[Matts435coupe]

Brought my car in for an airbag light and was pleasantly surprised to get a brand new 535 for a loaner. I have had my new 335i a week, just a simple sensor for the airbag and didn't have time to wait, so I got a loaner. What I love about the BMW compared to my last car a G37, is how tight and precise the steering feels in the car. When I drove the new 535 I felt like I was back in a Japanese car. The wheel was very lose and had to much play, it just didn't have the feel I have come to expect from a BMW. Is it possible newer generation cars have lost that feel or the higher up the models go the loser they get. Anybody else experience this?

[Tom K.]

Doesn't the 5 now have electronically boosted steering? Although the electric steering in my '03 Z4 didn't have any play - but it didn't provide much road feel, either.

Tom

[dreamingat30fps]

I felt the same way when I test drove one back when they first came out. Bloated piggy, very nice and comfortable though.

[nogard13]

Does your car have the Sports Package? Did the 535i? That might account for the different dynamics (though the 5 series is geared more towards the "cruisin'" crowd).

[kdbryce]

could have been the "variable sport steering" option (i think that's what it's called)

many reviews have bashed it for taking away from the classic bmw feel

[tomtom11]

i heard even the newer 335i's have lost that tight feeling as well. BMW PLEASE DONT EVER ELECTRONIC BOOSTED STEERING CRAP

[shata]

5, 7 series just arnt driver cars thats why your never going to have the feel of 1 series or 3 series in those. Specially with a 7 - I test drove 745i before I got my E90 and ya you can put finger on wheel and turn its 360 degrees its pretty much no road feel whats so ever.

[raj55]

Having owned the 3 series and having recently driven the new 5 series, I agree fully with Shata, the 5 series is not the driver's car like the 3 series. The tight control and quick response steering and the ride feed back is missing in the 5 series. It feels more like a mushy ride Volvo. Not my car just now, may be in 10 years time because by then I would have retired and would be looking for a more mushy ride like the Volvo. But then I will probably buy the Volvo then, it will be cheaper than the 5 series. Actually the Volvo V60 is not bad at all. It tries to imitate the 3 series handling quality.

[742]

My wife and I own an E90. We also own a 2002tii, which both of us are looking forward to driving this weekend.

On the other hand we just bought a new car for daily local driving, and it is a GTI. Our next car will be in the "touring" class for long distance driving as we hit retirement, and given our history it should be a 5 series. But it probably will not be.

BMW is not what it used to be. In a sense this a fair enough, they can run the company as they see fit and seek the customers that they want. After all BWM in 1960 was not the same company/customer base as BMW in 1980. Nevertheless this is a sad transition. But since we like to drive, don't like to "make an impression" and buy our cars outright, it is clear that we do not fit the BMW business model.

But to have a 520d.....in manual.....

[AddictedToBavarian]

I also got a 2011 528 loaner. Is it nice? Definitely. But BLAH as hell.

[r3dbimmer89]

Originally Posted by Matts335coupe

Brought my car in for an airbag light and was pleasantly surprised to get a brand new 535 for a loaner. I have had my new 335i a week, just a simple sensor for the airbag and didn't have time to wait, so I got a loaner. What I love about the BMW compared to my last car a G37, is how tight and precise the steering feels in the car. When I drove the new 535 I felt like I was back in a Japanese car. The wheel was very lose and had to much play, it just didn't have the feel I have come to expect from a BMW. Is it possible newer generation cars have lost that feel or the higher up the models go the loser they get. Anybody else experience this?

Every 5 series up to the F10 all had great steering feel. It was always the sporty alternative in its class but things changed with the F10 so now you have a comfortable cruiser that is more a scale down version of the 7 rather than an upscale version of the 3.

[Yay-Z]

Originally Posted by Matts335coupe

Brought my car in for an airbag light and was pleasantly surprised to get a brand new 535 for a loaner. I have had my new 335i a week, just a simple sensor for the airbag and didn't have time to wait, so I got a loaner. What I love about the BMW compared to my last car a G37, is how tight and precise the steering feels in the car. When I drove the new 535 I felt like I was back in a Japanese car. The wheel was very lose and had to much play, it just didn't have the feel I have come to expect from a BMW. Is it possible newer generation cars have lost that feel or the higher up the models go the loser they get. Anybody else experience this?

Felt the same way when I test drove the new 5, pretty sad

[gatoman39]

I OWN both cars, and have had a lot of seat time with both. You can't even compare the two. First of all the 335i out of the box is a drivers car. When you add sport package, or Msport, or 19 inch rims or go for the 335is or M3 it takes an already capable drivers car and turns it into a track tool.
The 5 series starts as a luxury car. It's much more refined, larger,civilized, and mature. In order to make it more of a drivers car you have to order a host of expensive options, then it becomes much more suited to aggressive driving. It's still not a spots car though, it's too big and you can't defy the laws of physics. Even the M5 with all it's power will still be much harder to maneuver on the track than an M3.

