[BavariaExclusive]

Heavy nose lol. Whatever that means.

[RSBro]

LOL this thread...
If a 550i is nose heavy, then I want all my cars to be nose heavy. I barely scratch the surface of what this thing can do. The 535i in my rear view mirror can be pondering the downsides of said nose heaviness as I clip down the road.

[lovec1990]

550i, with its V8 engine, is the most nose heavy, with a 52.5/47.5 percent front-rear weight distribution; the 535i with its I6 comes in at 50.9/49.1 percent.Both are front heavy so if you like drag racing get 550i, but if you like driving trough corners take 535i plus 535i is bmws best engine 550i was made just for americans.

choice is yours OP what do you want acceleration(550i) or handling(535i).

[dpouncey]

If you get the 535 you will love it as long as you never drive a 550! I did untill I drove the 550 now I own one!

[Boulder Bill]

Lol indeed. I've driven both. Nose schmoze. Sounds like a rationization to me. OP, drive both. I very much doubt you will detect the claimed rhino heft.

[silberma]

I also understand that the 550 has more reliability issues especially due to fuel injectors.

[losangeles535]

Originally Posted by lovec1990

yes i am serious 550i is nose heavy and has worse handling compared to 535i and it is noticable if you push it i felt it when i driven 550i and 535i on track, but for normal driving its not noticable.

yes i had 2011 550, it is def heavier, def front heavy and pushes in the corners, handling is not as good as 535, is very noticeable by anyone who drives them both. noticeable in everyday driving, i didn't need any track to totally be disappointed with the nose weight.

[lovec1990]

there are even more advantages of 535xi over 550xi, but in my opinion:
i will left out sound because is subjective.

550xi:
+ acceleration
- range
- handling
- running costs

535xi:
+ handling
+ range
+ running costs
- acceleration

[losangeles535]

Originally Posted by lovec1990

there are even more advantages of 535xi over 550xi, but in my opinion:
i will left out sound because is subjective.

550xi:
+ acceleration
- range
- handling
- running costs

535xi:
+ handling
+ range
+ running costs
- acceleration

don't forget about oil consumption!

[ezmaass]

lovec1990 - not sure where you're getting your numbers. BMW's site shows:

550xi: 47%/53% (front/rear)
550i: 48.5%/51.5% (front/rear)
535xi: 48.3%/51.7% (front/rear)
535i: 49.6%/50.4% (front/rear)

So, according to BMW, NONE of these cars are actually nose heavy. Granted these are 2014 numbers - not sure if they've changed since 2011. They all have slightly more than 50% of their weight in the rear half... unless someone can prove otherwise? I'm taking the above information right from BMW's website and spec sheets.

Regardless, ANY car this close to a 50/50 distribution is going to feel great. If you don't drive a 550 every day, your opinion is really moot. I've driven my 550xi HARD through a number of real world scenarios - on/off ramps, twisty back roads, etc. I've never come close to feeling disadvantaged somehow by a weight distribution issue. Why? Because none exists!

Even if these cars were taken on a track (and they're not meant for that obviously!), I think any normal Joe would be very hard pressed to observe any difference in weight distribution.

If someone is considering a 550 versus a 535, let them make the decision based upon REAL differences - like fuel consumption - versus made-up nonesense like weight distribution. I really want to meet the guy who's going to push their 5-series so hard, and whose driving skills are so professional, that they're going to discern a fractional weight distribution between these cars... and then it's also going to somehow hinder their ability to use the car as intended, and drive them to purchase a different model! HAHA!! Seriously??

I chose the 550 over the 535 because there's a massive difference in the car's performance. The 550 is a FAST sedan while the 535 is quick. Did I need the power of the 550? No. Do I like it? Absolutely. Nobody really NEEDS a twin-turbo V8 in a sedan. But if you're the type of person who really enjoys passing power on the highway or a spirited jaunt to 60 now and again, the 550 is the right choice.

With the 550, though, comes higher gas and oil consumption. Big whoop! My car was $86k MSRP. If you're concerned about the few bucks difference in fuel prices, you probably have no business buying EITHER car, honestly. Buy a Camry or Accord.... save tens of thousands. If you can afford the car, you can afford the gas that goes in it. Yes, there may also be higher maintenance costs - the N63 (pre-LCI) wasn't the most reliable compared to the N55. But the N55 had the benefit of improving over the N54 (which I owned in my 335i)... and that was a significantly more troubled engine than the N63. Now the N63Tu should make the engine on-par with the N55 for reliability as a second-gen with similar updates that the N55 got from the N54 (e.g. injectors).

