Toronto545

Three weeks now in 545 step with all performance options. This is the fourth BMW I've owned after one 325 and two 540's. General impression: truly outstanding.

1. Delivery: Flawless. No problems with any systems which is amazing with such a complex new model.

2. Active steering: excellent but could be tightened up just a bit at low speed so it doesn't feel so over boosted.

3. Dynamic Drive: excellent but dangerous! I keep throwing it into corners testing it. This car runs on rails. I believe this is a more important performance improvement than Active Steering. Active Steering is great but I could live without it.

4. Steptronic: better than E39 but back to the stick next time. This car deserves to be driven and not by my wife.

5. Run-flats: excellent but I am really pissed that BMW Canada did not include the spare. We need snow tires here which means buying run flat snows (do they exist??) or buying a spare. I don't think one of the run flats will fit in the trunk as a winter spare.

6. Power: excellent but I haven't run it hard yet. I could scare myself in the 540 and this one is faster.

7. Noise level: very quiet by comparison to 540. Strange having that much power with so little engine noise. definitely a wolfe in sheeps clothing.

8. Appearance/styling: exterior styling I'm in love with. Interior . . . well I would call it minimalist but not necessarily cheap looking.

9. I Controller: heading in the right direction but not quite there yet. definitely the future. Particularly like the added control over settings. Hate the warning message at start-up. I get it already.

10. Entertainment/Logic 7: great sound but theatre and concert settings don't add much. The stereo in my original 540 was better. Still I would it buy it anyway. I had the standard stereo in my last 540 and it was horrible. Radio reception in the E60 is very bad.

11. Comfort seats: excellent but I can't see the turn signal indicators in any comfortablle set-up.

rollee

i concur. my general impression is also truly outstanding.
toronto545 thanks for bringing up the spare tire in winter, i guess we'll just have to be a bit more careful on that one. i also would prefer my car to be noiser, or hums deeper when it pushes, but i think this will defeat the purpose of being a 'comfortable sedan'. brings to mind an incident last year on the autobahn in germany, i was going about 190kph while a 'prototype' 645ci drove beside me and we stayed together for a while before its dashes off upwards of 230kph in pure silence, effortless, totally breathtaking, i was in awe. sometimes one need not be loud to make a lasting statement.
one thing that i really cannot stand most other vehicles are the numerous buttons all over the place, the idrive really took many away but i think it can still clean up the dash further.
i absolutely love the controls on the steering wheel, i use them often and has become part of my driving, i do miss the cruise controls on the steering wheel like those on my last e46.
i thought it was only me whom cannot see the turn signals well, but the location of the window controls on the door handle took me longer to getting used to (and still not getting them right).
toronto545 say 'hi' if you see my silver grey 530i around, i got the rear reflectors and 545 chrome grills. rollee

DrT

I concur on the partially hidden indicator controls. With my stereo on, I'd have to duck my head to check I'm indicating ! I have the sports steering wheel which I think is standard on your 545's. Being that little bit smaller it obscures the top of the instrument panel as well as the sides. I'm only 6ft tall but with the seat at its lowest setting I can only just see the top of the dials.

The rest of the car is so ergonomically pleasing. The window controls are liveable with, IMO.

JohanDC

Same thing here, have to duck my head to see whether the turn signal indicators are on. I have the comfort seats with sports steering wheel. I have put the steering wheel to its lowest position to get a comfortable grip. I had to do this too in my E46 but then it still wasn't quite comfortable yet. I also love the cruise control of the E60 over the one of the E46, I really find that it gives you more control compared to the small +/- buttons of the one used in the E46.

Toronto545 - I also do not like my girlfriend driving my car, but from time to time I have to permit it when we go out and I drunk too much liquor to drive. I must say that I haven't been able so far to make her throw up as you did (don't want to mess up my car) but I was able to make her carsick with the 320d loaner that I have right now (the E60 with step drives way too smooth to do this I guess).

rem

nice review Toronto.

Why wouldn't BMW Canada include a spare?

I'm glad I did the manual option. the 545 really is fun when you can DRIVE.

On the dynamic drive, I'm at 11,000 miles and still throwing it into curves. You just need to be careful with snow tires...I found the limit on them.

I have the sport seats and can't see the turn signals either.

My biggest problem is that I can't seem to cruise at anything less than 80mph and prefer 90 (traffic conditions warranting). I decided to invest in a hardwired V1 to accommodate that.

It is a great car. Enjoy!