It's been said before but it bears repeating the 3 is a sports car with some luxury while the 5 is a luxury car with some sport. This was done on purpose, and considering how big the 3 and 5 have become, the 1 is the new 3 and the 3 is the new 5.

[mo2566]

Originally Posted by gatoman39

I OWN both cars, and have had a lot of seat time with both.

How is the roominess in the 5 compared to the 3? It didnt look that much different on paper, but that wouldn't make sense to not have the 5 noticeably bigger.

[Soliditude]

Originally Posted by Matts335coupe

Brought my car in for an airbag light and was pleasantly surprised to get a brand new 535 for a loaner. I have had my new 335i a week, just a simple sensor for the airbag and didn't have time to wait, so I got a loaner. What I love about the BMW compared to my last car a G37, is how tight and precise the steering feels in the car. When I drove the new 535 I felt like I was back in a Japanese car. The wheel was very lose and had to much play, it just didn't have the feel I have come to expect from a BMW. Is it possible newer generation cars have lost that feel or the higher up the models go the loser they get. Anybody else experience this?

What you felt was the electric-powered steering instead of the hydraulic-powered that we're used to. The new 3-series has the same thing. If steering feel is that vital to you, you will have the same experience with even the new 335i's, unfortunately.

[superjay]

the F10 535 is rather pedestrian when compared to 5 of the past...and especially your 3. They softened them quite a bit because the 5 is typically driven by mommies. Men tend to reach a bit more for the 550, which is considerably stiffer, harder, faster, and much more "Ultimate driving machine" than the lesser 5. Every review written has placed the 5 dead last against it's other German stablemates.

[galahad05]

The 535 used to be the preferred tool of choice for hard driving (more so than the 550). Better weight, great punch.
Now, from what I'm hearing.....

[jeffro535]

I had a e34 535 when I lived in Germany a few years ago. Did some fairly mild mods to it and it was a great car, but not a 3. It was fast, not quick, supremely competent on the 'bahn but it made you work for it on the twisties. Steering feel was definetly lighter and less communicative than a 3 so that coupled with the Pilot Sport's sudden breakaway charicterisitc caught me off guard a couple of times. I think the comparison is still valid today. Depends on what you want. The 335 i have now is much more suited to my current situation and much more at home on back roads. Having said that, with the CAI and a Remus exhaust, I miss the howl that M30 had at full power!

[gatoman39]

Originally Posted by superjay

the F10 535 is rather pedestrian when compared to 5 of the past...and especially your 3. They softened them quite a bit because the 5 is typically driven by mommies. Men tend to reach a bit more for the 550, which is considerably stiffer, harder, faster, and much more "Ultimate driving machine" than the lesser 5. Every review written has placed the 5 dead last against it's other German stablemates.

Not true. The 550i although as fast as a E39 M5 is even heavier (4365 lbs) and that weight penalty comes through in twisty roads. As far as every review pitting the 5 dead last, i'm not sure what magazines or articles you're reading but that is a total exaggeration. In fact it's the EClass that's usually bringing up the rear

Originally Posted by galahad05

The 535 used to be the preferred tool of choice for hard driving (more so than the 550). Better weight, great punch.
Now, from what I'm hearing.....

Still the case. The 550i is very fast in a straight line, but a RWD version is 4365 lbs and the AWD version is 4519 lbs.
2012 BMW 535i First Test
The Middle Ground: Learning To Say Goldilocks In Bavarian

[Matts435coupe]

Originally Posted by mo2566

How is the roominess in the 5 compared to the 3? It didnt look that much different on paper, but that wouldn't make sense to not have the 5 noticeably bigger.

The backseat in my loaner does not look that much bigger then the new 3 series. The 5 is obviously bigger, but the cabin room doesn't appear to be much bigger.

[mo2566]

Originally Posted by Matts335coupe

The backseat in my loaner does not look that much bigger then the new 3 series. The 5 is obviously bigger, but the cabin room doesn't appear to be much bigger.

thanks, the #'s and pictures don't show much difference but I haven't sat in both yet.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by Matts335coupe

The backseat in my loaner does not look that much bigger then the new 3 series. The 5 is obviously bigger, but the cabin room doesn't appear to be much bigger.

I am not sure what are you talking about?!
The FRONT and the back are definitely bigger and more comfortable.
The cabin is wider and definitely totally different than the 3 (especially the e9x)...