E60 M5 or E92 M3

[S3_Graham]

If you were in the market for a £20-25k M car and buying approved used (so years warranty), which would you choose?

Hopefully in the market soon and can't decide. Heart says E60 but it's probably a bit big for my current parking. Next best thing would be an E92. is there a huge difference in running costs? Fuel seems to be similar, parts similar.

E60 will be a little older mind.

[munkynutz]

I'd go E92 - late reg. Much more modern car in its systems (CIC), less heavy, no dodgy gearbox (either DCT or Manual form) and much more capable on twisty's and tracks

[p1stonhead]

E90 will feel more modern with the DCT box which is great.

But there is the option to go private and get an M5 Touring with a panoramic roof

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

[PH XKR]

E60 for me, ignoring the issues its an itch to scratch with that V10. The M3 of that era just did nothing for the brand in my eye, even if an epic capable car it was just not for me.

[mb26]

I have been lucky enough to own both of them.

E60 is a great car...with the unfortunately major achiles heal of the SMG gearbox, which is NOT always covered by BMW warranty and very exensive to fix. I freaked out when mine started banging in traffic so hard that it felt like i had been hit from behind, and traded it in...

E9x M3 a great car with achiles heel being throttle bodies, which IS covered by warranty, and not as eyewateringly expensive to fix out of warranty. Both mine failed at 45000 miles and were replaced under warranty.

Running costs...servicing similar...fuel...M5 will be 10% more expensive...
M5 more comfortable...

Edited by mb26 on Thursday 2nd March 14:48

[S3_Graham]

All depends on what I get offered for my M140.

Going to Cooper Cobham tomorrow to have a look at the 2 cars they have. 07 plate E60 is 23, the 2010 E92 is 24.

Croydon also have a 13 plate E92 for £28k.

[amokwa]

S3_Graham said:

All depends on what I get offered for my M140.

Going to Cooper Cobham tomorrow to have a look at the 2 cars they have. 07 plate E60 is 23, the 2010 E92 is 24.

Croydon also have a 13 plate E92 for £28k.

I hope you've read the "E60 M5 siezed on me" thread below, in particular the warranty pointers.

[jamoor]

The throttle actuators aren't a problem. You can rebuild them with a kit before they fail.


The problem is rod bearings on both engines(they are essentially the same engine with different number of cylinders)

[Patrick Bateman]

If it had a warranty then the M5. No experience of either but exposure to any V10 is going to be limited in my life I suspect.

[skeeterm5]

Depends what you want.

I have owned both, had 2 e60 M5, kept each one for 2 years and 30k, then had a e92 m3 which I kept 2 months and 3k miles before I sold it back to BMW.

Personally I found the M3 to be a bit boring, maybe if I hadn't had the M5 then I wouldn't have thought so.

Having said that the range on the M5 is laughable and you will be stopping for fuel all the time which is a right pain.

Performancewise, the M5 feels manically fast, the M3 is smoothly fast so it feels slower, although on normal roads I would suggest that there isn't much in it.

S

[matty13]

I went through this descision last autumn . In the end I choose the m5 . The driving experience was just so much more dramatic that the m3 . Don't get me wrong the m3 is a great car but the m5 is a complete weapon . The gearbox is not as quick as the m3 but it has greater feel . Both are great cars , you can't really go wrong with either . But trust me get an m5 , do the exhaust mod , floor it in 2nd and your know why you brought it

[S3_Graham]

At BMW now. Will keep you guys posted. M5 is where I'd like to be but id also like to PCP the car which won't happen on the M5. Weirdly it would be cheaper monthly to buy a £33k F10 than HP the £23k E60.

[amokwa]

S3_Graham said:

At BMW now. Will keep you guys posted. M5 is where I'd like to be but id also like to PCP the car which won't happen on the M5. Weirdly it would be cheaper monthly to buy a £33k F10 than HP the £23k E60.

What is the mileage on the E60 ?

[manand38]

M5 all day long. Trust me there are not many cars that can get away from it!
The 5 liter V10 is a super car engine and the best produced by BM!

[Welshbeef]

S3_Graham said:

At BMW now. Will keep you guys posted. M5 is where I'd like to be but id also like to PCP the car which won't happen on the M5. Weirdly it would be cheaper monthly to buy a £33k F10 than HP the £23k E60.

The F10 is in a different league of modern and comfort and tech and a big step up in performance. Also not eye watering on fuel consumption.

[daz05]

skeeterm5 said:

Depends what you want.

I have owned both, had 2 e60 M5, kept each one for 2 years and 30k, then had a e92 m3 which I kept 2 months and 3k miles before I sold it back to BMW.

Personally I found the M3 to be a bit boring, maybe if I hadn't had the M5 then I wouldn't have thought so.

Having said that the range on the M5 is laughable and you will be stopping for fuel all the time which is a right pain.

Performancewise, the M5 feels manically fast, the M3 is smoothly fast so it feels slower, although on normal roads I would suggest that there isn't much in it.

S

Sounds like you are comparing gearboxes rather than the cars.

[skeeterm5]

daz05 said:

Sounds like you are comparing gearboxes rather than the cars.

No. The M3 I had was a manual.

It is the overall feeling and ownership experience of the car. If anything the M3 is simply too refined on the road, not really that different to a 335.

I know people will disagree, but I don't happen to drive like the stig on public roads, and in that environment the M5 is iin a different league in terms of driver experience.

If you have never experienced S7 full throttle up shifts from 1st to 2nd to 3rd you won't have any idea what I am talking about. The M3 has absolutely nothing to compare to that.

S

[Welshbeef]

skeeterm5 said:

No. The M3 I had was a manual.

It is the overall feeling and ownership experience of the car. If anything the M3 is simply too refined on the road, not really that different to a 335.

I know people will disagree, but I don't happen to drive like the stig on public roads, and in that environment the M5 is iin a different league in terms of driver experience.

If you have never experienced S7 full throttle up shifts from 1st to 2nd to 3rd you won't have any idea what I am talking about. The M3 has absolutely nothing to compare to that.

S

M5 V10 is 271bhp/tonne max power 507bhp
M3 V8 is 262bhp/tonne max power 414bhp

So really in those low gears there really isn't much in it 3/4-7th certainly

[skeeterm5]

Welshbeef said:

M5 V10 is 271bhp/tonne max power 507bhp
M3 V8 is 262bhp/tonne max power 414bhp

So really in those low gears there really isn't much in it 3/4-7th certainly

You miss the point. It is all about feeling not actual performance, as I said in an earlier post.

[cosworth330]

S3_Graham said:

At BMW now. Will keep you guys posted. M5 is where I'd like to be but id also like to PCP the car which won't happen on the M5. Weirdly it would be cheaper monthly to buy a £33k F10 than HP the £23k E60.

How did you get on?

That blue E60 at cooper has a reasonable spec,looks like a nice car. The only thing that would put me off that one is the miles will be past 60k when the BMWAUC runs out so if you want to put the Mondial on it it will be very expensive. Depends if you planning on keeping it for a few years.
I really do think the E60 M5 is such a one off special car even though it is far from perfect. I wouldn't run one if it was my only transport and I was using it to go to work everyday but for occasional use it suits my needs.
Pistonheads wrote a review a few weeks ago on all M5 models from E28 to F10 and out of all the models they reckon the V10 will be the one that will be collectible and go up in value way down the line though.

The V8 M3 is surely a great car but for me it's the least desirable M3, nothing excites me about its looks, E46 and F80 so much better looking. Even being V8 powered doesn't do it for me. I've never desired to have the E90/92/93 range just does nothing for me.