RE: BMW 550i (E60): Spotted

[Lowtimer]

Alex P said:

It would be interesting to know if this car was originally ordered by someone there in the knowledge that they would not have to worry about the depreciation on an 'odd spec' car.

Depends how long they thought they were going to keep it. At this age it's depreciated less than a slusher would have.

[st4]

172 said:

what kind of weirdo specs. a 5 series with a manual box?

Someone who doesn't want to pay the £1880 premium to for the car to change the gears for you. I have two cars, one manual, one auto. Driving the auto is fine, but I don't find changing the gears such a hardship that if I was buying new I'd spend nigh on £2k extra as an option for it to do it for me.

It's an easy thing to do and one less thing to go wrong as the car gets older.

[E65Ross]

st4 said:

172 said:

what kind of weirdo specs. a 5 series with a manual box?

Someone who doesn't want to pay the £1880 premium to for the car to change the gears for you. I have two cars, one manual, one auto. Driving the auto is fine, but I don't find changing the gears such a hardship that if I was buying new I'd spend nigh on £2k extra as an option for it to do it for me.

It's an easy thing to do and one less thing to go wrong as the car gets older.

But the whole idea of a 5 series is luxury, comfort and taking any possible stress from a journey. Sitting in stop/start traffic with a manual isn't fun by any means.

Auto for any sort of barge, manual for the fun cars in my opinion. It seems 99+% of the car-buying public agree too.

[st4]

E65Ross said:

But the whole idea of a 5 series is luxury, comfort and taking any possible stress from a journey. Sitting in stop/start traffic with a manual isn't fun by any means.

Auto for any sort of barge, manual for the fun cars in my opinion. It seems 99+% of the car-buying public agree too.

They do - but choice is good. I'd disagree with your opening statement though - that's the remit of a 7 series. A 5 series is meant to be a large but fun to drive car too.

Also - the original owner might not really drive in town - I certainly don't and thus it's less of an issue whether I have the move the lever and left leg every now and then. Particularly for rural roads (I live in W. Scotland) an Automatic might be more of a hindrance than a joy. Also given the original owner has chosen a decent engine, not some horrid diesel, the chances are they wanted to be actively engaged with driving the car- hence the choice of gearbox.

Also the vast number of people buy cars on finance and are concerned with GMFV - hence the scores of diesel automatics. At this segment a lot are given them as company cars and again - the fleet buyer has an eye on residuals.

I rather think this car was bought by someone who likes cars, who likes driving and hence have chosen it for themselves, rather than to get an extra £1000 or so from its next potential owner.

Edited by st4 on Sunday 13th January 13:01

[Chestrockwell]

E65Ross said:

st4 said:

172 said:

what kind of weirdo specs. a 5 series with a manual box?

Someone who doesn't want to pay the £1880 premium to for the car to change the gears for you. I have two cars, one manual, one auto. Driving the auto is fine, but I don't find changing the gears such a hardship that if I was buying new I'd spend nigh on £2k extra as an option for it to do it for me.

It's an easy thing to do and one less thing to go wrong as the car gets older.

But the whole idea of a 5 series is luxury, comfort and taking any possible stress from a journey. Sitting in stop/start traffic with a manual isn't fun by any means.

Auto for any sort of barge, manual for the fun cars in my opinion. It seems 99+% of the car-buying public agree too.

My brother has a manual E39 523i and it’s very nice and satisfying to drive despite it being a car built for comfort and luxury, the clutch is quite heavy along with the steering, but once you’re moving and you get used to it, it’s actually very nice and satisfying to drive, only 170 bhp but pulls well and makes a nice smooth straight 6 noise. That’s an R reg old shed value BMW, a manual 58 plate 550i sounds like a recipe for a car you own for life!

[s m]

TheAngryDog said:

s m said:

article said:

“......Indeed, find another interesting four-door saloon with a manual that isn't simply an E39 M5. Which is a pretty compelling alternative, granted. Otherwise there's the odd MG ZT 260 and, er, well, that's about it......”

Vauxhall VXR8

Manual box

Vauxhall VXR8 V8 430BHP | 61000 MILES | FULL | Full Service History https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2...

Edited by s m on Sunday 13th January 09:17

Only issue there is that it is 4k more than the car in the article. But I do like the vxr8 and would have a supercharged one.

Yeah, lower mileage and more V8ness though

It was first example I found

Here’s a cheaper one with less miles than the Beemer

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[E65Ross]

s m said:

TheAngryDog said:

s m said:

article said:

“......Indeed, find another interesting four-door saloon with a manual that isn't simply an E39 M5. Which is a pretty compelling alternative, granted. Otherwise there's the odd MG ZT 260 and, er, well, that's about it......”

Vauxhall VXR8

Manual box

Vauxhall VXR8 V8 430BHP | 61000 MILES | FULL | Full Service History https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2...

Edited by s m on Sunday 13th January 09:17

Only issue there is that it is 4k more than the car in the article. But I do like the vxr8 and would have a supercharged one.

Yeah, lower mileage and more V8ness though

It was first example I found

Here’s a cheaper one with less miles than the Beemer

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Still a lot of wedge though for a car of that age IMO. The interior of those is absolutely naff, too. They do sound good, though.

[ZX10R NIN]

The 550i is a nice car but that engine is not without a few foibles so for that kind of money I'd take the VXR8 & it's slightly less well made dash (the seats are sublime in the VXR8) more enjoyable chassis along with a bulletproof engine.

[Fire99]

ZX10R NIN said:

The 550i is a nice car but that engine is not without a few foibles so for that kind of money I'd take the VXR8 & it's slightly less well made dash (the seats are sublime in the VXR8) more enjoyable chassis along with a bulletproof engine.

