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To buy an E39 or an E60...That is the question...

9K views 52 replies 25 participants last post by  Clemster 
#1 ·
So, gentlemen, which one for a 3rd time BMW buyer and a 1st time M buyer?

I must have one by 5/21/11 or I owe my business partner $10k. Lol.
 
#3 ·
+1 and drive multiple of each because some WILL be better than others.
 
#4 ·
E60 M5 is much faster. It is also much more electronically advanced, and arguably more comfortable. You can still find one with warranty intact, and most are in pristine condition due to it's young age.

E39 M5 (imo) looks much better. The E60's are too bulbous for my taste, with sharp angles and rounded corners that curve in and end prematurely. The E39 has more of a big-car presence, wide and square where it's supposed to be. It is also more raw in its power delivery and will be more engaging (or tedious) to drive due to it's transmission. Gems are much harder to find now, and without warranty you will be paying out of pocket for the previous owner's indifference.

Both have their advantages, test drive both, that's the only true way to feel if the car is right for you.
 
#5 ·
Either way you can't go wrong. You will have to drive each and find which best suits what it is you're looking for. I've had both and can tell you if it's purely looks, take the e39...just don't tell the e60 guys I said that. ;)
 
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#9 ·
Definitely drive many examples of both, as this will answer your question better than anyone here can in writing. If you want a 6 speed manual car, I would likely choose the E39 as it was designed around a manual transmission, as with the E60 it was basically just put in on short notice and suffers some issues as a result (overheating when driven hard, and not optimal gearing for the high-revving motor).

If you care about low end torque, the E39 will be a better fit, but if you enjoy revving your engine up to get its power (the E60 really doesn't have much to offer below 4k rpm but after that it is INSANE) then the E60 may be a better match.

Keep in mind if you buy an E60, an extended warranty is a must. Its debatable on the E39...some members here have deemed it unnecessary while others have had it save them from expensive repairs.

Good luck with your search!


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#10 ·
Personally i like the styling of the E60, but i also like the styling of the E39. I Guess theres not too many around like me as most seem to like one or the other. I love the top end power of the E60, but it lacks low end which is annoying, BUT the gear ratios perfectly compliment the powerband of the car. For me this is a bad thing as it encourages high speed runs. The E39 on the other hand has great low end, top end is pretty good too, and is 6spd manual. I enjoy taking off in 2nd gear or not having to downshift to go up hills/pass on the highway. IMO i like the E39 styling more than the E60.

For me it was an easy decision, also the fact it was more in my price range helped a lot too. Im happy with my purchase, the only thing id change if i had to would be to buy a MY01+.

Both great cars, cant go wrong with either. Although, if i were in your situation, id buy an E39 M5 and save up for F10 M5. Keep the E39 and F10. Should be interesting.
 
#13 ·
I too love both styles. There's of course the appeal of the E60 because it's currently the latest, greatest M5 and I'm a power junkie...and I love high specific output, high revving engines :haha2:

Good idea on getting the E39 and waiting on the F10. Only thing is, I'm an investor and that means buy low...won't be able to do that for a while with the F10...ouich

Good stuff. I'd love to hear more experiences.
 
#14 ·
You *could* get three E39's for the price of one E60........

I think an imola red one, an interlagos blue one, and a sterling grey one would make a NICE stable! :cheers:

Just dreamin' :wroom: but seriously, trying them both and seeing them both in person will help you make up your mind. IMHO the E39 is a lot more of the "classic BMW look" while the E60 is "all Bangled up." :blabla: I do love the looks of the F10, but you could very likely get FOUR E39's for what I'm guessing the price of the F10 will be. Let's see, one more... alpine white? titanium? decisions, decisions...:biggrinbounce:

Cheers and good luck!

-crds
 
#16 ·
All excellent responses from the previous posters. Take their advice seriously.

The E60 M5 is a particular type of tool. It's build around the SMG and it's mainly a highway car. Great cruiser and great to show off to passengers. The SMG on full shift firmness will absolutely AMAZE you at how quick the car gets to 150 mph. The full-throttle upshifts are downright violent. My fiance has an E46 M3 SMG and even with full shift firmness/quickness it's nothing compared to the E60. That V10 is a monster and it sounds fantastic in the high revs with the right exhaust. Overall, the E60 M5 is quicker in a straight line and has more modern features and goodies on the inside. The active side-bolsters in the seats is a neat little feature, for example.

That said, the E60 is absolutely ugly. It's not even kind of ugly. It's pug fugly. And it's heavy. The E39 is no light-weight either but the E60 is too portly to be fun to drive. Also, the honest version, the 6-speed, doesn't work well with the V10 as the V10 was designed around the SMG. The E60 isn't a driver's car. It's great for cruising but I doubt it'll make you smile time after time like the E39 M5 will.

