e39 M5 to e90 M3, I made the leap

[SDPLV]

With DCT and the traffic you speak of...do yourself the biggest favor and get the GTS DCT update. Much smoother driving in traffic.

And congrats!

[simple2010]

Originally Posted by SDPLV

With DCT and the traffic you speak of...do yourself the biggest favor and get the GTS DCT update. Much smoother driving in traffic.

Is the best route to get the flash contacting "Alex" via PM?

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by simple2010

When the speed increases, is it being indicated in the display panel? Maybe it's increasing / decreasing by a low enough amount I'm not noticing because I expect to see it displayed.

i leave mine on usually at the 2-3 speed and on auto. If i want to dial it back I'll change the temp knob, which also decreases the speed. I think the speed changes automatically to get it to the temperature you have set as fast as possible within the parameters of the speed input you set. #dasgermanengineering lol

[ohhgourami]

Originally Posted by simple2010

Is the best route to get the flash contacting "Alex" via PM?

Yes, best hundred or so bucks I've spent on my car.

Originally Posted by simple2010

When the speed increases, is it being indicated in the display panel? Maybe it's increasing / decreasing by a low enough amount I'm not noticing because I expect to see it displayed.

No indication, you hear the fans spin up and that's it. Set the fan speed and temp to what you normally desire then set it to auto and let it do it's thing. If I want cool fan air, I have to set the temp pretty low (65) because the 70s give you warm to hot air (hot engine).

[Castel]

When you press auto the distribution and volume (fan speed) are automatically controlled. What you see on the display when in AUTO is the intensity of the program. You might remember in your 335i e92 that you could press the AUTO button again to change the intensity from soft, normal or strong (you could also change it with iDrive). That's exactly the same as the display in the M3 shows, not the speed of the fan but the intensity of AUTO.

Here's the info from the User's manual:

Intensity of the AUTO program

With the AUTO program switched on, auto-
matic control of the air volume and air distribu-
tion can be adjusted:

Press the left side of the button to
reduce the intensity. Press the
right side of the button to
increase it.
The selected intensity is shown on the display
of the automatic climate control.

[SDPLV]

Originally Posted by simple2010

Is the best route to get the flash contacting "Alex" via PM?

Correct. He is usually pretty busy but should send you a link, etc.

[simple2010]

Thanks guys for the info on the climate control. I also appreciate the lack of RTFM. In my defense, I don't have the manual Not in my defense, I'm sure the pdf can be found.

GTS DCT looks like a great option.

I wish my local muffler shop was actually open on weekends, I would love to get the exhaust mod moving.

[MachinesWithSouls]

First, welcome.

Second, your M5 was wonderful. My M3 is also Interlagos, over tan. Great color combo.

Third, I brought home my daughter in my 328, and it's a nice moment for a car enthusiast.

Finally, let this be a public service announcement for all the single people: kids take up a ton of time. If you think you'll find time to clean the car and be with your child, doubtful. My 328 suffers from the daily grind, so I can totally relate.

[Prefontaine]

I would love to hear your thoughts on the E60 M5...

[McSwine]

Moar pics of the M5!




And welcome.

[simple2010]

Oh, hey buddy, remember that m5 you miss? Can you dig through some pics of it, specifically back when it was in excellent condition?

In her prime, she was quite the looker.











Bonus pic of my "shared custody" 1971 240z. This is more of a family heirloom, purchased new as a gift to my parents on their wedding. First stick I ever drove and has roughly 400k miles on it.



Okay, I have to stop looking at pics of the m5.

[simple2010]

Originally Posted by SoManyBlueCars

Finally, let this be a public service announcement for all the single people: kids take up a ton of time. If you think you'll find time to clean the car and be with your child, doubtful. My 328 suffers from the daily grind, so I can totally relate.

I've at least made it to the point that my 3yo can "help" wash the car. She helps by doing the opposite of what is needed. Just dried that part? Let me toss some soapy water on there. "I'm helping daddy!" <sigh>

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by simple2010

I've at least made it to the point that my 3yo can "help" wash the car. She helps by doing the opposite of what is needed. Just dried that part? Let me toss some soapy water on there. "I'm helping daddy!" <sigh>

Mine is not even a year old yet, but I definitely intend to share some daddy car time.

[simple2010]

Originally Posted by SDPLV

With DCT and the traffic you speak of...do yourself the biggest favor and get the GTS DCT update. Much smoother driving in traffic.

And congrats!

Order placed.

[WAKman]

My daughter has always been a gearhead. When she was 3, I had a 1966 Corvette that I had completely restored and painted myself. The day I was mounting the newly rechromed front bumper, she saw that I had placed the nuts and bolts on the floor. She picked up a couple and asked me if I needed those "tools." I said not yet, honey, so she slammed them down on the freshly painted hood. She was "helping." As always, I could not get mad at her.

The year she turned 18, I took the summer off and we did 23 track events together in my 944/968 race car, towing 10,000 miles. We drove Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Summit Point, Shenandoah, and VIR.

She bought a perfect E36 M3, but decided it was too nice to track--and besides, daddy's car was available! (Needless to say, she loves my E92 M3.)

She's now 30, with a masters in engineering from Stanford. Her first job out of school was at Tesla, where she spent 3 years working on energy stuff for the factory. She's at Microsoft now, also doing energy stuff. This year, after many years off, she returned to the track (photo). She hadn't lost a step. I'm hoping she'll buy another BMW (the E36 M3 is long gone) and prep it for the track. Maybe then I can drive her car.

Anyway, the moral of this rather long story is: treasure those moments with your kids. They're only little once.

Terry

[srmast1]

So just out of curiosity, what made you decide against the e60 m5? Sexy e90 by the way..it looks exactly like mine

[-BEASTMW-]

Congrats and welcome! This post is relevant to me, as I have had almost the exact same experiences with my old E39 M5 and live in the SF Bay Area as well!

I bought my '01 M5 w/66k (Silverstone on black) from Oakland, CA in 2009 and drove it home (then) to Seattle, WA with my dad. At the time I had only had my autoX-modded Acura Integra for the prior 9 years, so this was a BIT different. Absolutely loved the car and over the years did many of the exact same maintenance as you. My final tally was about $7k but I only put 29k on it over 6.5 years as I was away for school for part of that and always had another car, too.

I moved to the Bay Area in 2014 and had no plans to sell it, but on my bachelor party in 2015 a good friend offered me substantially more than I had paid and promised me I could drive it and see it (and have first right of refusal to buy it back when he sells) whenever I want since he is local. It was the only way I could ever let it go, and so I finally decided it was time to move on.

A year later, I bought what I had known would eventually replace my E39 since I drove one in 2010: an E90 M3. '11, white/red, ZCP, 6MT, the options I wanted and none that I didn't (no sunroof or power seats!)... It was perfect. As much as I absolutely worshipped my E39 M5 and still do, I have to say that overall I enjoy the E90 M3 even more after 13mos and 8k added. Biggest differences are the handling and reliability - it is definitely more of a sports car and I am glad the M5's constant issues are no longer my problem (though like you, mine never left me stranded).

E90 M3 Advantages:
-Substantially more eager handling - much more aggressive, instant, and neutral. Definitely more at home on a tight road or track
-Appreciably more compact
-More modern tech without being too complex
-That redline
-Steering feel
-Adjustable modes, esp. Euro MDM. The M5 I would just hit Sport and DSC off every time
-Far fewer issues to fix!

E39 M5 Advantages:
-Instant torque all the time - feels like a muscle car
-Outstanding ride quality and very quiet - awesome cruiser
-Subtle cool factor, just beautiful - I like the looks equally actually but the M5 just looks so mature, elegant and confident
-Aftermarket exhaust sounds badass
-Richer interior - mine had a leather dash and Alcantara headliner... Even leather sun visors!
-Actually got better highway mpg, about the same city

Overall I enjoy driving the M3 more as it's more of a complete performance car, as it was designed to compete with stuff like the 997 C2S while the M5 was competing with the first E55 AMG. However, something about the E39 M5 makes you feel like an undercover mafia hit man. The car is subtle but those with a discerning eye notice the rumble and know it can keep up with the 911s and Vettes of its day, all while being incredibly comfy and luxurious.

[-BEASTMW-]

To those asking about the E60 M5, I drove one but liked the E39 better. With the E60 you lost the elegant styling (though I actually don't mind it on its own), some interior quality, some torque (E39 actually makes MORE torque all the way up to 5,700rpm!), gained some weight and size... And in exchange you got an awesome V10 (which is worth the price of admission alone) but even worse MPG (like 11-12 combined, no joke) and some more serious and more common reliability failures like the SMG trans and rod bearings. It just wasn't a good tradeoff. And the low-torque, high-rev thing is really more suited to an M3 than an M5.

[Richbot]

I like the driving-hard experience in the E60M better, but everything else it's a wash with the E39 IMO, or worse, because iDrive and gas mileage and tiny fuel tank and rube goldbergism. The E60 handles brakes and goes better though, it's pretty obvious from the first chuck into a corner which one is the 4-door exotic and which one is the muscle car. But exotics have their drawbacks... though I think we're lucky to live in a world where it's at least not completely insane to buy a V10-powered 500+hp car second or third hand as a family hauler/beater for $25k...

The E39M's of the world deserve to be preserved though. They're definitely special. Even if their engines were just warmed-over M62's *ducks*

For me on the kids thing, it's been clean car or maintained car, pick one. The car gets the attention it needs mechanically and almost never gets washed. dirt washes off, paint can be corrected, but letting the driving experience degrade because of deferred maintenance means you might as well sell it

[davesaddiction]

Welcome to the fold! I was close to buying an E39 M5 before buying my '08 in 2012.

[SDPLV]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

Welcome to the fold! I was close to buying an E39 M5 before buying my '08 in 2012.

Same here.

Always wonder what it'd be like in an E39 ever since watching Clive Owen in "The Hire" (BMW Short Film).

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by SDPLV

Same here.

Always wonder what it'd be like in an E39 ever since watching Clive Owen in "The Hire" (BMW Short Film).

Love that film! Both Owen and Madonna are great, and that E39 does its job...��. On Youtube, rekommend people to watch it if not done.

PS. Here goes: