amigo525

welcome:
nice car+nice house

Hormazd

I have driven 18K miles in my 545 and it is a sweet car. That said, faced with your decision, I would not get a used one, unless ofcourse you got mine, in which case you are guaranteed a really well maintained and updated machine. The word is that you will not really notice the difference on the highway between the two cars. However, the smoothness and additional torque while accelerating upto highway speeds is a noticeable improvement. Buy the 550i so that you have the latest hardware and software, door seals, tires, interior trim etc. which on the E60 are a work in progress. The 550 will be nearer perfection than any 545i. Yes the warranty is extended on a Certified Pre-Owned car, but what about the scheduled maintainance?

tachyon

Attachment 12378

So what color 550 would look best in that driveway? Hmmmmm.

Alpine White. Yes indeed.
Deep Green. No way - it would blend in too much with the grass.
Olive Green. Nope, for the same reason above.
Jet Black. Yup.
Sapphire. Matches the fence color perfectly.
Titatnium Gray. Very nice.
Titamuim Silver. Excellent choice.
Mystic or Monaco Blue. Maybe.

Well, Pete, which is it?

HaroldC

HaroldC

I had a 2005 545i which I took delivery of in early December of 2004. I had previously owend a 2000 540. I had the 545 for approximately 4 months. It was ultimately bought back by BMW. It was one of the cars affected by the the incorrect tolerances and geometry of the Valvetronic intermediate levers which caused a rough idle from time to time. In my opinion the day to day performance of the engine was not really affected by the lever problem. I continued to drive the car after the problem was corrected. It was ultimately bought back for reasons unrelated directly to that fault. I was offered a new 545 or my money back, so I chose to wait for the as yet unanounced "perhaps" 550i.
I took delivery of a September build 550i with virtually the same options as my 545 including steptronic, sports package and active steering. In essence the same car with the bigger engine.
Can I tell the difference? You bet. The improved accelleration and torque are noticable pretty much at all times. This includes highway driving. The 10% improvement in performance is really apparent. I also have a sense that the current computer software is doing a better job with acceleration, transmission etc. I really love this car.
I guess it all boils down to money. Both the 545 and 550 are great cars. I would however be somewhat leary of a preowned earlier version of the 545.

mehall2

[quote name='lawguy' date='Nov 10 2005, 12:26 PM' post='196283']
Greetings, mates.

I'm currently driving an '01 740il sport (E38) and very seriously considering moving to an E60 model. A year ago, i nearly bought a 545i, but when I heard the 550i was in the works, I decided to wait. The local dealer here in Kentucky doesnt have any 550's coming which are not already purchased - meaning I cant really get a test drive any time soon.

I was curious whether anyone here might have driven both enough to comment on whether there is a discernable difference in the manner in which the cars perform, i.e., accelerate.

I suppose my main question is whether its worth paying for a new 550, vs a preowned 545....

I tried to search for a similar post topic but did not see one. Forgive me if this has been discussed/debated previously.

Thanks, in advance....

- Pete


Pete,

Give me another week and I can give you my immediate impressions, as I am soon to own both. I will be able to do back to back comparison's in my driveway. At least as true an impression after the longest 1200 miles of break-in of my life. Maybe I will drive it to Kentucky so you can see for yourself. That's about 700 miles from Dallas!

Our 545i has been great. Virtually no problems, plenty of power and torque, plenty fast. I am a true car guy, so that side of me, says: GO 550i. As everyone has said here, newer software, larger engine, more HP, etc. No replacement for displacement.

Regards, Mike.

LowOrbit

Have you looked at www.swapalease.com? I haven't used it but there are a few 2005 545's listed. That way you can maybe find the options you want and take advantage of the recent great lease deals. It seems most sellers also add a discount from their lease payment. Even if you were looking to buy vs. lease, you can use the lease as a low-interest financing tool and buy the car at the end of the lease.

Does anyone know of any issues with taking over someone's lease beyond the $450 transfer fee?

UUronL

I'm really surprised the money discussion hasn't been argued the other way. These cars aren't simple by any stretch. They have 70 computer systems running 7 different OSes. I personally bought new because I wanted the longest possible coverage term with BMW. The constant tweaks and tests at the dealer that some drivers/cars require could ultimately cost you a lot more with a used car. Things like tires and brakes aren't cheap either, and a used car will most certainly require you to replace those items sooner.

Ricracing

Hi lawguy,

That's a nice E38 you got here.

The obvious new car for you would be the E65 (750i) but the E60 (545i/550i) gives you more sport.

I'm sure you have test driven the 550i so you know that the comfort is about the same as in your
E38.

So go for a brand new 550i, grab some nice options, and enjoy it!

Remember the smell of an new car???

But the answer to your question is that if you'll find a nice used 545i with a known previous owner
and the car is mint and service history is known and you get an good warranty, you'll save a great deal of money.

I just read a couple of treads complaining of oil leaking brand new 550i's...

But a new car!!!!!!!!!

ky_soldier

Hey Pete, my guess is we use the same dealer (Don Jacobs). I am in Georgetown. Where are you, Versailles? I am considering selling my 525i in favor of a 550i ED. I did ED on the current 525i and it was a blast. Let me know if you have any questions about ED.