Thinking of buying a 2009-2010 BMW M5

[Cdog]

So what are your opinions of the car? My want?s are black on black with a 6 speed. Any of you have or had one? Was maintenance a bitch? Do they have any stand out issues?

Thanks in advance.

 

[AZJD]

Bad mother fucker!!

 

[shintoooo]

My friend had one and it was awesome but once it went out of warranty he got rid of it. I hear maintenance, tires, brakes etc.... are really expensive.

 

[BUDMAN]

Nice cars. Had the X-5 V8. Loved that car until I needed to get a repair done $$ then I said good buy to it.

 

[Outdrive1]

The auto stick is a little strange, but it's fun. I love the exhaust note. The out of warranty deal can get pricey. I'm also pretty sure they don't offer the CPO on the M's.

 

[Havasu Hangin']

Look into the maintenace costs. Those motors, brakes, and geaerboxes are very expensive to maintain.

 

[Outdrive1]

I think the 5 is the perfect size car. we had 7's, 5's and 3's. Now that they have a new 4 door 6 series, I'll probably try that next.

 

[lakemadness]

I love the M5, what a great fucking car. Four door, amazing handling, spacious, luxury, classy and more than enough power. What more do you need?

I have a 530i that has really been a great car, my second 5 series and I have had several other BMW's. The only problem with mine is that it is not an M5.

 

[lakemadness]

I think the 5 is the perfect size car. we had 7's, 5's and 3's. Now that they have a new 4 door 6 series, I'll probably try that next.

I've got my eye on that. It looks damn nice.

 

[pronstar]

Cars like that can last a very long time, but they also tend to require a lot of pricey maintenance to keep them going.

German electricals, and electronics, have a poor reputation as the years/miles go on...and for good reason.

It's a very complex car.

There's a reason why these cars' values really nose-dive after 5 or so years, and/or 100K miles.

 

[Blubyu]

I have a couple customers with them... The repair bills are killer.

Nothing to stand out as far as issues. They use brakes but really depends how hard you drive it. Like anything else it needs to be maintained, you naglect it and it'll bit you in the ass.

Sweet car though!:thumbsup

 

[RitcheyRch]

Typical of most German cars. My wife had a 911 when we met and thats the exact reason she got rid of it.

My friend had one and it was awesome but once it went out of warranty he got rid of it. I hear maintenance, tires, brakes etc.... are really expensive.

 

[Cdog]

Brakes and oil changes are no big deal for me to do. I can do most of the maintenance provided I don?t have to pull an engine to change a spark plug. I might get lucky and find one with a remaining warranty.

Do they break often? Seems the 6 speed manual should have less issues than the auto?


I really want a 911s but the wife thinks this would be better LOL!

She wasn’t too happy with me doing 300kph on the autobahn in the 911. LOL!

 

[Blubyu]

Brakes and oil changes are no big deal for me to do. I can do most of the maintenance provided I don?t have to pull an engine to change a spark plug. I might get lucky and find one with a remaining warranty.

Do they break often? Seems the 6 speed manual should have less issues than the auto?

Had one in last weak for a weird communication error. They have so many computers it's crazy. Ended up being a split wire under the drivers seat. Both M5's that I have seen have been manual. So I haven't seen any Automatics. We did just put headers on one though and holly shit did it wake that thing up not that it wasn't slow before.

 

[AZJD]

Brakes and oil changes are no big deal for me to do. I can do most of the maintenance provided I don?t have to pull an engine to change a spark plug. I might get lucky and find one with a remaining warranty.

Do they break often? Seems the 6 speed manual should have less issues than the auto?


I really want a 911s but the wife thinks this would be better LOL!

She wasn?t too happy with me doing 300kph on the autobahn in the 911. LOL!

Well luckily for her the M5 is electronically limited at 155

 

[pronstar]

Brakes and oil changes are no big deal for me to do. I can do most of the maintenance provided I don?t have to pull an engine to change a spark plug. I might get lucky and find one with a remaining warranty.

Do they break often? Seems the 6 speed manual should have less issues than the auto?


I really want a 911s but the wife thinks this would be better LOL!

She wasn?t too happy with me doing 300kph on the autobahn in the 911. LOL!

911's are quite bulletproof, Porsche has been making them for a long time.
But even then, they have quite high maintenance costs.

The 6-speed manual should have fewer issues than the DSG, due to it's simplicity...the DSG isn't really happy motoring around an normal speeds, but it's very good on a track.

Your comment "Do they break often?" is a mindset you have to leave behind with these cars, especially high-performance German cars.
If you wait until things break, then your repair bills will soon surpass what you paid for the car.

Instead, there are known maintenance issues that must be addressed before things fail.
This is what bites people in the ass.
Most folks think "if it aint' broke, don't fix it" but this doesn't work with these cars.
You have to stay on top of things, and spend money to replace things before they break.
While this isn't cheap, it's cheaper than letting things fail.

Also, you should join a forum to see what the "real" maintenance schedules are for this car.
When BMW started to offer "free maintenance" they really stretched things thin as far as frequency of maintenance/fluid changes.
So the cars are unchanged compared to other markets, but other markets require more-frequent maintenance.
What this means is, BMW doesn't want to pay for "free" maintenance, and they could not give a shit about a car when the warranty is up, since they aren't footing the bill.

 

[AZJD]

There is a shop by us in Anaheim that has some of the sickest sounding 3's an 5's in there day. Test drives are often near my office and it's a great sound to hear half a dozen times a day.

 

[JMC]

No way I would own any Bimmer without a warranty. My moms got a '06 7 series that is out of warranty and an '09 X5 thats still in warranty. She has been buying BMW's for several years and they wear me out with the little BS things that go wrong. I know for a fact we have been through over 5 window motors over the past 15 years or so in various models. The extended warranty is a must if your gonna keep an old one around. The X5 just went in with a 6 or 7 line laundry list. They covered everything and it cost nothing. The cars feel great and look great, but damn they can be fussy bitches! I sure as heck wouldnt want to price an auto or manual tranny for one.

IMO, I would forget the 20K savings on an older M5 and look at a newer CPO, CTS-V or a Jag XF-R. Those both can be had in the lower to mid 50K range. JMO

 

[V.O.R.F]

how much do you like giving money to your mechanic?

 

[V.O.R.F]

No way I would own any Bimmer without a warranty. My moms got a '06 7 series that is out of warranty and an '09 X5 thats still in warranty. She has been buying BMW's for several years and they wear me out with the little BS things that go wrong. I know for a fact we have been through over 5 window motors over the past 15 years or so in various models. The extended warranty is a must if your gonna keep an old one around. The X5 just went in with a 6 or 7 line laundry list. They covered everything and it cost nothing. The cars feel great and look great, but damn they can be fussy bitches! I sure as heck wouldnt want to price an auto or manual tranny for one.

IMO, I would forget the 20K savings on an older M5 and look at a newer CTS-V or a Jag XF-R. Those both can be had in the lower to mid 50K range. JMO

you write an entire paragraph about the woes of taking a car in for service and then suggest what is universally agreed upon as one of the top 3 biggest lemons on the road today?

 

[Cdog]

I was pretty hard-core about getting a 911 until I was on YouTube looking at videos of the header kits on the m5s. They sound wicked with exhaust.

 

[Cdog]

how much do you like giving money to your mechanic?

I am the mechanic. A lot of people complain about our diesel trucks being maintenance heavy but I found my truck to be pretty easy to maintain. 2006 crew cab 4 x 4 Duramax Chipped on kill and I driving like I stole it.

 

[V.O.R.F]

I am the mechanic.

in the "i know how to change my own oil and can do basic bolt on mods in my garage" kinda way?
or the "I literally own a shop dedicated to servicing european automobiles" kinda way?

 

[Iman]

I had a 2008 M5 with SMG trans. My major complaint was the AC was horible on the car and it drank oil. Bought it new and dumped it after 3 years. Have you looked at an E63?

 

[pronstar]

in the "i know how to change my own oil and can do basic bolt on mods in my garage" kinda way?
or the "I literally own a shop dedicated to servicing european automobiles" kinda way?

x2
I'm sure rivermobster will chime in eventually...but without BMW's factory diagnostic tools at your disposal, I don't think there's a lot that you can do to these cars. The electronics are multiplexed in such a complex way, there's no obvious logic to it, and no way to get into things without the right equipment.

It's the electronic gremlins that are often the biggest issue, not mechanical parts...but even many of the mechanical parts have electronic sensors and controls, so it's not as easy as remove/replace a part.

 

[steamin rice]

Just buy an extended warranty for it and you will be fine. I spent about $4k on a 5 yeak 100k mile extended warranty on the GL for piece of mind, so far it has not given us any problems and it has 55k miles on it now.

 

[pronstar]

I was pretty hard-core about getting a 911 until I was on YouTube looking at videos of the header kits on the m5s. They sound wicked with exhaust.

An inline-6 and flat-6 have perfect primary balance...so does a 60-degree V12.
These engines, IMHO, have the best intake/exhaust notes :thumbsup

When you uncork a 911, they sound awesome.
So do BMW inline-6's.

 

[DURAMAXYFZ]

I had an 11 and now a 12 both Diesel, They are badass and had zero issues other than the dealer with the exhaust fluid. The 11 had 27,xxx
miles.:thumbsup

 

[rivermobster]

So what are your opinions of the car? My want?s are black on black with a 6 speed. Any of you have or had one? Was maintenance a bitch? Do they have any stand out issues?

Thanks in advance.

I worked for BMW for nine miserable years...

