Picked up the 545i loaner yesterday - silver with black interior. Initial impressions...

Comfort seats are appreciably more comfortable than either the standard or sports items, there seems to be more under thigh support. I can't really hear any difference between the the fitted HiFi speakers and the standard kit I had last weekend - so this points me in the direction of Logic 7.

Lovely dinky little lights come on under the wing mirrors - not sure what they do but they look great!

Finally, haven'y really done any great distance yet but the motor is fab. Performance feels similar to my M3 only delivered with far less racket and much more ease. A bit hairy in the bends though - where it feels a tad wallowly under braking compared to the M. Also, engine braking when the auto changes down in sports mode is sudden and severe - so much so that I wonder if in slippery conditions it might cause loss of traction. I'm getting used to this and compensating by varying the brake pressure but I've never experienced such sudden and marked engine braking - mind you this is the biggest motor I've helm'ed.

She really flies though and makes a great V8 noise - so much better than the M3 howl! It's easy to get from 30mph right to 100mph without effort and when trying a bit more I got it very much more than that!

On the question of whether it's worth 10k over the 530d - it never is BUT so far my heart is winning. There is something so nice about having that much power in a discreet car - the ultimate Q car??

I'll post more when I've put it more through it's paces.

jonboy

 

crisis-crisis

wifey thinks that the 530d had plenty enough performance - ah she'right but it doesn't have the warp speed option.

I've been experiementing with the manual setting on the auto and boy-o-boy does she fly. It really is a hold on tight we're entering another time zone stuff. Can't possibly let go of the steering wheel - oh thank god it changes up by itself. Brakes equally strong - suspended me on seatbelt lock a couple of times.

Comfort seats are superb and defo must have

really don't think silver suits this car - seems to highlight the bulk in the flanks above the rear wheel. I keep going to have a look at in on the drive to check - neighbour must think I am really strange - but defo think that a darker colour or silver grey suits it better - something to do with reflecting light differently above the crease which hides the bulk.

Anyway - kids want to play so have to sign off

 

Hey Jonboy - take a look at Tuga's post on the M5 board today (with pics). Saw this & thought of you....

 

bugger bugger bugger

i really enjoyed getting back into the M3 today

why can't i just be sensible!

i want to keep the M and have the e60!!!!

deeply impressed with the 545i. It was de-badged so had several hoots leaving unsuspecting rep mobiles behind.

funny thing though, this morning it read -4.5 degrees and the display wouldn't come on - I've read about that elsewhere I'm sure.

It was a bit of a damp squid to say good bye on but all the same i'm really tempted.

i can't make my mind up and am gettng fed up thinking about it - i'm looking for a june/july delivery so I've got until April to make my mind up

Anyone got anything to help my dilemme please post


yours - confused - jonboy

 

Lifes short, if you can afford it go for it

I'm going from a 328ci to a 530D so performance drop if any isn't anything to worry about, I can imagine it being tougher going down from an M3. Also I'll agree the comfort seats are fab, neat how the sides open up when you turn the ignition off.