BMW and M Power Owners

Man of Honour
Joined
26 May 2012
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16,176
This just feels like too old a platform to be sinking 400 quid a month of depreciation into now.
Yeah. That is also my niggling feeling about the age of the platform :( - though the actual depreciation figure is actually ~£310/mth (£350-400 is my budget).
£310 a better deal in your opinion?

I do love the look of the F32/36 but the interior is dated compared to the G20/22
But blimey the G22 has a face only a mother could love. Seen one in the flesh and I don't think I could have one sitting on my driveway.

Had a quote on a G20 M340i with similar specs, but the equivalent monthlies were a bit too rich for my tastes (£720 new, £600 used) :/
 
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Soldato
Joined
22 Jun 2005
Posts
9,066
Location
Nottinghamshire
Now I've had the car a few days I thought I'd put down my thoughts for reference as much as anything else!

First things first, points of reference. I've just got into the M5 from an M2 LCI and in the recent past I've had an E92 M3 and an F06 640d GC. Before those I ran a 2015 F10 535d for 30,000 miles. That last point speaks volumes in and of itself - I have never ever put that many miles on a car because I have shifted them on for whatever reason after 12-18 months or 10-15k miles. I also very very nearly bought a pre-LCI F10 M5 back before I bought the 535d but someone at the BMW dealership managed to crash/damage it and I walked away and bought a 535d instead.

My F10 535d was an amazing car. Utterly competent at everything, lapped up the miles I put on it including a lengthy euro trip with long stints of high speed autobahn driving. Not dull to drive at all (but clearly not a scalpel-precise sports car either). The M5 had to pass the bar set by my experiences with that car - the M-specific adaptive suspension had to not compromise the ride enough to notice vs the 535d. The fuel economy on a run combined with the tank range of the 535d meant 600+ miles between fills - something the M5 clearly isn't ever going to get close to - but it needed to not be annoying like say an E60 would be. I have such fond memories of the 535d, I didn't want the M5 to come along and be so compromised by the high performance nature of it that meant it failed to live up to those memories. I've wanted an M5 for basically my entire life and I didn't want to be left disappointed...

So then onto the M5 itself. I still don't have good photos because the weather is so grim, so dealer photos will have to do for now.

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It is a late 2014 car (September) in Monte Carlo Blue with Silverstone Merino leather interior. In my personal opinion this is the very best colour combination to have and I don't think I would have bought an M5 in any other colour (although Singapore Grey with Sakhir Orange leather is a very nice combo as well). Options wise, it has the M Multifunction seats with lumbar support, reversing camera, 20" wheels in black, sun protection glass and Harmon Kardon audio. The M5 comes with adaptive lights, HUD, quad-zone climate etc as standard so although this car isn't heavily optioned it still has a nice spec. Surround view would have been a nice to have as would split folding rear seats but not having those isn't the end of the world. The car has covered 45k miles so far and I'm the 3rd owner. The last owner bought the car from a BMW main dealer at 3 years old and only drove it about 18k total in the last 3 years and it shows. Everything so far is as I would have expected and there is no areas of excessive wear and there's not a single rattle/squeak to be heard anywhere.

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I've driven F10 M5s on test drives and such before but I don't think you can really get a proper in-depth feel for a car on a pre-purchase test drive. There's too much going on and there's always that feeling that you don't want to push someone else's car just in case. That said, even though it is early days, here are my "first impressions". With everything slackened off into the least aggressive modes (Efficiency throttle, comfort suspension and steering and the gearbox in D1), this is a total pussycat of a car. The steering is fantastic given the dimensions and weight of the thing. It feels properly hooked up at the front and while nowhere near as precise as the E92 M3 or as placeable as the M2, the steering has a really nice positive feel about it. Despite the similarities, it is nothing remotely like the 535d to drive. The engine has more torque at idle than the diesel does at full beans and so it feels totally buttery to move around at low speeds. As city streets become A roads and A roads become motorways, the M5 gathers speed in a way that the 535d never could, that is it is completely and utterly effortless even when driving slowly eg mixing with traffic. There is the thrum of the V8 rumbling away somewhere in the distance but it is neither intrusive nor too quiet. You could hand the keys to your gran and have no worries that she'd struggle to cope driving this car around. My first 50 or so miles were in the pouring rain and with the car in these settings, getting the TC light to flash was actually a bit harder than I thought it would be all things considered.

