The Best Thing About This 2014 BMW 550i Is All The Technology

"Torque Affair" (torqueaffair)
02/01/2015 at 11:19 • Filed to: BMW

The BMW 550i has always seemed like a great alternative to the M5 since it's cheaper and delivers many of the same thrills that the M5 does barring its ultimate track superiority. But for daily driving on normal roads, the 2014 550i comes closer to the M5 than it did with the previous generation.

Recently, a friend of mine, who co-founded the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (LRA), purchased this as his daily driver. He spends a lot of time driving and so the 550i is what he calls his "mobile" office. As I found out, there is no better car to do work in than this one.

I can't say that I find the looks of the 550i all that appealing. I do like the aggressive front end and the quad exhaust but overall it looks boring. But it didn't take me long to get over it as soon as I got behind the wheel of the car.

As much as I enjoyed driving the car, what I discovered is that the best thing about the 550i is all the technology that BMW has packed into this hefty sedan. There is so much to tinker with in this car and so many features to investigate that it could keep you busy all day. I didn't get a chance to play with everything but before I go into all of that, allow me to tell you a bit about what it's like to drive.

Driving The 550i

The 550i comes deliberately de-tuned from the factory to differentiate it from the M5, but with a simple tuning chip, 50 hp or so becomes instantly available. That puts this particular 550i in the 500 hp+ territory. The stock version is plenty fast enough but with this simple power upgrade I found myself breaking the rear end loose quite often.

All I had to do was just tap the gas pedal down ever so slightly and I'd immediately find myself going sideways. Luckily, traction control kicked in preventing me from wrecking the car. An accident would have been disastrous because that would mean that I would never be allowed to touch all the awesome cars that LRA has like the GTR, GT3, R8, F430...and many others that I find myself lusting after.

All The Modes

There were 5 different modes to choose from: Eco Pro, Comfort +, Comfort, Sport, Sport +. But I was really only interested in Sport +.

Eco Pro??? No thanks.

The comfort modes really were terrible. The car is already so insulated and quiet that you would have no idea that there is a 4.4L twin turbo under the hood. Everything felt so lazy and slow in the comfort modes that there was nothing exciting about driving around in those modes.

"Sport +" on the other hand brought the car to life. The rpms stayed high, the 8-speed automatic shifted aggressively and the throttle response improved greatly. I'm sure other parameters changed as well - all I knew was that "Sport +" was the mode to be in.

The 550i was a big car but it didn't feel all that large when driving it; BMW did a good job maintaining the agility of the grand tourer.

Ok, enough about driving it. Let me now dive into some of the features this car has.

Heads Up Display

Take a close look at the picture above. Do you see "0 mph" above in red letters? There is also a box next to it. Any idea what that's for?

The box to the left of the speed display is actually the speed limit of the road you're on !

This is one of the most useful features that the car has because how many times have you found yourself driving around at 50 mph wondering if the speed limit is 45 or 35 mph? That 10 mph gap can mean the difference between paying hundreds of dollars if you were to get pulled over.

It's so easy to speed in the 550i that both these numbers are very useful to have in your HUD.

Launch Control

Launch control helps you experience all the power that the 550i has to offer and takes the guesswork out of launching. After activating this, floor both the brake and the gas pedal simultaneously and then as soon as you see the notification flag, release the brake .

Boom! You're now at the mercy of 550+ lb-ft of torque as you hurl forward. The acceleration is tremendous and you get to see a side of 550i that you never knew existed!

Because it's so hard on the transmission we had to give the car a break and let it rest a few minutes before trying again. But we did this a few times because it was just that much fun.

Adaptive Cruise Control & Lane Detection

It was an eery feeling to be in a car that was sort of capable of driving itself. The 550i can detect other cars and objects in front of it, apply brakes and even accelerate as needed. If you're at a stoplight, the 550i will even start picking up speed and accelerate with just a tap of the gas pedal (you can remove your foot off the pedal after that).

I'm not sure if I can fully trust this just yet. What if the software crashes because of a bug no one detected and just when I think the car has got it under control, I look up from playing "Angry Birds" on my phone only to find out that I'm half a second away from death.

Nope, I would not want to play Angry Birds on the phone while driving - I'd rather check Facebook instead.

