Would you Trade your M for a M

[Case]

Current prices on a 03 BMW M5 are close to what I can find a 06 M45 for.

So 06 M45 owners, Would you trade your car straight up for a 03 BMW M5 with 50k miles?

This is assuming both the cars in question of are equal condition. Paint, Interior, Body, all in great shape.

I'm looking for opinions on owners of each vehicle. Both cars I feel have their strengths, and I'm curious as to your point of view.

You wouldn't buy the M5 because?You wouldn't give up your M45 becuase?Please send me the link to any M5 for sale?

Any thing, I would like to hear your thoughts on this comparison.

Thanks

[lswaidz]

The M5 is a spectacular car, both on a track and off. But I think it serves a different market than the M45. Both cars have brilliant V8's, however the M5 is tuned for sporting... stuff shocks, big sticky tires and brakes that will stop a battleship.

The other issue is you're dropping significantly on gas mileage. The M5 will *MAYBE* get you 20 on the highway... but with 400 hp in front of you, you'll never see it. Plus I think you'd dropping down a notch on fit and finish with the M5. Although it has a much better stereo and if you're a petrol head there are a LOT more toys available for a 5 series. I've driven both, and although the M5 is a hoot, I'd take the M45 for daily driving everytime. If you want a fun BMW, get a Z4 or a used M3 with the straight 6.

[nmgoodthing]

I also think the M5 is an awesome car.... butt....

Getting up there in the miles tends to be more maintenance on those cars, and can get expensive.

[Grantbo]

I moved into my M45 from a M3. I was looking for something a little bigger and with the horsepower to get up and go. I strongly considered an E39 M5 for quite some time (fantastic car) and would have picked one up, but I did not want to have the potential maintenance issues hanging over my head. Many E39 M5 owners are trying to sell before their warranty is up, otherwise they are becoming difficult to move. I also considered a newer E90 545, but the bang for the buck was not even close to the M45.

Grant

[jgoodman]

If I'm not mistaken, that M5 has some special "race technology" oval piston rings and they drink oil....I've read a quart every 1000 miles.

[exbmwdude]

I owned a 96 740il for 6 years and it was maintained by a good friend who is a senior BMW tech. I got to drive and ride in E39 M5's several times and they are a spectacular driver's car. It is certaily a faster and better handling car than an M45 and you would have to pry the smile off your face after you drove it each time.

But...

You'll also have to grin and bear it (OK, bend over and take it) when it comes to service. If I'm not mistaken, a regular E39 540i 6-speed was the most expensive car maintenance-wise that Car and Driver ever did a long term test on. And the M5 makes it look like a Corolla. All BMW M cars have a lot of M-specific parts which are %50-100 more than the regular overpriced BMW parts.

I can tell you from lots of experience that BMWs are truly brilliant cars to drive and they are engineered to be appreciated from the driver's seat. But they are N O T engineered for low, easy or cheap maintenance. In fact many would accuse BMW of engineering them to require more maintenance in order to increase their service revenue.

When you see a quasi-exotic used car go for 30% of its asking price 4 years later, be very wary of why that is. It's because the owner is bailing out on his money pit.

IMHO, if you really have to own a BMW 5, the E39 540 6-speed would be a better choice. It's still a very fast car without all the M parts and dismal mileage. I drive one frequently (a friend owns one) and I still occasionally question my purchase of an M. Until I get to hear his latest service story that is...

exbmwdude2006 M35S

[xerexabante]

BMW service sucks, we took my dad's 99 528 for a CEL just t o make sure we are correct o our diagnosis on the Vanos. Well it came out to be the same diagnosis that the Vanos needed to be adjusted they wanted $1200.

So when we picked the car up it took them 1.5 hrs to get me the invoice to get the car and I had to tell the lot person to take it to the car wash.

Well we did the adjustment and took 2 hrs.

[Grantbo]

VANOS issues are a primary concern with E39 M5's. 1 qt of oil per 1000 miles is not unexpected. That was about right with my M3, and a small price to pay (IMO) for the performance the car delivered.

