[jnotrom711]

Originally Posted by HerkHealer

Search around for a 2020 M550 and dont look back.

Massive engine upgrades to include M5 internals and the same Torque a M5 puts down. This car never ceases to amaze me at how fast it climbs from 60 to 100mph within mere seconds. I dont need anything else. This car, by itself, will put you in Jail and suspend your license if you dont realize what a beast you're driving and what it truly can do.

Just like the M5 the 2020+ M550 HP/Torque Dyno numbers are very understated. It makes significantly more power than 523 HP/ 553 TQ according to stock Dinan Dyno runs.

While I agree the 2020+ m550 is one hell of a car and under rated at 523 hp... Even if the 2 had identical engines and HP, which they don't, there is a whole host of other items the M5 has to add to the m550.

Carbon roof (if you want that option), suspension, chassis upgrades, brakes (even though the steel squeak, they're great brakes), seats (some of the best seats ever in my opinion for the application), exhaust w/ cross bank manifolds. spools the turbos faster and more efficiently. Some people like the sound of the m5 better because of the manifolds, some like the 550 sound better, as its more traditional V8 sounding.

There is a host of other changes to the M5, which don't necessarily make it a superior car, but depending on what the driver is looking for can certainly be superior for that application.

You can put yourself in jail with a Prius or Civic, but I get the point that the 550 has plenty of power. The m5 just has more.

This is not to bash the 550 it's a great car. However, the 550 is more luxury with some "sport features", the m5 is more sport with some "luxury features". With that said, in my opinion the m5 does the luxury features better than the 550 does the sport features (if that makes sense.)

I happen to like the more sport, I don't mind feeling the road, or the car being louder, harsher, its what I enjoy. Rather than just a very fast luxury car. I personally want a true sports car with some luxury, practicality, and utility, which is what the m5 is. IMHO.

They're both great cars however.

[snowbimmer]

So much to unpack here. I've been through the full run: F10 550, G30 M550, F90 M5, F90 LCI M5Comp, M850. Part was from the natural progression of ownership, part from searching for the elusive unicorn car.

Originally Posted by ///WeissBisBlau

But see, pre-LCI, you're talking the (apparently much) firmer suspension on the M5, particularly as opposed to the M550i, I would imagine, and if he is looking for a "family-hauler"…

M550 is a nice riding car. The M5 is faster and better handling, but you give up some comfort in the suspension.

Originally Posted by cyberonetwo

The M550 is a great car, but if I got the M550 I would spend the whole time regretting and wishing I got the M5. Both the M5 and M550 are good family cars and daily drivers in my opinion, but if it were me and I had an option between the two it's a really easy choice.

I loved my G30 M550. Until the F90 M5 came out. Then I got it bad and had to have one. Within 6 months I was in a 2019 Base M5. Major step up. And the price difference of a full M car is worth every dollar. But the ride drove me to turn it in for the LCI M5 Comp with the new suspension upgrades. Big improvement.

Originally Posted by Antec800

If your not getting a 20+ lci m550 don't bother

When I went from my M550 to the M5, my friend went from a 540 to an LCI M550. Then I went to the LCI M5C. I finally drove his M550 - and at 523 hp you can still leave most people behind. It also got me thinking about an M850. I still eventually wanted an M8, but now all you can get is MSRP, there was a nice price increase and the cost of money is going thru the roof. I didn't want to even try to order one now, so when an M850 popped up at my dealer, I snagged it. Got a good deal, I'm in an 8, it has 523 hp, locked in long term cheap money, is fabulous around town and spectacular on long trips. It's just a fancier version of an M550 - (Maybe. They both have many of the same characteristics. Love the rear wheel steering).

Originally Posted by spuntyb

Drive both and get the one that makes you happiest. Don't make it any more complicated than that imho.

Good luck!

Hopefully you would be lucky enough to drive both. But, even though it may cost a bit more, I would only look at the LCI M550 (get that extra hp, less M5 envy) or an LCI M5 Comp ( because the suspension is so much better.