The E39 is a better looking car, it has a better looking interior (IMHO), and its a much more engaging car to drive. That is partly due to the wonderful 6-spd transmission, and partly due to the lighter weight and very torquey motor. The V8 in the E39 is a torque-monster but it still loves to rev, it's a fantastically flexible engine.

The downside to the E39? They're getting on in years so finding a non-abused version is getting tougher. And maintenance is expensive as the cars age. That said, if you aren't getting a warranty on the E60 either, then this is a wash because the E60 may have lower mileage, but it's much more expensive to repair because it's more sophisticated and has more things to break.

Drive both. Hard. Also try to drive them on the highway and in moderately twisty areas as well. The differences between the two cars will be very apparent. What's great, though, is that you can't go wrong with either one and the bloodline between the two cars does come through in the driving experience.

Good luck!
 
#33 ·
...the E60 is absolutely ugly. It's not even kind of ugly. It's pug fugly. And it's heavy. The E39 is no light-weight either but the E60 is too portly to be fun to drive. Also, the honest version, the 6-speed, doesn't work well with the V10 as the V10 was designed around the SMG. The E60 isn't a driver's car. It's great for cruising but I doubt it'll make you smile time after time like the E39 M5 will.

The E39 is a better looking car, it has a better looking interior (IMHO), and its a much more engaging car to drive. That is partly due to the wonderful 6-spd transmission, and partly due to the lighter weight and very torquey motor. The V8 in the E39 is a torque-monster but it still loves to rev, it's a fantastically flexible engine...

Actually, isn't the e39 heavier than the e60? I think 4025# for the e39 and 4012# for the e60. Maybe the e60 looks heavier, or drives 'heavier'.
 
#18 ·
Oh wow, small world! It sucks that my Beast is sleeping for the winter...I'm driving a winter beater until April-ish otherwise I'd take you for a spin.

Are you visiting dealers or private sellers or both?
 
#20 ·
It is possible to own and pay for an e39 out of your own pocket without a warranty. I would not even dream about an e60 without warranty. That said the e60 undoubtedly moves the game on from the e39, they look great and sound even better, and they are stupidly quick!
 
#25 · (Edited)
Not to muddy the waters but if you like the E39 and the E60, you might want to look at the E93.. At this point if I had to replace my M5 I might be more apt to go with the new M3 V8. For me I like the size of the M3 and it is far nicer looking then the E60...
 
#35 ·
Not to muddy the waters but if you like the E39 and the E60, you might want to look at the E93.. At this point if I had to replace my M5 I might be more apt to go with the new M3 V8. For me I like the size of the M3 and it is far nicer looking then the E60...

Oh I've thought about it. In fact, there was just a car show at a local convention center and they had a new leftover 2010 Blue M3 coupe with DCT. $14k off sticker - $58k. I was tempted...
 
#31 · (Edited)
I have driven both and believe they are great BOTH cars, but animals of different colors. The E39 will actually pull out ahead of the E60 until about 60 mph because of the low end torque, but then the big V10 winds up on the E60. I still like the road feel of the E39 over the E60 and I'm not a fan of all the electronic gadgets on the 60. I like the steering feel MUCH better on the E39, however, I always drive in the sport mode. Buying an E60 with a warranty is a big plus as the V10 has a few issues as does our wonderful s62. I like the seats better pn the E39, but I wouldn't mind driving either in the mountains or on long cross country trips. Go for whichever YOU like the best. When you factor in maintenance costs of the E39 over the long haul vs an E60 under warranty, the price differences don't seem as large.
YouTube - E39 M5 vs E60 M5
 
#32 ·
Loomis,
I am very much like yourself in just about anything I have bought. I have come to the conclusion that I will not be able to find an E39 under retail price unless it is trashed. These cars in good shape sell quick and for a good amount. Owners that have nice ones don't have to settle. Good luck with your search. You may have more luck on an E60 as many more out there.
 
#37 ·
I've owned both, the e60 without a warranty/maintenence is out of the question. An absolute fortune to maintain/repair, so never get one without at least a warranty, maintenebce isnice too though. I love my e39, more "seat-of-the pants" addictive power on the low end. The e60 is all top end, souinds sick, depends what you are looking for...
 
#39 ·
basically you would get a lot of responses like "the E60 looks phat on 22's" and "the E60 is way faster than the previous generation, which makes it better".

There. Saved you the trouble.
 
#40 ·
Have you pulled the trigger yet!? Hehehe...here is a picture of my E39 and my brother's E60...just for grins... since you may have a hard time getting both cars at the same time in one day...my brother admits that he likes the more driver-focused interior of the E39 :1:
 

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#41 ·
both

I had a 2001 M5 then a 2002 M5 then a 2008 E60 SMG.
If you want a luxury car with all the goodies then the E60 is the car.
I personally HATED the SMG for my 3 year lease.
I just turned in the 08 and bought an 2003 E39.
The E39 is a drivers car, the E60 drives you, IMO.
I will never be an owner of another E60, that is for sure.
 
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