Yes lolz carbon etc, but take that one at the dealer. They’ve splashed out on extended merino (which means memory seats), heated wheel, etc. But haven’t gone for adaptive cruise? Pano roof I can understand but no ACC is madness for a showroom model with other great options.
BMW and M Power Owners
- Thread starter panthro
- Start date
Agreed. If you’re spending that much, it should be perfect.
Unfortunately, that likely means speccing your own from new, as Fox says.
Talking to a friend about this who explained to me that ever since the emissions scandal and the massive crack down on claimed figures, car companies are having to do spec specific things (can’t claim a car gets 50 mpg if you then add a heavy glass roof etc and different wheels, and claim it still makes 50mpg as the standard version as an example he gave)
So now all these manufacturers have moved to packs rather than individual options. ACC will be part of a pack that contains other stuff, that people don’t want to pay for.
It’s madness indeed when I drive my mothers fairly basic spec Golf 1.4 tsi and it’s got it.
You can’t have rear sun blinds with extended leather, so are those part of the comfort plus pack?
Best to spec one on the BMW site and it will tell you what’s being added and removed and why.
seeing mention of extended leather - this is just dash/door inserts ?
last week discussion on electric seat adjustments, had not discussed seat thigh extenders, I thought there was a time when those only came with better quality seat leather, and wondered what you need to plug into autotrader to ensure you had them.
last week discussion on electric seat adjustments, had not discussed seat thigh extenders, I thought there was a time when those only came with better quality seat leather, and wondered what you need to plug into autotrader to ensure you had them.
“Standard” Merino leather will give you the door cards. Extended leather is the dash (instead of sensatec) and top of the door sills IIRC.
You can also go for full leather which is lower dash, transmission tunnel, etc. but I’m not sure if that’s Individual Manufaktur, but those prices are ******* insane. The choice is endless but unless you’re a Russian Oligarch, dream on.
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/a...ac295d9c87b&attachmentid=2564972&d=1616987674
Soldato
Just before Christmas I bought an F10 M5. I intended to do a 6 month follow-up post but life got super hectic and I totally forgot - until now. So here it is, a month or two late 
Lets start with the car itself - a September 2014 LCI M5 in Monte Carlo Blue with Silverstone Merino leather interior. It was between MCB and Singapore for this car for me and I am still really pleased with my choice. I parked next to a Singapore Grey M5 once and while I still think it is a fantastic colour I still think I made the right choice. I've just taken it past 50k miles, so I've now done a little over 5,000 miles in it. I don't have to drive this car to/from work and I have a Range Rover for shopping trips and hauling things around so that means those 5,000 miles have been driving it because I want to drive it. I've driven it up and down the country on motorways and I've driven it across the twistiest parts of the North Yorkshire Moors and in all circumstances it has proven itself to be a sublimely capable car. Obviously it is no Lotus Elise in the corners but on actual UK roads it isn't completely embarrassed in the presence of more agile cars either. On more than one occasion I have been able to make significantly more progress than some very special cars indeed owing to how well the M5 is able to soak up bumps in the road without losing its composure (or on some roads, grounding out!).
The engine:
Is it a masterpiece in the same league as the S65 of my old M92 M3 or the S85 in the V10 M5? No, I don't think it is. It is, however, immensely more capable at propelling a car of this sort of mass down the road in ways that sometimes still take me by surprise. Coupled with the magnificent DCT box the drivetrain is always ready to launch you down the road with staggering brutality. Full throttle in 2nd gear is a proper event on a warm dry day, especially for passengers who aren't expecting it
My only criticisms here are that it is a bit on the quiet side from inside the cabin (something they went some way to fixing with this engine in the F90) and that on a cold or wet day the power/torque can and readily will overwhelm the rear wheels. For those who like these sorts of number for performance cars, the MPG returned over my 5,000 miles is a surprisingly high 22.26mpg. Worst tank is 16.1 (47.71L to do 169mi), best tank is 27.61mpg (63.22L to do 384mi). Comparisons to previous V8 cars I have owned look favourably on the M5, with the E92 averaging 20.34 despite it having an "easier" life and it also handily beats the Audi S6 I owned which had a long term average in the late teens. The M2 averaged 27.55mpg over 6,300 miles of relatively similar driving, FWIW.
