E39 M5 - Anyone towed with one!!

[tonto1]

After months of struggling I am still no further forward in my search for a new car!! As I need something fast, with a sporty drive, perferably RWD, that can handle long motor way drives and that's capable of towing my race car (trailer + car aprox = 1200kg). So you can see my predicament.

After owning a serious of M3's prior to getting the race car, I suddendly thot that an E39 M5, could well be the perfect solution.

Has any one got any thots on towing with one of these, can you get a towbar to fit etc etc?

I would hope that the BM is not like the S-series Audi's which despite having big torquey V8 engines in them, apparently are too fragile for towing.

Any feedback much appreciated! Cheers

[mat205125]

Is the fragility of the car the issue, or is it the access to fit a tow bar with the available space left between the exhausts we love to have on our Ms and Ss?

[tonto1]

mat205125 said:

Is the fragility of the car the issue, or is it the access to fit a tow bar with the available space left between the exhausts we love to have on our Ms and Ss?

Both really!!

[dan101smith]

As far as I know, you can't tow with an S-Audi because Audi never bothered to homolgate it for towing rather than it being too fragile.

You can with an M5 though IIRC - there's a pic floating around on t'interweb somewhere of someone doing exactly that.

[dan101smith]

And here it is:

[john_p]

Someone at my gliding club has a towbar on a E39 M5. Must be reasonably hefty to tow a 500kg-ish glider/trailer combo. No idea if it is 'legal' though..

[Great Pretender]

dan101smith said:

And here it is:

That picture just made baby Jesus cry

[dan101smith]

Would look good pulling my M3 around though

[Neil.D]

Here is the part + numbers,

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DE92...

[Neil.D]

and here,

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.do?model=DE92&a...

[Neil.D]

And fitting,



http://www.louv.tv/cars/trailer/trailerinstall/

[Jellyfish]

I looked at one a couple of weeks ago that had a tow bar fitted, as the link above shows the lower rear valance is replaced with another that has a removable secton for the hitch.

[Howitzer]

My friend tows a boat which is just on the towing limit for an M5 and has nothing but praise for how it handles it.

Dave!

[TimR69]

I towed a broken down Golf cabrio - just with the towing eye and a rope mind - and hardly noticed it was there.

Best towcar I've ever tried.

[MarkwG]

Just had the Westfalia detachable added to my Alpina - not towed yet, but the fitting is really tidy: once the cover's body coloured it'll hardly show. Have a similar on my e36 M3, which has a similar spoiler to the M5 - that's completely invisible. I can recommend going for the factory job, I got mine through www.towequipe.com .

[s62]

Howitzer said:

My friend tows a boat which is just on the towing limit for an M5 and has nothing but praise for how it handles it.

Dave!

What is the towing limit for the E39 M5?

[smack]

Tow car - big, old (cheap), bulletproof, Volvo estate with a big turbo'ed engine?

[tonto1]

smack said:

Tow car - big, old (cheap), bulletproof, Volvo estate with a big turbo'ed engine?

Yeah, granted thats perfect for towing and thats why I currently drive a big diesel barge, but if you read my original post I want a car thats good fun to drive the remaining 95% of the time when I don't need tow!!

Want a car that can fufill both requirements!, hence asking the question if an M5 could potentially meet all my requirements,

[rswheelnut]

for your other 95% of the time, i can vouch for the fact that the e39 m5 makes a great all round car and great for motorway work.

Mine is used for fun, family (newborn baby included) and business. I regularly drive to and from london in a day (200+ mile round trip from bournemouth) and also frequently to brandon in suffolk and back in a day (400+mile trip) and it accomplishes any journey with ease AND pleasure.

note: the 400 miles in a day can be done on one tank of fuel and 28mpg - which i think is pretty good, and i don;t treat it too gently either.

I'm sure towing will be just fine.

[Howitzer]

s62 said:

Howitzer said:

My friend tows a boat which is just on the towing limit for an M5 and has nothing but praise for how it handles it.

Dave!

What is the towing limit for the E39 M5?

I don't know the towing limit personally but believe his boat and trailer are around 1.5 tons.

Dave!