E93 335i guy here. Looking at getting an F10 M5.

[jeddo45]

Hi forum members.

In the coming months, I'm looking at selling my E93 '07 335i and replacing it with the F10 M5. Don't have a good reason, I just want to upgrade.

With my limited research, this generation looks pretty solid and reliable. I'm looking more towards 2013 as it's going to be more in my price range.

2 questions:

1. What extra options are an absolute must? I'm not looking at getting a fully loaded one, but what amenities are just too good to pass up?

2. Should I get a warranty of some kind? Let me say this: before I bought my 335i, people made it sound like getting a warranty was an absolute must because of its issues ( turbos, water pump, fuel pump, injectors, catastrophic belt failure...) I got the warranty. It was a waste of money. The turbos were my biggest expense, and it wasn't that expensive. I know there's a couple of recalls, but I don't see anything that relates to as bad as the issues that plagued the N54 platform. Is a warranty a waste?

Anything else I should know, chime in. Thanks in advance.

[pcohen15]

Originally Posted by jeddo45

Hi forum members.

In the coming months, I'm looking at selling my E93 '07 335i and replacing it with the F10 M5. Don't have a good reason, I just want to upgrade.

With my limited research, this generation looks pretty solid and reliable. I'm looking more towards 2013 as it's going to be more in my price range.

2 questions:

1. What extra options are an absolute must? I'm not looking at getting a fully loaded one, but what amenities are just too good to pass up?

2. Should I get a warranty of some kind? Let me say this: before I bought my 335i, people made it sound like getting a warranty was an absolute must because of its issues ( turbos, water pump, fuel pump, injectors, catastrophic belt failure...) I got the warranty. It was a waste of money. The turbos were my biggest expense, and it wasn't that expensive. I know there's a couple of recalls, but I don't see anything that relates to as bad as the issues that plagued the N54 platform. Is a warranty a waste?

Anything else I should know, chime in. Thanks in advance.

#1 - There are three options you'll see most frequently: Executive Package, Driving Assistance, and B&O sound system. To me, these are all worth having on your must-have list. I use aspects of them every time I get in the car.

EXECUTIVE PACKAGE
4-zone automatic climate control
Active front seats
BMW Apps
Comfort Access keyless entry
Front ventilated seats
Head-up Display
Heated Steering Wheel
Heated rear seats
Power rear sunshade
Power rear sunshade & rear side window shades
Power tailgate
SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 1year All Access Subscription
Smartphone Integration
Soft-close automatic doors

DRIVING ASSISTANCE PACKAGE
Active Blind Spot Detection
Lane Departure Warning
Side and Top View Cameras
Speed Limit Info

There's also night vision and a rear seat entertainment package, about which I could care less. My kids are grown and I don't live where night vision is of value.

There's the Competition Package, the pros and cons of which you will find many threads on here (not available until 2014 model year).

Other than these, and extra-cost interior and exterior colors known as "Individual," almost all the features you'll see listed by dealers are standard. Run VIN numbers of cars in which you're interested on https://www.mdecoder.com/ to learn what a particular car really has for options.

STANDARD FEATURES
40/20/40 Split Rear Seat
6-disc DVD Changer
Adaptive light control
Additional 12-V power sockets
Anthracite Alcantara Headliner
Auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
BMW Assist with enhanced Bluetooth and USB
BMW TeleServices
DVD Area coding (North America)
Daytime driving lights
Floor mats
Lumbar support
Multi-function seats with lumbar support
Navigation system
Oil Chg 15,000 miles/24 months
Online Information Services
Park Distance Control
Real Time Traffic Information
Rear seat reading lights
Rear spoiler
Rear view camera
Ski bag
TeleService Activation
TeleService Control
Tire pressure monitor
Universal garage-door opener

#2 - My strong and highly generalized opinion is that anybody who buys a used M car without an extended warranty is either a) capable of fixing almost anything himself; b) wealthy enough to not care; or c) in denial about the fact that his car will never break. I had an E92 M3 for 18 months and I've had my F10 M5 for eight months. Total repairs under extended warranty on both is close to $15,000. Both cars passed PPIs performed by experienced BMW shops.

