First of all dont flame me on this but I work in the car industry and one of my dealers said he could give me a smoking deal on an M5. I would have to come up with drive off fees and my payment would be the same as my E55 (around 1k per month) on a lease including sales tax. The monthly payment would be even less but I am a little buried in my E55 right now due to the new body style coming out. What do you think?? All opinions are welcomed especially those who have owned or driven an M5. I have not had the pleasure so your input will affect my decision. I am thinking I might do it since the offer they are giving allows me to get out of my E55 with minimal losses.

I love my power of the E55 but miss the days of my Turbo Supras with the 6 speed manuals (I had two of them). I am really wanting a car that will handle better than the 55 and was wondering how the M5 stacks up in the real world. I have read all the mags since day one and know what they think but their opinions are biased toward BMW in my opinion. Of course this is a Benz site so yours will be too but there are a lot of knowledgeable people here that can help me. Thanks in advance.

The only catch is the M5 color is LeMans Blue.

 

Is it a new M5? Ummm to be honest... sure... Both are great cars... both are at its last year. Its whatever u feel like. I mean u have driven the E55 for a while go for it give the M5 a try. Somtimes it is fun to row your own gears. Trade it up for the M5 and then get the W211 when it comes out. I definetly like the W211 style much more than the W210. If u want some M5 drivers opinions try www.bmwm5.com/vbulletin/index.php

 

"I love my power of the E55 but miss the days of my Turbo Supras with the 6 speed manuals (I had two of them). I am really wanting a car that will handle better than the 55 and was wondering how the M5 stacks up in the real world."

Vic55 -
For more than 12 years my daily driver has been my red '88 M6. I can honestly say that I get a thrill EVERY TIME I get behind the wheel - I love driving this car, and it loves to be driven! Sounds like the same sort of memories you have of the Supras you've owned.

In Jan '03 I will be in a '00 E55 - although my M6 is a "performer" it in no way compares to today's tech marvels of M5 and E55. The "feel" however, can be equated to be more like today's M5. Having driven both the M5 and the E55, my observations as a driver are simple: the M5 has more of the raw, unabashed feel of a true road car, designed and engineered to be driven hard, all the time. The E55, while every bit the match for the M5, is more of a refined ride, dishing up the power and performance only when summoned (albeit always there, and lurking just beneath the surface).

Put another way, the attitude or demeanor of the M5 is as a wolf in wolf's clothing, while the E55 puts on more of the sheep-disguise. I will be keeping my M6 because the E55 cannot convey that same raw feeling, even when driven hard (regardless of the far-superior performance of the E55).

Hope this helps - either way, it's an enviable dilema to be in!

 

I love MB and all but a new M5 for a really good price? I couldn't pass that offer....

 

Rehashing the old M5 vs. E55 comparison is like beating a dead horse, everything that can be said has been said. They are both awsome cars. The M5 is a performance luxury super sedan, the E55 is a luxury performance super sedan. You can't go wrong with either one.

I've owned many BMWs and Mercs, including an M3 but not an M5. Sometimes I do miss the on the edge handling of the M3 and its manual trans, but I don't miss it's harsh ride. If you miss the 6 speed manual and are looking for near race car handling, the M5 will be just the ticket for you. But, IMHO, the E55 AMG has more class.

 

M6toE55,

You didn't listen to what you said. If you said that you missed the 6-speed of the Turbo Supra and the handling of the BMW. Well, the M5 has both over the E55 and more. It good that you are leasing it because the new M5 with V10 are coming out soon.

 

Thats right, take the plunge, clown, what do you have to loose exceptone "5" in Vic 55? Vic5 is not bad at all.
You get M5 and you dont have to play with changing wheels all hte time and change your suspension as you did with your 55. There is nothing on M5 that you need to change, period.
YOu can always go back to E55 once you are in your fifties-I'm sure you will enjoy it more at that age.

