[GooseX3MC]

I owned a cosmos black E39 M5 with Silverstone/black interior back in 2001-2004 and absolutely loved it. A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Sounded like a Spitfire going down the road, wonderful balance, plenty of power for the time and the power delivery itself was strong and smooth. The Sport button gave you the full 400bhp and sharpened things up, otherwise I think it only ran only 300bhp!

Wish I still had it, but sold it as it was using a litre of Mobil 1 every 350 mile … basically every time I refueled it!

Since then I have liked them all. The recipe has moved with the times and BMW IMHO have delivered on it every time. I’d rather have a V8-hybrid M5 than no M5 at all. I also find BMW do the best driver focused technology too, both generally and especially in their M cars.

[Ab28]

Originally Posted by GooseX3MC

I owned a cosmos black E39 M5 with Silverstone/black interior back in 2001-2004 and absolutely loved it. A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Sounded like a Spitfire going down the road, wonderful balance, plenty of power for the time and the power delivery itself was strong and smooth. The Sport button gave you the full 400bhp and sharpened things up, otherwise I think it only ran only 300bhp!

Wish I still had it, but sold it as it was using a litre of Mobil 1 every 350 mile … basically every time I refueled it!

Since then I have liked them all. The recipe has moved with the times and BMW IMHO have delivered on it every time. I’d rather have a V8-hybrid M5 than no M5 at all. I also find BMW do the best driver focused technology too, both generally and especially in their M cars.

Sport button changed throttle sensitivity and steering weight, power was left alone.
I will say the extra touchy throttle certainly made it seem like there was more juice!

[subterFUSE]

Originally Posted by GooseX3MC

I also find BMW do the best driver focused technology too, both generally and especially in their M cars.

Generally speaking, yes. Although, the 3D Augmented Reality HUD on the Mercedes S class is absolutely bonkers. I drove a 2023 S580 for about 2 months and it had the 3D AR HUD which was probably the coolest and most intuitive car technology I have ever seen. The 3D effect meant that the HUD icons appeared to be floating much farther ahead of the car than the HUD on a BMW or other cars I have seen. So your eyes did not feel any strain from shifting focus from the road to the HUD display. And the fact that the entire windshield becomes the HUD, with all sorts of things happening to highlight what's happening around the car... like drawing red lines on the lane divider lines on the road when you drift out of the lane, or putting targets under the cars in front of you like your player in Madden NFL. After having that tech as part of my daily drive for a couple of months and then getting into my 2023 Audi S8 with just a basic HUD, I laughed to myself "WTF is this? Fisher-Price my first HUD?" It was like I had been time-warped 10 years into the past, yet both cars were model year 2023.

[KevinM]

I celebrated my 20th anniversary with my E39 M5 last December. It is still my favorite overall car. While I can understand that anyone who is used to modern BMWs and has the opportunity to drive the E39 M5 for 30 min (or even a day) would be underwhelmed, the car is an icon for a number of reasons in my biased opinion.

1. While it is not fast by today's standards, I cannot stress how special this car was when it finally came to the US for MY 2000. Even when I purchased mine in 2004, it was amazingly fast for the time. The fact that it sat 5 people comfortably at this level of performance and was manual transmission only was amazing. I don't street race and don't condone it, but 20+ years ago I *may* have been less mature and *may* have taken the bait from a few contemporary Corvettes, etc, to 40 MPH. . I have cars with both turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines. Both have their merits. That said, second gear in a the S62 engine is a complete joy.

2. The "whole package" is one that I have tried to but cannot replicate in another car. It is fast, luxurious, has a supple but alive suspension (don't get me going about my previous F80 M3C with its 20" wheels..) and is one of the last M5s to be a true Q-ship/"wolf-in-sheep's clothing," etc. I don't like attention, and like that only a few people know the boring grey sedan is actually a performance car (back in the day anyway). With the quad exhaust, front spoiler and chrome shadow style 65 wheels, there is balance between the normal E39 body and the M version that I find perfect.

3. While obviously being way out of date, the E39's interior is my favorite. The cluster's round dials are clear, the buttons are tactile, and everything is high quality. 20+ years later, no rattles. That is crazy - my previous F80 M3 had a bunch of rattles and I've had to chase down 2 rattles on both my 2007 Z4M coupe and 2020 M2C. With an Aux jack I installed, I can use my iPhone for music and communication.

FWiW's my M5 has been very reliable with compulsive maintenance. I bought it with 19K miles and it now has 99K miles (it was my DD from December 2004 to summer of 2016). I have never had to add oil in-between yearly services.

I could go on. I have no plans to sell the car (or the Z4M coupe). I try to drive them both every month. Each time brings a smile to my face. That said, I understand and appreciate what BMW is doing to remain relevant in the market and remain independent. I am thankful that for the moment BMW still offers a MT in the M2/3/4, at least in the US.


