545i Alternative?
03-10-2012, 08:03 AM
#11
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My Ride: 2008 550i Jet Black on Black Leather, SAT with Paddles, Logic 7, Comfort Seats, NAV, Sport Package, PDC, Xenons, Sirius, Trinity 12W LED Angel Eyes, RPi GT Exhaust, M rear spoiler, ACS Roof Spoiler, Tinted Tail Lights, Bimmian Carbon Fiber Pillar Trim, Bimmian Shadow 550i emblem, RPi Scoop, E60 Forum Cling, Mtec bulbs in fog lights, Mtec 2W LED for License Plate Light Bulbs, K&N Filter, Bimmian LED Smoked Side Markers, Blackout roundels, Carbon Fiber Kidney Grills.
Retired Rides - 1989 325i convertible, 1995 M3, 2002 X5, 2005 545i, 2008 X5 (Lemon)
Perhaps a 535i and you try to keep your foot out of the gas?? 
03-10-2012, 08:37 AM
#13
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My Ride: 07' BMW 550i
The commute is every bit of 35 miles ALL on 66 at 8:45am from Haymarket to Arlington. I would NEVER complain about the mpg from mine, I'm averaging about 24, but on premium. The fuel really isn't the problem though, it's more the wear and tear with the SMG and the ever looming threat of a pump failure or water pump failure or something else. When I bought it i was only putting on about 4k miles per year on my cars and mostly on the weekends and NEVER in traffic, so the SMG and fear of repairs was not an issue, now though, it kind of is. The thing is, there is no real upside to the 3, I would still have the same fears of repairs, and less room/H.P. than the 5, soooo....? As for the "throttle response" test drive, maybe once I am sure, but certainly not until then.
Thanks
Thanks
I had M3 with SMG, so I was a lot at M3forum, so I understood one thing, if you are not launch, track and 1/4 race, your SMG pump should very reliable. The thing about SMG is overheating, and failure of the accumulator. Also on 1/4 mile race, selector gear spring can failed due the huge stress. Under normal driving you should fine. I have indy shop in downtwon Leesburg, I know them for more then 10 years, so I remember they were put a part SMG tranny, so the spring failed and pin fell inside so no gears could selected. But car was used in 1/4 mile races.
03-10-2012, 08:56 AM
#14
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My Ride: ///M5 BEAST
Model Year: 2006
consider a lease? sounds like your biggest issue here is not gas mileage but the actual threat of large repairs looming....
how about a Taurus SHO in a lease? poor residual values should help keep the costs down and the ecoboost V6 gets great gas mileage while providing like 365hp or something...not a stunner on the exterior but ford has much nicer interiors these days....or you could look at the MKS lincoln equaivalent for all the same reasons but in a better looking pkg....def not the level of a BMW but sounds like a plus commuter option to me...
* feels dirty for giving a ford recommendation even tho i work for the Big 3 lol *
how about a Taurus SHO in a lease? poor residual values should help keep the costs down and the ecoboost V6 gets great gas mileage while providing like 365hp or something...not a stunner on the exterior but ford has much nicer interiors these days....or you could look at the MKS lincoln equaivalent for all the same reasons but in a better looking pkg....def not the level of a BMW but sounds like a plus commuter option to me...
* feels dirty for giving a ford recommendation even tho i work for the Big 3 lol *
03-10-2012, 10:03 AM
#15
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03-10-2012, 11:46 AM
#16
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My Ride: 2004 545i SMG
consider a lease? sounds like your biggest issue here is not gas mileage but the actual threat of large repairs looming....
how about a Taurus SHO in a lease? poor residual values should help keep the costs down and the ecoboost V6 gets great gas mileage while providing like 365hp or something...not a stunner on the exterior but ford has much nicer interiors these days....or you could look at the MKS lincoln equaivalent for all the same reasons but in a better looking pkg....def not the level of a BMW but sounds like a plus commuter option to me...