 

Go with the M5. I'm actually in the same situation as you, I want to trade my '00 C230k for a '02 BMW 325Ci (manual.) There's something about BMWs, and their manual transmission that pulls drivers like gravity. I loved everything about the 325Ci that I test drove, it just asks to be driven, while the MB asks to be driven, slowly. Go with the M5, that 6-speed tranny can't be beat!

-Faheem

 

So you're trading in your E55 for an M5?? Thought you said you're getting a 996TT???? Anyways don't think you can go wrong with either car.

 

I cant get insurance on a 996TT- I have 3 speeding tickets from the year 2k that have not dropped off yet.

Thanks Fast Eddy- I didnt realize that my login would be easier to type-

 

Oh ok. Well let me know what ever you decide to do. You can't go wrong on either cars. Btw sent you an e-mail check it.

 

James here is the color, what do all of you think??? Its not silver but then I already have two silver cars and my S4 is the daily driver.

 

I love M5's but if your going to resell the car get the e55 its going to be higher in a year or five. The m5 I think is the best car on the road, best of every world. But the resale sorta sucks on them right now. This is coming from someone who has been though many cars.

 

Hey dallas thanks for the input, from what research I have done out here in SoCal, the AMG's are not holding their value. I see 01's in the CLK and E format selling in the high 50's and low 60's. This means the dealer probably hit these cars for low 50's and even high 40's on trade. The prices the dealers are hitting the customers for are similiar to the auction prices and the last M5 that sold at the Riverside auction sold for 60k and that was an '01. Its just so hard to predict these markets, when I got my E55 they were selling for way over sticker but that was when they were still in production. Either way I am not here to get this car as an investment. A car is a poor investment unless you are buying a classic or a Ferrari IMO.

 

The resolution on that picture is poor, but I prefer Avus Blue over LeMans Blue on the BMWs. But Blue seems to be the M color of advertising choice these days, use to be Dakar Yellow. I hate that Phoenix Yellow they use now.

 

Yes definetly Le Mans... very very nice color! its my number one choice!

Here are some better resolution pictures of Le Mans Blue that I took. http://www.pbase.com/ucsdxb0i/m5

 

Vic

Since the president of our company has this same color M5 which i see almost everyday again you can't go wrong with it. IMO silver just stands out better. Just imagine a silver M5 and a silver S4!

 

If you get the m5 you got to go sterling gray. Best BMW color ever.

 

Sweet ride, what mods have you done on that car. How much were the clear corners???

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JamE55
[B]Vic

Since the president of our company has this same color M5 which i see almost everyday again you can't go wrong with it. IMO silver just stands out better. Just imagine a silver M5 and a silver S4!

I already had the S4 and the E55 in silver, plus two GS400's and a silver Supra Turbo, time for a change.

 

Vic,

First of all, I have driven both cars and if it wasn't for the fact that BMW was selling the M5 way over sticker in 2001 when I was looking at it, I would be driving one. Instead, I settled for the E55 in silver. (I've always wanted a silver car since most of my cars were black).

Therefore, you can't go wrong with an M5.
You may want to check w/other M5 boards/drivers on the reliability of the M5 and what inherent problems (if any other than oil guzzler) it has.

On another note, are you interested in selling your BBS LM's as the offset is probably different on the M5. Let me know how much you want for them

Best Regards,
Edmond

 

Hey Edmond, its funny but I had the same problem when I was looking for a car in 2001. I wanted the M5 first but they were spanking everyone who came in to get them so I got a great deal on the E55. I was able to get about 2k under sticker on the M5 so I might just do it. I let you know about the BBS LM's but from what the wholesaler at the dealer was saying; he wants my E55 the way it sits right now- lowered with the BBS wheels.

 

Vic

so what happened? Did you trade it yet? What's up??

 

if the M5 has the luxury interior, i say go for it, that car is sweet! make sure u follow my detailing tips! is the E55 a lease Vic?

 

It's a lease. Waiting for Vic to give me a ride on it later on. Hope to see him this afternoon and it's on!!