Driving and owning the M5

[FC]

I thought it would be best to create a new thread about my ownership of the M5. The other thread doesn't even have the proper title (and I can't change it) and it pertains to the waffling of getting the right car.

I put on the near-new winter wheel and tire set and went for a short drive. I could not drive it much because of SNL skit-levels of RMV incompetence and as a result I still do not have Massachusetts plates and the car is on TX temp plates. Trust me, the RMV deserves it's own thread.

That said, the drive was good. I got around to pairing my phone, played a little with settings, etc.

At a high level, this car is spectacular but it is not a sports car. Not even close. It's a tremendous luxury cruise missile. Even with the loud MPE (///M Performace Exhaust) it was very quiet inside. I wonder if the previous owner disabled the piped-in sound. It is VERY quiet inside. The seats are super comfortable. Too comfortable for a proper sportscar. Not to say it doesn't hug you because with a million adjustments it does. But even with the most fitted adjustment there is compliance against the cushions themselves. The ride is very good. The 19" winter tires probably helped even more, but the ride is a great mix of sport and comfort. The suspension is magical. It makes a big car feel small and nimble and you can drive through twisty country roads with ease. There is none of the flex and backlash I felt with the M550i that made it feel heavy and lumbering. It stays flat and changes directions easily. It feels nimble and athletic. A very different vibe from the other 5ers and IMO transforms 5er. I think the steering is actually quite good in terms of being able to precisely place the car where you want to.

The car has just about every bit of tech and luxury you could want. The B&W sound system is spectacular, the hand gesturing works very well, the full leather trim is amazing. Tech and sensors galore. I have not yet scratched the surface. It is the ultimate executive sport sedan.

But to my earlier point, it is not a sports car. I drove the Mini immediately after on the same roads and that car was more engaging and fun to drive. The M5 is very isolated. The steering has no feel. The F80 steering is 987-like in comparison. It does the spectacular things it does with too thick an insulating layer to get a tactile feel of driving. It's as if the roads get straighter and smoother in that car. It actually feels as though the car was designed to reduce the drama of driving it instead of enhancing it. It think it was Savage Geese who nailed it when they said (paraphrasing) that this is the car you get into at the end of a long day to relax on your way home in a drama free environment no matter how crappy your commute. If you have the itch or need to absolutely annihilate traffic on your way home, you can easily do that.

It's funny how different this is from the F80. The performance levels are much higher and yet far easier to achieve, but the experience is different. To a car guy, the F80 is much closer to a one-car-does-it-all solution, its limitations notwithstanding. The M5 is not. Not even close. At the very least one would need to pick up a Miata to change things up once in a while. But as fortunate as I am to have more fun alternatives, this car is excellent and my wife already loves it.

More to come once I get plates and drive it on the highway to work. Sit tight. It will be at least a week from now. Thanks RMV! I'll just keep updating this thread over time with my experiences.

[FC]

A before and after of the wheel change and a reference shot showing how freakin’ massive the front brakes are.

[JST]

That is a nice looking car! And yeah those brakes are nuts.

Good to hear the comparison with the F80. I’m sure someday I’ll get tired of it (or not want to fix it), but I’m glad to hear I don’t have to start looking at M5s yet.

[FC]

Originally Posted by JST

That is a nice looking car! And yeah those brakes are nuts.

Good to hear the comparison with the F80. I’m sure someday I’ll get tired of it (or not want to fix it), but I’m glad to hear I don’t have to start looking at M5s yet.

Weirdly, the rear brake disks are almost the same size despite the single piston rear floating calipers.

[FC]

Here's the Savage Geese review, for reference. Go to 7:00 mark for driving impressions. It's the most accurate review I've read. I think it's a bit harsh on how soulless the car is, but not far off.



EDIT: And here is Savage Geese's original review of the 2019 M5. It's a long video, but the driving impressions start at 22:00. They deservedly rag on it for the stiff ride that was improved in 2021 with the LCI.

[Nick M3]

Originally Posted by FC

Weirdly, the rear brake disks are almost the same size despite the single piston rear floating calipers.

The brakes are gigantic for cosmetic reasons, really. And caliper piston count doesn't actually matter in terms of brake force/bias.

[JST]

I don’t think it’s just cosmetic; rear brake rotors have been getting bigger in part of accommodate brake-based traction control systems. And for those you need a fair amount of heat sink but clamping force is less important.

I noticed this when doing track days with ppl running 987.2s. Porsche went to a traction control system on that car but didn’t upsize the rotors, which were basically the same as the ones on my car. The rear rotors and calipers on the 987.2s got so hot the red paint turned brown.

[Alan]

Sounds like an awesome car, you did great finding those wheels so quickly. Driving on with a temp plate shouldn't be too bad, I did it for 60 days with the Corvette being the dealer I purchased it from was in Florida.

In regards to noise I thought the M5 had the fake exhaust noise through the speakers, from what I read online it looks like you can code those off which is maybe what the prior owner did

I would think the exhaust outside the car has to have incredible sound, I know the M550 sounds pretty bad ass, the M5 must be even better.

[JST]

Massachusetts has weird rules about temp tags; it’s illegal to operate a car on out of state temp tags if you’re a MA resident.

[FC]

Originally Posted by Alan

Sounds like an awesome car, you did great finding those wheels so quickly. Driving on with a temp plate shouldn't be too bad, I did it for 60 days with the Corvette being the dealer I purchased it from was in Florida.

In regards to noise I thought the M5 had the fake exhaust noise through the speakers, from what I read online it looks like you can code those off which is maybe what the prior owner did

I would think the exhaust outside the car has to have incredible sound, I know the M550 sounds pretty bad ass, the M5 must be even better.

Temporary plates are downright illegal in MA. I can talk myself out of a ticket (maybe) if I’m in my hometown and mention the ineptitude of the RMV, but more than that is asking for trouble.

I have a feeling the piped-in sound was disabled. We’ll see.