Reluctantly Buying an M5 F10 (probably)
Discussion
I currently drive a facelift E92 M3.
I have been toying with the idea of changing it for an F10 M5. It makes sense from a practicability point of view as I have two kids aged 6 & 4 - the M3 can be a bit of a pain in the ar*e to get them in and out.
BMW afforded an extended test drive over the weekend and whilst an amazing car, it is not thrilling like the M3. Don’t get me wrong I’m not opposite locking at every roundabout, I’m actually more of a comfort type of guy, appreciate refinement, hence deliberately speccing the M3 with 18 inch wheels.
When I got back in the M3 it actually brought a smile to my face and felt like a go cart. You can flick the car around the road and the noise is better in my opinion. The M3 also does comfort and I can happily cruise from London to Scotland without any issues – in fact it’s bl*ody good at this. Had the M3 a year and it just gets better and better.
However my wife won’t get into it and the kids feel the same – so pretty much redundant when we do trips together, which is the majority of our driving.
Anyway, will probably get the M5, but boy if I do I’ll miss the M3; this is a seriously good motor. To all those who pre-judge this car – you need to drive at least 500 miles to appreciate it and ideally with at least 5k-7k to miles on the clock as the sounds just gets better and better.
Anyway, I got 16.6mpg out of the M5 (admittedly through C London) and then 27.5 mpg with the flow of traffic up the M1 to Northampton.
First world problem.
I have been toying with the idea of changing it for an F10 M5. It makes sense from a practicability point of view as I have two kids aged 6 & 4 - the M3 can be a bit of a pain in the ar*e to get them in and out.
BMW afforded an extended test drive over the weekend and whilst an amazing car, it is not thrilling like the M3. Don’t get me wrong I’m not opposite locking at every roundabout, I’m actually more of a comfort type of guy, appreciate refinement, hence deliberately speccing the M3 with 18 inch wheels.
When I got back in the M3 it actually brought a smile to my face and felt like a go cart. You can flick the car around the road and the noise is better in my opinion. The M3 also does comfort and I can happily cruise from London to Scotland without any issues – in fact it’s bl*ody good at this. Had the M3 a year and it just gets better and better.
However my wife won’t get into it and the kids feel the same – so pretty much redundant when we do trips together, which is the majority of our driving.
Anyway, will probably get the M5, but boy if I do I’ll miss the M3; this is a seriously good motor. To all those who pre-judge this car – you need to drive at least 500 miles to appreciate it and ideally with at least 5k-7k to miles on the clock as the sounds just gets better and better.
Anyway, I got 16.6mpg out of the M5 (admittedly through C London) and then 27.5 mpg with the flow of traffic up the M1 to Northampton.
First world problem.
Nice position to be in if you're reluctantly buying an M5. Why not look at spending your £75k on a car you really want??
Although an M3 is always going to out handle an M5 given the size/weight differences, they're intended for totally different markets & thus the M5's strength is not it's light weight. However the M5 provides a much more relaxing drive when required & will still muller the M3 when you want to push on. I had a B7 RS4 & loved it, however it was a million miles from being an M5 or RS6 & never tried to. The n/a engines in the M3/RS4 needed to be driven hard to expose the power, however the M5 has all that power/torque from 1500 rpm, right up to the redline past 7k.
Don't get me wrong the M3 is a fantastic car, but the M5 gets within 90% of the M3's strengths, but then is 100% better in other areas where the M3 doesn't play.
Although an M3 is always going to out handle an M5 given the size/weight differences, they're intended for totally different markets & thus the M5's strength is not it's light weight. However the M5 provides a much more relaxing drive when required & will still muller the M3 when you want to push on. I had a B7 RS4 & loved it, however it was a million miles from being an M5 or RS6 & never tried to. The n/a engines in the M3/RS4 needed to be driven hard to expose the power, however the M5 has all that power/torque from 1500 rpm, right up to the redline past 7k.
Don't get me wrong the M3 is a fantastic car, but the M5 gets within 90% of the M3's strengths, but then is 100% better in other areas where the M3 doesn't play.
I did this seven years ago - moved from an M3 CSL to an E60 M5. It was a wrench, because the M5 just wasn't as much fun to drive down a great road as the CSL, but it was very fast and, taking into account its size, a fun car. Like your wife, OP, my wife refused to get in the CSL.
BUy teh M5, save money for a coule of years, then buy a sports car as well.
BUy teh M5, save money for a coule of years, then buy a sports car as well.
peter777s said:
I currently drive a facelift E92 M3.
I have been toying with the idea of changing it for an F10 M5. It makes sense from a practicability point of view as I have two kids aged 6 & 4 - the M3 can be a bit of a pain in the ar*e to get them in and out.
BMW afforded an extended test drive over the weekend and whilst an amazing car, it is not thrilling like the M3. Don’t get me wrong I’m not opposite locking at every roundabout, I’m actually more of a comfort type of guy, appreciate refinement, hence deliberately speccing the M3 with 18 inch wheels.
