f10 M5- how physically large a car is it?

[mattb46]

Hi All

As a former owner of a much loved E39 M5, I have been looking to buy a 2013/14 £35k F10 M5 for a few weeks now but whenever I have nosed around one, I have always been struck by what a physically massive car it seems. The car would be our main family car and so my wife will need to drive it regularly. Unfortunately she is not that confident a driver and I suspect she will hate its size (the lanes around us (Sarratt, Herts) are quite narrow). For this reason my head says discount it and look instead at something like a S4/RS4 which will be less physically intimidating. However the heart says "do it, she'll adapt".
Thoughts, experiences?

[beanoir]

I picked mine up abut 2 months ago and was surprised when I realised it was slightly wider than my old E53 X5. It's physical dimensions are not small, but I don't struggle with it and things like the reverse camera are helpful for parking in tight spaces.

However, when you drive it the car seems to shrink, the car feels smaller than it actually is which is a good thing. My other half has driven it a couple of times and she's not at all confident with large cars, but she said she was surprised at how easy it was to drive, meaning not huge and scary big.

[mattb46]

Thanks v much Beanoir. I wonder whether the auto helps, gives someone who lacks confidence much less to think about. Am going to test drive one tomorrow afternoon...

[Rob747]

Conversely I find it a massive car!

It's ok on main roads and motorway but a bit of a bus on narrow lanes.

Parking is also an effort due to the pathetic turning circle.

This said, in every single other way it's an epic everyday car, subtle colour and debadged, hardly gets a look round where I live (which suits me fine).

[Welshbeef]

I have the F10 535d and use it all the time on B roads - it is wide and I drive it far slower than I would previous cars onsame roads.

It is very comfortable.

Parking is easy/I have the auto park option so it does it for me if I need to parallel park.

[Wills2]

It's big and never shrinks around you, the motorway/autobahn is its natural habitat and where it does its best work.

Edited by Wills2 on Sunday 20th November 12:23

[Andy M]

mattb46 said:

The car would be our main family car and so my wife will need to drive it regularly. Unfortunately she is not that confident a driver...

I'd be more concerned that an unconfident driver may be intimidated by the power. As well as being a relatively large car, bear in mind that it's roughly 50% more powerful than your previous M5.

Dependant on how you would choose the setup the car, she could be only one steering-wheel-button press away from accidentally selecting the cars most aggressive setup (Sport Plus & no traction control). A wet roundabout + 600ish bhp + no traction control, could be an intimidating experience.

[Wills2]

Andy M said:

I'd be more concerned that an unconfident driver may be intimidated by the power. As well as being a relatively large car, bear in mind that it's roughly 50% more powerful than your previous M5.

Dependant on how you would choose the setup the car, she could be only one steering-wheel-button press away from accidentally selecting the cars most aggressive setup (Sport Plus & no traction control). A wet roundabout + 600ish bhp + no traction control, could be an intimidating experience.

Well it would be two presses if DSC was programmed to be off or put into MDM, the car is very benign in the default settings.

[Welshbeef]

Wills2 said:

Well it would be two presses if DSC was programmed to be off or put into MDM, the car is very benign in the default settings.

Out of interest how much power does it put out in default mode? Is it like the E60 giving 400bhp in normal 500in sport and 507in sport +

[Wills2]

Welshbeef said:

Wills2 said:

Well it would be two presses if DSC was programmed to be off or put into MDM, the car is very benign in the default settings.

Out of interest how much power does it put out in default mode? Is it like the E60 giving 400bhp in normal 500in sport and 507in sport +

Maximum power between 6000-7000rpm regardless of engine mode, where are you getting three power settings for the e60 from?

[Welshbeef]

Wills2 said:

Maximum power between 6000-7000rpm regardless of engine mode, where are you getting three power settings for the e60 from?

From the Top Gear episode where Clarkson is reviewing it and states it's standard 400bhp but you need to press the M buttion to access the 500bhp and then. You can get the maximum 507bhp on he most extreme settings.

[Wills2]

Welshbeef said:

From the Top Gear episode where Clarkson is reviewing it and states it's standard 400bhp but you need to press the M buttion to access the 500bhp and then. You can get the maximum 507bhp on he most extreme settings.

Just two power settings there isn't a third you're confusing 507ps with 500bhp.

[northpolar]

I don't have the m5, having to make do with an f11 touring. They really are buses when passing other vehicles on narrow lanes and I'd suggest you both have a test drive in one local to yourself, depending on how narrow the local roads are. I find them a doddle to park with the parking sensors front and rear plus rear camera. There are some with additional cameras fitted which are even easier to park and great for improved vision coming out of side roads. But I reckon you should test out your local roads - may be an M3 would be better suited to the terrain.

Peter

[theboss]

Andy M said:

mattb46 said:

The car would be our main family car and so my wife will need to drive it regularly. Unfortunately she is not that confident a driver...

I'd be more concerned that an unconfident driver may be intimidated by the power. As well as being a relatively large car, bear in mind that it's roughly 50% more powerful than your previous M5.

Dependant on how you would choose the setup the car, she could be only one steering-wheel-button press away from accidentally selecting the cars most aggressive setup (Sport Plus & no traction control). A wet roundabout + 600ish bhp + no traction control, could be an intimidating experience.

I was going to say something similar. I've done 45k miles in mine, half of that with a 750bhp DMS tune, and know the car well, but it only takes a slightly mis-judged throttle application in greasy conditions, at any speed including motorway cruising, to remind one that these cars cannot be made foolproof, even in the gentlest setup with traction fully on.

[W8PMC]

theboss said:

I was going to say something similar. I've done 45k miles in mine, half of that with a 750bhp DMS tune, and know the car well, but it only takes a slightly mis-judged throttle application in greasy conditions, at any speed including motorway cruising, to remind one that these cars cannot be made foolproof, even in the gentlest setup with traction fully on.

So much fun though

To answer the OP's question, then M5 is only a 5 Series so far from being a large car as is a mid sized family saloon. I've never once thought when driving it on motorways, A/B roads or on track that it's a big car, it's not small but it's not large. Also parking i've never found an issue.

The car's possibly the greatest demonstration of how a performance saloon should be built & i've enjoyed mine immensely & will miss it when i move on early next year. It does everything so well, is a joy to drive & can play on track (if that's your thing) with the best of them.

[hertfordshire1]

My Mrs happily drives my M5. Had it since new for over a year and she doesn't find the car difficult to drive or park.

Leave it in auto and its an easy car to use, rear cam helps with parking.

Unlike all my other cars, she hasn't even curbed an alloy on this one - that speaks volumes!

Cheers Steve

[joscal]

I find mine a bit too big on narrow country roads and some city streets if I'm honest.

[RWD cossie wil]

Has anyone come from an E60 to an F10? How do they compare in size?

[Welshbeef]

RWD cossie wil said:

Has anyone come from an E60 to an F10? How do they compare in size?

I find mine wider and longer

[bennyboysvuk]

W8PMC said:

To answer the OP's question, then M5 is only a 5 Series so far from being a large car as is a mid sized family saloon. I've never once thought when driving it on motorways, A/B roads or on track that it's a big car, it's not small but it's not large.

For comparison, (according to Google) it's 5cm wider than my wife's A4, which itself feels wide on country lanes. When a large car comes the other way, it almost requires you to be wing-mirror scractchingly close to the hedge.