Monday 4th March 2013

BMW M5 (E60): PH Carpool

A more keen advocate of BMW's V10 M5 than this week's Carpooler you couldn't hope to meet!

---

Name:
Andy Ransley (Andy_ran)
Car:
BMW E60 M5
Owned since:
Feb 2012
Previously owned:
E39 M5, RS4 Avant B7, Nissan Skyline R32 GTR x2 (400 and 630hp), Lotus Elise S1 220hp, Nissan S15 R, Impreza WR1, Lotus Elise S1 std, Many Golfs Mk4 and Mk1 GTi with 2.0-litre 16V, Cupra R225 and more

Bigger brakes equal an even happier owner

Why I bought it:
"I wanted something that could do everything exceptionally well. My beloved old E39 M5 was racking the miles and was due for replacement. I needed a car that could be used for family transport, driving to customer meetings with work and not being too 'show' and still be able to keep with the best on the track. The M5 is, IMO, the perfect balance of everyday sleeper with supercar bite. And it's got that almighty V10... Why would you not buy one?

"I bought this car from a PistonHeads member. For me, knowing it was a cherished example and not run on a shoestring was such a plus point. I could talk in-depth the old owner before making my purchase, within a mile of driving this car, I knew it was 'the one' and handed over my deposit."

Clients think it's a 520d, those who care know better

What I wish I'd known:
"Bluetooth wasn't a standard item! I was gutted on the drive home to find out my car didn't have it fitted! Other than that I went into buying the car with my eyes wide open, and did a lot of research and so far it's not only lived up to my expectations but exceeded them at every opportunity.

"It would be easy to buy into poor car, there are a lot about. Using the forums, magazine publications and existing owners gave me a massive list of what to look for, and seeing over 10 possible shortlisted cars over a period of time showed how bad some are compared to others."

Things I love:
"Everything! The most dominating part is the engine! I have had a full exhaust system fitted (standard manifolds still in place) to release its vocal range. The gearbox, yes, I love the SMG, the way it slams though the gears and kicks you in the back is addictive! Most of all I love its flexibility. How many other cars can you drive 200 miles to the race track with four adults, hit 185 down the straight (RAF Marham) then drive home the same day. All in perfect comfort and also giving almost every other car at the track a bloody nose.

"It's also little things I love, the speed the cabin heats up, the seats, the sound quality form the radio setup. It's just a great 'Jack-of-all' package."

For a barge the old M5 can still hustle

Things I hate:
"How hard it is to add items like Bluetooth and TV afterwards! Everything needs coding. No plug and play anymore.

"The brakes are not up to 500hp and nearly two tonnes, the standard exhaust is way too quiet and the tiny 55-litre fuel tank is pathetic and it's therefore got limited range."

Costs:
"Have I been lucky? Not sure, but I have not had any serious issues with the car, the only niggle was an interior fan 'chirping' so I replaced that. Otherwise it's been maintenance and upgrades for me. I have had no big shocking bills, and touch wood, I won't.

"Running costs over the last year and 12K have been limited to basic service items - about £500. Then there's the 12-piston 380mm big brake kit currently being fitted. Tyres - one full set. Fuel - lots of £s. Don't want to think but anything from 16mpg in town to 28mpg on the motorway. Powerspeed exhaust system including secondary cat delete. Remap. RPi intake scoops, BMC filters, Fiscon Bluetooth.

Only the one set of tyres then?

"Insurance isn't too bad, it's well under £1K per annum including business use, sensible postcode, seven-year NCB and 30 yrs old.

""For non-service work, a good friend does it for me before he clocks on at the local BMW dealer, saves a few £. Other small items I do myself. It's not as scary as people think and there is a great community on BMW5 and M5Board.com.

"I have been using my local firm Powerspeed and they have done me cracking deals on items like the exhaust, and use of their ramps for general service work."

Where I've been:
"In the last year, I was lucky enough to get a few track days under its tyres, Mallory Park was its first outing, and it showed its abilities all day. For what the car can do it's understated and a sleeper, yet when you get on the track (baby seat still fitted) and drive past track focused and prepped cars, you know it's something special.

"I also attended an airfield day over at RAF Marham, again, the old family car was happy to fight with the fastest cars there and I managed a 185 down the back straight. Not bad for a straight that's under one mile. Again I just went round all day, nothing fell off, went wrong or gave any sign of wanting to.

