E39 M5 Maintence

[BIGJO]

Hi,

Does anyone on here own one of these beats?

What are the running costs for these bad boys?


Thanks.

[a_kara]

higher than an e34 M5

[BIGJO]

Sure I could have told you that...

[Jhonno]

£5046.86 a year..

[BIGJO]

Wonderful thanks Jhonno

[Jon_Bmw]

£5246.86

Thats includes 2 new rear tyres after a diffin session.

[BIGJO]

Lol! At £100 a rear tyre...bargain!

[BIGJO]

£5046.86 a year..

Jhonno...where did you get that figure from?

[Jon_Bmw]

I assumed you would be running it on a budget and getting some yingyongyangs as a replacement.

[BIGJO]

[DieselMeister]

This is a great hypothetical that makes for less compelling reading up close imo. Haven't TBMW and BMW Car have M-power buying guides in the last 18 months?

I'd be surprised if it was much less than 4-5k per year.

[Simon13]

too much for you to run one PROPERLY!

[BIGJO]

Yeah that's if I was to buy a proper one that was worth chucking money at it...if you get my drift!

[Cloggy Saint]

Like they say, if you have to ask, you can't afford it.

[BIGJO]

Like they say, if you have to ask, you can't afford it.

How do YOU know I can't afford it???

How much do YOU know about ME?

I'm asking as I want to know what I'll be getting myself into as I WILL eventually buy one of these!

Don't hate...try to appreciate!

[a_kara]

Yeah that's if I was to buy a proper one that was worth chucking money at it...if you get my drift!

if you buy a "proper" one you wont have to chuck money at it, so a dog will cost you 4-5000 a year, plus fixing all the propblems just to keep it running

are you going to end up dismantling this if you buy it like you did with the e34 M5 ?

[BIGJO]

No I'd like to keep it in one piece and use it as an everyday car...

The E34 wasn't worth keeping...it had far too many problems when I bought it. However the engine was bulletproof and was worth keeping.

If and when I buy one I will spend the extra grand or so and get the a decent one as I'd rather not chuck £5k a year.

There's a difference in being able to afford it and not wanting to!!

[78dude]

To be seriouce, its very depended who much you will use it offcourse....
-First get an isurance quote
-Call your local BMW dealer and ask who much an oil service cost for it
-How much is one year road tax in the UK for an M5 now

Tbh, you can be lucky and get one who cost you like 1 grand a year or you can be unlucky and get one who cost you 8 grand a year...
So far I have spent like 1500 ish this year on my 530i E34 (in upgrade parts)

[Jon_Bmw]

Any of them still got extended BMW warrenty that you can carry on extending?

[Rosc0PColtrane]

£5246.86

Thats includes 2 new rear tyres after a diffin session.

[Simon13]

thing is you buy on condition now not the age of one or the spec really. As your not a mechanical person you need a pro to check a car over for you also, it's just not worth taking the chance, a vanos issue, MAF, and it's £1000's going out the door straight off the bat.

Using one veryday will be frightening as despite what people say they are savage on fuel like any performance V8 will be.

[town325i]

a mate of mines dad had one he said he loved to bits seriously fast car. he ended up selling it after 6months because he was using it to go to work and back it was only 6 miles from his home and it was costing him £70 a week in fuel they do tend to have a serious alchol problem

[zimmerbimmer1]

Check the Vanos units and gears on them.

If they rattle then walk away as you would be looking at £2k (minimum) per bank to replace.

That is the only major downfall on the E39 M5.

You would need to make sure you service it when it says it needs servicing DO NOT put it off as you will be looking at major bills again in the engine department if you do.

[BIGJO]

Thanks gents some real good advice given...much obliged.

[GermanGorilla]

Hi,

Ah, the E39 M5,.

When running correctly, then really nice everyday car, but
that was not often enough for me.

2001 24,000 miles, extended BMW Warranty, spent fortunes on
Suspension, AP's, ARB's, Bushings etc trying to make it do
what it alleges on the tin.

Big problems with them are Vanos, seems to let go without warning
unlike S50/S54 engines, Cam Position Sensors, even a smidge of
Oil on them and the ECU goes straight to default and so you limp
home, yet again.
Try changing the CPS on the Bank 2 exhaust, should occupy
your week end.

Servo Tronic Steering, you would get more feed back
from a Mute, and when it goes wrong, very expensive.

Will rip standard rear ARb brackets off the first roundabout you
go around.

Very prone to dirty MAF's which always throw a Hard Code
and its that lovely limp home again.

Make sure you have a double garage, as you require one bay
for the car and the other for all the free glasses you will
get with all the fuel it uses.

Get's quite amusing when cars passing you wonder why the owner
of a M5 would only be doing about 40mph, down hill.

All in all about the Worst M Car I have ever owned, and if you think
I was unlucky, they go buy one, and you will get the 'T' Shirt as well.

The loan M5 that the dealer would provide, broke down on several
occasion for similar reasons, so at least your assurred of good old
German consistancy.

