Talk me out of it or talk me into it, fellas. I trust your insight here.
Reasons I want to sell the M5:
1) Abundant rattles, squeaks and creaks within the cabin (rear deck/center console/center stack) and at the front suspension (BC top hats w/o koyo bearings) are beyond irritating. Silencing one noise makes another one audible. I'm tired of chasing the interior annoyances and I can't be bothered to call BC and acquire/install the Koyo bearings and re-align the car.
2) Ride quality isn't great, I'll be honest. Yea I'm slammed, but I don't drive/own stock vehicles so raising the ride height isn't an option... and neither is changing the coilovers to something that would be only slightly more comfortable at my height (KW v3?). I also love the look and so does most everyone who sees it :3:
3) It's no longer what I consider fast. Quick and above average performance for most of what's on the market, but it's still not exactly fast. While supercharging it would solve this, dropping $8-9K on a kit + install on a 126K mile engine that's in otherwise impecable shape is a risk that may also prematurely destroy it. I could have the engine rebuilt before the install, but that would set me back another $2K+ (no idea what that would cost, just pulled that figure out of the sky, honestly). All of this is money I won't a return on come its eventual sale, or rather most of it anyway.
4) Audio system is not bad, but like most all stock optioned systems, it could use some improvement. I want OEM satellite radio (cost to do this correctly in the M5 is upwards of $800 -- cost to do this in the Benz is $15/mo for the subscription). I also think Logic7 is a better system overall than our M-Audio (for those of us that are so equipped). This is seemingly minor, but I've honestly wanted OEM sat radio ever since I sold my E46 M3 (which had it).
5) I'm OCD and feel like it needs a quality front-end respray. Rather than drop $2K on the necessary paintwork, I can just sell it to someone who isn't bothered by rockchips on an 11-yr old, otherwise well-sorted, car w/ 126K miles. Again, for the most part, this is money I won't fully get a return on.
Why I want to buy an E55:
1) From experience (parents are dedicated Benz owners having owned well over a dozen different models between them), they are seemingly more sound vehicles than the our E39's. Quieter at speed/less wind noise (conversely, the E55 exhaust note is slightly worse IMO, I actually prefer the M5 here - but I can live without it if I have a supercharger at my disposal :haha
.
2) Reliability seems to be improved over models built in the 90's and pre-2003/4. At least this is comming from a few dealer Benz techs I'm keen with. :dunno: That said, the E55's common issues and repairs are all costly risks if they haven't already been tended to (AirMatic suspension, fuel sensor leaks at the tank, CPS's, supercharger bearings (requires replacement of entire charger IIRC), brakes (which go quick and cost a small fortune) and fluid-filled engine and trans mounts, among others). Long-term, the only real concern for me is the automatic transmission essentially packing up.
3) It's fking FAST and can be made much faster relatively easily.
4) It's comfortable, perhaps more comfortable than the M5 even with stock suspension. And lowering an E55 is as easy as installing a ride control module to control the air pressure in the AirMatic suspension, and it's difficult to get easier than that. But, is it too soft? ??????
5) Pano roof, ventilated seats, sat radio, Logic7 audio, active seats and automatic tranny (50/50 benefit here -- the auto is obviously great in traffic and makes standing launches a cakewalk -- but again, long term reliability is sketchy and the M5's manual is still more fun in most conditions) are all options I do NOT have in the M5, but are offered in many of the E55's I've found.
Compensating factors of the M5: I love the aesthetics, size, feel, handling, exhaust note, interior layout, MKIV Nav (can't stand Mercedes Nav units - graphics and ease of use are behind that of the MKIV imo) and manual trans in the M5. It's raw, personal and competitive in it's own right and I still think it's the last great M5.
Not sure what to do -- when I weigh one with the other, it's a toss-up. I'd prefer not to sell the M5 and have both cars, but it's simply not the most financially intelligent. Opinions?
Reasons I want to sell the M5:
1) Abundant rattles, squeaks and creaks within the cabin (rear deck/center console/center stack) and at the front suspension (BC top hats w/o koyo bearings) are beyond irritating. Silencing one noise makes another one audible. I'm tired of chasing the interior annoyances and I can't be bothered to call BC and acquire/install the Koyo bearings and re-align the car.
2) Ride quality isn't great, I'll be honest. Yea I'm slammed, but I don't drive/own stock vehicles so raising the ride height isn't an option... and neither is changing the coilovers to something that would be only slightly more comfortable at my height (KW v3?). I also love the look and so does most everyone who sees it :3:
3) It's no longer what I consider fast. Quick and above average performance for most of what's on the market, but it's still not exactly fast. While supercharging it would solve this, dropping $8-9K on a kit + install on a 126K mile engine that's in otherwise impecable shape is a risk that may also prematurely destroy it. I could have the engine rebuilt before the install, but that would set me back another $2K+ (no idea what that would cost, just pulled that figure out of the sky, honestly). All of this is money I won't a return on come its eventual sale, or rather most of it anyway.
4) Audio system is not bad, but like most all stock optioned systems, it could use some improvement. I want OEM satellite radio (cost to do this correctly in the M5 is upwards of $800 -- cost to do this in the Benz is $15/mo for the subscription). I also think Logic7 is a better system overall than our M-Audio (for those of us that are so equipped). This is seemingly minor, but I've honestly wanted OEM sat radio ever since I sold my E46 M3 (which had it).
5) I'm OCD and feel like it needs a quality front-end respray. Rather than drop $2K on the necessary paintwork, I can just sell it to someone who isn't bothered by rockchips on an 11-yr old, otherwise well-sorted, car w/ 126K miles. Again, for the most part, this is money I won't fully get a return on.
Why I want to buy an E55:
1) From experience (parents are dedicated Benz owners having owned well over a dozen different models between them), they are seemingly more sound vehicles than the our E39's. Quieter at speed/less wind noise (conversely, the E55 exhaust note is slightly worse IMO, I actually prefer the M5 here - but I can live without it if I have a supercharger at my disposal :haha
.2) Reliability seems to be improved over models built in the 90's and pre-2003/4. At least this is comming from a few dealer Benz techs I'm keen with. :dunno: That said, the E55's common issues and repairs are all costly risks if they haven't already been tended to (AirMatic suspension, fuel sensor leaks at the tank, CPS's, supercharger bearings (requires replacement of entire charger IIRC), brakes (which go quick and cost a small fortune) and fluid-filled engine and trans mounts, among others). Long-term, the only real concern for me is the automatic transmission essentially packing up.
3) It's fking FAST and can be made much faster relatively easily.
4) It's comfortable, perhaps more comfortable than the M5 even with stock suspension. And lowering an E55 is as easy as installing a ride control module to control the air pressure in the AirMatic suspension, and it's difficult to get easier than that. But, is it too soft? ??????
5) Pano roof, ventilated seats, sat radio, Logic7 audio, active seats and automatic tranny (50/50 benefit here -- the auto is obviously great in traffic and makes standing launches a cakewalk -- but again, long term reliability is sketchy and the M5's manual is still more fun in most conditions) are all options I do NOT have in the M5, but are offered in many of the E55's I've found.
Compensating factors of the M5: I love the aesthetics, size, feel, handling, exhaust note, interior layout, MKIV Nav (can't stand Mercedes Nav units - graphics and ease of use are behind that of the MKIV imo) and manual trans in the M5. It's raw, personal and competitive in it's own right and I still think it's the last great M5.
Not sure what to do -- when I weigh one with the other, it's a toss-up. I'd prefer not to sell the M5 and have both cars, but it's simply not the most financially intelligent. Opinions?