Drawing comparisons with my previous E92 M3 and LCI M2 I would say that the M5 is faster almost everywhere on the road and leagues more comfortable than either. It isn't as much of an event to drive as the E92 owing to the very special S65 engine in the E92 and razor-sharp steering and it isn't as shouty/doesn't have the same entertaining looks as the M2. On the road, I would say that the M2 has no chance at all of outpacing the M5 on a warm, dry day. They have near-identical 'ring times but on the road your corner speed is limited by how far you can see and not by how fast the car can actually take the corner, so corners are largely a draw unless you're a complete maniac. Punching out of a corner there is simply no comparison, the M5 will just walk away. The straighter the road, the more silly the gap gets. I've not been out for a spirited drive alongside an E92 M3 but I have been out alongside F80s and it is the same story but with a bit less of a difference in a straight line. On track, I have no doubt that the smaller M cars will **** all over the M5 - but that's hardly going to be a surprise now is it
Away from outright performance, you get all of the benefits of the glorious F10 platform. It is a really nice place to be in that traditional utilitarian-but-classy BMW style. Yes the F90 has moved the game on significantly in the interior department, particularly the technology side of things but that doesn't really detract from things for me. I think if this was a commuter car or something I used much more regularly I might be tempted to move to an F90 but that's neither here nor there for me personally.
I've only had two problems with the car since I got it. The first and most worrying is that both rear doors had started to corrode where the window seal sits on the leading edge of the door. Fixed under warranty of course but I wonder if there is more corrosion in store down the road for these cars. The second issue was a puncture after just 3000 miles on these tyres but which revealed that the valve caps have all started to corrode into the valve stems. I had this happen on my 535d as well and it is caused by the fitting of incorrect valve caps. I am having this corrected but I'm having to wait for the correct TPMS valves.
I wanted a single car that I could take out on the UK roads and get enjoyment from whenever I wanted but also be able to get in it and drive for thousands of miles across Europe and this is exactly what my experience has been in the F10 M5. I love it as much 7/8 months in as I did on the day I collected it and I am looking forward to doing many thousands of miles in the months/years ahead
Lets start with the car itself - a September 2014 LCI M5 in Monte Carlo Blue with Silverstone Merino leather interior. It was between MCB and Singapore for this car for me and I am still really pleased with my choice. I parked next to a Singapore Grey M5 once and while I still think it is a fantastic colour I still think I made the right choice. I've just taken it past 50k miles, so I've now done a little over 5,000 miles in it. I don't have to drive this car to/from work and I have a Range Rover for shopping trips and hauling things around so that means those 5,000 miles have been driving it because I want to drive it. I've driven it up and down the country on motorways and I've driven it across the twistiest parts of the North Yorkshire Moors and in all circumstances it has proven itself to be a sublimely capable car. Obviously it is no Lotus Elise in the corners but on actual UK roads it isn't completely embarrassed in the presence of more agile cars either. On more than one occasion I have been able to make significantly more progress than some very special cars indeed owing to how well the M5 is able to soak up bumps in the road without losing its composure (or on some roads, grounding out!).
The engine:
Is it a masterpiece in the same league as the S65 of my old M92 M3 or the S85 in the V10 M5? No, I don't think it is. It is, however, immensely more capable at propelling a car of this sort of mass down the road in ways that sometimes still take me by surprise. Coupled with the magnificent DCT box the drivetrain is always ready to launch you down the road with staggering brutality. Full throttle in 2nd gear is a proper event on a warm dry day, especially for passengers who aren't expecting it
My only criticisms here are that it is a bit on the quiet side from inside the cabin (something they went some way to fixing with this engine in the F90) and that on a cold or wet day the power/torque can and readily will overwhelm the rear wheels. For those who like these sorts of number for performance cars, the MPG returned over my 5,000 miles is a surprisingly high 22.26mpg. Worst tank is 16.1 (47.71L to do 169mi), best tank is 27.61mpg (63.22L to do 384mi). Comparisons to previous V8 cars I have owned look favourably on the M5, with the E92 averaging 20.34 despite it having an "easier" life and it also handily beats the Audi S6 I owned which had a long term average in the late teens. The M2 averaged 27.55mpg over 6,300 miles of relatively similar driving, FWIW.Drawing comparisons with my previous E92 M3 and LCI M2 I would say that the M5 is faster almost everywhere on the road and leagues more comfortable than either. It isn't as much of an event to drive as the E92 owing to the very special S65 engine in the E92 and razor-sharp steering and it isn't as shouty/doesn't have the same entertaining looks as the M2. On the road, I would say that the M2 has no chance at all of outpacing the M5 on a warm, dry day. They have near-identical 'ring times but on the road your corner speed is limited by how far you can see and not by how fast the car can actually take the corner, so corners are largely a draw unless you're a complete maniac. Punching out of a corner there is simply no comparison, the M5 will just walk away. The straighter the road, the more silly the gap gets. I've not been out for a spirited drive alongside an E92 M3 but I have been out alongside F80s and it is the same story but with a bit less of a difference in a straight line. On track, I have no doubt that the smaller M cars will **** all over the M5 - but that's hardly going to be a surprise now is it
Away from outright performance, you get all of the benefits of the glorious F10 platform. It is a really nice place to be in that traditional utilitarian-but-classy BMW style. Yes the F90 has moved the game on significantly in the interior department, particularly the technology side of things but that doesn't really detract from things for me. I think if this was a commuter car or something I used much more regularly I might be tempted to move to an F90 but that's neither here nor there for me personally.
