One month report

tws_andrew · 11-13-2011, 01:13 PM

Bought this as a company car and to use through the winter. Have owned 4 M3s, 1M5 and have a couple of very HP cars. Needed a nice daily that would be enjoyable to drive but would get my kids to ski school if needed.

Pros
Motor is sublime. Probably the smoothest motor I have used. Interior is nice for BMW. Technology is pretty impressive and I drive has come a long way
Looks - lots of compliments and I know it will look amazing with a proper set of wheels and stance. Just trying to figure out the suspension given the Cons below.

Cons
Handling
This cannot have a BMW badge and handle like this. I swear my mom's Lexus feels better. Even in sport mode the body roll is terrible. I bought it planning to do KW coils immediately not knowing they were not out for X drive yet. I have driven a number of non M 5 series in the past and they still felt like a BMW. This car truly feels like a Buick. There is a freeway ramp near me that does a wide 180 turn at speed but has a bump mid turn where they have repaired the road. In my GTR and Porsche I could take it over 100 if I wanted to push it. With this car at 55 when I hit the bump the body roll is so scary it feels like it is going to go off the road.
Parking, backup etc
The cameras should not be an option. My truck with a 10" lift is easier to park. I didn't get the cameras because I think they are silly on my wife's rover but the high cowl and low seating make this car tough to see out of.
Mileage
My mileage has been around 17 according to the on board computer driving about 95 pct around town. That seems low for what people have indicated but I am not sure how accurate the on board is and have only driven the car to work so I haven't seen any highway mileage.

Overall I give the car decent marks and will really like it if I can transform the handling and make it into a BMW

EdM5 · 11-13-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tws_andrew

Handling
This cannot have a BMW badge and handle like this. I swear my mom's Lexus feels better. Even in sport mode the body roll is terrible.

That's pretty shocking to hear from a guy who also drives a GTR and a Porsche

The difference between my F10 and my e92 M3 in everyday conditions is not that big. Sure, the M3 is the better handling car, but you'll notice that only in extreme cornering.
I gotta admit that I changed the F10's stock springs though.

Do you have adaptive drive?

Mark_G · 11-26-2011, 07:09 PM

I was actually looking on here to see if anyone else felt the way I did...your post about the soft handling says exactly the same things I've been saying over the last week about how this feels like a Buick, and nothing like any BMW I've ever had. It's a good-looking car and very comfy, but it's a total cream puff even with the M-Sport package. I've dubbed mine the "black cloud."

I traded my X5M, which was of course much sportier, but had terrible gas mileage, which got old with a daily commute of over 100 miles...least least this one has better gas mileage! I swear the one I test drove didn't feel this soft.

Vinfast · 11-26-2011, 09:16 PM

Just get you some RD or ACS sport springs and you'll feel like you're in a BMW again. I promise.

Mark_G · 11-27-2011, 08:08 AM

Thanks, I hope you're right. I thought I was getting "M5 lite" until the real M5 comes out, but what I got was my dad's old Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe.

The other thing that bugs me is that you can barely hear the engine at all...this seems to be present across the new 5 series platform...even the M5, unfortunately. They mention the same thing in the Autocar review of the M5. I think they made it a bit too refined, and as a result it feels a bit boring.

It is quick, though...it just doesn't feel like it is. It s the opposite of my old Vantage (when it was stock), which was loud and felt fast but was slow....this is quiet and feels slow but is fast.

BMW&me · 11-27-2011, 08:31 PM

That is shocking.

ibimmer954 · 11-27-2011, 11:39 PM

I'm averaging about 19.5 mpg on my 535i (mostly city driving) so 17 mpg on a 550XI doesn't seem out of line to me. I'm computing my mileage using a smart-phone app, it isn't from the car's computer. But go ahead and reset the computer's avg mileage gauge, it should be relatively close to the truth. If you haven't reset the gauge since you purchased the car, you definitely need to reset it.

As for the handing, the F10 is a relatively soft car. It's designed to be that way, clearly. I have the dynamic handling option as well as the Integrated Active Steering. They definitely add a sportier character to the car... but it isn't going to change the handling into an M5 or M3 that's for sure.

