jdcjr

Picking up the beast next saturday. Jet black, 2003 M5,9000 miles, stage 1 dinan. (CPO until 7 09.) Been driving 3's/530/540's for a while. What kind of driving style best suits an M5? What rpm should you shift? Any hints to clutch preservation? Things to do and not do! Any pitfalls common to new M5 drivers?
I know these are the basics. Have been driving for 30 years, but I would like to do all I can to make this M5 happy!
Thanks for your time...

EM5PWR

driving to fast and having a big grin on your face...as far as shifting goes 6500 rpms will work for starters.. have fun.

gbogh3

Let's see:
1) Wait till the car warms up, all lights on the TACH will go off expect 1 Orange and 1 Red.
2) You may want to leave DSC on and Sport off until you are used to the throttle
3) Drive like you stole it..... which will be easy to do.

Remember when you went from a 3 series to the 540? Well that is about the same jump you are about to have again.

WELCOME

__________________
02 Sterling Grey with Extended Caramel Leather
AA Cold Air/ Brake Ducts, SS Headers, Mystery Short Shift, Dinan Stage III w/ JRZ, Tubi Competition Exhaust, Dinan Stage 4 software, Hardwire V1, XM, Clear Bra.

2004 X5 4.8is

2005 X5 RIP
1995 E36 325i Sold
1989 E30 325i RIP
1972 3.0s Sold

Wrightsville Beast

1. I ignore the tach "warm up" lights and wait for the oil temp to reach proper operating temp before getting into the loud pedal.

2. Get a short shifter (I like the UUC Evo3). It makes a huge difference for minimal charge. The stock shifter is vague and has a long throw.

3. Turning off DSC lets you have some fun with moving the car around. The DSC is pretty intrusive and doesn't allow any slide before cutting power.

Enjoy!

wiggis

Strongly recommend:

1) Leave the DSC on in everyday driving. It saved my bacon many times in the early days.
2) Don't slip the clutch - not even slightly.
3) Check the oil weekly / every 500 miles and don't let it get low. Ever. And note that there is a 'special' way of checking the oil in the M5 - learn it !
4) Check the coolant level monthly and don't let it get low. Ever.
5) Don't distress the engine at all until the oil is past 75 degrees celcius.
6) Use good quality fuel - it makes a big difference in this car.
7) Don't use the cup holders - they will break and they are crap.
8) Make sure to run the air conditioning at least 30 minutes a week to prevent the seals drying out.

The M5 will use oil at a much quicker rate than your 540i ever did - if you do nothing else, make sure to check it weekly until you know how much your car uses, and even then, checking it weekly is not a bad idea.

More generally, watch out for:

a) The situation where you are overtaking more than one car, and the car in front of you also decides to overtake. The M5 is so fast, people don't anticipate you taking them and the car in front of them.
b) Police with laser / radar guns. You will be going way faster than you expect given noise / speed by which the scenery moves

Congrats on the new car

whatheheck

Congrats. You will love your new toy.

1) If you dont have one yet installed, get a Short Shift Kit. UUC or Rogue Engineering. I have the Rogue and I love it.

2) Wait until the car warms up before driving hard.

3) The biggest bang for the buck upgrades. Cold Air Intake, High Performance Exhaust, Engine Software. I have the Dinan CAI, Tubi Rumore Plus and Powerchip 93. Amazing what a difference those upgrades made.

3) I agree, leave the DSC on for now until you get used to your beast. Take the beast to an open parking lot, turn DSC off and learn how the beast performs without it. You can do some serious drifting and slipping and sliding. Once you get comfortable with DSC off, you will have more fun with the car.

4) The beast likes to be driven hard. I shift at around 6K RPM. It is also good for the engine as it burns off the carbon deposits.

5) Invest in a Valentine 1. It saved me about a dozen tickets already.

6) Expect to get more attention now from other drivers. Expect waves, and thumbs up, and people checking out your car at the parking lots.

Enjoy your new toy!

My beast is the best car I have ever driven and owned. In my office, I have a picture of my M5 on my wall with this text above it. "This is the reason I leave early for work every day. And the reason I always take the long way home."

Dan

greg

Don't obey the tire pressure recommendations. Unless you plan on extended autobahn cruising at 140mph+, you will be much happier at 38/40 or even less. The tires will talk to you better too.

__________________
'00 M5 - The Ultimate Ultimate Driving Machine! Greg's M5 Page
'01 996 TT - Greg's Porsche Turbo Page
'00 A6 4.2 - doesn't deserve a web page

jclyman

I might as well put my $ 0.02 in.

1.) Start the car and drive off as soon as it runs smoothly (don't warm up at an idle).
2.) Wait until TEMPS get to normal before driving hard ... then drive the snot out of it. It will love you for letting it breathe.
3.) Don't turn off the DSC until you are VERY used to the car. Then only in good weather.
4.) I like the Sport button ON ... it helps me downshift better (i.e., more smoothly).
5.) GET A RADAR DETECTOR.
6.) Check your tires regularly and look at them EVERY TIME you get into the car.
7.) Go on an extended trip at least once a month ... It will love you for letting it breathe, and you will love the experience.
8.) Turn on the A/C at least once a month (even in winter, actually it will clear fogged windshields) and turn it OFF a minute or two before you get to your destination.
9.) Read the interesting stuff on this site, but don't WORRY about it. Just enjoy your car.

And, my personal opinion ... keep the revs up ... like about 3,000 RPM. It will love you for letting it breathe ... and, I know I will get responses to this one. But, my mileage since new (43,000 miles so far) is 19.1 MPG. I'm a very happy camper.

Remember, you are dirving "The Ultimate Driving Machine."

__________________
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge."

- Daniel Boorstin

QUICK M5 -- jclymaniii@earthlink.net

gbogh3

Why turn off the AC a couple of minutes before?

__________________
02 Sterling Grey with Extended Caramel Leather
AA Cold Air/ Brake Ducts, SS Headers, Mystery Short Shift, Dinan Stage III w/ JRZ, Tubi Competition Exhaust, Dinan Stage 4 software, Hardwire V1, XM, Clear Bra.

2004 X5 4.8is

2005 X5 RIP
1995 E36 325i Sold
1989 E30 325i RIP
1972 3.0s Sold

Bull

I was running the sport on and DSC off today. Was tempted by a WRX in a corner, hammered it in 2nd and threw the whole car sideways. Be careful, you can get in trouble fast!

__________________
A clever saying goes here!

jclyman

I used to keep it on all the time, but after about a year, my wife said when we were in the car, she could smell what smelled like dirty socks. After about 10 minutes the smell would go away.

Have read for years about BMW A/Cs "trapping" moisture and hence "microbes or something," which after a while will begin to smell (usually like mildew). I have had suggestions (yes, they were aware of problems with some BMWs) from dealers that I should turn off the A/C a couple of minutes before I shut the car off. So I do. Many might not be able to smell that well, but it bothered my wife, so now I turn it off a couple of minutes before I shut down.

No more problems with the "odd" smell.

__________________
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge."

- Daniel Boorstin

QUICK M5 -- jclymaniii@earthlink.net