So, personally, I would never buy an M car without an extended warranty aka service contract. And I figured that cost into my purchase price point when looking at cars.

That said, you'll find a large audience on here who say save the money every month in a rainy day fund in case disaster strikes. Obviously, your call.

I suggest you pay close attention to the provenance of the car. Service records, regularity of oil changes, and number of owners could be red flags if out of line with your expectations. A modded M5 is likely to have seen more stress than one that's stock. Also keep in mind that brakes are $2k+ at a minimum if needed, and tires will run you about $450 per corner with mounting, balancing, and road hazard insurance.

Good luck with your hunt. The One is out there waiting for you. Just be patient.

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by pcohen15

#1 - There are three options you'll see most frequently: Executive Package, Driving Assistance, and B&O sound system. To me, these are all worth having on your must-have list. I use aspects of them every time I get in the car.

EXECUTIVE PACKAGE
4-zone automatic climate control
Active front seats
BMW Apps
Comfort Access keyless entry
Front ventilated seats
Head-up Display
Heated Steering Wheel
Heated rear seats
Power rear sunshade
Power rear sunshade & rear side window shades
Power tailgate
SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 1year All Access Subscription
Smartphone Integration
Soft-close automatic doors

DRIVING ASSISTANCE PACKAGE
Active Blind Spot Detection
Lane Departure Warning
Side and Top View Cameras
Speed Limit Info

There's also night vision and a rear seat entertainment package, about which I could care less. My kids are grown and I don't live where night vision is of value.

There's the Competition Package, the pros and cons of which you will find many threads on here (not available until 2014 model year).

Other than these, and extra-cost interior and exterior colors known as "Individual," almost all the features you'll see listed by dealers are standard. Run VIN numbers of cars in which you're interested on https://www.mdecoder.com/ to learn what a particular car really has for options.

STANDARD FEATURES
40/20/40 Split Rear Seat
6-disc DVD Changer
Adaptive light control
Additional 12-V power sockets
Anthracite Alcantara Headliner
Auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
BMW Assist with enhanced Bluetooth and USB
BMW TeleServices
DVD Area coding (North America)
Daytime driving lights
Floor mats
Lumbar support
Multi-function seats with lumbar support
Navigation system
Oil Chg 15,000 miles/24 months
Online Information Services
Park Distance Control
Real Time Traffic Information
Rear seat reading lights
Rear spoiler
Rear view camera
Ski bag
TeleService Activation
TeleService Control
Tire pressure monitor
Universal garage-door opener

#2 - My strong and highly generalized opinion is that anybody who buys a used M car without an extended warranty is either a) capable of fixing almost anything himself; b) wealthy enough to not care; or c) in denial about the fact that his car will never break. I had an E92 M3 for 18 months and I've had my F10 M5 for eight months. Total repairs under extended warranty on both is close to $15,000. Both cars passed PPIs performed by experienced BMW shops.

So, personally, I would never buy an M car without an extended warranty aka service contract. And I figured that cost into my purchase price point when looking at cars.

That said, you'll find a large audience on here who say save the money every month in a rainy day fund in case disaster strikes. Obviously, your call.

I suggest you pay close attention to the provenance of the car. Service records, regularity of oil changes, and number of owners could be red flags if out of line with your expectations. A modded M5 is likely to have seen more stress than one that's stock. Also keep in mind that brakes are $2k+ at a minimum if needed, and tires will run you about $450 per corner with mounting, balancing, and road hazard insurance.

Good luck with your hunt. The One is out there waiting for you. Just be patient.

Good stuff

You make excellent points. I'll look at those packages and research them a little better.

As far as searching, I'm being patient. I won't make the same mistake I made with my 335i and buy it without having some kind of history. I got lucky. My car has been very good to me but now that I look at it from hindsight, I could've bought a real piece of work.

I'll also say I'm not going to be modifying the car performance wise. It's plenty fast. I've been reading that people have blown their engines after modding it. The only mod I plan on doing is exhaust. That's all.

I'll report back.