RE: BMW 550i (E60): Spotted
Discussion
janesmith1950 said:
It's not going to be much fun to hustle, so why bother with the manual?
I had a 545 auto, with the dynamic drive option, and it was a great car to hustle. The engine loved to rev and the turn in and general handling were top notch. Loads of grip so you wouldn’t be drifting it about but I found it a surprisingly fun car to drive.
Only the physical size proved an issue on a spirited drive.
I had a fsh 70k mile example and it was a real money pit.
trickywoo said:
I had a 545 auto, with the dynamic drive option, and it was a great car to hustle.
The engine loved to rev and the turn in and general handling were top notch. Loads of grip so you wouldn’t be drifting it about but I found it a surprisingly fun car to drive.
Only the physical size proved an issue on a spirited drive.
I had a fsh 70k mile example and it was a real money pit.
What went wrong with it?The engine loved to rev and the turn in and general handling were top notch. Loads of grip so you wouldn’t be drifting it about but I found it a surprisingly fun car to drive.
Only the physical size proved an issue on a spirited drive.
I had a fsh 70k mile example and it was a real money pit.
A couple of years ago I had an (almost as rare) E60 545i SE Manual Saloon with the same 6 speed box.
It was a lovely thing despite *only* 333bhp
I did naughty things to the silencers (I removed them all basically) so it sounded more like a pimped Monaro, and could still entertain.
Bought and sold for only £4500. Much better value I'd say.
It was a lovely thing despite *only* 333bhp
I did naughty things to the silencers (I removed them all basically) so it sounded more like a pimped Monaro, and could still entertain.
Bought and sold for only £4500. Much better value I'd say.
172 said:
what kind of weirdo specs. a 5 series with a manual box?
The only previous owner of my 2008 LCI 525i (3.0 litre N54 engine, not the older 2.5 litre lump) did. It has the M-Sport suspension, too. I figured it would be a reasonably dull motorway mile-muncher when I bought it, but it's surprisingly fun to thrash it down a twisty country road. I don't like automatics, and I don't find it tiring or horrible to drive it through city traffic using a manual gearbox; all my cars have been manuals so far. The interior of the E60 is comfy enough and the cabin well noise-insulated enough to just chill and listen to some music instead of getting wound up about traffic. It's a nice place to be.
st4 said:
I had an X5 4.4i with that gearbox. It had constant shifting issues. I got rid of it and it had a fraction of the miles this car has.
Chances are most automatic BMWs haven't seen a gearbox oil change either.
A manual transmission is a much simpler, cruder technology. They (unless it's a Vauxhall) never go pop and any old place can fit a new clutch.
Currently running a Oct 20015 BM 650 Auto. I am on 185k miles, Gearbox is still lovely and smooth and still gets fully exercised. Gearbox oil was changed at 110k.Chances are most automatic BMWs haven't seen a gearbox oil change either.
A manual transmission is a much simpler, cruder technology. They (unless it's a Vauxhall) never go pop and any old place can fit a new clutch.
Difference between 545 & 550 is 333BHP Vs 368BHP.
Biggest concern on these is the dreaded Valve Stem Seal issue. If that has not been done, I would budget £1500 from a specialist. If it has the "Dynamic Drive" it will drive very well on the twisties.
As for being a gas guzzler, I think not.........
SWMBO and I drove 200 miles in convoy home just before Christmas. I was in an Evoque 2.2 diesel and my wife was in the BM. I averaged 38MPG, but as diesel is 10% more expensive than petrol, call it 34mpg. BMW was 30.3 MPG. Not as much of a difference as I was expecting.
We both really like the v8 and think it would suit the Evoque nicely!
I think the 550i sits in the shadow of the V10, unlike previous 5s where the 540i/535i were distinct and desirable enough in their own right. A lot of people don't get on with the aesthetics of the E60, but I think the Bangle school of design is validated by how contemporary it still looks. Not to knock the rivals (both nice barges in their own way, especially the Merc), but if you look at the competing E class and A6 from the mid-noughties, they've dated tragically by comparison.
