How did you decide on an M5? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

polvoronn · 15th February 2002, 07:18

Just wondering what exactly went through the minds of you folks during the time of your purchasing the car? What finally made you decide on the M5 and not any other car? On that note, what other cars were you considering?

just curious

-paolo

atomic80 · 15th February 2002, 07:41

LOL....I just typed an email to Diamond Dave detailing my progression to M5 ownership. I guess I could copy and paste that email here:

"I did see all those articles about the M5 and so forth. I never dreamed that I'd want to own one myself so I never bothered to get myself on the waiting list. At the time I had "dancing" dreams of owning a ML55. I got myself on the waiting list for one and after nearly a 2 year wait I finally picked mine up in October of 2000. It was a 2001 model. I enjoyed driving it for a bit until all the ugly problems starting popping up. I'd had issues with certain bits being defective, the tires causing vibration (deemed "normal" by the dealership AND the MBUSA rep), navigation system going haywire on me a couple times. I cried afoul! I wanted to apply the lemon law on this ML55 but unfortunately it only applies if the same symptoms appear more than three times. I didn't like the way it drove too. Ironically, I had test drove a X5 4.4 just prior to picking up the ML55 and I loved the way it drove but yet I passed up a chance to buy one. I also needed a good towing vehicle for my snowmobiles too. I bought a Tundra pickup for that purpose. So now basically I had two 4x4's. Crazy I thought and so I made the decision to sell it. Looking for a replacement, I spoke with a car buddy of mine going through a checklist of cars that I could get. I came across a chance to get a 996TT but that fell through when the dealership refused to allow me to take over another friend's position on the waiting list. I was already also on the waiting list for the M3 but that wouldn't come for another 3 years (at the time). The M5 and the E55 was the last two on my list that I seriously considered. Not wanting another car that as "numb" and an automatic I eliminated the E55 from consideration. That left me with the M5. So, I called up Seattle BMW and was told that the wait was about 2 years long at MSRP. *sigh* ...just for the hell of it I called up Bellevue BMW (where I live) and someone had just dropped out and so they had one
available to order. The hitch was that there would be a $3000 markup. This of course included all the options too so I figured it wouldn't be so bad. I jumped at it. Headed down to the dealership and spec'ed out the car, left a deposit and headed home with the biggest grin a fool could have! Lemans/Lemans/Bruyere's wood with all four options was what I initially ordered. I had seen bmwm5.com before as a lurker. After I'd placed my order I signed on officially as a member. That was the beginning of my endless addiction. It's because of bmwm5.com that I've come to order all these parts that I have on my car before the car even arrived! I also changed my order to reflect no fold down seats and the aluminum trim based on the comments from other M5 owners. And there you have it, my journey into M5'dom."

Sorry it's rather long....but it pretty much sums up how I came across getting the M5.

alpywhite · 15th February 2002, 07:51

I decided on one when I was 19 (the year the E34 M5 came out!).

There was something cool at that time about the rarity, subtlety, engine sound, look, and that whole "fastest production sedan in the world" thing that stuck.

I remember hearing rumors YEARS ago of a V8 M5 with almost 500 horse and decided that one day, I would have it.

The rest, as they say...

Still very grateful.

Alps

Bart Carter · 15th February 2002, 09:04

I have had some of the fastest street cars you could believe. I have built race cars. Not of these cars had elegance or luxury.

When I first started reading about M5s, i couldn't believe that a car could be so good. Where could you find a car that was as fast as a Porsche or Corvette and yet carry 5 adults with luggage? And the more I read, the more my desire grew.

So well engineered, so well built, so smooth, so luxurious, so fast.

It had a V-8, a six speed. Nothing else has all these qualities, what I wanted.

It is truly the only car that I have driven that has exceeded my expectations.

Some people want to stretch the performance envelope. Well, I have been faster. You are plenty fast for the street.

Any other car is a compromise

fooz8em · 15th February 2002, 13:16

[quote]Originally posted by polvoronn
Just wondering what exactly went through the minds of you folks during the time of your purchasing the car?

two things were going through my mind :

1) i can't believe i'm getting this car!
2) this has got to be the largest check i've ever written in my life

i was a few months into having a saab viggen when i decided i needed four doors, instead of two. (yes, i know, quite a trade up from a saab)

conducted a bit of research as far as 4-door sedans/sports cars and nothing came close to the M5. (well, there was the e55 amg but i wanted a manual slush box). called around and left deposits practically everywhere from LA to seattle and was settling back for the 9+ month wait when a dealer called back saying she had one on the floor. it wasn't the anthracite i was looking for, rather some "dark blue/black" color - but it was there and available.
i hung up the phone, left work and drove 150 miles to the dealership.
(this was during the height of the 'net bubble and i was amazed i could actually *see* one in the flesh...)

