[MarcF10]

Good day folks, hope you all doing well
I know my question will sound far fetched but i have a persistent dilemma and would like to take some advice..
It's been a few months since i purchased my 2017 - G30 530i. Lovely, luxurious car and quite fast. And considering the climate, quite economical to run, as well.
However, this car is very civilised
I went to the dealer (the auto dealer, not the other one..) and he showed me a 2015 - M5. I reckon it's the previous generation model.
I would like to apologise in advance for coming out as -perhaps- too passionate, but as soon as i heard the motor rumbling i felt really...excited (i should have used another word but not appropriate..)
But...the interior is rubbish. Don't get me wrong. The car was clean as a whistle, no cosmetic marks, or any issues. I am only referring to the aesthetics of the car, compared to my G30..To be honest the external is absolutely fine - not too much difference anyway..
Between you and me, the car is for me and me only. I drive my young one to school and back, I drive the missus to the supermarket and back. It's not that I am doing miles upon miles, or that i care to travel by car anywhere..
Missus has her own car you see.
But what should i do?
should i keep the G30 and forget about the older M5?
or should i follow my heart and part - exchange for the M5 and rock'n'roll?
Price is similar - mileage similar too.
I have been reading about bimmertech and they have some decent upgrades so i guess i could retrofit a nice looking screen to replace the existing and play some video for my lad during traffic time..
i don't care about stereos or fancy stuff or cameras or carbon fiber. i am more focused on excitement
However i am thinking i could be making a mistake, going backwards and purchasing an older, much costier, much rougher vehicle...
Sadly, i cannot purchase a newer M5 model as it costs double the price of the older one (£30k for the 2015 but £60k for 2018 upwards..)
Does it make sense to spend +30k just to have a nicer screen?
Or these fancy buttons that adjust the driving experience?
I really don't know if the price difference is justified. Or if there is another factor i should be considering...

Please let me know what you think

[SakM_5]

Originally Posted by Thomadam530i

Good day folks, hope you all doing well
I know my question will sound far fetched but i have a persistent dilemma and would like to take some advice..
It's been a few months since i purchased my 2017 - G30 530i. Lovely, luxurious car and quite fast. And considering the climate, quite economical to run, as well.
However, this car is very civilised
I went to the dealer (the auto dealer, not the other one..) and he showed me a 2015 - M5. I reckon it's the previous generation model.
I would like to apologise in advance for coming out as -perhaps- too passionate, but as soon as i heard the motor rumbling i felt really...excited (i should have used another word but not appropriate..)
But...the interior is rubbish. Don't get me wrong. The car was clean as a whistle, no cosmetic marks, or any issues. I am only referring to the aesthetics of the car, compared to my G30..To be honest the external is absolutely fine - not too much difference anyway..
Between you and me, the car is for me and me only. I drive my young one to school and back, I drive the missus to the supermarket and back. It's not that I am doing miles upon miles, or that i care to travel by car anywhere..
Missus has her own car you see.
But what should i do?
should i keep the G30 and forget about the older M5?
or should i follow my heart and part - exchange for the M5 and rock'n'roll?
Price is similar - mileage similar too.
I have been reading about bimmertech and they have some decent upgrades so i guess i could retrofit a nice looking screen to replace the existing and play some video for my lad during traffic time..
i don't care about stereos or fancy stuff or cameras or carbon fiber. i am more focused on excitement
However i am thinking i could be making a mistake, going backwards and purchasing an older, much costier, much rougher vehicle...
Sadly, i cannot purchase a newer M5 model as it costs double the price of the older one (£30k for the 2015 but £60k for 2018 upwards..)
Does it make sense to spend +30k just to have a nicer screen?
Or these fancy buttons that adjust the driving experience?
I really don't know if the price difference is justified. Or if there is another factor i should be considering...

Please let me know what you think

Hmmm a 530 or an m5?! I’d personally take an f10 m5 in a heartbeat over a newer 530. Not to mention the m5 will always be worth something,the 530 won’t.

[micvite]

Also the f10 has the same adjustments for driving modes as the f90, actually has more if you consider it has 3 levels of steering just no awd to tinker with

[Chihuahua]

This is a no brainer...

[MarcF10]

Originally Posted by Chihuahua

This is a no brainer...

care to expand a bit more fella?

[DanG]

Originally Posted by Thomadam530i

care to expand a bit more fella?

There is no comparison of a real M car to an ordinary BMW. Get the M experience.

[Josh-PA]

Budget 3x for maintenance and upkeep costs plus the additional fuel costs. M cars are great but need more TLC than base bmws

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Josh-PA

Budget 3x for maintenance and upkeep costs plus the additional fuel costs. M cars are great but need more TLC than base bmws

I'd be starting from the above statement, in your decision making.

Older cars, expect more running costs. A year on, an extended warranty will be a big one. Running outside of warranty with an M-car is a gamble. Speak to M-car owners, easy to be a money pit.

Comparing the 530i to an M-car... poles apart, not as if it's even a 540i to M-car comparison.

Not sure about the 'rubbish' comment for the interior of the F10 models. IMO, the last of the BMW 'classic' cockpit designs. G30 has more bling and tech', but M10 cabins are good places to be.

[Mavus]

don't buy M to run errands … these cars need to rev and get the oil moving … don't buy it to sit at red light and rev it like burning lambos and no air to cool it

M needs to roll fast … completely different machine from lazy boy 530 and calling interior rubbish is garbage

[Ravenseal]

Can you afford the maintenance on a used M5? There's your answer.

[dscabra]

A good compromise is the M550i. Not the same as an M5, but best of the two worlds you're torn between.

