New 545i owner (Brit living in Germany)
11-04-2008, 12:56 PM
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Back with BMW after a recent few years with Mercedes, Porsche and Audi. I feel I wasted those years. I could have been driving BMW's all that time 
OK, I don't regret the Porsche, but the Audi and Mercedes. Blame Chris Bangle. I still think he should be strung up and stoned for ruining the lines of BMW's. I managed to look past the E60's banglebutt though and managed to love this car. It's other qualities are so great I manage to overlook his influence.
Previous BMW's = M5, 535, 325, 750, 735, 730. Full car history here.
I can't believe just how good this 545i is compared to my previous car (Audi A6 Avant 2.7Turbo Quattro). It corners faster, has less body roll, brakes better, feels more comfortable. I can't think of anything where it doesn't win hands down against the Audi. The top-end performance is just fantastic too. When those slow drivers make you have to break from 150mph down to 90mph as they're overtaking a truck, as soon as they pull back in, this thing gets back up to top speed so quickly it's astounding. I made a little Autobahn youtube video
a couple of weeks ago (before I switched over to winter tires that are limited to 130mph).
OK, I don't regret the Porsche, but the Audi and Mercedes. Blame Chris Bangle. I still think he should be strung up and stoned for ruining the lines of BMW's. I managed to look past the E60's banglebutt though and managed to love this car. It's other qualities are so great I manage to overlook his influence.Previous BMW's = M5, 535, 325, 750, 735, 730. Full car history here.
I can't believe just how good this 545i is compared to my previous car (Audi A6 Avant 2.7Turbo Quattro). It corners faster, has less body roll, brakes better, feels more comfortable. I can't think of anything where it doesn't win hands down against the Audi. The top-end performance is just fantastic too. When those slow drivers make you have to break from 150mph down to 90mph as they're overtaking a truck, as soon as they pull back in, this thing gets back up to top speed so quickly it's astounding. I made a little Autobahn youtube video
11-04-2008, 01:12 PM
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My Ride: 2008 550i Jet Black on Black Leather, SAT with Paddles, Logic 7, Comfort Seats, NAV, Sport Package, PDC, Xenons, Sirius, Trinity 12W LED Angel Eyes, RPi GT Exhaust, M rear spoiler, ACS Roof Spoiler, Tinted Tail Lights, Bimmian Carbon Fiber Pillar Trim, Bimmian Shadow 550i emblem, RPi Scoop, E60 Forum Cling, Mtec bulbs in fog lights, Mtec 2W LED for License Plate Light Bulbs, K&N Filter, Bimmian LED Smoked Side Markers, Blackout roundels, Carbon Fiber Kidney Grills.
Retired Rides - 1989 325i convertible, 1995 M3, 2002 X5, 2005 545i, 2008 X5 (Lemon)
Congrats on the new (to you) car and enjoy the forums!! 
11-04-2008, 01:18 PM
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My Ride: E61 CarbonBlack 535d, Ventilated and Heated Comfort Seats with Massage in Black Nasca Leather, Dark Poplar Wood, Professional Navi, Folding Rear Seats, Load Through, Advanced Remote, PDC, Bluetooth, Dimming and folding Mirrors, Bi-Xenons, Hi-Fi, Tinted
Wow! Great review! Welcome!! 
You may need a sprintbooster now
You may need a sprintbooster now
11-04-2008, 01:27 PM
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My Ride: 2006 530i Alpine White on Black interior, Sport and Premium Package, Steptronic, Navigation, Xenon Adaptive Headlights, Mtec V2.1 angel eyes,Hoen Fog Lights, Full M-Tech kit, ACS pedals, LED plate lights, CF Steering Wheel badge, CF Titanium trim, OE
and enjoy the forums!!! 
11-04-2008, 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by DD_545i' post='712229' date='Nov 4 2008, 09:56 PM
Back with BMW after a recent few years with Mercedes, Porsche and Audi. I feel I wasted those years. I could have been driving BMW's all that time OK, I don't regret the Porsche, but the Audi and Mercedes. Blame Chris Bangle. I still think he should be strung up and stoned for ruining the lines of BMW's. I managed to look past the E60's banglebutt though and managed to love this car. It's other qualities are so great I manage to overlook his influence.
