Feed back requested : BMW 550I w/SMG

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Dec 19, 2005 | 09:45 AM

OGS

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Lead Lap

Joined: Aug 2001

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From: California

Feed back requested : BMW 550I w/SMG

All,

When after all the bad luck with the LS, I am getting rid of the car. I have been looking at cars all weekend and have found won that I am really liking...but wanted to see if I could get some feedback from all of you concern it...

2006 BMW 550I with SMG

What do you all think of the car? Is the SMG worth it?

I was going to go with the Cayman S but don't wont to wait til March to get my new car.

Dec 19, 2005 | 10:39 AM

DASHOCKER

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From: NYC

Will there be back seat passengers in the car? If I had to choose between the two, I would choose the 550I. It does 0-60 in 5.3, with 4 doors. The Cayman is about the same. The 5 series with the V8 is considered the next best thing to the M5 with cash in your pocket..

Dec 19, 2005 | 11:23 AM

Lexus Champion

Joined: Apr 2004

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From: International

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASHOCKER

Same here

+ the SMG is just freakin cool

Dec 19, 2005 | 12:22 PM

stckyfngz

Lead Lap

Joined: May 2003

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From: So-Cal

SMG is a personal preference, you'll find out that many "traditionalist" can't stand it

but launch control and .80 millisecond shifts were good enough for me

the only advice I would give is to test drive the car for an extended period of time and see if you like it...and make sure you play around with all the settings (S5...DSC off S6...auto mode etc.)

Dec 19, 2005 | 02:25 PM

mmarshall

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Joined: Oct 2003

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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs

Quote:

Originally Posted by stckyfngz

SMG is a personal preference, you'll find out that many "traditionalist" can't stand it

but launch control and .80 millisecond shifts were good enough for me

the only advice I would give is to test drive the car for an extended period of time and see if you like it...and make sure you play around with all the settings (S5...DSC off S6...auto mode etc.)

Launch control, though, is not available on a lot of U.S.-market BMW's....why, I don't know.

On a number of cars they offer it in Europe but not here.

While, as you say, some " purists " frown on SMG, there is no doubt it is convienent in heavy traffic and for this reason is increasingly popular, especially in urban areas. Nevertheless, BMW has felt the need to go back and design pure manual transmissions for some of the newer models that didn't offer them.

Dec 19, 2005 | 05:56 PM

stckyfngz

Lead Lap

Joined: May 2003

Posts: 723

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From: So-Cal

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmarshall

Launch control, though, is not available on a lot of U.S.-market BMW's....why, I don't know.

On a number of cars they offer it in Europe but not here.

I can't speak for other cars, but the M3 (US version) has launch control, but it only raises to 1800 rpm before dumping the clutch. The European version raises to 3800 rpms. So both versions have launch control.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmarshall

While, as you say, some " purists " frown on SMG, there is no doubt it is convienent in heavy traffic and for this reason is increasingly popular, especially in urban areas. Nevertheless, BMW has felt the need to go back and design pure manual transmissions for some of the newer models that didn't offer them.

ya forgot about the main reason I went with SMG...LA traffic