E60 M5 a dream car

[twiggypom]

Ever since dad owned one I have wanted my own. The performance and sound were incredible thanks to a legend of a V10.

Now I am in the position to buy one I can't help but browse the classifieds searching for my ideal spec. There are a lot of stories speaking of their reliability however and it has me wondering how bad it really is. Dad never had issues with his but it was a couple of years old at the time with about 20,000 miles on the clock. Is it a case of finding a well looked after example? is the face lift a safer option? Maybe an M6 is a better route? Having read a few buying guides I understand that they have their issues.

If any current owners are on here how do you find life with it?

Thanks in advance!

[KamSandhu44]

My wallet weeps when I think of buying one of these. Would be a dream to own one some day..

Good luck in your search.

(Sorry for being no help).

Edit:

Have you read this thread?

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

Edited by KamSandhu44 on Thursday 28th June 10:21

[Ninja59]

I was reading BMW Car magazine recently and part of it was on the V10 S85 in the M5/6.

By all means go and find a decent one, but they do come across as major headaches for mostly engine related issues (to such an extent that the specialists that BMW Car went to hesitated on recommending one), more so than the later M5 and M6's with the V8TT S63.

I do admit though they sound properly good when the revs get used.

It does really depend on how much you are willing to "accept" in terms of running costs. It all sounded very eye watering though.

[twiggypom]

KamSandhu44 said:

My wallet weeps when I think of buying one of these. Would be a dream to own one some day..

Good luck in your search.

(Sorry for being no help).

Edit:

Have you read this thread?

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

Edited by KamSandhu44 on Thursday 28th June 10:21

It all sounds very expensive. I guess if I search enough and find one with certain parts recently done it might be better. It depends on the mileage on some of the parts being changed from what I have read. Cheers for the link

[twiggypom]

Ninja59 said:

I was reading BMW Car magazine recently and part of it was on the V10 S85 in the M5/6.

By all means go and find a decent one, but they do come across as major headaches for mostly engine related issues (to such an extent that the specialists that BMW Car went to hesitated on recommending one), more so than the later M5 and M6's with the V8TT S63.

I do admit though they sound properly good when the revs get used.

It does really depend on how much you are willing to "accept" in terms of running costs. It all sounded very eye watering though.

I thought as much. Everywhere I look there seems to be negativity in terms of realiability. I really didn't like F10 M5 it looks so big, the E60 isn't a great looking car but I prefer it personally. The M6 however is nice car especially the GranCoupe.

The car won't be a regular car simply a toy and the odd roadtrip. My current Alpina Roadster has done 8000miles in 2 years. So it wont be used a great deal but then if a big issue does come up i could be paying a lot of money for a car that isn't used all the time. Loving cars is hard sometimes...

[Rawhide]

As an alternative you might want to consider a good Mercedes E55 AMG. Similar performance (not such good handling) but low entry price and generally bulletproof drivetrain and engine.

I've had mine for a year and had no issues other than service items which are not too bad on cost if you can work on the car yourself

[Truckosaurus]

The BMW AUC warranty is pretty watertight if you can get one of those.

[Alex_225]

I actually looked into buying a V10 M5 or M6 and for me one of the big concerns in terms of bills was the SMG gearbox. Just reading up it looked like it could throw up some fairly hefty bills and I think would have been in the back of my mind.

That said if you have a few quid in the bank just in case or you're prepared to take out a decent warranty then that should minimise the eye watering bills. Although as with any car of this nature that was once expensive to buy and now relatively cheap, they can throw up big bills.

I actually opted for a CLS63 AMG instead which still has the potential for expensive repairs, again you just have to keep that thought in the back of your head and have some money aside.

P.S - I like the M6 it's a bit ugly but I think they look great

[Dan_M5]

I have one, I fitted this a few weeks ago

[CRA1G]

My own experience of the E60 and E61 is not dream car but NIGHT mere car...! both we're FBMWSH cars but both cost me a fortune... Were as my old M5 E39 was totaly troublesome... And so far. no probls with the i8 but it is still under warranty....

[Butter Face]

Dan_M5 said:

I have one, I fitted this a few weeks ago

Oooof, bet that moves now!

[Shaoxter]

4 years over 2 cars and it's been pretty smooth sailing. The only major issue I've had is the auto tailgate mechanism replaced at a cost of >£3k (under warranty thankfully!) but that's not M5 specific, happens on regular E61s too apparently.

Do your research and you'll be fine, any similar alternative car will have their own issues and scare stories.

[TheAngryDog]

twiggypom said:

KamSandhu44 said:

My wallet weeps when I think of buying one of these. Would be a dream to own one some day..

Good luck in your search.

(Sorry for being no help).

Edit:

Have you read this thread?

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

It all sounds very expensive. I guess if I search enough and find one with certain parts recently done it might be better. It depends on the mileage on some of the parts being changed from what I have read. Cheers for the link

It is. I've had the car a short time and spent a fair bit on it, but I now have a car that most of the big ticket items have been done on. It is an ownership proposition that you need to go into eyes very much wide open. With reference to another car I have owned before (Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth), it is a car that you need to be able to afford to buy twice.