But, the M cars are actually the best of the cars they build.

The M5 is pretty bad azz. 500hp and 27mpg, with an idle that purrs at 600rpm and a redline around 7k.

Pretty damm fast for a bone stock car, if you get one, i wouldnt mess with it!

But with all that being said...

There isnt much you can do on this car besides change the plugs, air filter and brakes.

There are 4 networks in the car. 2 fiber optics and 2 CAN BUSS and they all have to work together. Most of the time when something goes wrong, its gonna be in the networks.

Unless your a BMW dealer mechanic, YOU are not gonna fix it!

These cars are expensive to buy, and expensive to own and maintain. The SMG tranny is not a daily driver, that dual clutch is not cheap to replace. The Z rated tires wear like a pencil earaser, if you get 20k on a set, your driving like an old lady.

So if you can handle a car that will use up a sizable chunk of money on a regular basis, even thought its gonna mostly live in your garage, get one. They are a blast to drive. :thumbsup

 

[caribbean20]

Cdog, all of the information you desire can be found here from actual owners.

http://m5board.com/

I own an '07 M6 with the SMG transmission, purchased new in '07. BTW, only transmissions offered in those years are 6sp manual with a clutch, or SMG which is an automated manual, no torque converter. There never was a true automatic.

Net, net, the car is a bad ass sleeper but can be expensive to own. For example, on my last tank with aggressive city driving, 7.7 MPG :champagne: For me it is worth it, there is nothing quite like the scream of the NA V-10 in that price range.

PM me or ask if you have any other questions.

 

[attitude]

This is the only reason i would get an m5, watch toward the end:thumbsup

[video=youtube;xCtJVbJEHZg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCtJVbJEHZg[/video]

 

[Ziggy]

yup, its all been pretty much summed up on here.
We'd always have wait lists to purchase the cars, allocations were far and few between. Never had an M car sit around unsold.
Bad ass for sure, expensive too. Can be worse than a second wife

 

[Cdog]

Great feedback thanks guy?s. I?ve read that BMW updated the software in the late 2009?s to make it much more user friendly and that version would be the better one to own.

Granted I don?t have to work on any of my newer cars much but I?ve taken several first gen camaros completely apart, replaced body panels, tubbed, welded in road race suspension and put back together. I can replace damn near any part on any car. Computer diagnostics are a different story. Sounds like these are pretty figured out so unless I get a turd I shouldn?t have an issue.

I don?t mind spending money of cool go fast parts provided I can install them myself. With exception to tires of course. It seems these M5?s are falling into a sweet spot where you can get them for a decent price since the 2013?s are right around the corner.

So how do you get rid of the 155mph speed limiter? Once you?ve been 186 mph 155 ain?t gonna cut it. LOL!

It?s either a M5 or a 911S. I need the car for business so the M5 is slightly less ?hey check me out?.

 

[Ziggy]

Great feedback thanks guy?s. I?ve read that BMW updated the software in the late 2009?s to make it much more user friendly and that version would be the better one to own.

Granted I don?t have to work on any of my newer cars much but I?ve taken several first gen camaros completely apart, replaced body panels, tubbed, welded in road race suspension and put back together. I can replace damn near any part on any car. Computer diagnostics are a different story. Sounds like these are pretty figured out so unless I get a turd I shouldn?t have an issue.

I don?t mind spending money of cool go fast parts provided I can install them myself. With exception to tires of course. It seems these M5?s are falling into a sweet spot where you can get them for a decent price since the 2013?s are right around the corner.

So how do you get rid of the 155mph speed limiter? Once you?ve been 186 mph 155 ain?t gonna cut it. LOL!

It?s either a M5 or a 911S. I need the car for business so the M5 is slightly less ?hey check me out?.

Dinan Motorsports can fix that for ya

 

[pronstar]

Computer diagnostics are a different story. Sounds like these are pretty figured out so unless I get a turd I shouldn?t have an issue.

They're never "figured out."
If you think they've solved the issues with later cars, you're mistaken.
Electrical/electronics issues are a constant battle with these cars, even when new.
And they don't get better with age.

Look at the depreciation after 5 years / 100K miles on any high-dollar German car. There's a reason why the prices drop so fast.

When a car that sold for $140K 6 years ago, sells for $30K today...there's a reason why.

IMHO the previous-gen E39 M5 would be a much better car to live with when considering high miles and/or age. Significantly fewer electronics to worry about. Front suspension parts are wear items, and you can replace those yourself. Then things like cam sensors can be diagnosed with a $100 BMW scan tool. It wtill won't be cheap to own, and finding good examples is becoming harder and harder.

 

[KENDOG689]

We decided to lease one and all is covered for the lease.We shall he how it goes,1rst lease.

 

[Cdog]

I definitly have a feeling that the M5 will either be one of my best or one of my worst ideas yet. LOL!

