[mke1402]

Look at this thread:

http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=477002

I've ordered the 535D. This remark did it:

"The 535d for sure. The gadgets you describe are fun for a month, that engine will give you a hardon for years."

or

"i had the choice between a loaded up 535i or a decently optioned 550i. Same price....... I got the 550i. Gadgets get old, but the grin on your face when you hit that gas doesn't "

I know its a diesel, but its the same question. Many extras are fun for a short time, and after that, maybe not that usefull. Thats just the way i see it - going for the bigger engine.

[toot535ix]

if you buy a BMW--u want performance.How can you even ask if you should get the larger engine? I have a 535---I would have perferred a 550--but you have stop somewhere! Go big or go home!

[raleedy]

Originally Posted by toot535ix

if you buy a BMW--u want performance.How can you even ask if you should get the larger engine? I have a 535---I would have perferred a 550--but you have stop somewhere! Go big or go home!

I think you're confusing the BMW with a Mustang.

[kave]

I am the first to vote for more performance over gadgets.
On the other hand, is a 535i worth an extra week of holidays over a 528i? Or something like that is questions I ask myself.

[toot535ix]

huh!!!!! I don't think so...you must baby your car---a BMW is a driving machine.
It should not be thought of as a poser car---

[raleedy]

I guess my point is this: BMW is not about power. It's about refinement and handling and balance.

[kel3]

I agree balance is key between all aspects of the car.

[SteVTEC]

BMWs have never been about raw power. M's sure, but certainly not the entire rest of the line. Yes, they've been about Efficient Dynamics, aka refinement, balance, handling, overall drive and feel, and the 'just right' amount of power. Too small of an engine and you won't have a fun to drive car. Too big of an engine and you're upsetting handling and wasting fuel. I'm not thinking about raw power when I think about BMW, but rather all of the above.

[SteVTEC]

Originally Posted by toot535ix

if you buy a BMW--u want performance.How can you even ask if you should get the larger engine? I have a 535---I would have perferred a 550--but you have stop somewhere! Go big or go home!

Originally Posted by toot535ix

huh!!!!! I don't think so...you must baby your car---a BMW is a driving machine.
It should not be thought of as a poser car---

Yes, exactly, BMW's are indeed "driving machines", or at least they used to be. But no, it's not that simple of a choice. I do enjoy 'driving' my cars and working them hard and running through the gears. And believe it or not that's precisely why I prefer the 528 over the 535. Here in the densely packed DC burbs I could only "drive" the 535 hard for a second or two before getting up to hyper-legal speeds. Not very satisfying. The 528 on the other hand I could enjoy for a whole 3 or 4 seconds. LOL Might not seem like a big difference, but in reality it is, and the car despite being less powerful is still more than powerful enough for any real-world driving situation or need. To me a more powerful car isn't any fun if you don't have any place to enjoy it. With less power, you can push it more, work the engine harder, and work the gears more, and to me that's a lot more satisfying than put-putting around babying a more powerful car. If you've got the space to enjoy more power, by all means go for it.

[bfv]

Originally Posted by toot535ix

if you buy a BMW--u want performance.How can you even ask if you should get the larger engine? I have a 535---I would have perferred a 550--but you have stop somewhere! Go big or go home!

BMW takes one human element into account....and it is called "personal preference". That's why there are different engines, options, and styles to choose from. Thank you BMW.

[Jaunt770]

My vote is for the 535. You usually don't hear regrets of more power, but do hear complaints of underpower.

[kel3]

528i is not under-powered by any means, previous car was e92 335i and they feel about the same to me with my driving style. if you drive over 100mph and don't care about gas then go for turbo... 528i has enough torque balanced with the HP to suffice for me personally..

[Kloogy]

Really ? What's your driving style ? 15-30 mph ?

[grimlock]

My driving style is gunning it in 1st from idle to 6600rpm.. after its warmed up, before, let it switch automatically and keep it below 2k rpm

I don't disagree where you live a 535 engine is more suitable .. and i agree on the x5 the N52 is ridiculous, the N55 makes more sense.. but on the f10, it wakes up at 2k rpm and is 'powered up' at 3k, . on the f10 the N52 is borderline, but i drive with low load so i can enjoy this combination

[SteVTEC]

Originally Posted by Kloogy

Really ? What's your driving style ? 15-30 mph ?

Now you're just trolling. As if you need 300hp to be able to get beyond 30mph.

