[raleedy]

Originally Posted by kave

We got manual 550i in europe as well, but I guess no one ordered it. Now manual 535i is gone with LCI, which was my option. When it comes to fuel consumption, its correct the silly values from factory is lower on automatic, but I guess in realnlofe manual takes less.

With respect, I think you are mistaken. Checking the BMW.de website, I find that the 550s are available only with automatic and sport-auto, and my recollection is that this has always been the case for the F10, at least in Germany. On the other hand, the 535i is offered with three transmission choices: manual, automatic and sport-auto (although the manual is not offered in the xDrive model, which may be what you were looking for since you are in wintry Sweden). In any case, you get to have the 520d, which is a choice that I would find very attractive if it were offered in the US market (even if they were to call it a 528d).

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by raleedy

With respect, I think you are mistaken. Checking the BMW.de website, I find that the 550s are available only with automatic and sport-auto, and my recollection is that this has always been the case for the F10, at least in Germany. On the other hand, the 535i is offered with three transmission choices: manual, automatic and sport-auto (although the manual is not offered in the xDrive model, which may be what you were looking for since you are in wintry Sweden).

exact! F10 550i has not been offered in MT in Europe. You need to go back to the E60 to have a MT 550i here. Still don't understand so many prospects fancy MT in a car with such a super smooth AT and massive torque!? Really don't understand at all... In the US you even have the MT M5? Why oh why would you mess up such a nice car with MT?

A 535i with MT I can understand, but a 550i...??

[kave]

Sorry, you are all right, no manual for 550 in Europe.

[harrisfb]

Originally Posted by KoenG

exact! F10 550i has not been offered in MT in Europe. You need to go back to the E60 to have a MT 550i here. Still don't understand so many prospects fancy MT in a car with such a super smooth AT and massive torque!? Really don't understand at all... In the US you even have the MT M5? Why oh why would you mess up such a nice car with MT?

A 535i with MT I can understand, but a 550i...??

Mess up a 500+ HP car with a Manual Transmission?! I can't tell if he is being serious or trolling. It is beyond my comprehension as to how a manual transmission would mess up any powerful car. I find automatics and paddle shifts to be boring and un-engaging.

So what if an automatic can shift faster or smoother than me...it is boring.

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by harrisfb

Mess up a 500+ HP car with a Manual Transmission?! I can't tell if he is being serious or trolling. It is beyond my comprehension as to how a manual transmission would mess up any powerful car. I find automatics and paddle shifts to be boring and un-engaging.

So what if an automatic can shift faster or smoother than me...it is boring.

Well I'am not alone, when you want to resell a MT 550i in Europe, you better give it away for free since virtual no candidate buyers.

[raleedy]

Originally Posted by harrisfb

Mess up a 500+ HP car with a Manual Transmission?! I can't tell if he is being serious or trolling. It is beyond my comprehension as to how a manual transmission would mess up any powerful car. I find automatics and paddle shifts to be boring and un-engaging.

So what if an automatic can shift faster or smoother than me...it is boring.

I think he's serious. In Europe, a manual transmission generally means economy, and a small engine. The muscle car is an American concept that has never exported well. I would expect a 550 or an M5 to be not boring in the sense that it would be difficult to control and next to impossible to shift fast or smoothly. Unlike my 328i, which with the manual transmission is a really well-balanced car that is easy to drive sedately and fun to thrash.

[harrisfb]

Originally Posted by raleedy

I think he's serious. In Europe, a manual transmission generally means economy, and a small engine. The muscle car is an American concept that has never exported well. I would expect a 550 or an M5 to be not boring in the sense that it would be difficult to control and next to impossible to shift fast or smoothly. Unlike my 328i, which with the manual transmission is a really well-balanced car that is easy to drive sedately and fun to thrash.

With the Dinan Mods I am approaching M5 power and I can assure you that it is not difficult to shift smoothly or fast when necessary. Though honestly how fast do I ever shift? I don't race this car on the street or track. I am not going for the best 0-60 or 1/4...I just like to drive fast and love the feeling of shifting a powerful car into gear. On the other side the car can actually be quite smooth when I am chauffeuring around the family, but when I want to have some neck snapping fun the 6MT with 510+HP is unbeatable. While I am sure the 328i is a well-balanced car, difficult to control has never crossed my mind with my 550i. I have a heck of a fun time sliding around corners and swinging out the back end. In Sport+ it is nearly effortless to spin the wheels and slide the car a little and then regain composure and head down the road.

To each their own for sure. Like any MT owner I have had momentary regrets when i am sitting in traffic for an hour, with my left leg is aching from all the clutching. But once the traffic thins and I shift into 2nd releasing the clutch fast slamming me back into the seat so hard that I feel the blood leaving my head, well then it is worth it.

