M5 Collection, photos & thoughts

[OneExtra]

After travelling for 6 hours and 325 miles I arrived at Lloyds BMW in Newcastle, I was introduced to the salesman and waited in a booth for the car to be brought round.

I was feeling a bit spaced out and really nervous, after all I was getting an M5 with 600bhp.

I heard the car before I saw it, a low rumble that filled the dealership showroom. Paperwork done I headed outside to see the car for the first time.

Talk about excited, it looked like a real beast, menacing but a little understated. I had planned to have a really good look around the car for any issues but I just couldn't concentrate so looked at the wheels and the general condition.

The salesman asked if I needed any help with the controls, I just asked him to connect the phone to the car.

I sat in the car on my own trying to savour the experience, customers walked past and I felt a little embarrassed, a bit of a show off.

I pressed the start button and an almighty bark came from the back of the car, it was then I realised this was not the 530D that I was used to.

The M5 felt very different to the 530D, everything felt engineered, even the ride quality was better on 20" rims.

I spend the next 6 hours driving home at 70mph all the way, didn't even go above 2000 rpm, I just wanted to learn all of the controls, set the M buttons and was interested to see what the MPG would be as I spend a lot of time on the motorway. Averaged 31mpg over 330 miles. Its just as refined as the 530D and very quiet. It has an 80 litre tank so when I filled up the range showing was 550 miles.

The sunroof is a nice touch and the B&O stereo is epic, although I wouldn't pay the £3000 cost to upgrade. Something that's really useful is the speed limit display, think that's a must have now I have experienced it.

Got home knackered and put the car in the garage.

Friday morning was take the car out and thrash it.

Yes as expected it bloody fast, the acceleration is amazing from 0-100, it just doesn't stop, it charges forward like a missile it certainly doesn't feel like a big car, in Sport+ it corners flat and is very precise, the brakes are strong and roads just don't seem long enough anymore, what was a long straight in the 530D seems half as long in the M5.

Its a wolf in sheep's clothing, one minute is quiet and gentle the next its loud and aggressive, not much would live with an M5.

I spend 8 hours today giving the car a proper clean. All of the wheels were removed, clayed and polished, all of the alloy hubs were scrubbed with WD40 as they were a little corroded. Washed, waxed and generally cleaned.

The first owner Japseroony had the car machine polished and ceramic coated and you can really tell as the paintwork was smooth and in very good condition. Quite impressed with ceramic coating. Even so it had a coat of Zaino Z5

He looked after the car and only drove 8000 miles since new.

I fitted the M Performance Carbon Interior from the 530D and this for me made a huge difference. There will be no mods on this car as it doesn't need any. I don't even think I will fit black grills.

Selling the 530D was a good move as I got a great price and the M5 is one of the best specked M5s I have seen. List price for what its worth was £94K

BMW warranty for the next 16 months.

I know other members have said this but an M car is very different to a non-M car, I don't think I realised how much different until now.

[beemarman]

Very nice write up.


Enjoy in good health

[Rickzg]

Looks lovely mate! Give me a shout if you ever decide to sell the carbon interior trim 😬

[gdavis]

Congrats on the purchase, enjoy!

[Japseroony]

That looks familiar lol

Glad you are pleased with her and long may you continue to enjoy her and happy Lloyd did a decent job on the PX for you, they are possibly one of the best BMW dealerships in the country.

Enjoying the M4 Convertible which is different again and just got her back from the paint protection folk - she looks stunning.

Just got to sell that wheel for the M5 now lol

[OneExtra]

Originally Posted by Japseroony

That looks familiar lol

Glad you are pleased with her and long may you continue to enjoy her and happy Lloyd did a decent job on the PX for you, they are possibly one of the best BMW dealerships in the country.

Enjoying the M4 Convertible which is different again and just got her back from the paint protection folk - she looks stunning.

Just got to sell that wheel for the M5 now lol

Which ceramic coating did your guy use on the M5?

Good weather for the M4

[Japseroony]

I think it was the Ceramic Pro but could have been the CP Light on the M5 only but really can't remember - had that many coated recently

Yes the weather is being kind at the moment and long may it continue

M5 is looking good

[sarjoo]

Great read, and amazing car

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by OneExtra

...

The M5 felt very different to the 530D, everything felt engineered, even the ride quality was better on 20" rims.

...

I know other members have said this but an M car is very different to a non-M car, I don't think I realised how much different until now.

Would love to hear more, fascinating for me to hear a previously non M owner becoming an M owner and they’re initial feelings and the notable differences other than the obvious which is the power.

What were the subtleties? What engineering differences could you feel? Why is this such a different car to any other F10? I mean I know my car a 520D isn’t a patch on an M5 yet I still do love and it feels well made and refined. What kind of step up am I expecting if I can make the jump into an M5?

I cherish the search and the purchase journey ahead of me, and am hoping it can happen sooner rather than later as for me the M5 seems the perfect car for my needs!