Lane detection is something which I was unaware of when driving the car. I felt a weird vibration a few times and thought - oh great, what did I break while driving this ? Turns out that it was only a lane departure warning!

Clearly, I couldn't stay in my lane when driving since I felt quite a few of those vibrations.

BMW ConnectedDrive

Internet in the car! Woohoo! The 550i has 3G connectivity which means you can now read Donald Trump's latest tweet about how his hair is real and look at the 100th picture of what your best friend ate for dinner on the giant media display.

You can do google searches, go to google maps and seamlessly sync your phone. All of the latest features of BMW connectivity actually work quite well.

With all the sensors and cameras in this car, you can only imagine how much more expensive cars in the near future will be to fix.

You think maintenance work on your BMW is expensive now? Wait till you have to take your self-driving car to the shop.

Never mind - it can take itself there!

Cameras Everywhere

The car warns you to not rely only on the camera images displaying on the screen. But I found it tough to look away. I was hypnotized by the images on the screen in the dark and so when I was backing up I was meticulously analyzing the display to make sure there weren't any obstacles when all I really had to do was look up and turn my head around.

The cameras are extremely useful in fact. For example, if you have to make a turn and you have a giant SUV blocking your view, just inch up a little bit so you can see on the display if you're clear to take the turn. This way you don't have to do what I usually do - take a guess, make the turn and floor it. As soon as you pull out, you find out that you cut off a car at which point they follow you to your final destination to make sure they walk up to your car to let you know what you did to them.

Yes, I really need these cameras.

Self Parking

Now this was my first time to experience a car parking itself.

Let's face it – parallel parking is a pain . If you don't get things right the first time, trying to correct your parking and redo the whole thing can quickly turn into a gigantic mess at which point you become so frustrated that you start taking it out on your passengers in the car.

The 550i solves the problem for you. Watch the Bimmer park itself in the clip below.

There you have it - a car that can almost do everything for you.

If this is an indication of what the future of automobiles will look like, then we need to make sure we hold onto cars where humans are actually required - because driving might actually be a "thing of the past" not too long from now.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is about exploring my fascination with cars; I'm always on the lookout for things that interest me in the car world. Like !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and follow !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !

DISCUSSION (100)

Stevo777 > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 13:39

Wow, excellent write up! Couldn't have said it better myself. I am however jealous of the newer features, also the LCI headlights mmmm.

-what exhaust is that? Unless they changed the square tips to quad for 2015...

Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 13:40

My mother owns a 2014 550i. I love that thing to death. Every time I go back home and driving is involved I always try to weasel my way into driving it.

MurphysLaww > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 13:42

I was hoping I'd never be a retro-grouch, for god's sake, I'm a network engineer, but after the E46, I'm out.

There is too much computer control in the cars past that, that I'm not sure doing your own work wouldn't lead to a lot of frustration.

Kurt Bradley > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 13:44

I know this car well. Definitely a joy to drive, and so damn cool inside.

Kinja'd!!!

The rest of the fleet isn't too shabby either.

Kinja'd!!!

gearboxtrouble > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 13:47

Tbh I'm not a fan of most of the "Driver Assistance" features on new BMWs. Lane departure warnings, adaptive cruise and push to park are all things I never use or find myself turning off. Pretty much the only "new" tech that I really couldn't do without in my new M4 is the HUD and the birds eye view cameras. The best feature of the HUD is the auxillary display next to the speed/tach that shows you your playlist/station list or a nav direction. The birds eye view cameras are amazing for parking and avoiding curb scrapes etc.

inlinesexzylinder > Stevo777
02/01/2015 at 13:49

Must be aftermarket. Exhaust tips are still the same since the SOP.

Torque Affair > Stevo777
02/01/2015 at 13:55

I completely forgot to mention but the owner put on aftermarket exhaust - not sure what it is though!

Torque Affair > gearboxtrouble
02/01/2015 at 13:58

Yes, the birds eye view was awesome that I should've called out.

jimz > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:04

um... brake-torquing is a new thing?

Rob Gio > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:04

You could also buy a 2015 Genesis 5.0 Ultimate and save yourself an easy $20,000+ to go without Launch Control, 25 horsepower and a BMW badge on the hood.

