Not sure what your point is. The only transmission options in the 5er Series are six-speed transmissions.
That is what I always thought too, but try finding a 5 wagon with a manual nowadays. People look at ya like you have two heads! Glad BMW finally gave us the option again in October.
WOW, this place has sure changed. Looks a lot better and folks are actually posting! Just wanted to say Hi, I usually hang out on the E60forums where all the answers are. I have an 08 535i TiAg.
Since there is not much content yet I thought i would add my two bits. I have had a Dinan equipped 2002 540i Sport for 4 years, and just recently traded it for a 2008 528i with a sport package. I'm not sure how i feel about this just yet. Any thoughts on performance upgrades? Thanks, and i look forward to chatting with you all.
Personal Opinion to follow: Performance mods are personal taste. The first thing you need to ask yourself is why are you changing things (notice I say change and not upgrade since many "upgrades" are counter productive). Looks? Perceived performance? Style? Keeping in mind all along that the 528 is not the beast your 540 was. Not trying to be a jerk or anything, but as I get older I find I am finally understanding (and listening too) the wisdom shared with me by numerous driving instructors, driving coaches, race instructors, etc. That little bit is, "other than cosmetic changes don't try to upgrade a car until you are near the cars limits, not yours". Many folks get a new car, make what they think are performance mods and actually don't improve the car at all. I made that mistake twice. Spent a boat load of cash right after buying a new car on what people told me were upgrades only to find myself taking many of them off when my driving skills improved. If you haven't done so yet, take that 5er to your local road course and really drive it some. Any PDX, HPDE, FATT or better yet a BMWCCA Driver's school would work. Any performance mods that need to be made to that car based on YOUR driving style will make themselves visible at that time. After driving a 528 for a week I found it to be a very willing dance partner out of the box. Other than replacing the stock tires with some good performance rubber, initially at least I think the capabilities will surprise you. If you end up with a laundry list of things to change, maybe you should look into trading it for another model that has more of what you want (if that is an option). That way you don't take too much of a hit and aren't left with a highly modded car you can't get rid of. And to let you know, I am not trying to claim to be some "great driver" or "know-it-all"..just trying to pass on something I didn't necessarily want to believe. Just my opinion FWIW Cheers!
I think you make an excellent point. I think the first upgrade should be to the driver and I have gone to multiple Skip Barber, BMW CCA, Porsche, and BMW Performance Center schools with this in mind. It always amazes me how much I can learn about getting more control of my car and also increasing the fun factor in just a few short hours of instruction. I've also observed that many mods have the opposite effect and either adversely impact appearance and/or performance.
No offense taken. Those are all very good points, and ones which I will give some further attention to. I suppose what I am truly seeking are enhancements to the looks of the car more than anything else. The car is an absolute pleasure to drive, it is just going to take some time to adjust to a car with less performance. However, as you stated the current level of performance that my 528i offers, far exceeds my abilities to use it. Hopefully that gap will close a little as I plan on attending the next BMW CCA driving event in Topeka. Thanks again
Does the 528 Sport Package come with the M aero kit? I know they make one for the Station wagon that looks very nice. Price wasn't too bad either.
