M5 to D5 change - first impressions

[Hawmaws]

About 3 weeks ago my M5 was written off in a rear-end shunt.

I had never fully fallen in love with it in 6 months of ownership, so I decided to replace it with an Alpina D5.

First impression, after a couple of days, is that I much prefer it - suspension is significantly better - much more comfortable and less clattery (despite 20" rims on both cars), and more in key with the road surface. Steering feels better - but that may just be because of the thinner steering wheel.

The engine is obviously not nearly as powerful or tuneful, but it feels a lot more responsive at lower speeds (the M5 was a bit of a nightmare pulling into into moving traffic - either nothing or wheelspin) and the D5 seems to be returning 2x the MPG.

Time will tell, but I think this one is a keeper.

[Hawmaws]

W8PMC said:

Knowing nothing about Alpjna's, am i right in reading you didn't gel with your M5's so have jumped to Diesels, albeit quite quick ones?

Assuming i'm reading that correctly, perhaps the M5 wasn't the car you were lusting after in the first place. A lot of cars on the market i'd chop my M5 in for, but only better cars, certainly not an oil burner unless i needed to reduce my running costs.

How can you decide that a car isn't better if you profess to know nothing about it?

Try one. You may well be surprised. I was surprised how much more refined the Alpina is. The suspension and steering are far superior to the M5.

[Hawmaws]

theboss said:

I'm a big fan of Alpina so 'get' the appeal of the D5 but I'm surprised to hear the steering is any better - I presume Alpina stick with the electric steering system in the F10 its based on? I found the steering in my M5 vastly better to the electric steering cars I'd become used to beforehand. One thing Alpina does seem to nail consistently is ride quality for UK roads, but then I don't find that to be a problem in the M5 either.

Was the B5 ever considered/compared?

I'm not sure why the steering is better - it does feel more direct to me, though. I suppose it may be due to the different suspension, and maybe the thinner wheel. The front end seems a bit less vague, to the point that the car feels a bit smaller.

B5 - there aren't many around, but even allowing for that, I think I would prefer the D5. Seems more in line with the nature of the car.

I suppose I've realised that I want a comfy cruiser that can toughen up and really shift a bit when required, rather than a very fast car that is, to my taste, a compromised long-range car.