Folks,
Well, after a few weeks of research and thinking, I'm now committed to getting a 2001 or later M5...I've put the 530i Executive on the market today and hopefully its sale won't leave an impossible 'changeover cost' to get into the M5.
It scrubbed up pretty well too! (see photos attached). It's a Aussie 2001 E39 530i Executive, in Sapphire Black with black leather inside, 17" star spoked wheels with P Zero Rosso tyres, M5 steering wheel, sunroof, clear lenses, mudflaps, floor mats, TV, DSC and all the other stuff...
Now hopefully I can pull a late model E39 M5 with low mileage in excellent condition...fingers crossed! Have a silverstone 2002 with 60k (kilometres) and an Oxford green 2001 with 70k (kilometres) in my sights...not so sure about the green, though...after Sapphire Black, everything looks second class.
Enough rambling,
Best regards,
Peter