Infiniti 56s vs BMW 550I M Sport

[Dicemoney6]

Ok, so I been driving Infiniti for a while. My last car was a 2003 Infiniti M45 that I had for almost 10 years, before was an Acura Legend for a while, before that was a 1990 Q45. I've been pretty much an Infiniti guy. I just recently got a 2012 Infiniti m56s that I have been wanting for a while. Around the same time my friend in NY was looking for a BMW 550I that was down in the Atlanta area and wanted me to go check it out for him. I check 2 cars out one with Xdrive and one was just RWD, both M-Sport verisons 2013. When I drove them, they both gave me a completely different expericenece kind of how I felt when I first drove my Y34. I just recently drove the car up to NY for him. The handling, the tq and comfort just felt like it was on another level. Car felt heavy but was very easy to handle. My m56 is def a great car but there was something about the 550i. I have been doing reseearch and looking at the older comparisons on Edmunds and different sites saying that the 56 outperformed the 550i in 2011 but it was just that the 550i was a better everyday car because of the suspension. ay all of that to ask what do you guys think? Is is there anyway to get the M56s to get that feel, or is that just how BMWs are? I was never really interested in purchasing BMWS or Benz or anything like because you get more in performance and a more reliable car with Infiniti. Is there anything I can do to get that type of the experience on my car?

[Dicemoney6]

Any input?

[EdBwoy]

It's the magic sauce. I haven't driven the 550i, but I have the 535, or whatever the twin turbo 6 cyl is. The handling was good for the size of car. It's interesting as to how soft yet planted it felt. The steering was pretty good too.
I feel the same about their 7 series as well.

Driving the M56S feels like playing with a rodeo bull - the DI engine sounds angry even at idle. The car is big, tall with a high center of gravity, and feels heavy. Not heavy and unable, it's just that it constantly reminds you "hey, never seen a fat boy move so fast, huh?"

I have mentioned in other fora how balanced I find the 06-10 M45 to be. Just enough power, weight and handling to stay fun. If I were to run away from the cops in the canyons and I absolutely had to do it in a 4 door Nissan with a V8, my 08 m45s would be my choice. The M56 sport is a brutal drag racer and straight line cruiser.

I think this is more of an issue with ground up design and purpose, so changing just one aspect of the suspension (like lowering springs or aftermarket coilovers) might not instill Bavarian manners into the M56. There's the chassis, steering, and other preset suspension tendencies to contend with.

[Dicemoney6]

Ok, got you thanks for the input. Def feels a bit awkord. I've never drive the 06-10 but I was very satisfied with my 03 45. So they 535 and 7 series both feel like that? Have you driven the 5 series from around 06-10, if so how would you take the M over the 5 of those years with all things equal being the reliability and maintenance?

Its just surprising to me that I can really tell the difference, I kind of wish I never drove the car and at the same time feel like i have been missing out being stuck on Infinitis. Do you know if the all wheel drive version of the newer models feel any different?

Got youI guess will keep the M56 for a couple of years but I know I won't be able to keep it and be as satisfied as I was will the 03 M45. I guess BMWs were made to really be the ultimate driving machines lol.

[parkstr8r]

Hi - I had a 550 a while back. While I loved it...to make a story short - it was bought back by BMW. If you are buying used be prepared for out of pocket expense. And they are not cheap to fix. What year are you looking at?

The ride is def different...but with proper springs or coilovers it will help our cars a lot. I'm waiting for my Stance to come in. The m/Qs sit higher...and they are not as planted...a bit frenetic on various surfaces. Coilovers are lot less pricey to mod than fixing any single issue on a used BMW.

I will take bullet proof reliability over a slightly more planted ride that I can hopefully adjust.

[Dicemoney6]

2011 - 2013, Yea thats one of the things I have been thinking about. But I understand maintenance but is it just that the cars have a lot problems and need a lot of repairs or is it based on people beating on their cars because they are BMWs? Would a good warranty like our Elite Infiniti plan minimize the expenses?

Ok yea hopefully the coilovers improve the ride? Do the Awd versions ride different from the sport and was any of this improved with the newer Q70s? And the tests said the M56 was faster than 550i but it definitely doesn't fill like it.

One thing I will say is that I thought I was unbeatable testing driving the car from stop light to stop light and a Audi S6 (not sure what year or if it had work) but it got me while in the 550i every time.

[Larz]

I have a couple of mates with the 7 series and the 6 series. They are a completely different car than anything Infiniti offers and it's completely evident from the moment you open the door and climb inside. Just sitting in them is different. I won't say 'better', just different in a good way. Driving them is also different - also in a good way. However, the maintenance costs much more, and after about 6 years or so, the repairs start piling up.
I don't fancy the $100 oil changes, the $900 brake jobs, etc. I just called my mate and asked about his costs. He told me he just had the 2014 750 in for overheating issue, a new battery, and oil change. the cost? $2,400. Prior to that, a squeaky fan motor cost $600 to replace. He is soon to trade it on a new one and says if you by a BMW, trade it the day the warranty expires. It's the only way to keep costs down, LOL.

[paranoidjack]

It's the magic sauce. I haven't driven the 550i, but I have the 535, or whatever the twin turbo 6 cyl is. The handling was good for the size of car. It's interesting as to how soft yet planted it felt. The steering was pretty good too.
I feel the same about their 7 series as well.

Driving the M56S feels like playing with a rodeo bull - the DI engine sounds angry even at idle. The car is big, tall with a high center of gravity, and feels heavy. Not heavy and unable, it's just that it constantly reminds you "hey, never seen a fat boy move so fast, huh?"

I have mentioned in other fora how balanced I find the 06-10 M45 to be. Just enough power, weight and handling to stay fun. If I were to run away from the cops in the canyons and I absolutely had to do it in a 4 door Nissan with a V8, my 08 m45s would be my choice. The M56 sport is a brutal drag racer and straight line cruiser.

I think this is more of an issue with ground up design and purpose, so changing just one aspect of the suspension (like lowering springs or aftermarket coilovers) might not instill Bavarian manners into the M56. There's the chassis, steering, and other preset suspension tendencies to contend with.

This is an incredible summary of the 56s. My friends laugh when I tell them you have to learn how to drive it. It really just has an animal personality that begs to be released - but the car never relaxes. Even on the highway, it wants to play. I wouldn't say I'm disappointed, but perhaps I was hoping for a bit more luxury. 2 cars ago I had a '00 Q45 AE. What a different car! I love my 56s, but it doesn't really enjoy playing nice, it is a driver's car through and through, even if you just feel like cruising you have to put the work in. I drove my friends 2015 Accord the other day and laughed - I feel as if a 10 year old could drive it cross country without issue. Just does what you want it to do - in a very bland, uninspired, Accord way. I wouldn't trade my Beast for anything, and have no clue what I will step up to, but the M56 is really a different kind of car, it is 60 percent luxury - but still 60 percent sportscar!

[parkstr8r]

I just got my 18 Q70S (had a 15 Q70S for a year before my Audi) coming from a 2016 Audi S6 with over 10k in mods - tune, sways, center brace, full matte wrap, RS5 20's, etc. I LOVED that car. But it was not a car to drive around Dallas and put tons of miles on.

Here is an example - I caught a rock chip on my new car. Luckily it could be repaired for 130. Audi you can't repair that acoustic double pane glass. So a rock chip in the windshield would be 2400 for the glass and another 800 to recalibrate all the nannies in the technology package. Brakes are well over 1600. Headlights - if you crack or chip one are 2200+ each, oil changes 150. ETC. I dumped mine at 17k miles as I found out there was a small leak in the bevel box - which is part of the sports differential. It could not be fixed, had to be replaced - to the tune of 8k. ALso - many S6s turbos are blowing starting around 40k miles...16k to replace. In many ways it was a great car...but had things that I hated about it for a 100k vehicle.

I state this because a BMW without a warranty can be the same. My 550 was new when I bought it...I would never buy a used German anything unless it was a project car. For the record - I've had 67 cars of which 12 were Infiniti or Nissan.

The Q is not a perfect car and an old platform...but it is an outstanding low maintenance, good looking daily that is bullet proof. I don't really compare it to the Audi or the BMW as those sticker prices are well over 30k more when new...and 30k in upgrades creates a very different car. Plus - Audi and BMW have been around perfecting for a lot longer than Infiniti. Just look how often they upgrade each model.

You didn't ask...but my advice is stay away from german unless you have deep pockets.

[Dicemoney6]

Ok thanks for all the input guys. Ok so overall right...if everything was equal cost of and cost to maintain the cars the BMW or even possibly an Audi would be the choice but overall with what we get with performance and reliability the M/Q is a better choice

[Dicemoney6]

I kind of thought I made the wrong decision but for my financial situation i made the best choice. I would like about 50 more lbs of torque and hopefully coilovers improve the feel of the ride.

[EdBwoy]

Good summaries above. I've always known that I didn't want a brand new German car, but Park's firsthand experience is enlightening... and to know you came back to Infiniti willingly.
I am glad I'm not the only one that felt that way about the M. It truly does take some attention to fully enjoy the Y51, and to be deliberate in wanting to drive it; moreso the sport V8.

I kind of thought I made the wrong decision but for my financial situation i made the best choice. I would like about 50 more lbs of torque and hopefully coilovers improve the feel of the ride.

I am genuinely curious especially since you have owned other Infiniti sedans. Do you think the M56 is underpowered and in need of more thrust? Or is this mainly due to driving the BMW and wishing for the biggest, baddest dog in the fight?

[Dicemoney6]

...
I am genuinely curious especially since you have owned other Infiniti sedans. Do you think the M56 is underpowered and in need of more thrust? Or is this mainly due to driving the BMW and wishing for the biggest, baddest dog in the fight?

I think its a mixture. I test drove an M56 a few times before I purchased mine. While I did feel it was fast, I didn't feel it was the night and day experience that I felt the first time I drove my 03 M45 or even my 90 Q45. I held off maybe a year or 2 before I pulled the trigger I think because of that.

As far as underpowered, before I drove the 550i, I always thought compared to our cars, the Infiniti would always provide more power and that the none M BMWs were just overrated so driving it surprised and gave me the feel of power that I thought we were supposed to get when I test drove the M56. So on paper its not, but driving it, it does feel a bit underpowered.

I do like always having the best baddest in the fight that's why I want the 50 lbs of tq. Even if the suspension can't be fixed to compare to the driving experience of the BMW, as long as I can get that feeling when I floor it, I will be satisfied.

[armybrat]

Ok, so I been driving Infiniti for a while. My last car was a 2003 Infiniti M45 that I had for almost 10 years, before was an Acura Legend for a while, before that was a 1990 Q45. I've been pretty much an Infiniti guy. I just recently got a 2012 Infiniti m56s that I have been wanting for a while. Around the same time my friend in NY was looking for a BMW 550I that was down in the Atlanta area and wanted me to go check it out for him. I check 2 cars out one with Xdrive and one was just RWD, both M-Sport verisons 2013. When I drove them, they both gave me a completely different expericenece kind of how I felt when I first drove my Y34. I just recently drove the car up to NY for him. The handling, the tq and comfort just felt like it was on another level. Car felt heavy but was very easy to handle. My m56 is def a great car but there was something about the 550i. I have been doing reseearch and looking at the older comparisons on Edmunds and different sites saying that the 56 outperformed the 550i in 2011 but it was just that the 550i was a better everyday car because of the suspension. ay all of that to ask what do you guys think? Is is there anyway to get the M56s to get that feel, or is that just how BMWs are? I was never really interested in purchasing BMWS or Benz or anything like because you get more in performance and a more reliable car with Infiniti. Is there anything I can do to get that type of the experience on my car?

The M56 may have outperformed the 550i but not the 550i M Sport. They are two different vehicles.

I have a '12 M56x with mods (see my signature). I don't own a BMW M5 but my brother had leased a 2013 BMW M5, which I had the pleasure of driving a few times up in Annapolis, MD while visiting a few years ago. You simply can't compare these two vehicles. The M Sport is a high performance package that bumped the 550i price up to $90K plus. (back then) 560 HP with 500 lbs torque. Settings for suspension, traction, shifting, steering, all of which can be customized and saved. Locking rear diff that can go from open to fully locked. His had the 7 speed dual clutch automatic. Much more other stuff, you can google it up. M56 - well it's just a base model M with a V8, and all of the options/packages that you can get with it. The M Sports are meant for spirited driving, period. Yeah you can mod the M all you want but it won't be near the M Sport performance. Oh yeah that's a stock M Sport, not even counting a Com Package M Sport or other modded M Sports.

