E60 M5 to 130i M Sport
Discussion
Looking to trade in my E60 M5 for a low mileage 130i M Sport on a 57 plate. Just don't get a chance to drive the M5 (5k miles in 18 months) and have an X5 as the family car. Anybody else had a similar sort of experience moving from an M car into a hot hatch? Having driven the 130i this morning, have been very impressed with the way it drives and accelerates. Drove an R32 as well, very nice car but it really felt like a downgrade on the M5 whilst the 130 felt more refined and better built.
Went from an E90 M3 to a 130i and can honestly say I don't miss the M anything like as much as I thought I would.
Obviously it's slower, doesn't go around the bends as well or sound as good (my M3 had a rather tasty exhaust) but the 130i is probably 90% of the car for a third of the price and I find it more enjoyable on our congested and speed camera infested roads.
Others will probably say this also - change to non-run flat tyres and accept that the clutch action will take a little getting used to.
edit - the running costs are also significantly lower than an M car
Obviously it's slower, doesn't go around the bends as well or sound as good (my M3 had a rather tasty exhaust) but the 130i is probably 90% of the car for a third of the price and I find it more enjoyable on our congested and speed camera infested roads.
Others will probably say this also - change to non-run flat tyres and accept that the clutch action will take a little getting used to.
edit - the running costs are also significantly lower than an M car
Edited by swanny71 on Friday 20th January 10:11
Thanks for the replies. Drove the 130i again today, this time for a bit longer and decided to go for it. As much as seeing the M5 go will hurt, it just doesn't make sense as a station car which is what I am using it for most of the week. Very impressed with the 130i and it's simplicity. Will not be on run flats thankfully and it has an auto box. The gear changes on the auto box were very quick and smooth, and the paddles worked exceptionally well. I know most people prefer a manual on these cars, but after experiencing this auto and the lightening fast paddle shifts I can't understand why.
I went from the E39 M5 to a 130i (via a Corrado VR6). The problem with the M5 was that you simply couldn't use it to it's full potential 95% of the time. The 130i does what the M5 did 95% of the time (for me anyway and the driving I do). The M5 obviously was the better drive all told, particularly in ride quality/damping and general comfort. The only thing I really miss is a LSD. If you threw £3.5k at the 130i for the Birds suspension modifications and LSD, I think you'd have an astoundingly capable car, matching any M car in every aspect bar maybe outright grunt.
Rabbo said:
If you threw £3.5k at the 130i for the Birds suspension modifications and LSD, I think you'd have an astoundingly capable car, matching any M car in every aspect bar maybe outright grunt.
I drove the Birds 130i demonstrator (with suspension and diff) and was very impressed but the price of the upgrades has stopped me having them done. £600 on decent tyres improved the car enough for me to be happy....for nowI keep thinking about going the other way, from my 130i to an M3/5. But then what bothers me is if I can have as much real-world fun in a bigger car? The footprint of the 130i means that you can have fun on pretty much any A/B road. Then there's the 1M, which would probably be ideal.... if it was N/A. So for now, I'm keeping her for a fair while to come!
I also tried an R32 before I bought the 130i and got the same impression - the 130i just felt more grown up, more of a "proper" car, where the R32 was a bit too much go-kart with not much feedback coming from the 4WD. It did grip like anything round corners though and is probably the faster point-to-point car.
I also tried an R32 before I bought the 130i and got the same impression - the 130i just felt more grown up, more of a "proper" car, where the R32 was a bit too much go-kart with not much feedback coming from the 4WD. It did grip like anything round corners though and is probably the faster point-to-point car.
Edited by navier_stokes on Friday 20th January 21:14
SignalGruen said:
I'm about to do the same although since the M5 is now worth peanuts I'm tempted to hang onto it.
I was tempted to do the same, mine had 14k worth of warranty work in my tenure and was like a new car, but the extra insurance etc etc for something that would get used very rarely and having previous experience of more than one BMW around me saw it go. I had the dealer take the RF's off the 130 before driving it out and grinned all the way home. The only downside for me was lack of Xenons and small fuel tank, apart from that it was a fun car.roofer said:
Went from an E39 M5 to a 130. The 130 was a better car.
Me too....As with comments above, the 130i is a real cracking car. Yes it needs an LSD when its wet, (but the DTC is very good, (much better than the e39 M5 dsc)), and get rid of the run-flats.
I did find the looks hard to get use to, especially compared to the M5 but you forget it completely when you are in it, but it does make it a bit of a sleeper though
Get one with i-drive and you will feel like home from home.
Remember the big plus points, great sound, very nippy in narrow roads, great fuel consumption and above all cheap to maintain.
Do it!
Car I am getting has 18k miles on 57 plate in Silver. Has adaptive xenons, leather, memory seats, sunroof, cruise control, auto with paddles. Does not have idrive, which for me isn't an issue on this car. Will only be used for short trips, got the wife's X5 for longer journeys. Will get the BMW branded in dash Garmin unit fitted (sits in the storage tray), looks good and is easy to use as well as having bluetooth which I do need.
It will be supplied on non run flat continentals so that is a big plus as well, and dealer throwing in BMW mobility kit as well.
One thing I will want changing straight away is the aerial...any recommendations on which stubby works best?
It will be supplied on non run flat continentals so that is a big plus as well, and dealer throwing in BMW mobility kit as well.
One thing I will want changing straight away is the aerial...any recommendations on which stubby works best?
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