PassingLaneIsForPassing > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:08

Yikes, nice, but do not want to pay BMW prices for fixing any of that stuff. You can of course by your spare parts from Amazon or buy a more reliable brand.

http://www.amazon.com/Transfer-Motor…

Buck Rogers > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:08

I got a SS instead. Saved $30k, got a better engine, and while the 550 had the better interior I didn't feel it was 30k better.

Torque Affair > Buck Rogers
02/01/2015 at 14:14

I have yet to see an SS in person! Really want to drive it..

Buck Rogers > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:21

Well if you're ever on Oahu you can drive mine. The handling is excellent. The ride isn't as comfortable as the 550 was. Although the mag ride would help that issue some.

Torque Affair > Buck Rogers
02/01/2015 at 14:22

Oahu?? That's awesome! I was there a couple years back. I love Hawaii - can't wait to go back.

LTK > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:25

...So about as much technology as a Ford Fusion?

Burn535i > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:25

My dad had a 2012 550i X-Drive M-Sport with the Dinan Stage 1 ecu tune and springs and holy moly was that thing a beast. The power was intoxicating and fluid but dangerously smooth. It was far to easy to find illegal speeds. The improved throttle response combined with the beauteous ZF 8-speed was magnificent. The Dinan springs completely transformed the handling (paired with Contisport tires) but didn't compromise the ride especially considering the various chassis modes. It is just such a great all around car. It had more power, luxury, beauty, and practicality than anyone could ask for in a singular package.

GhostZ > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:27

The worst thing about the 2014 BMW 550i is all the technology.

All kidding aside, nice to see some feature focus of things a prospective owner would use ever yday, which we don't usually get with car reviews like this that are all about standing on soapboxes and comparing dick sizes 0-60 numbers.

spanfucker retire bitch > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:29

Kinja'd!!!

Nice Mazda.

Torque Affair > GhostZ
02/01/2015 at 14:31

Lol - you know what they say? Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness!

vr6geek > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:34

Test drove a new GTI with DSG the other day and the salesman let me test the launch control. This and paddle shifters are probably the 2 things that would sway me from the manual side of the fence. So. Fucking. Fun. The VW's launch control wouldn't activate unless you completely disabled (well, "completely") the traction control AND the transmission temperature was optimal, but after those were taken care of it was a blast. As far as the other tech, it all seems very cool, especially the mobile 3G hotspot thing. Do you have to pay monthly for that?

ssonsk > MurphysLaww
02/01/2015 at 14:49

is it a M3?

NightDriver > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:51

Dude!! I have a 335i with the bird's eye view - that's they way to park and maneuver in tight spaces. All the other car companies can stop their R&D on low-speed car placement and just copy this system. I don't have the automatic parallel park feature, but honestly with the bird's eye view placing the car in a space gets pretty freaking easy. That, the forward cameras, and the HUD are things I would not want to go without on my next vehicle. They really do give you better situational awareness when you're driving. Did you try the nav system integration with the HUD? I thought that's pretty good too.

ssonsk > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:51

I've driven a 2012 550, and it was amazing. Apparently you cannot get the new M5 with some of the features the 550 has like Adaptive cruise control (the main reason I would buy a new luxury car).

The World of Vee > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 14:52

While I'm definitely a fan of the power of the 550, it should be noted that pretty much any car in this price bracket has almost all of these features (outside of launch control of course)

MichaelJordan'sHitlerMustache > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 15:08

This is why I like pre-iDrive BMWs.

Kevin Barrett > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 15:16

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Sinanigans > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 15:17

My dad had this - it was a lemon. Then got a 650 Gran Coupe. The engine grenaded with in one you of ownership. Now he's on his 2nd 650 Gran Coupe. His two previous 535's were also plagued with reliability issues The performance of modern day Bimmers is staggering. But BMW now is what late 90's/ early 2000's Benz's were - hopelessly unreliable.

My real gripe with the new 550 - no manuel!!!!!

Alex87f > GhostZ
02/01/2015 at 15:18

That's really true.. Numbers are a thing but car experience is another one.

I feel kind of the same as the writer as I recently bought a car I consider to be "loaded" with features (think backup sensors, autodimming mirror, auto wipers, lights, cruise control, bluetooth, a long-ratio sixth speed, etc., i.e. all the stuff I normally deem as unnecessary), and it is true that this brings a different kind of daily-driveability to a car while not necessarily taking away the potential for some back-road fun.

