mwsu545i

second that "545 is the best hands down"

lots of people mention the luxurious interior of competitors, but for me, I was really impressed with the simplicity and cleanliness of the 545i. I liked the fact that only really important controls were available, while everything else went with iDrive. that, to me, is really intelligent ergonomics. simply go into any car and see how long it takes you to find buttons even after you know where they are. I'm not talking about learning curve, but about information overload. even if you know where all the buttons are, you have to look, sort, filter, etc, before operating. yes, iDrive has its problems, but I find it so much easier to keep my eyes on the road while using iDrive than anything else. all you have to do is see how low buttons are arranged on the dash or center console of any car and you know right away how much attention was paid to the design. I've been driving my mom's Lexus lately, and well, nice as it is, my eyes spend so much time way, way down just to adjust the radio station. As for Audis which like to puts lots of controls at the same level as your hands - nice, but they forgot you have to look down there also! that's what killed the A6 for me. sure, it looks rather pretty and glitzy, but awful for driving experience. with the 545i, I really spend more time concentrating on the road without having to move my eyes down to ground level.

this is to say nothing of the really amazingly stiff body, road hugging ability, and overall stability. the car is not that heavy, but it feels so stable I feel like I can do anything. its handling is telepathic, and I find myself having to calm down because I get so excited - in a good way - while driving it. hence, the fun factor.

for my money, I cannot imagine doing better than this car at this price. am considering the M5 eventually, or space permitting, an Italian job. but for overall comfort, security, spaciousness, drivability, and fun, have no regrets at all.

530iii

Well, even if the upcoming 545i (with the new V8) or 550i (whatever it's gonna be called) is that much quicker than what we have now , I'll get a 2010 E60 550i (final year of production for the E60) if there's nothing better out there for the money!

kmslo530i

I must be missing something here......but.....IMHO....the CTS-V is the ugliest car I've seen in a long time, as is the entire Cadillac line. I still get goose bumps looking at E60s, I get nauseous looking at the CTS.

Just one happy E60 owner's opinion, and .02

doctors4bob

I've had my 545 for just over a month now. I went to the car show last weekend to see the new A6 which I hadn't yet sat in. I've seen other posts praising its interior design. But perhaps just as an over-hyped movie, I was not particularly impressed with the A6 interior. It didn't feel innovative or fresh to me. In fact, just the opposite. I felt it was NOT innovative, especially in a newly-redesigned car, and I came to respect the interior of my 545 much more. I think the consistency of interior design is more apparent in the 545. And i-drive makes the interior much more "clean". BTW, I think the new Acura RL interior is okay, but again didn't stand out to me. I haven't had a chance to drive either of these new cars yet, but I expect they'll compare even worse on the road.
[/quote]
I test drove the new A6, in fact my foray into Bimmer world was because of it. I was ready to be impressed by it. However, it let me down.
1) I didn't handle like the E60.
2) The interior was probably a step up from my Honda Accord EX V6... Nothing impressive.
3) The residual was so low, that the monthy payments on a 3.2 A6 are higher than what I wound up getting my 545 for!

As for the other models listed:

1) M45, never drove it.
2) Benzo: Just not ready / interested in that sort of status car. My 85 year old Italian grandmother would think I was crazy.
3) CTS - Is that a Cadillac? I don't drive Cadillacs.
4) Lexus GS430: This is seriously considered. Very nice car. Priced lower than the 545. However, did not get my juices going like the 545.

EBMCS03

But you think the 545 interior is better?

I think its ok... but it can be better.

MaxBuck

Really interesting take. I am a (currently) non-Bimmer-owner who is considering the following vehicles: 745i, 545i, Acura RL, and (true!) Lexus 430 (the latter only if sport suspension can still be ordered).

