| Author | Message | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
Intermediate Member Username: Parkerfe Post Number: 1607 Registered: 9-2001 |
I have had a 1991 M5 and now own a 2000 M5 and believe they are the best sports sedan out there, period. They handle well, are very fast and call haul me, my wife and three kids with comfort. With a 0-60mph time of 4.6 seconds there are few Ferraris that will run with it. While I have had a few computer gliches, nothing major and everything was repaired quickly under warranty. I highly recommend the M5 if you need a sports sedan as I do. The upcoming new M5 will have a 500hp V10 with SMG(paddle shifter), although I prefer the regular 6 speed myself. | ||
| Dan328GTS (Francato)
New member Username: Francato Post Number: 5 Registered: 4-2002 |
You can drag-race a Corvette from a stoplight, chase a Porsche down a winding road, and take three friends to the opera, and it is equally at home in all three duties. Hard to beat! There are other cars - AMG Mercedes; Jaguar S-Type R - that give the current M5 a bit of a run for its money; I still think it's the best overall car out there, although its hardly cheap! The old one with the 3.6 (later, 3.8) litre inline six engine was an absolute revelation; it stood alone in the field, and it was also relatively cheap ($80,000 at the time). As for bills, if you have to ask....... | ||
| J. Grande (Jay)
Member Username: Jay Post Number: 904 Registered: 10-2001 |
Wait till you get a bill! Right Dan?  | ||
| wm hart (Whart)
Member Username: Whart Post Number: 646 Registered: 12-2001 |
Ever owned a BMW,Will? I had spent alot of time with the early 70's ones, particularly 2002tii, and loved their simplicity. I avoided the marque in recent years, just cause so many dorks seemed to be buying them as status symbols and seemed clueless about how to drive them. A few years ago, we ordered a new Mercedes as our "sedan" and within a week of delivery, the main CPU went completely haywire. We returned the car to the dealer, who was so slow in responding to my request for an upgrade (eg new cl coupe), that we went out and shopped a host of other marques, and wound up buying the 740i, with the Sport package. The thing is unbelievable in every respect: it hauls ass, despite meagre hp of 288, and the considerable size and weight of this big sedan; handles like a champ, is extremely comfortable, seats are amazing, fit and finish first class. The new 745i may be an improvement in certain respects, but the idrive is anything but. The m5 would be the way to go, as long as you don't need a full sized sedan. Its slightly more spartan than our luxo-yacht, but well made. The only hesitation i would have in waiting for the newest model is that they may decide to computerize it up the wazoo, as they have done with the 7 series, and i think that would be a mistake. | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Junior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 212 Registered: 8-2002 |
Oh, William, i forgot... Who gives a bleep about the record from Miami to Ct...? If you get a BMW, I'LL drive you...! | ||
| Dan328GTS (Francato)
New member Username: Francato Post Number: 4 Registered: 4-2002 |
After recently acquiring a 93 M5 all I can say is..Worth every penny! It's the gift that keeps on giving all year round. Barte.  | ||
| Guillaume (Vancooper)
New member Username: Vancooper Post Number: 14 Registered: 10-2002 |
I participate at bmwm5.com and my father used to own one and I drove it pretty often and can confirm my dream garage will always have a space for an E39 M5 no matter what! | ||
| Omar (O. H. B.) (Auraraptor)
Junior Member Username: Auraraptor Post Number: 62 Registered: 9-2002 |
"but the few times i've driven one are a definite indicator that if i can't quite afford a Ferrari, i'll definitely pick up a BMW..." I second that, before my recent jump into F-cars, BMWs were my cars of choice. In fact I was looking for a 8 series when I came across my 328. BMWs remain my second favorite car manufacter... after Ferrari of course. That said, look into a 94-95 850CSi. This car was the cream of the BMW crop in the mid 90s prior to the introduction of the current ///M5...can you say ///M tuned V12 with 396hp? Before jumping into a ///M5, if you can find one to try out. Only ~400 were imported into the US, making the cars a collectors item, and the resale would be better most likely. Try: www.roadfly.com and go the E31 8 series and E39 ///M5 boards. Doody, my 7 does the same thing at times...I once read 110 degrees! (it was more like ~97-8 from the temp on the bank) 110 is kindof odd in PA where I live in the summer. | ||
| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Member Username: Doody Post Number: 644 Registered: 11-2001 |