That being said, I'm biased as I've had my 550i auto for two and a half years now, and I've got about 140 000 miles on it, and it's as reliable as a reliable thing. I can't imagine that I would enjoy it more as a manual - it's fun because it hums around nonchalantly (I can keep ahead of traffic without exceeding 2000rpm), but you can also squeeze the throttle and enjoy the fantastic reserves of power it has. It's fast enough by 2018 standards, (well, everywhere except the internet) it's a beautiful V8, and the E60 chassis is fantastic. A large saloon that doesn't feel like a pudding.
It's almost too good, in fact. Coming from an E34 540i, it's so competent and unruffled, and its limits are way higher. But it will do the dance on a twisty coastal road and the Comfort seats will keep you in place while it does so. I've never found the gearbox dimwitted (it learns your driving style and will shift down perfectly/avoid shifting up as required) - it's intuitive enough that I never feel like I'd make better decisions if I was controlling things.
Someone will always say "better off in a 530d", or some such thing, but you simply cannot compare the dynamics of a 362bhp 4.8 litre V8 with those of a diesel 6-pot. The V8 is part of what makes the car feel luxurious and sporty, not simply quick.
That being said, I'm biased as I've had my 550i auto for two and a half years now, and I've got about 140 000 miles on it, and it's as reliable as a reliable thing. I can't imagine that I would enjoy it more as a manual - it's fun because it hums around nonchalantly (I can keep ahead of traffic without exceeding 2000rpm), but you can also squeeze the throttle and enjoy the fantastic reserves of power it has. It's fast enough by 2018 standards, (well, everywhere except the internet) it's a beautiful V8, and the E60 chassis is fantastic. A large saloon that doesn't feel like a pudding.
It's almost too good, in fact. Coming from an E34 540i, it's so competent and unruffled, and its limits are way higher. But it will do the dance on a twisty coastal road and the Comfort seats will keep you in place while it does so. I've never found the gearbox dimwitted (it learns your driving style and will shift down perfectly/avoid shifting up as required) - it's intuitive enough that I never feel like I'd make better decisions if I was controlling things.
Someone will always say "better off in a 530d", or some such thing, but you simply cannot compare the dynamics of a 362bhp 4.8 litre V8 with those of a diesel 6-pot. The V8 is part of what makes the car feel luxurious and sporty, not simply quick.
The ZF6 auto was a complete turd for me sadly and I've had it in three Bmw's(granted an auto would usually suit a barge like this in fairness though), but equally Bmw don't make a decent manual either(both my E92 M3/Z4M were manual and they were very poor to say the least). So annoyingly you can't really win either way with Bmw, but I do really appreciate very rare cars like this one though for sure.
From what I've read it is only Bmw that make a pigs ear of the ZF6 auto though, and I believe other manufacturers do a far better job with it. My E61 520d was a manual and strangely for a Bmw it was very nice to use(the hateful engine aside), so I'd hope that the 550i manual would be the same.
From what I've read it is only Bmw that make a pigs ear of the ZF6 auto though, and I believe other manufacturers do a far better job with it. My E61 520d was a manual and strangely for a Bmw it was very nice to use(the hateful engine aside), so I'd hope that the 550i manual would be the same.
J4CKO said:
TurboRob said:
Nice car, but £12.5k is good e39 M5 territory and bottom of the e60 M5 market.
Its worth about half that really isnt it.Twelve and a half grand for a leggy, non M 5 series, no ta.
(I'm basing this on having looked at classified ads - so of course, it's possible the cars I've seen advertised don't actually sell! But I assume they do, and at some reasonable fraction of the advertised price, because if they didn't, the posted prices would be generally lower.)
Edited by to3m on Monday 14th January 03:14
back in the day I used to work for the Bavarians. There were very few manual 550i's, indeed the only person that requested therm as their daily driver was none other than Tiff Needell. Looking at the reg plate, I would say that there is a strong possibility that this is one of Tiff's old press loaner (I think he still has a deal with BMW even to this day), they get replaced every 9k miles, although back then it was every 6k miles, and also a possibility that I pressed the buttons on the ordering computer to build the car at Dingolfing.
If it isn't Tiff's it'll almost certainly be an ex BMW fleet car, probably a presser, maybe from the corporate fleet.