I love the V10 though and I really like banging through the gears with the SMG3. It isn't the best looking car but I also do not think it is ugly either. It has aged quite well IMO.

If you can find one with a BMW warranty then you can almost drive and forget.

Rawhide said:

As an alternative you might want to consider a good Mercedes E55 AMG. Similar performance (not such good handling) but low entry price and generally bulletproof drivetrain and engine.

I've had mine for a year and had no issues other than service items which are not too bad on cost if you can work on the car yourself

Good shout as an alternative. Not without their own problems but the engine isn't one of them. Gearbox is strong as an ox, if slow and dimwitted, the suspension in mine also didn't ride as nice as my E60 does (in comfort it still felt hard over bumps but wallowed like a listing boat in the corners), but it was fast. Low down almost unusable as it would light the tyres. The low torque from the S85 makes it easier to set off with throttle. I wouldn't discount one as an ownership proposition though, a great car for cheap money.

[twiggypom]

Alex_225 said:

I actually looked into buying a V10 M5 or M6 and for me one of the big concerns in terms of bills was the SMG gearbox. Just reading up it looked like it could throw up some fairly hefty bills and I think would have been in the back of my mind.


P.S - I like the M6 it's a bit ugly but I think they look great

I have heard a lot about the SMG that is the biggest worry, but it doesn't seem too be as common a problem as I thought. I can have money aside and run it, I just don't want too have it in and out of a garage and spending silly money on a car dont won't be used regularly. CLS 63 does sound nice or maybe the RS6 V10? Another great engine.

I love the M6, I just think big saloons are cooler

[twiggypom]

Dan_M5 said:

I have one, I fitted this a few weeks ago

Very nice! How have you found owning it so far? Had it for long?

[Ninja59]

twiggypom said:

I thought as much. Everywhere I look there seems to be negativity in terms of realiability. I really didn't like F10 M5 it looks so big, the E60 isn't a great looking car but I prefer it personally. The M6 however is nice car especially the GranCoupe.

The car won't be a regular car simply a toy and the odd roadtrip. My current Alpina Roadster has done 8000miles in 2 years. So it wont be used a great deal but then if a big issue does come up i could be paying a lot of money for a car that isn't used all the time. Loving cars is hard sometimes...

The 6GC is significantly larger than the F10.

Having driven a few F10's they do shrink around you once you know where all the corners are.

For me whilst I would love the noise of the V10, it would niggle me that it could be only a major bill away from something big (the same thing sort of goes for the S65 V8 in the M3's of a similar era).

[Limpet]

Dan_M5 said:

I have one, I fitted this a few weeks ago

Wow! Bet that goes like a stabbed rat.

Are there any internal upgrades needed for this? I thought these engines were known for being a bit on the fragile side even as standard.

[twiggypom]

TheAngryDog said:

It is. I've had the car a short time and spent a fair bit on it, but I now have a car that most of the big ticket items have been done on. It is an ownership proposition that you need to go into eyes very much wide open. With reference to another car I have owned before (Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth), it is a car that you need to be able to afford to buy twice.

I love the V10 though and I really like banging through the gears with the SMG3. It isn't the best looking car but I also do not think it is ugly either. It has aged quite well IMO.

If you can find one with a BMW warranty then you can almost drive and forget.

Other than some of your other pieces done to the car like the remap etc. Was it a huge outlay for what you had done? The only thing I would change would be the stock exhaust. Other than that it would just be replacing the essentials. Think I might have a look into warranties and see what offers are out there.

[Alex_225]

twiggypom said:

I have heard a lot about the SMG that is the biggest worry, but it doesn't seem too be as common a problem as I thought. I can have money aside and run it, I just don't want too have it in and out of a garage and spending silly money on a car dont won't be used regularly. CLS 63 does sound nice or maybe the RS6 V10? Another great engine.

I love the M6, I just think big saloons are cooler

Like so many things online, it's probably no where near as dramatic as the internet would lead you to believe. I know the SMG is quite a complex set up in that (as I understand it), it has a clutch, hydraulic bits and pieces. Compared to the CLS gearbox which is your standard torque converter, not as quick no doubt but smooth and hopefully reliable enough.

To be fair, if you're prepared to run them, £15-20k can buy you a lovely example of a big German barge with an M, AMG or RS badge. Good times.

[ZX10R NIN]

twiggypom said:

I have heard a lot about the SMG that is the biggest worry, but it doesn't seem too be as common a problem as I thought. I can have money aside and run it, I just don't want too have it in and out of a garage and spending silly money on a car dont won't be used regularly. CLS 63 does sound nice or maybe the RS6 V10? Another great engine.

I love the M6, I just think big saloons are cooler

If you think the E60 can make a wallet weep just wait until you own a V10 RS6 your wallet will implode.

I had an E60 while it was reliable ish (clutch failed & the SMG played up) the fuel was crazy (it made my 700bhp SL55 look like it was frugal) once you stoked it up it was a great car that would make you smile especially with that engine note (especially with the Eissmann Exhaust) but there were to many negatives for me, buy one with a lot of the major work carried out & you should be okay.