E61 M5 buying advice needed.

[Dominick_b5RS]

I hope everyone is staying safe and well during these uncertain times!

Hopefully some of you can help! I have been looking at owning an e61 for a couple of years but have never pulled the trigger instead I’ve had a series of audi rs products which just left me feeling a little cold, yes they’re fast and capable but they have no soul! Ive had B5,B7 and C6 variants all lovely cars but no fun to reward the big bills if you see what I mean.

At the ripe old age of 25 I have owned about 20 cars for a long ish amount of time and I have finally realised that the main checklist items for me are; naturally aspirated, quirky as hell and either hatch back or estate. This brings me back to the e61 over and over.

I’m looking for any thoughts/ information about these cars:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

I’m concerned that its been for sale since the 7th feb but it look like a nice car anyone know it?

Or

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

This one has been for sale since 16th March it seems again anyone know the car or anything about it?

I am also thinking about posting on the M5 forums any advice about the best subscribed in the UK?


Any help or advise would be hugely aprecated.

[JMBMWM5]

Unless you have very deep pockets, leave them well alone.
Look on here for a recent thread on these very cars.

[Dominick_b5RS]

Hi thanks for the reponce, I happy bugeting for the running costs, was there a thread on these two cars I must have missed it any links?

[cossy400]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-M5-V10-SMG-TOURING-...


I have nothing to do with this car it was posted on a facebook page.

I know the mileage is up but seems cheap compared to what you ve posted, and the rod bearings have been down.

I would love one but Angrydogs thread on here and a few others id not be able to sleep at night waiting for something to go wrong.

[Dominick_b5RS]

In my opion you cant buy cars worring about what might happen just enjoy them if it breaks do some reasech and there is normally a better aftermaket service to take up the slack! Ive had 'reliable' cars that have thrown big bills viseversa its a V10 estate car then ill have owned 2 of the 3 ever v10 estates which is cool!

I tend to steer clear of high mile preformace cars because it really hurts resale value, Id also like a private sale to guage the previos owners level of knowledge the only time ive been biten really badly by a car was from a 'reputable' dealer such a shame!

Thanks for the input

[Bodie390]

I’ve got the E61 M5 and had it 4 1/2 years and it’s never caused me any headache.

I’ve driven 13000 miles and the majority of them miles was across Europe as it’s an epic car for such journeys. I bought mine from a main dealer and it’s still under warranty, which I pay monthly for and I’ve only used it once for Vanos solenoids when it went in for a service.

The usual rod bearings will become normal talk and if you can factor that into the price for later on work to undertake - roughly £1200 - 1500ish. Mine has 62000 miles on it and I’ve never had them done. I had the clutch and flywheel replaced at 50k and only last week I had discs and pads all round with a wheel refurb.

The fuel will always be costly in these but if you don’t mind that then knock ya self bandy and have fun.

[Dominick_b5RS]

what a lovely looking E61 is that space gray? nice to hear a happy story TBH

[Zebrs]

Looks like silver-grey to me. Don’t thing the E61 was ever offered with space grey, but I might be wrong.

I love the idea of an E61, go for it OP, just get one with a low enough mileage that the BM warranty is only painful and not eye watering!

[Bodie390]

It’s Space Grey, later models had that colour.

[Dominick_b5RS]

I had a space grey 335d for 6 months it’s a nice understated bmw colour

[Mags]

I've had an E61 M5 for 5 years now and bought it on complete impulse with no knowledge of the history of these. I've owned other M cars so I'm not a complete numpty. It had the extended warranty which I still have and the first few years it paid for itself but last year I think I only used it for a minor item.
I've had a few problems, when I first bought it the regulator went and battery and it left me stranded, I've had the airflow sensor issue (or whatever it is) that left me in limp home mode once, the rear hatch wiring failed (common on E61's) and the radio antenna and the oil cooler started to leak, almost all done under warranty apart from the radio antenna (they claimed water ingress but only because the hatch spoiler gasket failed, I gave up arguing in the end)
I'm on about 75k miles now and only do a few thousand a year, I was taking it to BMW for servicing but I'm changing to Munich Legends now as the BMW dealer service is terrible.
I have thought about selling, it is expensive to run, fuel and warranty wise but I really love it and more importantly so does my wife. She hates my Cerbera so the compromise is a nice everyday car instead of an old 535 D sport estate I used to have. I don't know what I could replace it with and be happy.
The only real negative is the dumb gearbox, I never use Auto mode, it's terrible, it's only a problem at low speeds really but it can be a bit thumpy at times, not enough to make we want to sell.
At the moment I can't see me parting with it, it's hard to see what could compare in terms of space, pace and comfort and still looks good after 13 years and they are rare cars, not just another M car you see all over the place. I expect within the next year or two I'll be getting the big end bearings replaced, that will give me peace of mind and I believe the engines are strong once this weakness is sorted.

Edited by Mags on Monday 18th May 14:24

[jm doc]

Mags said:

I've had an E61 M5 for 5 years now and bought it on complete impulse with no knowledge of the history of these. I've owned other M cars so I'm not a complete numpty. It had the extended warranty which I still have and the first few years it paid for itself but last year I think I only used it for a minor item.
I've had a few problems, when I first bought it the regulator went and battery and it left me stranded, I've had the airflow sensor issue (or whatever it is) that left me in limp home mode once, the rear hatch wiring failed (common on E61's) and the radio antenna and the oil cooler started to leak, almost all done under warranty apart from the radio antenna (they claimed water ingress but only because the hatch spoiler gasket failed, I gave up arguing in the end)
I'm on about 75k miles now and only do a few thousand a year, I was taking it to BMW for servicing but I'm changing to Munich Legends now as the BMW dealer service is terrible.
I have thought about selling, it is expensive to run, fuel and warranty wise but I really love it and more importantly so does my wife. She hates my Cerbera so the compromise is a nice everyday car instead of an old 535 D sport estate I used to have. I don't know what I could replace it with and be happy.
The only real negative is the dumb gearbox, I never use Auto mode, it's terrible, it's only a problem at low speeds really but it can be a bit thumpy at times, not enough to make we want to sell.
At the moment I can't see me parting with it, it's hard to see what could compare in terms of space, pace and comfort and still looks good after 13 years and they are rare cars, not just another M car you see all over the place. I expect within the next year or two I'll be getting the big end bearings replaced, that will give me peace of mind and I believe the engines are strong once this weakness is sorted.