Once you turn the wick up, things change. The first stop is everything in Sport and the gearbox in D3. In this mode, the car is still sort of soft in a way. You're still being cosseted in that way that a 5 series does. I expected this to feel much more like the change in character that you'd get switching to similar settings in the E92 M3 but it isn't like that. In the M3, these same settings make the car feel on edge, there is suddenly a real hardness to the car. The M5 isn't like that, but it does change. The most obvious change is that all of a sudden you have the reality of the engine's true character. The gearbox is holding the revs much higher and the throttle response is much more aggressive and, well, "holy **** is this fast" is the only way to describe it. I accelerated up a motorway slip road in a manner you simply couldn't do on a test drive (in good conscience anyway) and if I do that too many times I'll end up in prison. I can only imagine (officer) that the top of 3rd comes around in the blink of an eye - which is 105mph. The 0-100mph time is something like 7.8s which on UK roads feels absolutely ridiculous. At this point there is always a pause to address the usual borefest conversation of "that car has too much performance for the road" etc etc. I disagree - pick your moments and conditions and be sensible about it and you can safely extract road performance from practically any car. Of course you're not able to rev it out in 4th (140mph) let alone 5th (185mph), 6th (200+mph) or 7th but that isn't the point. There is fun to be had even with this much power at "regular" road speeds. Anyway, the rear axle is something to be mindful of when pushing on the loud pedal in pretty much any gear at this time of year. With so much power and torque on tap it absolutely will step out at any speed even in a straight line if you take the mick with your right foot. I've had a few :eek: moments already as I've pushed on in the cold wet conditions.

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I briefly put the car into max-attack Sport+ mode and at this time of year and with my level of familiarity with the car I quickly put it back. I didn't feel that the E92 M3 was particularly great on the road with everything in Sport+ and I get the feeling that the M5 is more of the same, just way too much aggression to actually be all that usable on the road. On track in the E92 of course Sport+ suspension and max attack gearbox was a dream and maybe on good quality roads at the height of summer there is a place for that configuration of the M5 but I somehow doubt it. Sport+ throttle response has always left me cold anyway, it is needlessly spiky IMO and the Sport+ steering has always been over-weighted and numb as a result.

Fuel economy is surprisingly good. I expect my long term average in this to sit somewhere around or maybe slightly above the 20.34mpg I averaged in the E92 M3. Considering the extra performance on tap and the extra weight of the M5, I'd say that is a remarkable result. Some quick and dirty maths showed that a quick bit of "spirited driving" got me about 9mpg so it certainly has the capability to suck down the fuel :D


Truth be told, the iDrive in this car is getting a bit long in the tooth now. The M2's iDrive felt a lot more modern with CarPlay and so on. I think I will fit an aftermarket CarPlay box which will freshen things up in that area. The rest of the interior and controls etc are still great. Compared to a G30, the F10 is definitely "of its time" but compared to how the E60 felt when the F10 came out I don't think it is that bad. If an up-to-the-minute interior is of more value to you than the M-ness of the car, go buy a G30. If you have loasdamoney, go buy an F90. If you want a really nice place to be in a bonkers 5 series, buy an F10 :)

So then to sum up my thoughts. I started this post with my concerns about "meeting my hero" and the potential of spoiling all the excitement, hopes and expectations I had built up about owning an M5 over the years. I don't really know how to put this into words as such, but the M5 doesn't feel like a 535d+ or an evolution of the regular F10 models. It feels like a different car but made of the same stuff. The net result of the M division's changes is to deliver a car that is an absolute brute of a thing while keeping that 5 series DNA there throughout. It is ludicrously capable, hilariously fast, luxurious and more besides. In many respects and with the benefit of hindsight I think had I bought that M5 instead of the 535d back then I would probably still have it now and thus wouldn't ever have owned the M3, M2 or 640d. After meandering around the world of BMW's higher performance cars, an M-division 5 series feels like home. This car is everything I had hoped it would be and more. I am so very glad I finally bought one and I am super excited about smashing it around Europe in the years ahead :cool:


Can’t say I ever felt the same about this car.

i only saw it as a big fast car, like a 550i rather than an m car.


Too much horsepower for a 2wd platform
I came from an e92 M3 too as well.

