So what does everyone think of this as a potential new car??

[parlee-king]

Christ thats saying something if he bought an E63 AMG for economy!

I think it was a later 5.5 turbo rather than the 6.2 NA engine...which is supposed to be a bit better on juice (relative I know)
He had already owned 3xM3 (E36,E46,E92) a C63, E55, RR V8 and a Datsun GTR so suspect he was pretty used to fuel bills...but the M6's thirst shocked him

[Graeme4130]

Going back a while now, but I had the E60 saloon M5
I say 'had' lightly as I sold it on after about 6 weeks as I really couldn't live with it day to day

I'll give you the brief pros and cons ;

Pros;
The engine is a real work of art. It revs really well and it's got a huge amount of power. The noise is awesome
The interior is typical first class BMW
General fast a road/dc performance - once up and running, it'll stay with most cars on the road

Cons ;

It's a 5 series BMW, and everyone will think you're a tosser
The gearbox is utter crap and even when you get used to its foibles and drive accordingly, it's still fundamentally floored and they eat clutches too (at £2k a pop) - forget launch control as the clutch will last about 3 launches and if you use the L/c BMW will void your warranty
There's a million things that can go wrong, and unfortunately do. If your car's out of BMW warranty, then it's going to an expensive exercise
200 miles to a tank of fuel gets tedious

[coffey555]

It's a 5 series BMW, and everyone will think you're a tosser

I think that statement can be applied to most Audi's with the possible exception of the A2.

[Graeme4130]

It's a 5 series BMW, and everyone will think you're a tosser

I think that statement can be applied to most Audi's with the possible exception of the A2.

Entirely possible

[coffey555]

The A2 only gets a reprieve because people are too busy laughing at you to be angry!

Great car though, just a bit quirky.

Just read your signature Graeme, your mountain bikes don't live in the back of the Avant then?

I did consider buying a van myself but decided against it in the end because the roads to most of the places I ride are too good!

[coffey555]

Keeping it on topic, the M5 Touring would make a great car for carrying bikes in. Bigger inside than the RS4 Avant.

[Graeme4130]

The A2 only gets a reprieve because people are too busy laughing at you to be angry!

Great car though, just a bit quirky.

Just read your signature Graeme, your mountain bikes don't live in the back of the Avant then?

I did consider buying a van myself but decided against it in the end because the roads to most of the places I ride are too good!

They do sometimes. Depends where I'm going and how Mucky it's going to be - probably about 50/50 at the moment
My van's comparable with my RS4 at around 50 in third

[neckarsulm]

I was looking for the Evo review of B7 RS4 Avant vs E60 M5 Touring but found their great video instead

http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/planetevovi ... mw_m5.html


I saw a dark red metallic M5 getting on M25 yesterday, bit dirty so looked a proper Q car but nevertheless not a car for me.
The new one has put right a lot of its acknowledged wrongs, I dont think it will be regarded with much affection and will become banger money soon with all that complexity and no warranties

[coffey555]

That must be some van you have there Graeme!

I put two bikes in the back with the seats down or three on the roof and one in the boot with a swingarm through the ski-hatch if four are riding that day.

Hatchbag bootliner with some old moving blankets works well.

Don't like putting bikes on the roof much though as it means reduced cornering speeds. It does seem to result in better mpg due to a more sensible driving style despite the extra weight and drag!

I agree, far too much to go wrong on the E60/61 but I still like it more than the new F10.

If only they had made more than one E39 M5 Touring, now that would have been a great bike/dog carrier!

[scaghead]

I was looking for the Evo review of B7 RS4 Avant vs E60 M5 Touring but found their great video instead

http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/planetevovi ... mw_m5.html


I saw a dark red metallic M5 getting on M25 yesterday, bit dirty so looked a proper Q car but nevertheless not a car for me.
The new one has put right a lot of its acknowledged wrongs, I dont think it will be regarded with much affection and will become banger money soon with all that complexity and no warranties

Agree prefer the look of the new one...never a fan of the dame Edna headlights on the 60..

[Ian_C]

It does seem to result in better mpg due to a more sensible driving style despite the extra weight and drag!

Hahaha just like I bet Graeme set an RS6 record mpg coming home from Devon with his mum in the passenger seat!

[rob-s]

Where I live a M5 E60 isn't suitable for apps. 6 months per year due to winter conditions. The smg gearbox doesn't behave properly and causes spinning at idle when wet.
My neighbor had one and I had to pull his M5 from his driveway with my quattro sometimes..now he has an Audi S4 Avant B8..

[Graeme4130]

It does seem to result in better mpg due to a more sensible driving style despite the extra weight and drag!

Hahaha just like I bet Graeme set an RS6 record mpg coming home from Devon with his mum in the passenger seat!

Haha, yeah. Strictly no racing allowed with my mum on board. Although my father was a rally driver and done time track racer, so she's used to ring driven around quick, but not how she's 76
And there's a lamp on the dash as part of the active cruise to tell you when you're too close to the car in front
I refer to it as the 'wife light'

[Graeme4130]

That must be some van you have there Graeme!

Oh yeah, it's decent as far as sleeper vans go

316bhp + just over a tonne = pretty quick once it's going and looks like a bag of crap, so perfect for mountain biking

Full spec ;
Astra van z20let,
Regal stage 3+map 316bhp@ 0.9bar. Can be pushed to 1.4 if needed
Fully rebuilt z20let 2.0 turbo engine with
Total seal rings
ACL race bearings
ARP rod bolts, stud and nut kit
New LEH race pistons
Polished exhaust ports,3 angle valve seats and cut down guides.
Balance shaft delete kit
Inlet cam <beep> pully
VXR turbo technics Hybrid turbo turbo
Courtney Front mount intercooler
Milltek exhaust system with 100cell cat
Itg filter in CDTI air box
Courtney inlet elbow
Hard pipe kit
225 in tank fuel pump
Suspension
Billstein B8 shocks
Eibach springs
Astra coupe 5 stud set up
Rear antiroll bar kit
Wheels and tyres
Vectra 7x16 steel wheels
Brakes
Astra coupe brakes with mintex racing front pads and Ap fluid

[coffey555]

I only drive really slowly when there are people in the car that I don't know that well (which fortunately is not that often) or if I am taking the cat to the vets.

My mum drives my car at least once a week when I am away just to keep it ticking over and the brakes from binding through the winter months.

Interestingly, she has made comments like "the steering is so much better than on my C-Max", "I don't like these new seats very much son" and "it is quite fast when you put your foot down, isn't it?" All of which I find highly amusing given she has a bus pass.

Not that old people don't know how to drive fast, far from it. It just seems odd to think of my mum going for an afternoon blast (on the way to the garden centre again no doubt).

She would get more plants in the back of a M5 Touring though and would probably quite like the Dame Edna headlights.