How reliable are E60 M5s?

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 16:01

What are the common faults on E60 M5s?
From what I have briefly read 06ish cars have had quite a few problems with SMG faults and vanos leaks, how about later cars? (specific age is an late 57 plate)

I understand clutches and flywheels fail and are not covered under warranty for obvious wear and tear reasons, but need to be replaced together if they do go. Is there any way of checking for wear or can a dealer check via diagnostics?

How well do they cope with higher milage (sub 100k)

Also could someone give me a price of insp1 and insp2 for this car.

[TW]Fox · 22 Sep 2011 at 16:02

It doesn't have the old style inspection services.

mattyg · 22 Sep 2011 at 16:03

Aren't ECU's supposed to be a problem

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 16:11

[TW]Fox;20127839 said:
It doesn't have the old style inspection services.

I have just been googling, it's "condition based servicing" I may have to give a dealer a call and ask about rough prices. I'm assuming well north of £1000 for major service though.

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 16:50

Any one have any more info? I know they are not exactly a common motor. I shall be trawling M5boards later but I'm just at work at the moment and you guys are more convenient

TomO · 22 Sep 2011 at 17:27

the fuel tanks isn't big enough considering how quickly it gets through it. I was happy if I managed 200 miles around town to a tank.

Clutch was revised I think post 06 cars, so less red cog of death, new clutch is c. £2k.

You can see when a lot of things are due ( filters and brake pads etc.) in the idrive, doesn't show you clutch wear though. My 05 plate killed a clutch after around something like 8k miles, which was ridiculous, BMW sorted under warranty.

Django x2 · 22 Sep 2011 at 17:35

Nasty to drive around town as the box is pretty jerky by all accounts. As Fox says, it's a CBS based system for these and that won't be cheap, especially as some of the requirements can arrive all together (brake fluid, oil change, etc)

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 19:24

Fuel is not an issue as it won't be used for commuting, I have heard about the cog of death an that was my main worry.

If I do get the car I'm looking at it currently has BMW extended warranty which I will keep, I'm just concerned about the car constantly needing work. I rang BMW earlier and the car does not seem to have needed any major work done under warranty, obviously could be a blessing or a curse...

I expect it will only cover around 8-9k miles a year if I buy it, many of which would be euro trips, so it won't have an especially hard life.

The only other thing is insurance, but I may stomach it if I can get the car trade.

[TW]Fox · 22 Sep 2011 at 19:28

Even at 9k a year thats still £4k a year in fuel...

An E60 M5 isnt a car you buy because you've found you can get cheap 'trade'.

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 19:33

[TW]Fox;20129499 said:
Even at 9k a year thats still £4k a year in fuel...

But that is my only fuel costs, I have a fuel card for work and my gf has a car if im feeling tight...

The way I see it I currently dont have kids and may not be able to justify having a car like this later on in life, probably a rather dangerous way of thinking but who know eh

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 19:35

[TW]Fox;20129499 said:
An E60 M5 isnt a car you buy because you've found you can get cheap 'trade'.

Its one owner, taken PX by my dad full history etc... I will be getting it for what it owes him.

I do understand the dangers, I wasnt talking a BCA 12K special

[TW]Fox · 22 Sep 2011 at 19:37

What did he PX it for? :eek:

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 19:42

[TW]Fox;20129567 said:
What did he PX it for?

A few vans, not quite exciting as it seems.

I cant remember the story but the bloke was starting a buisness and needed some vans. I beleive he mentioned he was finding it difficult to shift the M5 so my dad ended up doing a deal with the vans.

I assure you its more legit than it sounds

booyaka · 22 Sep 2011 at 20:07

if you need to ask how reliable a 4 or 5 year old M5 is - you can't afford one!

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 20:21

booyaka said:
if you need to ask how reliable a 4 or 5 year old M5 is - you can't afford one!

You have read the whole thread have you

I wanted to know how reliable they are as I don't fancy the car ending up in the dealers every time I travel some distance in it.

NVP · 22 Sep 2011 at 20:50

Only had mine a few months but it's been a hard few months and is as perfect now as it was then. Not much really to say about reliability as I have only owned it a minute but if you think you can stomach the costs involved then go for it, just make sure it's a good example and you keep renewing the waranty.

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 21:01

Well the car im thinking of is 1 owner, has BMW history at the same dealer it was purchased from and apparently has had no previous major issues. I dont know how the car has been driven but my dad gave the impression the owner was the sort of bloke who bought it as it was the most expensive 5 series not because it was a M car.

But appearances can be deceiving and he could have spent every day launching the car and generaly thrashing it within an inch of it life...

[TW]Fox · 22 Sep 2011 at 21:05

How old is it?

MeEsH BaKkA · 22 Sep 2011 at 21:12

It's a 57 plate, I'm unsure when the 5 series was face lifted as tbh I had been looking at M3s so don't know a vast amount about the M5.

Edit: it was built in 08

Django x2 · 22 Sep 2011 at 21:21

Facelift was Spring 07 iirc