11-13-2011, 01:13 PM	#1
tws_andrew Private 18 Rep 84 Posts Drives: 14 AW CP M5, Turbo S, TT Ram Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Ut iTrader: (0)	One month report - 550XI Mtech Bought this as a company car and to use through the winter. Have owned 4 M3s, 1M5 and have a couple of very HP cars. Needed a nice daily that would be enjoyable to drive but would get my kids to ski school if needed. Pros Motor is sublime. Probably the smoothest motor I have used. Interior is nice for BMW. Technology is pretty impressive and I drive has come a long way Looks - lots of compliments and I know it will look amazing with a proper set of wheels and stance. Just trying to figure out the suspension given the Cons below. Cons Handling This cannot have a BMW badge and handle like this. I swear my mom's Lexus feels better. Even in sport mode the body roll is terrible. I bought it planning to do KW coils immediately not knowing they were not out for X drive yet. I have driven a number of non M 5 series in the past and they still felt like a BMW. This car truly feels like a Buick. There is a freeway ramp near me that does a wide 180 turn at speed but has a bump mid turn where they have repaired the road. In my GTR and Porsche I could take it over 100 if I wanted to push it. With this car at 55 when I hit the bump the body roll is so scary it feels like it is going to go off the road. Parking, backup etc The cameras should not be an option. My truck with a 10" lift is easier to park. I didn't get the cameras because I think they are silly on my wife's rover but the high cowl and low seating make this car tough to see out of. Mileage My mileage has been around 17 according to the on board computer driving about 95 pct around town. That seems low for what people have indicated but I am not sure how accurate the on board is and have only driven the car to work so I haven't seen any highway mileage. Overall I give the car decent marks and will really like it if I can transform the handling and make it into a BMW
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11-26-2011, 07:09 PM	#3
Mark_G Enlisted Member 8 Rep 39 Posts Drives: 2020 X3M competition Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	I was actually looking on here to see if anyone else felt the way I did...your post about the soft handling says exactly the same things I've been saying over the last week about how this feels like a Buick, and nothing like any BMW I've ever had. It's a good-looking car and very comfy, but it's a total cream puff even with the M-Sport package. I've dubbed mine the "black cloud." I traded my X5M, which was of course much sportier, but had terrible gas mileage, which got old with a daily commute of over 100 miles...least least this one has better gas mileage! I swear the one I test drove didn't feel this soft.
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11-26-2011, 09:16 PM	#4
Vinfast Lieutenant 28 Rep 585 Posts Drives: '14 550i M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Warner Robins, GA iTrader: (2)	Just get you some RD or ACS sport springs and you'll feel like you're in a BMW again. I promise.
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11-27-2011, 08:08 AM	#5
Mark_G Enlisted Member 8 Rep 39 Posts Drives: 2020 X3M competition Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	Thanks, I hope you're right. I thought I was getting "M5 lite" until the real M5 comes out, but what I got was my dad's old Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe. The other thing that bugs me is that you can barely hear the engine at all...this seems to be present across the new 5 series platform...even the M5, unfortunately. They mention the same thing in the Autocar review of the M5. I think they made it a bit too refined, and as a result it feels a bit boring. It is quick, though...it just doesn't feel like it is. It s the opposite of my old Vantage (when it was stock), which was loud and felt fast but was slow....this is quiet and feels slow but is fast.
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11-27-2011, 08:31 PM	#6
BMW&me New Member 0 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 325i Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: The Welt iTrader: (0)	That is shocking.
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11-27-2011, 11:39 PM	#7
ibimmer954 Major 138 Rep 1,424 Posts Drives: '23 i4 M50, '15 M3, '18 911 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego, California, USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 BMW M3 [9.75] 2023 BMW i4 M50 [0.00] 2018 Porsche 911 C4S [0.00] 2019 BMW X4 M40i [0.00]	I'm averaging about 19.5 mpg on my 535i (mostly city driving) so 17 mpg on a 550XI doesn't seem out of line to me. I'm computing my mileage using a smart-phone app, it isn't from the car's computer. But go ahead and reset the computer's avg mileage gauge, it should be relatively close to the truth. If you haven't reset the gauge since you purchased the car, you definitely need to reset it. As for the handing, the F10 is a relatively soft car. It's designed to be that way, clearly. I have the dynamic handling option as well as the Integrated Active Steering. They definitely add a sportier character to the car... but it isn't going to change the handling into an M5 or M3 that's for sure.
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