shaena

hello gentlemen,

i need your guys' input. i test drove M5 and also E55. both are very awesome cars. they handle extremely well. i noticed that M5 is a bit faster. i kind of like the more aggressive look of the M5, especially with the quad exhaust and the front bumper. the E55, on the other hand, is very luxurious and yet sporty. however, it doesn't look as aggressive as the M5.

i know the E55 will hold a better value in a long run. this is if i want to sell it back later down the road, which is very unlikely. what i don't know is how reliable is E55 to M5?

in what other aspects should i consider in my decision making?

thank you,
shaena

E55 KEV

If you posted this topic on a M5 forum you would be "hated" on, however, this board is very mature and most of us like all German Cars.

I wish there was an answer to your question. So much depends on your personal taste. Can you buy both? If I could I would have both, but the E55 may get driven a lot more because my clutch leg has sports injuries and shifting everyday is out for me. I am from the old school and row your own gears is fun to me. When the M5 gets the SMG it will move up a notch.

Yeah, I know that the M5 is a tad bit, repeat tad bit quicker and probably a tad bit tigher in the turns but that does not make the E55 a dog, does it? Who gives a dump if the M5 has a manual shifter if you don't desire shifting. I have read that the clutch wears quickly.

IMHO, three reason I would not buy a M5 is the shifter, less torque, and the damn car is a mid-size body with a compact size interior. Who at BMW approved this design with so little cabin space - huge mistake. Oh yeah, one more reason - no spare tire!

One positive note for the M5 is that it comes in a lot more colors than the E55.

E55 is more exclusive - 550 for 2002 and more than 2000 units for M5.

Mr. Xristo

disregarding the "exclusiveness" of the 2003 M5, it is a higher quality product than the E55. Two of my friends own the M5's and they are spectacular.

Among other things they have standard suede headliner cover!! it is very nice.

The 2003 M5 will hold great value as the MY03 M5 is the last year they will be producing the vehicle. It is going under a frame-up redesign, and will be relaunched in 5 years.

The E55 will keep being produced.

IMHO, I feel the M5 looks, and feels like more of a high performance sedan than the E55.

Juke-box

i would take the E55. My dad has botht he M5 and E55 in his company, and i would say that the M5 is a little sportier, but not exactly as comfortable as the E55. Maybe its because of the windy and congested roads of Hong Kong, but i enjoyed the luxury of the E55 much more.

the Manual thing doesn't really appeal to me, since its going to be your "everyday" car(if so). rowing your own gears will be hell of a job especially in the city day to day driving.

i would say get the E55 unless your REALLY don't care about the manual thing. other than that, both cars are supersedans and will be recognized by both AMG and M owners. a notorious history of kill stories stand between the two.

Juke

JamE55

Get the E55 and then mod it with Kleemann stuff and see if it can even compare with the M5! Don't get me wrong M5 is a bad a** car it's just when you add the kleemann to it man....!! No words to explain!! You can tweak out the M5 but still won't even come close to the performance of a Kleemann E55k!

ACHTUNG

A quick test to help you make up your mind. If you are happy with 100% comfort and 90% performance go with the AMG, if its the other way around, then the M may be what you are after. If you can wait a year or so, the new E55 is a supercharged monster and there is just something about forced induction that makes everyday driving so much more pleasurable ie the sweet spot between 30km/h to 80km/h. Cheers!

stephens

I thought the new M5 was going to be released in 2004 not 2007. Who is going to wait that long, won't the new 5 series be replaced by then??

Also E55 has less understeer than M5 and pulls same G's on skid pad. E55 brakes better than M5, but US spec car is slower through slalom than M5, but I attribute that to the car being jacked up by 1" compared to Euro spec cars. M5 is slightly faster accelerating than E55.

M5 motor longeivity has to be questioned because of revs car pulls if the car is driven hard. The new M3 already has history of major motor failures.

I am not BMW hater, have had modded 750iL, E46 328i, E30 323i all new cars. E55 was my first Merc. I was given an M5 for a weekend and the E55 for a week as test drives. I never gave the E55 back.

M5/E55 resales seem to be about equal at the moment.