When I got back in the M3 it actually brought a smile to my face and felt like a go cart. You can flick the car around the road and the noise is better in my opinion. The M3 also does comfort and I can happily cruise from London to Scotland without any issues – in fact it’s bl*ody good at this. Had the M3 a year and it just gets better and better.
However my wife won’t get into it and the kids feel the same – so pretty much redundant when we do trips together, which is the majority of our driving.
Anyway, will probably get the M5, but boy if I do I’ll miss the M3; this is a seriously good motor. To all those who pre-judge this car – you need to drive at least 500 miles to appreciate it and ideally with at least 5k-7k to miles on the clock as the sounds just gets better and better.
Anyway, I got 16.6mpg out of the M5 (admittedly through C London) and then 27.5 mpg with the flow of traffic up the M1 to Northampton.
First world problem.
Why don't you buy two cars .. I ran sensible 535D's for 6 years now alongside various TVR's. To contradict this I have now sold my TVR and shortly the 535D to get a new F10 M5 as it can be a pain running two cars and whilst driving the 535 was always wishing I was in the TVR. I have been toying with the idea of changing it for an F10 M5. It makes sense from a practicability point of view as I have two kids aged 6 & 4 - the M3 can be a bit of a pain in the ar*e to get them in and out.
BMW afforded an extended test drive over the weekend and whilst an amazing car, it is not thrilling like the M3. Don’t get me wrong I’m not opposite locking at every roundabout, I’m actually more of a comfort type of guy, appreciate refinement, hence deliberately speccing the M3 with 18 inch wheels.
When I got back in the M3 it actually brought a smile to my face and felt like a go cart. You can flick the car around the road and the noise is better in my opinion. The M3 also does comfort and I can happily cruise from London to Scotland without any issues – in fact it’s bl*ody good at this. Had the M3 a year and it just gets better and better.
However my wife won’t get into it and the kids feel the same – so pretty much redundant when we do trips together, which is the majority of our driving.
Anyway, will probably get the M5, but boy if I do I’ll miss the M3; this is a seriously good motor. To all those who pre-judge this car – you need to drive at least 500 miles to appreciate it and ideally with at least 5k-7k to miles on the clock as the sounds just gets better and better.
Anyway, I got 16.6mpg out of the M5 (admittedly through C London) and then 27.5 mpg with the flow of traffic up the M1 to Northampton.
First world problem.
ACE997 said:
The F80 M3 I recommended? How do you know?
The power to weight ratio of the F80 is similar to the F10 M5.
No, the E93 he's currently got. No genuine figures available yet for the F80 so no idea how that would stack up, but i can't see anyone pitching a 3 against a 5 as already said they're meant for different requirements. In the small-medium car category i've always preferred what Audi have to offer & still think the B7 RS4 was by far the better all round package than the M3, but who knows what they'll do in the future.The power to weight ratio of the F80 is similar to the F10 M5.
Edited by ACE997 on Tuesday 5th November 13:40
I don't think a test drive will make you appreciate a f10 m5. All i noticed on my testdrive is how fast it was in a straight line. I'm 1900 miles in and am only just getting familiar with everything the car has to offer. I'm really getting into it now and gelling with the way it drives/handles. Fantastic piece of kit!
I love M cars, had a Z4MC then an M6 convertible. It just became too much of a compromise day to day. Z4MC was very uncomfortable, M6 fuel consumption was diabolical. Whilst the Z4MC was fun for the weekends the M6 just wasn`t a fun car until you were north of 100mph and licence losing time. I wanted something soothing and easy during the week doing 45mpg plus and something that really set my hair on fire for the weekends. Those two, in my opinion, are mutually exclusive. It depresses me to read you will "reluctantly" buy a F10 M5.
99% of the time a nicely specced 520d or even 320d will be ample. Then go and buy something YOU REALLY WANT.
I sold my M6, lost my shirt on it and swore I`d never do that again. Don`t get me wrong I still love M cars and an M6 gran coupe still tugs at my heartstrings.
I bought a CC, couple of years old, jobs a goodun. Been hugely reliable and a joy to own. No worries about parking it anywhere or valet parking at Heathrow who damaged my Z4. I then bought a cosworth powered Westfield because I could. I`m going racing in it next year and it still cost less than the depreciation did in 18 months of the M6.
Go on ask yourself what YOU really want.
99% of the time a nicely specced 520d or even 320d will be ample. Then go and buy something YOU REALLY WANT.
I sold my M6, lost my shirt on it and swore I`d never do that again. Don`t get me wrong I still love M cars and an M6 gran coupe still tugs at my heartstrings.
I bought a CC, couple of years old, jobs a goodun. Been hugely reliable and a joy to own. No worries about parking it anywhere or valet parking at Heathrow who damaged my Z4. I then bought a cosworth powered Westfield because I could. I`m going racing in it next year and it still cost less than the depreciation did in 18 months of the M6.
Go on ask yourself what YOU really want.
Gassing Station | M Power | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff