Originally Posted by Glock-357' post='564137

11mpg...that is mean.....I had my thoughts on the M but with the price of gas

Originally Posted by Roleez' post='563472' date='Apr 17 2008, 11:43 PM

ECF and Company,

Allow me to introduce you to my new baby monster. As some of you already know, I've always wanted to step up to an M5 6-speed. As much fun as my Dinan550 was, there was just something missing. I think it was that awesome V10 soundtrack. Then I shocked myself ... being a manual transmission driver since the day I turned 16, I was SO not going to settle for an SMG. Until I drove one (again after about a year) last Saturday. There she was tucked behind three rows of '08 550s gleaming in the red hot San Jose sun at Stevens Creek BMW. That was the first time I saw Indianapolis Red in person and it immediately made me think of my Bordeaux Red Pearl '92 Honda Accord. Then I thought to myself ... why not have TWO red cars?!

Immediately, three salesguys embarked in moving the 550s out of the way so that the red monster could come out and play. I settled in and took her for a spin and for some crazy reason, I smiled longer (and it hurt more, too!) and harder driving this SMG beast vs. my experience driving the 6-speed. I still maintain my stronghold for driving a manual transmission (which is why I still have my 92 Accord 5-speed as the daily fuel sipper), but the SMG experience was just phenomenal. OH QUIT COMPLAINING AND TRY SOMETHING NEW, I said to myself! Plus it's nice having that extra 7th gear on the freeway. Obviously mileage sucks, but the way the car sounds more than makes up for that mpg deficiency. Just 900 miles to go before I can finally hear the V10 SING! I already love how the V10 makes itself heard once you pass 3500 rpm. So P400 and S4 it is till the 1200 mile mark.

Tomorrow is clear-bra installation, and next week is Dinan Stage 1 suspension installation ... and the (re)installation of my Dinan rims. Nice to know that the E60 550 and E60 M5 share the same part numbers for the rims! Michelin PS2s are on their way as well, and by next week's end, she'll have a Dinan badge on the opposite end of the M5 badge. No engine/exhaust/intake mods for now. I'm quite happy with the power so it doesn't make sense to me (yet) to add more power. Suspension and rims for now and I'll see how things progress from there. That Dinan exhaust sure does look (and sound) good, though.

Some pics during delivery ...

PRIOR TO DEALER PREP
Attachment 48334
BLACK MERINO / ALUMINUM INTERIOR
Attachment 48335
I'M A SUCKER FOR RED CARS
Attachment 48336
$#%)#$)@#$*!!!!
Attachment 48337
FIRST CAR WASH PRIOR TO FINAL DEALER PREP (which scared the $h*t out of me when I saw the rotating brushes)Attachment 48338
SITTING PRETTY AT SUNSET
Attachment 48339

Originally Posted by Roleez' post='564440' date='Apr 19 2008, 07:12 PM

Haha, thanks for the correction! The 'invisible clutch pedal' is starting to grow on me. Although I admit that there are times where smoothness (especially when stopping or driving in stop and go traffic) is hard to come by. Perhaps it's because it's in P400 (less agressive throttle) vs. P500S (quicker throttle). But regardless, I've learned to adapt and find ways to make the stops and gos more smoother as if there really was a clutch pedal.

Originally Posted by EuroCarFan' post='564484

Let me know when you track at Laguna Seca. I wanna be a passenger!

Originally Posted by Roleez' post='564736' date='Apr 20 2008, 12:40 PM

How funny that a lot of dealerships "say" that this feature is "locked out" until after the car is somehow "reconfigured" after the 1200-mile oil change. Just for kicks, I tried it once just to feel the fastest change. I know you're not supposed to during break-in, but one time won't destroy the transmission. It was more like a teaser for things to come. Just did a swap of gears from 7 to 6 to 5, then back to 7. WOW, now that's quick!


You don't know how much I'd LOVE to track Laguna again! I'll save that for a CCA meet (I know they have one soon) in the future after I get the most out of the complimentary 2-day M School in South Carolina this summer! Bashing around in someone else's M5 ... now THAT is something to look forward to! Perfect place to truly master what the M5 is capable of without any fear of destroying your own car. But for now, I'm going there later (just 7 mins. away) to duplicate the same pic that I snapped of my Dinan550. Weather's nice today, so now I can finally take more pics of the M5!