anybody else pissed at New 4.8 L update to 545
12-31-2004, 04:26 AM
#31
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My Ride: BMW 545iA Black Sapphire
Model Year: 2005
Engine: 545i
I can't be pissed...4.4...4.8 litres ...it's all academic really.
For the sake of this thread, I can understand the merit of the discussion regarding engine upgrades and so on..but is this a surprise?...like others said, this is a normal evolution of technology, copmany policy, competition and more important : marketing.
When I bought my E46 328i, 1 year later the 3.0 litre came out...did this make my
car less of what it was ( for me ) ..no. I was still happy with it of course. Still got a very good tradein price when I bought the 545i. Served me proud for 5 years. Next owner contacted me commenting how thrilled he was. Imagine.
When BMW or any other car company makes something newer ( not necessarily noticebly better ) - if your upset or concerned somehow in wanting to upgrade, this simply means that BMW has succeeded in their marketing strategy for people to buy/upgrade to this newer product. I am not talking about buying something new outright after you are looking for an upgrade because you need it or had your present car for some time...I am refering to just having bought your car and wanting to change just because something better just came out. If you had the 'computer bug' , you would have to change pc every month or so!!
Everyone here has the BMW bug as well...some can afford to change their cars like clothes..others keep their cars for very long. But the down to earth conclusion is that it's hard to keep up with the never ending story of marketing and evolution.
Lastly to put things in perspective regarding the titles thread: Most people can't
afford more than a 2 litre engine in their car ( excluding USA! ) - be proud with what you have and prey for health so you can drive it long.
Happy New Year to all.
For the sake of this thread, I can understand the merit of the discussion regarding engine upgrades and so on..but is this a surprise?...like others said, this is a normal evolution of technology, copmany policy, competition and more important : marketing.
When I bought my E46 328i, 1 year later the 3.0 litre came out...did this make my
car less of what it was ( for me ) ..no. I was still happy with it of course. Still got a very good tradein price when I bought the 545i. Served me proud for 5 years. Next owner contacted me commenting how thrilled he was. Imagine.
When BMW or any other car company makes something newer ( not necessarily noticebly better ) - if your upset or concerned somehow in wanting to upgrade, this simply means that BMW has succeeded in their marketing strategy for people to buy/upgrade to this newer product. I am not talking about buying something new outright after you are looking for an upgrade because you need it or had your present car for some time...I am refering to just having bought your car and wanting to change just because something better just came out. If you had the 'computer bug' , you would have to change pc every month or so!!
Everyone here has the BMW bug as well...some can afford to change their cars like clothes..others keep their cars for very long. But the down to earth conclusion is that it's hard to keep up with the never ending story of marketing and evolution.
Lastly to put things in perspective regarding the titles thread: Most people can't
afford more than a 2 litre engine in their car ( excluding USA! ) - be proud with what you have and prey for health so you can drive it long.
Happy New Year to all.
12-31-2004, 04:32 AM
#32
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My Ride: 2008 535i: June 6th start build, complete June 17th, at NY Port July 5th, at dealer July 10th, took delivery Friday July 13- Plantimum Bronze/Natural Brown Leather/Light Poplar, Sport Package, Sport Auto, Active Steering, Premium Package, CWP & PDC. Dinan Performance Software 384hp & 421 ft/lbs.
Check out this link from Dinan for the 545.
http://dinancars.com/Series.asp?Series=15&...e%20Tuning#1312
http://dinancars.com/Series.asp?Series=15&...e%20Tuning#1312
12-31-2004, 08:30 AM
#33
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Frm my previous post:
"Just got my Automobile Magazine hot off the presses. In a sidebar on the 2006 7 series, they say:
"With Mercedes-Benz stuffing high-horsepower engines into virtually everything it makes, the 7-series will expand its V-8 from 4.4 to 4.8 liters for 440 hp. The 6.0 liter V-12 will rise from 438 hp to an M5 equaling 500 hp."
Sounds like the 545 could get a monster V8 in the near future!"
I have to agree with Beewang that it is quite a jump to put a 400+ hp engine in the 545. Based on BMW's history, they will give the engine a slight bump in the last few years of production.
The above quote from Automobile magazine is puzzling to me, because unlike Autoweek, they are very reliable. I think we'll have to wait for more information. I do agree that regardless of the HP increase, there is no way the 545 will see a new V8 for at least a few years.
"Just got my Automobile Magazine hot off the presses. In a sidebar on the 2006 7 series, they say:
"With Mercedes-Benz stuffing high-horsepower engines into virtually everything it makes, the 7-series will expand its V-8 from 4.4 to 4.8 liters for 440 hp. The 6.0 liter V-12 will rise from 438 hp to an M5 equaling 500 hp."
Sounds like the 545 could get a monster V8 in the near future!"
I have to agree with Beewang that it is quite a jump to put a 400+ hp engine in the 545. Based on BMW's history, they will give the engine a slight bump in the last few years of production.
The above quote from Automobile magazine is puzzling to me, because unlike Autoweek, they are very reliable. I think we'll have to wait for more information. I do agree that regardless of the HP increase, there is no way the 545 will see a new V8 for at least a few years.
12-31-2004, 08:38 AM
#34
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Why should be pissed?BMW may cause you have then old V8 not make a new V8.
The 525i and 530i's drivers can be pissed to then.
BMW must make new engines else you don't stay at the top.
The 525i and 530i's drivers can be pissed to then.
BMW must make new engines else you don't stay at the top.
12-31-2004, 08:49 AM
#35
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Originally Posted by wolverine' date='Dec 31 2004, 12:30 PM
Frm my previous post:
"Just got my Automobile Magazine hot off the presses. In a sidebar on the 2006 7 series, they say:
"?
The above quote from Automobile magazine is puzzling to me, because unlike Autoweek, they are very reliable.? I think we'll have to wait for more information.? I do agree that regardless of the HP increase, there is no way the 545 will see a new V8 for at least a few years.
"Just got my Automobile Magazine hot off the presses. In a sidebar on the 2006 7 series, they say:
"?
The above quote from Automobile magazine is puzzling to me, because unlike Autoweek, they are very reliable.? I think we'll have to wait for more information.? I do agree that regardless of the HP increase, there is no way the 545 will see a new V8 for at least a few years.
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the 2006 7er is coming very soon, i think you can even order one now.... i think the hp numbers they are reporting are wrong, but the 4.8 looks like its coming in ~370's bhp range....
the best thing though is that we only have to wait a few months, the 7ers are getting this new engine in the spring, and then we can speculate on how long it will be before the 5ers get it...expect the 6er to get it first in the fall for MY06, and then the 5er by MY07, just a year or so away....
...still more waiting for me though, since i wont order the E60 without the M-sport pack, so I have to wait to find out the new engine options for the E63, 650 would be too much, but maybe a 640 though.... 
12-31-2004, 09:18 AM
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Here's something to think about...
The current 745i and 545i share the same engine. If the 7-series refresh is coming in March/April/May as a 2006 750i, unless it's just a bored and stroked version of the current engine, whay would BMW maintain now two separate engine production lines? Wouldn't it make more sense to drop the new engine in the 5-series too? Okay, there is precedence for doing this, when the 745i was introduced the 540i was still being made so there was overlap but it may have been for a variety of reasons. Do those reasons still apply? Do the facilities and/or flexibility in their use still exist? Since I don't know whether these engines are made at a dedicated plant or along side the cars at those plants I can't do anything but fruitlessly speculate.
I can add one thing however. The BMW dealer order system references "545i/550i" on some sort of product list.
The current 745i and 545i share the same engine. If the 7-series refresh is coming in March/April/May as a 2006 750i, unless it's just a bored and stroked version of the current engine, whay would BMW maintain now two separate engine production lines? Wouldn't it make more sense to drop the new engine in the 5-series too? Okay, there is precedence for doing this, when the 745i was introduced the 540i was still being made so there was overlap but it may have been for a variety of reasons. Do those reasons still apply? Do the facilities and/or flexibility in their use still exist? Since I don't know whether these engines are made at a dedicated plant or along side the cars at those plants I can't do anything but fruitlessly speculate.
