E61 M5 Touring
Discussion
Hi Guys,
possibly a touring might be available within/around budget... its a few miles on it (100K) but is priced accordingly.
other than clutches as consumables.. any opinions ? I've read a fair bit here - they seem pretty solid apart from their appetite for clutches.. and the usual expected brake/tyres on this type of vehicle...
I'm assuming a clutch is 2-3K so if you end up doing once in a 2 year ownership (doing limited miles) not a huge deal..
having been struggling to find a family barge that ticks every box - this one ticks then with a big bold tick !! I appreciate it will drink fuel, eat tyres and brakes... but would be pretty awesome to have a V10 on the driveway
possibly a touring might be available within/around budget... its a few miles on it (100K) but is priced accordingly.
other than clutches as consumables.. any opinions ? I've read a fair bit here - they seem pretty solid apart from their appetite for clutches.. and the usual expected brake/tyres on this type of vehicle...
I'm assuming a clutch is 2-3K so if you end up doing once in a 2 year ownership (doing limited miles) not a huge deal..
having been struggling to find a family barge that ticks every box - this one ticks then with a big bold tick !! I appreciate it will drink fuel, eat tyres and brakes... but would be pretty awesome to have a V10 on the driveway
Have a good read through the buyers guide sticky, it should outline most things to keep an eye out for.
Is it an approved used car through a BMW dealer?
Bare in mind the Mondial warranty will be a fortune with those miles. I've ran my M6 for a year with no need for the warranty, but personally wouldn't risk not having it. Many do though with no major problems.
Is it an approved used car through a BMW dealer?
Bare in mind the Mondial warranty will be a fortune with those miles. I've ran my M6 for a year with no need for the warranty, but personally wouldn't risk not having it. Many do though with no major problems.
Thanks...will check the sunroof.. Although nice to use, it wouldn't have been something I'd spec.. But beggars can't be choosers :-)
I won't be buying a warranty if I get it... A warranty on one with these miles would be mental, and have more grey print than enough.. It seems to have had a very good history inc gearbox rebuild fairly recent - assume clutch pack at the same time.. But I plan to get more details in the morning.. One registered keeper (after BMW initially) 10 stamps in the book etc..
I appreciate any of these cars can be a money pit... But if it can be bought right, and go in with eyes wide open... What's not to like.. I could even put a hidden removable tow bar on it and drag the race car to the odd event for fun!
I won't be buying a warranty if I get it... A warranty on one with these miles would be mental, and have more grey print than enough.. It seems to have had a very good history inc gearbox rebuild fairly recent - assume clutch pack at the same time.. But I plan to get more details in the morning.. One registered keeper (after BMW initially) 10 stamps in the book etc..
I appreciate any of these cars can be a money pit... But if it can be bought right, and go in with eyes wide open... What's not to like.. I could even put a hidden removable tow bar on it and drag the race car to the odd event for fun!
gixermark said:
not surprising.. car has gone. original search continues - more likely for an LCI 535D touring, unless a suitably priced alternative like this comes up !
Get the 535D... And that comes from an ex-E61 M5 owner who still thinks it was one of the best cars ever build... You would want the 535d for one simple reason - when you factor in all the costs of running a M5 vs. the times it is actually used as intended, it really gets silly. Now that I have been without mine for 5mths, the rose tinted sunglasses are coming off for good. The money from the insurance payout (mine was stollen) are still sitting in the bank, and I nearly bought another AUC E61 M5 within a month of mine going, but I think I will keep the E39 540i and buy a GT3 instead.
The E61 would be my daily if I lived in Wales, Yorkshire, Scotland or Europe but not the South East. The number of times I found myself sitting on the A3 at 85, bored out of my skull, thinking that a fully loaded 535d would be better suited was beginning to grate. Granted, our family trips to Wales or the Nurburgring were super special because of the car, but looking back on it, were not enough to justify me getting back into one...
Just some food for thought...
V interesting reading, and I know you've made the same point a few times elsewhere.
I don't have the cash to make a decision one way or the other right now, and I've not driven an M5 as yet, but I am beginning to wonder whether sticking with my B10 V8 might be the better option. It would certainly be the cheaper...