Go buy an E39 540i Manual, put in slightly higher rear diff, fit
M5 ARB'S, Fit stiffer, not shorter front springs,
Uprate the front Wishbone bushes, renew the
steering rod ends, and fit 9.5j wheels/275 tyres all around with
and you will have a car that will almost
equal an M5 in every department, apart from top end speed.

Regards,

The Gorilla.

[BIGJO]

Thanks buddy! Will take all that into consideration...

[MarkF]

Hi,

Ah, the E39 M5,.

When running correctly, then really nice everyday car, but
that was not often enough for me.

2001 24,000 miles, extended BMW Warranty, spent fortunes on
Suspension, AP's, ARB's, Bushings etc trying to make it do
what it alleges on the tin.

Big problems with them are Vanos, seems to let go without warning
unlike S50/S54 engines, Cam Position Sensors, even a smidge of
Oil on them and the ECU goes straight to default and so you limp
home, yet again.
Try changing the CPS on the Bank 2 exhaust, should occupy
your week end.

Servo Tronic Steering, you would get more feed back
from a Mute, and when it goes wrong, very expensive.

Will rip standard rear ARb brackets off the first roundabout you
go around.

Very prone to dirty MAF's which always throw a Hard Code
and its that lovely limp home again.

Make sure you have a double garage, as you require one bay
for the car and the other for all the free glasses you will
get with all the fuel it uses.

Get's quite amusing when cars passing you wonder why the owner
of a M5 would only be doing about 40mph, down hill.

All in all about the Worst M Car I have ever owned, and if you think
I was unlucky, they go buy one, and you will get the 'T' Shirt as well.

The loan M5 that the dealer would provide, broke down on several
occasion for similar reasons, so at least your assurred of good old
German consistancy.

Go buy an E39 540i Manual, put in slightly higher rear diff, fit
M5 ARB'S, Fit stiffer, not shorter front springs,
Uprate the front Wishbone bushes, renew the
steering rod ends, and fit 9.5j wheels/275 tyres all around with
and you will have a car that will almost
equal an M5 in every department, apart from top end speed.

Regards,

The Gorilla.

A very interseting read!!!

[BIGJO]

Yeah I know...some actual feedback from someone who actually has had experience with the M5!

[Gussy]

Hi,

Ah, the E39 M5,.

When running correctly, then really nice everyday car, but
that was not often enough for me.

2001 24,000 miles, extended BMW Warranty, spent fortunes on
Suspension, AP's, ARB's, Bushings etc trying to make it do
what it alleges on the tin.

Big problems with them are Vanos, seems to let go without warning
unlike S50/S54 engines, Cam Position Sensors, even a smidge of
Oil on them and the ECU goes straight to default and so you limp
home, yet again.
Try changing the CPS on the Bank 2 exhaust, should occupy
your week end.

Servo Tronic Steering, you would get more feed back
from a Mute, and when it goes wrong, very expensive.

Will rip standard rear ARb brackets off the first roundabout you
go around.

Very prone to dirty MAF's which always throw a Hard Code
and its that lovely limp home again.

Make sure you have a double garage, as you require one bay
for the car and the other for all the free glasses you will
get with all the fuel it uses.

Get's quite amusing when cars passing you wonder why the owner
of a M5 would only be doing about 40mph, down hill.

All in all about the Worst M Car I have ever owned, and if you think
I was unlucky, they go buy one, and you will get the 'T' Shirt as well.

The loan M5 that the dealer would provide, broke down on several
occasion for similar reasons, so at least your assurred of good old
German consistancy.

Go buy an E39 540i Manual, put in slightly higher rear diff, fit
M5 ARB'S, Fit stiffer, not shorter front springs,
Uprate the front Wishbone bushes, renew the
steering rod ends, and fit 9.5j wheels/275 tyres all around with
and you will have a car that will almost
equal an M5 in every department, apart from top end speed.

Regards,

The Gorilla.

Certainly sounds like you bought a shitter...

My brother bought one, 2000, 85k on it, only trouble he had in 18 months was some rear bushes, nothing else.
On an easy run quite easily gets 23 mpg too...

[BIGJO]

The Gorilla must have driven it hard how it should be driven lol!

[M5pilot]

The Gorilla's experiences are similar to those of many that have owned the M5 long term.

If you do get a nice one and it's reliable then you'll be complaining about the following:

= Suspension (not good)
- Brakes (appauling)
- Exhaust (too heavy and makes zero noise)
- Intakes - no noise

In have three customers who have spend in excess of £8000 on upgrades just to maken the thing handle, stop and actually be fun to drive.

They feel nothing like an M car to drive, more like a 550i.

It's a very very fast car but it's not at all exciting.

I have piloted many now, one very nice fully converted Ac Schnitzer one. I got bored within 2 days of driving it.

A proper E34 M5 3.8 in excellent condition is way more fun, if a little slower. An E60 M5 is infiniely better thann the E39.

Both of the above feel like M cars.

Try an E46 M3 instead.

[Blitz]

E46 seem to be very common.

[M5pilot]

It is indeed.

Very capable machine. Excellent all rounder.