hey - i finally thought of something objective to complain about on the M5 :-) there's a temperature sensor so the car can tell you what the temp is outside. apparently they screwed up and located the sensor inside the engine compartment such that, especially in hot weather, it reports temperatures many degrees above the actual outdoor temp due to engine heat. that's the worst i could come up with! doody. | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Junior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 165 Registered: 8-2002 |
William, From the little experience i've had with Bavarian Motor Works, i can tell you that they absolutely think of everything when they put a car together- definitely reliable, highest ratings in crash tests, etc, etc, etc... When it comes to performance, BMW is unrivaled by other cars in its class... i've not been afforded the privilege of driving an M5 (or an M3 or a Z4 or...) but the few times i've driven one are a definite indicator that if i can't quite afford a Ferrari, i'll definitely pick up a BMW... | ||
| Dan (Bobafett)
Junior Member Username: Bobafett Post Number: 141 Registered: 9-2002 |
As Doody mentioned, bmwm5.com is a great resource. I had mine for 14 months and 20k miles - if you had to own just one car, that would be it. Absolutely sublime, brilliant handling, explosive power, comfortable enough for 4, refined, sophisticated, and subtle. Debadged, you will scare any carrera owner back to the dealership, and it's quite lithe for the weight. I don't think you can go wrong owning the car. --Dan | ||
| djmonk (Davem)
Junior Member Username: Davem Post Number: 156 Registered: 1-2002 |
Fairfield county to Miami, in 19 hours in a 83 Peugeot! Had a blowout in the back TRX tire at 85 in Ga! Emptied the trunk of luggage an what no spare!!! Its bolted underneath the car...... | ||
| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Member Username: Doody Post Number: 643 Registered: 11-2001 |
i had one for about a year and a half. great car. there's very little objectively to fault about it. i've always explained it as "no soul". it could do the same footwork as james brown and it could hit all the notes like james brown, and it could gyrate like james brown, but it wasn't james brown, y'know? it was bulletproof. never had a problem in 18 months and ~15K miles. http://www.bmwm5.com/ is a great M5 board. i still bounce over there once a quarter to see what's what. good people. i have to say i don't really miss it at all. i should also say that the nearly limitless power of the engine - what a torque curve - was intoxicating. but that's why enzo built 12 cylinder cars :-) why don't you pick up a pre-owned 550, william? the prices remain in the toilet. doody | ||
| Racer 001 (Mr_0011)
Member Username: Mr_0011 Post Number: 434 Registered: 3-2002 |
I like everything about it... It's quite spacious too... And it's nice too see a stick shift in an auto world... OH... and that Motorsports V8 can get you in trouble quick! | ||
| Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member Username: Lawrence Post Number: 424 Registered: 4-2002 |
I had a student at Road Atlanta with a 2000 M5. The thing was amazing. It was as fast in a straight line as any number of sports cars, and the brakes were outstanding. It was very well behaved in the corners. The student was a novice driver so the car was not cornered near the limit. Needless to say, I was impressed with it but did not get to drive it. I have always been impressed with my 400E. It is nothing like the M5, however. | ||
| bruce wellington (Bws88tr)
Intermediate Member Username: Bws88tr Post Number: 1282 Registered: 4-2002 |
william ask my buddy adam goldman here, he works for bmw and probably will give you the best up to date info.... great car......good luck bruce | ||
| Kenny Herman (Kennyh)
Member Username: Kennyh Post Number: 479 Registered: 8-2001 |
Will, I'm pretty sure Frank Parker has one- you can ask him. My cousin also has one and absolutely loves it, the greatest four door car EVER- if you wait a couple more months you can get a huge price break- they are replacing the curren 5-series with a new one which was Chris Bangle-rized- rumor has it that the new M5 is a v10 putting out 500hp! | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Intermediate Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 1655 Registered: 2-2001 |
Been thinking of a new car. I think I'm in love with the M5, a nice blue 1 with caramel letter, Sweet Anybody own a new one who can tell me if its as nice as it seems ? Thinking of using the M5 in place of the airlines, might take a little longer but less hassle. Whats the record from Miami to CT ? |