Hi,

I'm in the market for a new coupe, I test drove the following

335i coupe RWD & xDrive
S5 Cabriolet (they did not have a coupe demo)
E550 Coupe

I'm a BMW guy been driving bmws for the last 12 years. 98 740i, 02 540, 08x6 (gone but not forgotten), and currently have an '11 x5 35i.

I loved the E550 coupe it's smooth and powerful.

I'm seeking advice from E550 2010 owners, what are your impressions of the car so far? have you noticed any problems? such as the the jolt in the 1st shift when cold (I test drove two 2010 E550s and both showed the same issue) & of course depreciation.

Let's face it some CLK owners suffered horror stories especially 04s & 05s. I can pickup a clean 07 CLK for CDN $20,000 or less.

S5 looks good but pricey and I have to wait for at least 3 months for a coupe. AWD in Alberta winters is a definite plus but sunroof tilt only is putting me off.

335i is fast and fun car to drive but the current model is changing and I not willing to spend top $$ on vehicle that will be obsolete in a year or two. Besides it's time to try something different.

E550 looks drop dead gorgeous, lots of power, all toys are almost standard BUT quality reputation is horrible, RWD not a winter vehicle, & depreciation which gives me headache every time I think that a $74K plus tax vehicle will loose 50% after 1 or 2 years. What if I wanted to drive something else after 2yrs?

Please let me know what you think of the vehicle so far, did any one try the E550 in the snow? Any issues so far? shall I wait for 2011 or go with 2010?

Thanks for all your help

 

If this is your only car, then for where you are, its S5 hands down because of AWD. If not, then its clearly E550 - by far the most luxurious and the best overall car IMHO of the three. 335I has very cheap looking interior - far behind S5, and so much behind E550 that I could not even compare them.

 

Residual on a 2011 E550c is 52% after 3 years. Just lease one and you know where you're at.

The CLK was a sloppy mess of a car at the worst time in MBs history for quality - there is no comparison between the two cars in this regard.

 

It's not gonna be my only vehicle but I want to use all year well maybe not during a snow storm but I'm hoping to get away with MB RWD and winter tires.

YYZ-E55 do you recommend lease vs finance

Thanks guys

 

If you lease it, you know the exact depreciation cost. There is no guessing. If you decide to unload it before the lease is up, you can do so, just pay the remaining payments and the residual value. At the end of the lease you may or may not have equity in the vehicle - if you do, bonus. If not, at least you're not exposed to the excess depreciation beyond the stated residual value.

I've had several RWD cars that I've driven in winter with proper snows (E55, M3, trucks) without any issues. I know Edmonton's winter is a bit rougher than Toronto, however.

For reference, 2 year RV on an E550c is currently 59%, 5.9% lease rate (24,000km/year). Leftover 2010s have 2% lower RVs.

 

This weekend I pulled the trigger on the E550 coupe.

E550 Coupe
-Panoramic Sunroof
-Pillar-less windows
-Nearly 400hp (382hp)
-Torque-rich engine
-More luxurious than 335 & S5 (IMO)
-Comfort & Sport Settings
-Exterior Appearance w/AMG package & trunk spoiler
-More rare than S5 & 335
-Roomy interior
-A/C seats
-Rectangular Exhaust
-LED daytime running lights

For the winter I plan on mounting the AMG wheels with winter rubber and purchasing new wheels and tires in the Spring.

Vs. S5
-Ride: Coming from a 4.2L V8 S4. The ride in the S5 is similar to the S4, it is stiff and unforgiving on less than perfect roads
-Interior: nicely crafted but felt tight and cramped (I am 6'1")
-Exterior: Rear-end is not aggressive in appearance. In my opinion Audi models now look too similar from the front which makes the S5 less distinct.
-Engine: Love the 4.2 the only criticism I have is that in the past it tended to burn oil. I found my self returning to the dealership between oil changes to have it topped off.

Vs. 335
-Ride: Suspension was more stiff than the Merc. The biggest disappointment was without the variable speed steering the 335 is difficult to drive at low speeds.
-Interior: Normal seats are mediocre at best. Opt for the sport package with better seats. Personally, I thought the iDrive navigation system was the highlight of the interior. Other than the Nav the interior was boring to me.
-Exterior: Didn't grab my attention in sedan or coupe forms. M - Sport package is definitely worth the extra money in my opinion. Also, the new body style is due out soon.
-Engine: Great engine all around. Easy to mod.


All in all whichever car you decide to purchase will be a fine automobile. Looking at the big picture it depends on personal preference. Good luck with your purchase. Use it in good health

 

Folks,

I'm now a proud owner of 2010 E550 diamond white with almond beige/black interior. I'm quite happy with choice.

Thanks for all your help

 

Congrats. At least this thread was not a waste of time - just a few days between the original question and the final decision. Good job and keep it up.

 

Does anyone know if MB is planning on producing an AWD E-550 Coupe. The CL Coupe does have an AWD
Thanks

 

Based on E coupe "history" - a rebadged CLK since 1999, I would say, unfortunately, "not a chance".

 

My Frnd am a guy who loves and adores BMW, and you are lucky that u got the right person to advice u. i do have a 325i convertible in Saudi arabia, and i tried the 335i coupe and i loved them both specially the 3.0 L + twin turbo which produces 305 HP.

I had the 3 series since august 2008, and since i came here to study college i was thinking between the Audi S5 and the E550 coupe. and finally i choose the E coupe due to many reasons:
1- The engine on the E550 is more powerful.
2- The E is newer and more elegant.
3- The E is more appealing ;-) ..

and what a coincidence that today i received finally my E550 Coupe here in D.C =) ..
its an amazing car my frnd ;-) .. am a BMW guy but the technology and the looks of the E really made me stand for it, and the new facelift for the 3 series i do not recommend it, either choose a new model or wait for it, never take a facelift its not appealing as much as the car when it comes fresh ;-) ..

Glad to write this comment.

 

Run flat tires on all the new 3 series (sans the M) with sport pkg kill the ride especially after the tires start to wear. We couldn't wait to replace them

 

I had four BMW's before this 550 cab, one reason I chose this was that the rear seat room was bigger and you could fit two carry golf bags in the trunk with the top down, the alternative convertible couldn't do either.

 

im also looking into a e550 coupe diamong white p2 with ebony interior, Edmonton, did you lease or buy? im tryin to see whats the lowest price on a lease someone get, i was looking at 24 month..thank you in advance sorry if i threw off the convo here...

 

I bought mine, lease did not sound cost effective