Porsche had a color a few years back called "midnight blue" which i thought was among the prettiest colors of all time, and this trumped it - my deity, how stunning. one 15 minute test drive later, my brain overloaded with endorphins and synaptic firings, we returned to dealership and that was it.

in all honesty, this turned out to be exactly the car i wanted - had i known (in advance) of this color, this is how i would have spec'd the car out when my number came up (pdc, ski bag, etc...). serendipity, indeed...who am i to say anything to the contrary when larger forces seem to be at work?

i'm going to keep this "beast" forever.

(sorry for the length of this rant!)

James A · 15th February 2002, 14:39

I sat in one two years ago at an auto show and decided it was a car I wanted. The combination of performance and luxury can not be beat, heck the performance isn't beat by too many cars!

Teutonaddict · 15th February 2002, 14:56

Quote:

Originally posted by alpywhite
I decided on one when I was 19 (the year the E34 M5 came out!).

There was something cool at that time about the rarity, subtlety, engine sound, look, and that whole "fastest production sedan in the world" thing that stuck.

Alps-

I, too, was seduced by the E34 M5. I'd do a head-swivel each and every time I'd see one. I recall the line about "just your simple, ordinary 155MPH family sedan..." or something like that.

My formative experience with Bimmer sedans was when a friend of mine (I used to mow his lawn as a kid) let me drive his E28 533i, and insisted that I thrash it! He's now got two E28 M5s, and I've brought each new Bimmer in my progressive disease for him to try out.

The E39 M5 was a foregone conclusion for me. I put down my deposit in March/April 99 when they were talking about an Oct/Nov 99 US introduction. It probably all began when I decided to upgrade my E36 325i/5 to an E34 530i/5--my first taste of a V8 + manual transmission Bimmer! From there: E34 540i/6 --> E39 540i/6 --> 2000 Beast!!

The funny thing is, I have no desired to "flip" this car! I've not wanted for anything else since I took delivery. Perhaps the E60 M5 could sway me (it's gonna have to grow on me), but that's a long way off. The only inkling of a thought I had was to replace the current Beast with a late-production-run 2002 model--so I'd have the best there is for a longer stretch of time.

-Dave

Teutonaddict · 15th February 2002, 15:04

Quote:

Originally posted by fooz8em
Porsche had a color a few years back called "midnight blue" which i thought was among the prettiest colors of all time, and this trumped it - my deity, how stunning. one 15 minute test drive later, my brain overloaded with endorphins and synaptic firings, we returned to dealership and that was it.

Topher-

My sentiments exactly! I've been a Midnight Blue fan for years, and switched my Beast order to Carbon Black (from original Anthracite) based solely on the telephone description of a salesman who had an early one on the floor awaiting pickup.

My E34 540i/6 was custom Cosmos Black, so I had an idea how a very dark metallic would look on the car.

Quote:

i'm going to keep this "beast" forever.

Amen!

BTW, I dig how you've got a link to the mods in your User Profile. Pardon me for shamelessly stealing the idea!

-Dave

MarkM5Lauderdale · 15th February 2002, 15:08

After reading all the reviews I knew I had to have a test drive. Dealer said it was unlikely that one would ever be available for test runs. So I ordered one with a deposit and waited. Originally I was told the wait would be about one year. I was shocked when I recieved a call about 2 months later from the sales manager stating they had been unable to contact people on the list and I was the first one to answer! So, car comes in in March (ordered in December) and my salesman calls me down to have a go at her. He offhandedly remarks that he'll get the paperwork ready. I'm like "Just wait until we finish the test run then I'll decide" meanwhile he's grinning ear to ear. I'm not half a mile away from the dealership and I can't wait to get back to sign the papers!
It's been like an addiction ever since!

CEC · 15th February 2002, 16:17

Owned a 1995 E46 M3. Loved it. Was considering getting a Porsche 911. Took the M3 in for service. Drove the just released X5 with the V-8 engine. Loved it. Saw a short video loop on the M5 playing on a display at the dealership. Loved it. Read some glowing reviews on the M5 in car magazines. Loved them. Called the dealer, put down a deposit and got myself on the list for an M5. Never even drove a 911. No regrets.