I ran across this thread on the 5 forum. I totally get where he's coming from. Its a good read. https://g30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1935309

Good luck.

[WISluggo]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

So much to unpack here. I've been through the full run: F10 550, G30 M550, F90 M5, F90 LCI M5Comp, M850. Part was from the natural progression of ownership, part from searching for the elusive unicorn car.



M550 is a nice riding car. The M5 is faster and better handling, but you give up some comfort in the suspension.



I loved my G30 M550. Until the F90 M5 came out. Then I got it bad and had to have one. Within 6 months I was in a 2019 Base M5. Major step up. And the price difference of a full M car is worth every dollar. But the ride drove me to turn it in for the LCI M5 Comp with the new suspension upgrades. Big improvement.



When I went from my M550 to the M5, my friend went from a 540 to an LCI M550. Then I went to the LCI M5C. I finally drove his M550 - and at 523 hp you can still leave most people behind. It also got me thinking about an M850. I still eventually wanted an M8, but now all you can get is MSRP, there was a nice price increase and the cost of money is going thru the roof. I didn't want to even try to order one now, so when an M850 popped up at my dealer, I snagged it. Got a good deal, I'm in an 8, it has 523 hp, locked in long term cheap money, is fabulous around town and spectacular on long trips. It's just a fancier version of an M550 - maybe.



Hopefully you would be lucky enough to drive both. But, even though it may cost a bit more, I would only look at the LCI M550 (get that extra hp, less M5 envy) or an LCI M5 Comp ( because the suspension is so much better.

I ran across this thread on the 5 forum. I totally get where he's coming from. Its a good read. https://g30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1935309

Good luck.

I greatly appreciate you taking the time to write this up and sharing your thoughts. Because I live in WI with awful roads, it has me second guessing the pre LCI M5 comp that caught my eye. I’m not going to track the car, so maybe a base M5 would be the better alignment of my use, my environment, and my budget.

I also caught myself looking at a newer m550. I probably can’t make a wrong choice, but I can make a more better one.

[HerkHealer]

Originally Posted by jnotrom711

While I agree the 2020+ m550 is one hell of a car and under rated at 523 hp... Even if the 2 had identical engines and HP, which they don't, there is a whole host of other items the M5 has to add to the m550.

Carbon roof (if you want that option), suspension, chassis upgrades, brakes (even though the steel squeak, they're great brakes), seats (some of the best seats ever in my opinion for the application), exhaust w/ cross bank manifolds. spools the turbos faster and more efficiently. Some people like the sound of the m5 better because of the manifolds, some like the 550 sound better, as its more traditional V8 sounding.

There is a host of other changes to the M5, which don't necessarily make it a superior car, but depending on what the driver is looking for can certainly be superior for that application.

You can put yourself in jail with a Prius or Civic, but I get the point that the 550 has plenty of power. The m5 just has more.

This is not to bash the 550 it's a great car. However, the 550 is more luxury with some "sport features", the m5 is more sport with some "luxury features". With that said, in my opinion the m5 does the luxury features better than the 550 does the sport features (if that makes sense.)

I happen to like the more sport, I don't mind feeling the road, or the car being louder, harsher, its what I enjoy. Rather than just a very fast luxury car. I personally want a true sports car with some luxury, practicality, and utility, which is what the m5 is. IMHO.

They're both great cars however.

Completely agree with your comments and 100% why I drive my car vs a M5. I like the comfort and quietness with the ability to push a few buttons and turn into something evil.
But for me the thing I love about my M550 is it's stealth. 99% of the drivers on the road would not know how powerful this car is, or what it can do.
If the OP is looking for more power and tighter handling, go with the M5. I'm not tuning my car, but there are several M550 owners that have and are running 10 second 1/4 miles with just a piggyback tune.

