with a particular car
EDIT - just noticed I don't have the wood strips across the top of the door which Crazyhorse does and which actually I am quite pleased about. Is that an LCI thing or do I have an "inferior" wood package?
My topaz blue e39 530i sport on the other hand did look quite dashing with the metal trim.
Maybe it is simply a case of what you first get used to with a particular car
EDIT - just noticed I don't have the wood strips across the top of the door which Crazyhorse does and which actually I am quite pleased about. Is that an LCI thing or do I have an "inferior" wood package?
Edited by jboy72 on Thursday 21st March 14:28
Spuffington said:
^^^^ This.....
Exactly, my rationale when px'ing a perfectly kept and serviceable 535d on what appeared to my wife to be a whim!
Incidentally, snap. I pxed a very lovely indeed and insanely cheap to run e46 330d sport in Oxford Green (a colour which I love). I had been eyeing up an e39 540i for some time but then just thought, stuff it - let's go full fatExactly, my rationale when px'ing a perfectly kept and serviceable 535d on what appeared to my wife to be a whim!
Edited by Spuffington on Tuesday 19th March 19:20
jboy72 said:
EDIT - just noticed I don't have the wood strips across the top of the door which Crazyhorse does and which actually I am quite pleased about. Is that an LCI thing or do I have an "inferior" wood package?
It's an LCI thing - the pre-LCI wood is on the diagonal door handles. Anyone else think it's weird that the auto gear lever has a metal insert no matter what trim the car has otherwise?Since we're posting our 'got wood' photos:
Just found a photo of the Werthers interior of my previous 545i Touring (the colour being one of the reasons I sold it):
Edited by Jobbo on Thursday 21st March 14:53
The black seats in my current 545i are Exclusive leather (nappa, and sold as such in Europe, but a stupidly named option over here). It's a sort of mock-croc panel 
- also on the top of the backrest:
The beige ones are properly perforated since they were ventilated. Can't say I liked the Nasca leather which you were forced to have with the ventilated seats; thick hide, but very hard and not particularly nice to the touch.
- also on the top of the backrest:The beige ones are properly perforated since they were ventilated. Can't say I liked the Nasca leather which you were forced to have with the ventilated seats; thick hide, but very hard and not particularly nice to the touch.
Bemmer said:
According to the website www.Cramag.com they have Sold this one now.....! Some nice 840 Sports on there though.....!Bemmer said:
According to the website www.Cramag.com they have Sold this one now.....! Some nice 840 Sports on there though.....!
Aren't there! Having just bought a 550i I must admit to being slightly heartened that another has just sold! Especially for a good few k more...(assuming closish to asking price)jboy72 said:
Bemmer said:
According to the website www.Cramag.com they have Sold this one now.....! Some nice 840 Sports on there though.....!
Aren't there! Having just bought a 550i I must admit to being slightly heartened that another has just sold! Especially for a good few k more...(assuming closish to asking price)2.5pi said:
Hah! That's my old car. P/ex'd it for an F07 550i GT.
Took £5,500 for it so if it sold straight away that's one of the easiest £4,500 that Stratstone Doncaster BMW will have ever made!
I put the E63 ellipsoid alloys on - came with 17's from the factory and - combined with the SE suspension just couldn't keep up with the motor!
Dealer experience was a nightmare btw...
Bencolem,
That is the car I am thinking of getting. Looking at trading my C320 CDI but think £9991 is a little steep even for a main stealer.
What are your thought's regarding the car as a whole if you don't mind me asking?
Just looking for a car that is a bit more of an 'experience'.
Thanks,
Dan
That is the car I am thinking of getting. Looking at trading my C320 CDI but think £9991 is a little steep even for a main stealer.
What are your thought's regarding the car as a whole if you don't mind me asking?
Just looking for a car that is a bit more of an 'experience'.
Thanks,
Dan
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