The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T (Vol XVII)
Discussion
wsurfa said:
dom9 said:
It is just getting better and better with miles as well. Just put a review on Google for them as I really am very impressed indeed. I was originally quoted £850 inc Vat for the cat-back but ended up paying £1,000 as it's a 2 or 3 silencer system as opposed to a straight pipe/ centre box delete and rear silencer. Apparently it helps with the drone (there is none).
I was pretty happy with that as H&S had quoted me £1k + VAT (I believe) straight off the bat. Others may be able to do it cheaper but these guys had done more than one 545i previously and have a load of parts on the shelves. Apparently they tried a number of configurations before settling on the final one and they nailed my criteria. Love it.
Good luck finding a 550iT - They seem like rocking horse excrement, especially ones with low miles. If there is a 550iT M-Sport with 50k miles or less available in a year or two then I'd be all over it but it probably won't exist. The first thing I'd be doing is the exhaust though - I'm yet to hear something nicer on the road this side of an exotic.
Sub 50k miles doesnt bother me, as long as it's not 130/150k+. Anything under 100k I'd be rat/drainpipe. There was one on auto trader at c75k miles I think, but limited equipment (eg no xenons), so I've left that one for now.I was pretty happy with that as H&S had quoted me £1k + VAT (I believe) straight off the bat. Others may be able to do it cheaper but these guys had done more than one 545i previously and have a load of parts on the shelves. Apparently they tried a number of configurations before settling on the final one and they nailed my criteria. Love it.
Good luck finding a 550iT - They seem like rocking horse excrement, especially ones with low miles. If there is a 550iT M-Sport with 50k miles or less available in a year or two then I'd be all over it but it probably won't exist. The first thing I'd be doing is the exhaust though - I'm yet to hear something nicer on the road this side of an exotic.
olly22n said:
barchetta_boy said:
Sell it. You know in your heart it was a mistake. Owning big expensive things comes with its own emotional overhead.
If you can't SORN it and forget it, it'll just be a source of stress. Sell it.
Correct.If you can't SORN it and forget it, it'll just be a source of stress. Sell it.
You wouldn't be on here asking about it otherwise!
So, I've given it some thought, and the plan is to SORN it and put it into storage until I've got a bit more time to use it.
And I feel that I need to take it for a proper spin once before putting it into full hibenation, just so I know what it's like.
ATM said:
Was it silver - I'm collecting a silver one right now. I was holding out for pan roof but then thought F it. Surely they're standard with xenon? The one I'm getting has no bum warmers too which is disappointing. Good news is it is only 290 tax as it's 55 reg.
Silver.... On eBay? I spoke with the owner and he seemed like a good guy. Think you'll have a great car there! In fact, is it the one I posted a few pages back? 5 or so?ATM said:
Was it silver - I'm collecting a silver one right now. I was holding out for pan roof but then thought F it. Surely they're standard with xenon? The one I'm getting has no bum warmers too which is disappointing. Good news is it is only 290 tax as it's 55 reg.
If the reg ends in PZN then this is the spec
dom9 said:
Anyone looking for a fast estate:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331599574739?_trksid=p20...
Kicking myself (although I love it) for picking up a 545i SE Touring about a month back when looking for a 550i!
Yes this one. Very pleased. Poverty spec considering no xenon and no bum warmers. I would have thought xenon should be standard on a 550i. Anyway it goes very well. I tried sport mode and it disappointed because it kept revving too high and felt like it needed to change earlier. Normal drive is good enough. Once you get used to not pressing throttle too much then it doesn't start dropping too many gears and digs in with the low down grunt - which there is a lot of. Paddles would be nice but are missing. I might try manual mode next time I'm on a suitable stretch.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331599574739?_trksid=p20...
Kicking myself (although I love it) for picking up a 545i SE Touring about a month back when looking for a 550i!
ATM said:
Yes this one. Very pleased. Poverty spec considering no xenon and no bum warmers. I would have thought xenon should be standard on a 550i. Anyway it goes very well. I tried sport mode and it disappointed because it kept revving too high and felt like it needed to change earlier. Normal drive is good enough. Once you get used to not pressing throttle too much then it doesn't start dropping too many gears and digs in with the low down grunt - which there is a lot of. Paddles would be nice but are missing. I might try manual mode next time I'm on a suitable stretch.
Glad to hear you're enjoying it! Took me 100s of miles to get used to 'driving the auto' the best way. I also reset my 'box (and it had the latest software when I had the 'box oil changed - yours should probably have it on that mileage as well) and that seemed to learn pretty quickly. When I first got it, I was flooring the accelerator everywhere and the kick down was really harsh when coming to a stop as I guess it thought I'd floor it off again... All sorted and very smooth now though!I can highly recommend a custom exhaust
Keep the miles off it and let me know if you ever get bored as I may well be interested after I've got some use out of the 545iT
dom9 said:
ATM said:
Yes this one. Very pleased. Poverty spec considering no xenon and no bum warmers. I would have thought xenon should be standard on a 550i. Anyway it goes very well. I tried sport mode and it disappointed because it kept revving too high and felt like it needed to change earlier. Normal drive is good enough. Once you get used to not pressing throttle too much then it doesn't start dropping too many gears and digs in with the low down grunt - which there is a lot of. Paddles would be nice but are missing. I might try manual mode next time I'm on a suitable stretch.
Glad to hear you're enjoying it! Took me 100s of miles to get used to 'driving the auto' the best way. I also reset my 'box (and it had the latest software when I had the 'box oil changed - yours should probably have it on that mileage as well) and that seemed to learn pretty quickly. When I first got it, I was flooring the accelerator everywhere and the kick down was really harsh when coming to a stop as I guess it thought I'd floor it off again... All sorted and very smooth now though!I can highly recommend a custom exhaust
Keep the miles off it and let me know if you ever get bored as I may well be interested after I've got some use out of the 545iT
ATM said:
Yes mine seems jerky even when using cruise. The car seems to lurch forward at the slightest hint of throttle. Obviously the guy I bought it off has been hooning it round constantly.
Reset the 'box (not sure if the accelerator to the floor for 30 secs when the ignition is on works on the 550i) and check you have the latest software and then drive real smooooooooth for a few days and it should sort itself out.Mine was also initially very jerky when it came back from the trans fluid change but it's smooth as silk now (needed a few days to 'learn', I guess). ZF recommend that the fluid is changed in these (sealed for life) 'boxes at about 75,000 miles so it's definitely ready for one (if it hasn't been done before).
They can also have a little weep from the plastic sump etc so it's worth having a specialist do it. I got the plastic sump, gaskets and a couple of other leak paths changed out on mine (and the fluid, which is a surprisingly complex procedure) for £320 at a ZF gearbox specialist. I didn't think that was bad value at all for hopefully another 75,000 miles of happy days from that 'box.
So, my £6,600 545iT now stands me at about £8,000 after that little bit of maintenance and the exhaust (and the purchase of 2015 Maps), so closing in on the price of a 550iT but I do have the bum warmers and a couple of other nice bits and pieces. The leather also seems to be holding up well to the mileage and an over-excited Field Labrador.
I know it's the devil's fuel but... just look at it. 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alpina-D5-Bi-Turbo-Rare-...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alpina-D5-Bi-Turbo-Rare-...
Blueprint said:
Agreed. The 348 has really grown on me recently and with standard wheels that would be very nice indeed.
dom9 said:
ATM said:
Yes mine seems jerky even when using cruise. The car seems to lurch forward at the slightest hint of throttle. Obviously the guy I bought it off has been hooning it round constantly.
Reset the 'box (not sure if the accelerator to the floor for 30 secs when the ignition is on works on the 550i) and check you have the latest software and then drive real smooooooooth for a few days and it should sort itself out.Mine was also initially very jerky when it came back from the trans fluid change but it's smooth as silk now (needed a few days to 'learn', I guess). ZF recommend that the fluid is changed in these (sealed for life) 'boxes at about 75,000 miles so it's definitely ready for one (if it hasn't been done before).
They can also have a little weep from the plastic sump etc so it's worth having a specialist do it. I got the plastic sump, gaskets and a couple of other leak paths changed out on mine (and the fluid, which is a surprisingly complex procedure) for £320 at a ZF gearbox specialist. I didn't think that was bad value at all for hopefully another 75,000 miles of happy days from that 'box.
So, my £6,600 545iT now stands me at about £8,000 after that little bit of maintenance and the exhaust (and the purchase of 2015 Maps), so closing in on the price of a 550iT but I do have the bum warmers and a couple of other nice bits and pieces. The leather also seems to be holding up well to the mileage and an over-excited Field Labrador.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=153...
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