[DavidXJ]

Originally Posted by WISluggo

I greatly appreciate you taking the time to write this up and sharing your thoughts. Because I live in WI with awful roads, it has me second guessing the pre LCI M5 comp that caught my eye. I'm not going to track the car, so maybe a base M5 would be the better alignment of my use, my environment, and my budget.

I also caught myself looking at a newer m550. I probably can't make a wrong choice, but I can make a more better one.

Some excellent guidance by snowbimmer here, covering all the bases, to be honest. I'd only add--as a former M Performance model owner, who has great respect for that entire line--that stepping into an M really is stepping into a different realm in terms of handling, composure, precision, and (more emotionally) outright charisma. The romance of ploughing down a twisty back road and feeling a 2-tonne saloon shrink around you, with all the chassis-level encouragement that you could ever want, might not matter to you. But if there's a chance--however slim--that it might, and if you're not financially overburdening yourself, then take a look at a pre-LCI M5 comp. Drive one for yourself before you absorb too many of the complaints about the supposedly harsh ride, many of which seemed overstated as soon as I drove mine (and I'm in the UK with potholed roads everywhere!). It all depends, of course, on what counts as firm/pliant to you; and it depends too on how much mixed daily driving at low/residential speeds you expect to be doing. But the combination of composure and capability (to say nothing of the engine note) immediately made any worries about ride quality dissolve for me. For you guys in the US, I don't think the engine note changed so drastically with the LCI as it did for us in Europe; and again, the difference between the V8 registers across the 550i/M5/pre vs post-LCI range mightn't be a concern for you. But it's worth checking out, if you can see examples in person.

Good luck, anyway, with your decision: as folks have already said here, both options are terrific, each having their own unique advantages. I suppose that, ultimately, it's worth bearing in mind that the leap from M Performance to M isn't just a cliched assertion belonging to aficionados alone; rather, it really is tangible--and transformative. None of that detracts from how superb M Performance variants are, particularly in this latest generation of offerings, which is perhaps a testament to how good something like the 550 is in its own right.

[Greer]

If this is going to be your family hauler be sure to have the wife be there when you test drive both cars. I had a pre- LCI 2019 M5 and the ride was a lot stiffer than my 2022 M5.

[shawnhayes]

If price is even a TINY CONSIDERATION don't get the M5. The M550 is just so good, and so much cheaper then the M5. But, if price is not on your list of "musts" the M5 is incrementally much better than the M550.

Drive them both if you can. Then pick.

Shawn

[Moserkm]

I thought long and hard about the M550 instead of the M5C. Since my wife was ok with me spending $125k on a car, my mind automatically started to consider other options. This included used Ferraris, R8s, etc. Since I couldn’t bring myself to change my mind with those, I thought outside the box. My dealer has a ‘21 M550 with 9k miles for $72k loaded. So why not get that and a Z4? While this idea makes perfect sense, I think I’d still have buyers remorse not getting the M5C. I’ve seen too many people on here have buyer’s remorse because they didn’t get what they really wanted. Drive them both and get what moves you. No regrets.

[shawnhayes]

Originally Posted by Moserkm

I thought long and hard about the M550 instead of the M5C. Since my wife was ok with me spending $125k on a car, my mind automatically started to consider other options. This included used Ferraris, R8s, etc. Since I couldn’t bring myself to change my mind with those, I thought outside the box. My dealer has a ‘21 M550 with 9k miles for $72k loaded. So why not get that and a Z4? While this idea makes perfect sense, I think I’d still have buyers remorse not getting the M5C. I’ve seen too many people on here have buyer’s remorse because they didn’t get what they really wanted. Drive them both and get what moves you. No regrets.

[pbonsalb]

I live in WI with awful roads

Assuming you have the standard steel brakes, you can run 19” wheels that will ride better whether the car is a base or comp. Standard equipment on the base though many buyers opt for 20s and a few option with 21s.