Jimmy Tango > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 15:27

These are the little bits I like about them, and believe or not, these can all be had on 3 series as well. The only tech belong to 5 or above is night vision.

The car I am hunting after will have all the camera and the heads up display. Lane changing warning is a security blanket my wife wants, but I find it misfire a lot, especially in tight lanes around here.

nvb928 > Sinanigans
02/01/2015 at 15:31

Kinja'd!!!

I hate it when my car doesn't come with Manuel. Although he is from Barcelona.

rezen > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 15:36

Honestly, if the lane departure warning is going off, you are driving wrong. I don't mind honking my horn at drivers that can't stay in their lane, especially in the twisties. It sounds like you need to take some drivers ed and instruction. Also, if the technology is distracting you from YOUR driving, best to leave it alone.

AudiAudiO > Sinanigans
02/01/2015 at 15:59

My real gripe with the new 550 - no manuel!!!!!

... soo, your Dad's car didn't come with a small Mexican? I'ma go ahead and guess you weren't even alive in the late 90s...

472CID > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 16:01

I wonder how many people actually use a self parking feature. I don't think I'd ever use it if I had it for fear of the computer backing into someone's car.

Sly Jackal > Buck Rogers
02/01/2015 at 16:01

The SS does not have a better interior. The steering wheel in BMW m cars and M sport cars are a work of art.

gearboxtrouble > Jimmy Tango
02/01/2015 at 16:08

Its also bloody annoying. I don't want my steering wheel to feel like a vibrating cell phone.

Unspiek Baron Bodissey > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 16:16

LO... I'd like to see it parking in a tight space. With half a mile of space even my mother in law can park a car.

Danger > Sinanigans
02/01/2015 at 16:22

Please find Manuel. He is lost.

Bandido Andrew > jimz
02/01/2015 at 16:23

Flooring the brake and accelerator results in a brake stand in an older car. This is different.

Buck Rogers > Sly Jackal
02/01/2015 at 16:24

Where did I even suggest the SS has a better interior? I clearly stated the 550 has a better interior. It's just that I don't think it's worth $30k more over the SS considering the SS has the better engine, weighs less, and handles better.

Of course most 550 shoppers don't even know the SS exists and wouldn't buy it anyways as it has the chevy badge. Its a shame though. Both cars pull pretty similar times in a straight line but the LS3 sounds way better doing it, and is cheaper to maintain.

xc90v8/I4 :( > 472CID
02/01/2015 at 16:32

My mother has it on her focus. You still have controll of the pedals so won't hit anything you don't want to. It just does all the steerig for you.

Sly Jackal > Buck Rogers
02/01/2015 at 16:34

I am sorry ... apparently I can't read.

QCGoose > Kevin Barrett
02/01/2015 at 16:38

Entirely accurate.

QCGoose > 472CID
02/01/2015 at 16:41

While surely a neat feature, we have yet to even try it out on my wife's '14 Flex Limited.

tekdemon > jimz
02/01/2015 at 16:54

It's not just regular old brake torquing, you can actually floor the gas pedal and the ECU will only rev it to where torque has built up significantly, and then when you let go of the brakes it'll allow the revs to climb. So it's like an automated version of brake torquing a launch, except with the car's computers figuring out the best RPM to launch at and also figuring out how often you're allowed to do this so you don't break the transmission.

jalop1991 > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 16:56

There were 5 different modes to choose from: Eco Pro, Comfort +, Comfort, Sport, Sport +. But I was really only interested in Sport +.

But does it go to 11?

Trevor Mohr > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 16:57

Dad currently has an Alpine White '14 550i M-Sport X-Drive. I love it. It can be both a comfortable cruiser or a sports sedan, depending on the driving mode.

jalop1991 > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 16:57

OK, the title of this thread tells me that this is a shitty BMW—otherwise the best thing about it would be DRIVING IT.

Jesus. Is this what the BMW world has come to? "The best thing about this BMW is your ability to stop driving it, become the passenger behind the wheel, and act like every Camry driver ever born."

jalop1991 > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 16:58

Self parking? Really?

So now we're taking the time and effort to tell the world that a BMW can do what Lexus has been doing for 10+ years? What you can buy a Lincoln to do?

I expected the next paragraph to be:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

jalop1991 > GhostZ
02/01/2015 at 16:59

The worst thing about the 2014 BMW 550i is all the technology.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Riley Schultz > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 17:18

Kinja'd!!!

