Hello all, I have a 06 525xi with 120k miles and it's time for a new car with less miles. I've always wanted an M5 but my big hangup is the fact that the M5s (<2012) don't offer AWD.

Any advice here? I live in SE PA and it snows from time to time. I found the awd helpful in last years snowfalls but maybe I could do without it? Would snowtires replace the need for that?

Thanks in advance for anything you can offer.

 

You cant really compare the feel of an M5 to a 535/550. The M5 eclipses any other E60 in every way with regards to performance. They are completely different cars in completely different classes.

For that reason alone, its not an easy question to answer, it depends on the purpose of your car.

As a daily driver, if you have a long commute that warrants frequent driving in the snow/rain, it'd be tough. Poor gas mileage, high maintenance costs, and sub-par snow performance. Blizzaks wont make your car suddenly equivalent to an AWD vehicle (that may also need/use blizzaks).

If it's a weekend car, where you may have some snow on the way back from skiing, then it'll be fine in 2 inches of snow, anything more it'll be worse than an AWD vehicle.

 

In the winter I would rather have an M5 with winter tires than an Ix on summer tyres.