Dissapointed in the E39 M5, am I mad or missing the point?

[Mr Brannen]

Well the ones i raced all must of had then knacked MAF`S or Vanos units then, I just dont rate them , i appreciate what they are but the M3 is a million times a better looking car

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[benporter]

As above ,dont rate them at all, very disappointing car. Had them side by side with m3s. M3 is more enjoyable car to own

[D16PJM]

i had a M5 and thought it was lovely, is a different power to the cosworth but the difference is you can abuse the M5 alday without waiting to be recovered, they are juicie if driven hard.

heres the video The star with a M5, i must say i quite like this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i2m7W1CR3w

Pete

[crash&burn]

i think bmw's and mercs are both shit no imagination no soul just another car mercs are the worst for rusting out even worse then fords i regularly repair rusty arches on newer mercs 06 on (i work for a large marc approved bodyshop) all the above are normally liked by overweight lazy people but thats just my opinion

[Ebonycossie4x4]

Yeah i Think Luxury German Supertourers are shit too...

Give me a rusty old unreliable Ford anyday!

[crash&burn]

Originally Posted by Ebonycossie4x4

Yeah i Think Luxury German Supertourers are shit too...

Give me a rusty old unreliable Ford anyday!

in my experience with rusty old fords they are only unreliable when owned and tuned by monkeys with no clue but i i've never had one let me down i like owning a car when every when your out you have that little voice saying is today the day but thats the joy of owning a 20yr old car no matter what it is nobodies perfect you should know that

[TurboShed]

I just don't see the point in trying to make BMW's fast. They're big heavy perhaps "overengineered" luxurious electric-everything cars. To make a car like this fast you need an enormous engine, then enormous brakes etc. so you make the car fast this way, and it drinks petrol.

Not for me anyway.

[Ebonycossie4x4]

To be fair my escos was better looking but im afraid thats its only advantage.

Oh and Holding its money.

[crash&burn]

any how i thought if you wanted a decent german luxury sports car people shop at audi

[Ebonycossie4x4]

Nah.. Somehow i think i would take a e90 M5 or an M6 above a RS4.

[crash&burn]

Originally Posted by Ebonycossie4x4

Nah.. Somehow i think i would take a e90 M5 or an M6 above a RS4.

surely the e90 m5 is to be compared to a rs6 not a rs4 and lets be honest the rs6 is a tool

[Ebonycossie4x4]

maybe, Still take the m5/m6 though... over 500hp out the box.

[neilscott83]

theres no such thing as an e90 m5 its an e60 the e90s the new m3!

[xr2i-carl]

Originally Posted by Robski

IMO the only M5 to have that is VERY quick(and looks half decent) is the E90 M5.
I've been in numerous E39 M5's and they just seem like a fat lardy well built and quickish saloon....that also these days seem to be driven by(and this is my opinion) people that didn't stand a chance of even renting one back when it was new,let alone them purchasing one......
At the end of the day,a cossie gave you an everyday useable car with supercar(in the day)performance at an affordable price,the M5 just didn't do that....so why would people compare? Maybe because its just that the cossie still holds a decent value compared to its original list price unlike the M5...so these two cars have come into comparison wars/debates due to thier value brackets...but each to thier own as they say!

there is no such thing as an E90 m5, E90 is a 3 series saloon.

You mean the E60 M5 V10. Yes thats a monstrous weapon.

[Turner RS]

Its funny how this board takes pride in slagging off fords!!!! Most folk only have a cossie as a toy so reliability isnt really an issue, so i maintain the M5 is boring compared to a Cosworth, maybe i am just a true petrol head? I can see the appeal though for the money if its your main car and not able to have a toy too

[Chip]

Originally Posted by Turner RS

Its funny how this board takes pride in slagging off fords!!!! Most folk only have a cossie as a toy so reliability isnt really an issue, so i maintain the M5 is boring compared to a Cosworth, maybe i am just a true petrol head? I can see the appeal though for the money if its your main car and not able to have a toy too

Depends what you want from your car.

Things like a ring trip for example, require reliability.

[YOREVOL]

I had an e34 3.8 m5 with the bigger brakes must admit i was dissapointed but looked forward to the reliability. Imagine my surprise when the engine failed catastrophically,£4-5k to repair it on the cheap.

