D2-AUTOSPORT

With all things being considered (and your obvious preference towards it), go for the M5 man. Thats what you have in your heart so anything else will probably feel like a substitute.

The car is amazing and for those that rag on the SMG, after being taken on a run in one, I have a new found respect for that tranny, its truly amazing.

As for the pricing you could always look at the CPO offerings as well.

lux.sh

and the upcoming 7 series killer.

mmarshall

I'm strongly with Henry on this one...get the Audi. If you want something fast with 4-doors, there is little, IMO, to recommend the new 5-series ( even the M5 ) other than the big 500 HP V10 and telepathic steering...and even then the engine is normally restricted to 400 HP unless you hit a special switch.
The new Audis, except for an ungainly large grille, still have the assembly quality, paint work, body and hardware solidness, and fit-and-finish that the last 5-series HAD but lost with its redesign a few years ago.
Both cars, however, have complex and frustrating I-Drive controls ( Audi calls theirs MMI ), and neither is likely to have reliable electronics.

doug_999

Ok, ok, that's your second reference to the new 5-series not having the same quality, paint work, body and hardware solidness as well as fit-and-finish of the E39 5-series. What gives? The E39 5-series was a great solid car - I owned one. The E60 takes it to a new level, in terms of everything you state - I know, I've own one now. Plus last week one of my clients took me out in her 2002 540. While I LOVE that car and miss it, it did not compare in any of those terms to my E60.

Help - splain please.

vraa

iTrader: (2)

700hp+?
I don't believe you.
The fastest E55 is 556hp and belongs (****, I don't remember if he sold it or not, but he also got a E63 which he sold, and has an M5) to DerekFSU.
Someone named Gid E Up I think has 619hp.
vrus, another member is on the quest to make 750hp but isn't there (just yet).

Unless you're talking about motor swaps and twin turbos, but those are out of the realm of normal talk and isn't even rational to bring it up, especially when you're trying to highlight the mod-ability of the E55.

BTW, E55 > M5 > E63.

mmarshall

I am very unimpressed with the new E60 5-series compared to the older E39 cars. That simply is my opinion, based on many years of looking at and evaluating new cars. The new car, IMO, has lost a lot of the body and door solidness the old car had ( shut the doors on an old and a new one side by side and you will see what I mean ). The interior on the new car, while having nice wood trim, otherwise has noticeably cheaper-quality parts, hardware, and trim than the old car.....and most of those parts are not finished as well.
The I-Drive?.....don't even get me started on that. The SMG transmission, while no doubt efficient, jerks in and out of gear like a farm tractor.....a far cry from VW/ Audi's wonderful twin-clutch DSG. ( a true manual has just been announced as an option on the M5) The new car, unlike the old one, appears to have built to a strict budget, with noticeable cost-cutting inside and out.


Now...is the new car a total flop? No. The M5, at least, has a very impressive 500 HP V10 ( if you can find a place to actually use it ) although the computer limits it to 400 HP most of the time. And the car, at least in non-Active steering form, retains the superb road feel of the previous car. The SMG tranny has great potential if they can smooth it out a little. But I truly miss the old car........if I was in the market for a BMW, I would gladly trade the new engines and steering for the Rock-of-Gibraltar solidness and fit-and-finish of the old car.

That's my opinion of the car. I write my honest opinions in CAR CHAT and don't try to either sugar-coat things or be excessively negative without reason ( That is one thing I dislike in the general automotive press and why I never became an official part of it). You may not agree with my view of the car...that is your perogative, and I respect your opinion. I know from your many well-written posts that you are a auto buff like me, and speak from some experience. If you like the car.....buy one and drive it. There are many people here in CL with BMW's....both old and new. Genearch, one of our moderators, also disagrees with me.....he has a new BMW and loves it.

doug_999

Fair enough - we agree to disagree. That's cool. Thanks for the response.

okcfunky

For 90K... could have an extremely sickeningly quick cts-v, drag destroyer and road race annihalator, just tossing some american muscle out there!


but go with what you crave deep down, generally works out better that way.