Just got the call - unexpectedly - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Bokke · 19th May 2003, 19:44

Just got a call from the Benz dealer to say their first E55 (Black/Black) is mine if I want it

The car was for a friend of the owner and they have passed. On top of this, I am two allocations away, which in all probability will be an 04 - what to do. I am going to take alook at lunch and will have them give me a quote on the Beast

I am facinated by the straight line speed of these new AMG products. My father has an SL55 and the acceleration is truly something - but I just don't have that same feeling when I was waiting to get the M5. My fear is that I would love it for a short while and then long for the M5.

Help me clear the fog and think straight

Philip

--------------------
01 M5 TiSilver/Black
02 X53.0i Steel Gray/Black

chunpng · 19th May 2003, 20:05

Philip,

Is the car for MSRP? If so I'd say grab it, as you can resell that for a nice profit if you are not happy with it. There's little depreciation down-side if it's MSRP this early in the game.

CP

E39M5fan · 19th May 2003, 20:05

Read Here this might help you decided

M Power · 19th May 2003, 20:08

Nooooo.. After all the tropuble you went to to get the Crystal blocks set up you're even thinking of moving to the "dark side"?

Well Philip, no one knows your needs better than yourself.. I had heard that MB had sorted out the "feeling" of the braking system, which was a problem for many who had driven them.

I am the wrong person to ask.. Each MB I have driven left me fairly uninvolved... Granted none of them were in the same league as the new E55.. but there were some memorable cars like the original 500E - a torque monster even then..

I am, for now, still addicted to the BMW style of car..

Good luck with your decision...

blue max · 19th May 2003, 20:20

if you must...

1) Watch those brakes

per Car & Driver:

Still, as irresistible as it is as a highway missile, the E55 had just enough quirks to leave it one point behind the BMW in the voting. There’s the issue of mass. At 4237 pounds, the E55 was the porker of this foursome, heavier than the all-wheel-drive RS 6 and 472 pounds heavier than the previous E55. The extra bulk didn’t hamper its straight-ahead prowess, but it was a handicap in quick directional changes, and it didn’t help in the braking department, either. Despite eight-piston calipers gripping each king-size front rotor, the Benz needed 173 feet to stop from 70 mph, fourth best of four and 12 more feet than the Y2K E55.

There was another brake issue, one we’ve noted before. The Mercedes brake-assist program makes it just flat impossible to be smooth with the binders, particularly at higher speeds. It never sleeps, and the result is a lot of lurch and lunge as the system reads the driver’s activities and applies its own interpretation of what the brakes should be doing.

2) No NAV for a car of this caliber is inexcusable.

On the other hand, the E60 is just too weird lookin

atomic80 · 19th May 2003, 20:38

You might also be better served by waiting for the 2004 E55 instead since they apparently will have the braking quirks fixed by then.

I would wait if I were you.

But then again, I wouldn't even think about giving up the M5 for something like the E55. No matter how intoxicating it may seem.

Jimmy Hill · 19th May 2003, 20:42

NO NO NO NO NO

and NO

hang on - there is no NAV in the new E55 are they NUTZ

that just can't be... espically in the US market

I understand your draw to the E55 - i too, was smitten by the AMG's i was on the list for the SL55 and then i priced it after adding XENON, and all the other now standard gear - NO WAY -
Big deal - so u get a 80 grand dragster with crappy breaks and half the fun of the M5 for more of the cost -

I suspect that u are right - u will enjoy the feeling of a tight new car for a couple of months, enjoy the attention, the new car smell yet i also suspect that your right hand will get bored and so will your mind. the level of passion involved in this car could almost point to it being SWISS...

No offense to any of our swiss members.. Either way they are two formidable cars in their own right - but u want driver input -u know where to go

be strong, brother

fear leads to hate, hate to anger, anger to suffering oh, and to automatics... do not be seduced by the power of the darkside.

see u out there

M5Mark

Need4Spd · 19th May 2003, 21:28

Personally, I'd wait for at least the '04, to see if they work out the braking feel issue first. But even then, I'm not interested in a dragster. For me, the feel of the driving is more important, and to me, that means a manual transmission. Not even SMG in my view replaces that. While I'm going to do the PowerChip software upgrade, it's not so much for more power as it is for drivability.

Bokke · 19th May 2003, 22:55

Just go back from driving the E55. Here are a couple observations:

1. The car is at MSRP - $78K something
2. nice looking car - Black with Charchoal interior. The only options it had was the CD changer - so its basically a base car.
3. very comfortable seating position - I am 6'5" so that's important.
4. NO NAV - this is stunning @ $80K. They told me that it SHOULD be available in the 04's. This car also did not have xexons!
5. It had the real dark wood - not sure I like that, would prefer the Burl Walnut
6. The interior layout of the M5 is far superior - the guages would take time to get used to - especially to old style clock to the left of the speedo.
7. The drive in standard mode was very Benz - soft and quite. You can change the suspention setting to be firmer, but again did'nt feel as nice as the M5
8. The brakes do feel somewhat "spoungy" - seemed like there was alot of pedal travel.
9. Great sound, although supercharger "whine" is much loader than expected. - although you can tell that there is alot of power waiting to be unleashed.
10. To get what I want - Silver/Black/Xexons/NAV/PDC - the total price would be almost $85,000 - that's alot money relative to a 03 M5.

Overall, if I did not drive an M5 everyday, I would have been very impressed by the car - it's hard not to be. But there is this little voice in the back of mind that keeps telling me that our car is the perfect combination of everything that a driver needs - why would you want to change.

I still cannot believe that currently do not offer a NAV - man what are they thinking. Anyway I have until 12noon tomorrow to give them my final answer

Oh yea, they offered me $51K as a trade. (01 w/22K miles excellant condition) - not sure how I feel about that!

Philip

rosenc · 19th May 2003, 23:01

I just don't see these two as competitors. The M5 is a true sport touring machine, with a heavy emphasis on sport. The E55 is more gentlemans' tourer with a bad *** engine. Keep the M5 and save your pennies (3,000,000+). Then either upgrade your M5 engine or add a dedicated speed demon in a year or two.