[fordsportjay]

ive had an rs6 and a couple of e39 m5's.

which would i buy again? e39 m5. in my opinion a superb all round car.and i also did a few trackdays in mine where it was very very capable.

also i know its a ford site and trust me,everyone on here is a ford enthusiast.doesnt mean we cant get older and move on to other cars....

[DangerousBryan]

how can you compare an m5 to a cossie? there a class size apart for starters.
going from a turbo car to an na car will always feel slow as you don't get the hit of a turbo spooling up. m5 probably weighs a good 3-400 kilos more as well?
had my m3 for 2 years now and its never broke down,including a ring trip and a couple of track days,hell it doesn't even use any oil and its dine 158000 miles now.
they are 2 totally different cars IMHO and can't really be compared.
would love to have a saff cossie but as it would be an only car i just couldn't be confident in it working everytime i wanted it to,plus even the newest saff is 15 years old.

[Asturias]

Im afraid you are missing the point,no disrespect but you need to spend a long,long time with it to get used to it-preferably a trip to the ring and back where you can fully apperciate that every single thing this car does is unbelivably good!

Fair enough your cossie would be more of a buzz on a 30min drive but you soon get bored and used to the power-this is where the M5 comes in,you can drive the thing for hours on end still want to carry on!

[xr2i-carl]

Originally Posted by Asturias

Im afraid you are missing the point,no disrespect but you need to spend a long,long time with it to get used to it-preferably a trip to the ring and back where you can fully apperciate that every single thing this car does is unbelivably good!

Fair enough your cossie would be more of a buzz on a 30min drive but you soon get bored and used to the power-this is where the M5 comes in,you can drive the thing for hours on end still want to carry on!

+1, very correct there.

[Charlie Chalk]

Originally Posted by Mr Brannen

Cause theyre faster, and look much better . simples

I know there faster, But you don't know Will....

Or do you?

[Nash]

A very good friend of mine owns an M5, its very very nice. He does miss his 3dr but wanted a car he could use all year and not worry so much about the salt or parking it up. I really like them but would have to be an everyday car for me. I prefer the E46 M3 over the M5 so thats what i would go for, and theres nothing in them when it comes to performance either.

[dan le moignan]

Originally Posted by Mr Brannen

Well the ones i raced all must of had then knacked MAF`S or Vanos units then, I just dont rate them , i appreciate what they are but the M3 is a million times a better looking car

Agree in the looks department, the M5 looks dated, and at 25 would have made me look like i was gearing up for retirement!, hence i went for the E46 M3. They look great and are excellent value for money, People say they are slow, but in all honesty i hardly get to use the power it's got around here and find it more than adequete to have some fun in when the roads allow.

[turboRS]

Originally Posted by TT300

To be honest i dont know if its just me but their starting to feel really dated the e39 as is the e46!

Superb cars for the money but i would much rather be in an AMG than an M car

hit the nail on the head there mate.
SL55 AMG is such an animal

[Tangodeltasierra3]

Well ive only had a little passenger ride in 1 not being thrashed but it did feel all too quiet and refined - and i think part of owning a Cossy or an Evo is also the club/social side of things, which the BMW side of things doesnt really support

[Mr Brannen]

Originally Posted by Turner RS

so i maintain the M5 is boring compared to a Cosworth, maybe i am just a true petrol head?

Or maybe your just a divvy who hasnt got into enough debt yet and isnt sick of the rebuild costs.I dont like the M5 but just cause you own a Cossie and are a glutton for punishment doesnt make you anymore of a true petrolhead than the next person.

[pani_k]

Maybe it is not the correct type of car for you?

For the amount of money you'd spend on an E39 (I'm guessing around £10-12k for a good one) you can look at things like TVR Cerberas or if you want a 4 seater good old Evo 8 or 9.

[Jim Galbally]

one thing i found with my M3 was that the more you got used to it the BETTER it felt, and my god the faster it got! youd be surprised how learning to drive one proper TRANSFORMS the car!

the way it drives makes you think theyre very easy to drive and you can easily get the most out of them, but they do take some getting used to.

not driven the M5 but if its anytihng like the M3 you really have to string its neck to release all its potential and this is often a difficult drving style to adapt to if youre used to big midrange torquey turbo cars!