E55 KEV

SL55AMG,

Not sure where your information comes from, but:

1. The next E60 chassis M5 will be built in 2003 possibly as a 2004 model with V10 engine and 500HP.

2. There will be no 2003 model E55. 2002 is last year for W210 E55 and the supercharged W211 E55 will be a 2004 model in the US.

shaena

kev, you're right about the M boards. because of their immaturity and AMG-hating attitudes, that is the reason i decided to not post there.

thank you gentlemen. i have more respect for AMG owners than M owners because you guys are not biased and very professional.

jame55, what is Kleeman stuff? what other products do they produce?

as of now, i'm leaning toward the E55. i like auto more than manual. btw, this is will be daily driving car.

much appreaciation,
shaena

amgme

kleemann is a company that produces supercharger kits for mercs. go to www.kleemannusa.com for more details. i believe for the e55, adding a kleemann supercharger will make it have 550hp/504lb-ft. all for about 17k. if you got the cheese, go for it.

alz

I toiled over the decision for months, but the bottom line for me was that you had to drive the M5 like you stole it to really get a ton of performace from it while the E55 (due, no doubt to its massive torque) allowed me to wring performace out of it at any RPM, anytime.

I also appreciated the room in the E55 (The M5 was too small to fit my two kids ages 3 and 1) and anything else.

I have a rev-happy Carrera that I use on the weekends that satisfies my needs for a pure sports car, so maybe I am lucky and biased. I just think as an all around car, the E55 is the way to go.

Edmond W.

I have a 2001 E55 but before I got it, I did manage to test drive both cars. Back then I could not get a test drive at either dealer but was fortunate enough to find a place in Beverly Hills that sells exotic cars (the place is on Robertson) that had both cars available for tests.

The M5 that I tested looked amazing and drove great too.
It was a titanium silver car with 2 tone interior and metallic accents but the best thing about it was the all leather (stitched) dashboard.

Anyway at the end, the only deciding factor for me was that I could get an E55 at MSRP from Fletcher Jones and BMW (all dealers in OC) wanted anywhere from $10,000 - $25,000 over sticker. I went with the cheaper one of course as I hate paying for something more than what it's worth.

If the price was the same, I'm sure I would have gotten the M5 (although I hear that there are lots of problems with the M5...i.e. oil burner, clutch problems etc..). NO Problems with my E55.

Hope that helps.

JamE55

shaena

As what amgme said they are basically a tuner for mercedes benz. I rode a kleemann E55k last year at willow springs and was totally amazed at the performance that's why i choose the E55. I could've gotten an M5 but after looking at different tuners for the BMW i couldn't find anyone that can even come close to what the kleemann supercharger is putting out which is about 550hp.

shaena

thank you very much, gentlemen. i'm learning more and more with every new response and feedback that you're giving. please let there be more opinions and facts coming out of you german car lovers

jame55, thanks. do you have a kleeman sc on your car now? let me guess....the cost of it is about 15G. yike! it hurts my head just to say that amount.

edmond, would you still reconsider M5 now knowing that your E55 is problem free?

thank you,
shaena

JamE55

Welcome shaena! I don't have the s/c in my car right now but still planning it as what you said it also hurts my head just thinking about how much it costs. Although IMO it's worth it because once you get it you'll be competing in the realms of the 360 modena, porsche GT2's and even be faster than the upcoming SL55. I think if i'm not mistaken the rwhp for a kleemannized E55 is about 440rwhp+ or somewhere in that range. So crank should be around 550hp+. Hope this gives you more incentive to get the E55.

KenE55

I can't add muich that hasn't already been said. I did find the BMW dealer to be very arrogant and unhelpful. The MB dealer was fantastic, treating me very professionally.

The BMW 5 series is noticeably smaller, especially in the back seat. Sit back there and see for your self.

The (very) slight performance gap between the M5 and E55 is largely a matter of driving technique. The reviews posted in the various car magazines typically show the M5 faster to 60 by 0.2 seconds. BUT, they post the very best number they ever were able to attain at a race track, using multiple attempts by a professional driver. They rev the engine well up in the power band, then drop the clutch to get those numbers. If you actually did that every day on the street, your clutch would last a couple of months.. or less! No way you can consistently duplicate on the street the numbers you see in the car mags. On the other hand, the auto transmission on the E55 is very easy to get top performance.. just plant that right foot and off you go.

Although I have no proof, I tend to trust the safety engineering of MB more than any other company on earth as well.

My E55 has performed flawlessly, and works as a daily driver, a lux limo for my wife, a safe sedan for my kids, and a rocket sled for me upon demand. The world's most perfect car!

Best wishes to you in making your decision!

mbmb

My E55 is the first new car I ever bought myself. Before the E55, I had:

1974 Ford Maverick
1971 Olds Delta 88 ("Rocket" 455 engine -- 130 mph!)
1987 Dodge Lancer (snooze)
1977 Mercedes-Benz 6.9 (146 mph!)

Before the E55, I gave some serious thought to buying a used E34 (the previous generation) M5 (either that, or a 928S4). I believe that the M5 is one of the finest automobiles ever built, as is the 928, as is the 6.9, as (of course) is the E55. I am not a Mercedes fanatic -- I'd drive an Audi or BMW Q-car if it fit my needs.

When I had the money and the opportunity to buy a new car, "get something practical" was the command from SWMBO. That knocked the 911 and the SLK32 out of contention, and left me with a Q-car shortlist comprising the E55 and the M5. The car would be my daily driver; I would put 2000 miles a month on it, month in and month out. I would carry my 2-year-old daughter around in it. I would also occasionally use it to ferry clients around (it would be a "fee-setting" car).

Here are the factors that knocked the M5 out of the contest for me:
---
Houston is very, very flat. Houston roads are very, very straight. BMW handling would go unused.

Houston also has lots of nasty stop-and-go freeway traffic. Manual transmission would be PITA.

When I travel out of town, it's usually within east Texas. More flat, straight roads. In an M5, I'd put the car in sixth and keep it there for 200 miles. Might as well have an automatic transmission.

Houston is very, very hot. The E55 had AVS as an option.

Mercedes dealers were competing for my business (I saved several grand off MSRP). BMW dealers were still selling at MSRP or above.

There are 4 times as many M5s sold every year as E55s. I see lots of M5s around town, but I've seen only a couple of E55s. (I see more S55s than E55s!)
---
If I lived in the Rockies, or the Texas Hill Country, the balance might have shifted toward the manual transmission and sportier handling. I might have bought the M5.

I'm glad I didn't. I keep up with the M5 boards, and see some complaints about rattles and hums, as well as oil and clutch incineration. I don't believe that BMW Motorsport puts the E39 M5 together as carefully as they put together the E34, or as well as AMG builds the E55. I believe that the reputation for safety Mercedes has is well-earned. Further, the E55 is easily tuneable to 550 HP if I ever decide I need it (thanks to Kleeman). There is no comparable HP boost from a reputable tuner for the M5 that I know of.

The signal-to-noise ratio is a lot lower on the M5 boards than here. I don't know if that's because E55 owners are reasonable and knowledgeable, or because people who are reasonable and knowledgeable buy E55s.

EBMCS03

Both Cars are great!! Love them both... like everyone says It depends on your preferences I suppose... I dont have the luck to own either one of the cars but I've been around a lot of M5's and its a JOY to drive and ride in... anyone want to let me experience the E55? JamE55??



Woooo I better get a ride if u get that s/c!

Oh ya forgot to introduce myself...
I'm Eric a new member as u can see...

krm

as the saying goes, different strokes for different folks....

know of many M5 and E55 owners who would not trade their cars for anything else. So it's really up to your preference. If possible give both cars a back to back test and see which one you like better.

I disagree that BMW ///M owners are immature and AMG haters. On the contrary, many of them are pure car enthusiasts. Go on bmwm5.com if you want to research more about the M5 and not forums like bimmer.org. Good luck with your decision!

JamE55

Hey Eric!

Nice to see you join us from the darkside to the lightside! j/k I'm still waiting to get some funding for the s/c and then i'll take you for a spin one of these days!

pocholin

Wow, nice explanation, thanks, you saved me a lot of typing, I agree with all you said.
You just forgot to say E55 has more class (not that M5 doesn't, it just has more class)

993 4S

Hey, I'm new to this board but being a huge car enthusiast, I like to browse as many boards as possible. My dad just took delivery of an '02 M5, so the obvious answer from me would be to buy the M5 . The choice between these two cars is obviously based on personal preference and of course what you're going to use the car for. I have the chance to drive our M5 all the time, and I've also had the chance to ride in my friend's father's E55 and CLK55. The M5 feels more like the CLK55 in terms of handling and sportieness than the E55. To me, it seems that the major difference between the M5 and the E55 was that BMW built the M5 to be a high performance machine that can act as a luxury car whereas Mercedes built the E55 to be a luxury car that can act as a high performance machine. And there's nothing wrong with that--both companies achieved the goal they were going for and they did it with flying colors. That being said, I prefer the overall feel of the M5 (especially the engine) to that of the E55. And of course there are "numbers" to prove just how equal the cars are.