The 7er is obviously (to me) the best overall vehicle on the list, but has been unreliable WRT electronics; also, I have some clients who might look askance at me when driving up to see them in the 7er (clearly the highest status and "bling" factor, neither of which do I want). The 545i is the purest driver's car but seems pretty costly for what you get. Interior is very high quality but not really plush. Seems like the 7er gives you much more for the small increase in $$. I will say that the 545i, even with sport package, rides far better than I expected, though a bit "busy" in its dynamic response to small bumps. Oddly, my wife complained that the side seat bolsters on the 5er sports package lacked support; she likes the comfort seats (who doesn't).

Acura RL handles like it is on rails, and has AWD (excellent for Ohio winters). Great ride quality, too. But the V6, while an excellent motor (IMO Honda builds the best engines in the world) does not provide the acceleration that I idealize. And the telephone Bluetooth implementation is inferior to the Bimmers. Best interior than any car here except the Lexus and the 7er. Seats far superior to the 5er.

The Lexus LS is a car that most readers here would not consider, and I understand that. But with the sport suspension the car handles very well, and the reliability and sheer luxury the car provides are very appealing. Downsides are the poor snow performance (everybody I know who owns one dreads the onset of winter) and the poor Bluetooth implementation.

Why not the other cars on the list?

CTS and STS: interiors just look cheap, especially in the CTS. And my wife is uncomfortable in the STS. V8 and AWD in the STS and you are talking real money (close to $70K).

Jag XJ: Very large and generally nice interior, but with some VERY cheap feeling parts that to me ruin the effect. Plus the handling, to me, felt far more ponderous than the Lexus LS, with which it seems to be to be the most similar.

Merc E500: A really nice ride, but for the same price I'll take the 545i instead; much more exciting car. Headrests are ridiculous for small people (if you're less than 5-4 just try to sit in the front seat).

Audi A6 and A8: My wife sat in both and screwed her face up; she thinks they are uncomfortable at rest (very hard seat cushions). So I will not take her for a drive in the A6, whose ride quality does not compare favorably with a Ford F150. The V8 A6 is a pretty nice car to drive, though, so long as the road is smooth.

The M3 and S4 are not really what I am looking for at my advanced age. When your drug habit drifts toward glucosamine-chondroitin and away from spliff, you will know what I mean.

Just another opinion here. Neat thread!

Iceman

Welcome aboard, MaxBuckimg !

rollee

the only thing closest that i will consider is the e500, but that's a rather 'sissy' car in my mind mainly b/c most of the e500 drivers i know are female / female-ish shall we say?
not to mention most of the 'e' people in my town does not know how to drive. truly road morons! :'(

i like the e500 interior very very much, its delicious! my choice will be based completely on superfical looks. nothing to do with performance and value.

as a conscious and assertive driver who cannot afford a chauffer, the e60 bmw remains faithfully my choice weapon for the harzards and demons of our roadways.

E60 BMW 530/545/550 hands down.

Guest

All people here are just plain stupid

Superior handling,? true, BMW does feel and grip the ground better,
But, keep in mind, its not something lexus can't do, Lexus is trying to make their cars the Smoothest, most quiet cars on the planet, in addition to the sporty feel, if people haven't already noticed, BMW rides are extremely bumpy, worse than a toyota corolla,
( I own both, BMW, Toyota, lexus, Porsche, and use to own Merc, but never again, waste of time and money trying to keep up with the problems)
Stiffening the suspensions is not hard to do, making a car go 60-100mph smoothly and with a low Decibel noise level is TRUEly advanced engineering

It is funny how All these other company BMW, MERC, ferrari, Dodge, etc.. are accepting and working with the facts that Toyota is Ahead of them and is doing something right , according to Statistics alone, But there are sooo many ignorant people out there who still insist their BMW is the best and Lexus sucks or boring

If lexus is boring, then, why did Ferrari Hired a Toyota engineer to Designed what is considered one fo the greatest Ferrari ever, the Enzo
The dodge Viper, Pure american bread, designed by? Japanese engineer, use to be with ??? Toyota

M-1

Toyota, Nissan and GM should never be mentioned in the same sentence as a BMW. :bashwall:

Drove the E500 a few weeks ago ... auto tranny sucks, the ride quality is excellent but overall the car is well ... for old people.