E61 M5 Goodbye; hello E61 535d se
Discussion
It was a great car but dynamically flawed in that people liken it to a super car but its not. Most that own an m5 have a toy car tucked away too; mines a 964 c2. For me i was growing to hate its fragility as a daily car and despising its thirst. I have very deep pockets usually for car related matters but the fuel consumption was borderline taking the piss.particularly as the m5 will always be a downward depreciation spiralling lead weight kind of car.
Your gt3 and my 964 in my opinion are pretty solid in their residuals. Horses for courses and all; but i was very happy to see the back of it.(although a very nice looking cool car)
Your gt3 and my 964 in my opinion are pretty solid in their residuals. Horses for courses and all; but i was very happy to see the back of it.(although a very nice looking cool car)
535D is a very good car indeed. Have used one in anger recently. Although being a passenger at speed in it can make you feel a little sick....I think it's the torque which just seems to keep pulling and pulling in the mid range. Saloon or touring?
I understand the E61 angle....just one of those cars which frankly you cannot mind spending money on. My uncle ran one for 85k from new. He had a rather interesting fuel spreadsheet for tax purposes. He spent about 30k on fuel I think during his ownership.
Saying that my E92 M3 is not exactly showing great mpg. My saving grace is I have a derv on the drive to take the mundane fuel heavy trips averaging about 58mpg this week
I understand the E61 angle....just one of those cars which frankly you cannot mind spending money on. My uncle ran one for 85k from new. He had a rather interesting fuel spreadsheet for tax purposes. He spent about 30k on fuel I think during his ownership.
Saying that my E92 M3 is not exactly showing great mpg. My saving grace is I have a derv on the drive to take the mundane fuel heavy trips averaging about 58mpg this week

metsta said:
Thank god its gone; lardy ass money pit. Totally flawed in the sub 200 mile per tank; £500 road tax; £1000 brakes £3500 clutches etc etc
Replaced with a 58 reg e61 535d
Good for you - just a bit surprised by the rather harsh verdict post-sale when you have been extolling what a great car the M5 is (was) before you sold it?Replaced with a 58 reg e61 535d

Agreed , it was a px deal though so not much choice otherwise yes he 520d would have been the ideal.
M5 was a great car but but I stand by the fact its not a supercar its too heavy and its not an accomplished luxo barge as its too crashy and harsh and expensive to run so for me didn't tick any of my car need boxes. Obviously an M Power forum so I'll get my coat and my derv hat.....
M5 was a great car but but I stand by the fact its not a supercar its too heavy and its not an accomplished luxo barge as its too crashy and harsh and expensive to run so for me didn't tick any of my car need boxes. Obviously an M Power forum so I'll get my coat and my derv hat.....
I went the other direction - from a 535d sport to an M5. The 535d's engine is nice and great for real world driving but boring by comparison. And if you think the M5 was lardy the 535d will be a wallowing barge. What struck me when I first drove an M5 was that it felt and handled the way the sport version of the series should have but never will. An SE will be softer still.
Sub-200 miles from a tank means you drove the car in stop and go traffic or you have a very very heavy foot. If it's the former a slush box diseasel is much more pleasant; if it's the latter you'll miss the M5. The 535d is very quick but boringly so - nothing like the howl of a V10 at full chat.
Sub-200 miles from a tank means you drove the car in stop and go traffic or you have a very very heavy foot. If it's the former a slush box diseasel is much more pleasant; if it's the latter you'll miss the M5. The 535d is very quick but boringly so - nothing like the howl of a V10 at full chat.
hmm let me think about this 5 doors,5 seats 500+ bhp just as happy at 80 mph on the motorway or flying round on a track day.
he's just sold the best all round car in the world
ps whats a few less mpg between friends .my lasts 3 cars
jaguar str 400bhp 13/30 mpg
jaguar 150xk 300 bhp 14/27 mpg
bmw m5 e61 10/27 mpg
don't buy a car that we all know does 10/27 mpg then slag it off for doing 10/27 mpg
Edited by davewhitt on Saturday 10th November 22:04
Did you have a change of mind?
"My 07 with no warranty and a massive* 74k on the clock and have another 1000 mile road trip starting in a few hours; boot loaded; roof box bursting; 3 kids and wife at the ready (sleeping) will have a tow bar fitted on return for a better bike rack to save the boot mounted one i have on there.
Fingers crossed no cogs or gremlins @) whoop whoop m5 touring its the best family motor going i laugh at all the s-max galaxy diesel sensible fools
Mpg pah who cares"
"My 07 with no warranty and a massive* 74k on the clock and have another 1000 mile road trip starting in a few hours; boot loaded; roof box bursting; 3 kids and wife at the ready (sleeping) will have a tow bar fitted on return for a better bike rack to save the boot mounted one i have on there.
Fingers crossed no cogs or gremlins @) whoop whoop m5 touring its the best family motor going i laugh at all the s-max galaxy diesel sensible fools
Mpg pah who cares"
sometimes i can do 30k miles in a year, and at 15 mpg - erm no sorry, but it doesnt even come to the fact the SMG gearbox about town is nasty IMO...i really wanted to like the E60 M5 test drive i had but i found myself disliking it Sorry to say. The 535d is as dull as dishwater but cruises very well and sometimes that and a decent stereo is a delight....i must be getting old...it will be replaced in time with a V8 M3 or an M3 cs depending how many buttons i have after the nursery and private school fees...infact kids fees would equate to running 3x M5's both doing 25k miles per year....i think..


