05 STI to E39 M5

[BenWRXSEi]

TheAngryDog said:

BenWRXSEi said:

Interesting thread, this - I currently have a 2.5 Impreza WRX and have a hankering for an E39 M5. It'd have to be my daily drive, year-round (about 20k miles) and tow a Westfield occasionally.

This is going to need some serious man-maths

I saw a couple of blob eyes today and thought about going the other way. It was a moment of weakness I think lol.

Well, you're not far from me if you ever fancy trying mine out. It's a hawkeye 2.5 WRX wagon with PPP

[Jim1985]

TheAngryDog said:

I saw a couple of blob eyes today and thought about going the other way. It was a moment of weakness I think lol.

Straight swap?

[TheAngryDog]

BenWRXSEi said:

TheAngryDog said:

BenWRXSEi said:

Interesting thread, this - I currently have a 2.5 Impreza WRX and have a hankering for an E39 M5. It'd have to be my daily drive, year-round (about 20k miles) and tow a Westfield occasionally.

This is going to need some serious man-maths

I saw a couple of blob eyes today and thought about going the other way. It was a moment of weakness I think lol.

Well, you're not far from me if you ever fancy trying mine out. It's a hawkeye 2.5 WRX wagon with PPP

I had a Classic some years back. It was the most hateful car I had ever owned Sold it within 4 weeks - pretty sure I should never have bought it in the first place as it was a bit of a shed.

Jim1985 said:

TheAngryDog said:

I saw a couple of blob eyes today and thought about going the other way. It was a moment of weakness I think lol.

Straight swap?

Its a nice car, but tbh my M5 needs too much doing to it, your car will be worth much more than mine!

[Jim1985]

Ha no worries matey! Get it fixed up and give me a ring! Yours is carbon black too isn't it?

[TheAngryDog]

Jim1985 said:

Ha no worries matey! Get it fixed up and give me a ring! Yours is carbon black too isn't it?

Yeah its a 99 Carbon Black with facelift parts fitted

[Jim1985]

Lovely!

[TheAngryDog]

Jim1985 said:

Lovely!

I wish it was!

[Jim1985]

Lol what would the rolling project price be?

[TheAngryDog]

Jim, I'll send you a mail this evening about it. I am in two minds about selling you see. Part of me wants to and another part doesn't.

[Jim1985]

I'm a bit of a worrier. I've been starting to wonder if the M5 will actually be fun to drive briskly. I dont drive at 10/10ths very often,which is probably why I’ve got a bit bored with the Subaru. I’m just bothered that I’ll be going from a fun focused driver’s car, to a comfy saloon with a big engine…

I’m sure the big engine, rear wheel drive, and comfort will be a nice environment to be in. And I’ll be able to hang out the rear end if the mood takes me and if the driver ability is there. However, on a stretch of road, where the Impreza did seem a little *too* able, i.e. much more capable a car than I was a driver, would the M5 be enjoyable, or a similar experience to forcing my old V6 406 coupe, or my father’s Hyundai i30 down a backroad… It’ll do it, but its less than ideal.

Note: I’m not comparing an E39 M5 with an i30. Possibly with the 406 coupe in terms of what I’m expecting having never drive one. Good engine, quite good handling, comfortable, nothing outrageous, not the best on a blast but certainly capable. But the act driving one leaving a nagging sense of "Is there not something better for this..."

Starting to rethink this a little maybe.

That said, I don’t really like hot hatches, and in the past 18 months I’ve maybe had 3 spirited drives (excluding track days).

I don’t really know what I’m trying to say. I still think the M5 is for me, but I’d like some confirmation I won’t be exquisitely comfortable but disappointed…

[Patrick Bateman]

Of course there would be something better for it but it plays the big Caterham far better than a large saloon has any right to. The car does shrink around you, tight 2nd gear corners aren't its strong point but then that's obvious.

Only one way to find out if it's for you.

[SuperVM]

They're great cars and as others have said, are far better on a b-road than they have any right to be. I loved mine, but my wife down-sized her car and I found I really needed an estate, so the M5 had to go. I wouldn't want an M5 for track use, but they are more than capable of providing fun on a b-road. One of the best things you can do on a high mileage example is replace suspension components. I replaced rear bushes and suspension arms on mine and improved things a lot. I've heard of people replacing springs and dampers with new OEM examples and the difference being incredible.