[Aeroav8r]

Though I'd never go back to a manual transmission vehicle if I can help it, it is a shame they took the MT option away from those that prefer it.

[MBrown1003]

Originally Posted by harrisfb

With the Dinan Mods I am approaching M5 power and I can assure you that it is not difficult to shift smoothly or fast when necessary. Though honestly how fast do I ever shift? I don't race this car on the street or track. I am not going for the best 0-60 or 1/4...I just like to drive fast and love the feeling of shifting a powerful car into gear. On the other side the car can actually be quite smooth when I am chauffeuring around the family, but when I want to have some neck snapping fun the 6MT with 510+HP is unbeatable. While I am sure the 328i is a well-balanced car, difficult to control has never crossed my mind with my 550i. I have a heck of a fun time sliding around corners and swinging out the back end. In Sport+ it is nearly effortless to spin the wheels and slide the car a little and then regain composure and head down the road.

To each their own for sure. Like any MT owner I have had momentary regrets when i am sitting in traffic for an hour, with my left leg is aching from all the clutching. But once the traffic thins and I shift into 2nd releasing the clutch fast slamming me back into the seat so hard that I feel the blood leaving my head, well then it is worth it.

+1

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by harrisfb

With the Dinan Mods I am approaching M5 power and I can assure you that it is not difficult to shift smoothly or fast when necessary. Though honestly how fast do I ever shift? I don't race this car on the street or track. I am not going for the best 0-60 or 1/4...I just like to drive fast and love the feeling of shifting a powerful car into gear. On the other side the car can actually be quite smooth when I am chauffeuring around the family, but when I want to have some neck snapping fun the 6MT with 510+HP is unbeatable. While I am sure the 328i is a well-balanced car, difficult to control has never crossed my mind with my 550i. I have a heck of a fun time sliding around corners and swinging out the back end. In Sport+ it is nearly effortless to spin the wheels and slide the car a little and then regain composure and head down the road.

To each their own for sure. Like any MT owner I have had momentary regrets when i am sitting in traffic for an hour, with my left leg is aching from all the clutching. But once the traffic thins and I shift into 2nd releasing the clutch fast slamming me back into the seat so hard that I feel the blood leaving my head, well then it is worth it.

Well, the AT will allow more g-forces any moment in time. Probably you never benchmarked MT and AT? Well, AT always wins in g-forces. Even while you're reading the morning newspaper.

[Stephan735i]

Originally Posted by KoenG

Well I'am not alone, when you want to resell a MT 550i in Europe, you better give it away for free since virtual no candidate buyers.

I want one, when I have followed the prices of E60 545i/6 and 550i/6 they are often higher than automatics. If you go back to E39 and E34 540i/6 the prices can be three times as high or more for an 6speed than an automatic.

The total number of 550i/6 F10 is 611 cars with the following details:

2011: 424 cars
2012: 90 cars
2013: 97 cars

L838 Canada: 27 cars which means that 584 cars went to USA.

P337 M Sport Package: 269 cars.

I have all details of colors, equipment etc.

It is a sad day, but something has happend to the US market, BMW made 15 000 540i/6 E39 for North America and now this?!

I hope that owners of 550i/6 F10, 650i/6 F12 and 650i/6 F13 take care of there cars because you have no replacement. I would love buying a 550i/6 F10 from America one day.

Regards Stephan

[Boulder Bill]

Originally Posted by Stephan735i

The total number of 550i/6 F10 is 611 cars with the following details:

2011: 424 cars
2012: 90 cars
2013: 97 cars

L838 Canada: 27 cars which means that 584 cars went to USA.

P337 M Sport Package: 269 cars.

Are these numbers for North America then? Where did you get them?

If correct, it certainly explains my difficulties in finding a 2013 M Sport with manual transmission. Mine will be for sale one day, but that day is a long way off.

[dchartier]

Originally Posted by Stephan735i

I want one, when I have followed the prices of E60 545i/6 and 550i/6 they are often higher than automatics. If you go back to E39 and E34 540i/6 the prices can be three times as high or more for an 6speed than an automatic.

The total number of 550i/6 F10 is 611 cars with the following details:

2011: 424 cars
2012: 90 cars
2013: 97 cars

L838 Canada: 27 cars which means that 584 cars went to USA.

P337 M Sport Package: 269 cars.

I have all details of colors, equipment etc.

It is a sad day, but something has happend to the US market, BMW made 15 000 540i/6 E39 for North America and now this?!