I can add one thing however. The BMW dealer order system references "545i/550i" on some sort of product list.
12-31-2004, 09:55 AM
#38
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If you always wanted to wait for the latest and greatest you would never buy anything, because you would still be waiting. The folks who bought the 04 545i are pissed because BMW made some saftety modifications for the 05 545i. The folks who are buying a 05 545i are pissed if the 06 545i comes out with a new V8. The 06 545i guys can be pissed if the 07 545i come out with something new again.
That is the name of the game. New product sells. Old product doesn't. No reason to be upset about what you have. Just gives you something to look forward to when you buy your next BMW.
That is the name of the game. New product sells. Old product doesn't. No reason to be upset about what you have. Just gives you something to look forward to when you buy your next BMW.
12-31-2004, 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by DXXXi' date='Dec 31 2004, 01:27 PM
Doesn't the X5 already come in 4.4 and 4.8 L versions?
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yes, but they are not what we're talking about
these are new engines....
///M Rakete,
the reason they dont just 'drop' the 545 for a 550 when the 750 is available is probably is due to more than one thing...first they want to have some series separation at first for the flagship...secondly, they probably have a load of 4.5 engines out there that they just dont 'throw away'....when the existing inventory of 4.5s are through, then the new engine will be available exclusively....
take the new R6 3.0 for example....it was produced in the early summer, then it was announced into the 630i in september as the first car to get it, and now months later, until atleast march - april 05, the 530i still has the current (old) 3.0....
now im sure BMW hasnt been producing the old 3.0 since the new R6 went into production, but there must be such an inventory that it will take almost a year to get rid of the old 3.0s from the shelves, which is why we have to wait for it...remember, its a business for them....
12-31-2004, 10:16 AM
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Actually the example of the new R6 6 cyl being manufactured while BMW still made the M54 is the best argument for the 5-series maybe not getting the new V8 right away. Yes, I said "still" as I can't imagine BMW building thousands or tens of thousands of engines only to store them somewhere until they have a chassis to put them in. That would be economically unsound. If the E46 coupe is still going to made while the E90 sedan rolls out then M54 engines are almost certainly still being made.
yes, but they are not what we're talking about
these are new engines....
///M Rakete,
the reason they dont just 'drop' the 545 for a 550 when the 750 is available is probably is due to more than one thing...first they want to have some series separation at first for the flagship...secondly, they probably have a load of 4.5 engines out there that they just dont 'throw away'....when the existing inventory of 4.5s are through, then the new engine will be available exclusively....
take the new R6 3.0 for example....it was produced in the early summer, then it was announced into the 630i in september as the first car to get it, and now months later, until atleast march - april 05, the 530i still has the current (old) 3.0....
now im sure BMW hasnt been producing the old 3.0 since the new R6 went into production, but there must be such an inventory that it will take almost a year to get rid of the old 3.0s from the shelves, which is why we have to wait for it...remember, its a business for them....
Originally Posted by m630' date='Dec 31 2004, 12:06 PM
[quote name='DXXXi' date='Dec 31 2004, 01:27 PM']Doesn't the X5 already come in 4.4 and 4.8 L versions?
[snapback]74157[/snapback]
yes, but they are not what we're talking about
these are new engines....
///M Rakete,
the reason they dont just 'drop' the 545 for a 550 when the 750 is available is probably is due to more than one thing...first they want to have some series separation at first for the flagship...secondly, they probably have a load of 4.5 engines out there that they just dont 'throw away'....when the existing inventory of 4.5s are through, then the new engine will be available exclusively....
take the new R6 3.0 for example....it was produced in the early summer, then it was announced into the 630i in september as the first car to get it, and now months later, until atleast march - april 05, the 530i still has the current (old) 3.0....
now im sure BMW hasnt been producing the old 3.0 since the new R6 went into production, but there must be such an inventory that it will take almost a year to get rid of the old 3.0s from the shelves, which is why we have to wait for it...remember, its a business for them....
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