I've attached a few pictures of my pride and joy.

[Aeromotive]

Nostalgia is a thing. In 25 years we'll say the G90/99 was one of the best M5's.

(not a G fan here)

[VR1]

I am highly doubtful that in 25 years the G90 will be remembered for anything other than the product of misguided regulatory policies. It’s an interesting vehicle in itself for that reason but I don’t think for much more.

[thinker]

What surprises me about this video is how...and I can't believe I'm saying it ...."handsome" I find the new G90. When it first came out, I had a bit of aesthetic shock. Now that it has been out for a while - and I can see it next to a classic - I realize how much I've come around to the current design.

[MParallel]

F10 (LCI) for me, but that's mainly because I think that was peak BMW interior design.

[Bluex]

Originally Posted by thinker

What surprises me about this video is how...and I can't believe I'm saying it ...."handsome" I find the new G90. When it first came out, I had a bit of aesthetic shock. Now that it has been out for a while - and I can see it next to a classic - I realize how much I've come around to the current design.

It actually really is a quite nice yet aggressive looking car. Pictures do not do it justice, it's one of those cars that needs to be seen and driven in person.

More often than not, once they see and drive it in person they are won over.

Count me as one of them.

[abdulxborz]

Bmw f10 M5 is the best.

[Greer]

The E39 M5 was a great car, but if you drove all the M5's back to back the clear "GOAT" would be the F90 M5 CS. The King of all M5's IMHO.

[Bimmerfun82]

BMW is fighting commoditization with complexity. It is interesting that some other brands and models are fighting commoditization with simplicity. But a simple and pure driving experience in the ICE world is disappearing at an alarming rate.

[Sedan_Clan]

I think these kinds of comparisons need to be taken in and considered in context (…and time period). A brand new E39 M5 was a stellar offering from BMW at that time, as was the E46 M3.

Look at a late 90’s Integra/Civic Type R. By today’s standards those cars are underpowered and underwhelming, but in the late 90’s there were no better FWD performance car options that could rival those cars.

[thinker]

Originally Posted by KevinM

I celebrated my 20th anniversary with my E39 M5 last December. It is still my favorite overall car. While I can understand that anyone who is used to modern BMWs and has the opportunity to drive the E39 M5 for 30 min (or even a day) would be underwhelmed, the car is an icon for a number of reasons in my biased opinion.........FWiW's my M5 has been very reliable with compulsive maintenance. I bought it with 19K miles and it now has 99K miles (it was my DD from December 2004 to summer of 2016). I have never had to add oil in-between yearly services.

I could go on. I have no plans to sell the car (or the Z4M coupe). I try to drive them both every month. Each time brings a smile to my face. That said, I understand and appreciate what BMW is doing to remain relevant in the market and remain independent. I am thankful that for the moment BMW still offers a MT in the M2/3/4, at least in the US.


I've attached a few pictures of my pride and joy.

Honestly, you're my hero.

I wish that I'd have latched onto a longtime keeper car years ago. I've had plenty of lovely cars - but none had enough personality to justify keeping them as technology improved.

Good For You!!!

[M3n54RR]

Originally Posted by subterFUSE

I never owned the E60 M5, but I did own the E60 545i with SMG transmission. Loved that car. I got to drive the E60 M5 on the track at the BMW Performance Center, and my favorite aspect was actually the steering. The M5 steering was completely different than the 545i.

I kept that E60 545i for about 9 years, and 109,000 miles. By that point I needed to replace one of the headlight bulbs which I decided to do myself. When I opened up the headlight case to install the new bulb, the insulation on the wiring cracked and flaked off the wire exposing the raw conductors. Turns out BMW was using some kind of recycled materials for the wiring in the entire car, and after 9 years of living in the warm Florida climate the insulation was degrading to the point where it was flaking off the wires. I decided the car was a ticking time bomb for electrical gremlins due to the recycled wiring insulation.

Appreciated this read. Reminded me of my 04’ E60 525i. Also, Loved that car. Particularly loved the M54 engine. Jet black with those dope old 5 star wheels 🪭Simple inline 6 that could run on multi oil leaks with Np Rwd but had DTC which worked better in the snow than a 2010 Jeep I drove at that time! Mass electrical problems tho, that’s true. ESP with the trunk 🤦‍♂️

[demas]

Originally Posted by KevinM

I celebrated my 20th anniversary with my E39 M5 last December. It is still my favorite overall car. While I can understand that anyone who is used to modern BMWs and has the opportunity to drive the E39 M5 for 30 min (or even a day) would be underwhelmed, the car is an icon for a number of reasons in my biased opinion.

