A reminder of why I love the S85 V10

[CarbonFibre]

Just listen to that noise. When can BMW M make a car like THIS again. I don't need turbos, AWD, or quick 0-100 km/h times. Give me a memorable, emotional, and characterful drive. Just my $0.02. Now to start looking in the classifieds for an E60 M5 manual...

[JsL]

The people at BMW who said "Let's make a sedan and throw a bespoke V10 in it. Who cares if it cost us more money to produce the engine and it eats up a lot of fuel." They should be applauded.

[MParallel]

Totally agree with you. Although for me it's always been about ever owning an old school N/A I6 (I would add a V10 if I had the funds though!)

People's first reaction is always: my *insert car name* is faster than yours!

Who cares? Like you said, this is not about having the fastest car out there setting Nürburgring laptimes. It's all about the experience of driving an old school M car, which you know will never come back.

[Dr. Dre]

I love the engine and you can pick one up for nothing. However, anything goes wrong with that engine you're paying out the ass.

[kyrix1st]

Originally Posted by MParallel

Totally agree with you. Although for me it's always been about ever owning an old school N/A I6 (I would add a V10 if I had the funds though!)

People's first reaction is always: my *insert car name* is faster than yours!

Who cares? Like you said, this is not about having the fastest car out there setting Nürburgring laptimes. It's all about the experience of driving an old school M car, which you know will never come back.

Up to E92 and E60, there was this certain German-geeks-done-good-about attitude in BMW M engines, which I don't feel quite the same with the new ones.

Maybe it is because I am not a big fan of turbocharging in the first place, but it does take a lot more engineering effort to get the best out of an NA engine.

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by CarbonFibre

Just listen to that noise. When can BMW M make a car like THIS again. I don't need turbos, AWD, or quick 0-100 km/h times. Give me a memorable, emotional, and characterful drive. Just my $0.02. Now to start looking in the classifieds for an E60 M5 manual...

Good luck with that, those are very hart to find.

I had an E60 M5 back in the day it was a lot of fun, engine was great...SMG trans...not so much. I got rid of it just before the warranty went out.

It was thirsty for oil and fuel, but damn it sounded great.

[R3dliner]

That S85 doe sexy af. Only needs a exhaust to scream like a F1 car.

[ECSTuning]

The sound of the S85 will always outweigh any downsides... and now I'm looking for one once again after listening to that symphony.

-James

[Shaan]

Originally Posted by KenB925

Good luck with that, those are very hart to find.

I had an E60 M5 back in the day it was a lot of fun, engine was great...SMG trans...not so much. I got rid of it just before the warranty went out.

It was thirsty for oil and fuel, but damn it sounded great.

same. i really miss my m5, but that SMG was horrible. had to get rid of it before warranty

[MParallel]

Originally Posted by Shaan

same. i really miss my m5, but that SMG was horrible. had to get rid of it before warranty

What exactly is so bad about SMG3? A specific component?

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by MParallel

What exactly is so bad about SMG3? A specific component?

It was an early automated manual, they were not totally sorted out.

I always said that nobody bought an E60 M5 because of the test drive, around town they were not very good. Sometimes it would look/feel like someone who was trying to learn to drive a stick.

You could catch it sleeping, if you were slowing down for a red light and it change to green and you got back on the gas it could (not always) get confused.

One of the worst things is if you were pointed down hill and trying to parallel park, meaning backing up hill at low speed, it was a mess.

Basically low speed, around town it was just not 'ready' on the highway or on a back road when you were at speed it was awesome, you could mash the gas in 7th gear it would immediately (at least it felt immediate at the time, it would probably feel slow now) drop to 3rd and take off screaming like a maniac.

There was also the issue of the hydraulic pump in the trans that was very expensive to replace, and had a bad reputation.

[MParallel]

Originally Posted by KenB925

It was an early automated manual, they were not totally sorted out.

I always said that nobody bought an E60 M5 because of the test drive, around town they were not very good. Sometimes it would look/feel like someone who was trying to learn to drive a stick.

You could catch it sleeping, if you were slowing down for a red light and it change to green and you got back on the gas it could (not always) get confused.

One of the worst things is if you were pointed down hill and trying to parallel park, meaning backing up hill at low speed, it was a mess.

Basically low speed, around town it was just not 'ready' on the highway or on a back road when you were at speed it was awesome, you could mash the gas in 7th gear it would immediately (at least it felt immediate at the time, it would probably feel slow now) drop to 3rd and take off screaming like a maniac.

There was also the issue of the hydraulic pump in the trans that was very expensive to replace, and had a bad reputation.

I'm familiar with SMG's quirks, although that is SMG1. Just as with SMG2, the pump eventually fails. But it's not the pump itself, which is fine, but the electric motor running the pump.

At least with SMG3 BMW realized this and you can buy just the motor, which you can't for SMG1 and 2. Although by now companieshave jumped into that void.

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by MParallel

I'm familiar with SMG's quirks, although that is SMG1. Just as with SMG2, the pump eventually fails. But it's not the pump itself, which is fine, but the electric motor running the pump.

At least with SMG3 BMW realized this and you can buy just the motor, which you can't for SMG1 and 2. Although by now companieshave jumped into that void.

Back then the dealer was pretty much the only option. $$$

[URBAN LEGEND]

The only reason that motor existed was Williams/BMW F1 effort. Bring it back!

[RABAUKE]

Originally Posted by MParallel

Totally agree with you. Although for me it's always been about ever owning an old school N/A I6 (I would add a V10 if I had the funds though!)

People's first reaction is always: my *insert car name* is faster than yours!

Who cares? Like you said, this is not about having the fastest car out there setting Nürburgring laptimes. It's all about the experience of driving an old school M car, which you know will never come back.

This is an excellent point and a place I've been coming to for a long time. Even if you buy the current fastest car around the ring for bragging rights or your ego next month it won't be the fastest anymore. It's getting almost comical what's happening to performance. When I was a kid, 250HP was a big deal, now it's 500HP or nothing.

I like to drive, in fact I love to drive. I have no interest in a flappy paddle car, their primary function is to be quick, which is all good, but I think the real joy comes from shifting your own gears, that the skill and ability part. You don't need to have the fastest car to have a blast driving. I'm going to suggest that most of the folks driving these blisteringly fast cars can't drive all that well, they can afford the payments is all. These cars can get you into trouble really quickly even with all the nanny stuff on board.

I recently bought a 993, six speed. What a treat to drive, it's fast enough to let me really enjoy and as a friend of mine often says about his car is that it's more car than I am driver. Sure, a new GT2 would be great, but who are you competing against at that point.....just take your car out on the twisties and enjoy.

Peace

[BMWM5NYC]

I miss my 6 speed that I had. My F10M5 is a better car over all. But that exhaust sound of that V10 at high rpms was pure SEX.

[yco]

cant trust my financial part for buying an E60 M.. its a really really special car with an ordinary look which actually its really thing i want..

[MParallel]

Originally Posted by RABAUKE

...I have no interest in a flappy paddle car, their primary function is to be quick, which is all good, but I think the real joy comes from shifting your own gears, that the skill and ability part...

While I do like shifting gears myself in manual form, the flappy paddle thing I find pretty cool. Not something I miss when driving my flappy paddles E36 M3.

[Caliboy951]

I sure miss that scream at WOT!
I agree these are ok to own with warranties, no way without!!!!