Discussion
bollox said:
Try Gareth( of Bespoke Automotive Consulting) on the BM3W.co.uk website, he come's highly recommended by buyers and sellers on that forum, would use him myself if required most definitley.
AddM
I'll second that - Gareth sourced my M5, negotiated with the dealer and made it all a hassle free experience. Highly recommended.
I can't say enough good things about the E39 M5. It's destined to become a classic and these days it's a used car bargain.
The BMW extended warranty is absolutely essential in my opinion; when these cars go wrong (rarely) it can become very expensive and a warrantied car will always retain it's value better.
Also look for one with the CommsPack (SatNav & phone) as this is considered the must have option.
Colour choice is subjective but avoid green and white ones if you want to sell it on later.
Finally, lots of great info to be found here:
www.m5board.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=3
The BMW extended warranty is absolutely essential in my opinion; when these cars go wrong (rarely) it can become very expensive and a warrantied car will always retain it's value better.
Also look for one with the CommsPack (SatNav & phone) as this is considered the must have option.
Colour choice is subjective but avoid green and white ones if you want to sell it on later.
Finally, lots of great info to be found here:
www.m5board.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=3
I dunno, first Wavey Dave, now Powelly --- TVR lovin' gone bad ?
Actually, I'm on here a little guiltily, shiftily myself.... entertaining thoughts of an 8 series V12. Gonna keep Bluey, though, and cant bear the thought of losing Vera. But as a daily driver instead of Jerry? :sharp breath in: Hmmm .....
Actually, I'm on here a little guiltily, shiftily myself.... entertaining thoughts of an 8 series V12. Gonna keep Bluey, though, and cant bear the thought of losing Vera. But as a daily driver instead of Jerry? :sharp breath in: Hmmm .....
a said:
Also look for one with the CommsPack (SatNav & phone) as this is considered the must have option.
This is a myth bandered around the boards by people who try to inflate the values of their own cars. Dont be forced to pay over the odds for a car with SAT NAV just becuase the previous owner got suckered into doing the same. Save yourself £1500 and buy a tom tom go. If you buy with the following criteria then you wont go far wrong.
1. Warranty
2. Condition
3. Milage
4. Age
5. Colour/Trim
6. Options
I bought mine without SAT NAV (Shock Horror) from a BMW dealer with 22,000 miles it's an individual colour and trim. For me the low mileage was reason I bought the car . The Colour and Trim where a bonus.
P
>> Edited by paulmon on Tuesday 11th October 10:54
Agreed. His intentions are good, but over the years Ashok has done more to destroy the demand and thus value of non-satnav E39 M5's in this country than anyone else in the history of car valuation!
Given that the E39 is now obsolete, and that there are now a multitude of superior aftermarket satnav tools available, I would say that the sole *must-have* for an E39 is the BMW warranty.
Given that the E39 is now obsolete, and that there are now a multitude of superior aftermarket satnav tools available, I would say that the sole *must-have* for an E39 is the BMW warranty.
First of all I have to say that the violet looks great!
Much as I would like to think that I have some influence over values this is really not the case.
Ask any dealer and they will say the same thing - SatNav is important. I agree that aftermarkets units do the job perfectly well but a car with SatNav will sell faster (if not for more money) so keep this is mind when buying. I have nothing against people without SatNav, just telling it like I see it.
Much as I would like to think that I have some influence over values this is really not the case.
Ask any dealer and they will say the same thing - SatNav is important. I agree that aftermarkets units do the job perfectly well but a car with SatNav will sell faster (if not for more money) so keep this is mind when buying. I have nothing against people without SatNav, just telling it like I see it.
Thanks for the referral bollox and mondeoman - very kind of you.
On the sat nav issue the M5 is certainly easier to sell on with it fitted, but it's not impossible to sell without. But the difference will be anything from £1-3k less without and it will take longer to sell than a car with the oem Sat nav fitted. It's got nothing to do with how good it is (pre DVD based it's pretty damn poor actually) but just the market expectations these days.
On the sat nav issue the M5 is certainly easier to sell on with it fitted, but it's not impossible to sell without. But the difference will be anything from £1-3k less without and it will take longer to sell than a car with the oem Sat nav fitted. It's got nothing to do with how good it is (pre DVD based it's pretty damn poor actually) but just the market expectations these days.
hereward said:
Agreed. His intentions are good, but over the years Ashok has done more to destroy the demand and thus value of non-satnav E39 M5's in this country than anyone else in the history of car valuation!