A more fair comparison would be the 550i without the M Sport package. The performance numbers are more inline with the M56. 400 Hp with 450 lb torque. 0 - 60 and 1/4 mile times are pretty close, mpg's are almost identical. 8 speed Steptronic transmission. While both are more suited for daily driving as opposed to spirited driving, I still believe that the 550i wins in the overall handling department...however, I'm basing my opinion on driving the M5, not the standard 550i.

The BMW X Drive is superior to our AWD IMHO. It's similar to the Acura SH-AWD in that it's AWD all the time, not rear wheel bias like the M56. If you have the X Drive M Sport version, it works with the DPC to shift torque side to side at the rear axle, in addition to front/back like the Acura.

Of course you're looking at overall higher maintenance costs, insurance, etc. with BMW, unless you lease. Overall long term reliability and costs of ownership goes to Nissan/Infiniti IMHO, but I'm sure there are folks who have had similar and different experiences with both brands.

[Kprad12]

This is an incredible summary of the 56s. My friends laugh when I tell them you have to learn how to drive it. It really just has an animal personality that begs to be released - but the car never relaxes. Even on the highway, it wants to play. I wouldn't say I'm disappointed, but perhaps I was hoping for a bit more luxury. 2 cars ago I had a '00 Q45 AE. What a different car! I love my 56s, but it doesn't really enjoy playing nice, it is a driver's car through and through, even if you just feel like cruising you have to put the work in. I drove my friends 2015 Accord the other day and laughed - I feel as if a 10 year old could drive it cross country without issue. Just does what you want it to do - in a very bland, uninspired, Accord way. I wouldn't trade my Beast for anything, and have no clue what I will step up to, but the M56 is really a different kind of car, it is 60 percent luxury - but still 60 percent sportscar!

Wow I guess the 5.6 makes a huge difference in the way the car feels. It is a whole different engine i guess . My m37 feels more luxurious than sporty. I wouldn't call it a true drivers car after driving the m4 for a while which many still don't consider a driver's car. Don't get me wrong the m37 still surprises my friends but definitely wouldn't say it was hard to drive in any way or it takes more effort to drive. This is from a owner who has even taken the big girl on curvy mountain roads on a couple occasions. The car was easy to drive fast gapping a brz I was driving with, even in some of the corners.

[Dicemoney6]

...

The M56 may have outperformed the 550i but not the 550i M Sport. They are two different vehicles.
...

I understand what your saying but the M Sport is different from the M 5 also. The Msport was also rated at 400hp with 450lb tq. For the most part it was upgraded suspension/steering and accents on the 550i like the steering wheel, bumper and some other interior items.

My friend is actually installing a Dinan chip that will increase the hp by 100 and the tq by 75 I think, to get it closer to rhe performance of the M5.

I def think I should test drive the regular 550i to see how much of a difference there is. It just surprised how much of a difference there was compared to our cars and wanted to see if others knew this already.

What kind of mods do have on your M56?

[armybrat]

I understand what your saying but the M Sport is different from the M 5 also. The Msport was also rated at 400hp with 450lb tq. For the most part it was upgraded suspension/steering and accents on the 550i like the steering wheel, bumper and some other interior items.

My friend is actually installing a Dinan chip that will increase the hp by 100 and the tq by 75 I think, to get it closer to rhe performance of the M5.

I def think I should test drive the regular 550i to see how much of a difference there is. It just surprised how much of a difference there was compared to our cars and wanted to see if others knew this already.

What kind of mods do have on your M56?

You're right, sorry for the confusion on my part. Even the M Sport Package (not the M5) will be more suited for spirited driving. I am guessing the M5 has the same exterior and interior mods, in addition to the powertrain mod as well, so the stiffer ride and handling part should be pretty close. I believe you'll find that the base 550i has more comfortable seats, compared to the sport seats in the M5 and M Sport Package. They can make a difference in how the car feels. The base M56 and M56x has different seats than the M56s. I've driven both, (Walt Woods and I met up in Greensboro and compared rides. He has a M56s modded like mine). We drove each other's cars, and we both concur that the sport seats are not as comfy as the base and AWD.

