Bmw 545i and 550i vs Chev Lumina SS V8

[peanut125i]

http://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/uploads/user/329/8630867290_1eee
974188_b_9575127544.jpg

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This looks hot.

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Nope nope. Hasn't helped.

 

[Gizmo]

Net result of crap castrol oil and stupidly long service intervals.:thumbdo:

I'm with peanut, that looks sh!t.

 

[Sabretooth tiger]

I recon Sash's E60 is the best looking E60 around.

I am also a big van simple muscle cars, with no frills. I love the Monaro, pity its not sold here, so closest one would get is the Lumina. If money was no object I would get this over a 550i.

If it was my own money though, I would get a E39 m5, and keep the change for maintenance and restoration.

 

[Andrew]

I owned both the E39 m5 and a 545i at the same time. Loved them both but chalk and cheese. On paper the 545i is nearly as fast as the M5 but whereas the e60 is as smooth as butter, effortless to drive and dead quiet inside the M5 is a raging monster waiting to catch you unawares. NOTHING in common other than that they are both BMW V8 saloons.

The 545i was an awesome car - lovely little snarl under acceleration and it ate up long distances - not bad on fuel either - expect 9l/100 kms cruising at 120kph.

At 200,000kms its N62 engine didn't smoke and didn't use any oil or water at all and was still silky smooth.

My e39 M5 is on 250,000kms now and as far as I am aware has only had a VANOS rebuild and fresh timing chains and guides (that said, I am about to change the MAF's and the O2 Sensors)

I drove both cars hard but out of sympathy for the e39's age I try to keep the max RPM under 5500 revs.

 

[Kimeran]

The president of my friend's bike club has a 6.0lt lumina sedan and one Friday evening he took his members out for a jol, 5 up in the car they covered 70km from full tank to empty tank! He drives that car like he rides his bike which is like an absolute hooligan!

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My buddy left claw marks in the grab handles!

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That Lumina had a hole in the tank :roflol:
Our Lumina isn't bad when you are cruising, put your foot down and all the remaining fuel disappears!
I'd take a Lumina any day

 

[pimpassdaddy]

I owned both the E39 m5 and a 545i at the same time. Loved them both but chalk and cheese. On paper the 545i is nearly as fast as the M5 but whereas the e60 is as smooth as butter, effortless to drive and dead quiet inside the M5 is a raging monster waiting to catch you unawares. NOTHING in common other than that they are both BMW V8 saloons.

The 545i was an awesome car - lovely little snarl under acceleration and it ate up long distances - not bad on fuel either - expect 9l/100 kms cruising at 120kph.

At 200,000kms its N62 engine didn't smoke and didn't use any oil or water at all and was still silky smooth.

My e39 M5 is on 250,000kms now and as far as I am aware has only had a VANOS rebuild and fresh timing chains and guides (that said, I am about to change the MAF's and the O2 Sensors)

I drove both cars hard but out of sympathy for the e39's age I try to keep the max RPM under 5500 revs.

I never understand people that compare an ///M and a normal BMW. e39 & e60 BMW can't be compared period.

I love how you say the E60 is super smooth and effortless to drive. I FULLY agree. It's the reason I got my 120d. I wanted an effortless car to drive...

///M's are very involving cars to drive. Sometimes I just look at mine and I'm like, "sorry, not today bud", cos I'm just exhausted and want to drive a car without "thinking". That said, my ///M was an excellent replacement for my superbike and there's little else like driving it.

Just not everyday though. I'd hate it!

 

[Clownshoe]

I never understand people that compare an ///M and a normal BMW.

The comparison is for for people who have not owned an M car.

M Cars are a package deal.

 

[swazi85]

Luminas are also holding their value well these days. Just know with a lumina the standard brakes are shocking. So might want to put a bit of loot for that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sandman]

I hav a lumina and brakes is not that bad, hav heard if u gona track it, its gona be bad tho. Get about 500km on a tank. A guy on a harley style bike provokd me last sunday, stared at me and had a look as if there is no way i cud race an beat him, i gav him a 10m headstart, lets jus say he wont race a lumi again. I only hav intake, decat an software mod, thinkn bout xhaust mod, but car is alredy loud. Awesum car an maintenance not as bad as a beemr.

 

[Dewald Basson]

Fuel consumption is horrendous on the lumina though, even if you drive it like a grandma. My vote would also go for the e39 m5.
My mom drives a E60 550i sport pack and although it is somewhat quick, I still think the lumina will walk away from it as there is still no replacement for displacement.

