Need genuine opinion on potential issues

[dimitri]

Fellas the time has come for me to place my order but im a bit hesistant....for a couple reasons .1 concerned if i will have mechanical and software problems 2.is it worth the money just to drive a couple times a week .

[AJ]

dimitri, may i humbly recommend a member of the toyota/lexus family?

in a hindsight- you have to pay for driving a 500hp car anyway you view it. you cannot have toyota reliability in a car that is pushing the technology envelope.

also, keep in mind that here you here mostly when things go wrong. when nothing goes wrong and car behaves as expected (like mine)- we simply dont indulge in gloating over this technological feat. so the feedback you are getting from here is a little .. skewed..

if the sheer anticipation of driving this car does not trump your concern about reliability and overall cost- maybe you should look for something that will stir your soul more effectively. if you dont intend to haul your family with it - have you looked at the 997tt? z06? used modena? there are a few other options out there..

alex
few cars

[ParkerF]

Originally Posted by dimitri

Fellas the time has come for me to place my order but im a bit hesistant....for a couple reasons .1 concerned if i will have mechanical and software problems 2.is it worth the money just to drive a couple times a week .

No car is worth the money to only drive a couple of times a week IMHO. And, I have owned 6 Ferraris including my current BB512i that I only drive 1 to 2 times a month....I own them as pure toys and am not concerned with them being worth the money... An M5 is not a collector car though so if you're not going to drive it much, you would likely be better off buying a collector type car that you could drive a few times a month of nice days only. I have owned three M5s and have used them all as daily drivers amazing 100k+ miles on each of them...they are not exotics...

[SKW]

It depends on a few things:

1. i have had a few glitches but nothing like what i have read here, and i know a couple guys who have had zero problems. i think given the amount of time that they have now been producing these you may not have alot of the same issues. but you never know. i think there is some element of luck.

2. is it worth the money? that is a difficult question and one that will be personal to each driver/owner. for one can you part with a 100k and not care about it? if so then, do you love driving? do you want to be at the wheel of the most incredible car for the money?

i would also highly suggest driving more than a couple times a week initially. For a couple reasons. 1. you need to get it broken in before you can have any real fun. 2. in order to truly enjoy the SMG it takes some getting used to it can be annoying at first so please ignore that and learn to drive it. IT is a process but one that i found worthwhile.

obviously the tool that wrote this article http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0607_2007_supersedans/index.html
had no experience with it and hence the opinion that followed.

For me, i paid cash, drive it to and from work every day. love it. wont own this or any car for more than two years. a few annoyances but overall very worth the money. You may want to consider the E63 or the Audi mentioned in the article above however they will never make you feel like you are driving the way the M5 does. They are true automatics in my opinion the "tiptronic" is useless in manual mode on the E55 anyway. IF driving an automatic is your gig i would just get an S 550 or a 745 and be comfortable.

but then again what do i know...

cheers

[SWP]

I sort of agree with ParkerF. I have owned an M5 since December and still have less than 3,000 miles on it. But during the weekdays, I live and work in San Francisco. No point driving my car five minutes from my home to the office. So I basically use the car on the weekends. I don't have the financial means to keep cars just for the sake of keeping cars, so in some respects, I feel like owning this car has been a waste of money. But then I get into the car on the weekends for a drive and all my doubts magically disappear. Personally, I have no interest in owning or driving classic cars. They are pretty to look at, but I think cars, like other forms of technology, improve over time. For the same reason, while I like the original Apple McIntosh or the NeXT Computer, their time has passed. I prefer the new iMac.

[MEnthusiast]

Just some thoughts. Everyone above is right of course.

Only you can decide if the car is suited to your needs but consider that the driving experience is really only bested by a Ferrari F430. Its very similar in terms of sound of engine and precision feel of the steering, etc. I think the F430 is worth it, but consider the price difference. Market prices are around 100k for a new M5 and 240k or so for a F430. IMHO the M5, given the high amount of content you get, is a great deal.

In terms of cars aging, being technology, this is certainly a valid point of view, but there is also a kind of poetic point of view that one should consider. Cars can represent a moment in ones life and its a nice keepsake for the memories, etc. I am not that much into classic cars, but I find I am appreciating them more and more as time goes on, for what they represented at the time they were new and how they have stood the test of time. I am enjoying the process very much with the Z8 which I think is one of the most beautiful cars ever designed.

Short version: if you like to drive, are willing to handle a few little annoyances and need 4 seats and a trunk the M5 must be on your short list. I love driving this M5 and I gain more and more respect with each mile.

[M5Wagon]

If it makes you happy and you can afford it - BUY IT - enjoy yourself whilst you can is my motto!!

D.

[Way2fast]

Originally Posted by M5saloon

If it makes you happy and you can afford it - BUY IT - enjoy yourself whilst you can is my motto!!

D.

I agree, You cannot die and take it with you. If all you are looking for is a weekend car and do not need a 4 seater I would look at the new M
Roadster or a used 996 Turbo. You will probably loose the least amount of money buying a used Porsche that has already taken a $30-$40K hit but only has 10,000 miles on it.

[dimitri]

fellas thanks for the comments ,.....i appreciate it
btw ...i test drove and love it!!!!!

[Wayward]

Originally Posted by MEnthusiast

Only you can decide if the car is suited to your needs but consider that the driving experience is really only bested by a Ferrari F430.

Jerry, I agree with everything you said with the exception of the quote above. It's bested by an M6 .

[bodaddy]

I think that if one can afford it, the M5 is a fantastic deal in the US. If you look overseas or even in Canada, the price of an M5 is much higher than in the states. UK for example, M5 is what 70,000 quid, but its like $95k here. The conversion will show you how much of a steal it is here.

[PeterC4C]

Originally Posted by ParkerF

No car is worth the money to only drive a couple of times a week IMHO. And, I have owned 6 Ferraris including my current BB512i that I only drive 1 to 2 times a month....I own them as pure toys and am not concerned with them being worth the money... An M5 is not a collector car though so if you're not going to drive it much, you would likely be better off buying a collector type car that you could drive a few times a month of nice days only. I have owned three M5s and have used them all as daily drivers amazing 100k+ miles on each of them...they are not exotics...

If I was to spend less then 100k on a weekend toy. It won't be a M. It'll likely be a toss up between the noble or Ariel Atom.

Mostlikely Ariel Atom.

Peter

[M CRISIS]

If you do get an M5 and don't drive it much - you wouldn't be alone.
Case in point - - I'm having a small oil leak checked into down at service and at the same time there is (I think) the only other M5 in town, having its 1200mi service done. The SA tells me that this is the first M5 delivered here back in Nov. I asked how many miles are on it? Says "about 1400". My jaw drops! 1400 mi / 8 months = 5.8 mi per day. I guess this could be his daily driver but what's the point in having a performance car and not driving it much? And I wonder if he's had any fun with it yet?

But I would agree with SWP where he says "But then I get into the car on the weekends for a drive and all my doubts magically disappear.