I've only had two problems with the car since I got it. The first and most worrying is that both rear doors had started to corrode where the window seal sits on the leading edge of the door. Fixed under warranty of course but I wonder if there is more corrosion in store down the road for these cars. The second issue was a puncture after just 3000 miles on these tyres but which revealed that the valve caps have all started to corrode into the valve stems. I had this happen on my 535d as well and it is caused by the fitting of incorrect valve caps. I am having this corrected but I'm having to wait for the correct TPMS valves.
I wanted a single car that I could take out on the UK roads and get enjoyment from whenever I wanted but also be able to get in it and drive for thousands of miles across Europe and this is exactly what my experience has been in the F10 M5. I love it as much 7/8 months in as I did on the day I collected it and I am looking forward to doing many thousands of miles in the months/years ahead
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Soldato
I am so, so torn on the wheel situation. Let me explain...
They are the original wheels as specced from the factory and are immaculate. They got commented on by the head of the BMW bodyshop as regard their condition. I like keeping things OEM, especially on a car like this. But... they are black. I've grown to not hate them as much over the months but I still prefer silver.
The equivalent 343M wheels in silver are diamond-cut and are thus a nightmare to maintain. Mr BMW Bodyshop guy said basically don't do it, they all go and the official line from BMW is that they cannot be refurbished even once.
So, do I have the problem of maintaining unmaintainable diamond-cut wheels in the OEM finish, or do I "modify" my car by ruining my 100% perfect factory OEM wheels and having them powdercoated in something approximating the silver of the OEM wheel, which is probably Hyper Silver?
Soldato
In some pictures they look almost bronze-tinted. I think a very light gunmetal colour would work but then we're well and truly off the OEM beaten path. In the US loads of people have paired 343M in gunmetal with SG M5s and those look great but I've not yet seen a pic of a monte carlo car on something like that.
I still find the choice really interesting if you already have a commuter car. I would have thought you would go for something more driver entertainment focused over all rounder comfort.
I’m almost tempted to try one…. I’m looking at 2015ish M4 convertibles and these approved used are similar priced. I just can’t help feel it’ll be too big, heavy, and not daily fun enough like the Z4 etc
I’m almost tempted to try one…. I’m looking at 2015ish M4 convertibles and these approved used are similar priced. I just can’t help feel it’ll be too big, heavy, and not daily fun enough like the Z4 etc
Soldato
I'm not a fan of the F8x cars for a few reasons, the main one being the way they drive. Taken a couple out on both road and track and yes they are fast but I just didn't like them.
Driver focussed vs all-rounder is a tough one, especially for a lightly-used car. The M2 might have hit the compromise between the two but I would have hated driving it on the long long stints of a euro trip getting between the interesting bits. It is a long, long way from comfortable in those scenarios while being only a little bit more exciting when you get to the fun stuff. Anything further that way would be even worse - I can't imagine re-doing my 3000+ mile Belgium/Germany/Austria/Luxembourg trip in an Exige for example. I'm sure there are people who want the balance the other way, or who would be perfectly fine taking an M2/M3 on long distance trips like that and even enjoying it. Good for them
Soldato
I guess it is all personal preference but my impression of the early F82 was that it felt quite heavy, nowhere near as precise/exciting at the front end as the E92 M3 (drove them back to back on track) and while the engine was clearly a lot more powerful, the power delivery is really a wall of torque delivered in short order so the car felt really wild, but not in a good/fun way. It is absolutely ridiculously fast if you're super patient and precise keeping it all neat and tidy but if you want to grab it by the scruff of the neck it all falls apart. The M5 has even more torque than the M4 (680Nm from 1500rpm vs 550Nm from 1850rpm) but the way it comes in is totally different in ways I am finding hard to put into words here. It is something you'd get used to in the M4 I suppose but I just didn't like it. The Competition cars are better, but I am still not a fan.
The N55-engined M2 LCI I owned was absolutely hands-down the better car and, in my opinion, better than the M2 Competition. I've posted about this before but I went to the dealership to buy their pre-reg M2C at a hefty discount and (more or less) left with the LCI M2 because I found I much preferred it.
FWIW, That 3000 mile journey I talked about was done in the F10 535d over the E89 Z4 35i I owned in parallel, which might also give you a further insight into where my priorities lie on such trips
The N55-engined M2 LCI I owned was absolutely hands-down the better car and, in my opinion, better than the M2 Competition. I've posted about this before but I went to the dealership to buy their pre-reg M2C at a hefty discount and (more or less) left with the LCI M2 because I found I much preferred it.
FWIW, That 3000 mile journey I talked about was done in the F10 535d over the E89 Z4 35i I owned in parallel, which might also give you a further insight into where my priorities lie on such trips