[BigErn]

The E39 M5 is a big luxury barge that goes well enough when provoked. No doubt you got in it expecting raw power and to be able to throw it about, like I first did when I had a go of one after reading all the hype on here. However once you realise they arent like that and spend a bit more time in them you begin to notice how well they do everything. Its a bit like driving about in your living room

A Cossie of similar power on the other hand is going to be a raw fiddled with car. Bigger injectors, bigger turbo, higher boost, suspension upgrades, noisy exhaust etc. The two cars are in different classes.
A 400bhp Cosworth is a hooligans car all of the time, an M5 is a luxury 400 bhp car that has the capability to have a hooligan like blast about. And the reliability is awesome, after driving Cossies as my daily commuter for 4 years the M5 is awesome. Its amazing being able to go somewhere knowing you dont have to carry the entire Snap On range of tools and half of Matt Lewis' stock in the boot just in case.

If you are looking for another car with the raw power and feel of a Cossie then you can stop now because there isnt another car IMO that even compares to one. Thats why we all love em

[mattyp]

Ive had a few quick cossies and a e39 m5 aswell get the m5 over 100 mph and it is a different car, mine was delimited aswell so it pulled well past 155. You can hold the m5 at sillys speeds without worring if it is going to melt a piston.

[Sanchez_]

Originally Posted by RWD_cossie_wil

Been looking very seriously at getting an E39 M5, and I had a test drive in one today. The MAFS have been done very recently, and the vanos seems to work as described by the test Stu put up on another post....

I have to say, I was quite dissapointed in it, , was lovelly and torquey, comfy and easy to drive, and felt very tight, but it just didn't seem to really go all that well for a 400Bhp car .. Don't get me wrong, as a package it seems great, but just lacks any drama/excitement ...One thing that I did notice is that you can really feel the weight of the car driving it, is really odd, as the chassis is nimble, but hefty at the same time.

Am I missing the point?


Wish I had never been in fast cossies before

Might go and have a look at a few more, or maybe an E46 M3?

no ur not wrong i felt the same wil ! i had one for a week after selling my saff and was left feelling if i wanted a car like that id buy a v8 jag

[pani_k]

Originally Posted by Nemesis,

no ur not wrong i felt the same wil ! i had one for a week after selling my saff and was left feelling if i wanted a car like that id buy a v8 jag

Was going to suggest Jag XKR...underrated imo.

[xr2i-carl]

Originally Posted by Tangodeltasierra3

Well ive only had a little passenger ride in 1 not being thrashed but it did feel all too quiet and refined - and i think part of owning a Cossy or an Evo is also the club/social side of things, which the BMW side of things doesnt really support

Totally disagree with that. There are several bmw clubs and forums with a great social scene.

[simonc]

I had 4 Cossie's over a 11 yr period & they were just toys as we always had 2 other vehicles at the same time. Moved on 3yrs ago from Cossie's & have a E39 M5 as a toy , i wouldn't go back to a Cossie, you can't really compare the 2 they are worlds apart. Sounds like you prefer the raw noise/power of a tuned Cossie. In one of the recent BMW car mags they tested the E39 M5 & the new V8 M3 upto 100mph they were almost identicle times ,over 100mph the V8 M3 started to slowly pull away. The E39 M5 is quicker than a E46 M3.

Simon.

[Rs(555)]

awsome cars ,but price of fuel creaping up again i would not want to own one

[Cozzie Bhoy]

If your looking for a fast saloon, Get yourself one of these

Few mods and it'll keep ya entertained.

[BigErn]

aye a Lotus Carlton would also keep you skint. Thy supposed to have horrendous running and maintenence costs. Id still love one though.

[Cozzie Bhoy]

Originally Posted by BigErn

aye a Lotus Carlton would also keep you skint. Thy supposed to have horrendous running and maintenence costs. Id still love one though.

Heard they're big bucks to keep running alright, Couple hundred quid for plug leads, And 1k for brake pads!! Nearly bought one a few years back and a mate who's in the Autobhan stormers put me off it! Would have one in my lotto garage though.

[BigErn]

Me too mate. I was looking at them when they were around £15k a while back. Would defo be a toy if I had good money though.