I'm not here to defend the M5, but I would just like to clear up some things that were posted about the M5 that were slightly off (and may make it seem like less of a car than it really is). Built quality is second to none--everything in the car (dash, doors, etc) is leather-lined and though you may have read about squeeks and other minor annoyances, they are rare (and often attributed to the split/fold down rear seats). Though the weak clutch seems to be a large issue, in relation to how many M5's are on the road, it is pretty minor. Plus, you have to remember, if you don't know how to drive stick correctly, the deliverene of 400hp in the wrong way will fry the clutch. A man who bought one of the first M5's I believe has 40,000 miles on his stock clutch (this includes various track events too).

Someone else mentioned that in order to get times comparable to those of the E55, you have to rev the M5 way way up into its powerband and consequently kill the clutch. Actually, all you have to do to execute a perfect launch is to rev to 1500 rpms, dump the clutch and then give it full throttle. Try revving over 2000 rpms launch and you'll be beaten by someone on their bike. The torque curve in the M5 is rediculous and although the E55 makes more torque (at 500 rpms lower than the M5) the throttle response on the M5 is rediculous and I've actually hurt my neighbor punching the throttle in 2nd gear.

Lastly, I don't know who said that M5 owners are biased (everyone is biased to what they own of course), unprofessional, and would "hate" on Mercedes drivers for even bringing up the topic of E55 vs M5 is waaaaaay off. Everyone at the M5 board I belong to (http://www.bmwm5.com/vbulletin/index.php feel free to go there, these people will more than welcome you) is more than willing to help (as I'm sure all of you are here). They are some of the biggest car finatics I've ever talked to (some even own Mercedes ) and they seem to know EVERYTHING whether it be from detailing to how to install a set of StopTech Brakes. There are always frequent meetings/lunches, and these people are more than willing to drive out of their way to another owners house to help with a problem. Anyway, all of you guys are extrelmy fortunate to own such an awesome machine as the E55 (as all of us M5 owners feel about our cars). I hope I didn't come off as defensive; I just thought I'd get some of the facts straight about the M5--car enthusiast to car enthusiast.

Cheers,
Phil

amg55

Nice summary Phil.
M5 and E55 were designed for different audiences.
The M5 is at heart a sports sedan decked out to suit a luxury market, while the E55 is a touring sedan tuned to give it a sporty edge.
If you truly love aggressive driving the M5 is a more satisfying vehicle. There just aren't any good arguments to the contrary.
For pure visceral pleasure, it's the M5.
That's the story in 2002.

I drive AMG's because I do a lot of commute driving and a considerable amount of work while on the highway. Manual transmission would be very impractical. That's really the main reason I'm an MB owner versus M5.
The interior of the M5 is much more refined, stylish and luxurious IMO (though a bit cramped), and has held up well even 5 years now since release.
The new 211 E55 will be a major step forward for MB and will close the gap considerably, I believe, between M5 and E55. The choice will be more difficult as the new '04M5 and 211's appear.
That will be the story in 2003-2004.

993 4S

You're absolutely right. Before owning the M5, my dad had a 740i Sport. He travels a lot for work and drives to NYC/Connecticut quite a bit. His main concern about owning the M5 was that it was manual and for city driving it would be an absoulte PITA. Finally, after BEGGING him to at least test drive the M5 (I think this got him kind of excited which helped influence his decision) we went over to the dealership. After he drove it, with our SA, me, and 2 of my friends in the back, he had to have it. He said to be able to hear that sound and feel that torque every day, his left leg would have to suffer the consequeces. I on the other hand, had to drive it in heavy traffic in downtown Albany and found tiresome and annoying.

As for the new E55--there will be no comparisson. I don't even think you can talk about "closing the gap" because it seems like Mercedes has turned the tables in a complete 180 degrees. Myself and all the other M5er's on the M5 board are expecting that the new E55 will pretty much obliterate the current M5. Rumors are (and some of these will almost positively be true) that the next gen M5 (e60) is going to have a 5.0L, 500hp, V10 powerplant offered with SMG transmission. Hopefully, it will be another perfect match (although the new E class's styling is awesome and you never know what kind of crap BMW will put out after the release of the new 7).

Phil

W210

I also frequent the bmwm5 board and certainly share most members' disapproval on the new 7 and are skeptical over the shape of the new 5. It will be so interesting to compare the W211 E55 with the new M5. Any updates on when the W211 E55 will be released?