"I have attended many club events and fun runs over the last few years, and intend to do the same this year and going forward."

Getting out and about with fellow M fans

What next?
"I keep getting drawn to a Gallardo or Murci. However, they are not practical for a family so I don't know how often I would use them. I keep visiting the old ESS and G-Power sites... Maybe a twin charger conversion may happen next year. Is there ever too much power?"

 

[LaurasOtherHalf]

mate had one of these & it was great, did loads of track days in it & it never missed a beat.

second best feature after the engine was the head up display-every car should have one.

however bloke on our estate has just bought one last week & this morning i saw bmw service dragging him off the drive with a tranny van & tow rope, hopefully nothing serious.

[scorcher]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

& this morning i saw bmw service dragging him off the drive with a tranny van & tow rope, hopefully nothing serious.

Doesn't sound very "BMW"! Must be cost cutting aswell!

[RichTBiscuit]

Very nice M5 - always liked the manual version the guys in the US get.

Not sure I'd put 'K-Sport' brakes on an M5 though...... you get what you pay for. K-Sport don't have a great reputation.

[SuperchargedVR6]

BMW fitting barely adequate brakes to their performance cars doesn't come as a surprise but the tiny 12 Gallon tank does!

[SuperchargedVR6]

RichTBiscuit said:

Very nice M5 - always liked the manual version the guys in the US get.

Not sure I'd put 'K-Sport' brakes on an M5 though...... you get what you pay for. K-Sport don't have a great reputation.

Agreed. A car like that deserves AP Racing. There are many imitators but they're still the best.

[anonymous-user]

ARTICLE said:

"For service work, a good friend does it for me before he clocks on at the local BMW dealer, saves a few £ and I keep the full dealer history

Does it now? Is the dealler aware of this practise? Sounds a bit suss to me tbh

[RichTBiscuit]

SuperchargedVR6 said:

RichTBiscuit said:

Very nice M5 - always liked the manual version the guys in the US get.

Not sure I'd put 'K-Sport' brakes on an M5 though...... you get what you pay for. K-Sport don't have a great reputation.

Agreed. A car like that deserves AP Racing. There are many imitators but they're still the best.

The brake balance will be all to cock as well. Need upgraded rears to go with the fronts.

[gp1699]

Max_Torque said:

ARTICLE said:

"For service work, a good friend does it for me before he clocks on at the local BMW dealer, saves a few £ and I keep the full dealer history

Does it now? Is the dealler aware of this practise? Sounds a bit suss to me tbh

yeh i used to work in bmw service, we had a guy trying to get goodwill on a 3year plus car... full bmw history... so his book said, needless to say the computer said no and the lad got the sack and a note on the bmw uk database against the car...

but if hes puting it through the books all should be fine

Edited by gp1699 on Monday 4th March 10:56

[dasherdiablo1]

This is on my To Do list.. The mpg stated seems very good to me and I must admit if ths is achievable I might have to get one soon!

Car looks beautiful - superb colour :0)

[P4ROT]

Sir, that is a fine car history- I salute you

[FamilyDub]

blog said:

I went into buying the car with my eyes wide open, and did a lot of research

Then said...

blog said:

Bluetooth wasn't a standard item!

Not enough research, then...

[Krikkit]

RichTBiscuit said:

SuperchargedVR6 said:

RichTBiscuit said:

Very nice M5 - always liked the manual version the guys in the US get.

Not sure I'd put 'K-Sport' brakes on an M5 though...... you get what you pay for. K-Sport don't have a great reputation.

Agreed. A car like that deserves AP Racing. There are many imitators but they're still the best.

The brake balance will be all to cock as well. Need upgraded rears to go with the fronts.

Chances are a tweak of the balance mechanism would suffice rather than needing some huge upgrade, I doubt the rear brakes are particularly hammered.

[SuperchargedVR6]

Krikkit said:

RichTBiscuit said:

SuperchargedVR6 said:

RichTBiscuit said:

Very nice M5 - always liked the manual version the guys in the US get.

Not sure I'd put 'K-Sport' brakes on an M5 though...... you get what you pay for. K-Sport don't have a great reputation.

Agreed. A car like that deserves AP Racing. There are many imitators but they're still the best.

The brake balance will be all to cock as well. Need upgraded rears to go with the fronts.

Chances are a tweak of the balance mechanism would suffice rather than needing some huge upgrade, I doubt the rear brakes are particularly hammered.