I'm inclined to agree with you.
I think the E60 shape has grown on me as years have gone by, and all but one BMW i've owned have been manuals but strangely I find this combination in this car, a bit odd and I'm not certain there is much of a market for the car. I can't see a manual in this shape / spec being worth more than about 4 or 5 grand less than the asking price.

[s m]

E65Ross said:

Still a lot of wedge though for a car of that age IMO. The interior of those is absolutely naff, too. They do sound good, though.

I think I still prefer it to the two-tone BMW interior ....but it’s all taste and fancy really
Don’t know if the VXRs drop a lot cheaper to be honest

Certainly consider one at a few k less

Edited by s m on Sunday 13th January 15:08

[st4]

Fire99 said:

I'm inclined to agree with you.
I think the E60 shape has grown on me as years have gone by, and all but one BMW i've owned have been manuals but strangely I find this combination in this car, a bit odd and I'm not certain there is much of a market for the car. I can't see a manual in this shape / spec being worth more than about 4 or 5 grand less than the asking price.

I think the car is great. Sports Seats, not black inside, sensible paint outside - cracking engine and manual but it's 10yo with a big mileage so yes the price is optimistic for sure.

[Bencolem]

I had a 545i manual and a 535d auto. I’m afraid to say that only the sound and the throttle adjustability / rev range were where the 545i manual bettered the 535d auto. The manual has a long throw, wide gate and a slow action (not actually baulky as often described but it can’t be rushed). The combination is great fun initially then frustrating then ultimately wasted in this type of car.

[st4]

Bencolem said:

I had a 545i manual and a 535d auto. I’m afraid to say that only the sound and the throttle adjustability / rev range were where the 545i manual bettered the 535d auto. The manual has a long throw, wide gate and a slow action (not actually baulky as often described but it can’t be rushed). The combination is great fun initially then frustrating then ultimately wasted in this type of car.

Surely refinement (and that is a big thing in this type of car) is leagues better than the diesel.

Actually I know this - I knew a guy who bought a 545i - cracking car and it was very refined. He ruined it with a straight through exhaust and this made it very noisy but I can remember being in the car before this was done to it and it was superbly refined.

My father has a new shape 18 reg X6 40d - I think it's a B58. The only word to describe this engine is horrible. It's remarkably coarse and unrefined,and although powerful is completely devoid of reward or joy. It's not an engine IMHO- but a powerplant. I begged him not to buy it but hold out for a petrol engined one - just for the refinement.

In short - anyone who values genuine refinement over some stinky noisy diesel will see the appeal of this car. For those that don't have such sensitives - there are reams of diesel automatics to choose from.

Edited by st4 on Sunday 13th January 15:25

[cerb4.5lee]

I absolutely loved this engine in my X5 4.8iS and it was the most favourite engine that I've ever had. I thought the autobox mated to it in the X5 was really poor though, so the idea of this 550i with a manual really appeals to me. The engine does suffer badly from oil leaks though.

[BFleming]

Chestrockwell said:

I’m quite certain it was a 550i, maybe I got the year wrong, it was definitely a pre facelift, I’m stuck between 54 plate and 56, but then the 56 plates were facelifted then

The 550i was launched in September 2005.
The facelift happened in April 2007; nothing on a 56 plate is facelifted, 07 is a mixed bag, and 57 is generally facelifted.

[V8RX7]

Very optimistic price.

I'd rather take this manual 645 for £7k with 70k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[st4]

V8RX7 said:

Very optimistic price.

I'd rather take this manual 645 for £7k with 70k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

That's a lovely car - much lower miles but quite different proposition being a drop top as opposed to a saloon.

[unsprung]

wonderful, Teutonic

[Bencolem]

st4 said:

Surely refinement (and that is a big thing in this type of car) is leagues better than the diesel.

Actually I know this - I knew a guy who bought a 545i - cracking car and it was very refined. He ruined it with a straight through exhaust and this made it very noisy but I can remember being in the car before this was done to it and it was superbly refined.

My father has a new shape 18 reg X6 40d - I think it's a B58. The only word to describe this engine is horrible. It's remarkably coarse and unrefined,and although powerful is completely devoid of reward or joy. It's not an engine IMHO- but a powerplant. I begged him not to buy it but hold out for a petrol engined one - just for the refinement.

In short - anyone who values genuine refinement over some stinky noisy diesel will see the appeal of this car. For those that don't have such sensitives - there are reams of diesel automatics to choose from.

Edited by st4 on Sunday 13th January 15:25

Depends how you define refinement. Aurally the 545i was glorious compared to the 535d but I don’t recall the 535d being unrefined. To your point, it felt more like a nuclear reactor under the bonnet that just pulled you to the horizon like a ginormous invisible elastic band - with almost no aural involvement or rev range - but I don’t recall it being ‘coarse’, it was smooth and efficient, just devoid of character (other than the way it pulled).

Ultimately my point is that the manual isn’t a great gearbox and the combination with the big V8 is a bit wasted in the 5 series.

[st4]

Bencolem said:

I don’t recall it being ‘coarse’, it was smooth and efficient, just devoid of character (other than the way it pulled).

Ultimately my point is that the manual isn’t a great gearbox and the combination with the big V8 is a bit wasted in the 5 series.

I suppose everyone definition and expectations of refinement is different. I was not impressed by the 40d engine at all - the press laud with the praise but I didn't see the appeal other than it's powerful and quite efficient.

The V8 petrols aren't even that bad on fuel - particularly out of town driving.

I had a manual X5 3.0i - rare as hens teeth and as you describe it was that great but suited the car fine IMHO.