RE: BMW M5 30 Jahre: Driven

[Nik Attard]

Hi guys,

We have realised there was a minor mistake which has been amended. Dan was referring to the E34 not E38.

Hope not too many of you are calling for his head on a spike.

Cheers,

Nik

[bryn_p]

hertfordshire1 said:

No doubt in years to come these will hold a premium over the standard F10s (which depreciate by the minute)....

Try finding a e34 20 Jahre or e60 25 Jahre that is priced the same as a standard or optioned car?

I agree that options on what is meant to be a top spec car is silly, although I do note that the 30 Jahre comes with some options as standard (split fold rears seats for example!!)

I've driven every type of M5.

e28
e34 - saloon (3.6 and 3.8 5/6speed) and touring
e39
e60 / e61
F10

Its easy to see that they share the same DNA - taking a standard BMW 5 series and make it perform like a sports car (of its time).
There wasn't much between the e34 and various Ferraris of the early 90s and the same can be said for the F10.

Modern cars are packed with technology - I like that, enjoy the convenience of having a 560 BHP 5 series that can cart the family around while streaming spotify in comfort, while the HUD navigates a route (with live traffic updates).
Old cars are not packed with technology - I like that also, enjoy the uninterrupted driving experience (albeit at slower speeds) and simpleness of just driving a car..

My own cars 1993 and 2015 M5s are very different - but to my eyes very similar too.

Cheers

Steve

Hi Steve,

I think it may be frowned upon to comment on cars on these forums if you've actually driven them, let alone own them!

I have the same models as Steve and totally agree, the F10 is brilliant for the era it represents, the E34 likewise. I do think it is missing that little something extra special that the E34 has but that really is all I can criticise it for. I can't think of anything similar that I'd replace mine with as a daily driver anyway.

Cheers,
Bryn.

[HoHoHo]

bryn_p said:

Hi Steve,

I think it may be frowned upon to comment on cars on these forums if you've actually driven them, let alone own them!

I have the same models as Steve and totally agree, the F10 is brilliant for the era it represents, the E34 likewise. I do think it is missing that little something extra special that the E34 has but that really is all I can criticise it for. I can't think of anything similar that I'd replace mine with as a daily driver anyway.

Cheers,
Bryn.

Me too

[Gecko1978]

Quickmoose said:

Clearly an auto boot opening function is naff and pointless beyond comprehension on a car like this.
The point, if I have it right, is...this is a 30 year celebration special.
If it's on the options list it should have it as standard.
untick it if you want, choose your colour, pay the laughable cost, that should be all.

This is exactly what I mean.

Also let me state again I have never been in any m5 but of all the super saloons it's the one I most fancy. What's not to like huge power an comfort an I suspect handles really well too. Great cars an world is better place wirh them. But please offer the ultimate model with everything then allow customers to delete stuff (hell you could even charge them for it).

[CorvetteConvert]

What fun. Pay £113,000 today and in 2 years if you can bear it that long get back, what, £70,000? £43,000 gawn, or £450 a week, every week lost.

Nice used 550 Maranello V12 and a one year old BMW M4 instead please.

[strangehighways]

I'm sure I am supposed to get excited by reading this piece, but even the writer sounds totally disinterested. I know "it's the way things are going", but we are on the downward slope with performance cars surely? Does anyone think the latest version of the M5 is the best? What about the Civic Type R? etc...

[likesachange]

I never criticise a car I haven't drove...
Luckily for me I have drove a f10 m5 today and it was so effortlessly quick, no doubt you could feel the weight but he surge is crazy.

I am negotiating a new one now and so far can get one for 59k brand new!! Oh and that's on interest free so in 4 years time that's the total paid... Please find me a better car sub 60k with nearly 600bhp and complete luxury and built as well as it too...
The standard spec is awesome
DCT
4 way air con
Electric heated memory seats
Pro nav
Xenons
Extended leather
HUD
Front and rear parking sensors
Bmw pro audio
Multimedia and Bluetooth
Plus loads more

Spec an audi rs3 to that for instance and add the interest and its prob around the same price which is just LOL

[rtz62]

As a bit of an amusé bouche, the values of the early M5's are going up, as the values of the 30 Jahre will be coming down; I wonder at what point the curves will cross....
Me?
I'd rather have the first 2 versions, just because of their clarity of purpose. And I'm an old bd at 52, so I can be excused of making decisions like this as I may not be of sound mind of course.
But, seriously, let's face the reality of cars getting bigger and heavier, and that's the nanny-state created by faceless unelected bureaucrats of the EU etc. Personally, I lived through the era of fast cars (yep, I owned a 3dr and RS500 Cosworth etc in period) with limited safety aids, and would happily own cars like that again, after all you pays your money and you takes your choice, and nobody puts a Luger to your head and makes you own or drive it...

[likesachange]

rtz62 said:

As a bit of an amusé bouche, the values of the early M5's are going up, as the values of the 30 Jahre will be coming down; I wonder at what point the curves will cross....
Me?
I'd rather have the first 2 versions, just because of their clarity of purpose. And I'm an old bd at 52, so I can be excused of making decisions like this as I may not be of sound mind of course.
But, seriously, let's face the reality of cars getting bigger and heavier, and that's the nanny-state created by faceless unelected bureaucrats of the EU etc. Personally, I lived through the era of fast cars (yep, I owned a 3dr and RS500 Cosworth etc in period) with limited safety aids, and would happily own cars like that again, after all you pays your money and you takes your choice, and nobody puts a Luger to your head and makes you own or drive it...

