e61 545i / 550i - any good?

[jboy72]

I'll be honest - I LIKE diesels. I actually enjoy the power delivery - yes really! But after a couple of weeks of eyeing up 530ds and 535ds I have realised that on the mileage I do (3,500 per annum) there simply is no point in going derv as I will not get the car up to speed very often etc etc.

So, if ever there was a person who could afford to wallow around in a v8 its me! Anyone have any experience of the 545i or 550i? Are they likely to be as dynamically good as my e39 530i (great car but underpowered for my liking)? Anything to watch? Basically, convince me that big v8 power is the way forward...

[jboy72]

Thanks for the feedback guys. On another note, I have seen an e60 540i manual which I rather like the look of. A bit of an oddity the 540i though, as they ran that engine against the 545i and the 550i didnt they? I know it wont be a slow car but I wonder whether it is worth looking at a 540i when there are other more powerful and equally unfrugal options out there....?

[jboy72]

Well.... the deal is sealed! I am picking up my e61 550i this Saturday morning! I have to admit to a pang of regret at changing up the e46 330d - maybe that means the 550i is the wrong car for me LOL

I spent most of last month looking at 530d sports and did really want the sport look. I have misgivings at going SE because it does look quite humdrum in comparison. the interior however is lovely (Comfort Seats). The one upside of the SE looks I guess is the q car factor - I plan to remove the badge (not least because in South London I figure it could make it more of a target) and for reasons best known only to myself my "personal" reg is WOI 530 (it came with the 330 and I kind of like it). So, more accidentally than deliberately, my new car will be taken for a 530. I know it's a bit juvenile but Im kind of looking forward to surprising a few Audi A5 drivers...

[jboy72]

Cheers.

Even though I havent even really had a chance to properly drive it yet, I am already planning to book it in for a CKS remap (405bhp) and sprintbooster next week. Do you think that is a bit previous? It is only about £500 for the two so seemed a bit of a no brainer to me? EDIT: It is a pre-LCI so no sports auto. Might make a difference to suggestions...

[jboy72]

That 545 tourer does look nice, in a great colour and its a manual which I would have preferred - but I picked my 550i tourer auto (se) up today and I must say, WOW. No wonder it didn't feel that quick when I test drove it - it sets off in 3rd gear! A quick tug to the left with the shifter soon saw me scaring the bejeesus out of myself. Very happy. And it seems to do 30mpg effortlessly on the motorway as well which was better than expected. There was one unfortunate niggle - self-level system failure light came on, then went off and as I got home it came on but as a fault not a failure. I will need to get that seen to asap. I did buy from a garage but their warranty covers engine and box only and dare I say it, the car feels roadworthy enough (no probs at the back) and so maybe I just have to suck that up? Aside from that, all is well and I really, really love the car... I was worried my remapped 330d that I p-exed might feel quicker. Concerns were quickly allayed.

[jboy72]

Spuffington said:

SAT in manual mode and flappy paddles getting an exercise and everything in between. It's all the car I could want and will have for a long time to come, methinks.

Enjoy!

That does sound good - no such fun for me though, my car was registered on 6th September 2005. In fact, I think it may have been the first 550i Touring to have nmade it over here! I will content myself with the steptronic feature!

[jboy72]

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?

Edited by jboy72 on Thursday 21st March 14:28

[jboy72]

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!

Edited by Spuffington on Tuesday 19th March 19:20

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 fat

[jboy72]

Ah, thanks - what is that perforated effect on your leather seats (the triangular section)??

[jboy72]

Damnit, I didnt want Exclusive leather until now because I didnt know it existed -but now I do and so do want it! I quite like the butterscotch leather btw.

[jboy72]

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]

So 350 miles and 12 hours in the saddle later, I am averaging about 21mpg @ 28mph which I am delighted by to be honest. I am also delighted by the engine - huge slabs of endless bottom end torque with horses at the top end to match. Lovely! I mean, really lovely. Driving through West Sussex this Easter weekend was a real pleasure. Not that I see the top end very often, I get a bit nervous after 3000rpm... Perhaps my only grumble is the SE suspension which is not quite as much to my liking as the sport suspension on my old 3 series. Is it as simple as buying a set of these and having them fitted?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eibach-ProKit-Lowering-S...

Or does anyone have any other ideas?

[jboy72]

I don't want to make you all jealous or anything, but I am driving to the South of France tomorrow. Whilst in, say, a Corsa or a Fiesta that might prove somewhat of a chore I cannot wait! I have been looking forward to really stretching the legs of the 550i. If I didn't have 4 month old twins in the back I would take the much longer, slower non-toll route but as it is I think I best stick to the motorways and hustle down there as quickly as possible - well, not that quickly: I will be travelling via Burgundy (not Paris) and stopping over in Nuits-st-Georges... I wonder what my mpg will be with cruise set to 85 on a French motorway. Am I being optimistic in expecting an average of 30mpg Calais - Collioure?

[jboy72]

hornetrider said:

Get the mrs to sit in the back to entertain them when they wake. Added bonus of peace up front!

Ha - yes, a good plan - but sadly front comfort seat vs rear middle seat is not exactly a fair fight....

[jboy72]

Good shout - I averaged 27.4mpg on the way down, half cruise control and half not. It is less than 30, but I'm still pretty pleased with that....!

[jboy72]

CrazyHorse said:

I've finally made the decision to sell by beautiful 550i manual touring... so thought I'd resurrect this thread for the sole reason of blatantly advertising my car in a thread talking about how good they are!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

Edited by CrazyHorse on Tuesday 9th July 22:26

I was all set to provide a "bump" but then saw that you had sold your steed, good news for you but better news for the buyer!

I did wonder yesterday, what with the 550i being so rare, difficult to move on, and with petrol prices ever on the rise, whether the only option I will have when I come to sell (for any sort of vaguely reasonable money) will be to p-ex mine against an F11 550i that a dealer is finding equally hard to shift. The circle would continue and in this way, I would become locked into perpetual 550i ownership. I am certainly hoping so :-)