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The beast has landed - Silvek's E60 M5 journey

14K views 46 replies 17 participants last post by  pmalik 
#1 · (Edited)
The search for a E60 M5 has not been an easy one.

It’s taken almost 6 months of trawling through autotrader, craigslist and the classifieds on this forum… as well as many agonizing decisions to pass on cars that didn’t meet my criteria.

My very reasonable (in my eyes at least) requirements were:

Manual transmission
Detailed service records,
Minimal mods (with stock parts available)
Aluminum trim on the interior (I never warmed up to the wood trims)
Rod Bearings done
Ventilated seats with the active bolsters

Additionally, I was looking for a car with ideally sub-100k miles, had a black/white/blue exterior, and was owned by a car enthusiast.

Needless to say, I soon discovered that my requirements were not that reasonable after all, and finding a car that met all (or even half) of them would be challenging. I almost gave up on a few occasions, and even briefly entertained the idea of getting a M3 instead… but it was a moment of weakness that passed quickly.

I’m glad I waited.

A gem appeared a few weeks ago on my local CraigsList, and so began a 2 week odyssey that culminated with me picking up my new to me 2008 E60 M5 late this week.




The car is currently sitting at a bit over 73k miles, has a two owner history prior to me, and (perhaps most importantly) a stack of service records showcasing a life of pampering and frequent oil changes by the previous owner. Both the idle *and* throttle actuators were recently replaced, along with the addition of new rotors/brakes and Michelin PSS tires.

The car is in great shape inside and out, and the list of mods are minimal:

Dinan springs/sways, strut bar, LCA monoball kit,
Thicker leather wrapped steering wheel with contrasting red/blue stitching (fitted to original airbag)
Eisenmann Race Exhaust



All the stock parts were included with the car.

As an added bonus, the previous owner had the rod bearings replaced prior to the sale, along with the usual set of “while you’re in there items”: motor mounts, high pressure vanos line, vanos filter, inspecting the vanos pump gears, etc.

The original bearings were starting to show copper on a few of them… so it was time to get them replaced and I’m glad it’s now done.

One less thing to worry about.



I'm loving the car so far, though the exhaust is in conflict with my “wolf in sheep’s clothing” goal, so I’ll probably swap it back to stock (for now).

Plenty more to come as I personalize the vehicle to my spec, and I’m looking forward to the journey with this V10 beast.
 
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#2 ·
List of options:

S261A Side airbags for rear passengers
S2MAA Manual Transmission
S2VBA Tire pressure display
S302A Alarm system
S319A Integrated universal remote control
S322A Comfort access
S403A Glass roof, electrical
S415A Sun-blind, rear
S430A Interior/outside mirror with auto dip
S431A Interior mirror with automatic-dip
S441A Smoker package
S442A Cup holder
S453A Climate-controlled seats, front
S459A Seat adjuster, electric, with memory
S465A Through-loading system
S473A Armrest front
S494A Seat heating driver/passenger
S496A Seat heating, rear
S4MAA M multifunction seat
S4MFA Active backrest width adjustment
S502A Headlight cleaning system
S508A Park Distance Control (PDC)
S522A Xenon Light
S524A Adaptive Headlights
S534A Automatic air conditioning
S540A Cruise control
S563A Light package
S609A Navigation system Professional
S610A Head-up display
S620A Voice control
S639A Preparation f mobile phone cpl. USA/CDN
S645A BMW US Radio
S655A Satellite tuner
S694A Provisions for BMW 6 CD changer
S697A Area-Code 1 for DVD
S6FLA USB/Audio interface
S6UHA Traffic Information
S737A Interior mouldings, Alu Shadow, brushed
S752A Individual audio system
S754A M Rear spoiler
S818A Battery master switch
S845A Acoustic belt warning
S853A Language version English
S876A Radio frequency 315 MHz
S8SPA Control unit COP
S992A Control of number-plate attachment
S9AAA Outer skin protection
 
#3 ·
Here's my current short term TODO list:

1. Adjust the HUD to be more visible at my seating position (https://www.turnermotorsport.com/t-tech-tip-e60-hud-adjustment)
2. Return exhaust system to stock (AKA "chauffeur my 8 year old daughter to school" mode)
3. Change oil in ~500 miles (Rod Bearing break-in period - staying under 4500 RPM until then)
4. New OEM floor mats (on order)

Need to start small. ;)
 
#9 ·
Looks great.

