[dadysev]

Originally Posted by SchillerM

Holy Carbon Fiber Batman!!


Matt

lol!!

[dadysev]

Originally Posted by mikekilpatrick

Have not done a full pic spread of the car yet, but here are a few pics I do have...

Love the carbon fibre. Wanted to do it for a long time. Do they offer it for our center consoles? or is your custom, because the only carbon fibre interior trim options i see are always for the M5 and the center console won't work.

[krautmeister]

Originally Posted by BlackWidow

That makes no sense at all. I can afford an M5 but didn't purchase it because $35,000 over the 550 for 100 or so hp more isnt worth the price markup.

Besides the 550 is louder than the M5 when it comes to exhaust.

Apologies, wasn't meant to be a troll... Too serious here!

I can afford an M5 too but yes there are many interests and responsibilities that people have outside of cars. Mine being guns which get more expensive than car mods!

My tongue in cheek response was that we buy a 550i M sport, then spend money trying to get it faster, sound a bit better, look a little more aggressive and handle a little better and it seems like a futile pursuit of M5 performance.

Now, in my case, dropping 100k on a car no longer fit my lifestyle with family, baby, daycare, boat etc... I had to settle for a pre owned 550i that I could play with that is a reasonable cost and reasonable performance at a great value.

So the ultimate set up for me as the OP requested is a stock M5.

[mikekilpatrick]

Originally Posted by dadysev

Love the carbon fibre. Wanted to do it for a long time. Do they offer it for our center consoles? or is your custom, because the only carbon fibre interior trim options i see are always for the M5 and the center console won't work.

Center console is part of the OEM BMW Carbon fiber package. The shifter is another 200 or 300 and again is OEM BMW. The steering wheel center is after market as BMW does not make that piece and the nav screen is CF dipped as again, BMW does not make it.

Gauge cluster and Nav screen are protected with screen protectors that I worked directly with the engineering department at www.Photodon.com <sales@photodon.com>as I sent them my old Non Digital cluster to have a piece cut for it and sent them the dimensions for the Nav screen. Nav screen coating comes off after couple years if you clean it and only way to fix it is to replace a 2000 part. This is the only company that can make screen protectors for a 2011-2014 5 series. I had it cut so you will have to remove the nav screen plastic hood, install shield and then reinsert the 3 screws that hold it on. BUT, the result is a flawless protector that you cant see.

Carbon fiber Front Spoiler is OEM BMW as is the Rear Spoiler. Rear diffuser is Vorsteiner and the under hood parts, other than the Dinan stuff is all carbon fiber dipped. Engine cover is not done yet. Having the center painted OEM silver like the car, and then it will read in Dinan Stencil "Dinan Powered ///Msport" with the Msport in white and the stripes in BMW colors. But still waiting on the finished product.

The Headlight eyelids "that is what I call them" are real CF as well.

I always try to go OEM for the quality and then move to the best aftermarket I can find, again, quality. Far too many CF pieces on the market with sloppy Chinese spray and inconsistent CF weaves...

[mikekilpatrick]

Originally Posted by krautmeister

Apologies, wasn't meant to be a troll... Too serious here!

I can afford an M5 too but yes there are many interests and responsibilities that people have outside of cars. Mine being guns which get more expensive than car mods!

My tongue in cheek response was that we buy a 550i M sport, then spend money trying to get it faster, sound a bit better, look a little more aggressive and handle a little better and it seems like a futile pursuit of M5 performance.

Now, in my case, dropping 100k on a car no longer fit my lifestyle with family, baby, daycare, boat etc... I had to settle for a pre owned 550i that I could play with that is a reasonable cost and reasonable performance at a great value.

So the ultimate set up for me as the OP requested is a stock M5.

It came down to ONE THING when I was deciding M5 or 550 Msport... ALL WHEEL DRIVE! Period. M5 didnt have it, 550 did. Plus I purchased a 90k car for 50k preowned with only 6k miles on it.

I live in the Northeast and you just cannot drive in this climate with rear wheel drive, nor do I want to.

Read that BMW has an M5 coming out with AWD soon. That will be the time I get one. If I lived in a warmer climate, it would be different.

But, with all the performance mods, at least on paper as I have not Dyno tested it, the 550 with state 5 Dinan is reported to push out close to 590 Foot lbs of torque, which is a few FT lbs more than a stock M5. Best of both worlds in my opinion...

[mikekilpatrick]

Originally Posted by SchillerM

Holy Carbon Fiber Batman!!

Looks good though.

I have to agree with the comment about Dinan, I have a few parts on my E39 M5. It is funny as the cars get cheaper the hatred for Dinan grows, when I stopped visiting the M5Board people were going to Home Depot to do mods...
We are heading to the Dinan open house day prior to Oktoberfest, excited to finally make it to his facility.

If I go F10 I will be hunting Dinan parts

Matt

I have spoken to several of the Dinan Engineers, they are limited for down pipes and other mods due to California Smoke restrictions. That is why their turbos are pulled currently, THANK you CA regulations!

But they will be the first to tell you that their packages are NOT the absolute fastest on the market. They balance high performance with longevity and not throwing lights on the dash. But when you personally install their products, you can SEE the engineering that goes into the parts. I am talking German level engineering on everything they put out. And due to the low numbers of people buying this highly engineered parts, they tend to cost more.

Keep your eye on Ebay, look on the forums and you can get everything for 2000 a pop or less. There is a vendor here, AutoTalent, on the forums that sells AT THE BEST retail PRICES I have seen for one or two items I could not find anywhere else. Fast shipping too.

[dadysev]

Originally Posted by mikekilpatrick

Center console is part of the OEM BMW Carbon fiber package. The shifter is another 200 or 300 and again is OEM BMW. The steering wheel center is after market as BMW does not make that piece and the nav screen is CF dipped as again, BMW does not make it.

