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Sedans BMW 5-Series BMW 5-Series Sedans
12657 messages, Last post on Nov 05, 2009 at 6:14 PM
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Replying to: richardga73 (Jul 21, 2007 1:24 pm) I may have mentioned that I traded in an '06 330Xi for the 535Xi. The catalyst for doing that was the occasional ride harshness in the 330Xi, with RFTs, over larger road irregularities. I like firm, but not harsh. That wasn't the only reason I traded, but it got me started on looking for another car. The 535Xi is much smoother riding and doesn't suffer the periodic "hard hits" of the 330Xi, so I am very happy about that. What I like about the 535Xi is: smoothness and quietness; handling; great combination of ride and handling; power; responsiveness of the engine and transmission (I don't feel the need to use SD like I did in the 330Xi); roomier all around; the multi-contour seats; a rear seat usable by adults even when the driver's seat is back far enough for my long legs; higher seating position; and easier ingress and egress. So far, I still like iDrive, especially for the audio system. I like the colors and every option I picked- space gray, gray leather interior, sport package, premium package, cold weather package, folding rear seats, heated rear seats, Logic7 premium audio, Sirius, and HD radio. The only option I wasn't sure of was the 18" wheels and tires. I like the looks of the wheels, but did not like the idea of what lower profile RFTs might do to the ride quality. I also did not want to drive in the winter with summer performance tires, so I felt I would have to either change the summer performance tires to all seasons, or buy a second set of wheels and tires for the winter. Given all this, I decided against the 18" wheel option. I'm still adapting to the car being larger than the 3 series in terms of around town maneuvering and parking. On the open road, the 535Xi is very stable and secure feeling. The steering is different, it has a heavier feel than the 330Xi I traded and a heavier feel than my wife's '06 X3. I'm starting to adjust to the steering, but was wondering at first if it was an issue. We took our first road trip this past weekend, about 250 miles each way. Just for grins, I ran a test to check highway gas mileage. After I got up to speed on Interstate I-81 in the Shenandoah Valley, I reset the avg mph and avg mpg on the car’s computer, and tried to drive at a constant 75 mph while not being heavy-footed with the gas. At the end of a 90 mile stretch on the first day, the display read an avg mph of 73.4, and an avg mpg of 27.6. On the second day, at the end of a 40 mile stretch, I averaged 73.8 mph and 30.1 mpg. I drove on some back roads this past weekend, including a short stint on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the car was responsive and stable. But I haven't pushed the handling, or adjusted the side bolsters in the seats enough to comment on the other things you asked. Thanks Bruce
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Replying to: bruceomega (Jul 23, 2007 6:16 am)
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Replying to: richardga73 (Jul 23, 2007 5:56 pm) What extra weight are you talking about? As near as I can tell, like for like, the E60 weighs about 66 pounds more than a comparably equipped E90. Best Regards, Shipo
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Replying to: richardga73 (Jul 23, 2007 5:56 pm) |
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Replying to: shipo (Jul 23, 2007 6:28 pm)
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Replying to: richardga73 (Jul 24, 2007 3:05 am) Model --- Manual --- Automatic - / - Manual --- Automatic 328i/xi --- 3,340 -------- 3,406 ----- / -- 3,582 ------- 3,627 335i/xi --- 3,593 -------- 3,605 ----- / -- 3,814 ------- 3,825 528i/xi --- 3,505 -------- 3,571 ----- / -- 3,770 ------- 3,814 535i/xi --- 3,660 -------- 3,703 ----- / ---- N/A -------- 3,946 Okay, so I'm mistaken, my bad.  I happened to only look at the 335i vs. the 535i yesterday and assumed the differences would hold across the various cars. Like I said, my bad. That said, the average weight difference between like for like 3-Series and 5-Series cars (for the 7 that I have direct weight comparisons that is) 141.57 pounds. "...I hope you are mistaken or the 3 has been on a fat diet." Actually it's the other way around. The 5-Series has been on an aluminum diet as pretty much all of the body forward of the firewall is made of non ferrous metal. Regarding your question of "feel", I too went from a 3-Series to a 5-Series (albeit E46 to E39), and if anything, my 5-Series felt sportier AND more luxurious at the same time. Go figure. Best Regards, Shipo
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Replying to: richardga73 (Jul 23, 2007 5:56 pm) As wolfer2 said, the sport package on the 535Xi does not change the suspension or wheels and tires. It includes the 20 way multi-contour seats, different steering wheel, and shadowline trim. And I did not order the optional 18" wheels and tires. The same situation existed with my '06 330Xi. I got the sport package with that, but there was no change in suspension or wheel / tire size. There was a difference in wheel design, but not size, with the sport package. Yes, my 535Xi is definitely smoother and less harsh riding than my '06 330Xi. To me, they both have great handling, but I've never pushed them to the limit. Also, I have no experience with the RWD versions, so cannot comment on how the AWD compares. Thanks Bruce |
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Replying to: shipo (Jul 24, 2007 5:16 am) I think the 5 has had less power assist in the steering which adds to the feel of the road. Also on the E60, the variable assist drops down considerably at highway speeds. On highway turns and jug handles at speed you really have to tug on the wheel with E60. I like that even though I would prefer it without the variable assist.
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Replying to: designman (Jul 24, 2007 8:21 am) That might well have been the case with the later E46s, however, my E46 was a 1999 (built in 1998 no less) and it had the old/original "heavy steering". FWIW, I much prefer a heavy wheel, and both cars were wonderful in that department.  Best Regards, Shipo |
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You are right, boys, the xi has an entirely different set of options than the i. That really sucks because I live in the deep south and it almost never snows here. Why would I want the extra weight on frame to get the sport package I want (without the suspension mods)? You can get the multicontour seats as a stand alone option but not the sport steering wheel and with all multicontours you have to get the dakota leather which doesnt come in black or beige. I always get a black interior. Why dont they let you order what you want. At least they started optioning the sport seats without the sport suspension. Not the steering wheel. I like a thick one.
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