E39 M5 or E46 M3 .... which one to buy?

[540iM]

This is the car I mentioned above. What do you guys think?

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/BMW/M5/NO...a/19_3710643_/

[n0thingface]

you also need to consider the costs of going out to vancouver to look/buy the car and then shipping it back to ottawa. i've done this but from the usa and it does ad some costs to the over all price of the car. do all the research you can on the car as it would really be a bummer to get there and its a dud. also not a big fan of the blue interior. but to each there own.

to everyone that is complaining about the costs of an m5 or m3s servicing maybe you are looking at the wrong car cause neither are cheap to own..

[bmwm5lover]

Originally Posted by NOTORIOUS VR

LMAO so because you 'may' still have the OEM clutch in your car everyone else out there with clutch issues with the E39 M5 should be ignored?

You and Parm just have this needy feeling to defend your car, fine. But don't be blind. Most OE M5 clutches fail well before 100k on these cars, that shows the clutch is WEAK, I've had friends with these cars back when they were new(er). You can do a simple google search about the issue even and ton's of issues/discussion pop up.

First of all I don't need to defend my choice of ownership, at the end of the day I could give a shit what people say. I mean I've owned Land Rovers for heaven's sake. I can see that you can appreciate that fact b/c you own an Audi.

I don't usually say this, but I think that my M5 knowledge is right up there, I mean not only do I own the car, but I've been researching and reading up on M5board for YEARS on a daily basis. I read all the technical discussions, all the issue discussions, upgades, etc.

Is the M5 clutch the strongest component of the M5 driveline? Absolutely not, and infact, it's not meant to be. It is supposed to be the weakest link in the driveline, and it is supposed to keep the M5 as a civilized daily driver that anyone/ladies can jump in and enjoy with out having a sore knee 15 min into the drive (like my e34 M5 with upgraded clutch/flywheel).

Will the M5 clutch take abuse for 100K like some other car's clutches? Probably not, but if you know how to drive at least a little bit, even if you track the car and beat on it on a daily basis, you are still going to get a good amount of mileage out of it. If you ride the clutch, slip it, etc, then of course that life will be diminished.

Personally, I like the civility of the driving experience of an M5, with, at the same time the ability to unleash its potential.

Bottom line is, if you do abuse the car all day everyday, the clutch is junk, but if you drive normally with the occasional track day/spirited event, it is more than adequate.

I am putting an OEM clutch in my car and expect at least 70K out of it with my kind of driving.

Not saying you are wrong, just a different perspective.

[bmwm5lover]

Originally Posted by NOTORIOUS VR

They're not even near the point.

They're just trying to defend their purchase without realizing that their being dumb about it. It's amazing to see these two try to explain that "it's only a few things, like this and that" but at the end of the day, the M5 is more expensive to drive/maintain then an E46 M3.

End of story.

Why do we need to defend our purchases? LOL, you lost me there. Not like I am trying to say my 318i is "everything" I want and more.

I clearly stated that there are price differences, but that they are merely insignificant for the most part and that if they are of concern to the potential buyer, that he should stray from an M5.
For the OP, Going from a 540i to an M5 will add some costs, but they won't be astronomical and will be dictated by his driving style an yearly usage.

Am I wrong?

[bmwm5lover]

Originally Posted by 540iM

This is the car I mentioned above. What do you guys think?

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/BMW/M5/NO...a/19_3710643_/

I could be wrong, but I think this car was for sale around early last year when I was scouring the net looking for M5's.

[mudmojo]

Originally Posted by bmwm5lover

I could be wrong, but I think this car was for sale around early last year when I was scouring the net looking for M5's.

There was an MY2000 Avus with blue seat inserts for sale late 2010 in Van. Is that the one you were thinking of?

Don't think I've ever seen this 2002 one in Van and I was checking Ebay, trader.ca, craigslist and kijiji almost daily.

On the 2002- I like the cluster pixels, Ti trim, SS, headlights
but not a fan of those seats! All personal choice though.

If you're interested, befriend one of the Van m5board guys see if they can eyeball it for you. Don't want to make the trip there to find out you can hear the vanos rattling from a city block away or if the suspension is whacked or if she is way underpowered.

Found out that they salt the roads in BC.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/bmps/roadsalt.html#21

As of this late 2010, they are now salting in WA state too.

Pretty much have to go to a southern state to get a cherry.

[NOTORIOUS VR]

Originally Posted by bmwm5lover

I am putting an OEM clutch in my car and expect at least 70K out of it with my kind of driving.

Not saying you are wrong, just a different perspective.

You're right for the most part... I am the kind of guy that will replace a weaker known part for something better that's for sure.

I wouldn't in your situation go for a completely OEM clutch. I would like it to be somewhat more aggressive and take some more abuse because that's what the M5 is for.

That said, I never questioned your knowledge on the M5. But there is no doubt that it is more expensive to drive one over an M3 and you don't have to be an expert to come to that conclusion either

[NOTORIOUS VR]

Originally Posted by bmwm5lover

Why do we need to defend our purchases? LOL, you lost me there. Not like I am trying to say my 318i is "everything" I want and more.

I clearly stated that there are price differences, but that they are merely insignificant for the most part and that if they are of concern to the potential buyer, that he should stray from an M5.
For the OP, Going from a 540i to an M5 will add some costs, but they won't be astronomical and will be dictated by his driving style an yearly usage.

Am I wrong?

As an over all, yes I do believe you're wrong. Add everything up (regular maint, insurance, gas, plus factor in non-regular maintenance) the M5 is more expensive and it's not going to be just a few bucks more here and there.

[ClayMan]

Why does that 02 have an old cluster with the black faces?