[brdgwtr]

I'm trading my 2019 M550i in on a 2021 M5C today. The M550 has been an awesome car to have. Hauls my family around perfectly, not too ostentatious for parking in the lot at work. My six year old loves the acceleration and the roar of the V8. It has been perfect. It surprises a lot of muscle cars at stop lights. Some people get angry at it because they don't know what it is. I think one of the magazines referred to it as the "Rocket Couch" which is pretty spot on. It's fast and really comfortable, the ride is not harsh at all.

Having said that....I've always been sad about selling my 1989 M6 and I fear there are not too many years left of having a car like this and so I am going. This car is more like a hooligan in a tuxedo. I can still haul the family around in relative comfort and then get my crazy on when I feel like it.

[Boosted_8]

For the money, the M5 comp is a better deal here.

[Jazz_V]

The M5 ride is a lot stiffer than the 550 but when you step out of M5 after your trip you will be grinning ear to ear. Will the kids or your wife want to be riding in a car that lets you feel every bump in the road? At the end of the day it's what pulls at your heart strings.

[TheCookieMonster]

Test drove an M550, which was pretty sweet, but as soon as I saw the M5 sitting in the showroom I knew there was no way I'd be able to settle for the 550. You only live once.

[smbsocal]

I also looked at the M550 and M5.

As others have said only look at LCI.

The M550 is fast and can be sporty but can't shake the luxury foundation it is built upon. The inverse is true of the M5.

If your primary focus is luxury with sportiness go for the M550.

If your primary focus is sportiness with luxury go for the M5.

I myself went with the M5 since it is sporty but has enough luxury for me. I moved from a MB C63s to the M5 since the C63s was too rough of a ride (and crappy build quality).

[LASpartan]

I had an M550 on order. At the time an M5 lease was $300 more per month (Dec 31, 2020 so I got 10% off MSRP). Basically $950/mo v $1250/mo. It was a no-brainer to get the M5 instead and I thank the good lord everyday I get to drive that car. Likely buying it at lease-end because the deal is too good.

[ambletx]

Speaking of differences between the M5 and M550, I was told that the turbos in the M550 are smaller than the M5. Not sure if this is true or not though.

[MackSea70]

Originally Posted by WISluggo

I am looking for a family hauler that will also serve as my daily (unless the dog heads to day care). I live in WI and about 40 minutes from the nearest dealer. I drove an m550 yesterday and really liked it. It was a cpo 27k miles, 2019 and $61k. I also found a 2019 m5 comp in DG for 75k with 36k miles. I know this is preaching to the choir, but while more expensive I suspect the M5 would hold its value a bit better since I keep my cars typically less than 3 years. Should I go for the m5 or stick with the m550? The m550 is local but the m5 is a flight away.

For the OP - this should be purely a financial decision. I've had both. The M550 is a fantastic car. Powerful, luxurious, good handling, very elegant. The M5 is all that. x 10. (but only x .3 to .4 on price).

If you have the financial means - M5 all day long. M cars and M "light" cars are very different beasts. If you even need to give the financial aspect a second thought - then M550 is an easy (and good) choice.

[jm490]

I made the mistake of thinking an m340 was close enough to an M3 and regretted it years ago. I will not make that mistake twice no matter how good the deal is on the M550 id rather wait a year and get the M5 by a long shot.

[subterFUSE]

Dropped off my M5 Comp for service today. They gave me a 5 series LCI loaner.

OMG, they are not even within in the same universe. No comparison.

If I had to drive the regular 5 series as my daily, I would probably shoot myself. 😆

[CosmicCharlie]

Originally Posted by subterFUSE

Dropped off my M5 Comp for service today. They gave me a 5 series LCI loaner.

OMG, they are not even within in the same universe. No comparison.

If I had to drive the regular 5 series as my daily, I would probably shoot myself. 😆

Meanwhile, I have a Kia Forte from enterprise rental while my car is getting oil, spark plugs, and windshield 👎

[Ropes]

A rental is the most capable of road vehicle ever made.