I remember debating this with mates years ago. The specific volume power output of the lumina engine is not great.

Lumina 270kw from 6 liters that is 45kw per liter (wiki page)

E39 M 294kw from 5 liters that is 58.8kw per liter (wiki page)

The e39 basically makes 25% more power per cylinder than the lumina. In theory a 6 liter s62 would make 352.8kw and a 5 liter lumina would make 225kw. :rollsmile:

But I would still like to own a lumina ute, because they are cool.

 

[Kimeran]

You can't really use that to compare, because you will never know if that was the absolute maximum they were able to extract from that 6.0l, reliably.
Take the 6.2 AMG V8 for example...power ranges from 336kw - 386kw

 

[Dewald Basson]

You can't really use that to compare, because you will never know if that was the absolute maximum they were able to extract from that 6.0l, reliably.
Take the 6.2 AMG V8 for example...power ranges from 336kw - 386kw

True, but it was what was brought to the table with regards to the lumina.

The merc V8 supports my point that just because an engine has a bigger displacement does not make it the stronger motor.


386kw = 62kw/l :skit:

 

[Kimeran]

I'm sure that Lumina motor is capable of a lot more. It feels very lazy, and like it isn't trying

 

[Dewald Basson]

I'm sure that Lumina motor is capable of a lot more. It feels very lazy, and like it isn't trying

Americans :rollsmile:

 

[Fordkoppie]

I'm sure that Lumina motor is capable of a lot more. It feels very lazy, and like it isn't trying

Americans :rollsmile:

Australians :rollsmile:

 

[Clownshoe]

I'm sure that Lumina motor is capable of a lot more. It feels very lazy, and like it isn't trying

Americans :rollsmile:

Australians :rollsmile:

I had a small blue with an aussie mate who claimed that aussie V8 were not "lazy". Anyway the stats on the BMW V8 changed his mind.

 

[m0lt3n]

I dont have much to add on lumina vs bmw v8 but I do know I dearly want to race one with the 330d! Naturally aspirated lose a lot of power here at altitude but I guess my winning or losing will depend on which model Lumina I race, their output increased a lot through the years.

but the the thing is win or lose...it will be awesome. cause even losing I will have my window down and listening to a V8 at full bore...win win! :rollsmile:

 

[Razz]

I dont think you can compare the Lumina realistically with any of these cars
I have a sedan 6.0 SS with some nice aftermarket mods on them and pushing some decent power outputs. They are extremely fun cars and love to be thrashed around.
They are fairly reliable given how they are driven.

You also need to understand the Lumina for what it is. I t will never have the refinement or the build quality or all the tech of a BMW, but damn its so much fun, the noise, the drive, everything about it is an experience

You pull up with a Lumina, and it creates a buzz
You pull up with a 550i and it really doesnt pull much attention

My uncle used to have a 545i and I loved that car, it was awesome on the long roads, had fantastic seats and pulled quite strong as well.

I see these 5 series cars as a more family orientated luxury car and the Lumina has more of an M5 appeal where its a brutish sports car with the added benefit of being able to take the family with for a drive, Sideways

 

[messi essack]

Personally I would have a Lumina, for the simple reason that the e60 is just so damn ugly.

Also from what I have read V8 in the 550i seems to not be as strong as previous generation BMW V8's with things like valve stem seals wearing out pretty quickly. Also can't quite remember if it was the 545i or 550i that was the first big BMW V8 to not come with a forged crank.


Though if it was my money to spend I would go e39 M5, nature's most perfect combination, big V8 in the front, manual gearbox in the middle and an LS diff in the back.

Glad that it is just a personal preference and not the truth. There are hardly any 550i owners on here, but it would be a much better reflection.

Also if any of our E39 M5 owners have drove a E60 550i, that comparison would be more meaningful.

No the truth is, in my opinion the e60 is a way uglier car than a Lumina, and if you had bothered the read the OP you would have seen that looks was one of the things that the OP was interested in.

The truth is I know of at least one 550i from this forum, and the last time I saw it was smoking pretty heavily, would you like to wager a guess why it was smoking?

And the truth is the e39 M5 does have a V8, it does have a manual gearbox and it does have an LS diff, which does make it an attractive proposition in a discussion like this, and to anyone that considers themselves as an enthusiast.

well thats just your opinion on how it looks , ive driven a 550i E60 and yess i raced a lumina and he couldnt get pass me ,,, in town driving you can get 400km on a tank with easy driving