e39 m5 vs 650i

[mdowning]

Does anyone have any comparative experience of the above?

I'd been starting to look for a nice FL e39 m5, which I thought would suit my mainly motorway/a-road/v occasional hoon driving nicely (albeit, it doesn't seem a straight forward task finding a good one nowadays). Anyhow, I hadn't realised how cheaply the 650i can be had now. It looks like £13k (asking) gets you something with reasonably low mileage and a textbook history. This has got me wondering whether I'd be better off going for an 650i over the e39 m5.

Performance (at least on paper) suggests the two should be pretty much neck-and-neck. Gut instinct is the 650i could be quite a lot easier on the wallet in terms of mpg + insurance + (un)scheduled maintenance.

I'm conscious the 650i are generally all auto (I know there are the occasional manuals). But other than that, I was wondering how the two compare? Thanks in advance for any thoughts/ help. All best

[DVandrews]

I'm interested in the answer to that question, I currently have a late model E39 M5 and have contemplated a 650i for some time..

Dave

[mdowning]

Funny you should say that, Dave. I was reading this thread earlier:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

But it never looked to have got concluded. Obviously you didn't choose to go down the 650i route at the time...

[DVandrews]

Changing family circumstances (additional grandchild) stalled things as I needed 4 proper seats. Another 4 seater on the fleet now fulfills that role. Hence the renewed interest.

Dave

[mdowning]

Dave - out of curiosity, what's the situation with your m5 then, could it be available? I tried to PM you, bit PH wouldn't let me

[nonuts]

For me it all depends on your priorities, either could have big bills, I suspect the 650i would be cheaper to run, but not by a huge amount.

[mdowning]

nonuts said:

For me it all depends on your priorities, either could have big bills, I suspect the 650i would be cheaper to run, but not by a huge amount.

nonuts said:

For me it all depends on your priorities, either could have big bills, I suspect the 650i would be cheaper to run, but not by a huge amount.

My priorities are having a car I like (both tick the boxes), reliable (ditto), can do big mileage comfortably (ditto), properly quick (ditto), decent luggage capacity (ditto), space in the back, if only used v rarely (ditto), not eye wateringly expensive to run (ditto, i think?) as you can see, a close choice for my needs. I guess what I was wondering, if PH readers were choosing, which would they go for and why? First hand experience of people that have driven/been in both would be really interesting

[Johnb850]

mdowning said:

Does anyone have any comparative experience of the above?

I'd been starting to look for a nice FL e39 m5, which I thought would suit my mainly motorway/a-road/v occasional hoon driving nicely (albeit, it doesn't seem a straight forward task finding a good one nowadays). Anyhow, I hadn't realised how cheaply the 650i can be had now. It looks like £13k (asking) gets you something with reasonably low mileage and a textbook history. This has got me wondering whether I'd be better off going for an 650i over the e39 m5.

Performance (at least on paper) suggests the two should be pretty much neck-and-neck. Gut instinct is the 650i could be quite a lot easier on the wallet in terms of mpg + insurance + (un)scheduled maintenance.

I'm conscious the 650i are generally all auto (I know there are the occasional manuals). But other than that, I was wondering how the two compare? Thanks in advance for any thoughts/ help. All best

I would say cost-wise, the 650 would be the harder car to keep on the road.

The E39 is still very much "old school" compared to the E63. Nearly nothing can be done on an E63 without a diagnostic computer and there is also alot more to go worng on an E63 as.

Straight line performance, I would say would be pretty similar but you would like to think the M5 could handle a bend better than the big 6er.

And realistically the M5 will always have some sott of residual value purely because its an M5 whereas the 650 will continue to depreciate into oblivion.

Both great cars.

An E61 550i manual touring would be a good buy. Tourings are always good and are even awesome when theres less than 10 in RHD!!

[shadow1964]

mdowning said:

I guess what I was wondering, if PH readers were choosing, which would they go for and why? First hand experience of people that have driven/been in both would be really interesting

Just for your info, I have sort of given this a brief answer on the M6 thread you posted on if you have not already read it?