My Beastie is Broken -- What to do?? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Falb · 5th November 2009, 03:02

So I was driving a bit too adventurously and backed my car into a barrier on the highway (did I mention the roads are very slick here in Vegas). Insurance company says it is totalled and wants to write me a check. I get nothing for the upgrades and can buy the car back for about $10k. As you can see from my signature I have plenty of mods.

I have been looking and test driving other cars and am not happy with what I have found - CTS-V (its a caddy), 2010 E63 AMG (slushy suspension and tranny), Panamera Turbo (very expensive $155k and very hard to find), M3 (great option if I can get a blower on it).

My guess is it will cost me $25k to get my car back in prestine condition but I will have a salvage titled modded M5 with 40,000 miles that I effectively paid $35k for. The car will have very little resale value since it is a salvage. I could get a 2006 M5 for $40-45k but it wont be my car with my mods and I will end up spending a bunch of money on mods since I know how good the car can be. I am also very busy with work and dont have a lot of time to be screwing around with building a car.

I am intereseted to hear your thoughts.

In my mind my options are:

-buy my salvaged car for $10k and part out, then buy some other car
-buy my slavaged car and fix it
-buy a Panamera Turbo and spend a lot of money but have a wicked fast and upgradable turbo P-car (albeit a bit ugly)
-buy an M6 and do full suspension mods to hold me over until the F10 M5 comes out
-buy an M3 DCT and put a blower on it

Gustav · 5th November 2009, 03:05

Sad to hear

But I think it might end up beng a great "deal"

Put a loaded M5 from showroom floor for a great deal and take off your mods on your old car and add it to your new?

Or DCT M3 and do this:

First e90 m3 ESS supercharged in Russia

Revo · 5th November 2009, 03:21

I would buy your car for 10 grand (the motor alone is worth far more than that) and figure out what to do from there.

The way I see it, you have a bunch of options.

You can fix it up and hang on to it (if you plan to keep it for a while - might have some headaches here and there, but it may be worth it). What exactly is damaged? Is it mostly cosmetic (smashed rear end)? or is there frame damage? Pictures would be great to know the extent and type of damage.

You can fix it up, buy a new M5, transfer all your goodies to it and put the stock parts on the salvaged M5 and sell it. This way you can keep your mods so you wont lose money on those.

You can just part the beast out straight up. Sell all your mods and then sell major chunks of the car. I'm sure you can get serious cash for the engine and tranny and other major M5 specific parts then I would just drop the rest off at a salvage yard and see what they'll give you.

Lastly, (and this would be the coolest option and probably what I would do if in your situation - especially if there is no frame damage), buy your car, and fix it up but strip it down to a full on track car. It'll cost you far less to just get it to "trackable" rather than back to pristine every-day condition and you'll have a monster for a track car.

If you choose any option that leaves you without a daily driver, then I would pick up an M3 and get it Dinan Stroked (or Supercharged, if you rather have that).

Yeah it sucks and there is going to be some headaches, but despite what happened (and a possible rise in your insurance rates) the situation isn't bad at all if you ask me.

NobleM400 · 5th November 2009, 04:48

Man, sucks to hear Falb.

ezmoney888 · 5th November 2009, 05:13

I recently totaled my M5 and took off what I could in mods and put them on a lease assumed M5. Try swapalease.com. You might find a good replacement.

The insurance company wants you to pay for damages? Doesn't your insurance cover "being stupid"? Mine did and didn't even ask any details about the accident except what body shop the car was at.

DarrinB · 5th November 2009, 06:11

what exactly did you do on the highway?

id go the m6 or m3 route

Falb · 5th November 2009, 08:32

I am covered for the incident but not for pain and suffering. I did love this car. The problem is that now I am thinking of alternatives to the M5 since I can get something else. The Panamera Turbo has been giving me the bug, which basically means that I am starting to want that car. The thought of dealing with repairing the M5 is daunting. I mean in the old days I could do most of the work myself but I dont have time to screw around in the garage all day and who knows if they will do the work properly.

Ahmed · 5th November 2009, 11:24

You said the insurance wants to write you a check? How much?

Can't you have them pay for another used M5, probably another member's car?

tekniqu3 · 5th November 2009, 21:32

The new e63 smashed the cts-v in car and drive. You really didnt like it that much?

Falb · 7th November 2009, 10:16

Well I guess I figured out what to do....

Porsche of Stevens Creek - Photo Viewer

Still not sure I will be as one with the car as I was with my M5 but it will be fun trying!