Dependable & Reliable for Daily Driving?

[Phylum]

I'm in search of a sporty 4-door vehicle along the lines of S4's, M5's (E60), C63's etc., but I'm really concerned about reliability & dependability. I'm coming from a nearly 10 year old Toyota that's only needed a clutch replacement (at around 81k) since I've had it. Its never given me any issues and I'm hoping to find something just as reliable. But I have serious, serious doubts now.

• Two different coworkers shared their BMW ownership with me and urged me to reconsider. (For what its worth: one was used and the other one was new via European delivery.)
  
• I spoke with a BMW technician at a BMW dealership about getting a PPI done. I asked him for some input based on what he's seen and he really made it seem like it was a hit or miss gamble. He told me a story about an M5 that came in for maintenance once. Everything checked out, the car was running fine, no issues - just a standard maintenance. Within a short period of time, the owner all sorts of issues with it. The shop ended up replacing the 'cats' (at least that what it sounded like he said) for $5k, both VANOS lines at $2k each until they got to the crank bearing at which point the owner literally said "ef it - I don't want it" and got rid of the car. I was shocked: (1) ~$10k in a few months and he ditches the car and (2) this is coming from a BMW tech! One would think he (the tech) would be encouraging me to get one, but he seemed like he was really looking out.
  
• A friend of mine happens owns his own shop, and in his humble opinion, the semi auto models are a drag to drive and not as fluid as you would expect coming from BMW. One of his customers has an E60 with an SMG, and he said the automatic is all over the place.

And that's just the BMW's! I haven't even hit up the Audi and Mercedes forums for their 'common issues'.


To be candid, it makes sense to me to have to pay a little more for a 'sports car' and, granted, every performance car is going to have its issues, but I'm not looking to sink thousands every year just to keep it running.



In my search for an M5, I've seen *lot* of SMG M5's up for sale, but only a few manual transmission M5's. The ratio is literally something like 1 MT for every 50-65 SMG's, at best. This, to me, gives credence to the idea that SMG's are either more problematic, or the manual transmissions are just so awesome, no one wants to let them go. (Of course, I'm also aware that many of these vehicles are ordered by middle aged men who don't want to be bothered by an MT, so there's that.)


Obviously, its one thing if I'm driving the car into the ground, and putting some serious load on it:

• racing light to light
• participating in heavy 'spirited driving' all the time
• slamming into corners and hairpin turns at 90mph
• frequent burnouts, redlining, pulling the handbrake when making u-turns
• evading police and helicopters a la GTA
• robbing banks etc

But that's not my driving style. I'm an adult, I've got a family, so I won't be doing anything foolish.


Is it wrong for me to want and expect

1. relatively low maintenance
2. almost no serious issues
3. high reliability
4. high dependability

From a car of this caliber that's used as a daily driver? (About 5k-6k miles per year)


I'm really interested in the community feedback. I want to make as informed a decision as possible, even if its to say that that maybe an M5 isn't for me.

[Almandee26]

BMW M5 you can go wrong my friend . My brother has an 2010 he was the first owner and until this day no problem . Remember as long as you keep up with the oil and filter change on time I don't see what could go wrong and yes he drive it daily his a business owner and that's his daily drive . He have power , style , space & liability all in one . Just to keep you a little inform . Good luck in chossing my friend .

[Ezio]

E60 m5 are kind of expensive to repair and people have reported problems with SMG.

I would try to stay away from SMG.

[M5Rlz]

I just picked one up in my area. Basically if you can dump the car and take a 3-7k hit or wanna go all in with repairs go for it.

I hate the SMG coming back down from the 2010+ DCT on the m3, but the power of the s85 is crazy even with my lightly modded m3.

Basically its what you can stomach and again luck of the draw.


Let me put it this way I went to a reputable shop in our area for new brakes right after buying the car, and asked what it'll run me to do flywheel and clutch + labor 860+1699+1k in labor and you could still have the SMG pump go and thats a $2500 part with about half the labor costs not to mention suspension that will need to be maintained.

[Elvcor24@gmail.com]

well, all of this is a little new to me. I am first time owner of a 2008 BMW M5, with the SMG 7gears... I did consider the C63 but when it came down to the interior I preferred the M5, it was better refined. When it comes down to it, its going to be your preference. I purchased my M5 with 80K miles for 28K plus 4K extended warranty..total 32K for a car that has 500 hp, any car that has that much HP and high-tec parts will run into the thousands in repair bills, so what its worth try to get an extended warranty with your purchase, I know Costco, Fidelity, USAA, and a couple of other companies....Just save some cash for a rainy day just in case...or watch a whole lot of you tube DIY videos, that will save some $$$$.

Best of luck with your decision and you are doing the right thing by the continued research... if buying used make sure you get a car fax..