Tips to a new M5 owner (soon) ??? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Corleone · 10th December 2004, 17:47

Hello Everyone !!! I've been following this forum for a while now and I think it's a great source for all kinds of things related to M5. I'm about t o buy a 2001 M5 and although this forum has been very helpful on things to check before buying an M5, I just need to ask some more questions.

First of all, the VANOS issue.. How serious is this and is it recovered from 2001 models and on ? The clutch wear ? ( For a Mid - Agressive Driver ), General expenses ? General troubles if any ? And last but not the least what to check for before buying the car ? Please help me out guys !!!

Thanks in advence,

Can,

P.S.: At the moment I'm driving a S2000 if that helps...

Corleone · 13th December 2004, 00:04

No help? Anyone ?

KIP · 13th December 2004, 16:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corleone

Hello Everyone !!! I've been following this forum for a while now and I think it's a great source for all kinds of things related to M5. I'm about t o buy a 2001 M5 and although this forum has been very helpful on things to check before buying an M5, I just need to ask some more questions.

First of all, the VANOS issue.. How serious is this and is it recovered from 2001 models and on ? The clutch wear ? ( For a Mid - Agressive Driver ), General expenses ? General troubles if any ? And last but not the least what to check for before buying the car ? Please help me out guys !!!

Thanks in advence,

Can,P.S.: At the moment I'm driving a S2000 if that helps...

Hi!

I have only experiences with the 1999 model. Before you buy, check the MAF's, I thinki everyone has had them fixed sometime. The vanos problem is an issue, but I think BMW claimed its only noisy, no other problem....Not really convinced with that, so check it before purchase. Check the clutch with as many persons as possible in the car, put the third gear in highway speeds and lift the pedal totally, then floor it for a few seconds. It will slip if its worn out or damadged. Back wheels are usually worn out. In winter you might get the dashboard lit like a christmastree now and then due to snow/ice clogging the wheel sensors. NO REAL PROBLEMS. I think the clutch and the MAF's are the only weak points. I forgot that at some mileage you get door squirking due to heavy doors. If you search the forum, youll find a solution to all these problems. Have them check the mileage at the dealer too. If the car is not perfect, walk a way, because it is built with such high standards you should find no faultsnormally. Oh and the car eats front brake discs and pads for breakfast so check them too. Good luck!

Corleone · 13th December 2004, 20:29

Thanks for your reply KIP , Could you please tell me what MAF is ? By the way does anyone know the service and parts costs ? Clutch, brake discs, pads etc.

Thanks again ...

KIP · 14th December 2004, 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corleone

Thanks for your reply KIP , Could you please tell me what MAF is ? By the way does anyone know the service and parts costs ? Clutch, brake discs, pads etc.

Thanks again ...

Mass air flow meter.

14th December 2004, 12:33

Here are some issues to consider:

Vanos is not a big deal if it fails, except for the fact that you are looking at a $4K job if it is not covered by warranty.
Try to get a CPO warranty from the dealer, or just purchase an aftermarket warranty that will cover you up to 100K miles.
MAFS are a simple fix, and can just be cleaned if needed. Replacement ones will be a $1K job if not covered by warranty.
O2 (Lambda) sensors tend to go when a new aftermarket exhaust is installed. This is a simple and inexpensive fix.
Cam Postion sensors tend to go at times. This is a simple and inexpensive fix.
Clutch goes based on driving style. Some will last 80K miles, some only 10K miles. You may want to budget $3K for a UUC clutch/flywheel for when it does go. On the whole the M5's clutch is a little weak, but this could be intentional in order to protect other parts of the drivetrain/suspension.
Pixels can go out in the dash, but this is just an annoyance, and a new dash is around $1K.
Side-view mirrors can sometimes not go up and down. This is an electrical problem.
Front cup-holders tend to break easily.
Battery tends to need replacing at 3 years. $250 from a dealer.

These are the main things. Not a big deal in my book. Let me know if you have any questions.

Cheers, Daniel.

PS Congrats on your M5!

MAH · 14th December 2004, 16:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corleone

Hello Everyone !!! I've been following this forum for a while now and I think it's a great source for all kinds of things related to M5. I'm about t o buy a 2001 M5 and although this forum has been very helpful on things to check before buying an M5, I just need to ask some more questions.

First of all, the VANOS issue.. How serious is this and is it recovered from 2001 models and on ? The clutch wear ? ( For a Mid - Agressive Driver ), General expenses ? General troubles if any ? And last but not the least what to check for before buying the car ? Please help me out guys !!!

Thanks in advence,

Can,

P.S.: At the moment I'm driving a S2000 if that helps...

There have been no major issues with the MY01. I have around 42,000 miles on my MY01. The clutch was replaced under warranty at 22k miles. The electric cooling fan in front of the radiator had a recall and I have experienced no issues with the Vanos. The front turn signal indicator sockets were bad and replaced under warranty. The front brake pads needed replacing at 32k miles so they replaced the rotors as well. I think this was overkill, but it was free and I was not going to argue about it. The rear pads have still not needed to be replaced.

I would look at the door seal on the drivers side about mid-way up near the seat. If the 1st owner was a large person or just had a habit of rubbing this seal when getting in and out, it will come apart over time and need to be replaced. BMW uses soft rubber on the door seals for better sealing, but the down side is they can be damaged easily as well.

Hope this helps,

Mark

ps - what color combination are you looking at?

CEC · 14th December 2004, 17:16

You probably did this already but make sure to check the condition of the tires and brakes. New tires and brake work will set you back some real cash and should be factored into the price when comparing used M5's. 400 ponies can wear out the rears pretty quick...

Wilkie · 14th December 2004, 19:35

My 2001 MY, now with about 15K miles, has been relatively trouble free.

Replaced front brake pads under service warranty.

Replaced shift knob (chrome wore off) under waranty.

Replaced resistor in HVAC fan (warranty)

Oil added between changes: Zero

Average MPG: 15.3

Clutch, VANOS, MAF, etc: No problems.

Guess I've been lucky. I luv my beast.

Wilkie

Wake Champ · 15th December 2004, 02:19

I think -beastpower- pretty much said everything you need to know in one post.