Any ex-E28 or E34 M5 owners here? Just curious to have your thoughts.... - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Gustav · 27th July 2000, 00:37

Just a little curious. There were sooo much discussion on the old Messageboard one or two years back from previous generations M5 owners about the new M5 regarding the V8, the sound, the weight, handling, the looks, the luxury and so on.

So after you have taken delivery of your E39 M5, would you like it more to be like a previous generation M5? Would you rather like a straight six and lesser weight or you feel the E39 is the best incaranation of the M5 of 2000 ?

Share your thoughts if you have some experience with the previous generations of the M5!

blue max · 27th July 2000, 03:48

Present!

Soon to be ex E34 M5 owner who has spent a lot of time with the E39. some observations.

1) the new car is MUCH faster, responds immediately to throttle blips. It will take a lot of restraint to keep your driver's license.

2) the E34 is a far more visceral machine I love the exhaust note under full throttle and the handling is first rate. It's still an attention grabber. constant kudos from other drivers & pedestrians. After 7 years It's as if the car and I have become one.

3)the E39 is much more comfortable & more luxurious but I can't hear the engine.

I guess our beloved cult car has matured.

I miss it already.

I hope to meet some of you at O'fest.

Bye.

'93 M5
'01 M5

Steve N · 27th July 2000, 03:53

I had owned 93 E34 M5(red one) when I was in States. Since I had it for a year or so(that was 1993) and then trade it for 500E(regrets,regrets,regrets!), can't remember much though.
As for the look and luxury features, E39 is definitely a winner. But the sound of E34's inline 6 was onething I'll never forget. Pesonally I like it better than my current E39's. Stock exhaust was so good that I didn't even considered aftermarket ones(now I have Hamann on E39 but can't achieve that E34's beautiful engine and exhaust tone).
Can't compare the performance since I don't own both right now, but I can say- although E39 is faster car, E34 was no less(probably more) fun to drive than E39 as I remember.

Oh, one more thing; my E34 had star shaped 17 inch forged rim that was really easy to clean:-)

Gustav · 31st July 2000, 00:00

Hey Blue Max,

why sell your E34 M5?

You'll regret that in 2003 (or even earlier...)

The only thing missig is a E28 M5...

blue max · 31st July 2000, 16:05

No choice Gustav. The new car is soooo expensive I have to do it. Otherwise the wife will never let me hear the end of it.
"what do you need 2 M5's for? etc.. etc.."

I hope the next owner will be as appreciative as I am.

JohnH · 31st July 2000, 18:28

Had a 1994 E34 M5 with 340bhp 3.8 and 6 speed. The E39 is a real luxury, superfast saloon but here are the things I miss from the E34.
1) Engine/Exhaust noise was really beautiful
2) The suspension switch meant you could choose between soft/hard settings
3) Steering was more precise

Overall I am very happy with the E39 M5 but do feel they have lost some of the sportiness to make it more generally appealing to the mass market.

JEM · 31st July 2000, 20:11

All else being equal,

wider tires = less feel
more pressure = more feel

Based on my limited E34 experience, the E39 is not quite as good as a stock E34, but it's much better than a Dinanized E34 w/255/40-17 front tires I once drove.

My Mustang has 255/40s in front but has no rubber left in the suspension or steering mountings at all, it changes direction very quickly but beats the hell out of you on the street.

Re sound of sportiness: think there are legal problems with Euro makers making cars that sound like they have engines in them now, have to resort to aftermarket for that part of it.

BrianC · 1st August 2000, 19:43

Anyone mentioned anything regarding E34's pipe sound, I will have to agree with you 120%.
I MISS IT BAD!!!!
To the point that I am considering buying a used one again, just for the sound. But a well kept E34 M5 is VERY hard to come by in Ontario. (I saw 2 1993 on the market, one highly modified, one poorly kept

both going for $40,000 CDN or approx $27,000US)

In terms of acceleration, I was able to beat an E34 M5 (probably 1992 or 1991, with the square mirror) with my 1999 E39 540i 6spd, stock to stock, so it's not really in the league of the E39 M5. Even BMW stated that when E39 540 came out. E34 owners, please don't flame me for saying that. I was reporting a past incident.

North America stopped importing E34 M5 since 1993 (I was told, mine was the last to come into Canada), so I didn't have a chance to try the 2-mode-suspension.

I drove my E39 M5 last winter, something I wouldn't dare to do with an E34 M5 (mine had no ASC+T).

IMHO, E34 feels like a SPORTS car while E39, although much faster, only feels like a SPORTY car.

Disregard price, would I choose E34 M5 over E39 M5? Probably not. Spoiled by the E39 interior already, although I do miss the individual armrests over that center console sliding good-for-nothing of E39's.