doughboy540

no problems with my 550 w 59k just did the quad exaust...but always wanted an m5 since day1 is it worth getting an e60 m5... why and why not? only thing i worry about is getting someone elses headache or a previosly crashed m5 ...anyone driven or owned both? thank you for your feedback

umichchris

funny you should ask...

ive been a member on the forum for quite some time now it feels like. i originally joined the forum with a 2004 545i Dinan Stage 3 car with every bolt on possible (minus the ESS supercharger lol).

i loved that car a lot. i modded it, wheels, body kit, lights, etc...


but i always wanted a real ///M. when fate intervened via a car accident, i decided to upgrade to the E60 M5.

ive had it nearly 3 years now. the first year was absolutely amazing. i f#cking loved every moment of it. the power is crazy. i got a few bolt on mods and an engine tune and it quickly became a total beast.


then the maintenance and upkeep started to creep on me. i expected to have some costs....but id estimate that ive spent at least 10k keeping the car on the road now.

owning an E60 M5 is literally like owning a super car.

maintenance items:

- brakes $1000 (if you do them yourself - multiply that if you have a dealer do them)
- oil change $200 (multiply that if you have a dealer or indy do it)
- tires $1500 ~ you will always need to put on real performance tires, which are expensive, there's no reasonable cheap tire for this car...nor should you put them on if you found some lol


larger items bound to need attention:

- clutch & flywheel replacement $3000 to $5000 (this isnt cheap no matter what route you take - most E60 M5s need this done every 30k to 50k miles btw)
- SMG pump & related assembly $5000 (notorious problem on the E60 M5)
- S85 Rod Bearing Replacement $3000 on the lower end of the price range (this is something that most owners should do around 70k to 80k to ensure the engine lasts, large preventative expenditure but better than a 10k to 15k engine replacement later


the list goes on & on. im not trying to scare you away....its just you have to take all this into account when considering the switch. given how expensive it is to maintain and all the money ive spent keeping her running perfect....i now only drive my M5 roughly 1,000 miles per year lol. since owning her, ive bought two daily drivers....currently my DD is a E36 M3 sedan (manual). i havent even driven the M5 once this summer yet lol

so think it over, understand the true cost of ownership goes far beyond how much you pay for the car itself. if you have the expendable income GO FOR IT because its an amazing car to own & drive

otherwise, the 550i may be a much easier car to own and enjoy...

turboawd

wow, i never knew about this. just from searching, it seems like a big deal.
Comprehensive S85 Rod Bearing Picture Thread - BMW M5 Forum and M6 Forums

audiophool

I did the same thing years ago but with E34s.

Had a '90 535iM and switched to a '91 M5, was close to doing the E30 325is to M3 switch a few years previously but didn't. Yes everything on the M5 was a bit more expensive, but DAMN it was an awesome car that I LOVED for 7 years. Did all the maintenance myself and I never looked back.

That said, the thought of upgrading to an E60 M5 scares the crap out of me.





Do it...

west

Keep the 550i and mod it! It's not the most economical platform to build on, but it is very fun to drive when built properly.

doughboy540

thank you umichris for your feedback that def. helped out with my decision....@ west thanx ill stick with my 550i so far ive had sprintbooster v2,rpi scoop,charcoal filter delete,quad exaust like you and socal had, anything else that can be done to the 550 or can you direct me to a website that sell mods for this car thanx ahead!!

seablue550i

X2 on keeping the 550i. I went back and forth so many times before I bought my 550. But at the end of the days my bimmer was going to be a daily driver and the M5 is not daily material. The trans jerks like crazy, it chugs gas, maintenance is horrific and my insurance was twice the amount with a 550.

seablue550i

X2 on keeping the 550i. I went back and forth so many times before I bought my 550. But at the end of the day my bimmer was going to be a daily driver and the M5 is not daily material. The trans jerks like crazy, it chugs gas, maintenance is horrific and my insurance was twice the amount with a 550.