I'd be all over the new M3 or M5 if price was not a concern.

Grant

[xxNite]

I owned an auction-purchase '98 5-series. Spent $13,000 in 5 years fixing & maintaining all of it's quirky problems... will NEVER do that again!... Long live the M45 (in warranty, of course)

Don't waste good money on a car that is everywhere you turn your head. Too many E39's on the road at this point. They have become the Passatt or Taurus of BMWs.

just my opinion.

Good luck

[xerexabante]

I will never advice for someone to purchase a passat, beetle, or jetta. Too much problems: turbo, ecm, emissions, ecu,tcu, leaks. One instance is a bypass conntector for the heater, well we had to remove the bumper, radiator, exhaust to gain access to the Plastic connector.

Too bad for the owner bill was around $450 for a $20 part.

[MagicM]

You have got to be crazy to take a 03 BMW M5 over a 06 M45 it's like going backwards. On the topic of unrealiability of the BMW, a 03 would be well out of it's warranty by now, not to mention it's the Older design. Where as an 06 would still have several years of factory warranty left. As far as luxury and technology goes the 06 M45 has a 03 BMWm5 beat. The only benefit of buying a m5 would be 65 extra horses and maybe slightly better handling, but who here is going to take thier car to a race track every day . If you also look at it investment wise the M will probably get you more money in several years than a even older BMW at the same time would.

[Grantbo]

You have got to be crazy to take a 03 BMW M5 over a 06 M45 it's like going backwards.

It depends what your interests are. As a dialy driver a M35/45 has a more compliant ride and greater creature comforts that an E39 M5, but performance wise, the good old E39 M5 will walk away from an M45. My 98 M3 sedan handled better than the M45, but it had a very tight ride and lacked most creature comforts. As the years went by, I went to the track less and less, and it became less and less practical as a daily driver. It required a few repairs, but I was able to do them my self and save a bundle (shocks, struts, water pump, radiator etc).

On the topic of unrealiability of the BMW, a 03 would be well out of it's warranty by now, not to mention it's the Older design

You Many owners are COPing before their warranty expires, thus extending the warranty 2 more years. That's they ONLY way to go with a used E39 M5. I new someone who spent an avg of $1000 mth on repairs/maintenance for his E39 M5!

Where as an 06 would still have several years of factory warranty left. As far as luxury and technology goes the 06 M45 has a 03 BMWm5 beat. The only benefit of buying a m5 would be 65 extra horses and maybe slightly better handling, but who here is going to take thier car to a race track every day . If you also look at it investment wise the M will probably get you more money in several years than a even older BMW at the same time would.

Older depreciate less than newer ones, so they should hold their residual value much better. A $35k 06 M45 will depreciate more than a $30k 03 M45 in 2-3 years. That said, I love my M45 and will not give it up!

[sr79labrat]

I have to say the same thing...in a nutshellMy buddy has a 03 M3 and it is sick! I have a 03 M45, and it is sick as well! The difference is he bought his brand new for 60k with all of the options...I bought mine 1.25 years ago for 20k...his is worth 30k or so. I have to agree that in talking with him we cant even compare cost of repair, mait, tires, or even oil changes. The cars seem to be on the opposite end of the spectrum in that area. I would have to say the performance-power is simuliar, and so is gas mileage. His car corners like it is on rails and stops on a dime. Really that is the only thing you dont get...along with saying you have a BMW. Then you save 10k and lots of repair/ maint. costs! I am 23, and feel like the car is well within my budget though a bit more mature than me. On that note I can also get away with more which never happens to my buddy in his M3. haha

Good luck either way! Kyle

[jnkm45]

service dept. has had our m45 almost as much as we have. right now i'd take a pinto over an infinity.

[szh]

service dept. has had our m45 almost as much as we have. right now i'd take a pinto over an infinity.

Sounds like you have a bad problem for sure - you mentioned in another thread that it has been in for repair for many days now. That is a very rare event with any Infiniti model (when compared to BMW and MB owner complaints about long shop times) - but it can happen to any make and model sometimes.

(It's Infiniti, by the way. )

Z