Suggestions for new M5 project

[gray635]

I just bought a M5 after searching, off and on, for about 3 years. The car is solid mechanically and cosmetically, but, like any car pushing 20 years, it needs some tweaks and improvements. Any suggestions from the board on the following would be much appreciated:
l. Wheels - BMW or aftermarket. Especially sizes and offsets, recommended tire sizes,etc. Car currently has 16" Borbet 5 spokes that I do not particularly care for.
2. PO replaced radio with a decent Alpine head unit and Infinity speakers in the rear parcel shelf. Unfortunately, the right speaker is so deep that the installer had to pull back the wheel arch carpet and unbolt the gray tank (fuel overflow?) that is located just under the speaker. Any suggestions on speaker size and brand that will fit in this tight spot? Also, the Alpine unit looks out of place in the car - any recommendations for a CD player with a more stock look?
3. OE natur mats are no longer available, per local dealer. Any suggestions on supplier and color to match interior?
Thanks for any help!

[Damion]

the sport rims off the e39 look phat and not overly modern, for pic go to damionsart.com and then click on the 1st m5 link.
I am doing a blue tooth system in my car to allow me to source music from my cell phone in order to keep the factory deck,the car already has had amps put in line to feed polks up front and drop in( to the factory housings)jvc high powered speakers in the rears. the blue tooth simply goes into the rca inputs in the amps. ( i used the high level inputs for the signal from the head.) I like the weather band feature and agree that anything else just looks wrong.
as far mats go...I am using the rubber tan ones meant for an e39 which come from the dealer, very durable and because the material is different, the tone vairance seems more factory.

[gray635]

Thanks for the good information. One of the real bonuses in driving and caring for these great old cars is the help you get from fellow enthusiasts. Any more suggestions out there? Also, while the timing chain certainly is not noisy, it does have 148k on it - how nervous should I be about this? Should I go ahead and replace the chain, tensionser and rail as preventative maintenance?

[bob.knox]

every penny. Where did your car spend most of its time? I talked to a bunch of different mechanics about the chain when I had my M5. The common thread was that the warmer/dry climate cars suffer more guide wear than cold climate. For $1500, it's worth the piece of mind. At the very least put in an S50 version chain tensioner. It's a simple 1 hr job. My old tensioner was so full of sludge, the oil pressure was providing NO tension on the chain at all, and the spring in there is terribly weak. The S50 has a nice, heavy spring and really tightened up the sound of my motor especailly at start up.

Bruce will kill me for this, but does the SLS rear suspension still work? If not, dump it and go with M-Tech springs and Koni adjustable shocks, or a full on Ground Control coil-over setup.

Dreaming of Another M,
Bob K.88 ///M5, RIP

[gray635]

More good advice. This car started out its life in the Chicago area but has been in NC and GA most of the time, so no rust or corrosion. I had not heard that warmer weather is tougher on the guide than cold weather - interesting. I probably should go ahead and take care of the timing components issue - pretty cheap insurance. Steve Haygood is right up the road from me and we have talked about this before. I had a Porsche 944S that slipped a tooth on the timing belt at very low RPM and it bent every exhaust valve in the head - a very expensive lesson. I've been scared of timing belts ever since.

Incidently, the SLS still works fine and has never required repair, as far as I know. However, when it does go bad, I will almost certainly replace it with springs and Bilsteins or Konis, as you recommend. It has been my experience that it is usually better to go with simplicity than complexity when dealing with anything mechanical.

[Damion]

this can be replaced without taking off the head or oil pan?
if you did the work tell me about it, this sounds like something I would love to do right away while getting it together to do the whole job right.
Damion

[bob.knox]

http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums...5829536-1.html

I went with the S50 motor version which I think is a little softer spring wise than the S52, but don't quote me on that. The very helpful folks from Turner Motorsport recommended the S50, so that's what I went with.

Bob K.

[Mark_88_M5]

1. I have a set of the OEM 88 M5 wheels on mine right now. Hard to improve on the original BBS crossed spokes in my opinion.
2. Nakamichi CD-400.
3. I have blank mats in the M5 and my pearl beige 533i. I might be tempted to go with a set of black and tan sisal mats next go around.

[gray635]

Mark: Thanks for the suggestions. I have considered the Nakamichi unit, but my local car stereo guy (very good, by the way) says he can't locate a supplier for these. I will probably go with a Blaupunkt Bahamas unit - not too bad, I think.

I am puzzled by your meaning of a "blank mat". What color and source? Is the color match acceptable? Thanks!

[Mark_88_M5]