I replaced the exhaust from the manifolds back with a larger diameter 2-1/2" mandrel bent X-pipe and Infiniti Sport mufflers, no resonators. I replaced the ribbed intake hoses with HPS silicone hoses, and run the AEM Dryflow oil-less reuseable air filters. Uprev tuned to tie it all in. Stock everything else. I also run the 93 ethanol free gas.

[Dicemoney6]

...

Oh ok, got you..Now I want to try the AWD seats to how they feel. You think feel of the suspension (softer on the AWD would makes a big difference?
I'm up in NY now and have been driving the 550i and the drive still feels good but I have gotten comfortable with my M56s. So while handling still feels very good the main thing that is still super impressive is the torque and push about the seats when I hit the gas.

Ok, how much improvement in hp and tq did you gain? Can you really feel the difference? Like I said I think I would ve satisfied with some coilovers about 50lbs of tq.

Do you know about air bag suspension and does that completely change the feel of the ride?

[armybrat]

Oh ok, got you..Now I want to try the AWD seats to how they feel. You think feel of the suspension (softer on the AWD would makes a big difference?
I'm up in NY now and have been driving the 550i and the drive still feels good but I have gotten comfortable with my M56s. So while handling still feels very good the main thing that is still super impressive is the torque and push about the seats when I hit the gas.

Ok, how much improvement in hp and tq did you gain? Can you really feel the difference? Like I said I think I would ve satisfied with some coilovers about 50lbs of tq.

Do you know about air bag suspension and does that completely change the feel of the ride?

I haven't had a chance to dyno my car since I did my mods. I read of someone who did their M56 with similar mods, and I believe he said he got around 456 hp at the crank, not sure of the torque. I will try and find where I read that. The difference is subtle, not "throw you in the back seat" difference. It just runs better IMHO, better mileage too. I will say that the car does run good in stock form, so I guess it depends on what you want to get out of your car performance wise.

My suspension/wheels are stock, so I can't offer any feedback on that. The sport model is a stiffer ride, more noticeable with the stiffer suspension, sport seats and 20" wheels (less rubber on the road). The AWD also uses a liquid filled motor mount which may have an effect on the road feel. As a daily driver/commuter car, I prefer the luxury ride, after comparing my AWD to Walt's M56s.

There are several threads on air bags/coilover mods if you use the search function on the right of this screen to find them, or maybe someone else can chime in on that.

Overall, I am enjoying this car!

[Dicemoney6]

...

Ok, got it. Thank for the info!

[walt1227]

Like Vic stated we drove each others cars. I like the ride of his AWD M56 better than my M56S. The sport seats suck in these cars and I prefer the seats out of the base model as they provide more comfort. They have this very soft cushion to them that makes taking long trips more reasonable. The suspension on the base AWD M56 is more forgiving as when you hit a bump you barely notice it. When you hit a bump in my M56S you will def fell it. I think Infiniti should not call the seats in the S model sport seats as they don't have any bolsters and when going around deep corners or making sharp turns you move with the body.

Performance wise I can say from experience that nothing out there now stock has been able to outrun me. I have beat 2 Scat pack R/T Chargers, outran a Hellcat Challenger up to 1/8 mile then he went bye bye lol. Beat countless 5.0 mustangs and even had a GT 500 think it was a 2012 run away scared after he tried to pull on me when I was pulling out of my subdivision heading to work one morning. I pulled up to the stop light afterwards and he said "that thing ain't got nothing for this right here." I said we can run them right now and he said nah not today. Every since that day I have pulled up side him on our way to work or pass him on the road as we stay near each other and he avoids me. As for power on the M56 I read either in Motor Trend or Car and Driver that they took a bone stock M56 base model with only K&N drop ins and dyno on a dyno jet to the tune of 390 RWHP. So with 20% drivetrain lost on a automatic that car was putting down 468hp at the crank.
The car is heavy but barely is 4k pounds and by the time you remove that super heavy stock exhaust you remove a little over a 100lbs putting the car in the 3900lbs weight range. Get rid of the heavy stock 20's, spare tire and a few other things and you have a 3700-3800lbs monster that can stand toe to toe with most cars on the road today. About two weeks ago I had just came back from a long trip driving 90 mph for 180 miles and got back in town to have a modded 2014 Mustang pull up beside me at the light. I was heat soaked bad and lost a good amount of power plus had 3 other people in the car with me. I got off the line very slow and do you know that Mustang could not get past my front door! I was disappointed because I really wanted to tear him a new one but after thinking about the conditions I was in I ended up with a big smile to know this 5.6 is a monster that nobody should take lightly. It's not a Corvette or something more exotic but it is a sleeper that many people are quickly surprised by and when they see the tail lights in their front window they roll down the window and ask "what the heck is that". I say M56S and speed on off leaving them with their pride and feelings hurt.

