stevecfrst1

im considering getting an m5 as im not sure how much longer i want to carry on with cossie ownership. Was wondering who has had one and what their thoughts/experience's were with them. They seem a lot of car for the money nowdays. Cheers

RS Grant

iTrader: (1)

I've read a lot about these cars because I've been tempted a few times over the past couple of years but all I see is folk saying that they're genuinely next level to normal performance stuff to run on a daily basis and if anything substantial needs replacement then you're looking at a big percentage of the purchase price to fix... which isn't a gamble I'm willing to take.

A friend had an E61 M5 and it averaged about 8mpg, although it saw 180+ numerous times a week which wouldn't have helped the average mpg.


Cheers,
Grant

Fullflush

You need to be able to afford to buy the car twice.

They are a huge step from the previous model (as is the current one to the e60/61) - technology moves fast.

I'm not the biggest fan of the gearbox, but its a great engine and a very good interior. The E39's feel like you have gone in a tardis back in time inside.

Mad_Mat

E60 M5 is epic. Friend had one. Had a few niggles with it but nothing major (thankfully). V10 motor sounds sweet and loves to rev. Active seats are funky, they grab you when you chuck it in to a corner. He also had a company fuel card. Very easy to loose licence as it gathers speed effortlessly. Head up display works a treat in M mode. Loves rear tyres almost as much as visiting petrol stations. If you want a big very fast bus cannot go wrong for the money. Get an inspection before purchase as you do not want a wrongun. Go for it

3i Jim

Cheapish to buy but will cost you loads to run. A mate of mine has got one and he must have spent the best part of 40k including buying it, you do end up paying for it twice. But having said that it's a good bit of kit.

stevecfrst1

I wont be buying one if you need to have the cash to buy it twice lol. I know that they are not going to be cheap to run with things like tyres fuel and brakes ect but i was thinking if i brought a nice car with sensible miles and good history it should in theory be ok and not sting me too bad, and perhaps some of the stories you hear about constant huge bills are from people who brought an iffy car to start with and then abused it themseves, or perhaps there all just terrible ha ha.
Just looking for something quick and exciting which is useable really, i find cars like m3's and rs4's ect are just a bit dull nowdays after owning them. I love the cossie but getting fed up of not being able to use it as i want to keep it in the best condition i can

rog

iTrader: (2)

Nice cars for one of your mates to own and pay for so you get a run in it, I'd never have one although I did consider upgrading a few times.

Aside from clutch/gearbox issues the engine side of things is pretty reliable, but it has stupid mpg, along with the fact BMW decided to fit an even smaller tank so the range is totally shite, you're never away from a petrol station.

What people seem to forget is that a Ł70k car (or whatever premium price tag) may depreciate significantly, but the running costs never do, so you will always pay a premium for servicing and consumables like brakes and tyres etc etc.
That's why there's a lot of shit examples out there when corners are cut, most people can afford one, few can afford to run it right, or grudge spending what seems like a disproportionate amount on running costs vs. the purchase price of car.

jontysafe

I had an m6 vert and I would advise you to only buy from BMW approved used at a 2 yr warranty event and sell after the first year. Make sure it's under 60,000 miles as well. This might not even be possible any more due to a lack of low mileage cars and the BMW dealerships not wanting to retail them much anymore. I had m cars for 5 years and the warranty claims totalled nearly Ł30k. Just as an example if you want to do clutch and discs and pads you are looking over Ł4k.
There are better value cars with the same sort of performance these days. No they won't gave "that" v10 but an m135i would probably embarrass an m5 these days.

Rst tyrone

iTrader: (4)

I've had 3 m5's over the last 4 years the only problem I've ever had was an oil seal on a vanos solenoid and was a cheap fix.

Apart from servicing maintenence tyres there not all that bad to run little heavy on the fuel if you've got a heavy right foot but what would you expect with 507 bhp. ... ive always brought one that's had the correct recall work done and had a clutch in the last 20k miles or so full bmw service history

My current one is for sale on the m3 cutters site and the mlr with 95k miles it drives better than my previous one with 54k miles and I've never had an extended warranty on any m5 I've owned there is enough specialists to do the work which is a lot cheaper than the dealers

stevecfrst1

Ive seen a bmw approved used one for 17.5k done 62k miles obvioisly with warranty, where as ive seen a private one for sale same miles for 14.5k. Not really sure what else is out there atm that is new that is compareable performance wise for similar money. Not a fan of the m135i really, my mate has just traded his in for an m4, and i didnt rate the m135, the engine is superb and his was superchipped so it went a fair bit better than standard, but the chassis imo feels like its just not up to the task, its like they dropped a big engine in a 120d and did nothing to the rest of it

jontysafe

If you can afford the running costs and you`ve had an extended test drive then go for it I say. There are a lot of scare stories online but I reckon for every scare story there`s probably 3 times more stories like above where if you buy right it can be relatively painless. I say relatively because don`t ever think it will be cheap motoring. I know this sounds crazy but mine cost me over Ł2.5k a month to buy and run. Yes most of that was depreciation because I bought nearly new and another chunk was fuel because I was doing nigh on 20k miles a year. Tyres don't come cheap either, ( I only ever bought PS2s).
I also have to say it wasn`t really fun until you were over the tonne mark, that`s when the performance becomes slightly other worldly. I had a Z4MC before that was more fun.
Sold the M6 and bought my cossie powered Westie and it makes the M6 feel like it was constantly towing a house! If you want something fun buy something light I say.

carlo

iTrader: (4)

If your buying one buy with a BMW AUC warranty you will pay extra for a auc car but well worth it , they are brilliant if you buy the right car as said above buy a cheap passed about car thats been maintained poorly then you may as wel keep the cossie

stevecfrst1

I agree the performance is probably the most impressive over 100, ive been in an m6 and it went in 4th gear like an m3 would is second gear lol.
I was thinking that a lot of what you hear people spending money on whislt owning one is just ordinary stuff like tyres/brakes/ordinary servicing ect which is obviously expensive on a car like this and i fully understand that. I spose my concern would be owning one without a warranty that if it starts going wrong and needing repairs its no doubt going to be very costly. Its easy enough to check service history and condition of tyres/brakes ect out when looking at a car weither it be from bmw or private seller

Harris.

Id do it ,if you abuse it its going to cost but if you look after it im sure there be more reliable than an old ford

lerd

Great cars but as said buy with BMW warranty as if anything needs doing just take it in and it's done
Think it's about 100 a month from memory

vroooom ptssssh

Never really liked the E60's, the DCT gearbox in these models isn't perticularly good either. what about a good E46 M3 instead?

Rst tyrone

iTrader: (4)

Smg 3 not dct mate