e92 335 or e39 M5

[w1Z]

Hey guys..

Currently own an e92 335i. Love the car to death as it's customized aesthetically to everything I love. However, a beautiful e39 M5 has come to my attention and could be for sale for the low.

Love the sound of the 5.0 v8, and I've heard it's one of the best M5s ever built. Any opinions? I mean I hate to sell my car that's only 5 years old for one that's 14 years old, but it's a classic!

Any opinions/comments? ...and both is not an option :/

[ridin135]

E39 I have one and love it

[w1Z]

Originally Posted by ridin135

E39 I have one and love it

is it reliable enough as a daily? the one I'm seeing has a little over 70k.. and I've just heard so many horror stories of bad seals, VANOS issues, blah blah. Got me scared :X

[Chihuahua]

It's a 15 year old M car. You will constantly be addressing things on the car if you try to use it as a DD. While I don't own an M car, I do own a 27 year old BMW and a 10 year old BMW. I tell people it's like owning boats - constant 'tinkering'.

If I were you I'd stick with what I have. My $.02, good luck with whatever you choose.

[ridin135]

Mine has a 133,000 miles and I still drive it a good amount. It's one of the most reliable m cars out. I just redid my vanos and she is running great again.

[th1rd3y3]

Does the car offer something you currently don't have or want aside from that M badge? I personally couldn't see myself making that trade. No hate for the M5 as they're awesome, but dropping a pretty new vehicle for something of that age just doesn't make sense to me.

[W///]

Originally Posted by th1rd3y3

Does the car offer something you currently don't have or want aside from that M badge? I personally couldn't see myself making that trade. No hate for the M5 as they're awesome, but dropping a pretty new vehicle for something of that age just doesn't make sense to me.

Better sound?

I also agree that the E39 M5 is one of the best M cars ever made. I'd love to add one as a DD, but having 2 gas guzzling V8's just doesn't make sense to me. Plus they are just a little too similar to each other.

It's a tough call to make though. OP, do you DIY? Yes it's an older, so you'll probably have to go through a few things. But 70k miles is really not all that bad for a car of that age.

[dwells]

Can you use it as a daily? Sure. But you'll need to be very familiar with the car, know the ins and outs, stay on top of all proactive maintenance, and sort out any issues immediately. Honestly, I'd make sure I had another car as a backup. That is, assuming you want to treat the car right and not have it turn into one of the many trashed E39 M5s that are out there now.

The E92 335i and the E39 are two very different cars. For daily driver use, I honestly think the E92 is the better bet - it's ultimately better suited to commuting and has more modern technology comforts while still being a great car to drive. Perhaps not as engaging as a high-revving V8, but a good car nonetheless.

My advice would be to save your money and wait until you can afford a clean E39 M5 as a car to have alongside your daily driver rather than instead of.

[techwhiz]

Old M cars become very expensive hobbies.
I sold mine when they got too old.
I needed something to drive, not something to fix. YMMV

[W///]

Like I said, if I could justify another V8, I'd pick up an Imola Red E39 M5 in a heartbeat. Gorgeous. But again OP, I work on my cars. If you don't, then I don't recommend an older M.

[E39lolz]

I've owned a e39 M5 for about two years and till this day I still dream about that machine at nights. Low mileage examples, especially with service/maintenance records, are the way to go. I did DD it and overall I put in about $2000 of work with labor which included full tune up, fuel pump, MAFS (these need healthy MAFS) TWS oil changes and lots of coolant parts that I ended up selling because I never had it installed. Forgot to mention that I did the best mod for this car; muffler delete. Saves 60 pounds and sounded better than any aftermarket exhaust IMHO. However, mine was approaching 150k and I was in the process of moving from NY to Miami and mine wasn't in pristine condition. I was facing more preventative maintenance so I figured to part ways with it. One day I will own another one, however, to answer your question test drive it and have a PPI performed and make your decision!

Edit: M5Board.com will be your best friend. Also a PEAKE reader will pay for itself time and time again.

[markus037]

i just came from an E39 M5 lol. I will tell you, If I had to do it again, I wouldnt make it my ONLY car. I had it for about 5 months and the costs of repairs kept adding up. It was at that point in life where things needed to be addressed. They are awesome cars when sorted and I would suggesting buying the most well maintained one you can afford. Miles dont scare me but lack of maintenance does when it comes to owning a beast. I bought mine with the intention to restore and it just didnt work out. mind you, I fix cars for a living and this car was taking more money than I was bringing home! Ill give you a little insight on my ownership experience:

First off, gas mileage was awful, I averaged about 15 mpg and now get about 21 in my 328xi driving the same way I do in the M5. I didnt think it would be that bad but it is. Once you put the go pedal down it really gets abysmal. Fun though, and that V8 never ever runs out of power. Its amazing how fast it can go above 60 which is where those cars really shine.

Secondly, 10w-60 oil is only available from the dealer or mail order which makes topping off a PITA. ALL S62s burn oil, some more than others.

third, the E39 M5 doesnt share many common parts with the standard E39 other than the body shell. Parts are S62 specific and there arent many around. A water pump isnt cheap $400+ and the biggest issue with these cars is the VANOs unit. Most of the time its a solenoid issue which is DIY or you can send it to dr. vanos to be repaired. Mine had this issue and it costed me $400 to have resolved. Car will run like crap and have a rough idle. Sometimes you get lucky and get bad camshaft position sensors (another common failure item on these cars) and will cause vanos codes but are a lot cheaper and easier to resolve. VANOS noise is normal too but supposedly later models have this issue resolved. Mine would rattle very loudly at startup and would sound like a POS chevy. It was embarrassing sometimes since people thought my car was going to blow up.