If it isn't Tiff's it'll almost certainly be an ex BMW fleet car, probably a presser, maybe from the corporate fleet.
That is a very nice BMW.
Like to think that I solved the whole "manual versus auto" question by going with the Mercedes W212 E500 where we get the 7G-Tronic and flappy paddles.
Like to think that I solved the whole "manual versus auto" question by going with the Mercedes W212 E500 where we get the 7G-Tronic and flappy paddles.
When I was looking for a V8 engine car 6 years ago I looked at this car's smaller brother, the 540i, albeit and auto. Very nice car to drive but unless you revved it, it was too quiet for my liking and could have been any other engine in the range. That and as others have said, some of the repair bills look quite scary. In the end I bought a Monaro that suited me more, but the sort of money that 550i is going for gets you (just about!) into a VXR8, manual, RWD, V8 and (probably) not likely to loose as much money if you sell it on.
We got my Dad an auto one of these late last year to replace his ageing E39 530i.
It's a pre-facelift '56' plate 550i M Sport, Carbon Black, Individual Zinx Leather, Head Up Display, Glass Roof, Comfort Heated Seats, etc. Decent spec and only 85k miles.
Had to get a few bits done on it and got it fully serviced. Sourced a set of genuine 19" spiders, as it came with 17" winter wheels at the time.
Annoying thing was that the previous owner had fitted a full Magnaflow exhaust system, which when on song sounded immense, but tootling around town and at 70mph on the motorway, it heavily droned and was borderline unbearable, especially for my old man!
It was a choice between this and the 530i model, however, my specialist advised that the later 3.0 petrol engines are direct injection and are known for issues and costly to fix. He said that whilst these do suffer from valve stem failure, it would be a bit cheaper getting this issue fixed plus the 4.8 is generally a better engine.
Agree with the other posts - the E60 has gracefully aged, and in M Sport guise, still looks relatively modern by today's standards. The 550i is a quick, comfortable and refined car, but is rather thirsty around town. My Dad works very local to home, so he doesn't need something too frugal, and all the trips he will do would be motorway mainly, so the car would be in its element.
The car in the article is commanding strong money, and for that I'd rather have an E60 M5. But, it is a manual, seems to be highly-specced and there will be someone out there who wants it.
It's a pre-facelift '56' plate 550i M Sport, Carbon Black, Individual Zinx Leather, Head Up Display, Glass Roof, Comfort Heated Seats, etc. Decent spec and only 85k miles.
Had to get a few bits done on it and got it fully serviced. Sourced a set of genuine 19" spiders, as it came with 17" winter wheels at the time.
Annoying thing was that the previous owner had fitted a full Magnaflow exhaust system, which when on song sounded immense, but tootling around town and at 70mph on the motorway, it heavily droned and was borderline unbearable, especially for my old man!
It was a choice between this and the 530i model, however, my specialist advised that the later 3.0 petrol engines are direct injection and are known for issues and costly to fix. He said that whilst these do suffer from valve stem failure, it would be a bit cheaper getting this issue fixed plus the 4.8 is generally a better engine.
Agree with the other posts - the E60 has gracefully aged, and in M Sport guise, still looks relatively modern by today's standards. The 550i is a quick, comfortable and refined car, but is rather thirsty around town. My Dad works very local to home, so he doesn't need something too frugal, and all the trips he will do would be motorway mainly, so the car would be in its element.
The car in the article is commanding strong money, and for that I'd rather have an E60 M5. But, it is a manual, seems to be highly-specced and there will be someone out there who wants it.
I've always thought these are great looking cars and a bit of a sleeper, but it seems the words "Money pit" always crop up. I've a friend who lost a five figure sum on a 645Ci, which needed an engine rebuild and he reckons it broke down at least 20 times during his 2 year ownership....
Just wondered why so many higher end BMWs seem so fragile? I may be wrong, but you don't seem to hear of as many expensive engine issues with the V8 Mercs......
..and yes £12K seems a lot for a non M Badge car with this mileage. A 2007/2008 Merc E63AMG is similar money on 90,000-100,000 miles and for me that seems to offer an awful lot more car than one of these.
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