Picked up my new 2014 AW M5

[phelot]

So some of you may have saw that I posted a review on the 2014 M5 with Competition Package upgrade compared to my previous 2013 M5.

I was on the fence, but over the weekend as I was driving home, I got rear ended by a driver who wasn't paying attention that traffic had stopped on the freeway. No one was hurt fortunately, and I'm getting the damages appraised today, but it would be at least a new bumper and diffuser.

I took this as a sign to go and pick up a new 2014 M5 since I didn't want to deal later with having an accident on record for that car.

I'll have to post pictures later but it's AW on Black with Competition Package.

The differences are pretty noticeable with the reworked suspension and springs.

The car sits about 0.4 in lower and it feels easier to get in and out of. But the biggest change is how it turns. You don't really have to push it and you can feel the stiffer suspension. For me it solves a lot of the issues I had with the previous M5 being a little soft.

The steering changes are noticeable on the extreme ends of the turning angle. Near center and when you get near full lock are where you feel the differences. The car turns sharper near full lock and it responds better near center.

There's a lot of little changes that I'm discovering along the way. And the new headlights are just ridiculously good looking along with the new grills.

The new wheels are growing on me a lot. In person, they look WAY better. I actually prefer them now, they look much more aggressive than the 343M.

Couple of minor changes that I'm noticing that might not be out on official sources.

Cupholders are now fixed instead of the dang flappy thing.

Turn signal sound is different. It's more clicky which I like. Before it was a little too quiet.

Frontal collision defaults to on right now, I have to look into it more.

Updated nav bits, and the music selection shows up on the HUD now.

Side bolsters don't seem to "save" their position, and sometimes they're not moving while idle. I have to double check this.

Seat support feels flatter. Could be a car to car difference and not a model year difference, but my seats feel flatter and firmer and not as bubbly.

Car now has "modern" ambient lighting, don't remember this on mine, but the lights can turn white instead of orange for ambient lighting.

Exhaust sounds much louder with the removed baffling. It sounds a little more mechanical now too from the outside.

Overall I love the new M5 with Comp Package and it brings it back towards the E9x M3 in terms of handling which I loved. It's still a heavier car but it's much more balanced now which is the way they should have been from the start.

[Tylerstar]

Congrats, pics please

[EdM5]

Thanks for the comparo. Seems like the LCI/CP is worthwile afterall.
That makes me cause I have an M5 CP on order.

[ColdList]

All very good stuff my friend. Thanks for the frst hand review. eliminates a lot of speculation. Easy to see the value in the CP now. I ordered it on my new M6 coupe.

[stealth.pilot]

Are you noticing more power from the tune-up?

[RPiM5]

I think I sat in and played with your new car this past Saturday. I don't see it listed for sale any more. Lol! LB BMW? Am I right?

[Dumbo]

Congrats



Thanks for the review. Please get those pics up - I have a AW CP on order with the 601 wheels and have not seen one (other than the configurator) so am keen to see it.

DB

[phelot]

The power is supposed to be up top. I'm waiting to break it in a little before revving that high.

That said though, I do notice the acceleration feels better because the car is more planted with the suspension tweaks, the weight transfer isn't as drastic.

I think any time differences in acceleration and speed will be from the suspension tweaks and not really the power bump.

And yes it was the LB one. I think it's one of the first two in LA. The other being at Beverly, but it was Black, and I already had Black.

[RPiM5]

Originally Posted by phelot

The power is supposed to be up top. I'm waiting to break it in a little before revving that high.

That said though, I do notice the acceleration feels better because the car is more planted with the suspension tweaks, the weight transfer isn't as drastic.

I think any time differences in acceleration and speed will be from the suspension tweaks and not really the power bump.

And yes it was the LB one. I think it's one of the first two in LA. The other being at Beverly, but it was Black, and I already had Black.

Ha I knew it! I want you to know that I sneezed all over the steering wheel while I was playing with it. So now you have RPiM5 cooties. Haha! Just kidding bro!

