M3 vs. M550i

[Xtabi]

I have three kids 18 months / 6 years / 8 years and have an M3. I usually have some combination of two of them in the car with me. An added bonus js my wife and all three kids can fit.

I would not trade it for any four door car in its price range or lower. I absolutely LOVE it! No reason for me to go to a bigger car when this one works just fine and is a dream to drive even after about 17 months.

[Crazy Bimmer]

If your wife has a big SUV then I say go for the M3. Yes I can rap.

[RyanDe680]

Originally Posted by Crazy Bimmer

If your wife has a big SUV then I say go for the M3. Yes I can rap.

Months from posting and you come back with rap?

[BimmerBahn]

The only M550 I'd consider is the M550d, especially with the new quad-turbo engine. Sadly, that one wont make it to this side of the pond

I second, third and fourth the comment about get the M3. I had an F10 535d and it was a great car, but spending 5 minutes in the M3 made it all worth it.

Cheers,

[RobbyMack]

I'll admit the F80 does get a little tiresome at times doing kid duty, but then I get a free day and spend some time on a mountain road and I forgot about all of that. Get the F80.

[996ttelise]

Originally Posted by zer0cool

996 is a SUPER ULTRA sports car enthusiast. So obviously he would prefer the M3 among these 2. I agree a S7/6 destroys the F10 550i having driven them. I prefer the S7 interior as well probably due to BMW interior aesthetic fatigue. However all reviews indicate the new G30 5 series improves significantly over the previous 5 and that the M550i significantly improves upon the previous 550i. Also the S7 is near the end of its generation. So I would wait till the new M550i is out to make the determination of whether it is now better than Audi S. The CLS interior is now like 10 years old, carry over from the old E class... I personally wouldn't consider it at all... Also new E43 seems underpowered compared to its competitors, so I think the future CLS 43 will be as well.

Lol, looking at your signature made me realize, screw all of these. Grab a Tesla S. I actually really, really like Teslas. The S in ludicrous mode is ccccrrraazzyyyy.

The CLS is really a nice car to drive and the seat message is kind of cool. The interior does not really bother me, but I am not a huge interior guy. I am a bit mixed on the exterior and kind of think the prior version may have looked better. The S7 drives well also. We have 550s sitting around (company cars due to wife's business) all the time to drive and they just don't do anything for me. She just drives them to not put miles on her cars.

[NewM3driver]

Do you want to drive the best sports sedan on the planet earth or a luxo barge?

There you have it

[RyanDe680]

Originally Posted by 996ttelise

Lol, looking at your signature made me realize, screw all of these. Grab a Tesla S. I actually really, really like Teslas. The S in ludicrous mode is ccccrrraazzyyyy.

The CLS is really a nice car to drive and the seat message is kind of cool. The interior does not really bother me, but I am not a huge interior guy. I am a bit mixed on the exterior and kind of think the prior version may have looked better. The S7 drives well also. We have 550s sitting around (company cars due to wife's business) all the time to drive and they just don't do anything for me. She just drives them to not put miles on her cars.

My business partner ordered a new Model S w/ ludacris mode. Should be here in 4-5 weeks.

While the Tesla interface is cool, I just can't get into that interior.

[nicknaz]

playing devil's advocate OP, why not get a cheap lease 330 and a toy car? With a 7 miles commute you won't have much time to enjoy an m3, and with kids in the back on the weekends you will be driving conservatively then also. What's the point of m3 vs a base 3er or 5er with that usage pattern?

[RyanDe680]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

playing devil's advocate OP, why not get a cheap lease 330 and a toy car? With a 7 miles commute you won't have much time to enjoy an m3, and with kids in the back on the weekends you will be driving conservatively then also. What's the point of m3 vs a base 3er or 5er with that usage pattern?

I should explain the commute... so on my '13 RX, I have 42k miles and I do drive a decent amount for work to visit clients. 90% of the time it's just me in the car outside of the weekends when I have the boys and we're all out doing something.

[Ultimate Driving Giraffe]

Not quite the same, but I previously had an F10 550i M-Sport (6speed MT (!), adaptive dampers, etc.), which likely is not too dissimilar from where the M550 currently sits in the lineup. I understand that the G-series body is supposed to be much improved with respect to driving dynamics, etc. However, the F10 550i was huge, heavy, and handled like a boat around town. The TT V8 power was better on the highway, where it was effortless, than around town where, despite what they say, you still had some turbo lag. It was a lot smoother and more luxurious than the M3, with nice touches like the soft-close doors, keyless entry on all doors, and automatic trunk closure, etc. Other than that, however, it wasn't much more practical than the M3. Legroom was surprisingly tight in the F10 chassis, and the trunk was bigger than the M3s, but not so much so that I'd even really noticed (still need SUV to haul large suitcases, etc.).