Aftermarket tips?

DerpyDoodle > Danger
02/01/2015 at 17:49

AYEEEEEE!!!!!

¿Dónde está Manuel!!!!!

GE90man > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 17:57

Wow, very sweggy 550i. In the future I will get the AWD M5.

Michael Stone > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 18:04

Kinja'd!!!

Have all of the above in one of my 3 series (a 335i). In theory the electronics suite should be cool. But in practice it's anything but. BMW is SOOO far behind the times, it's laughable. I also have the HUD, which is great, but the fun really does stop there. The self-park is a gimmick, period. The GPS is "okay," but the "internet (if that's what you want to call it) and office suite is garbage." It's slow to the point of being useless and with a smart phone in everyone's hand, what's the point of waiting 60-seconds for the weather to show up? Office, meaning texts, emails, and so forth does not interface with the iPhone 4, 4S, 5, 5S or 6, without some MAJOR modifications to ones phone and even then I've never known it to work well, for anyone. Lastly, the electric steering is not horrible, it's worse than horrible. It's actually a relief to get back into my Jeep Wrangler TJ, as the steering is far more precise. Comparing BMW's current steering to a Hyundai Elantra, well, it's not even a comparison, an Elantra is miles ahead. No joke. BMW is loosing customers to the competition left and right and they've softened their cars so dramatically, that their line is a mess. What's next, the BMW Pickup Truck? The M line is in sad shape too. Come on BMW...back to your roots! $95k for an M3/M4, out the door? Double-U-Tee-Efff?? PLEASE!!! There's good reason as to why the 8 year old M cars and 3 series are more sought after than late models!

E30Joe drives a Subaru > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 18:07

Was this one tuned? Because they don't make 550+ ft/lbs haha. Closer to 460 at the crank.

Intending_Acceleration > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 18:13

Nowhere in this do you explain why "there is no better car to do work in than this one."

Also, the reason you "tap the gas pedal down ever so slightly and immediately find myself going sideways" is because you had the car in "sport +" mode, which like every other "sport" mode on the planet, doesn't actually give you additional power and it doesn't "sharpen up the throttle response." It usually just compresses the throttle range into a smaller amount of pedal travel.

Since the gas pedal is now digitized and probably only has about 8-bit resolution...you've gone from 256 throttle points, to half or less. They may even throw in some bullshit non-linear curve. All of it's done to make the engine "feel" more powerful.

Why on a turbocharged car you'd want to have less throttle precision and control is absolutely beyond me. I miss the days when you had several inches between idle and full-on-go. Made it so easy to drive smooth. Now you breathe on the gas pedal in a lot of cars and you're practically launched *glares at Subaru and Mazda*

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 18:29

First off, thanks for the heads up on LRH. Definitely going to do an event there, didn't know there was a driving school at hill harris.

I am selling my 2006 550i in Austin right now. None of the technical doodads (well it has idrive and heated seats,) but it does have a badass v8 and a great ride. Very well maintained. Somebody buy it dammit

Buckus > GhostZ
02/01/2015 at 18:57

But it's not a brown, manual-trans, diesel-powered wagon, so it's obviously a crappy car.

Buckus > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 18:58

Maybe you have but you thought it was a Malibu from the rental fleet.

NipperDawg > jalop1991
02/01/2015 at 19:15

Lets see how much of it still works in ten years.

Rand0nS > Buck Rogers
02/01/2015 at 19:20

Better engine? I love the LS series of engines (own a G8 GT myself), but that's a twin turbo v8 in the BMW.

bk335 > NipperDawg
02/01/2015 at 19:21

"Lets see how much of it still works in ten years."

And this is why it's the worst part.

Rand0nS > Sly Jackal
02/01/2015 at 19:21

What exactly do you think he posted?

jalop1991 > NipperDawg
02/01/2015 at 19:23

hehehehehehe

Let's see how much of it can die without taking the practical use of the entire car with it.

How much of that tech can fail to work while still leaving you with a functional 550i? Said another way, how quickly does that 550i become a beater Camry in daily use—if it's useful at all?

Torque Affair > itranthelasttimeiparkedit
02/01/2015 at 19:30

You should! It's a great experience. I'm sure somebody will buy your 550 - how long have you had it?

