[flyinbrian]

First off the 2011 BMW 5 Series is not an M3 as it should not be. The 5 series is definitely much more of an executive cruiser than balls to the wall track machine. Not that the M3 was not completely capable of daily driving. Actually it was an excellent day to day driver but the 535i is much more luxurious and creature comfort type of vehicle where as the M3 is a redline let’s hear that engine scream every chance you get romance.

Styling:

Exterior styling is definitely much more pleasing to the eye in person than pictures suggest. The car is actually full of lines and carries a very nice stance that you would never really notice in pictures. The car also looks much better in my opinion with the larger 19” wheels.







Interior styling is very elegant and has a very nice feel to it. I must also emphasize that the Nappa leather definitely to me has a much higher quality feel and look to it compared to the Dakota leather. Electronic and creature comforts are no comparison to the M3 as the new 5 series has raised the bar.





Example of the quality and look of the Nappa Leather.





Good photo of the Light Wood option.









Integrated Smartphone Option: Pricey but very convenient.




Performance:

Engine performance of the 535i is actually much better than I anticipated. Around town the low RPM torque actually gives it a feeling of almost more power than the M3. On the highway it pulls very nicely but does not compare at all to the high RPM pull of the brilliant M3 motor. Steering performance which has been a very hot topic is well warranted. The steering is much more vague compared to the M3’s direct connection with the road but as I drive it more it should be as this is not meant to compete with the M3. The Dynamic damping does make things more direct and connected but the changes are fairly subtle but nice to have that options it offers.




Conclusion:

In conclusion I am very happy with the new 535i as it is what I was looking for in a day to day driver. It is a beautiful luxurious car that still has enough performance that makes it a joy to drive in a more relaxed and comfortable way compared to my M3.

My car's configuration:
535i Sedan Details
3.0 liter, 6-cylinder engine with TwinPower Turbo technology
Rear-wheel drive

Space Gray Metallic
Oyster and Black Nappa Leather
Light wood trim
Cold Weather Package
Dynamic Handling Package
Premium Package
Premium Package 2
Sport Package
Sport automatic transmission with shift paddles
Comfort Access keyless entry
Smartphone Integration

[kplsoleil]

Congrats on the switch Brian! and thanks for the photos and review.

I'm a big fan of that interior combo. The oyster leather and light wood trim look perfect together

[flyinbrian]

Originally Posted by kplsoleil

Congrats on the switch Brian! and thanks for the photos and review.

I'm a big fan of that interior combo. The oyster leather and light wood trim look perfect together

Your welcome, sorry for the short but sweet version but it's hard to find time.

[pharding]

Very nice color scheme

[flyinbrian]

Originally Posted by pharding

Very nice color scheme

Thank you, ordered that scheme sight unseen and it turned out better than I could of hoped for.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by flyinbrian

Your welcome, sorry for the short but sweet version but it's hard to find time.

Did you get to try the 550i?. If so how does this compare to the M3 please?.

[geneatals]

nice review....curious to know what specs you had on your previous M3....

[gatoman39]

Live after Death... nice.
That Nappa Leather is like butter. I was torn between getting the Oyster Nappa, or Black Dakota with the Ventilated seats. Ultimately the light leather would be so hard to keep clean that my OCD-ness would not allow me to have a light colored interior. But it looks awesome with that color wood and Space Grey.

[blackberrycubed]

Can you elaborate on the Dynamic handling? do you think the car would still drive nice had you not gotten it? is it worth the extra $2700?

[Mr. Magic]

I went for Oyster / Dakota, and it came in softer and "velvetier" than I expected, yet overall firm and holds you in the seat well. Can't go wrong on either Leather in my opinion.

Great car colors and options, enjoy!

[CarBrain]

Nice interior color

[warmtoes]

Love the colour of the seats but I still have younger kids and I wouldn't want them on something that light. They aren't that careful.

[flyinbrian]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

Did you get to try the 550i?. If so how does this compare to the M3 please?.

