new owner - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

l8apex32 · 10th November 2003, 23:23

Howdy. I'll apologize in advance for the length of this intro,
but for those with similar backgrounds, it may be interesting.
Here is what I hope is the most important info first.

I just purchased an '01 with 21k miles, carbon black, sport
black interior, power rear shade and M Audio bass. The previous
owner put Supersprint mufflers on and did the PowerChip
programming. It also has the clear turn signal lenses in
front and the clear-ish turn lamp bulbs in back.

I also own a 1992 Acura NSX which I have driven a LOT and
it now has 131k miles. My wife has a 1989 Porsche 911 and
a '67 VW bug. We also have a 2001 Ford E-150.

I used to go to PCA events with the LSR region at TWS. I
drove Mustangs and my NSX back then. I instructed for
the last 4 years there and other tracks (Hallett, Heartland
Park.) For the last few years I have been racing a Spec Racer
Ford in the SCCA (Rocky Mountain Region). I am finally pretty
competitive at real racing.

Although the NSX is one of the best cars ever built, I am now
bored. I want more convenience and luxury, 4 doors, more
than 1 passenger, a trunk and 50% more power. Hello M5.

I tend to do a lot of wrenching on my own cars, compared to
most "exotic" car owners. I do everything up to valve
adjustments in the NSX. But, I don't do trannies or much
beyond that. I am undecided as to how much wrenching
will make sense on an M5 still under warranty for 2 years
and 30k miles.

I bought the car in Chicago and drove it back to Denver area
over the weekend. I now have about 1200 miles of seat time
plus two days of around town in it. I'll probably give an
unsolicited review of it versus other cars in the near future.

I have several questions, but will try and hold off until I
have read all the manuals first.

This is my frist BMW. Maybe there is something to the
Ultimate Driving Machine thing.

Gustav · 10th November 2003, 23:33

Welcome

You NSX guys seem to like your cars too. You're right, its a very competent sportscar, but maybe a bit low on power? I saw a supertest of the NSX-T which seem very competent. I would classify it as a NSX-CSL on BMW terms

But Im sure we'll change you to the Bavarian side

and welcome

l8apex32 · 10th November 2003, 23:54

The NSX is an extremely capable car. It is all aluminum and
the early ones weigh less than 3000 lbs. It has only a 3.0 liter
engine, yet puts out 270hp. That is 90hp per liter. The M5
is almost 5 liters with "only" 400hp, which is "only" 80 hp
per liter.

The NSX has VTEC which has two sets of cam lobes, so it can
vary (a/b) between a conservative cam for around town and
good gas mileage versus a cam with more lift, duration and
different valve timing.

The car is super low to the ground and has excellent road
holding. It has only 205 width tires in front, yet will out handle
most any other car. Sure, some cars handle slightly better, but
they all have way wider tires.

The NSX is still one of the world's best braking cars for
a cold stop. But, on a race track, you can over heat the brakes.

The NSX is mid-engine - sacrificing utility for performance.

The NSX is one of the most reliable cars in the world. It came
out in 1991 and in 1996 it tied for 1st in JD Powers 5-year
owner reliability survey. My car with 131k miles has had one
clutch replacement and the A/C re-charged once. Nothing else
over about $100 has broken. It has been to the race track
dozens of times.

Weight to power for an NSX is 3000/270 = 11.1.
Weight to power for M5 is 4000/394 = 10.15. (lower is better)
Top speed for NSX is 168 (no governor). Red line is 8100.

Love the car. Works perfectly, looks great. Just, not much
room, paint is finally fading and time to try something different.

BTW, the NSX comes with a subwoofer and a great stereo
(not an option) but the MAudio with bass is even better.

M5manny · 11th November 2003, 00:01

Welcome to the board and remeber the pics.

By the way, the HP/Displacement thing gets more dificult the higher up in cylinders you go. It's easier to make a 4 cylnder rev to infinity and beyond then it is to make a V8 go to 9000RPM.

Good color choice on the M5 by the way!

MAH · 11th November 2003, 00:14

Hope you like our discussions. If it has not been talked about here, it can't be done to the M5!

I may be wrong, but I do not think the pwewr sun shade was available on the "sport" interior. The luxuary interior had this option, but the seats had a little different stitching and you could not get them in two tone. Are you sure you have the sport interior?

Congradulations on the purchase. Hope you like cleaning your car because carbon black requires a lot of it. Then again it looks outstanding when clean.

Mark

M5manny · 11th November 2003, 00:21

Mark, the sport int, is the only way to get shades. The luxury trim can't because of the leather on the door trim panels.I have the luxury Caramel and couldn't get shades.

KRM · 11th November 2003, 00:25

Welcome to the board, l8apex. Great handle btw.

Hope you enjoy what this board has to offer and look forward to more of your insights.

Quote:

Originally posted by MAH

I may be wrong, but I do not think the pwewr sun shade was available on the "sport" interior. The luxuary interior had this option, but the seats had a little different stitching and you could not get them in two tone. Are you sure you have the sport interior?

Mark, I think you may have it the other way around. The power rear shade is only available on the sport interior cars. I recall there was a big discussion about this sometime back and there were members trying to order the rearshade option for lux interior equipped cars but to no avail.

l8apex32 · 11th November 2003, 00:34

For what its worth, my car has the brushed aluminum
interior accent with a charcoal like black leather. The insert
area is also that color, just with different leather. The
side bolsters on the seat, near my waist and lower ribs,
are tighter than the other seats, if my memory of test
drives with the luxury/wood interior is correct.

MIB · 11th November 2003, 01:18

Hey I8,

Welcome to the Board.

Shouldn't it be IH8apex32? I hate apex 32. Or do you eat it. I ate apex 32?

Probably some american thing that I don't understand.

Anyhow, MAH I have the rear sunshade Stock and I have Individual Sport seats.

l8apex32 · 11th November 2003, 02:17

My username gets misread when typed in all lower case.
All uppercase helps make it clear:

L8APEX as in "late apex".

I admit now (maybe not later) that I saw this as a license
plate on a low slung Porsche 911 turbo in Dallas, Texas.
The car was purple, with large chrome rims and dark
tinted windows. I liked the looks. It had a PCA sticker
on the side window. When I went to register my car again,
I put in for that plate - and got it.

In Colorado, someone else has it and I have been unable
to get in. Oh well.

Now to think of a plate for the M5.