(Updated) Yet another request for someone to talk me down... (E39 M5 related)

[Zenmervolt]

On an unrelated note, your Volvo has been reliable? :hmm:

Flawless. Only two issues, both my fault:

1) Driving "spiritedly" and hit a large pothole mid-corner. Bent a tie-rod.

2) Ran over road debris (highway, nowhere to swerve), caused a very small puncture in the turbo's oil return line. Steady drip when the car was running, replaced the line and fitting.

I've actually never owned a car that gave me reliability trouble.

ZV

 

[Eli]

Strange. I guess hers could have been a Monday car....

 

[ponyo]

So it's a done deal. We expect pics of your "new" M5 tomorrow.

 

[MJinZ]

Mine is an E60, and I think I posted this once before, but 10 quarts of oil at $13 a quart makes for an expensive oil change. Happily BMW does it free for me for another couple of years.

Buy it.

Edit: Oh, and if you are counting on the test drive to talk you out of it...well...don't.

Why would it cost that much? Full synth should be $5-$7 per quart at dealer pricing. Retail maybe $8-9.

 

[MotF Bane]

It's good. Unfortunately my reptilian brain is still coming up with responses...

I know maintenance issues from the 951 and friends with older bimmers, it's not an additional car, it's a replacement, we don't get much winter in Seattle and I work from home mostly, even if it has been used in the winter here, we don't use salt, so nothing ever rusts. I agree on the color, as far as miles, with the exception of the '06 Mustang this will actually have fewer miles than any other car I've bought (beating the Volvo by a couple hundred miles). I'll take a hit on mileage but not any worse than the other V8 cars I've had. If I don't like it, I'll find that out in the test drive and not buy it...

Stupid rationalization.

Go sit out in the cold, see if you can get the reptilian brain to start hibernating.

Wait, winter, no salt? This blows my mind.

 

[Eli]

Why would it cost that much? Full synth should be $5-$7 per quart at dealer pricing. Retail maybe $8-9.

I was wondering the same thing. Even Royal Purple and AMSOIL isn't 13$/quart...

 

[Zenmervolt]

Strange. I guess hers could have been a Monday car....

The transmissions were Aisin-Warner units. There were some issues in '99 with the then-brand-new 5-speed units, but my '98 is the older and more proven 4-speed.

Go sit out in the cold, see if you can get the reptilian brain to start hibernating.

Wait, winter, no salt? This blows my mind.

What cold? It's in the mid 50's here. I'll probably take the bike out later today. If not today, then definitely this weekend.

ZV

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I love the E39 M5, but I believe they are very expensive to maintain. Still, there are far worse ways to spend your money . . .

 

[drnickriviera]

I assume you've already seen this?
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e3...34-e39-m5-frequently-asked-questions-faq.html

I wouldn't worry too much about the miles. I bought my 01' 540 with 111k on it.

 

[Pantoot]

Why would it cost that much? Full synth should be $5-$7 per quart at dealer pricing. Retail maybe $8-9.

For some reason they require 10w60, which Castrol can price at whatever they like. Best I have seen is around $12/quart + shipping. It also drinks oil, so I bought a couple quarts (actually it is sold by the liter) to keep handy.

I have seen that the e39 drinks oil too, some say even more than the e60.

 

[EightySix Four]

Yes, but as a replacement for the Volvo, I could essentially buy it for "nothing", using the Volvo as down payment and then effectively continuing payments at about the same level as the Volvo.

Doesn't change that is money you could potentially spend on something else. You could go from having x fun money a month to x + y fun money a month. Take up golf, use the money to get the Porsche out on the race track where it belongs as a hobby, etc. etc.

The 951 is as evil as it's going to get. Any further with the car and it will adversely affect its ability to be used normally on the street and will start having an affect on reliability. The only two potentials on the modification horizon were a vague desire for a set of cams in the Harley (unlikely, turns out that there actually is such a thing as "fast enough") or re-flashing the ECU on the Volvo along with a new downpipe to bring it up to 285hp/290tq.

I call shens, you could always build it bigger and better

 

[CraigRT]

Best M5 ever made that one...
Best looks, best engine, trans....

Yep, I love that car.

I'd hit it !

 

[JulesMaximus]

Zen, that color doesn't look bad at all. Honestly, at least it isn't silver. Every 3rd freaking car around here is silver...the color of lemmings.

 

[CraigRT]

Zen, that color doesn't look bad at all. Honestly, at least it isn't silver. Every 3rd freaking car around here is silver...the color of lemmings.

I hate silver too. When I went looking for used 6 speed Maximas guess what I found closest to me?

2 2002's, both 6 speed, both silver. Pisses me off!