* feels dirty for giving a ford recommendation even tho i work for the Big 3 lol *
how about a Taurus SHO in a lease? poor residual values should help keep the costs down and the ecoboost V6 gets great gas mileage while providing like 365hp or something...not a stunner on the exterior but ford has much nicer interiors these days....or you could look at the MKS lincoln equaivalent for all the same reasons but in a better looking pkg....def not the level of a BMW but sounds like a plus commuter option to me...
* feels dirty for giving a ford recommendation even tho i work for the Big 3 lol *
Exactly... not a mileage issue, its a fun vs reliable issue. Good tip though, I will look into lease cost on a SHO (although I once owned a Mustang and I had promised myself I would never buy another Ford). They have made gigantic steps lately though. And again, a lot of people keep coming back to the Jetta... I think that is going to have to be considered.
03-10-2012, 01:13 PM
#18
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My Ride: 2004 545i 6 speed, Silver Gray A08, Gray leather
Mods: Hard-Wired Passport 9500ix LIVE , K&N Air + RPi Scoop, Mtech V2.1 AE, ACS pedals+Ebrake, flip up front plate, OEM 172's, Custom M Kit, M3 shift knob, Eisemann Race Exhaust
2005 X5 3.0 (the nightmare)
1998 528i SOLD @ 173K
335i! I'm getting 29mpg on the highway! And with the jb4 tune you can now turn the turbos off, people are getting almost 35mpg!
04-02-2012, 03:50 PM
#19
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My Ride: 2004 545i SMG
Well... the deal is done and, with GREAT sadness the 545i SMG is gone. I test drove about everything I could, IS250, GLI Autobahn, Passat V6, Optima SX, EX35, A4 Sport, TL with SH/AWD, regular TL, TSX (both 4 and 6), C300 Sport, and the venerable 335i sport (which I would have bought had it not been for an absolute A$$hole of a sales manager at BMW Alexandria). I can tell you the pros and cons of every single one, but in the end I went with the TSX 4banger with tech package, a nice 2011 with 12k miles and a 7 yr 100k bumper to bumper. It is woefully lacking above about 50 mph trying to pass on the highway, but in traffic and around town it is really quite fast with fairly good steering feel and some great paddle shifters that are actually quicker than my SMG. And the Tech is absolutely unreal, even better than the 2009 335i I tested. So, long story short I am out, but not forever... Already thinking of my next car, a nice F10 550i sport that will come when my commute subsides a little.
Thanks to everyone on this forum for all of your help!
Will
Thanks to everyone on this forum for all of your help!
Will
04-03-2012, 07:40 AM
#20
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My Ride: '04 545i (10/03)
Sport, 6, bk/bk, Premium Sound, Cold Weather, Active Headlights, Tinted Windows, Clear Bra! Winter wheels 'plastic dipped'
Well... the deal is done and, with GREAT sadness the 545i SMG is gone. I test drove about everything I could, IS250, GLI Autobahn, Passat V6, Optima SX, EX35, A4 Sport, TL with SH/AWD, regular TL, TSX (both 4 and 6), C300 Sport, and the venerable 335i sport (which I would have bought had it not been for an absolute A$$hole of a sales manager at BMW Alexandria). I can tell you the pros and cons of every single one, but in the end I went with the TSX 4banger with tech package, a nice 2011 with 12k miles and a 7 yr 100k bumper to bumper. It is woefully lacking above about 50 mph trying to pass on the highway, but in traffic and around town it is really quite fast with fairly good steering feel and some great paddle shifters that are actually quicker than my SMG. And the Tech is absolutely unreal, even better than the 2009 335i I tested. So, long story short I am out, but not forever... Already thinking of my next car, a nice F10 550i sport that will come when my commute subsides a little.
Thanks to everyone on this forum for all of your help!
Will
Thanks to everyone on this forum for all of your help!
Will
There is no substitute for the 5'er.