[Josh-PA]

Originally Posted by dscabra

A good compromise is the M550i. Not the same as an M5, but best of the two worlds you're torn between.

sorry, but I completely disagree with this. An M550 has all the n63 related issues and costs with non of the M car rareness. Its a very nice car, but if the conversation was 530 or m5, to me the m550 is not the right answer. My 3x upkeep costs over a g30 530 doesn't work when we're talking M550. I'd say m550 = .95x of m5 costs with .75x the performance.

[dscabra]

Originally Posted by Josh-PA

sorry, but I completely disagree with this. An M550 has all the n63 related issues and costs with non of the M car rareness. Its a very nice car, but if the conversation was 530 or m5, to me the m550 is not the right answer. My 3x upkeep costs over a g30 530 doesn't work when we're talking M550. I'd say m550 = .95x of m5 costs with .75x the performance.

I was mainly addressing the want of the V8 with the G30 interior. I agree that the M550i has the potential to be expensive out of warranty and won't perform like an M5, but is in a nice spot for a daily driver.

[MarcF10]

Originally Posted by Mavus

.....and calling interior rubbish is garbage

well I live on the other side of the pond and we say "rubbish"

what is garbage? a rock band perhaps

[MarcF10]

Originally Posted by dscabra

I was mainly addressing the want of the V8 with the G30 interior. I agree that the M550i has the potential to be expensive out of warranty and won't perform like an M5, but is in a nice spot for a daily driver.

I get that and thank you for the idea

[MarcF10]

Originally Posted by Ravenseal

Can you afford the maintenance on a used M5? There's your answer.

To be honest, I don't see why not.

It is a BMW after all, right?

I would anticipate a frequent tyre change that comes at approx. £900-£1000.

As well as brake pads (i am not aware of the prices here but i guess they come at a cost..)

The maintenance seems to be quite sensible in terms of frequency and i do not cover more than 8k miles annually..

I do also have some decent mechanics in my area, there is a fella who represents AC Schnitzer and he was my first stop when I purchased the 530i.

At which point I realised, it would not make sense to pay £6k to upgrade suspension, brakes and exhaust and still have a mediocre car that did not appeal to my excitable demeanour...

so i said to myself, oi old boy, why not take a leap of faith and see what comes your way..

[Ravenseal]

Originally Posted by Thomadam530i

To be honest, I don't see why not.

It is a BMW after all, right?

I would anticipate a frequent tyre change that comes at approx. £900-£1000.

As well as brake pads (i am not aware of the prices here but i guess they come at a cost..)

The maintenance seems to be quite sensible in terms of frequency and i do not cover more than 8k miles annually..

I do also have some decent mechanics in my area, there is a fella who represents AC Schnitzer and he was my first stop when I purchased the 530i.

At which point I realised, it would not make sense to pay £6k to upgrade suspension, brakes and exhaust and still have a mediocre car that did not appeal to my excitable demeanour...

so i said to myself, oi old boy, why not take a leap of faith and see what comes your way..

Then go for it! Just pay for a very extensive pre purchase inspection and stay on ahead of schedule on all fluid changes. Keep the engine tune stock. Treat yourself to an exhaust. Enjoy!

[Mavus]

Originally Posted by Thomadam530i

well I live on the other side of the pond and we say "rubbish"

what is garbage? a rock band perhaps

yes well aware of rubbish over there

F10 m5 is the last M5 designed by former M boss Abert Biermann and has 7spd DCT!! You can't buy new M model with DCT due to cost cutting.

Also, since bmw decided to go to zf auto on new G series M models Biermann reitred and moved to Hyundai. He hated zf auto in M cars.

So by getting this M5 you are also getting a piece of original M philosophy and history.

Recommend to have a shop perform engine compression check before purchase.

gl

[vt100]

Originally Posted by Thomadam530i

and he showed me a 2015 - M5. I reckon it's the previous generation model.
I would like to apologise in advance for coming out as -perhaps- too passionate, but as soon as i heard the motor rumbling i felt really...excited (i should have used another word but not appropriate..)
...
should i keep the G30 and forget about the older M5?
or should i follow my heart and part - exchange for the M5 and rock'n'roll?

Now is the right time to try E60 M5 and E36 M5! And tell us about rock'n'roll after that

[MarcF10]

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well this evening.. Just wanted to share an update with you

I traded my 530i for the M5 - 2015 model (F10) and i know I did the right thing The car is what I have been looking for some time now, and everything about it is awesome...

It is stock with 25k miles on the clock, overall in good condition, healthy tyres and a nice colour (Silverstone II). if i had to pick a negative i would say it's not fully equipped with all the cool accessories, but there is room for improvement and i will invest on the upgrades that make sense to me..

i would like to thank you all for your advice and kind words.

have a lovely weekend

[mzwerner]

Originally Posted by Thomadam530i

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well this evening.. Just wanted to share an update with you

I traded my 530i for the M5 - 2015 model (F10) and i know I did the right thing The car is what I have been looking for some time now, and everything about it is awesome...

It is stock with 25k miles on the clock, overall in good condition, healthy tyres and a nice colour (Silverstone II). if i had to pick a negative i would say it's not fully equipped with all the cool accessories, but there is room for improvement and i will invest on the upgrades that make sense to me..

i would like to thank you all for your advice and kind words.

have a lovely weekend

You chose wisely 🧙🏻*♂️

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by Thomadam530i

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well this evening.. Just wanted to share an update with you

I traded my 530i for the M5 - 2015 model (F10) and i know I did the right thing The car is what I have been looking for some time now, and everything about it is awesome...

It is stock with 25k miles on the clock, overall in good condition, healthy tyres and a nice colour (Silverstone II). if i had to pick a negative i would say it's not fully equipped with all the cool accessories, but there is room for improvement and i will invest on the upgrades that make sense to me..

i would like to thank you all for your advice and kind words.

have a lovely weekend

Congrats! Definitely an upgrade.