If you're considering a 535 or 550, I really think the only REAL factor is the purchase price. Gas should probably be a far-second since the difference may only be a few thousand dollars over the lifetime of ownership... a drop in the bucket compared to the prices of these cars. And maintenance is really only a factor if you're buying used or plan to keep the car outside of warranty. Otherwise, it's a non-issue.

[lovec1990]

even your numbers are showing that 535i has better weight distrubution and that translates too better handling

[losangeles535]

its not the cost of oil or gas, its the pain the ass of stopping to get synthetic oil all the time and pouring it in. i suppose now you're going to tell me i don't deserve a 550 if i have to pour the oil in myself. your numbers on weight should be reviewed, i would check for a bmw mis-print, there is no way that the front of the 550 weighs less than the rear. think about it? how would that make any sense. And yes you can feel the difference in the excessive front end weight, and the 550 pushes on mild everyday curves. i have owned 4 recent bmw's 2 were 550's, 2 were 535's, so I. can say this with knowing how they drive after driving the cars for a few years.

[losangeles535]

Originally Posted by ezmaass

lovec1990 - not sure where you're getting your numbers. BMW's site shows:

550xi: 47%/53% (front/rear)
550i: 48.5%/51.5% (front/rear)
535xi: 48.3%/51.7% (front/rear)
535i: 49.6%/50.4% (front/rear)

So, according to BMW, NONE of these cars are actually nose heavy. Granted these are 2014 numbers - not sure if they've changed since 2011. They all have slightly more than 50% of their weight in the rear half... unless someone can prove otherwise? I'm taking the above information right from BMW's website and spec sheets.

Regardless, ANY car this close to a 50/50 distribution is going to feel great. If you don't drive a 550 every day, your opinion is really moot. I've driven my 550xi HARD through a number of real world scenarios - on/off ramps, twisty back roads, etc. I've never come close to feeling disadvantaged somehow by a weight distribution issue. Why? Because none exists!

Even if these cars were taken on a track (and they're not meant for that obviously!), I think any normal Joe would be very hard pressed to observe any difference in weight distribution.

If someone is considering a 550 versus a 535, let them make the decision based upon REAL differences - like fuel consumption - versus made-up nonesense like weight distribution. I really want to meet the guy who's going to push their 5-series so hard, and whose driving skills are so professional, that they're going to discern a fractional weight distribution between these cars... and then it's also going to somehow hinder their ability to use the car as intended, and drive them to purchase a different model! HAHA!! Seriously??

I chose the 550 over the 535 because there's a massive difference in the car's performance. The 550 is a FAST sedan while the 535 is quick. Did I need the power of the 550? No. Do I like it? Absolutely. Nobody really NEEDS a twin-turbo V8 in a sedan. But if you're the type of person who really enjoys passing power on the highway or a spirited jaunt to 60 now and again, the 550 is the right choice.

With the 550, though, comes higher gas and oil consumption. Big whoop! My car was $86k MSRP. If you're concerned about the few bucks difference in fuel prices, you probably have no business buying EITHER car, honestly. Buy a Camry or Accord.... save tens of thousands. If you can afford the car, you can afford the gas that goes in it. Yes, there may also be higher maintenance costs - the N63 (pre-LCI) wasn't the most reliable compared to the N55. But the N55 had the benefit of improving over the N54 (which I owned in my 335i)... and that was a significantly more troubled engine than the N63. Now the N63Tu should make the engine on-par with the N55 for reliability as a second-gen with similar updates that the N55 got from the N54 (e.g. injectors).

If you're considering a 535 or 550, I really think the only REAL factor is the purchase price. Gas should probably be a far-second since the difference may only be a few thousand dollars over the lifetime of ownership... a drop in the bucket compared to the prices of these cars. And maintenance is really only a factor if you're buying used or plan to keep the car outside of warranty. Otherwise, it's a non-issue.

in fact i just looked it up on several bmw and several review sites, and all your numbers are reversed, so move your numbers front to rear and then you have it correct. The bmw site you looked at has an editing problem by the tech writers.

[lovec1990]

losangeles535 is right. 550i is in my personal opinion worst engine BMW is offering because it has no point or it was created as niche engine and its no way better engine than 535i and even 528i is better than 550i.

[badblack550xi]

[Alan l.]

Define "better" when you say that the 535 and 528 has a better engine.

Your definition and others of "better" could be very different. It is just a matter of opinion and everyone has one (or two) of those.

For the person that cares about saving fuel and the planet without any desire to blast from 0-100mph in the quickest manner then the 528 is probably the better engine.