People complain about the weight but in reality the m5 has only got quicker and quicker and more comfier over the years, surely that's the natural progression for a large sporty 5dr saloon.

Luxury, safety and lightweight just do not go hand in hand, not really sure what people would want from a modern day m5?

[drivin_me_nuts]

It does the job very well. As a large fast car it satisfies the niche completely. It is in a select group of superb saloons and so it will remain until the next iteration. M's, RS's, AMG's, they are the x factor or cars, with a shelf life of two years or so and a reunion ten years down the line.

[Esseesse]

Awfully over-styled, too aggressive, pumped up, and synthetic. Give me an e39 any day, a nice balance between rawness, comfort, not overly aggressive etc...

[HoHoHo]

Esseesse said:

Awfully over-styled, too aggressive, pumped up, and synthetic. Give me an e39 any day, a nice balance between rawness, comfort, not overly aggressive etc...

Ask yourself do you want to turn left or right at the door of the aircraft?

Times have moved on and first class in 2002 is only business in 2015

[Baryonyx]

HoHoHo said:

Ask yourself do you want to turn left or right at the door of the aircraft?

Times have moved on and first class in 2002 is only business in 2015

That might be true but I'd trample a hundred of these dreary F10's just to get a go in an E60 with that V10...

[Leins]

M5s have always been a bit large and heavy, and fairly well loaded in terms of goodies. Their natural habitat is the fast sweeping A-road and motorways, and have never been able to pull off the "back-road blaster" trick that most M3s have

However, the reason they have always been proper M-cars (IMO) is because everything about them demands to be driven, and driven hard. The engines want to be worked, and when you do the handling is there to back it up. They are not just fast comfy saloons, most manufacturers build those, but instead they really do try to turn themselves into something fun to take by the scruff of the neck. The fact that their engines wouldn't seem out of place in a race car gives them a character that many more exotic looking cars would die for

Which leads us to the F10, which I have not driven, but I really fear possesses an engine that gives up its charms far too easily. I'm open to correction from those with experience of these, but everything seems to point to easily accessible power with these, and that just doesn't seem right

There's nothing quite like an older M5 roaring down the road, boot full of luggage, and engine demanding you trash the bejesus out of it. It feels wrong, but oh so good!

[likesachange]

Another point with the weight to all those haters...
The current one is around 25-30% heavier than a modern day hot hatch

The e28 model was around 1550kg against 8-900 kg for a 80's hot hatch... Nearly 100% up...

So I think Bmw have done a pretty good job just adding 400kg on over 30years considering the differences in the machines..

1550 must have felt ridiculous back then with the old suspension and steering etc??

Maybe it's a long time since anyone's been in one...

[bryn_p]

Leins said:

Which leads us to the F10, which I have not driven, but I really fear possesses an engine that gives up its charms far too easily. I'm open to correction from those with experience of these, but everything seems to point to easily accessible power with these, and that just doesn't seem right

There's nothing quite like an older M5 roaring down the road, boot full of luggage, and engine demanding you trash the bejesus out of it. It feels wrong, but oh so good!

I disagree, it's fine having an engine that needs thrashing in your weekend car but part of the appeal of the F10 is the easy availability of power that makes it such a good every day car. For me anyway, and I used to use my E34 for exactly the same journey 13 years ago. Maybe it's just me getting old though

Cheers,
Bryn.

[Patrick Bateman]

I can't recall the damping of any M5's being cited as a weak point before, more the opposite. Is that just with this edition as I can't recall it being said about the regular F10?

[CorvetteConvert]

likesachange said:

I never criticise a car I haven't drove...
Luckily for me I have drove a f10 m5 today and it was so effortlessly quick, no doubt you could feel the weight but he surge is crazy.

I am negotiating a new one now and so far can get one for 59k brand new!! Oh and that's on interest free so in 4 years time that's the total paid... Please find me a better car sub 60k with nearly 600bhp and complete luxury and built as well as it too...
The standard spec is awesome
DCT
4 way air con
Electric heated memory seats
Pro nav
Xenons
Extended leather
HUD
Front and rear parking sensors
Bmw pro audio
Multimedia and Bluetooth
Plus loads more

Spec an audi rs3 to that for instance and add the interest and its prob around the same price which is just LOL

Who sells them that cheap new with 0%?

[CorvetteConvert]

And feel for the people paying £92,000 and up. What price their investment next week, never mind in 2 years.

[bryn_p]

Patrick Bateman said:

I can't recall the damping of any M5's being cited as a weak point before, more the opposite. Is that just with this edition as I can't recall it being said about the regular F10?

It's a bit misleading in the article because they are talking about the comfort setting being "underdamped and lacking in body control as you start pressing on" which I totally agree with. However there are 2 stiffer modes which address this, the middle of which is the sweet spot for me. Not mentioning this in the article is a bit bizarre though.

Cheers,
Bryn