 

[Sigus]

There you go.... Straight pipe with an airhorn in that bad boy M5 and you will be the hit of Scottsdale! :champagne:

 

[pronstar]

I definitly a feeling that the M5 will either be one of my best or one of my worst ideas yet. LOL!

I say the same thing about my drinking binges :skull

 

[spectras only]

Cdog, friend of mine has a 1991 M5 ,that's a cool car. He has another 1989
535 turboed car that's the one in this video>[video=youtube;YdhQI-d0hOs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdhQI-d0hOs[/video]

[video=youtube;_toLhM8JyT8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_toLhM8JyT8[/video] built by Miller performance . Dynoed at 480 rear wheel HP
and has a wicked exhaust note through 4" custom s/s pipes.Wished my Viper would sound like it He scraped the exhaust on a ramp a few days ago so I gave him a hand yesterday to straighten one of the flange connection.He says the problem with older bimmers is some parts are only available from Germany, or have to hunt for locally.
BTW , it's for sale @15K cdn.

 

[locogringo]

If I were you, I'd test drive a Mercedes CLS 63 (10-11) and an M5.

Maybe it's just me but I don't really like the look of the M and have always liked the look, sound and performance of the CLS63 a bit more.

Both are great cars and the maintenance on the CLS has been pretty straightforward for me with no huge bills or problems at all.

Good luck

 

[stspdr]

I had an 06 smg was badass a little clunky shifting in traffic. although with the poor fuel economy i was filling up 3 times a week. Barely got 200 -215 miles out of it.

Have you considered the 550 with the sport package and mtechnic body kit (almost looks like m5) I have an 08 and it's about 80 percent the car that the M5 plus there is a lot of CPO ones out there. With the lower cost of the 550 get a proper sports car to sit next to it in the garage

Plus it legitimately gets 19-20 mpg and shifts butter smooth. Sport tranny tuning button peps up the shifting a bit for more spirited driving

 

[pronstar]

If I were you, I'd test drive a Mercedes CLS 63 (10-11) and an M5.

Maybe it's just me but I don't really like the look of the M and have always liked the look, sound and performance of the CLS63 a bit more.

Both are great cars and the maintenance on the CLS has been pretty straightforward for me with no huge bills or problems at all.

Good luck

Considering a CLS depreciates nearly 50% after 3 years, you can definitely get a deal on one that's a few years old. Get a CPO with warranty, and they start to make sense.

But I'm a cheap bastard so ownership costs may mean more to me than many others.

 

[spectras only]

Are the newer M5's still have the Vanos sytem? Never liked them ,especially the cost of reparing it.

 

[pronstar]

Are the newer M5's still have the Vanos sytem? Never liked them ,especially the cost of reparing it.

Yes, and it's a problem area.

There's a cam sensor that's also part of the issue, but I believe oil sludging in the VANOS system (its uses oil pressure to phase the cams) is the bigger issue.
Coincidentally, it's more of a problem in the States, likely due to the extended oil service intervals that BMW specs for this market to keep their "free maintenance" costs down.

 

[spectras only]

Now if I had Cdog's money, I'd go for a Z8 no less.That model will keep its value far longer than any other bimmer.

 

[pronstar]

Now if I had Cdog's money, I'd go for a Z8 no less.That model will keep its value far longer than any other bimmer.

Yup, beautiful car...and the same engine as in the E39 M5.
That was a great motor, even though it "only" had 400hp.

I'm a Bimmer fan...I used to write press releases and brochure copy for them (more like, translated German brochure copy to English). And all of my favorite Bimmers are older Bimmers. The new ones have strayed to far, and have become much too fat and complex, to be true Ultimate Driving Machines.

 

[catman]

If you are going to by a M5,Buy a new one.I leased a 2005 545i.After the lease was up I purchased it.I paid $57.000.00 back in 05 and right now if I could get $15,000.00,I would be lucky.The tranny has been surging for six months.I just took it to my independent mechanic with fixing oil leaks,pulleys and a new after market tranny $8,000.00.Going to trade it in and lease.BMW's are nice cars.Lease it with full service and turn it.Way to much $$$ to fix and they don't last.

 

[boatpi]

Look at the 550, not a huge diff. Still sounds good. M parts are expensive, and the maintance schedule is hard on the pocketbook. i own a 530, friend has a 550, both flawless since new. The Sport package can include active steering and suspension depending on the year, or a seperate option. I have both plus rear shades. this car is beyond sweet. Got 34 MPG to Vegas last week.

Want something on the wild side for the family look at the X5M or a Grand Cherokee SRT, the 2012 model with 6.4 Hemi. Both are rocket ships in AWD.

 

[Cdog]

Now if I had Cdog's money, I'd go for a Z8 no less.That model will keep its value far longer than any other bimmer.

Lol! Canadian please! Lol!