Sold my M5 six months ago and think I regret it...

[Daz507]

I bought an M5 about 12 months ago, bought the wrong car really, loads wrong, didn't know what to look for etc, etc... Ended up trading it for a 335i just over 6 months ago. Now I've got the feeling that I need something more and have recently been looking at E90/2 M3's, but they're too similar to my E90 335i, so I'm back to M5's again.

Currently priced at £10k less than the M3 but has all the extras as standard, heated seats, paddle shift gears, 19's...

I've just been thinking a 2007 (facelift) M5 compared to a 2008/9 M3, what would the running costs stack up like? I know the MPG on the M5 would average about 15, but the M3 wouldn't be much better? Warranty would be similar, insurance is similar etc, etc.

A good 2007 one would be under £30k, is that a better investment than £35k on a 2008 M3?

One thing I didn't like was the SMG gearbox, perhaps I just needed to give it a bit more time.

Decisions, decisions...

[belleair302]

Buy a decent E39 and then get to work tuning it....some of the top end modifications are quite amazing and with new suspension, brakes and engine parts you will have quite the car.

Way more fun than an E60 and better MPG!!!!

[Koing]

Cars are not investments so get rid of that throught right away!

I'd give it another go

Koing

[Schermerhorn]

Why not an M6?

Let 'em know who the daddy is?

[Daz507]

Schermerhorn said:

Why not an M6?

Let 'em know who the daddy is?

In my opinion, ugly!!!

[belleair302]

Why not an Alpina B5s??

[Deep]

Daz, what sort of problems did you have with the M5?

Thanks

[Daz507]

Deep said:

Daz, what sort of problems did you have with the M5?

Thanks

The main problem was I was very unfamiliar with iDrive, the dealer showed me lots of receipts for things that had been done and the book with stamps in, it had only just had work done at BMW, think it was spark plugs.

Realised after having it for a couple of weeks that it needed an oil change, £350. Brake pads reported 6,000 miles on the front and 10,000 on the rear and that number was going down at an alarming rate, had it checked, pads were bare but somebody had just reset the iDrive, so new pads & sensors all round.

Tyres were wearing very uneven, 0mm on the inside edge but 5mm outside edge.

All this happened within 6 weeks of owning the car and it seemed like a money pit.

To top it all off I had a warning a couple of times to say the gearbox wasn't well and it needed to go to BMW. I did have a warranty but I just decided it was time to let it go.

Most of the problems I could have found out before buying if I'd known iDrive and checked receipts :-((

[996 sps]

E39 M5 all day long and a motorbike job done.

[ecain63]

To be honest, and don't take this the wrong way. But they all (bar the gearbox) sound like things that you should have spotted before buying it. Find yourself a good, late example and start a fresh. You'll be loving it before you know it.

[Daz507]

ecain63 said:

To be honest, and don't take this the wrong way. But they all (bar the gearbox) sound like things that you should have spotted before buying it. Find yourself a good, late example and start a fresh. You'll be loving it before you know it.

Yes I know and you're right, my problem is when I want something I have to have it there and then, I should have taken my time and done my research, I am doing this time.

Now I can't decide if I should go for an 05 which are around £22-24k with 50k miles (from BMW) or pay that bit extra and get a facelifted 07. I know if I buy an 05 I'd want the LED lights but putting eBay lights on a car like that isn't such a good idea!

Plenty to think about!