My daily is 3 miles to the train station and 3 miles back, so its only on the weekends and holidays I'd get to use the car in earnest. The weekly fuel bill isn't going to worry me I don't think (due to the small miles) but I do wonder whether I should just pass...
I would like to give that V10 a try though...
I don't have the cash to make a decision one way or the other right now, and I've not driven an M5 as yet, but I am beginning to wonder whether sticking with my B10 V8 might be the better option. It would certainly be the cheaper...
My daily is 3 miles to the train station and 3 miles back, so its only on the weekends and holidays I'd get to use the car in earnest. The weekly fuel bill isn't going to worry me I don't think (due to the small miles) but I do wonder whether I should just pass...
I would like to give that V10 a try though...
I think it comes down to miles and usage. If you're doing 20k p.a. cruising on motorways, this is probably not the vehicle of choice.
I don't use a car in the week, and mine's a 3rd car, so I only do a few thousand miles per year in it, mainly family trips out at the weekend. In this context the car is superb, and a 535d would not be a satisfactory substitute - I had a 335d for a couple of years when they first came out and it was "a nice car" but certainly not an event to drive like the M5 is.
I've had my E61 M5 for almost 2.5 years now and it's been totally reliable. The horn failed and was replaced under AUC warranty and that's all. Because I don't do too many miles and I bought the M5 when it was approaching 4 years old, the overall ownership costs including running and depreciation are actually markedly lower than the previous few vehicles I've owned.
If you've got the chance I would say go for it. There'll never be another V10 engined estate car to experience.
Gary.
I don't use a car in the week, and mine's a 3rd car, so I only do a few thousand miles per year in it, mainly family trips out at the weekend. In this context the car is superb, and a 535d would not be a satisfactory substitute - I had a 335d for a couple of years when they first came out and it was "a nice car" but certainly not an event to drive like the M5 is.
I've had my E61 M5 for almost 2.5 years now and it's been totally reliable. The horn failed and was replaced under AUC warranty and that's all. Because I don't do too many miles and I bought the M5 when it was approaching 4 years old, the overall ownership costs including running and depreciation are actually markedly lower than the previous few vehicles I've owned.
If you've got the chance I would say go for it. There'll never be another V10 engined estate car to experience.
Gary.
agree.... large n/a V8/10s are pretty much becoming a thing of the past... and both nice boxes to tick.
in essence neither an M5 or 535 is strictly right for what i am doing... during the week my miles consist of 3 ish morning school runs (less than 2 miles each) plus a few very short blasts to the swimming pool/gym/running track whatever......
wk end its leisure miles with family/dog/mountain bikes... and the occasional need to tow a race car ideally.. although i have other means to tow it - but really want a do it all in one car
in essence neither an M5 or 535 is strictly right for what i am doing... during the week my miles consist of 3 ish morning school runs (less than 2 miles each) plus a few very short blasts to the swimming pool/gym/running track whatever......
wk end its leisure miles with family/dog/mountain bikes... and the occasional need to tow a race car ideally.. although i have other means to tow it - but really want a do it all in one car
Scratch the itch. I had the urge and got an M6.
What I would suggest is that you get one with a full AUC warranty and don't pay the full amount. Get it on some sort of finance deal. Give the ownership experience at least 6 months. If it doesn't get under your skin by then just chop it in.
The gearbox is clumsy, the fuel range is diabolical and if you use it every day the novelty will very quickly wear off. If you use it for weekends or family trips then it will be perfect for you.
What I would suggest is that you get one with a full AUC warranty and don't pay the full amount. Get it on some sort of finance deal. Give the ownership experience at least 6 months. If it doesn't get under your skin by then just chop it in.
The gearbox is clumsy, the fuel range is diabolical and if you use it every day the novelty will very quickly wear off. If you use it for weekends or family trips then it will be perfect for you.
JMRS4 said:
IF you have shares in BP/Shell or ESSO and can afford to repair it every month go ahead, if not Steer well clear, they have a crap gearbox and unless being caned drive crap. best of luck.
