pennetta

Here's the skinny, I posted previously the Dinan/BMW collaborative. Dinan does all of the research and testing, BMW reviews the data and comments back. Dinan says that they can get over 400 hp and over 450 ft lbs from the 535, but they would have problems with the BMW warranty. Dinan covers all engine and boost related things and the consequential damages is for tranny's, rear ends. If BMW was not part of the process they could void the maintenace program (you would use more rotors, brakes, etc; you would need more frequent oil changes because the cars computer calculates when you need one based upon how hard you use the car) or void the warranty for things like suspension pieces, motor mounts, wheel bearings, etc.
With Vishnu or JuiceBox, BMW just does not know what increased load there is to their car so they can void coverage without conscience. Dinans requirements are an oil cooler, increased water pump output, a diminishment of turbo boost pressure at higher RPM, etc; these things are why BMW works with Dinan on warranty items.
I'm not saying Dinan and BMW are married, partners or from the same fraternity; what is being stated is that there is a collaboration that gives me a seemless warranty, and the proof in the pudding is that it exist for Dinan mods and does not exist for any other aftermarket BMW tuner.

bimmerturn

I think you are reading way too much into the warranty.

pennetta

This was in an article with Steve Dinan, I posted the link before but I could not find it. It was in a post that someone else started. I will find it again and repost.

GT Premi

Umm... No. I am FAR from a "label guy." The 535i was a top contender for me, but when I drove it after the 550i (both Sport models, 535i w/ granny tranny, 550i w/ man's tranny), it simply doesn't compare in my book. The 550i Sport feels way more planted and secure during heavy maneuvers and the 550i rides much quieter than the 535i. The 535i was just as noisy as the 300M I traded.

But, no, I'm not a label guy. I like what feels and looks good to me. Want to know what else was a contender? The Honda Civic Si sedan! That is one FUN little car to drive!! What wooed me to the 550i wasn't the name or label. The reasons the 550i is sitting in my garage are:

1) V8
2) Manual transmission
3) Luxury car features and accoutrements

In all honesty, I'm not even that big of a BMW fan. Up until very recently, I hated BMWs, but I have an open mind and still gave it the benefit of a doubt. And here I am.

iversonm

That's funny, as that's sort of the same process that I went through. I always thought of BMW as overpriced, pretentious, and costly to own.

When I was shopping for a car in 2001, I wanted a sporty car with a manual transmission and 4 doors. That made the list really short. Needless to say, I ended up looking at a 325. After reading the glowing press, I decided to give it a try. I swore to myself that I would not become some kind of German car bigot.

After two weeks, I was one happy German car bigot. I'm now in my 4th BMW.

pennetta

You're right, I go through the same gyrations every time my car comes due. I looked seriously at the MB ML550 this last time, I thought I might like that for 36 months.

MiamiPhill

CAR & DRIVER

BMW 535i vs BMW 550i
Big-Buck Bargains!: BMW 535i vs BMW 550i


February 2008

BMW 535i vs. BMW 550i
We seldom describe BMWs as bargains, especially when they cost 50 grand or more. But when, say, one compares two Bimmers with the same body and the same basic amenities, and one costs nearly ten grand more than the other, either one is ridiculously overpriced, or the other one?s a steal. And since we value the engineering and dynamic brilliance of any BMW so much that even $59,275 for the V-8-powered 550i sedan seems reasonable, we suppose that makes the $50,175 535i, with its luscious, twin-turbo six-cylinder engine, a steal.

Okay, we must admit that $60,000 for a 550i?before options?is a bit steep, especially considering that, besides the additional two cylinders, all the extra $9100 adds to the 535i?s list of features is leather seats and auto-dimming mirrors. To get those on a 535i, one must check a $2100 option box, but even then, the 535i represents a comparative bargain, as there are few needs for power and torque that can?t be met?with pleasure?by the 535i?s sweet, 300-hp, 300-lb-ft inline six.

Recent acceleration tests confirm just how closely matched?and fast!?these sedans actually are. In a November, 2006 comparison of four luxury sedans, we hustled a 550i to 60 mph in a scant 5.2 seconds, a feat we accomplished exactly one year later in an all-wheel-drive 535xi in just 5.4 seconds. With nearly 300 fewer pounds, we surmise that the rear-wheel-drive 535i would tie the V-8 model (which, by the way, isn?t available with all-wheel drive) on the drag strip. The tie breaker? Fuel economy. At 17 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway, the manual-transmission 535i boasts a significant two- and four-mpg advantage, respectively, over the stick-shift 550i.

Otherwise, the two sedans are clones, from the still-controversial styling to interior fitments. And while we still aren?t universally fond of BMW?s infuriating iDrive infonavitainment system, which in one prior review was described by a C/D editor as ?labyrinthine?, we aren?t so turned off by it that we wouldn?t recommend the 535i to anyone looking for sport sedan that?s not only a blast to drive, but well worth the money.

pennetta

Great post, Road & Track usually get the fastest runs with their cars. The got a 335i at 4.8 sec and thats only 200 lbs less than the 535i. But on the other hand, BMW states that the Xi variants a one tenth of a second faster to 60. We need a back-to-back test.

Casper

So, if you want to save a few bucks or can not afford the 550i, the 535 is great car. Or being more polite to avoid hurting feelings, we recommend the 535i to anyone looking for sport sedan that?s not only a blast to drive, but well worth the money.

alex123

HA Ha , this is a funniest thread so far! BTW are we still talking about cars or some other body part