This is not a BMW in anyway and I really want my next car to be a BMW M5. However, as I keep hearing more about the upkeep cost it make me reconsider even with having deep pockets. I am frugal and if I don't need to waste extra money I won't even if it means giving up on something that I want. This will def be my first and last Infiniti but it is a good car that only needs a better transmission. I think I am going to go for the 2016 Lexus GS F next since RR has made a supercharger kit for it. Yeah it does not look anywhere as good as the M but upkeep will be about the same and the car will hold better value over time.

[walt1227]

Sorry correction it put down 380rwhp and 377lbs ft tq in stock form. So with 20% drive train lost for an automatic the car bone stock without the K&N drop in filters is 456hp at the crank STOCK and 452 lbs tq STOCK. I think those numbers are accurate based on running these newer muscle cars. There are reports from other guys who have done only exhaust and tune that are getting 500 hp at the crank on the dyno. I have yet to take mine to be dyno but plan to do so when it cools down.

Here is the article. https://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/m56/20 ... ested.html

...As for power on the M56 I read either in Motor Trend or Car and Driver that they took a bone stock M56 base model with only K&N drop ins and dyno on a dyno jet to the tune of 390 RWHP. So with 20% drivetrain lost on a automatic that car was putting down 468hp at the crank.
...

[Ilya]

That's pretty impressive...I wonder why Nissan so drastically undermarketed the power...

[walt1227]

That's pretty impressive...I wonder why Nissan so drastically undermarketed the power...

BMW does the same with their engines. I read somewhere a while back and not 100% if it is true that companies get some type of incentives or discounts if they keep numbers "under" a certain curve. A guy stated on some forum which I can't recall now that it helps the consumer when it comes to insurance and other things. I will try to find it and post it.

[Dicemoney6]

Just an update..was with my friend riding in the 550i on the highway out of nowhere the error drivertran malfunction and the car loss power. Car gave the message to contact BMW. The car would not drive regular, very slugish with no power . He going to have to bring it to the dealership. We were reading up that it could be a few different problems but from him just having the car over a month, I can say I understand even tho this is the first issue. I made the right choice with the M56

[walt1227]

Just an update..was with my friend riding in the 550i on the highway out of nowhere the error drivertran malfunction and the car loss power. Car gave the message to contact BMW. The car would not drive regular, very slugish with no power . He going to have to bring it to the dealership. We were reading up that it could be a few different problems but from him just having the car over a month, I can say I understand even tho this is the first issue. I made the right choice with the M56

That is the stuff that scares me about buying a BMW M5. I keep hearing the horror stories of upkeep cost and me being frugal I don't know if I want to throw that kind of money away in one even if it is only a weekend car.

[GMBQ70]

I test drove a BMW, prior to purchasing my Q70, and agree on what others and the OP have said- that the BMW has a better overall ride quality and handling than the Infiniti.
I purchased a CPO Infiniti a year and half ago and have had zero problems, which is why I went with the Q70.
And coming off a Jeep SUV that was nothing but problems, my Infiniti is an absolute joy.

Also, two of my fellow coworkers purchased BMW’s, and you know what their advice to me was? Don’t buy a BMW!

It just so happens that the local BMW dealership is on my way home from work, so I made several trips to the dealership to drop my coworkers off to pick up their vehicles after being serviced.
So on more than one occasion, I got to hear the stories of what went wrong with their BMW, and how much the repair or problem cost them- that wasn’t covered under the factory warranty or the extended warranty.

Just something to think about.

[Dicemoney6]

$1300 coils