Yes, mine is silver. I was hoping for white or black.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I hate silver too. When I went looking for used 6 speed Maximas guess what I found closest to me?

2 2002's, both 6 speed, both silver. Pisses me off!

Yes, mine is silver. I was hoping for white or black.

Guess what color my 2003 Maxima SE is?

I didn't have a whole lot of choice when I bought my car either. They had a couple silver ones, a white one and a black one. I'm not crazy about white cars and the black one was already being prepped for someone else who was supposed to come by later that day to pick it up so I don't even know if I could have gotten it. It was the last of the 2003 models, Nissan was heavily discounting them as a loss leader since the 2004 models were already in showrooms. I got a hell of a deal on it so I'm not complaining...too much.

 

[CraigRT]

Guess what color my 2003 Maxima SE is?

I didn't have a whole lot of choice when I bought my car either. They had a couple silver ones, a white one and a black one. I'm not crazy about white cars and the black one was already being prepped for someone else who was supposed to come by later that day to pick it up so I don't even know if I could have gotten it. It was the last of the 2003 models, Nissan was heavily discounting them as a loss leader since the 2004 models were already in showrooms. I got a hell of a deal on it so I'm not complaining...too much.

Haha... Did you at least get Sheer Silver? I think it's better looking than Sterling Mist or whatever it's called. Mine is Sterling (its darker silver)

I do like the deep slate silver color they have, but that color is rare in these parts.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Haha... Did you at least get Sheer Silver? I think it's better looking than Sterling Mist or whatever it's called. Mine is Sterling (its darker silver)

I do like the deep slate silver color they have, but that color is rare in these parts.

Yes, it is sheer silver. This is my conveyance.

 

[fstime]

I personally think that body style looks ancient, not my style, but car internet forum users are always saying how ugly the new stuff is from the stuff that was out 10 years ago because it's the "cool" way to act......it's like they're stuck in time. Makes me chuckle.

W210 E55's aged much better and look a lot nicer to me. That would be my choice for a big luxury highway cruiser, I don't care for a manual in my luxo-cruiser/commuter sedan. They are cheaper because you WILL pay a premium for the //M badge and a whole lot more reliable, dead reliable.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Doesn't change that is money you could potentially spend on something else. You could go from having x fun money a month to x + y fun money a month. Take up golf, use the money to get the Porsche out on the race track where it belongs as a hobby, etc. etc.

I call shens, you could always build it bigger and better

True on the alternate purposes. But really, comparing golf to an M5? The 951 is already out on DE days and occasional autocross. I don't really have anything else I want to spend it on. Things with wheels and engines own me.

As for shens, yes, the 951 could be built bigger, but it won't be. I'm happy with the mods it has. There's a point after which a car becomes too specialized to enjoy easily.

ZV

 

[EightySix Four]

True on the alternate purposes. But really, comparing golf to an M5? The 951 is already out on DE days and occasional autocross. I don't really have anything else I want to spend it on. Things with wheels and engines own me.

As for shens, yes, the 951 could be built bigger, but it won't be. I'm happy with the mods it has. There's a point after which a car becomes too specialized to enjoy easily.

ZV

Well, I gave you the biggest downside to purchasing the car, it is obvious you want it and have no interest in changing your mind.

I tried my friend, I tried... Now go get the M

 

[Zenmervolt]

Well, I gave you the biggest downside to purchasing the car, it is obvious you want it and have no interest in changing your mind.

I tried my friend, I tried... Now go get the M

The reality is that I will probably, regrettably, pass unless during the test drive I am absolutely blown away. It does help to have other people who will play the side of the conversation that I can't duplicate in my own head at the moment.

Ultimately, if I am stopped, it will probably be because I anthropomorphize my vehicles and I won't want to risk the Volvo going to someone who won't take care of it. It's my own special brand of crazy.

ZV

 

[EightySix Four]

The reality is that I will probably, regrettably, pass unless during the test drive I am absolutely blown away. It does help to have other people who will play the side of the conversation that I can't duplicate in my own head at the moment.

Ultimately, if I am stopped, it will probably be because I anthropomorphize my vehicles and I won't want to risk the Volvo going to someone who won't take care of it. It's my own special brand of crazy.

ZV

Do you worry about who last night's one night stand is going to end up with when you have an 11 sitting in front of you who right now?

 

[alkemyst]

I'd get back to vehicles you are driving and respectable.

Reel in that herd.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Do you worry about who last night's one night stand is going to end up with when you have an 11 sitting in front of you who right now?

People can take care of themselves, cars cannot.

ZV

 

[EightySix Four]

People can take care of themselves, cars cannot.

ZV

Cars don't have feelings, people do

Kind of ironic we care about the things backwards.