New to the E39 M5's, "What the heck!" - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Calspeed · 26th November 2006, 09:54

Hello,

This is my first posting to the Forum. I am Miguel from California. I have a 2000 M5. I sold my 911 Carrera to buy this car. You know, needed backseats for the kids. So what else would be better then a family sedan.

Anyway, I have been lurking for a week or so and I am becoming thoroughly confused. I am hearing so many different terms and abbreviations. Please help this new owner figure out some of these things.

What the heck is a Vanos?
Were there different motors in this particular series of M5? S62? M62?
Specific motor oils for specific years?
Whats is a CPS
What is a MAFS

What other obscure BMW M terms should I become aware of? I am definitely not a stranger to cars. I've rebuilt and raced in Vintage. I race Supermoto Motorcycles. But all of these interesting terms intrigue me.

I look forward to posting on this message board. You folks seem like a great bunch of enthusiasts. Its nice to see mature behavior on the internet.

Miguel

M5DAL · 26th November 2006, 10:01

Welcome the board mate. Search will be your new "friend" for awhile.

Plenty of detail after you search............

M5SHH · 26th November 2006, 10:09

CPS cam position sensor
MAFS mass air flow sensors

as for oil i know the early M5's only run on 10/60, if you put thinner oil in its burns alot quicker, i beleive this problem was sorted out on the 2000 models.

vanos units im not sure of exactly what they do something to do with adjusting the timing or fuel mixture, but very expensive when they go wrong.

im sure there are board members with more details than this but hope this will help for now.

Pete

Calspeed · 26th November 2006, 10:12

Okay... I just found out about the VANOS. I, once experienced the rattle when the car sat for an hour after driving. It was quite embarrassing since I was taking my buddy out for his first drive in an M5. He looked at me and said, "that didnt sound too good". I was shocked but the sound went away after 2-3 seconds. Weird...

Miguel

dave_gt · 26th November 2006, 10:25

Miguel,

Welcome to the board - I hope that the M5 is suiting you as a compromise; 911s are wonderful cars. Now for your questions:

You are in the process of finding out about VANOS via searches and there is so much information on it I couldn't even begin to repeat it. Don't worry to much about a rattle for 2-3 seconds on startup or a ticking that appears after the car has sat idling for a while; they are both quite normal. Check out this thread Vanos noise and What to do about it

Some help with engine numbers:
M62 = the engine that was in the E39 540i
S62 = the engine in the E39 M5 (only one - same engine for all E39 M5s)

Oil is another contentious issue. I use the manufacturers recommendation of Castrol TWS 10w-60 oil that is only available from dealers. Keep an eye on the oil level - some members use a litre every 500 miles or so and some (like me) use a litre every 5000 miles or so.

Both the Cam Position Sensor (CPS) and Mass Air Flow Sensors (MAFS) affect the performance of the car if they go bad, but often dealers cannot test them properly. The following thread How to test the MAFs yourself and How MAFs work has an explanantion of them and a link to a test you can do yourself to see if the MAFS are working properly.

Enjoy your beast

Ashok Arora · 26th November 2006, 12:01

Welcome aboard Miguel

Habu · 26th November 2006, 12:34

Calspeed,

Congratulations and welcome.

Bob

whatheheck · 26th November 2006, 14:57

Welcome to our board Miguel and congratulations on owning the true Ultimate Driving Machine.

Your beast will put a smile on your face everytime you drive it.

I saw your post and I thought you were calling out my post name here (whatheheck).

OK, here are my inputs to you. As mentioned by other board members, these items will severely affect the performance of your beast when they go bad, so I suggest they be replaced preventively at around 50,000 miles. (I did.)

MAF's. (Mass Air Flow Sensor)
CPS (Cam Position Sensor)
Spark Plugs.
O2 (Oxygen Sensor)

Vanos: Lots of discussion. An expensive repair.

Replace your transmission and differential fluid too at around 50K miles.

Oil: watch it closely as these beast likes to consume oil. Go with the recommended oil by the dealer. Check your oil regularly.

Tires. I recommend two: Michelin PS2 and Goodyear Eagle F1 -GS-D3. I have been using the Goodyear and I love them. They are quiet, they grip the road like glue, excellent in cornering, they last longer & less expensive than the Michelin PS2, rated by Car & Driver number 1 tire last year. I am on my 2nd set of GY eagle F1 GS-D3.

Push the beast hard - she loves it and she wont disappoint you.

Take care and always drive safely.

Dan

Beamer_usa · 26th November 2006, 17:48

Welcome to the board

Calspeed · 27th November 2006, 22:28

Hello,

Thanks for the replies. I look forward to the activity on the board. So far the M5 is wonderful. The 911 was a great car and I felt horrible selling it as I knew that it would probably be the last 911 I ever own. Definitely not a practical car for my lifestyle. And bank account.

But the move to a BMW was not a backward move but definitely a move forward. The whole family loves it and I love it.

I remember my first sighting of an M5. It was back in 1989 here in San Francisco on the Great Highway. I was in my '87 Jetta 16V. THis guy drove by and I had no idea what the M5 meant. I thought that he just put that on his car. Well, he blew me away as I tried to follow him.

I only started to find out more about the M5's when I read about them in VW/Porsche Magazine. Remember that magazine? It eventually became European Car Magazine. I knew about the M3 but the M5 suddenly became my fascination.

I daydreamed of the car as I read about it in magazines. I even kept an issue of an early 90's European Car Mag review of the M5. Some of you probably read it. It was a silver color car taken in the snow. Well, in 2004 after five different moves I finally threw it into the recycle bin.

I now look into my garage with amazment. I cant believe that I own this incredible car. Sometimes, it hits me hard and all I can do is smile and stare like an idiot. No need to post a pucture of it as it is just a stock E39. Silver with black leather.

Ciao!

Miguel

THE KID · 28th November 2006, 03:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calspeed

Hello,

This is my first posting to the Forum. I am Miguel from California. I have a 2000 M5. I sold my 911 Carrera to buy this car. You know, needed backseats for the kids. So what else would be better then a family sedan.

l

I sold my 01 911 Cab last week and snagged my M5. M5 is so much more powerful, its kinda sad but funny

TurboCarrera · 28th November 2006, 03:52

Miguel: good move on buying the M5.

A few years after I bought my M5, I bought a Porsche 996 as a second car. Great ride, but in three years I only put 11k miles on it. Sold it, and haven't missed it for a second. (Still have a 930 and a vintage 356 racer for my Porsche fix...)

It's great to drive my 3 daughters comfortably to school everyday in a car capable of 150+ mph.

Steve
00 M5

Mark_m5 · 28th November 2006, 04:00

Welcome aboard Miguel. My step-son is a Supermoto fan, and we just went to the Queen Mary for the Supermoto race there.

You got all the answers from the other guys, but my 2 cents:
I've been good about fluid changes, have experienced none of the headaches listed, and my car doesn't consume oil (I use 10W60 Pentosynth - it's a German oil that my mechanic imports). Some members have different feelings about tires - Toyo T1R's are apparently another favorite (as mentioned in the Los Angeles chapter BMWCCA newsletter).

PS: Join BMW Car Club of America, ASAP. You get the newsletter and get to find out about driving courses, track days, auto-crosses, member discounts, etc.

Also, do a search for "El Diablo" if you want to see the extreme of what this car can be modded into...