would you lend your M5 to family/friends?

[Tylerstar]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

The one thing I worry about is M Dynamic Mode. It is quite easy to spin the car in this mode and I don't think most people would expect that. A lot of people aren't used to being intelligent about throttle control.

+1, even in M dynamic mode on straights this car can get away from you. If they don't have much experience with a 500+RWHP car, you better be wise before lending them this car. I have let others drive my car but only when Im in it.

[nybimmerfan]

To my friends and relatives, I always say "sure, by all means," but then they back out once they find out that I have a manual transmission M5.

[ColdList]

I would let a friend borrow it....If she looked like this and wanted to borrow it as a prop for a photo shoot RIGHT WHERE I PARKED IT!

[mhh]

My insurance requires that any other driver be named on the policy. That kills it for spontaneous sharing but it also suits me.

[Tylerstar]

Originally Posted by ColdList

I would let a friend borrow it....If she looked like this and wanted to borrow it as a prop for a photo shoot RIGHT WHERE I PARKED IT!

+1, Im with you on this.

[Bimmer6]

Hell NO! I look at it like this I'm saving them the grace not to come back and say sorry if something goes wrong. Same reason I don't mix business, and friends which keeps everyone happy in the end. By the way I never ask to drives someone car, and if I need a test drive I go to a dealer. Just my two cents.

[PatrickC23]

Originally Posted by Bimmer6

Hell NO! I look at it like this I'm saving them the grace not to come back and say sorry if something goes wrong. Same reason I don't mix business, and friends which keeps everyone happy in the end. By the way I never ask to drives someone car, and if I need a test drive I go to a dealer. Just my two cents.

I dont ask to drive others' cars nor do I ask to hold others' babies.

[boots]

My wife mom and dad can drive it whenever they want.

[Mperial]

Yes, already have. The upside was that my friend let me drive his F10 6MT. As a postscript, as much as I enjoyed rowing the gears myself, we both agreed that this car was created for the DCT.

[nybimmerfan]

Originally Posted by Mperial

we both agreed that this car was created for the DCT.

I would also think so as the computer in a DCT will have faster response time changing gears - that's why at the M Performance school in Greenville SC, students only use DCT M5s with MDM and DSC turned off to do some of the driving skills. Most instructors also had DCTs except for 1 or 2. Sometimes at the end of the day, the instructors would go to the tracks and race and the intructor with the Manual M5 would beat the crap of the others in their DCTs. Gets me wondering... I know that with me, on the DCT M5, I had to think/decide when to upshift/downshift as oppose to driving a manual where I know exactly when to do the shifting almost like an instinct.

[jphughan]

I would (and have) let others drive my car, but in all cases they've been car enthusiasts who are familiar with sports cars, so I trusted that they would both be respectful of my car and not do something stupid or otherwise be caught off guard by the car itself -- and in many cases they let me drive their cars in exchange. For example, I organized a couple drives along Texas back roads with some co-workers and we swapped cars on the way, so in exchange for letting them drive my M3, I got to drive their BRZ (AMAZING car) and 997 C2S. Offering up my car at BMW CCA events has gotten me into a heavily tuned 335i, a 1M, and a Z4M, all of which I enjoyed. I guess car enthusiast + familiarity are my two requirements, not necessarily them having a car I'm interested in driving too. I most likely wouldn't let my friends who have only ever driven econoboxes get behind the wheel, but so far all of those friends have been so terrified as passengers in my car that they probably wouldn't dare to drive it even if I offered.

Originally Posted by secretariat

They will not treat this M5 like it belonged to them.

Short of eating in the car or trying to redline it while the engine is stone cold, I fail to see what you mean here. M cars are meant to be driven hard. I drive my M3 like the car belongs to me (since it does), but I wouldn't want other people driving it that way -- except my HPDE instructor, in whose hands my car is arguably safer than it is with me at the wheel anyway.

Originally Posted by mhh

My insurance requires that any other driver be named on the policy. That kills it for spontaneous sharing but it also suits me.

If you read your full policy I'm sure you'll find a clause saying that drivers not listed on your policy are covered while driving your car as long as it's occasional and they have a reasonable belief that you're allowing them to drive it.

[mwlmd]

Originally Posted by jphughan

I would (and have) let others drive my car, but in all cases they've been car enthusiasts who are familiar with sports cars, so I trusted that they would both be respectful of my car and not do something stupid or otherwise be caught off guard by the car itself -- and in many cases they let me drive their cars in exchange. For example, I organized a couple drives along Texas back roads with some co-workers and we swapped cars on the way, so in exchange for letting them drive my M3, I got to drive their BRZ (AMAZING car) and 997 C2S. Offering up my car at BMW CCA events has gotten me into a heavily tuned 335i, a 1M, and a Z4M, all of which I enjoyed. I guess car enthusiast + familiarity are my two requirements, not necessarily them having a car I'm interested in driving too. I most likely wouldn't let my friends who have only ever driven econoboxes get behind the wheel, but so far all of those friends have been so terrified as passengers in my car that they probably wouldn't dare to drive it even if I offered.

Short of eating in the car or trying to redline it while the engine is stone cold, I fail to see what you mean here. M cars are meant to be driven hard. I drive my M3 like the car belongs to me (since it does), but I wouldn't want other people driving it that way -- except my HPDE instructor, in whose hands my car is arguably safer than it is with me at the wheel anyway.

If you read your full policy I'm sure you'll find a clause saying that drivers not listed on your policy are covered while driving your car as long as it's occasional and they have a reasonable belief that you're allowing them to drive it.

This is the same issue that came up when you all were kids and asked your friend if you could ride their bike. Some are cool with to and others come up with bs excuses like their moms or insurance companies said nobody else can ride it.

[Mperial]

Originally Posted by nybimmerfan

I would also think so as the computer in a DCT will have faster response time changing gears - that's why at the M Performance school in Greenville SC, students only use DCT M5s with MDM and DSC turned off to do some of the driving skills. Most instructors also had DCTs except for 1 or 2. Sometimes at the end of the day, the instructors would go to the tracks and race and the instructor with the Manual M5 would beat the crap of the others in their DCTs. Gets me wondering... I know that with me, on the DCT M5, I had to think/decide when to upshift/downshift as oppose to driving a manual where I know exactly when to do the shifting almost like an instinct.

Good points, and I'm genuinely shocked that a well-driven 6MT could beat even a novice DCT-piloted M5; proves that the driver makes the car, not the other way around. I too had to accommodate my driving style to the rifle-shifts of the DCT coming from the relatively dim-witted SMG. And, having skipped a manual transmission in all but my previous e60, I fell right into rhythm with the rubbery, quick-shifting 6MT.

[Timberwolf]

It's not a yes or no answer when it comes to letting others drive this car or any of my other cars. It's going to depend on who the driver is, driving history, experience with high HP cars, ability to afford potential repairs etc... How well do I know this person etc...
If I don't feel at ease, it aint happenin...

That, and I will be right there besides them giving them tips, in the right conditions on the right road etc..! Driving these cars is not for everyone!!

[whiteM5]

its a car, who cares... you think its too fragile to let someone drive?

[jump]

I enjoy letting friends and family drive my M5.

[kiwistu]

Oh well, my wife has gone with some her friends to Taupo (300kms away from our town) in my m5...she asked, of course she can borrow it, (couldn't think of safer car apart from an x5, for a chilled out safe driver) she was doing a charity relay run, turns out her friends have been driving it too, stage by stage! (not really what I had in mind - but least my car is the favorite apparently and all their husbands have endless fancy rigs..)

So yes, no problem...they will drive 1/10 as hard as I do.

Cheers
Stu

[M-bitious]

Originally Posted by Timberwolf

It's not a yes or no answer when it comes to letting others drive this car or any of my other cars. It's going to depend on who the driver is, driving history, experience with high HP cars, ability to afford potential repairs etc... How well do I know this person etc...
If I don't feel at ease, it aint happenin...

That, and I will be right there besides them giving them tips, in the right conditions on the right road etc..! Driving these cars is not for everyone!!

I am with you 100%. If the driver is not familiar with this type of car/power, then don't hand him/her the keys. The biggest risk is not acceleration, but braking in time after the acceleration. This car can hit 125mph so quickly that they may start to brake too late, and then they are in deep trouble. So for me it is all about the safety of the driver, the car is insured, so I don't care about that.

[mhh]

Originally Posted by jphughan

If you read your full policy I'm sure you'll find a clause saying that drivers not listed on your policy are covered while driving your car as long as it's occasional and they have a reasonable belief that you're allowing them to drive it.

I've read the policy and it is explicit. The policy is void unless the driver is named in the policy. The M5 is an expensive car in Australia - twice the US price.

I've added a couple of friends but TBH, I don't enjoy it when they are driving the car. It suits me to say "I'd love to let you drive it I can't". I don't want to be making insurance claims and ruining my good record.