[thenewrick]

I was interested in the 2011 535i and 550i and was hoping to gain a little more insight into them. I know I have a lot of questions that are really specific but I know there are some savvy people out there. I am a bit OCD and paranoid that I am missing something small, like an extra oil cooler or something really nice that I wouldn't see in a typical spec sheet. It seems to me that the 550i comes with a lot more standard equipment, is heavier, more powerful, and less fuel efficient than the 535i but I know there are bound to be a bunch of nuances.

I see in the spec sheet:
Total Cooling System Capacity
535i-9.510
550i-12.046
Maximum Alternator Capacity (amps)
535i-210
550i-220
Are these numbers meaningful and is it a worthwhile figure to look at?

How common are the folding rear seats for these models? I think I read that they were an option only but it's important I can get it.

BMW's website says these cars have, "Locking/Limited Slip Differential"
Am I missing something or is this the same rear LSD that people are getting from wavetrac and quaife and are already on M models? Or is this just some type of "electronic diff" that is what I'm already used to on the 07 335i with DTC and DSC. Ideally, I'd like to have a real mechanical LSD in rear and be able to turn the traction control completely off in the 2011 535i and 550i, anyone know if this is the same or different than my 335i? I have a feeling the LSD they're talking about is something in the front part of the drive-train and it's something that all cars have but I don't know.

How is the intercooler(s)? set up in these two cars? Does the 550i have some type of dual front-mounted intercooler to the sides or behind radiator and the 535i have a single larger front mount intercooler?

Looking at a car comparison website it says:
Axle ratio
Standard:3.08 550i
Standard:3.23 535i
Available:2.81 550i
Available:3.07 535i
What is this saying exactly? That the 550i has a more fuel efficient axle ratio than the 535i? I kinda don't know what's going on here with available ratios?


It looks like the 550i has a few things over the 535i including:
nav standard-1900
backup camera standard-400
parking sensor-750
larger front brake calipers(some sites say larger rear brakes also, can anyone confirm?)-0
auto-dimming mirrors standard-500
interior ambient lighting-0
Nicer wheels- maybe 500
exhaust- 0
metallic paint- 500
dakota leather- 500
garage door opener- 500
Total of these options on a 535i=$5000+

With a 10k price difference it seems you're paying roughly 5k for just the motor essentially.

I'm sure I'm missing stuff, what am I missing?

[Jagu]

The 550i also has the comfort seat as standard feature, that's $1300.

[numbersguy]

There are changes to option packages and stand alone options each model year. The easiest way to look this up is to look at a brochure for the model year you're interested in. Here's a link to 2011:

http://5series.net/info/2011_5_Series_Brochure.pdf

The V8 is a beast of a motor and a lot is different on the 550 to accommodate the added weight, heat and power.

If you're looking at a 2011 you might want to read up on owner experiences with cars from this first model year for the F10.

[thenewrick]

Originally Posted by sholaesq

The 550i also has the comfort seat as standard feature, that's $1300.

Comfort seats are standard and are usually an option? I'd probably be fine with any seat really. I barely fit in my 335i sport seats. The side bolstering is where it squeezes me. I'm 6'0 210lbs. My 04 STi was muuuch worse so I can't complain about much now. My butt didn't even fit between the thigh bolsters =/ You can tell the car was designed for a 5'5 120lb Asian rally driver.

*I looked at the brochure and it didn't mention any seating changes as standard, maybe you're thinking of a different model year?

[thenewrick]

Originally Posted by numbersguy

There are changes to option packages and stand alone options each model year. The easiest way to look this up is to look at a brochure for the model year you're interested in. Here's a link to 2011:

http://5series.net/info/2011_5_Series_Brochure.pdf

The V8 is a beast of a motor and a lot is different on the 550 to accommodate the added weight, heat and power.

If you're looking at a 2011 you might want to read up on owner experiences with cars from this first model year for the F10.

Thanks for the brochure, I'm checking it out. The only issue I've seen mentioned on forums I read is the pull to the right and I've seen various fixes for that. What else should I be aware of?

[Lee]

Looked at the 535 and 550, but ended up with the 550 since I wanted a V8. Not sure if you need that much power in the States, but on the Autobahn, it's always fun to run the 400 horses!

[thenewrick]

I do like the idea of a twin-turbo V8 but the tuning numbers haven't been cheap, or impressive yet. I'm hoping BMS continues their work on the n63 motor and puts out some more good mods and tunes. Ideally I'd like to do what I did on my current car, cheap cone intakes and an E85 tune for an extra 25% power That'd get me around 400whp/500wtq and be plenty!

I went to the dealership today to look at stuff. They were closing but they recognized me and we chatted for a bit. I'm going to go back this week and check out some more of the features in person.

How are people feeling about the power steering/rear wheel angling option? The idea sounds great in theory. Part of the reason I hate big cars is they're such a pain to park.