05 STI to E39 M5
Discussion
Good points folk thank you. I think I'd prefer to buy a cheaper car (cheaper than £12,000) with the knowledge that it will most likely need some fettling, rather than buying a more expensive car and crossing my fingers it will be fine.
My realistic budget is approx £7000-£8000. But obviously, if I don't find a car straight away, I'll have more time to save up. But realistically I'll start looking approx March.
That said, I'll miss 4wd, locked the centre diff in my STI today and drove up a steep hill nobody else had conquered today!
I'm sure the V8 will ease my pain! That and the fact that I've waited 2 years for the need to do that in the STI!
£5000) M5. Now I know it will need work. However, it made me recall the mentality I was advised to take when I was looking for an RX7: Buying a car suffering from the known ailments that is accordingly priced and give yourself piece of mind by spending the balance of your budget fixing these things. In this case, I take my £8000 and buy this £5000 M5, and then immediately take it to a specialist for 2 new MAFs, 4 new CPSs, new suspension components with polybushes and possibly a new set of tyres.
Would this make sense or am I thinking too much? I’m so concerned about blowing my budget on a car I believe to be perfect and then it demanding more money from me.
Would this make sense or am I thinking too much? I’m so concerned about blowing my budget on a car I believe to be perfect and then it demanding more money from me.
Just out of interest, how often do interiors come up? Theres only one on eBay. And theres a few cars Ive discounted because of heritage leather instead of sports seats, or because of the champagne white/cream that seamed a bit too 'Jag' for my tastes. Or am I best of not messing round and just wait for the right one?
Theres just something about the heritage leather to me that looks dated, and even if they are the same seats, they look less supportive. I'm buying the car as a performance dream car, and caramel heritage leather just screams 'Jaguar' to me. Not that theres anything wrong with that, but it doesnt appeal to me.
Because I want a black/anthracite/dark grey one (the two for sale in Imola red I've seen advertised dont look too great) with sports leather I think a compromise on condition would be on the cards.
If I was to find a M-car specialist in the area of a car I'd seen for sale, would they inspect it for their hourly rate and come back with the work required, and then potentially collect the car once I'd paid for it, take it to their premises, and do the work required, then I'd go down and collect it? Or is that fantasy-land?
I think that makes more sense than finding a good car locally.
Jim1985 said:
If I was to find a M-car specialist in the area of a car I'd seen for sale, would they inspect it for their hourly rate and come back with the work required, and then potentially collect the car once I'd paid for it, take it to their premises, and do the work required, then I'd go down and collect it? Or is that fantasy-land?
I think that makes more sense than finding a good car locally.
Anyone have any idea of if this is possible? I'd prefer to send someone who knows what they're looking at to check the car and then have them fix whats wrong so my first experience of the car is when it is in tip top condition.I think that makes more sense than finding a good car locally.
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…
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