Given that the E39 is now obsolete, and that there are now a multitude of superior aftermarket satnav tools available, I would say that the sole *must-have* for an E39 is the BMW warranty.
With respect, Ashok is a M5 enthusiast and it is not involved with the day to day performance car market and it's current workings....
I'd agree that the BMW warranty is pretty vital but a good M5 *can* be bought out of warranty and a decent 3rd party (yes they do exist) policy be bought to cover it.
Gareth W said:
Thanks for the referral bollox and mondeoman - very kind of you.
On the sat nav issue the M5 is certainly easier to sell on with it fitted, but it's not impossible to sell without. But the difference will be anything from £1-3k less without and it will take longer to sell than a car with the oem Sat nav fitted.
This may well be the case now at this very moment in time but as the cars get older the £1-3k difference just evaporates. I dont doubt that a car with comms will be easier to sell but on a 5 year old car I certainly wouldnt expect to pay a premium for it.
P
I'm afraid I disagree. The OEM Satnav is pretty good. Just like the rest of the car it does what it says on the tin.
Don't be fooled by the aftermarket versions of satnav. I have the CD (pre DVD) version. Don't know why people slate it. The DVD version just contains a larger map but is otherwise the same. Fine if you want to speed across the world but condsidering I only speed across the UK and ireland its fine. I think I can live with changing the CD while I'm on the ferry.
As for how it is, pretty dam good. I use tomtom in the Cerb, but the BME OEM is far better. The signal is actually accurate and always there even in a garage! I use it to find patients (I am a GP) and it has never sent me the wrong way up a one way street unlike tomtom. It tells me which side of the road to look for the house and dynamically routes me round traffic jams. I'm not impressed buy fussy 3D graphics cos I don't want to be looking at them.
I'm far more impressed with a little voice which says, "Warning, stationary traffic in the middle of the road ahead". Ten seconds later on the M25 an artic is sitting stationary broken down in the fast lane, with the traffic filtering round it.
I'd trade that for all style no performance of the tomtom. In fact I gave the tomtom to my wife to use.
Don't be fooled by the aftermarket versions of satnav. I have the CD (pre DVD) version. Don't know why people slate it. The DVD version just contains a larger map but is otherwise the same. Fine if you want to speed across the world but condsidering I only speed across the UK and ireland its fine. I think I can live with changing the CD while I'm on the ferry.
As for how it is, pretty dam good. I use tomtom in the Cerb, but the BME OEM is far better. The signal is actually accurate and always there even in a garage! I use it to find patients (I am a GP) and it has never sent me the wrong way up a one way street unlike tomtom. It tells me which side of the road to look for the house and dynamically routes me round traffic jams. I'm not impressed buy fussy 3D graphics cos I don't want to be looking at them.
I'm far more impressed with a little voice which says, "Warning, stationary traffic in the middle of the road ahead". Ten seconds later on the M25 an artic is sitting stationary broken down in the fast lane, with the traffic filtering round it.
I'd trade that for all style no performance of the tomtom. In fact I gave the tomtom to my wife to use.
Julian64 said:
Don't be fooled by the aftermarket versions of satnav. I have the CD (pre DVD) version. Don't know why people slate it. The DVD version just contains a larger map but is otherwise the same. Fine if you want to speed across the world but condsidering I only speed across the UK and ireland its fine. I think I can live with changing the CD while I'm on the ferry.
Not quite. The DVD version apart from having more data is a darned sight quicker at planning, replanning and adjusting the route. With the old CD version I was constantly being asked to make a U-turn
whereas the DVD version just gets on and replans the route. No more shouting at the Sat Nav for me.. 
DoctorD said:
Don't be fooled by the aftermarket versions of satnav. I have the CD (pre DVD) version. Don't know why people slate it. The DVD version just contains a larger map but is otherwise the same. Fine if you want to speed across the world but condsidering I only speed across the UK and ireland its fine. I think I can live with changing the CD while I'm on the ferry.
Not quite. The DVD version apart from having more data is a darned sight quicker at planning, replanning and adjusting the route. With the old CD version I was constantly being asked to make a U-turn
Well, don't understand that, mine seems instant at replanning a route. Have three months of roadworks in my patch so every time it directs me that way I press to reroute and it takes about three seconds?
Is this a version of the software problem?
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff