arthurk

Hi guys,

I am new to this forum and I am a newbie to BMW so please bear with me.

I live in Toronto, which means driving in snow for 6 months a year.

Currently, I have two suvs. Safe but no fun. I need something more agile, something smaller and something more energetic....

So first thing I consider was either the BMW 530i or 545i. The V8 is appealing but fuel economy kind of turned me off. So I believed 530i would be my choice. I need a car for my two babies so I figure a mid-size sedan with snow tires should be good for the winter. However, when I looked at the leasing price between a 525i and an 530i I couldn't believe. You can now lease a 525i for around 800CAD a month for 36 months. And a 530i is about 300-400 more per month!!!. For a 40hp difference that's really annoying. I disliked the 525 because it's too weak. Hence, I am now considering the following:

Audi S4 (V8 with quattro...priced similar to 530i)
MB C55 (also V8, priced close to 545i and I don't think it drives well in snow)
MB CLK500 (again V8, limited snow manuveuring capabilities)
Infiniti M45 (my would-be choice if I am not currently driving a FX45)
BMW M3 (doubtful handling in snow, no auto, just stick or SMG...Is SMG same as Tiptronic in terms of driving techniques?)

I am sure that a lot of you experts out there have tons of opinions to spare. My current lease is up next May so I still have 9 months to consider what my next car would be. Thanks in advance.

Arthur

gwf545

I think the 530 you were looking at must have had a lot more options than that 525. I suggest that you not give up just yet and keep looking for a dealer that will get closer to what you want to pay for a 530.

my530i

I had a new 325i loaner the other day, and I can tell you that it's slooooow. It does not have torque response like my 530i although it's heavier 325i. That's only myself in the car. If + wife + 2 kids, it'll you nowhere.

ZinMe

The lease money factor and residuals will improve on the 530i. They are quite high right now because they just came out with the 2006 530i with the upgraded engine. By the time your current lease it up, I would bet the lease cost will come down. I agree the 525 is a bit underpowered, although, sometimes its decieving on an e60 because the car is so smooth that you don't realize how much acceleration you are actually getting. Try it in DS mode-- sport mode or with a manual if you haven't already to be sure.

ZinMe

The other factor is space. Try putting two car seats in an S4, a 325, a CLK or an C55-- not fun! They will fit, but getting in and out is not easy. The e60 and the M45 will be better in this regard.

mooserwirt

I drove S4, cool car, realy, but its not the driving experience as from the 5 series. Mercedes? In Europe Mercedes is getting more and more uncool. Not just from the overdesigned rounded outdated curves, the quality is getting worse. I think 530xi is good choice, also if you have 6 days of snow a year.

SteveHI

I would think 4 doors would be much more practical if you're going to use the baby seats. I don't think that having 4 doors limits the driving experience at all - I'm coming from an E46 coupe and a CLK430, and the E60 is more responsive and handles better than both.

I noticed that you mentioned fuel economy as a strike against the 545i - but I'm pretty sure every car on your list is comparable. Not to knock the the 530i, but I don't think it's in quite the same class as these other cars (all of which have V-8s, with the exception of the M3).

My first choice would be a 545i - I'm sure there must be good deals out there with the 550i on deck. Second choice would be the S4 - less space, but 4 doors, 340-hp, and torsen AWD.

Clevertrousers

06 US 525 has the 3.0 engine and 215hp. 31hp more than last year's 525, and only 10hp short of last year's 530. I believe the latest Euro model also has 215hp, but they eeked that out of the latest incarnation of the 2.5L motor.

I went from a 235hp V8 Jeep to the 215hp 06 525, and its plenty oomph for me. Almost the same power carting around much less weight. Those saying the 25's are weak, are comparing to same car/line with bigger engines - of course they'll "seem" weak by comparison! I considered a non-loaded 530 over my optioned-up 525, but frankly, I-Drive is a little lame if all it is controlling is the FM radio and airvents.

Clevertrousers

Is it wise to worry about 0-60 times with wife+2 kids in car? "See darling, I can hang that corner on two-wheels at 60mph even with you and the kids in the car! Stop crying back there!" In my household, that'd be asking for a quick trip to mini-van land.

jackbutler

Arthur, i too live in Toronto and decided to go with the 525xi. I really wanted a car that was practical for this city and yet very fun to drive. (I'm not the type to fiddle around with snow tires.) There were some other cars that had more bang for the buck, but none had that bmw "feel". Which dealership did you go to?

cheers,
jack