E39 M5 experts

[Nick M3]

Originally Posted by bren

Yes, in that it doesn't have a steering "rack" at all.

I still don't understand why they felt the need to use a slop box. It's not like they don't manage to use r&p in, say, all the swap cars, or the right hand drive cars.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by JST

This was a useful exercise, but at the end of the day I came away thinking the same thing I think every time I drive an E39 M5--I appreciate the spec sheet and the idea, but it just doesn't do it for me. It's simultaneously too much of a family car and not enough of a family car. And that's the rub; as between the cars I drove this weekend, if I was going to buy one to supplement the Porsche, the one I'd get is the wagon.

You need a wagon. Now the goal is to find the best example of one you can find. The e90 with stick and sport is probably it. Throw a roof box on for extra capacity when you need it.

The 5 wagon is not NEARLY as much fun to drive, but it does feel more like a grownups' car and has much more interior room and comfort factor. Question is how important those qualities are for you. They depreciate enough in the used market that you won't spend ridiculous bucks on one. I'd be sure, though, to get one with warranty--preferably a CPO-like warranty on a two-year old car, so you get max depreciation and max warranty left. Hard to find those manuals, though.

Not a bad example of a used 3 wagon:
http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/conte...fmJUzz4yYtqk4H

[BahnBaum]

Originally Posted by TD

I don't think any of the cars hit three 'Mudgeons. But there was this strut brace...

Matt -> Alex -> Nick.

Alex

[FC]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

The e90 with stick and sport is probably it. Throw a roof box on for extra capacity when you need it.

[Jeff_DML]

Originally Posted by FC

I was going to say you guys should swap cars and everything is solved

[IndyMike]

I just got off the phone with the CA for my wife's Sportwagon at Dave Walter BMW in Cleveland.

He has the following CPO 2010 328i xDrive Touring with a stick in case you (or anyone else for that matter) are interested.

It's AW with Chestnut interior (we almost ordered that), has about 8600 miles on it and is virtually fully loaded.

It's listing right now for $41,995, but if you ask for Dave Theado and tell him that IndyMike hooked you up might could do better.



You can see all of the pics and details at this linky. Just enter zip code 44302 and click on the search button.

http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/conte...fmJUzz4yYtqk4H

[ZBB]

Originally Posted by IndyMike

That thing must be essentially fully loaded.

My wife's '09 is a similar color combo (although she has wood instead of metal inside), but nowhere near the options on that one...

Nice car for someone here!

[Theo]

Originally Posted by JST

What's sort of hilarious is how different it is from the M3, despite the similarities in the spec sheets and the snarky comments that the E90 got when new about being nothing more than an E39 M5. The E39 feels BIG; the steering is slow and has essentially zero feel, the shift throws are long and kind of bus-like, and the suspension is much more biased toward compliance (though, in fairness, who knows how much suspension work this one needs to be fresh).

The engine's extra capacity is evident, as it has more low-end than the M3. But it lacks the urgency of the 4.0L V8, which revs with manic abandon. The M3 goads you to push it, and rewards you with a power curve that feels like it just got out of jail. The M5 doesn't mind revving, if that's the way you want to go, but it never displays the hooligan nature of the M3's eight.

On the plus side, the M5's clutch has a shorter throw and better feel, and it's easier to modulate the clutch and throttle. It's all around a smoother car to drive, in part because it doesn't jiggle you around as much--but mostly because of the extra 400 lbs of curb-hugging weight that the E39 brings to the table.

So, OK. It feels big, and the electronics and controls are starting to feel very long in tooth.

This is exactly why I refuse to test drive an E9x M3. I want to remain blissfully ignorant to just how much better it is then the M5. I know all of these comments are true (as they should be for a car that was designed in 1999) but I currently don't know any better.

So until I am really ready to make the switch (and I eventually will) I am going to continue to enjoy the shit out of my car and smile every time I drive it.

It revs just fine and is still plenty fast to me. =)

It is a heavy ass pig though!!!

[Jeff_DML]

Originally Posted by stuka

If you do ED and 7 MSD's, you can lease a sedan for low 700's including the 10% CA sales tax.

I say just do it!

I should have the M3 in about 10 weeks, and will take some pictures side by side.

so did you ever test drive a e90 M3 or just going for it?

[Theo]

Originally Posted by stuka

If you do ED and 7 MSD's, you can lease a sedan for low 700's including the 10% CA sales tax.

I say just do it!

I should have the M3 in about 10 weeks, and will take some pictures side by side.

Nah I can wait. I know what I want. A 2011+ comp pkg car and I don't want to take the hit new. Two more years should do it.