Schomp BMW

At Schomp BMW, we price our cars at the low-end of the pricing spectrum to ensure that we are offering truly competitive pricing.  Our goal has always been to have great prices, great service, and to sell as many cars as possible.


Safety

The BMW 5 Series Sedan has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The M Series doesn't offer Daytime Running Lights.

 

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the 5 Series Sedan helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The M Series doesn't offer a night vision system.

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers an optional side-view and top-view cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The M Series only offers a rear monitor.

 

The 5 Series Sedan has standard BMW Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it's stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The M Series doesn't offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies.

 

Both the 5 Series Sedan and the M Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.

 

Warranty

 

The 5 Series Sedan's corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the M Series (12 vs. 7 years).

 

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 5 Series Sedan for 4 years and 50,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotation, lubrication and any other scheduled maintenance. Infiniti doesn't pay scheduled maintenance for the M Series.

 

There are over 2 times as many BMW dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier to get service under the 5 Series Sedan's warranty.

 

Reliability

 

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the 5 Series Sedan has a standard 170-amp alternator (210-amp - 5 Series Sedan V8). The M Series' 150-amp alternator isn't as powerful.

 

The battery on the 5 Series Sedan is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures which can degrade battery life. By keeping the 5 Series Sedan's battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The M Series' battery is in the hot engine compartment.

 

Engine

 

The 550i Sedan's 4.4 turbo V8 produces 33 lbs.-ft. more torque (450 vs. 417) than the M56's optional 5.6 DOHC V8.

 

As tested in Car and Driver the 535i Sedan is faster than the M37 (automatics tested):

	5 Series Sedan	M Series
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	5.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14 sec	14.1 sec

 

For more instantaneous acceleration and better engine flexibility in any gear, the 5 Series Sedan's engines produce their peak torque at lower RPM's than the M Series:

	Torque
528i Sedan 3.0 DOHC 6 cyl.	2750 RPM
535i Sedan 3.0 turbo 6 cyl.	1200 RPM
550i Sedan 4.4 turbo V8	1750 RPM
M37 3.7 DOHC V6	5200 RPM
M56 5.6 DOHC V8	4400 RPM

 

Fuel Economy and Range

 

On the EPA test cycle the 5 Series Sedan gets better fuel mileage than the M Series:

		5 Series	M Series
2WD	528i/Auto	22 city/32 hwy	n/a
	535i/Auto	20 city/30 hwy	18 city/25 hwy	M37
	550i/Auto	17 city/25 hwy	16 city/25 hwy	M56
AWD	535i/Auto	19 city/29 hwy	17 city/24 hwy	M37
	M56/Auto	n/a	16 city/23 hwy

 

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the BMW 5 Series Sedan uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The M Series requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

 

Transmission

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and fuel economy. The M Series doesn't offer a manual transmission.

 

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the BMW 5 Series Sedan, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the M Series.

 

Brakes and Stopping

 

For better stopping power the 5 Series Sedan's brake rotors are larger than those on the M Series:

	528i Sedan	550i Sedan	M Series	M Series
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	14.7 inches	12.6 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	12.6 inches	14.6 inches	12.1 inches	13.8 inches

 

The 5 Series Sedan stops shorter than the M Series:

	5 Series Sedan	M Series
70 to 0 MPH	163 feet	171 feet	Car and Driver

 

Tires and Wheels

 

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 5 Series Sedan can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The M Series doesn't offer run-flat tires.

 

Suspension and Handling

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The M Series doesn't offer an active sway bar system.

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Infiniti doesn't offer an active suspension on the M Series.

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The M Series' suspension doesn't offer adjustable shock absorbers.

 

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 5 Series Sedan's wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than on the M Series (116.9 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

 

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the 5 Series Sedan is 1 inch wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the M Series.

 

The 5 Series Sedan's front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.8% to 49.2%) than the M Series' (53.7% to 46.3%). This gives the 5 Series Sedan more stable handling and braking.

 

The 535i Sedan handles at .86 G's, while the M37 pulls only .82 G's of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

 

Chassis

 

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the 535i Sedan is quieter than the M37 (69 vs. 73 dB).

 

Passenger Space

 

The 5 Series Sedan has 1.4 inches more front headroom and .6 inches more rear headroom than the M Series.

 

Cargo Capacity

 

The 5 Series Sedan's optional rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The M Series doesn't offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

 

Towing

 

The 5 Series Sedan has a 4409 lbs. towing capacity. The M Series has no towing capacity.

 

Servicing Ease

 

The 5 Series Sedan has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery's water level. The M Series doesn't have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery's cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

 

Ergonomics

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers an optional heads-up display which projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts onto the windshield, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The M Series doesn't offer a heads-up display.

 

The power windows standard on both the 5 Series Sedan and the M Series have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 5 Series Sedan is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The M Series prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

 

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The 5 Series Sedan offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The M Series doesn't offer headlight washers.

 

While driving with high-beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the 5 Series Sedan detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low-beams. The M Series doesn't offer automatic dimming high-beams.

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers optional automatic dimming rear and side view mirrors which automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The M Series has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don't dim.

 

The 5 Series Sedan's optional Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The M Series doesn't offer an automated parking system.

 

Model Availability

 

The BMW 5 Series comes in sedan and four-door hatchback bodystyles; the Infiniti M Series isn't available as a four-door hatchback.

 

Recommendations

 

The BMW 5 Series outsold the Infiniti M Series by almost three to one during the 2010 model year.