I did test drive the 550i and it felt very strong but didn't feel it was worth the extra dollars as I wanted more gadgets and felt the performance of the 535i would suffice for this type of vehicle. Also I liked the sound of the six better than the V8 and really liked the idea of the better MPG with still good performance.

Originally Posted by geneatals

nice review....curious to know what specs you had on your previous M3....

4.0-liter, V-8 engine
Rear-wheel drive

Jerez Black Metallic
Black Novillo Leather
Sycamore Anthracite Wood trim
Cold Weather Package
Premium Package
Technology Package
Moonroof
Enhanced Premium Sound
iPod and USB adapter
Satellite radio

Originally Posted by gatoman39

Live after Death... nice.
That Nappa Leather is like butter. I was torn between getting the Oyster Nappa, or Black Dakota with the Ventilated seats. Ultimately the light leather would be so hard to keep clean that my OCD-ness would not allow me to have a light colored interior. But it looks awesome with that color wood and Space Grey.

Thank you, I am enjoying the interior a ton.

Originally Posted by blackberrycubed

Can you elaborate on the Dynamic handling? do you think the car would still drive nice had you not gotten it? is it worth the extra $2700?

Have not driven one with out the Dynamic handling but I feel this car at this price range needs this sort of technology and choices it offers when driving.

Originally Posted by CarBrain

Nice interior color

Thank you.

[flyinbrian]

Originally Posted by Mr. Magic

I went for Oyster / Dakota, and it came in softer and "velvetier" than I expected, yet overall firm and holds you in the seat well. Can't go wrong on either Leather in my opinion.

Great car colors and options, enjoy!

That's good to hear, possibly the one they had at the dealership was an early production or had a bad batch of leather but it just didn't seem all that nice. At first I thought it might be leatherette when I first sat in it. I looked at your pics and yours definitely looks great!

[RC3]

congrats and good review. i like the black trim and color combo

[pharding]

Thank you for the great review. Photographs help a lot.

BMW Dakota leather tends to run and robust. It holds up for a long time.

[flyinbrian]

Originally Posted by RC3

congrats and good review. i like the black trim and color combo

Here another picture that helps show the contrasting colors.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Love the interior colour scheme, I would go for A White paint though.
Each to their own.

[flyinbrian]

Originally Posted by BabkenBMW

Can you please tell me whether the car has grown in the rear space. I mean is there a lot of space for the rear seat passengers?
Thank you

It feels very roomy compared to my M3 but can't compare with the E60 as I never owned one.

[E92BSM10]

interior combination looks good

[wessew10]

Hello flyinbrian. Beautiful vehical inside and out. I am considering the same combination but wondering about the dark wood versus light wood. Do you have any thoughts on that. Second, I have an iPhone 4 but the memory at 32 gb is not enough to carry my entire music colllection plus apps. I was wondering as to whether I could combine use of the iPhone with the Smart Phone Integration and the iPod Touch. Is it possible to hook up both at the same time? Second, do you think it would be possible to install an iPod Touch in the smart phone holder (for music access) and use the iPhone via bluetooth?

[ibimmer954]

Originally Posted by wessew10

I was wondering as to whether I could combine use of the iPhone with the Smart Phone Integration and the iPod Touch. Is it possible to hook up both at the same time?

You cannot use the Smartphone and the other USB port at the same time. When you plug a phone into the cradle, the other USB port is disabled until you take the phone out of the cradle. You can only listen to one at a time anyway. Just leave the iPod plugged into the USB port. When you pull out the phone, the port will be active again. I leave a USB flash drive plugged into the USB port and play media directly off the flash drive.

Second, do you think it would be possible to install an iPod Touch in the smart phone holder (for music access) and use the iPhone via bluetooth?

I haven't tried the iPod in the cradle. It might not physically fit. It will work in the USB port though.

The iPhone will work (as a phone) over Bluetooth. You can't play music in the car over Bluetooth.