[OneExtra]

Originally Posted by sarjoo

Would love to hear more, fascinating for me to hear a previously non M owner becoming an M owner and they’re initial feelings and the notable differences other than the obvious which is the power.

What were the subtleties? What engineering differences could you feel? Why is this such a different car to any other F10? I mean I know my car a 520D isn’t a patch on an M5 yet I still do love and it feels well made and refined. What kind of step up am I expecting if I can make the jump into an M5?

I cherish the search and the purchase journey ahead of me, and am hoping it can happen sooner rather than later as for me the M5 seems the perfect car for my needs!

Firstly you will find the M5 is not a range extension from a regular 5 series, yes it looks the same but that's where the similarities end.

The M5 is better in everyway

I suggest that you go and drive one and you will see what I mean

I could spend hours writing about the differences but you need to experience it for yourself

One thing I would say is every time I get in the M5 it puts a smile on my face and I feel very lucky to own one. I have never had a car that made me feel the way an M5 does

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by OneExtra

Firstly you will find the M5 is not a range extension from a regular 5 series, yes it looks the same but that's where the similarities end.

The M5 is better in everyway

I suggest that you go and drive one and you will see what I mean

I could spend hours writing about the differences but you need to experience it for yourself

One thing I would say is every time I get in the M5 it puts a smile on my face and I feel very lucky to own one. I have never had a car that made me feel the way an M5 does

I hear ya and am sold!

My worry with test drives so they’re generally so short and they don’t let you drive how you need to (but with respect) for appreciating the cars or getting a feel for them, unless they agree to an extended test of course.

[OneExtra]

Originally Posted by sarjoo

I hear ya and am sold!

My worry with test drives so they’re generally so short and they don’t let you drive how you need to (but with respect) for appreciating the cars or getting a feel for them, unless they agree to an extended test of course.

Just go to a main BMW dealer and ask for a test drive, you don't have to buy a car at the end of it.

You will know pretty quickly if you like it

Be prepared for high running costs though as they are not cheap to run

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by OneExtra

Just go to a main BMW dealer and ask for a test drive, you don't have to buy a car at the end of it.

You will know pretty quickly if you like it

Be prepared for high running costs though as they are not cheap to run

I have kinda calculated the running costs, given my annually low mileage the fuel bills don’t worry me, and the insurance is going to be about £1100-1200 it seems as is the warranty too (which is more than current cars warranty but not a million miles away.) So the main cost bump is likely to be the road tax from the current £30 annually to about £550 or so I think.

...but the SMILE it’ll bring

[OneExtra]

Originally Posted by sarjoo

I have kinda calculated the running costs, given my annually low mileage the fuel bills don’t worry me, and the insurance is going to be about £1100-1200 it seems as is the warranty too (which is more than current cars warranty but not a million miles away.) So the main cost bump is likely to be the road tax from the current £30 annually to about £550 or so I think.

...but the SMILE it’ll bring

Not just a smile but a feeling that you have done the right thing and bought a future classic, hence why its key to get the right spec

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by OneExtra

Not just a smile but a feeling that you have done the right thing and bought a future classic, hence why its key to get the right spec

I would guess that this might include things like the competition pack, upgraded audio, LCI model, comfort seats, so that the inside is also a pleasurable place to be when you’re on a long journey.

Have you considered getting the MPE exhaust system by the way? Or does the stock competition pack car sound good enough to you? For me stock will be fine I suspect.

I know spec is very subjective though. When looking for one, Best to buy what you want in the car and not worry about anything else I guess.

[OneExtra]

Originally Posted by sarjoo

I would guess that this might include things like the competition pack, upgraded audio, LCI model, comfort seats, so that the inside is also a pleasurable place to be when you’re on a long journey.

Have you considered getting the MPE exhaust system by the way? Or does the stock competition pack car sound good enough to you? For me stock will be fine I suspect.

I know spec is very subjective though. When looking for one, Best to buy what you want in the car and not worry about anything else I guess.

Exhaust sounds fine, just going to improve the tips. LCI is a must if you are getting an M5 as are the M Seats as a minimum.

All depends on your budget though. The more you pay the more choice you have

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by OneExtra

Exhaust sounds fine, just going to improve the tips. LCI is a must if you are getting an M5 as are the M Seats as a minimum.

All depends on your budget though. The more you pay the more choice you have

Does having Comfort Seats pretty much go hand in hand with having M Multi Function Seats? Are they one and the same? As I have only been looking at cars with comfort seats, they look great.

[PaulT_M5]

The M5 has 2 options of seats.

The standard seats are "Sports Seats", pretty much electrically adjustable versions of the seats in any M Sport car (albeit with nicer leather)

The M Multi-Function Seats are the M version of the Comfort Seats with about 20 ways of adjustability and are a lot more comfortable than the standard seats.

The only down side to the M Multi-Function seats is that due to the high shoulder support area, the view for rear passengers, particularly children, can be very limited. With a black interior, it makes it very dark in the rear with the Multi-Function seats.