If anything the rears will do less work because the fronts would no longer fade.

An Evo article from years ago always sticks in my mind about BMW brakes. It was an interview with the then head of M division and one of Evo's hacks. When asked why BMW don't fit 4 or 6 pot calipers like their competition do, his response was along the lines of: "Our brakes are adequate and we feel no need to fit such calipers".

Yeah, 'adequate'. People paying M5 money deserve far more than 'adequate'.

[vsonix]

...from what I've heard from other E60 M5 owners, those MPG estimates are quite generous! Even compared to its predecessor it's known to like a drink and is probably one of the thirstiest BMWs ever, lucky to break 20MPG.
I know you're not supposed to wring your hands over fuel consumption with thing like the M5; if you can afford to buy you can afford to run etc etc but one of the things that appeals to me about M-cars and BMWs in general is that they are capable of equalling if not surpassing their 'normal' competition on economy when you aren't in the mood for hooning about.

Edited by vsonix on Monday 4th March 11:39

[RSoovy4]

I'm sure your mate is delighted about you broadcasting the fact that he services your car "on the side" and stamps up your book with his employer's stamps, no doubt for cash before he clocks on!!

Fraud anyone, not to mention your invalid warranty if you have one! PLus your mate getting the sack when his boss sees this article and recognises your car!


WTF!

Edited by RSoovy4 on Monday 4th March 11:29

[LaurasOtherHalf]

scorcher said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

& this morning i saw bmw service dragging him off the drive with a tranny van & tow rope, hopefully nothing serious.

Doesn't sound very "BMW"! Must be cost cutting aswell!

yeah i thought the same, not sure if it's a quirk of the smg gearbox that necessitated it however, the bloke didn't look very happy either.

[rtz62]

As per 2 previous posts, this would in all probablility not have a service history recorded on BMW's system if done by the friend.
If it does, it will probably be fraud, as Im sure BMW UK wouldnt sanction it.
Personally, if I were buying a car like this, I would want to see a fully stamped book (BMW or specialist), plus receipts which I would x-ref with BMW by ringing them.
I wouldn't entertain a car that has suspect history, and Im sorry if this causes offence, but on the face of it this, according to the owner, is what it has.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

rtz62 said:

As per 2 previous posts, this would in all probablility not have a service history recorded on BMW's system if done by the friend.
If it does, it will probably be fraud, as Im sure BMW UK wouldnt sanction it.
Personally, if I were buying a car like this, I would want to see a fully stamped book (BMW or specialist), plus receipts which I would x-ref with BMW by ringing them.
I wouldn't entertain a car that has suspect history, and Im sorry if this causes offence, but on the face of it this, according to the owner, is what it has.

to be fair though, the car is an 05, if he keeps it a few years then is anyone going to be bothered about work being outside the dealer network on 10+ year old M5?

as long as it's been looked after & there's evidence to prove it then why it'd do for me

[mrmr96]

SuperchargedVR6 said:

Krikkit said:

RichTBiscuit said:

SuperchargedVR6 said:

RichTBiscuit said:

Very nice M5 - always liked the manual version the guys in the US get.

Not sure I'd put 'K-Sport' brakes on an M5 though...... you get what you pay for. K-Sport don't have a great reputation.

Agreed. A car like that deserves AP Racing. There are many imitators but they're still the best.

The brake balance will be all to cock as well. Need upgraded rears to go with the fronts.

Chances are a tweak of the balance mechanism would suffice rather than needing some huge upgrade, I doubt the rear brakes are particularly hammered.

If anything the rears will do less work because the fronts would no longer fade.

An Evo article from years ago always sticks in my mind about BMW brakes. It was an interview with the then head of M division and one of Evo's hacks. When asked why BMW don't fit 4 or 6 pot calipers like their competition do, his response was along the lines of: "Our brakes are adequate and we feel no need to fit such calipers".

Yeah, 'adequate'. People paying M5 money deserve far more than 'adequate'.

So long as the total piston area is the same on the K Sports as it was on the OEM brakes then the bias probably won't need adjusting? The same relative force will be applied to the front and rear, as the balance of pressure is determined by the ratio of the areas of the pistons.

The friction material might play a part, but you can match the friction material front to rear without swapping the rear calipers. I'm pretty sure that big brakes offer fade resistance rather than additional braking power per-se.

[Amirhussain]

Great car, great engine.