I hope that owners of 550i/6 F10, 650i/6 F12 and 650i/6 F13 take care of there cars because you have no replacement. I would love buying a 550i/6 F10 from America one day.

Regards Stephan

Wow, I guess I'm one of the lucky 97. When I started looking for a 6-speed 550i in October, my dealer only found a few west of the Mississippi, none of which had the options I wanted. Consequently, I special-ordered mine.

This is a shame. I love my 6-speed and wouldn't think of trading it for an automatic, notwithstanding the performance advantages of the 8-speed auto.

[raleedy]

The main thing that's changed from the E60 is the AT -- it's apparently so much better that the number of people who prefer the 6-speed has become vanishingly small. I hope those who have them will take good care of them as they are likely to have collector value one day.

[hinckley]

Originally Posted by Stephan735i

The total number of 550i/6 F10 is 611 cars with the following details

Stephan, do you know how many/percent of M5s have been sold with a stick?

[Estimated Prophet]

Originally Posted by Stephan735i

The total number of 550i/6 F10 is 611 cars with the following details:

2011: 424 cars
2012: 90 cars
2013: 97 cars

L838 Canada: 27 cars which means that 584 cars went to USA.

If these numbers are correct, they pretty much answer any questions about why they are discontinuing the 550i/6m.

When I was shopping for my 550i last year the subject of the 6sp manual came up during a test drive. I was told the last one they ordered in for stock sat on the lot for almost a year. This was at a larger BMW dealership in major metropolitan area that moves a lot of cars. After they finally moved it, the GM of the dealership gave explicit orders - no more 6sp unless they were a special order with a deposit.

[dchartier]

Originally Posted by Estimated Prophet

If these numbers are correct, they pretty much answer any questions about why they are discontinuing the 550i/6m.

When I was shopping for my 550i last year the subject of the 6sp manual came up during a test drive. I was told the last one they ordered in for stock sat on the lot for almost a year. This was at a larger BMW dealership in major metropolitan area that moves a lot of cars. After they finally moved it, the GM of the dealership gave explicit orders - no more 6sp unless they were a special order with a deposit.

So sad....

[nirvana19]

While the SAT may be objectively better, if given the choice, I would have ordered a 550i/6 for my next car (currently have a 535i/6). For that reason alone, I am saddened. Hopefully they'll bump the power of the inline 6 soon and keep the manual for at least the next few years.

[MBrown1003]

Originally Posted by nirvana19

While the SAT may be objectively better, if given the choice, I would have ordered a 550i/6 for my next car (currently have a 535i/6). For that reason alone, I am saddened. Hopefully they'll bump the power of the inline 6 soon and keep the manual for at least the next few years.

Call BMW Customer Service and let them know. The only reason we get manuals at all is because there's a small but vocal group of people who want them.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by Stephan735i

The total number of 550i/6 F10 is 611 cars with the following details:

2011: 424 cars
2012: 90 cars
2013: 97 cars

And I'm betting that there were a lot more manuals sold in 2011 because it was easy for the dealer to accidentally order it with manual. I know of 3 dealers who ended up with manual 550s because they forgot to check the N/C Auto box.

I did end up test driving a 2011 550 6-speed. I did not like the fact that it felt like the shifter was rotated to the left. So even 3rd gear was not straight up, but more to the left. When I commented on this to the dealer his response was (and I'm not kidding) "They did that because it has 8 speeds". Sigh... This was also an early build car that BMW was selling and it was possessed. It would rev up when the clutch was pressed in (with my foot off the gas) and pull hard left RANDOMLY. Those last two things have nothing to do with it being a manual however.

Last but not least, I also always thought the 5-series was too big for a manual. Until I got my 2008 M5 with manual. Loved that car - it dispelled any notion that the 5 is too big for a manual.

I'm not happy that BMW is losing the manual, but I totally understand why (especially with those sales numbers) - worse, based on my experience of driving one, I would go with a SAT.

[omaralt]

now it gets confusing.. according to this guy over at bimmerfest; he ordered a 13 550i in 6 spd manual but for some reason they built an automatic. after talking to some people at bmw they promised to build him a 14 550i in manual transmission... i'm not holding my breath, but if they can do it for one person that means they can do it for others?

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=702144

[raleedy]

Originally Posted by omaralt

now it gets confusing.. according to this guy over at bimmerfest; he ordered a 13 550i in 6 spd manual but for some reason they built an automatic. after talking to some people at bmw they promised to build him a 14 550i in manual transmission... i'm not holding my breath, but if they can do it for one person that means they can do it for others?

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=702144

The question answers itself. That's why you can be fairly sure they won't do it for one person.