Torque Affair > E30Joe drives a Subaru
02/01/2015 at 19:35

Yep, it was.

Torque Affair > Michael Stone
02/01/2015 at 19:37

Haha, wow you're really unhappy with BMW! What year is your 3-series?

Torque Affair > Riley Schultz
02/01/2015 at 19:38

Yep! Louder exhaust

Torque Affair > Unspiek Baron Bodissey
02/01/2015 at 19:41

We drove around for a bit but couldn't find a tighter space to test it out in.

NipperDawg > jalop1991
02/01/2015 at 19:41

Thats right, it is all sort of integrated into the "Body Computer" or whatever BMW calls it. FS a 2014 BMW brick.

Torque Affair > 472CID
02/01/2015 at 19:42

Luckily you can always hit the brakes if you need to. Only thing being controlled there is the steering wheel.

Torque Affair > Jimmy Tango
02/01/2015 at 19:44

Night vision! That would've been cool - not sure if this one had it

Star-Fucker > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 19:52

"The 550i comes deliberately de-tuned from the factory to differentiate it from the M5, but with a simple tuning chip, 50 hp or so becomes instantly available. That puts this particular 550i in the 500 hp+ territory. The stock version is plenty fast enough but with this simple power upgrade I found myself breaking the rear end loose quite often."

Question: What simple upgrade (chip?) did your friend purchase?

The best chip for BMW's are Dinan. For $2,500 you net 73HP and 67 ft. lbs of torque. ( http://www.dinancars.com/product/d440-1… )

Exhaust: http://shoprpi.com/product_info.p…

Tires: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/mi…

Comment: You're not cross-shopping a 550i and M5. If you're (seriously) in the market for a 550i, you're also looking at: the Audi A6 or Mercedes-Benz E550. Your M5 purchaser is both younger AND more affulent than your average 550i client. The biggest difference between the cars is not the sticker price, but what you pay to keep a BMW M5 running at optimal levels. Cost of M5 ownership: 2-3X for insurance, 3-5x(!) for repairs and 50% more for fuel when compared to the 550i. The M5 is NO JOKE to maintain.

Star-Fucker > LTK
02/01/2015 at 19:57

Yeah, it drives the same too. That's why one costs 70K and the other one under 20K, they're the same! That's why everyone aspires, like I am sure you did, to reach great AMERICAN SUCCESS and drive a Ford Fusion. Then when your friends ask, why you didn't get a BMW, you can sit there with smug smile on your face and tell them "it had the same feature set guys", so I made the smart move and went with Ford.

Buck Rogers > Rand0nS
02/01/2015 at 19:58

Doesn't make the car any faster then the SS though. LS3 delivers just as useable of a power band, weighs less, and doesn't need turbos to do it.

Sure, it has worse fuel economy. But who cares.

Plus it's easier to maintain and easier to modify.

Sinanigans > Sinanigans
02/01/2015 at 20:05

I thought this was a thing here?

Kinja'd!!!

Kayone74 > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 20:22

not surprised since he ECU reflashed the car

Kayone74 > E30Joe drives a Subaru
02/01/2015 at 20:23

Read the article, he mentions the owner did an ECU reflash tune, making the point that it's pretty much a detuned F10 M5 motor

drivegooder > GhostZ
02/01/2015 at 20:27

iDrive. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it until I get rid of my F11...It's fucking terrible.

Torque Affair > Star-Fucker
02/01/2015 at 20:56

I'm not sure what chip he got exactly. Good point though - thanks for sharing.

Torque Affair > ssonsk
02/01/2015 at 20:59

interesting- I didn't know!

Torque Affair > NightDriver
02/01/2015 at 21:00

Nah I didn't try nav with HUD - but I'll have to check it out. Thanks for letting me know!

Torque Affair > vr6geek
02/01/2015 at 21:02

Thats awesome. I'm actually not sure about the 3G - most likely its a monthly payment.

Nauraushaun > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 21:30

The comfort modes really were terrible...Everything felt so lazy and slow in the comfort modes that there was nothing exciting about driving around in those modes

I don't think this is fair. No, it's not exciting in comfort mode . It's not supposed to be, that doesn't mean the modes are terrible. They serve a purpose, it's just not your purpose. Does it really need to be said that people buy expensive luxury sedans for reasons other than hooning?

I know, you probably didn't mean anything by it. It just irked me a little.