For the guy that loves to feel power, torque and do full throttle sprints when conditions permit the 550 hands down the better choice.

The 535 is a good balance of the two but saying the 550 has the worst engine is not warranted. I've had both F10 535xi and now 550i and you must have a very sensitive butt to tell the weight difference under normal driving. Each model has its pros and cons. Its nice to have options sometimes....

Alan

[Grover432]

I'd have gotten a 550 X Drive (love the power) but the extra cost and the constant stopping for fuel turned me off. And the extra cost of the 550 isn't the whole story. they depreciate quicker, cost more to maintain and when the time comes to sell them used, they sit on the dealer's lots looking for customers while the 535s and 528s move.

So, in a sense its a bit of a niche player in the F10 lineup. Of course, if you have the money for all of that, who can argue with the power. Do you need it? No. Is it nice to have? Yes

My cousin in LA, just got his new jet. It is a new Gulfstream G450. I was shocked at the cost of the thing when I looked it up. Obviously he can afford it and his comment was "the plane is nice, but a great way to piss away money".

So if you've got the money to piss away, get the 550. I drove one and it felt a bit less lively than the 535, but the warp speed acceleration was pretty cool and if I didn't mind all of the additional costs, that is what I would have gotten.

[ezmaass]

losangeles535 - if BMW has their numbers reversed (seems quite plausible as it surprised me, as well), then so be it. But regardless, the variance is 1% - 2% difference! I've driven both cars, and I'd say I'm a pretty astute driver - and I'd be hard pressed to say there's any significant handling difference on the road. And if there is, it's more about the overall weight than the minor difference in balance. Both cars are big and heavy... the 550 a bit heavier. But the DHP or the sport suspension will both equally make this car dance on the road. I have the DHP, and I can tell you I've taken corners at significant speed without so much as a hint of instability. You'll much sooner be severely breaking the law, endangering your life, and driving recklessly than be able to push this car to its limit on the road... it's that simple. If it were a track car, you'd certainly have a point in analyzing it's balance and weight down to the pound... but it's not.

I think Grover got it right. The 550 is a more niche player in the F10 lineup. The 528 and 535 are going to be far-and-above the volume sellers since they offer the performance that most drivers would consider adequate while maximizing economy (a great balance). But if money isn't a concern, it's hard to argue with having the power of the 550. I could have easily been happy with the 535 - it's a quick car. But I was more than happy to pay a few extra bucks for the performance of the 550.

I'm getting ready to place an order on an R8. I could choose the V8, but why would I when there's a V10 option?? I don't know a lot of car enthusiasts who, if money was not an issue, would turn down more power! It's counter-intuitive. One could say that the M5 is even MORE niche than the 550. Now you're into much smaller sales numbers, much higher power, and at the end of the day you could make some of the same arguments here - "do you really need it?" No, of course not. Honestly, if the M5 was available with xDrive, that's what I'd be driving as my DD today - but because it's not, that's the only reason I stepped it back down to the 550. Otherwise, in general, more power = goodness.

If someone is considering the 528, 535, or 550, the primary concern should simply be about capital outlay. If you're not going to value the extra power, certainly the 528 or 535 will both suffice... no point spending money on something you don't want or value. But as Alan said, if you DO value more power, then the only real concern (when buying new) should be the capital outlay. I honestly think that when you're spending $60k - $90k on a car, consideration for gas costs should really be nearly moot. Going fast has a cost, and in this case it may be an extra thousand bucks a year or something in gas. Maintenance? No consideration IMHO if it's new - the N63Tu will hopefully prove a more reliable engine, just as the N55 proved to be a great step-up in reliability over the N54.

Last point - Grover is also right about depreciation. And again, if you're concerned about this, get the 528 or 535. It'll find a buyer quicker when it comes time to sell and probably have lost less value.

[0_steve]

Im about a month into a new 550 (coming from 2 v8 X5s):

1. If you are concerned about the oil consumption, just stop at your local BMW dealer and they will gladly top it off as they have on my previous 2 cars every other month for the past 6 years.

2. If you are concerned about fuel consumption - NEVER EVER get an SUV. This car is not great (and has a smaller fuel tank) but overall is not horrible - considering.

3. This is the first car I have ever gotten that I can honestly say has unnecessary power. The car is FAST. I find myself driving faster in this than my 911 often discovering that i'm cruising over 100mph on the highway. Its big, clumsy, isolated and fast.