The GSF should 100% be a superior car in every respect
 
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Man of Honour
Joined
26 May 2012
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16,176
Are we talking about used cars in terms of the “monthlies” as well now? :(
Unfortunately so, yes. Whilst it is a used car, they still do depreciate ;) though I will be buying it outright, it is always worth working out what the car will be worth in 3-4 years time.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Jun 2005
Posts
9,066
Location
Nottinghamshire
maybe not in ‘every’ way... ‘...just more enjoyable, more of the time...’

https://youtu.be/sIHQfqwLYys
Engine and gearbox far, far better.

I’ve owned the Isf with the same combo and it was sublime.
Better quality, better reliability. (My f10 had corrosion covered under warranty)
Better noise. There really isn’t much going for the M5 imo. I flogged mine after 9 months. This car is just a bit of a branding exercise.
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Jul 2004
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3,268
Location
Thunderdome
I used to get stuck every year in the snow with my M3 and M5. Got to the point I simply wouldn’t try and would get the bus/lifts for a couple of weeks. Hasn’t been a problem the last 10 years or so, but when I tried the F10, I scared myself in the wet. I felt it had too much power for the traction available. Not an issue I have with the RS.

I’ll try the new M5 at some point, I dont see traction being an issue now, just depreciation.

ideally I’d like a car the size of the M2, but with the traction, build quality and luxury of the current M5.
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Jul 2004
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3,268
Location
Thunderdome
BM and Audi for that matter can’t seem to nail damping very well, often too soft or too firm. BM have no excuse because Alpina can make it work consistently with components from the BM parts bin. Go figure.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
2 Jan 2009
Posts
60,169
Anyone got/had an F01 730/740d, specifically LCI? They seem great value and I fancy one. Largely mechanically similar to an F10 530d so should be relatively similar costs wise in many respects (I know the BMW warranty will be extortionate as it's a 7)?

I am a huge fan of the F10 so figured I could just go for an F01 instead, size isn't an issue.
 

Jez

Jez

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
33,073
Re the F01, They are mechanically near identical to the F10 and other cars of the same generation. If running one out of warranty then they, to me, absolutely make more sense than any of the others, they were the most expensive new, to me look the best (subjective), and are the best riding and most luxurious saloons which bmw made at the time.

That said...they are absolutely hated at this point in their lives on the used market. The cars look like bargains but be prepared to virtually give it away when you are finished with it. I would also be rather careful with the ownership history on them as I’d consider them a minefield...a lot will have been private hire cars and as such I’d not trust the odometer Reading on most of them. Unless you can trace it back to new as being privately owned or by a reputable company of course.

Also, only consider the LCI models. The pre LCI is a hangover from the E60/65 era in a lot of ways, including the old 6sp gearbox and very dated looking front end and lights. The LCI was a big upgrade on these...
 
Man of Honour
Joined
2 Jan 2009
Posts
60,169
Re the F01, They are mechanically near identical to the F10 and other cars of the same generation. If running one out of warranty then they, to me, absolutely make more sense than any of the others, they were the most expensive new, to me look the best (subjective), and are the best riding and most luxurious saloons which bmw made at the time.

That said...they are absolutely hated at this point in their lives on the used market. The cars look like bargains but be prepared to virtually give it away when you are finished with it. I would also be rather careful with the ownership history on them as I’d consider them a minefield...a lot will have been private hire cars and as such I’d not trust the odometer Reading on most of them. Unless you can trace it back to new as being privately owned or by a reputable company of course.

Also, only consider the LCI models. The pre LCI is a hangover from the E60/65 era in a lot of ways, including the old 6sp gearbox and very dated looking front end and lights. The LCI was a big upgrade on these...

Thanks, those are my general sentiments too. Maybe one from BMW AUC makes more sense, the years warranty (maybe 2) and perhaps it'll have been more carefully checked history wise. They cost a bit more but there's a few that aren't too bad price wise.
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Feb 2003
Posts
5,152
Location
Northampton
Really enjoying theX3M. Engine has loosened up nicely and the acceleration over 2500 is insane. The fuel economy isn’t bad on a run but comical round town. Sounds pretty decent especially in sport plus and handles well. Day to day it’s a very easy car to live with just turns into a rampaging monster given half a chance.

Comes up nice when cleaned as well.

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