Originally Posted by RMcoolX

I took a chance that my dealership would have a new F10 in since it seems that so many other dealerships have theirs now. Sure enough, they had a black one...and I mean ONE! First impression was that I was surprised at how seven-ish it looked. Looks much more like a 7 than it does a 3, so much so that I could hardly tell the difference without looking at the rear badges on some of the 7's. I know that the 5 is smaller than the 7, but it's tough to tell it unless they're side-by-side, at least for me. The magazines and videos don't do the interior justice; it was to die for! On the other hand, the hood appealed to me about as much as the 2010 E90 hood...not at all. There was nothing else special about the exterior, but I think it would look much better with the shadowline and 19in wheels. The salesman finally came out with the keys and we were off. First driving impressions were that it was smooth as silk and quiet as a mouse. I put foot to it on a long open stretch and it immediately rushed up to 80 without a fuss. The tranny seemingly shifted better under hard acceleration versus light, but I didn't like that I could count the (too) quick shifts under light acceleration. Coming from my 335i to this car felt like I had skipped past the 5 and went straight to a 7.

Overall, I must say that I was kind of disappointed. But that's not to say that the car is not worthy of it's place in the BMW line-up. It's just that THAT one did not impress me. Perhaps if it would of had the sports pkg, I would have been more pleased. It lacked what I have came to love as a 3-series owner...a driver's feel. I don't want to feel like I'm "in" the car; I want to feel as if we are ONE!

Enough of that....I next eye-balled some deeply discounted new E60 535i's that were also on the lot. I drove one that had a sports pkg and 54 miles on it. This one gave me the driver's feel that I was accustomed to. Although interior dimensions are nearly identical, it felt smaller inside than the F10; in a good way. The butt dyno tells me that they both accelerated to 80 about the same, but the E60 felt and sounded like it worked a little harder to get there, whereas the F10 did it with the slightest of ease. The E60 outhandled the F10, but I attribute that to the sports pkg that the F10 lacked.

Originally Posted by Rick24C

Although, I did not get the chance to put the F10 550i through its paces (dealer was very nervous, I guessed he did not want me to become the 1st to smash a F10); the car felt more nimble than my E60. This could be the fact that the F10 has the new electric steering or the fact my E60 550i needs tires.

Originally Posted by RMcoolX

Whatever the case, I went ahead and signed on the dotted line for the Alpine White/Black Dakota E60 with a 2.9% finance rate.

Hopefully I made the right decision and won't come to regret it later.