darkside

My previous car was an e46M3. My biggest complaint with my new 550i was the steering feel. I just did not feel as connected to the road as I was used to in the 3. This all changed for the better when I changed to the M5 166 wheels with Michelin PS2 (non- runflat) tires. I am now completely satisfied with my 550. It handles great and has a ton of torque; in fact, it has more torque per pound than the e60 M5.

fq1

I have pretty much had every 4-door (body-style) BMW over the past 10 years or so. Last year I got an '05 545 after selling an '04 325 SMG and was initially dreading the decision due to the same concerns you have. However, the e60 is different. And the 545 was so awesome that I am picking up an '06 550 in a couple of weeks. As much as I loved the 3, the current 5 is almost as great to drive -- with the added advantage of a whisper-quiet ride, extra room and actually an extremely comfortable ride which defies the rules of delivering a great driving machine. Go for the 550 (or better yet an M5, if finances permit; sadly mine do not).

chrishei

best car I have ever owned. get the 550 and dont look back.

katheikia

The 550 is a BEAST , you will love the power, room, drive feel, handling, I think it handles better than the 3series, because the 3 series does not have active roll.

pbarch1

We have a 3 in the family as well. Great car, just too small for me. I just love my 5, just big enough to seat 4 comfortablly, but not too comfortable you know what I mean?

largeface

Before the 550i, I had a Lexus 2005 LS 430 and the car never let me down. I got rid of it because it did never let me down. The car was too perfect to the point that I never made a visit to the Lexus dealer unless it needed a regular maintenance. So, the salesmen and service people never recognized me and my car. However, as soon as I went out and got the 550i, I began making a whole bunch of friends @ the dealer. The car was delivered last Dec. and I've already driven all possible loaners on the lot from a 3 to a X5 even the manager's 7. So what I have to say here is simply one thing: All BMW's I've driven as a loaner were all ultimate driving machines with only one mission, the mission to provide the ultimate driving experience.

So please go on~ go get a BMW.

jet190rs

I had an E36 328 and have had seat time in the new E90 330, including sessions around an AutoX course. There's no doubt you'll be trading some viceral feel for added space when you get into a 5 from a 3.

The 5 feels less tossable, less connected with the road surface, and more isolated in steering than the 3. The 3 is more eager to play, while the 5 seems more cold and lazy - even if the 5's performance abilities surpass the 3.

The 3 is feels more natural under hard driving. After you push hard in the 3, you realize that it was designed to give the driver more feedback of what's going on (steering feel, tire grip, engine noise, etc)

The 5 feels deceptively too luxurious and unwilling to play at first. After you push hard in the 5, you realize that it was designed as a luxury car first, with the sportiness secondary. (less feedback of traits mentioned above)

The 3 is more raw, the 5 more refined. Both are effective at what they're designed to do, so its up to your preference. If I didn't need the space, I'd rather have an M3 or 330 over my 545. I just feel the 5 is too compromised towards luxury and not sporty enough for me. After hard drives, it just leaves me feeling a bit empty inside, my quest for driving pleasure unsatisfied. The V8 power does make up for some of the missing fun factor though.