Yeah the car was beautiful though! Loved the headlights. I also noticed that there is now a volume bar that magically appears in the middle of the idrive screen when you adjust the volume. Finally a volume indicator on a BMW!! It's the little things I tell ya!

[RPiM5]

Also, if anyone is interested there is an M6 Gran Coupe with the Competition Package on it at Irvine BMW. Looked good with the 601M's on it too.

[DrewM5]

Did you feel that there was a "give" on the comfort of the ride over tough roads in the CP vs the non-CP. I think it was Stealth who noted that he thought the CP might not be well suited to tougher roads in the U.S. I am wondering of you found that to be true. It seems somewhat inconsistent with all the reports from folks who have changed out their springs and reported no negative effect on the ride.

Right now I am planning on going with the CP, but part of that is my obsessiveness and not wanting to experience cognitive dissonance by paying $110K for a car and regrestting not having spent the extra $7K to get it completely loaded.

[ColdList]

Originally Posted by DrewM5

Right now I am planning on going with the CP, but part of that is my obsessiveness and not wanting to experience cognitive dissonance by paying $110K for a car and regrestting not having spent the extra $7K to get it completely loaded.

And THIS is why you MUST do it. I have the same issues.-lol!

[24601]

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by ColdList

And THIS is why you MUST do it. I have the same issues.-lol!

Actually my assertion was that you would have buyers remorse from CP due to:
- lack of appreciable power increase
- unacceptable ride quality on broken pavement (which in south Florida is most roads)

[phelot]

I notice the ride is a little stiffer, but it's plenty comfortable to me.

Ride quality is very subjective. I had a 997 Turbo and found that to be extremely uncomfortable, but my R8 is fine.

It's softer than a E9x M3 still, but stiffer than a regular M5. It still gives and it's up to you to see.

I honestly don't think many people would have a problem with how much stiffer it is. It is still very comfortable. It just feels more planted and if you go over bumps it'll feel more grounded than floaty.

It's a different feeling, and the car will feel like it jumps rather than float on "big" bumps.

[Rohardi]

Originally Posted by 24601

What he said!

[bimmer-boy]

Originally Posted by Rohardi

What he said!

+1

[ucla95]

Interesting (to me anyway) how we now have 2 diverging opinions of the Comp Pack from 2013 owners.

[Powerbeast]

Pics NOW!!!!!

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by ucla95

Interesting (to me anyway) how we now have 2 diverging opinions of the Comp Pack from 2013 owners.

Well remember that my review compared it with the LCI non CP Car which is why the steering improvement was characterized slightly differently.

I think there is actually much commonality between his and my reviews of the CP.

These are areas we agree on CP:
OP is characterizing it as subtle
OP has not noticed big power bump
OP has said on center feel is improved (which in my test applied to the regular LCI car as well not just CP) and that the ratio improvement is mostly at the end of the rack
OP says that it jumps over bumps rather than glides (which is precisely my point when I said that I lost contact over expansion joints which doesn't happen on my non LCI car). He views this as an improvement because he found the 13 floaty. I drive my M5 with shocks set to sport and it is not floaty to me. However the loss of contact on expansion joints is a big deal to me - that destabilizes the car. Something you don't want when you are taking a ramp at 90mph in the inside lane while passing someone.
OP said ride is firmer (to him it was still fine and to me it was an issue because it made Sport mode uncomfortable). This is not a difference of opinion it's probably a difference of roads. In Motortrends recent review of the S8 they commented on how bad Miami roads are and how air suspension is preferred on roads like that.
OP did not notice an improvement in traction from differential but did notice more give in MDM
We both loved the look of the lower ride height.

So reviews are quite similar. Conclusion from these findings is different.

[RPiM5]

Here's some pictures of his new car before he bought it. Like I said, I was the first one inside of her.

Also there was an M6 Gran Coupe lurking in the shadows.

[Rohardi]

Great pics Dave! Phelot, your a lucky guy!