4. I am so glad I got the 550. Wish I could hear it more but overall hitting that gas and feeling it go is worth every $4.12 gallon that flows out of it every 14 or so miles!

[BavariaExclusive]

I bought a 535i Msport fully loaded. Car looks beautiful and catches attention wherever i go. 19 inch rims and everything you can imagine. But my next car is a M4.

[losangeles535]

Originally Posted by ezmaass

losangeles535 - if BMW has their numbers reversed (seems quite plausible as it surprised me, as well), then so be it. But regardless, the variance is 1% - 2% difference! I've driven both cars, and I'd say I'm a pretty astute driver - and I'd be hard pressed to say there's any significant handling difference on the road. And if there is, it's more about the overall weight than the minor difference in balance. Both cars are big and heavy... the 550 a bit heavier. But the DHP or the sport suspension will both equally make this car dance on the road. I have the DHP, and I can tell you I've taken corners at significant speed without so much as a hint of instability. You'll much sooner be severely breaking the law, endangering your life, and driving recklessly than be able to push this car to its limit on the road... it's that simple. If it were a track car, you'd certainly have a point in analyzing it's balance and weight down to the pound... but it's not.

I think Grover got it right. The 550 is a more niche player in the F10 lineup. The 528 and 535 are going to be far-and-above the volume sellers since they offer the performance that most drivers would consider adequate while maximizing economy (a great balance). But if money isn't a concern, it's hard to argue with having the power of the 550. I could have easily been happy with the 535 - it's a quick car. But I was more than happy to pay a few extra bucks for the performance of the 550.

I'm getting ready to place an order on an R8. I could choose the V8, but why would I when there's a V10 option?? I don't know a lot of car enthusiasts who, if money was not an issue, would turn down more power! It's counter-intuitive. One could say that the M5 is even MORE niche than the 550. Now you're into much smaller sales numbers, much higher power, and at the end of the day you could make some of the same arguments here - "do you really need it?" No, of course not. Honestly, if the M5 was available with xDrive, that's what I'd be driving as my DD today - but because it's not, that's the only reason I stepped it back down to the 550. Otherwise, in general, more power = goodness.

If someone is considering the 528, 535, or 550, the primary concern should simply be about capital outlay. If you're not going to value the extra power, certainly the 528 or 535 will both suffice... no point spending money on something you don't want or value. But as Alan said, if you DO value more power, then the only real concern (when buying new) should be the capital outlay. I honestly think that when you're spending $60k - $90k on a car, consideration for gas costs should really be nearly moot. Going fast has a cost, and in this case it may be an extra thousand bucks a year or something in gas. Maintenance? No consideration IMHO if it's new - the N63Tu will hopefully prove a more reliable engine, just as the N55 proved to be a great step-up in reliability over the N54.

Last point - Grover is also right about depreciation. And again, if you're concerned about this, get the 528 or 535. It'll find a buyer quicker when it comes time to sell and probably have lost less value.

just to respond, the 550 does not dance on the road, i have plenty of money and could easily, (and have in fact) owned (not at the same time) both the 535 and the 550, both e60, and F10, both with dynamic handeling. these replys of people saying "if you have money to piss away" or "if you can pony up the coin" etc etc, look any of us can get a 550 if we want one, it's only $9k difference in price. There is only one advantage of a 550, and thats to go slightly faster in a straight line, and to feel the torque more in your seat. However there are more than a few disadvantages, they are, overall weight, handeling, gas consumption is crazy, oil consumption is crazy, overall cost is plus 9k, complexity of engine, much higher depriciation, and higher operating costs in general. and all the while there are only two times when you are happier, when looking at your trunk lid to see it says 550, and when taking off from stop lights. But every curve you will be pissed when the heavy lumbering car pushes itself around it, and you nearly get passed by a honda or a toyota whizzing around you effortlessly, while you battle your stiff somewhat numb steering wheel for linage. the only reason you stay in contention with these hondas on the curve (dont forget to tilt your head in the curve as you feel the G,s being pulled unessarily in the 550) is because you have tremendous power, but they are simply nearly coasting on a sunday drive really, you have to be in race mode just to prove the 550 was worth the 9k premium. and you will come out of that curve victorius, but tired and knowing that it just cost you a gallon of gas and a pint of oil to keep up with your neighborhood service workers! not so in the 535. but again you can drag race great in the 550! its a preference, remember i also picked a 550, i had two of them! but im over it, and clearly see the advantages of the 535.

[Russkey]

From two 550s to 535? Slight increase in power? It's funny to read how people try to justify their buy. Yes, 535 is superior! All 550 owners have made a mistake!