Gauge cluster and Nav screen are protected with screen protectors that I worked directly with the engineering department at www.Photodon.com <sales@photodon.com>as I sent them my old Non Digital cluster to have a piece cut for it and sent them the dimensions for the Nav screen. Nav screen coating comes off after couple years if you clean it and only way to fix it is to replace a 2000 part. This is the only company that can make screen protectors for a 2011-2014 5 series. I had it cut so you will have to remove the nav screen plastic hood, install shield and then reinsert the 3 screws that hold it on. BUT, the result is a flawless protector that you cant see.


Carbon fiber Front Spoiler is OEM BMW as is the Rear Spoiler. Rear diffuser is Vorsteiner and the under hood parts, other than the Dinan stuff is all carbon fiber dipped. Engine cover is not done yet. Having the center painted OEM silver like the car, and then it will read in Dinan Stencil "Dinan Powered ///Msport" with the Msport in white and the stripes in BMW colors. But still waiting on the finished product.

The Headlight eyelids "that is what I call them" are real CF as well.

I always try to go OEM for the quality and then move to the best aftermarket I can find, again, quality. Far too many CF pieces on the market with sloppy Chinese spray and inconsistent CF weaves...

Thanks so much. Very detailed!

[mikekilpatrick]

No Problem. I have spent the past 1.5 years adding mods to the car. My objective is to create a 550 the way "it SHOULD" have come from the factory in the Msport Model. The Dinan front and rear control arms with the Shockwave coding and Front Urethane bushings on the Electronic suspension improve the handling immensely and both reduce body roll as well as decrease turning radius. Another Mod I think is a MUST have on these cars is the Surround View. Keeps you from curb rashing nice rims and hitting curbs with expensive spoilers. I will also note that when you put the OEM carbon fiber front lip (www.getbmwparts.com) you should take it to a body shop and ask them to spray it with SOFT Bumper Clear coat. It only comes with a single layer of clear coat when you buy it and even one rock or road rash will damage any of the CF front lips. With the extra coatings, rocks simply bounce off the spoiler with no damage to CF and if you scrape the road, it only effect the coating. I also recommend you go to a 20 inch rim Dinan Rims are BBS CH-R with the Dinan logo in the middle and they run a 265 Michelin SS tire which clears the car and zero rub. This lift the car about a half inch to offset the 1 inch of road to Spoiler clearance you lose when you install these front spoilers. Also, BMW recommends you install the front and rear spoilers to take advantage of down force at high speeds on these cars. Any questions, just let me know. Like I said, I have done all the mods myself and know tricks, have pics, and have tips for all the installs I have done.

The only thing left I have to do is install the night vision, install front and rear Brembo brakes off a 2015 550, and get the Dinan stage 5 tune. If the turbos ever come back on the market, or I can find a set of good used ones, I will go with the stage 6 which allows for HP and Torque gains through the higher levels of the speed curve. Bigger turbines allow for less heat and turbos straining less from what I Have read.

...Mike

[Mtnguy321]

Originally Posted by mikekilpatrick

It came down to ONE THING when I was deciding M5 or 550 Msport... ALL WHEEL DRIVE! Period. M5 didnt have it, 550 did. Plus I purchased a 90k car for 50k preowned with only 6k miles on it.

I live in the Northeast and you just cannot drive in this climate with rear wheel drive, nor do I want to.

Read that BMW has an M5 coming out with AWD soon. That will be the time I get one. If I lived in a warmer climate, it would be different.

But, with all the performance mods, at least on paper as I have not Dyno tested it, the 550 with state 5 Dinan is reported to push out close to 590 Foot lbs of torque, which is a few FT lbs more than a stock M5. Best of both worlds in my opinion...

The reason I bought my 550 also, the Xdrive. I live in Colorado and my car is a daily driver ... Year round. I see other posts about owners saying they don't need Xdrive and get around fine in winter. There were two times last winter I couldn't even get out and my wife, with her Jeep Wrangler, 7-inch lift, and 35-inch tires had to shuttle me to work and back.

[Taynice87]

Originally Posted by BoogieMan2

The ideal set up for a 550i is more of a two part answer. Want the truth or a dream I can sell you both.

Reality- exhaust that's it. Maybe some super sticky tires and a JB4 and enjoy maybe even downpipes if you can find a can tool but honestly keep it as close O stock as possible, no issues to worry about and it still gives you what you want.

Dream- you could wait around and pick up some used intercoolers, intakes, exhaust m, doenpipes and then tune the car but here is the caveat. Your gonna have traction issues, like all of the time and unless your running an X drive it's gonna get annoying, tires will help and there are a few other things but this isn't an M5 and its gearing and traction stability system isn't gonna allow you to do a lot. You can't take traction off but you don't have a limited slip so be careful not to wreck your rocket ship.

Im tuned,downpipes, exhaust and intercooled and honestly the fun is great but after a long lasting CEL and always having my traction cock blocking me I'm basically done.

And to those that asked 90% of the things you'll find for an M5s can work on a 550i your in good shape there

There is an option for a LSD for the 550i and there the problem can be solved

550i LSD
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VAC Motorsports
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http://www.birdsauto.com/quaife/sear...mw&s=33383&mi=

[535_BiTurbo]

Originally Posted by boneoutDO

I really like my setup:
dinan stage 4
dinan intercoolers
meistershaft gtc exhaust

I dynoed my car and was getting consistent numbers 435whp 475wtq on pump 91 octane. I think the car could really use an intake. For the exhaust I keep the valves open all the time and hardly ever experience any drone.

Are you AWD or 2WD?