1. While it is not fast by today's standards, I cannot stress how special this car was when it finally came to the US for MY 2000. Even when I purchased mine in 2004, it was amazingly fast for the time. The fact that it sat 5 people comfortably at this level of performance and was manual transmission only was amazing. I don't street race and don't condone it, but 20+ years ago I *may* have been less mature and *may* have taken the bait from a few contemporary Corvettes, etc, to 40 MPH. . I have cars with both turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines. Both have their merits. That said, second gear in a the S62 engine is a complete joy.

2. The "whole package" is one that I have tried to but cannot replicate in another car. It is fast, luxurious, has a supple but alive suspension (don't get me going about my previous F80 M3C with its 20" wheels..) and is one of the last M5s to be a true Q-ship/"wolf-in-sheep's clothing," etc. I don't like attention, and like that only a few people know the boring grey sedan is actually a performance car (back in the day anyway). With the quad exhaust, front spoiler and chrome shadow style 65 wheels, there is balance between the normal E39 body and the M version that I find perfect.

3. While [...]

Absolute beauty seeing it being kept well all these years. The E39 era was golden - we all lusted for the M5.

I owned 3 E39’s over 12 years - I6’s and the V8 540. I recall the old website - roadfly - was it?before we all jumped on bimmerfest. Awesome E39 subforum community there and hopefully still - I sneak in every once in a while.

This era of BMWs was just right and not ‘too much car’.

Unfortunately I had to part with my 540 and skipped the E60 to the F10 N63. It’s not the same in pleasure just a different animal - more clinical in feel but with some mods and right tires she does ok for me.

[BimmerMan33]

E60 drive like a larger e90 3 series but the F12 felt like a smaller 7 series, F12 chassis felt more luxurious but also more isolated/numb.

[F32Fleet]

Funny reading posts from people who don't get the e39 M5. Context people. This car was designed in the mid 1990's (30 yrs ago).

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by demas

Absolute beauty seeing it being kept well all these years. The E39 era was golden - we all lusted for the M5.

I owned 3 E39’s over 12 years - I6’s and the V8 540. I recall the old website - roadfly - was it?before we all jumped on bimmerfest. Awesome E39 subforum community there and hopefully still - I sneak in every once in a while.

This era of BMWs was just right and not ‘too much car’.

Unfortunately I had to part with my 540 and skipped the E60 to the F10 N63. It’s not the same in pleasure just a different animal - more clinical in feel but with some mods and right tires she does ok for me.

I agree about the E39 era. My first BMW was a MT 1999 E39 528i, which I ordered only because I couldn't find another similar family car available with a MT (I had no experience with BMWs prior). In 2000, I ordered a MT 2001 530i. That was such a well balanced car and the extra HP/TQ over the 528 made it a keeper. And I would have kept it. In 2003 my birthday present from my wife was to attend the BMW driving school in SC. There, I drove the E39 M5. Game over. I guess that birthday present turned out to be a bit more expensive than planned!

The M5 community continues to be strong on M5Board.com. It's not the same as when Gustav independently ran the board in the early 2000s, but the members still share their collective (and extensive) knowledge, which is ever more important as these cars age.

[NotSharocks]

Bunch of automatic lovers here.

Disgusting lol

[demas]

Originally Posted by KevinM

I agree about the E39 era. My first BMW was a MT 1999 E39 528i, which I ordered only because I couldn't find another similar family car available with a MT (I had no experience with BMWs prior). In 2000, I ordered a MT 2001 530i. That was such a well balanced car and the extra HP/TQ over the 528 made it a keeper. And I would have kept it. In 2003 my birthday present from my wife was to attend the BMW driving school in SC. There, I drove the E39 M5. Game over. I guess that birthday present turned out to be a bit more expensive than planned!

The M5 community continues to be strong on M5Board.com. It's not the same as when Gustav independently ran the board in the early 2000s, but the members still share their collective (and extensive) knowledge, which is ever more important as these cars age.

Excellent..

After my E36, went for the 525 and shortly afterwards traded it in for the M54 530i - it was my favorite E39 - well balanced. The 540 was nice, bit heavier on the front end - I did the M5 RSW, Bilstein HDs, ECU and an M5 recirculating ball gearbox which tightened the steering ratio and was the best upgrade on that car. Glad M5Board is going strong. Never signed up but been there plenty of times and always had a wealth of info.

[mikepale60]

I agree with the statement that the E39 M5 was made for the 1990s; and at that time you could not get a better sports sedan period. It really set the stage for the cars that are offered today. I’ve owned and driven quite a few M cars, and to me the E39 is the purest driver. It may not be the fastest or best handling but there’s something about that n/a v8 paired with a manual that I just don’t get out of other cars.