[Ti335]

I've driven both back to back. My impressions:

528i: very smooth engine but nothing much happens until you hit 4000-4500 rpm. At that point, the engine comes alive and screams like a banshee as you approach the redline (that's a good thing).

535i: better low end power, but as you get past 4500 rpm, the engine starts to lose steam and sounds like a 4-cylinder Nissan Altima (definitely NOT a good thing). In general, it also feels significantly less refined than the 528 engine.

To put it another way, the 528 engine loves to be revved hard. It's great for the times you want to have some fun but the lack of low end power is not so great for normal everyday driving. The 535 has the opposite problem. It's got adequate power for effortless normal commuting, but does not encourage you to have fun with it.

Overall, the 528 was pretty much what I expected, but the 535 was a disappointment. It feels NOTHING like a 335 with the N54 engine. I don't know if it's the extra weight, the single turbo with a lower redline, or both, but the 535 is nowhere near as fun to drive as the pre-2011 335.

[SteVTEC]

I thought the 528 was quite punchy even off the line around town. Peak torque at 2600rpm per BMW, and very short gearing. My main concern with the 528 was how well it would handle highway driving in 8th. Does the N52 have the torque to go up and down grades fully loaded while staying settled in 8th, or is it going to have to constantly hunt around? The clear advantage would go to the 535 here, which can make a lot more torque down low to stay in the upper gears. I didn't think the 535 sounded or felt unrefined - my chief complaint was that it was so muted and quiet. Definitely felt the drop off in power up towards redline. Now you have me even more curious about the N54.

[ibimmer954]

Originally Posted by Ti335

535i: better low end power, but as you get past 4500 rpm, the engine starts to lose steam and sounds like a 4-cylinder Nissan Altima (definitely NOT a good thing). In general, it also feels significantly less refined than the 528 engine.

An Altima? Seriously? I think you're overstating things a bit. If you don't like the sound of the 535i, then stay away from the 550i which sounds even less "refined".

I drove a 335i for 3 years before getting the 535i. I think the 535i sounds and feels more like an NA engine than the 335i did. I agree the 535i is not as "punchy" as the 335i. It doesn't suck you back into your seat as much. The 535i is much smoother. It's still fast, just "sneaky" fast.

Another big difference is that the 335i exhaust is tuned to give a much larger sound than the 535i. That shouldn't be a big surprise since the 535i is more luxury.

On a 335i when you punch it, you hear great sounds out the back (exhaust). On a 535i, you hear it all coming from the front.

I test drove a 550i and the engine wasn't quite as smooth sounding as the 6-cylinder. But it still sounded sweet, and WOW did that car put out a lot of power. The 550i is scary fast. I can't imagine what the M5 will be like.

With the news that the 528i will be going to a turbo 4, I'm guessing that engine will not sound anything like the N52 that's there now.

[grimlock]

The throttle response of the 528i on sport+ with M/S mode is very very responsive.. (can't compare to 535i, 550i as I havent driven)
You punch it at light and it goes instantaneosly, don't think many cars can get a jump on it, not with overwhelming force, but the force is increasing, like being tugged by a string, all the way up the revs, to and past the shift.. its "unrelenting"

i dont notice the exhaust much, but u hear the engine, esp as u past 3k it grows consistently louder. i think the exhaust does not overwhelm the engine. and u really here the engine howl at 6k rpm

[Ti335]

Originally Posted by ibimmer346

Another big difference is that the 335i exhaust is tuned to give a much larger sound than the 535i. That shouldn't be a big surprise since the 535i is more luxury.

That may have something to do with it, but even on the 335i, the sound of the engine definitely overpowers the sound of the exhaust at high rpm. Yet, at 6,000 rpm, the N54 never feels like it's running of breath (a common occurrence with turbo engines). So I don't necessarily agree that the N55 feels more like a NA engine.

[toot535ix]

My 535i Xdrive is very smooth and very powerful with just the right 'throaty' exhaust noise to set it apart from a 'poser' type sedan. Extremely smooth delivery of torque through all 8 gears. My only complaint is--lots of gears. When the car is pushed hard, i like the gear shift points. When I am just accelerating, normally, the shift points seam too close together. This is a very minor complaint!!!
Love the smoothness and class of the car--and the power!

[BimmerJim]

I own a 2011 528i. there is no difference in the body style and options. It comes down to do you want the power that the 535i has with the twin turbo.