I was wrong (ish) still wouldnt do a diesel ford but; Last week i clocked up 900 miles which was about 4 tanks of fuel so around £350!
Also had to top up a litre of oil.the 535d would have cost what £150.
So the m5 2 wasnt for me fun enough i have the 911 for that; too expensive to commute infact its the only car ive owned that ive gone out and bought a seperate car to run alongside it WTF many of you also own winter hacks to protect the m5 eh!
Also had to top up a litre of oil.the 535d would have cost what £150.
So the m5 2 wasnt for me fun enough i have the 911 for that; too expensive to commute infact its the only car ive owned that ive gone out and bought a seperate car to run alongside it WTF many of you also own winter hacks to protect the m5 eh!
I have to agree with the OP's comments. There's a lot of internet hype regarding the E6x M5 on forums like these but in the real world it's a very niche car which while providing bonkers performance is far too much of a compromise for something that's supposed to be the pinnacle of the 5 series. It's almost as if BMW got a bit carried away with the engine and forgot to make it the luxurious long distance cruiser that every 5 series should be.
The range and gearbox are serious liabilities to it being a serious GT. The drivetrain should have been put in the back of an R8 competitor and we would all be happy. Driving the F10 M5 only proves how much the E60 lacked in areas where it really should have been a given.
The range and gearbox are serious liabilities to it being a serious GT. The drivetrain should have been put in the back of an R8 competitor and we would all be happy. Driving the F10 M5 only proves how much the E60 lacked in areas where it really should have been a given.
I do have admiration for the M5, but as an owner of a 535d, the derv really makes a case for itself. Mine is also just an SE but I really enjoy the softer springs. It gives it a very accessible balance too and is a lot more fun than you might otherwise think. A year on and mine hasn't been remapped - the torque has never left me wanting more!
As someone that went 535D --> e60 M5 last year - all I can is WHY?!
Yes it's nice and torquey but it's so DULL once the initial "wafting on torque" novelty wears off. The slush-matic gearbox is pants in terms of any driver engagement, the interior is lower quality, you lose the HUD and many of the toys where the M5 is taut and responsive the 535D is spongy and compliant, and the kicker is that as has been stated already, it completely defeats the whole point of a DERV in that it's so thirsty. I averaged about 26mpg in mine over 2 years versus about 19mpg in the M5. I'm sure coming from a normal variety of mundane-o saloon it might be a nice improvement but from an M5...... - yee gods.
Why do people buy 5L 500bhp cars and then complain that they're expensive to run when they do galactic mileage? -
- Plus I'm sure the hit on resale after such a short ownership will likely be more than any savings in running costs on the new one.
Yes it's nice and torquey but it's so DULL once the initial "wafting on torque" novelty wears off. The slush-matic gearbox is pants in terms of any driver engagement, the interior is lower quality, you lose the HUD and many of the toys where the M5 is taut and responsive the 535D is spongy and compliant, and the kicker is that as has been stated already, it completely defeats the whole point of a DERV in that it's so thirsty. I averaged about 26mpg in mine over 2 years versus about 19mpg in the M5. I'm sure coming from a normal variety of mundane-o saloon it might be a nice improvement but from an M5...... - yee gods.
Why do people buy 5L 500bhp cars and then complain that they're expensive to run when they do galactic mileage? -
- Plus I'm sure the hit on resale after such a short ownership will likely be more than any savings in running costs on the new one.Edited by StuH on Sunday 11th November 13:49
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