Took an E39 M5 for a spin

[Matt Q]

hmmmm - for what it's worth... I wanted the E39 M5 way before I head Jezebel and it's still my favorite ALL TIME Bimmer... Don't like the new 5's styling AT all and the E39 was the perfect balance of class and performance.. also took one for a test drive 2 yrs ago but the owner changed his mind at the last moment and i didn't take it.

Did loads of research before buying it as I was going to go the FI route and aim for 550bhp... let me know if you do it and I'll gladly hand over my research

 

[double-n]

hmmmm - for what it's worth... I wanted the E39 M5 way before I head Jezebel and it's still my favorite ALL TIME Bimmer... Don't like the new 5's styling AT all and the E39 was the perfect balance of class and performance.. also took one for a test drive 2 yrs ago but the owner changed his mind at the last moment and i didn't take it.

Did loads of research before buying it as I was going to go the FI route and aim for 550bhp... let me know if you do it and I'll gladly hand over my research

Cool, I completely agree. The E60 in my opinion is way too fussy and complicated. That's why I also think the E39 M5 is the ultimate Bimmer.

I may consider going FI if I find an M5 in OK condition. My plan however is to get one in perfect condition with low km's, which I'll keep 100% stock and only unleash over the weekends. The reason I'll do this is because of what I just described - this is the ultimate Bimmer, and I wouldnt want to change it at all. :clap:

 

[Matt Q]

Lol - don't worry about low KM's... those engines take a beating and keep giving it... your car will actually be BETTER if it's been driven... really.... don't look for an M with "one old lady owner" histories.... the engine will have been badly bedded in and may need its virginity broken again

 

[freerider]

Sadly, I have yet to drive one of these, for the simple reason that I know the same thing will happen.....



....I will NEEEEED one :rofl:

 

[double-n]

Lol - don't worry about low KM's... those engines take a beating and keep giving it... your car will actually be BETTER if it's been driven... really.... don't look for an M with "one old lady owner" histories.... the engine will have been badly bedded in and may need its virginity broken again

With low KM's I mean one with less than 100,000km. I am aware that many M5's that were garage-queened and not driven hard gave huge problems due to carbon build up in the engine.

A while back there was a 2003 with about 70,000km for sale. And it was still under motorplan until middle 2010. That would have been perfect, still feeling sorry that I wasn't able to buy it at the time. :cursin:

 

[freerider]

There was a beaut at Bloomsbury a little while back for R260k odd also still on motorplan. White with tan leather, and let me tell you that it was CLEAN!!!

 

[Matt Q]

Yip.. that's the one I drove.. the owner couldn't get finance for a new M5 so he didn't sell

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With low KM's I mean one with less than 100,000km. I am aware that many M5's that were garage-queened and not driven hard gave huge problems due to carbon build up in the engine.

Apparently it's not the carbon build up thats the issue but the way the cylinders are worn.. the engines needs some heavy driving early in its life to have the cylinders properly bedded in or something like that. Not sure what the correct terminology is but it actually NEEDS to be hammered

 

[Gizmo]

Apparently it's not the carbon build up thats the issue but the way the cylinders are worn.. the engines needs some heavy driving early in its life to have the cylinders properly bedded in or something like that. Not sure what the correct terminology is but it actually NEEDS to be hammered

+1, oh and make sure the engine and water temps are warm before doing so. That wasn't the case with the m5 my dad picked up, after a little research we found out it belonged to some 18yr old kid before and he would hammer it when it was still cold, hence the collapsed rings on no7 cyl.

 

[wynandd]

It gives me the absolute SHITS when I hear people start up a vehicle and rev the SHIT out of it, from cold! I sometimes wish the pistons would detach themselves from the crank and bliksem 4 or 6 neat round holes in the bonnet! Any asshole that does that, has absolutely NIL mechanical knowledge and is not fit to own a vehicle! Even bikers, after a piss up at a get together, would try and impress whoever and get on the bike, start it and rev it immediately up to the rev limiter....WTF for, I don't know!:cursin:

 

[Gizmo]

It gives me the absolute SHITS when I hear people start up a vehicle and rev the SHIT out of it, from cold! I sometimes wish the pistons would detach themselves from the crank and bliksem 4 or 6 neat round holes in the bonnet! Any asshole that does that, has absolutely NIL mechanical knowledge and is not fit to own a vehicle! Even bikers, after a piss up at a get together, would try and impress whoever and get on the bike, start it and rev it immediately up to the rev limiter....WTF for, I don't know!:cursin:

Well that is to be expected from bikers...f*ken mal owens!

 

[Fuzzy]

I have to agree with Matt, he speaks the trueff! When I bought the shadowline many years ago it had been standing for 4 years already! The flippen oil had turned to sludge. The car was a freaken donkey and I struggled to get to 100kms in good time.

It wasnt however long when we cleaned her up big time that she won me good place at wingfield in category C!! Like I have said before, ALL of my Beemers have been driven hard and not one of them ever gave me any problems, en almal het al sideways gekom!! It is to be understood that when you have a new engine you need to run her in gently to avoid ridges on your pistons, but after that they love to be DRIVEN! I look at my car and she reminds me of a loyal dog wagging its tail waiting in anticipation for you to throw that stick so that he can go fetch!!

Ps. Hey I am soon to be a biker tooo! Ok so maybe you are right about being mal!