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 22:05

about 3 years. I'm going to start trying to sell it in earnest this week, I've just had in on CL for the past few weeks. Any good ideas on where to advertise high mileage luxury cars?

superdave847 > GhostZ
02/01/2015 at 22:12

For the record, my dick is . . . 335 gets there in 5.4 seconds.

Torque Affair > Nauraushaun
02/01/2015 at 22:23

Hah, yeah I see your point. It was just personal preference really..as you mentioned, people buy these cars for many reasons other than just power and performance.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > Kayone74
02/01/2015 at 22:27

I did read the article, that's how I knew he said it had more than advertised HP.

The way it was worded made it seem like it was easy to flash a 550i but this one hadn't been.

Torque Affair > itranthelasttimeiparkedit
02/01/2015 at 22:37

Hmm, that's a tough one. You could try auto trader but I haven't really had much luck with it. You could also consider trading it in - it might just work out for you. I talked about an experience here that you might find useful? http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/here-is-a-real…

Dr.Kamiya > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 22:39

I'm still waiting on sound packs for the in-cabin engine noise. E30 M3, and McLaren S70/2 will be sure buys.

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 22:41

Already bought a 540iT to replace it with so I just need to sell. Traditionally I've always just traded in but I was dead set on one of those after buying something else instead the last 2 times (I was actually getting ready to buy one when my wife test drove the 550 so I bought that instead)

Torque Affair > Dr.Kamiya
02/01/2015 at 22:42

Even with the aftermarket exhaust it's still too quiet!!

Zeppelin > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 22:43

I drive a 2011 550i. I'm curious about the aftermarket mods, please. Which flash and exhaust?

Jake Stumph Racing > Torque Affair
02/01/2015 at 22:51

Has to be an F30, based on the gripes. All E90 had some form of hydraulic/hydro-elec steering. A lot of the comments in here matched my sentiments when I drove a 2014 320i, bloated, boring, and the tech didn't seem relevant or fresh compared to what you can get in a 30k Jap car. My Mother has a 2013 X3 20i that replaced her 2003 X3 2.5i after 180k (and everything was broken/replaced). Comparing the two is night and day, and made the old X3 feel like the sports sedan that it was based on. The new cars are isolated, and numb with steering that communicates via smoke signals amidst a rain storm. Makes me appreciate my "old" 135 with it's 100% hydraulic, heavy steering, 6 speed, and minimal electrical interferences that much more.

Jake Stumph Racing > Star-Fucker
02/01/2015 at 22:54

LOL Dinan. $2500? The modern BMW tuning crowd laughs at the price gouging. Here's what BMS did with the 550i for $450:

http://www.burgertuning.com/N63_Jb_BMW_Per…

CallMeDillster > Sinanigans
02/01/2015 at 22:55

did your dad follow the "no driving above 4500 rpm for the first 3000 miles" rule? I have several bmw technician friends and that is basically the only time they see major issues with them. My dad puts 18,000 miles a year on his 550xi with no issue. Same with his 535i before that and his e60 530xi before that. Plus I'm a manual fan but I wouldn't get one in this car. just did a 2200 mile road trip in my dad's and this Trans fits the car perfectly. Now a m235i is a different story.

CallMeDillster > Kevin Barrett
02/01/2015 at 22:59

Ehh, driving one through the rockies here in Colorado will change your mind. Car is a monster. Tiny sports car it is not. But for something so heavy it is an amazing jail time fun car.

Sinanigans > CallMeDillster
02/01/2015 at 23:20

Yeah, he followed the break in. He's not a particularly hard accelerator. His current BMW is the only one not to give him problems - but its not even 9 months old yet.

As for having a manual, I have a soft spot for big manual sedans.

Driving_Impaired > Torque Affair
02/02/2015 at 00:41

Great write up! One of my favorite exhaust note videos is actually of a 550. Beautious:

speedracer > Torque Affair
02/02/2015 at 00:54

Great cars. All that tech is really nice when doing the Bay Area shuffle for 45-60mins each way. The one thing folks seem to play down is the level of quality you seem to step up from 535 to 550. The car just feels more robust and special. Same can be said for the E350 vs E550. My E350 sounded like a sewing machine merging on the freeway. I've bookended it with AMG's because the 6 just sounds/feels so bad at high RPM. Buy the V8's!