M5 has been a mistake for Me

[JAL]

Does anyone else share my complaints? The car is fast and handles well, but the SMG is simply not cut out for daily driving. I've had it about 10 days and must say that it was a mistake.

I would rather be driving my old M3 or Mustang than this high tech wonder. It's a very cool road car, but for simple driving, parking, etc. this transmission is a dog.

The gas milege is another complaint. The mother gets 10 mpg. I've had to gas up 3 times this week. It wastes a lot of money and time.

My advice for anyone thinking about one of these is think long and hard - at least longer and harder than I did. It's not the money, it's the hassle of driving this thing - too much work. Let's face it, it' not like most of us are doing anything more than going from point A to point B around town, I wish this car was more user friendly and maintained the handling which is terrific, but in the end, not worth the effort.

[driverdude]

[Nickacharya]

The whole appeal of the M5 apart from the power is that it is a daily driver....it has 4 doors for crying out loud.....i dont think anyone takes the whole family to the track.....Cause at 90K you have a whole bunch of better choices for a track/sunday car

[dman]

Isnt the M3 coming with auto, stick, smg/dsg and a 4 door model?

[TestnDoc]

[BNC]

Many who have driven the new M5 have given it raved reviews, basically a race car for the street.....but it was never designed/engineered to be a daily driver (in town) or a grocery getter type vehicle.......

Maybe a Mini would have been a better choice, no offense meant, but it does fit your criteria...easy to drive,easy to park,great gas mileage and the handling is pretty decent...

Maybe a second stallion is needed in thy stable, Sir Knight....

[bmwlotus]

Sorry, I would have to disagree with you on the fact you think the M5 is not built for daily driver!!

Most people who buy the M5 use is just for that! If you want a true weekend car, it's not going to be the M5 for sure. In fact, BMW pitched this car against say E55 and the 997 in their sales material, which both are SUPER daily driver cars.

[BNC]

Well,
is this a daily drive of mixed traffic??
Say, 50% open highway and or rural roads with just a small amount of stop light to stop light traffic or
is it bumper to bumper, OMG he almost hit my car- with 1 million other idiots in NYC or LA traffic??

If it is the first, then I would agree, if it is the latter then I stand my ground.....
For the first, I would definatley want the M5
For the latter, I would prefer the Mini, so you could squirt in and out and get where you need to be or atleast something not as nice as the M5...
Plus if someone was to hit you or bump you in the Mini, it wouldn't really matter, no one would cry over a lossed Mini,(No offense Mini guys) but I, myself, may cry over a lossed M5.....

I do like the new M5...but alas I do not own one....so what do I know??

[bmwlotus]

I think the issue here is not the size of the car or the fact it's a M5, but that damn SMG III tranny.

Now, I am still thinking about buying a M5. However, after having a chance to drive a 545 SMG a bit, I am a bit worry about the SMG thing.

If it's your first example of light traffic to no traffic, than yes, I would say M5 is OK as a daily driver. In fact, it would be alot of fun. Now, your second example, I agree with you. I would not want to be caught in it with a SMG tranny (not the M5 itself now). (I am in Southern Cal, so I know what TRAFFIC is like).

From my personal experienc, one major issue with the SMG tranny is that it's ALWAYS shifting!! Let's say, you go from one stop sign to another that is 1/4 miles apart. Of course, you usualy don't run up the RPM. So, here is what I experience in the 545 now. You go from 1st..2nd...3rd...4th...5th...than, as you slow down, you go from 5th..4th..3rd...2nd..and 1st. In an auto tranny, you don't think about this. In a stick shift, I would just go from 1st to 5th, than put in neutral as I come to a stop. With a SMG, you are out of luck. You don't have a choice in "jumping" gears at all. You end up going up and down each and every gear EVERY time you go. That is what makes SMG a tough tranny to live with in a day to day, traffic situations. And, it gets very tiresome very quickly if this is the only car you have to drive. See my post above. http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e60m5/7177739-1.html

Again, it's not the issue of the car, it's the selection of this SMG tranny. I think if BMW can put a tranny in like the Porsche's TIP, or Audi's DSG, it might work better. But than again, for some, SMG is super. It's all a personal preference.

[BNC]

[Ispep]

When I'm coasting on the freeway in 6th and want to pass, I will just flick the paddle 3 times and the car jumps into 3rd without a problem. It seems like you're basing your opinion on limited experiences with SMG. If I'm in 5th and come coasting to a stop sign, the car will automatically downshift to 2nd, and then 1st without me shifting, if I want it. So, in reality, there's a lot more options in how active or passive you want to be when it comes to SMG than you seem to know.

[bmwlotus]

Hello,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You just answered one of my biggest questions regarding the SMG III in a 5sr. I drove the 545 SMG for a bit, and you are 100% right. It's alot of work.

When you feel like a boy racer, it's perhaps the best thing. The thrill and sound is just super. However, after a long day of work, and when you are tired and in a bad mood (assuming), the SMG can be a bear. Yes, you can just pop it into the auto mode, but it so jerky that it just makes me more upset over it. (just my opinion here)

Do you feel the same?

Peter

[Ispep]

I take my car to the track at least once a month and SMG shines for me there. It took me some time, but now I'm completely used to its little quirks when driving on the street, so much so that people often ask if I do have an automatic since it's so smooth. So, if you buy a 500HP M5, does that makes you a "man racer?" A car with that much power that's only driven on the street seems more "boy racer" to me than a car that sees track days.

[dman]

I drove the M3 with SMG and had to laff...decent for boy racer mode, but around town I was disappointed. I drove the car for a few days (family owned) and came away unimpressed both in power and shifting (I have a 540ia Steptronic Dinan that keeps up with M3's all day, and a 911TT tip). The SMG was too jerky but I am used to how incredible the steptronic is. Even the 911 TT with Tip cant match the 540 for smoothness...sure, it is lacking 120hp I know.
For reference, my drive is nearly 100% canyon roads to work in So Cal, very twisty roads...and I still ddint want the SMG.
I plan to drive the M5 in a few months and decide what is next. Cant they just get proper handling in an AMG yet? Who doesnt want one of those engines mated to 7speed auto..if it handled like a BMW?!
Just a car nut here...care less about the brands.

[bmwlotus]

Funny how you point out about who does not want a MB that handles like a BMW. Now, I almost bought a E55. I drove it and just loved the power, the brakes, the look, but NOT the way the car feels when you drive it. Only if they can put the "sports" into the E55 like BMWs, I am there!

[dman]

yep...best engines around hands down, and the 7speed box is dynamite...unless they use Audi's DSGII setup...the SMG is just a gimmick. Add handling to the E55 and it's a done deal. If I were just driving the freeway to/from work or in city traffic I would own an AMG.
I prefer the steptronic though over SMG any day. I dont want to lift off the gas to get it to shift...just right...and get the jerkys. Funny when I "race" M'3 and they lift and shift, the big-ol-boat 540 pulls ahead every time. Shows you that an auto can beat a stick/smg driver most of the time. May not be as much fun for some i admit. There are days in the 911 TT that I miss a stick, and then I nail it on the freeway w/o having to waste time to shift and I grin.

[alevy]

[BenB]

[Dee Ellis]

When you "race" an M3?


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[AEsco48]

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