I would not have one as a "Free Gift".
The gearbox is crap if you don't drive it properly, i.e. driving it like an automatic. Once you realise that it's a single clutch manual and treat it as such then it's smooth around town and brutal when you want it to be. I drive it in S5 manual mode all the time, lifting off the throttle as you would in a normal manual. Also saves on clutch wear because of the quicker shifts and starting in 1st gear rather than 2nd.I would not have one as a "Free Gift".
Edited by JMRS4 on Tuesday 7th January 15:25
Drive both the M5 and 535d and I guarantee that you won't come away thinking "the 535d is almost as good".
Shaoxter said:
JMRS4 said:
IF you have shares in BP/Shell or ESSO and can afford to repair it every month go ahead, if not Steer well clear, they have a crap gearbox and unless being caned drive crap. best of luck.
I would not have one as a "Free Gift".
The gearbox is crap if you don't drive it properly, i.e. driving it like an automatic. Once you realise that it's a single clutch manual and treat it as such then it's smooth around town and brutal when you want it to be. I drive it in S5 manual mode all the time, lifting off the throttle as you would in a normal manual. Also saves on clutch wear because of the quicker shifts and starting in 1st gear rather than 2nd.I would not have one as a "Free Gift".
Edited by JMRS4 on Tuesday 7th January 15:25
Drive both the M5 and 535d and I guarantee that you won't come away thinking "the 535d is almost as good".
Shaoxter said:
The gearbox is crap if you don't drive it properly, i.e. driving it like an automatic. Once you realise that it's a single clutch manual and treat it as such then it's smooth around town and brutal when you want it to be. I drive it in S5 manual mode all the time, lifting off the throttle as you would in a normal manual. Also saves on clutch wear because of the quicker shifts and starting in 1st gear rather than 2nd.
Drive both the M5 and 535d and I guarantee that you won't come away thinking "the 535d is almost as good".
Absolutely spot on. Drive both the M5 and 535d and I guarantee that you won't come away thinking "the 535d is almost as good".
I was almost put off getting an M5 before even trying one because of all the uninformed posts about the "crap gearbox". The reality is it's completely smooth if you drive the car like a manual and don't just treat it as a point and squirt automatic.
Cactussed said:
V interesting reading, and I know you've made the same point a few times elsewhere.
I don't have the cash to make a decision one way or the other right now, and I've not driven an M5 as yet, but I am beginning to wonder whether sticking with my B10 V8 might be the better option. It would certainly be the cheaper...
My daily is 3 miles to the train station and 3 miles back, so its only on the weekends and holidays I'd get to use the car in earnest. The weekly fuel bill isn't going to worry me I don't think (due to the small miles) but I do wonder whether I should just pass...
I would like to give that V10 a try though...
You've got the B10 and you are looking at that DOG, you must be ...................I don't have the cash to make a decision one way or the other right now, and I've not driven an M5 as yet, but I am beginning to wonder whether sticking with my B10 V8 might be the better option. It would certainly be the cheaper...
My daily is 3 miles to the train station and 3 miles back, so its only on the weekends and holidays I'd get to use the car in earnest. The weekly fuel bill isn't going to worry me I don't think (due to the small miles) but I do wonder whether I should just pass...
I would like to give that V10 a try though...
Wait for the LCI F10 M5 like mine.
gixermark said:
with practice - can it be driven smoothly (fairly) in traffic too ?
Yeah, the jerkiness people complain of is from unexpected upshifts when in D mode. Put it in manual, lift off slightly when upshifting and it's completely smooth. Downshifts are rev matched automatically.I'm a month into E61 M5 ownership and concur that it is both the Greatest and Worst motorcar simultaneously. By any rational metric a 3-litre diesel 5-series would be better (and probably faster for most road driving).
But... As others have said, it makes every journey an event and its got the Last Great naturally aspirated engine we'll ever see.
I shall, of course, sell it before the AUC warranty expires.
But... As others have said, it makes every journey an event and its got the Last Great naturally aspirated engine we'll ever see.
I shall, of course, sell it before the AUC warranty expires.
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