06 550i SMG or 05 545i 6MT
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Joined: Sep 2008
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I've had an 05 545 with SMG for 2 yrs now and love it! I'll admit I was a little anxious about buying an SMG without having mastered driving the car smoothly during the test drives. With the SMG I have the best of both worlds. I keep a manual transmission and get rid of the constant requirement placed on my left leg and right hand! I put the car in manual sport mode and shift with the padles with my left hand while my right hand is free for whatever I need - like a cup of coffee in the mornings! After a short adjustment period I found driving the SMG smoother than the manual 330Ci I had. So I wouldn't worry about the SMG if the 550 is the better package. In the end it's about personal preferences. Either car will put a smile on your face! Good luck
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 196
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From: Atlanta, GA
My Ride: 545i/6
This is why I am leaning towards a 6MT. I don't believe in warranties, I find used parts and a good indie shop is all i need (and 20-30k sitting in a money market acount doesn't hurt either!). Yes the 5 will be the first BMW with all the electronics i will have but i will figure out the software/equipment so i can troubleshoot stuff myself.
As for the 545 or the 550, things just took alittle twist..... My wife was looking at the fuel charts again and concluded that the M5 wasn't that much worse than the M3/550/545.... so maybe i could save alot of upgrade money by just buying an M5
the hunt is on! I still have time (i won't be home for another month).
Sidenote: two Colorado guys! I did 4 years at a small technical college in C-Springs
I can't wait to get back to breck,vail and A-Basin!
As for the 545 or the 550, things just took alittle twist..... My wife was looking at the fuel charts again and concluded that the M5 wasn't that much worse than the M3/550/545.... so maybe i could save alot of upgrade money by just buying an M5
the hunt is on! I still have time (i won't be home for another month).Sidenote: two Colorado guys! I did 4 years at a small technical college in C-Springs
I can't wait to get back to breck,vail and A-Basin!Ok someone help me here. Ive heard about several people ave 15-16mpg in their M5's while I ave 22mpg (545i 6mt) with about 50% of that being city. Do M5's really get better mileage than that? Just curious cause justification is a wonderful thing
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 120
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From: Ohio
My Ride: 05 545i loaded!
Ok someone help me here. Ive heard about several people ave 15-16mpg in their M5's while I ave 22mpg (545i 6mt) with about 50% of that being city. Do M5's really get better mileage than that? Just curious cause justification is a wonderful thing
The site that she uses--> http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm
07 M5 6MT 11/17
06 550i SMG 14/21
05 545i 6MT 15/23
And i guess they don't get the same but close enough for her
her exact words were "neither of the cars get that great of gas mileage. If you can really get a M5 for pretty cheap you should get it"My wife is an enviromental engineer ie. the whole carbon footprint means a lot to her so i am really suprised she's not making me get a KIA! She knows me too well (5 years married and about 10 cars for me soo far) and knows if i don't get what i want we'll be buying a car again in a year!
I love my wife
but there is still a catch, i have to find one cheap.....
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 196
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From: Atlanta, GA
My Ride: 545i/6
Are you manualy calculating it or just the read out telling you? My Z4 would always say I'm avg 28-30 mpg but when i did the math at fill-ups it was more like 23-25.
The site that she uses--> http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm
07 M5 6MT 11/17
06 550i SMG 14/21
05 545i 6MT 15/23
And i guess they don't get the same but close enough for her her exact words were "neither of the cars get that great of gas mileage. If you can really get a M5 for pretty cheap you should get it"
My wife is an enviromental engineer ie. the whole carbon footprint means a lot to her so i am really suprised she's not making me get a KIA! She knows me too well (5 years married and about 10 cars for me soo far) and knows if i don't get what i want we'll be buying a car again in a year!
I love my wife but there is still a catch, i have to find one cheap.....
The site that she uses--> http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm
07 M5 6MT 11/17
06 550i SMG 14/21
05 545i 6MT 15/23
And i guess they don't get the same but close enough for her
her exact words were "neither of the cars get that great of gas mileage. If you can really get a M5 for pretty cheap you should get it"My wife is an enviromental engineer ie. the whole carbon footprint means a lot to her so i am really suprised she's not making me get a KIA! She knows me too well (5 years married and about 10 cars for me soo far) and knows if i don't get what i want we'll be buying a car again in a year!
I love my wife
but there is still a catch, i have to find one cheap.....Both, I find that the on board cpu is always within a half mpg. I drive pretty grandpa like for the most part though excpet for on-ramps and the occasional straigh away. Good to hear there are woman out there capable of letting their man drive what they want, sounds like you got a keeper. But damn, 11/17 on the M is pretty pathetic, but it wont stop me on my next purchase
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 82
Likes: 1
From: Michigan
Man, how do you see that low fuel mileage? My '05 545i m/t averaged 28.3 mpg on 90% mountain highway driving (75mph), and a little less than 25mpg with 60% highway 40% city. That's about the same if not a little better than my e46.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 196
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From: Atlanta, GA
My Ride: 545i/6
Well I can see 28mpg at 75mph with 90% highway. I was actually getting about 23mpg during cooler weather. In my experience I always lose a mpg in the warmer months, no different in the 545i. My highway driving is 85mph though and the city driving is pretty constant stop and go with a bit of sitting traffic. Id still say 22mpg ave in the summer in a v8 sedan is still pretty respectable.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 120
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From: Ohio
My Ride: 05 545i loaded!
Still haven't found one that meets my standards. I can find 06 SMG M5's in the low 30's all day long but i can't find a clean 6MT, i have found one 08 550 that i like in the same price range but it doesn't have the sport option. This is turning out to be harder than I thought. I have even thought about lowering my standards and getting a 530i or 535i but i don't think i will be happy. The hunt is still on......
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 804
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From: Harrisburg, PA area
My Ride: SOLD...Jet Black 2008 550i M Sport with SAT, black interior. RPI exhaust and air scoop, 35% huper optik tint all around, CF roundels, flat black kidneys, Springfield Armory XD-40 jet black in glove box, charcoal filter removed.
Good luck brother! Home soon too right? I did the same thing and ended up buying my 550i from the desert about a month prior to returning, then flew out to Milwaukee to pick it up after I got home, then had about 4 months of leave / time off to spend with it before getting back into the real world. I say go for the M5 SMG if you can get one for the right price with the options you want.
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 33
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Are you manualy calculating it or just the read out telling you? My Z4 would always say I'm avg 28-30 mpg but when i did the math at fill-ups it was more like 23-25.
The site that she uses--> http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm
07 M5 6MT 11/17
06 550i SMG 14/21
05 545i 6MT 15/23
And i guess they don't get the same but close enough for her her exact words were "neither of the cars get that great of gas mileage. If you can really get a M5 for pretty cheap you should get it"
My wife is an enviromental engineer ie. the whole carbon footprint means a lot to her so i am really suprised she's not making me get a KIA! She knows me too well (5 years married and about 10 cars for me soo far) and knows if i don't get what i want we'll be buying a car again in a year!
I love my wife but there is still a catch, i have to find one cheap.....
The site that she uses--> http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm
07 M5 6MT 11/17
06 550i SMG 14/21
05 545i 6MT 15/23
And i guess they don't get the same but close enough for her
her exact words were "neither of the cars get that great of gas mileage. If you can really get a M5 for pretty cheap you should get it"My wife is an enviromental engineer ie. the whole carbon footprint means a lot to her so i am really suprised she's not making me get a KIA! She knows me too well (5 years married and about 10 cars for me soo far) and knows if i don't get what i want we'll be buying a car again in a year!
I love my wife
but there is still a catch, i have to find one cheap.....
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 932
Likes: 0
From: West LA
My Ride: 2005 BMW 545i
I wouldn't consider the 535i a downgrade from the 545i or 550i, other than the fact that it has less cylinders. A little bit of modding and tuning and you have a MF-ing beast 
(pardon my language). I would say keep searching, and keep the M5 at the top of your list although they are $$$$$ to maintain but it seems like you have the funds and know-how for bumps in the road.
Especially with the M cars, I've seen people wait for months to even a year on various forums to find the exact color and option combo they wanted and boy did they not regret that wait one bit when that car was finally sitting in their garage...
(pardon my language). I would say keep searching, and keep the M5 at the top of your list although they are $$$$$ to maintain but it seems like you have the funds and know-how for bumps in the road.Especially with the M cars, I've seen people wait for months to even a year on various forums to find the exact color and option combo they wanted and boy did they not regret that wait one bit when that car was finally sitting in their garage...