Previous BMW's = M5, 535, 325, 750, 735, 730. Full car history here.
I can't believe just how good this 545i is compared to my previous car (Audi A6 Avant 2.7Turbo Quattro). It corners faster, has less body roll, brakes better, feels more comfortable. I can't think of anything where it doesn't win hands down against the Audi. The top-end performance is just fantastic too. When those slow drivers make you have to break from 150mph down to 90mph as they're overtaking a truck, as soon as they pull back in, this thing gets back up to top speed so quickly it's astounding. I made a little Autobahn youtube video here a couple of weeks ago (before I switched over to winter tires that are limited to 130mph).
OK, I don't regret the Porsche, but the Audi and Mercedes. Blame Chris Bangle. I still think he should be strung up and stoned for ruining the lines of BMW's. I managed to look past the E60's banglebutt though and managed to love this car. It's other qualities are so great I manage to overlook his influence.Previous BMW's = M5, 535, 325, 750, 735, 730. Full car history here.
I can't believe just how good this 545i is compared to my previous car (Audi A6 Avant 2.7Turbo Quattro). It corners faster, has less body roll, brakes better, feels more comfortable. I can't think of anything where it doesn't win hands down against the Audi. The top-end performance is just fantastic too. When those slow drivers make you have to break from 150mph down to 90mph as they're overtaking a truck, as soon as they pull back in, this thing gets back up to top speed so quickly it's astounding. I made a little Autobahn youtube video here a couple of weeks ago (before I switched over to winter tires that are limited to 130mph).
I too have a 2004 545i SE, which I got 3 months ago, having traded in my E39 540i Sport. It has taken a while for me to warm to it, because a couple of early annoyances and an unhelpful dealer got me off to a bad start, and two punctures in the first 4 weeks made me feel jinxed, but it is definitely growing on me.
Likes:
Great engine, great performance, reasonable economy (26-27MPG overall). If you do low mileage, and with diesel at least 10% more expensive, why not stick wth a nice big, smooth, responsive, quiet petrol engine?
6-speed gearbox
Decent rear legroom at last
Brilliant Bluetooth integration.
Auto wipers
Ventilation much better than E39 - none of the misting I used to get on wet days.
Suspension - glad I didn't go for the Sport, don't miss the bump-crash of the E39 sport.
Not sure yet:
Dynamic drive - active steering, and suspension that stiffens through the bends. All feels a bit detached.
Logic7 HiFi upgrade. Not as good as I was hoping.
iDrive - still a fiddle to find basic functions, or switch CDs in the changer; I believe they have finally got it right with the very latest version.
Auto headlights - ok, but what's the point?
Active cruise - not really a fan of cruise, and haven't been brave enough to test whether it really brakes when you get too close to the car in front.
Looks - liking the front, still not convinced about the rear, but not as repulsed as I once was. Not yet in the 'Bangle-was-really-a-visionary' camp, but starting to get what he was attempting.
Interior / dash - still missing the cockpit feel of the E39
Haven't used the voice command feature
Hates:
Business satnav. With no maps, it is a shameful waste of time, leaving you feeling half-blind, and a retrograde step from the satnav in my E39. 4-character postcodes also a total pain. I've had to buy an atlas, which says it all. Still trying to sort out a maps upgrade without going for the whole prof satnav CCC solution.
Electric indicator stalk. I still have to check to see whether they have cancelled, and end up signalling left when cancelling a right signal and vice versa. The mechanical version worked perfectly well - why re-invent it?
Wind noise at motorway speed. I suspect a problem with the sun roof, as other owners seem to be happy.
Horrid chrome window trim - thinking of getting a de-chrome.
I think Audi has in many ways caught up and surpassed BMW, especially in the styling department, but when you drive one you remember why Munich stills rules over Ingolstadt.
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