I have seen loads of threads about the M5 in the past but since SN have robbed us skinflint users of the advanced search option it's a PITA to get good hits on a topic.

Can anyone pull out a couple of threads for me or give me some opinions on M5 ownership, performance etc.

 

I may be selling mine as it gets used in a blue moon and my new house doesn't have a garage, and the insurance had gone up due to on-street parking.

My car is one of the best you will find IMHO; had a new engine under warranty from bmw about 5k ago, just had 2.5k of AP brakes fitted about 2k ago and has had many 1000's spent by me on refurbed wheels, xenon lights, latest spec gps, widescreen nav and TV tuner, H&S system, new windscreen etc. etc.

It's simply the best car I have owned (so much better than my previous RS6) and must surely be the best all-round car out there. Running costs are okay, I average 21mpg, but servicing can be pricey in London...I still get it all done at BMW to maintain the FBMWSH. Warranty is almost impossible to find now due to age but only killer faults are engine and gearbox. As I say mine has just had an engine and I've never heard a single report of a 'box going on the E39 m5.

These cars are on the ascendancy now due to being highlighted by several mags recently as 'best performance buy' and Evo have a feature in the current issue too, where it makes the final cut. It's also getting hard to find a good one as many have been bought by people who can afford the car but not the running!

cheers
Ed

 

Ed,

Do you have any upto date pics ? Get them posted if you have

 

not recent, no. Planning on doing some when I get back from sardinia a week on tuesday

 

Last of the true big "M" series BMWs - when it was still about the driver and not the gadgets (even though its still loaded with them )

 

Hey Ed, yep reading the Evo mag at the moment.

Been asking on some other BMW forums and in their opinions the value of an M5 drops like a stone if it doesn't have the BMW extended warranty.

What's your opinion.

Also, how do you think it would fair against a 340bhp Impreza (presuming the M5 had a bit done to the suspension ie ARBs etc) both straight line and dare I say it, twisties.

 

So, not much to worry about then?

 

lol

 

Most of the faults are over hyped by anxious owners posting on BBss like this. In reality they are great cars, many people experience no problems with them. Its like anything else in life, a satisfied customer will quietly enjoy, whereas a dissatisfied one will shout and scream!!The masses only hear the screams.....

 

I have had an M5 over the last two years. I had one ongoing problem over four months with a broken wire. BMW could not find a fault but charged me over 3k to fix it which included a VANOS unit. Other than that I have had no real problems with mine and love it. I have done over 20 thousand miles and bought it with 50k on the clock. I will try and post some pics within the next few days.

 

I've had my 194,000 miler for a while and it's brilliant. I've also had a new engine under BMW's sadly discontinued (well, much diminished anyway) no ifs no buts warranty when the oil consumption got silly, but it's been hugely reliable (touch wood) other than that.




It's way more economical than the Scoob, it's faster than the Scoob, you can hold a conversation in it at 170mph and you don't get every ****** in the neighbourhood wanting a race.




I love it

Oh and Ed, let me know before you sell yours, yeah? And if you want some nice pictures then I'm happy to oblige.

SB

PS That's pictures of the car...

 

Had my M5 (E39) 2001 for 3 weeks it was a boring ugly thing, and useless in the wet.

 

Are you sure it was an M5...?.....Ive nevr heard anyone call a 400bhp supersaloon boring..........

What did you replace it with then?

 

Not one but two Scoobys iirc.