E39 BMW M5
 

Seeing lots of these around MY2000 with 75-100k miles, FBMWSH for about £12k!

Seems crazy, what's the catch?

What should I look for on these cars?

Oops can you tell I've had a few glasses of wine? I thought I was in Other Marques, can someone please move it there for me? :rolleyes:;)

err, out of warranty.

I am no expert but I am forever reading bad reports about the M power cars and the vanos system. The vanos system on the M5 is supposed to cost a fortune! IIRC £8K plus!!! on an M5.

Probably why BMW are now turbocharging vehicles, a lot cheaper and ultimately more reliable than the vanos system,

p.s. I have been drinking too so excuse any bad spelling lol! :D

All MHO of course :D

The turbo units still use vanos

I always thought the Vanos was largely an M3 problem?

imho, that seems stupid as it's making a more complicated engine when they have not made the vanos unit reliable so potentially creating further problems.

Sod the vanos...wait til the valvetronic goes belly up (not fitted to e39 btw) :p

In truth in all the BMWs I toy with, I've never encountered any Vanos failure on the newer cars (i.e post 1999), they get a bit rattly but that's as far as its gone, they keep going. Some people do get anal enough to demand them being replaced because they make a noise but hell, I've heard noisier tappets on Subarus :D You know when they pack in because they are gutless (experienced from non M-series cars, usually shagged e36 3-series)

Had the odd M5 with a knackered bottom end though. Heavily abused and 100K miles though ;)

Hi there just browsing from the lancerregister where i mostly frequent. I currently have my MY2000 M5 up for sale on pistonheads. Its the carbon black one for £12750(sheffield).

Have owned BMW M3's prior and never encountered the vanos problem. I know its an issue but then again what perfomance car doesn't have one. The M5 is a beast of a car. Guy who bought the car paid over 65k for it as its fully loaded. Take the traction control off and stick it into sports mode and it shows its true colours. They are alot of car for the money.

Hah, how odd, I have your very car open in another window on PH!!!

I'm currently selling a 2003 RS6.

I'm up in Nottingham for a wedding next weekend, are you around?

Looks like a match made in heaven then ;)