If you want a sports car experience, go M3; if you want a really fast luxo-barge experience, go M550i.

[Absurdium]

I've not driven the new 5 series but I have driven the F10 5 series in various configuration, all except for the M5. Given your situation, this car is going to have to compromise in some way. The question here is whether you want to compromise on the side of fun and driving enjoyment, or on the side of luxury and comfort. Now you did post this on an M3 forum so it was expected that the majority of posters would say to get the M3.

In my opinion, both are fantastic cars in its own way. In a straight line, both cars should be fairly close. The M3 will be the more obnoxious sounding however. And on the the topic of sound, a M550i MAY sound better than the M3 given its engine configuration if you decide to go for an aftermarket exhaust. Furthermore, most of the F10 5 series I drove had upgraded seats. Those were so plush and comfortable that I could just sit there all day. I'd imagine the new car would only have improved in this department. However at the end of the day, if you want the "racecar" feeling, you'll want to be in the M3. Though keep in mind that this is all relative. The M3 in the F80 iteration has gotten much more luxurious than the E90, and perhaps even a whole tier above the E46. So it's not like if you get in the M3, you're gonna think "wow what a piece of crap" haha. Also think about what a M car means to you. Will you regret not getting a "real" M car down the road if you forego the M3?

Either way, this is a very good problem to have. Really hard to fault both cars as they do well in regards to their intended purpose. So perhaps, instead of thinking which car you want to get more, think about which car would leave you with the biggest regret if you DIDN'T get it.

Good luck with your decision!

[Professor///M]

There's only one thing you need to know, and it's that the wheel vent on the M550 looks stupid. It's enough to not even consider the car. I mean, there isn't even a color it looks good on. It doesn't blend in, and it looks even worse in person.

I sat in the 540 m sport, and I just couldn't fathom looking at that stupid lump on the side of the car daily. Interior was beautiful, car was roomy. You're only getting a little bit more tech in the 550. Trunk space, meh in comparison.

M3.

[RyanDe680]

Originally Posted by Absurdium

So perhaps, instead of thinking which car you want to get more, think about which car would leave you with the biggest regret if you DIDN'T get it.

Good luck with your decision!

Fantastic point. That for me is the M3.

[RyanDe680]

Originally Posted by JSTDR1V

There's only one thing you need to know, and it's that the wheel vent on the M550 looks stupid. It's enough to not even consider the car. I mean, there isn't even a color it looks good on. It doesn't blend in, and it looks even worse in person.

I sat in the 540 m sport, and I just couldn't fathom looking at that stupid lump on the side of the car daily. Interior was beautiful, car was roomy. You're only getting a little bit more tech in the 550. Trunk space, meh in comparison.

M3.

I do agree - that vent on the 7 and the 5 are

[Absurdium]

Originally Posted by RyanDe680

Fantastic point. That for me is the M3.

Then in that case, I look forward to seeing your new M3(probably)

[RyanDe680]

Originally Posted by Absurdium

Then in that case, I look forward to seeing your new M3(probably)

And that you shall!

[996ttelise]

Originally Posted by RyanDe680

And that you shall!

Excellent. Have fun . . . and man will it be a blast compared to an RX.

[RyanDe680]

Originally Posted by 996ttelise

Excellent. Have fun . . . and man will it be a blast compared to an RX.

Anything is a blast compared to the couch. The RX will last and last - it's a Toyota. My wife is taking that.

I'm selling her 11 year old car. I'm looking for the changes for 2018 on the M3 at Geneva - if it's just the headlights, I may wait or may not, we'll see.

[mc3456]

M550i seems pretty entertaining to me. M3 is awesome, but would go with a M550i if I was you.

[shu5892001]

Originally Posted by Sassicaia

I cant think of a single reason not to get the M3 over the M550. What you gain in a little comfort (are you 80?) you gain in tons of performance and fun.

If I were you id be rationalizing in every way possible why I should get an M3 over an M550. The only thing that would make me consider one over the other is if extra room was needed and the 550 offered that (which it doesnt).

Seems like a no brainer.

Isn't the M550i faster than a F10 M5 in straight line? So by getting a M3, he is only gaining on the handling side of performance.

[Tacoma]

Originally Posted by shu5892001

Isn't the M550i faster than a F10 M5 in straight line? So by getting a M3, he is only gaining on the handling side of performance.

The 2018 M550i is listed by BMW to hit 60 in 3.9 seconds which makes it faster than both the current F10 M5 and the current F8x M3. The M5 has more HP but the M550 being AWD is better able put the power to the ground. So in real world driving conditions, the M550 is probably faster but on the track at extreme speeds and high speed corning, both the M5 and M3 should reel the M550i in and win.

All in all, the M550i, priced at around the M3, does sound intriguing for those who don't track and place a high value luxury and highway cruising, but still enough performance to keep up with or exceed any M car today.