Finally, there are a few other items out there than these cars suffer from. Mine had the infamous rust under the fuel filler door. Lots of E39s suffer from this. BMW didnt think of a way for water to drain out of this area so it sits and sits until it starts to bubble. Also, rod bearings seem to be another hot topic on the M5board. Some people change them at 100k as a preventative measure, and some go for 200k+ without ever needing the bottom end opened up. Take it for what you will but that started to scare me which started to push me towards something newer and more reliable.

I picked my E90 because honestly, I find this car more fun to drive than the M5. The M5 is a heavy car and it shows in turns, the steering can be numb at times thanks to its recirculating ball steering. Also I needed something that wasnt costing me $400+ a month in repairs. Once the fuel pump died I had enough. my fiance wanted me to get rid of it and I couldnt risk being stranded somewhere with this car. If I had another car and a garage to keep it in I would still have it. Also, the M5 was useless in snow even with snow tires. Some of the roads I take to work can go a full day without being touched by plows. Trying to go through 3+ inches of snow and slop in that thing was downright scary at times.

Sorry for the lengthy reply, but that was my experience and im not trying to deter you from buying one. The M5 has its own strengths and weaknesses and really is an awesome car but owning isnt cheap. Keep the 335i for a daily and buy the M5 for a weekend car IMO. Despite what you read on here the 335i will probably be more reliable and cheaper to run over a longer period of time. Its also much newer so fewer worn out parts.

[tooch]

Both really nice cars but older those older BMWs sometimes hit ya good in the pocket.

[Sniz]

i'll echo the idea of only getting one if you have another car or if your very used to working on cars. They are not a huge PITA but will need TLC.

One of my favorite cars ever, I've almost pulled the trigger on one 2 different times.....

[W///]

Originally Posted by Sniz

i'll echo the idea of only getting one if you have another car or if your very used to working on cars. They are not a huge PITA but will need TLC.

One of my favorite cars ever, I've almost pulled the trigger on one 2 different times.....

Speaking of older BMW's, I'm going to go off topic for a second here. Your sig picture is one of the reasons I keep going back on Autotrader and Bimmerforums for a nice E36. Dang you, it looks so good.

[donoman]

I owned an E39 M5 for about 2 years. During that time, I also owned my 964 and later, I ended up buying a Z4. I found that I ended up always driving the Z4 because of a few reasons:

- Better gas mileage
- Easier to drive smooth
- More fun to drive, period

The M5 is a beast (in a straight line) but you won't want to take advantage of that 400HP V8 too much otherwise you are going to be seeing 12 MPG on your OBC. I don't have any experience with the e92 but in my opinion the inline-6 motors are more reliable than BMW V8's.

In the short time I owned her (got her with about 75K miles) I had to replace: MAF, thermostat, some smog valve, and all the ball joints that were aging in the front suspension. The car had a tough time passing emissions and the odometer display flickering didn't help with the emissions tech, whose ass I had to kiss for him to sign off on the odometer. The car cost me about $1500 in the end, and I did all the work myself. If I didn't have access to a lift, I might have cried. If I had to bring it to a mechanic, this could have easily cost me $5-6000.

I swore to myself I would never buy another ///M car but here I am with an M Coupe. Porsche makes better cars, hands down, but the M cars have a lot of personality so I keep coming back.

One thing to note about the M5 is that it's not a sports car. It is just a fat ass sedan with a huge motor. If that's your cup of tea, more power to you, but it's literally like putting lipstick on a pig. The only reason I would get one now, having owned one, is if I had a family and needed the seats, and could not afford to have 2 cars.

[markus037]

like he said ^^^ the M5 is great in a straight line but once you start pushing it through twisties it shows its weight. also, the e39 M5 cost me about $2k in the 5 months I owned it. Not cheap!

[Sniz]

Originally Posted by W///

Speaking of older BMW's, I'm going to go off topic for a second here. Your sig picture is one of the reasons I keep going back on Autotrader and Bimmerforums for a nice E36. Dang you, it looks so good.

ha....thanks, seriously getting the itch to burn some rubber, its been on jack stands since October!!!! Getting a fully built diff done and been slacking.

[cleangencoupe]

m5 of course!

[minhsnyc]

Cost of maintenance will certainly be higher on the E39 M5. Got pics ?

[aspensilver]

e39 M5 but I'm biased

[snaimpally]

Originally Posted by w1Z

Hey guys..

Currently own an e92 335i. Love the car to death as it's customized aesthetically to everything I love. However, a beautiful e39 M5 has come to my attention and could be for sale for the low.

Love the sound of the 5.0 v8, and I've heard it's one of the best M5s ever built. Any opinions? I mean I hate to sell my car that's only 5 years old for one that's 14 years old, but it's a classic!

Any opinions/comments? ...and both is not an option :/

Get clear on why you want to go from the e92 335i to the e39 M5. To get a "classic"? For the "low" price? You may find that the "low" price is no bargain when maintenance costs are included. Plus, you will likely be spending to re-customize the e39.

Gas mileage may play into the equation as well if you drive quite a bit. My friend who has an e92 335xi says he gets better gas mileage with his BMW than he did with his Subaru WRX.

If the e39 is low mileage and well maintained, you are okay (or don't care) about the gas mileage, and you can get it for a really good price, then go for it. I suggest getting it inspected by an independent shop that specializes in BMW before you buy so you know exactly what you are in for, maintenance-wise.