Edited by Mags on Monday 18th May 14:24

Auto mode makes the car undrivable. It always used to amaze me when I heard people discussing using it on here.

[AW10]

Also had an E61 M5 for 7.5 years; sold it last year. Here's the for sale thread for some perspective on values. https://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/threads/57-plate-e6...

I think the red one in the Autotrader link is overpriced whereas the black one (a fairly rare 2009 model) is priced fairly. Given the availability of the black one I wouldn't be looking at the red one at the dealer with 100K plus miles; I'd spend the extra and get the lower mileage and newer car. Provided everything checks out OK etc etc.

Edited by AW10 on Monday 18th May 18:27

[SebringMan]

jm doc said:

Auto mode makes the car undrivable. It always used to amaze me when I heard people discussing using it on here.

If they are like my E46 M3 with a more archaic SMG setup, subframe bushes, and a complete Propshaft overhaul down to a replaced CV joint transformed mine ; it's surprisingly smoother on the upshifts and that's coming from people who aren't used to them being smooth.

I would love an E61 Touring :I'd be lying if I said I didn't see that £15k example, but the stories do scare me!

I've heard of gearbox casings cracking in worst cases.

If there is an example I should have bought, it's the 200k example that went at CCA a while ago. At £5k, that was a risk worth taking IMHO. To look and hear the car, you wouldn't have thought it did that mileage ; the seats were actually in very good condition, compared to a few M5s I've seen. At that money, it could have been broken for spares if something went wrong. A shame for a car which was a motor journo car, but such is life....

[DBA086]

Moved into one recently. It isn’t as fast as I was expecting (in normal driving, I suspect that a 535d would be faster) and I could see the 15-20 mpg being a pain (although thankfully the car only does 3-4K a year) but the sound more than makes up for it.

Would a newer C63/E63 or RS6 scratch the itch?

[Dominick_b5RS]

Hi, thanks for the response do you have an e61? I’ve had really fast cars so not worried about out and out speed it’s more how it gets there for example I loved the v8 in the b7, But again a fast diesel would pull its pants down, it’s still in the family my mum has it so I still get to use that which is nice!

All the new stuff leaves me so cold, just too fast no character!

[DBA086]

Dominick_b5RS said:

Hi, thanks for the response do you have an e61? I’ve had really fast cars so not worried about out and out speed it’s more how it gets there for example I loved the v8 in the b7, But again a fast diesel would pull its pants down, it’s still in the family my mum has it so I still get to use that which is nice!

All the new stuff leaves me so cold, just too fast no character!

Yep - interlagos blue 07 plate, and absolutely love it. It's due rod bearings based on its age (although the oil analysis hasn't shown any problems) but otherwise the expensive stuff was done before I bought it.

Agree regarding the new stuff. I would have gone back to a B7 RS4 but unfortunately we needed an auto.

[AW10]

DBA086 said:

in normal driving, I suspect that a 535d would be faster

Isn't that sort of an oxymoron - which car is faster in normal driving?

I went from an early E61 535d to an E61 M5. No question the 535d has more lazy torque (and the auto box to easily exploit it) for urban driving but if the traffic and road conditions allow you to rev out the M5 the 535d wouldn't know which way it went. The M5 is one of the few cars that I have owned where the car gets to 100 and just keeps pulling and pulling. Loads of cars are quick to 60 mph or even to 100mph but it's what they do above 100 that sets them apart. Pointless on UK roads I know.

[Mags]

DBA086 said:

Moved into one recently. It isn’t as fast as I was expecting (in normal driving, I suspect that a 535d would be faster) and I could see the 15-20 mpg being a pain (although thankfully the car only does 3-4K a year) but the sound more than makes up for it.

Would a newer C63/E63 or RS6 scratch the itch?

I agree it lacks torque, I've read a few comment about an amazing engine in the wrong car but that's the character, you have to get the revs up to get it going and it rewards you with a gorgeous noise. I'd love to open up the exhaust a little, every now and then I'll listen to a few Youtube videos of E60/61's with aftermarket exhausts (I know, I'm sad) but this invalidates the warranty I believe?

[DBA086]

AW10 said:

Isn't that sort of an oxymoron - which car is faster in normal driving?

I went from an early E61 535d to an E61 M5. No question the 535d has more lazy torque (and the auto box to easily exploit it) for urban driving but if the traffic and road conditions allow you to rev out the M5 the 535d wouldn't know which way it went. The M5 is one of the few cars that I have owned where the car gets to 100 and just keeps pulling and pulling. Loads of cars are quick to 60 mph or even to 100mph but it's what they do above 100 that sets them apart. Pointless on UK roads I know.

I think the second part of your post answers that- either to 60 or on typical motorway speeds the M5 doesn't feel fast and I suspect that a 535d would be faster in those situations. As I said, it's a moot point anyway - the M5 noise and feel is fantastic and makes the most mundane drive an experience.