Enjoy [emoji106]
Thanks!


Congrats! Nice that rod bearings sorted , you can enjoy your beast from day one!
Yes, that was a requirement for my peace of mind. The only downside is that's it's taking incredible restraint to keep the revs under 4500 while in the break-in period! ;)


if youre thinkin of selling the eisenmann and willing to ship to so cal, i might be interested..
I haven't decided if I'll be selling the Eisenmann exhaust yet. I suspect in a year or so I'll be looking to make the exhaust louder to change things up. If I change my mind, I'll post it up in the classifieds.


Nice looking car, my car arrived last week. Have any interior pics?
Will post some up after washing the car today...
 
#10 ·
@Silvek congrats on your 6MT!

I’ve enjoyed driving my 6MT for over 130,000 miles. Replaced my RB at 80,000 miles and 150,000 miles — and still loving it!
 
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#16 · (Edited)
Things are moving fast. As much as I loved the sound of the race exhaust, I needed my car to be more Pierce Brosnan, and less Daniel Craig.

Gone are the oval tips of the Eisenmann exhaust (as well as the mid-pipe without resonator).



And the round tips of the stock exhaust are adorning the M5 again.



I actually prefer the look of the original round tips, but the car is indeed much quieter than before.

I will openly admit that I felt a momentary pang of regret and almost turned the car back around to ask them to restore the V10 howl... but I did not. And I'm glad for it.

I took my daughter to a birthday party today and the sight of her quietly reading a book in my rear view mirror as I sliced through traffic was priceless. Gone are the stares, the head shakes, the cars trying to race me at traffic lights.

Though I'm sure that there are a few eyebrows raised and quiet chuckles as I pull away...
 
#17 ·
This is awesome!

I've had my '09 for about 2ish months now and I'm pretty sure it's the only one in town. Small community with about 20K people total. Nobody pays my car any mind, but it is super fun to pull up at the front of a pack at a traffic light. No effort required to walk away, usually just P-400, Shift 3, and Drive.

The other day someone might have recognized what I was driving though. I had the windows down to enjoy the grumble a bit better (I'm totally stock). I was running through the range in 1st as we pulled away, and I hear a Honda Accord right out my window howling. He was definetly flogging it. OK, grab second and seeya later!

I'm not sure if he was trying to race or just in a hurry, but it was fun either way.

Enjoy!!!
 
#18 ·
Yup, a real wolf in sheeps clothing.

Took the whole family out today, which is a real pleasure given that my other fun cars are all 2-doors. And, as if that wasn't enough, the I let the wife drive the M5 and she gave it a thumbs up.

Weirdly, her favorite part of the car was the bottom hinged gas pedal, which reminded her of the old E30 she had as her first car. :cool2:
 
#19 · (Edited)
I also managed to knock another item off my todo list: I adjusted the HUD so that it was visible from my seating position.

Opening up the center display was trivial. But reaching the adjustment nut way in the back required some careful engineering of a tool that was long enough.



You need two deep sockets: a 13mm for the outer locking nut, and a 6mm for the inner rod that adjusts the actual position.

After some monkeying I got it where I need it. Job done.

 
#22 · (Edited)
I've spent the last two days enjoying the car as is, and am continuing to keeping it under 4500 rpm (boo!). The post rod bearing oil change is scheduled for Thursday morning and I still have about 100 miles to cover, so I'll likely need to take the long way home tomorrow on the commute back from work.

I also discovered that the car has fairly aggressive wheel spacers (15mm-20mm I think) installed front and rear. I'm generally not a big fan of spacers, so those will likely get yanked out shortly. I'll need to find OEM sized bolts first... so if folks can suggest a good source other than the dealership, it would be appreciated.

Congrats on your purchase! It took me quite a bit of time to find my own 6spd manual, but it was all worth it! I think your post says you’re from the SF Bay Area, maybe I’ll see you driving around sometime!
Not sure how many locals are viewing this thread, but if we can get enough interest, I'd be happy to kick start a semi regular Friday night meet at one of the local caffeine dispensaries...
 
#26 ·
Break in over, oil change done. Finally.

And oh my, this car just pulls and pulls and pulls all the way to the redline. I'm still adjusting to the speed and sensation. I have owned cars that have revved high (AP1 S2000, NA1 NSX, etc), but S85 is a whole different beast in it's power delivery.

My thoughts went something like this:

0k-3k RPM: "Hm, I think I could daily drive this car"
3k-5k RPM: "What's the big deal, where's the torque?"
5k-6k RPM: "Woah..."
6k-7k RPM: "WTF, it's actually pulling harder!"
7k-8k RPM: "This thing is a monster!"
8k+ RPM: "Ack, I better shift..."

I have to say that it's incredibly addictive... but it's far too easy to get to triple digit speeds. Need to be cautious.

To celebrate this milestone, I treated the car to a little gift:

 
#28 · (Edited)
My thoughts went something like this:

0k-3k RPM: "Hm, I think I could daily drive this car"
3k-5k RPM: "What's the big deal, where's the torque?"
5k-6k RPM: "Woah..."
6k-7k RPM: "WTF, it's actually pulling harder!"
7k-8k RPM: "This thing is a monster!"
8k+ RPM: "Ack, I better shift..."
I distinctly remember the exact same sensation when I picked up the wife's smg some 4 years ago. I've had a bunch of high end cars and bikes and daily drove a v10 S8 at that time and I still was blown away by continuous power available north of 6K. Literally texted "holy **** this thing is a monster" to the previous owner that I grabbed the car from 10 minutes prior.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I forgot to mention that I also had the following work performed while the car was in the shop:

1. Wheel spacers removed. The fronts were 20mm, and rears 15mm (yikes!). No rub issues at all now. Interestingly, the car feels a bit more nimble, and some of the initial understeer on turn in I was experiencing seems to have gone... so I feel more confident with a higher corner entry speed.

2. I had the wheels re-balanced. The drivers side rear wheel was out of wack and contributing to slight vibration at speeds over 80mph. Smooth as silk now...

All I'm missing now is an alignment and the car will be mechanically where I need it for now.
 
#29 ·
A few updates from this weekend:

1. The OEM mats I ordered arrived, and I swapped them into the car. It looks so much better than the worn rubber aftermarket mats that I purchased the car with.



2. I met up with the previous owner and picked up the original owner's manual and leather pouch he dug up. It's good to know I have it for reference. As an added surprise, I discovered the original window sticker from the car. It's absolutely insane that this was a ~$100k car originally (plus taxes!).



Other than that, I've been enjoying the dual personality of the car immensely. Comfortable and luxurious when just driving around town, and a Beast when on the back roads. :)
 
#30 · (Edited)
I also got an extended opportunity to drive a Tesla Model S loaner on the same back roads (while our X was in for service). It makes for an interesting comparison.

Even though the Model S is actually heaver than the M5, the lower center of weight helps a bit on the twisty bits. Combined with the additional torque of the electric motors, I was probably faster in the MS... but having significantly less fun.

The sound of the engine and the tactile feel and control of the 6MT just makes the M5 the car I would choose every single time. :wroom:
 
#31 ·
Nice car and looking good! Do you have part number for the floor mats? Euro cars don't have that M5 stitch on the mat...
 
#33 ·
A package showed up on my doorstep on Saturday afternoon. mmmmmm



Excellent... this install would fit in nicely with my planned Sunday afternoon activity to do a thorough wash of the car.

After a quick review of the online install instructions and videos, I cracked the hood open (don't mind the dust, I did a full clean of the engine bay later that afternoon).



The H8 bulb to be replaced is located behind a screw-on plastic shield attached to the headlight housing.



With the cover removed, you can see the bulb connector that needs to be removed before you can twist the original bulb out of the housing.



Here's the original bulb. Note the three tabs that need to align in order to slot it into the headlight housing.



The LUX H8 bulbs have the same tabs. That's the only similarity with the original bulbs... these things look the business!



This is where things get a bit tricky... mostly due to the limited spacing and the fact that you need to find a place to stow the module that comes with each bulb. I found it easier to first work the module into the headlight housing as suggested.



And then twist in the new bulb and carefully push the wiring into the housing to secure it all in place.



Put the cover back on, repeat for the other side... and that was it. Access on the driver side was even tighter.

What a massive difference in look and light output... the photos don't do it justice.

Before:



After:



I think it really helps modernize the look of the car and aligns the front lights with the very cool striped LED tail lamps that the LCI E60s had.

All in all a pretty easy and satisfying install.

 
#34 ·
I've tried all the LED stuff and will only stick with HID in the angel eyes. VERY bright...no LED kit can match. Some complain about the rings yellowing from the heat....mine never have. My kit has a resistor built in so maybe it helps?
 
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