[NewM3driver]

I'm wondering how many cross shopped the two. I drove both, and found the 550 to feel a bit nose heavy. Around town the 535 felt more nimble. Yep, once you get above 80 miles per hour the 550 def has more pull, but where I'm driving realistically all of my time is between 0 and 80.

Spending 3 years in an M3 taught me there simply aren't enough places to go fast on a day to day basis. It becomes frustrating to constantly be holding the car back.

The 535 has effortless acceleration, and from what I'm reading the fuel economy is silly good. Did I mention the 550 (and all the other BMW V8s) feel nose heavy?

[spyroz]

it's pointless if you comparing fuel consumption between 550i and 535, if you like less horse power, economic car than go with the 535 is your best choice, but if you want luxury, power, options than the 535 can't compare to the 550i.

[valbmw]

You are right about the reasonable use of car's specifications in a daily drive. If you live at countryside and drive highways, the 550 makes sense. But when in urban area, you will never pull the throttle just choke the unnecessary 450 hp between traffic lights, pay for fuel and get the V8 carbonized.

The true exception should be made for a racer boy between 20 and 30 y.o. who's life improves with burning rubber on weekends. He still believes the chicks respond mostly on type of his car's engine and sound of catless exhaust (when actually they respond much more on something totally different).

The previous member raised correctly the criteria of "luxury, power, options". As for definition of power, some are happy with 520d and find it totally perfect, besides the fact of many countries (Europe) where if you step above 2 liter or X hp they will ruin your wallet with taxes. Again, especially in urban area, I don't see where the 300+ hp is not enough (and you are the owner of M3, you have that point).

At the luxury and options side - nobody holds you up of ordering the full list of ones. Engine type is never linked to presence or absence of LED lights, DHP, media or these luxury merino-leather-ventilated-seats to carefully hold somebody's lucky backside.

[ELNch]

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/auta_cmp2.php

Here is performance data for
550i, 535d and 530d

[Ben2k9]

I have owned both, and 550i is more fun, but more expensive. Pick your poison.

[Alpine550]

I have the 550 and you are right it is nose heavy, I realized this after driving the loaners. Having said that I also love the feeling of being the king of the road.


It's a tough choice but I think I would go with the 535 with every option in the book
or maybe even a 640 if it won't break the bank

[DaIceCreaMan]

Coming from a e60 550i I was having the same debate and felt that I would end up trying to make the 535 just as fast the 550 so I chose the 550. This is irregardless of my commute as I drive 45mins one way to work each day which is all back roads and city streets.