E55 w211 or E39 M5

[french]

Oh & keep a bit by for the vanos repairs...

 

[Mrhanky]

Oh & keep a bit by for the vanos repairs...

Or don't and pray it's just the solenoids

 

[350cls]

E39 M5. I owned a facelift car a few years back and regrettably sold it. Haven't driven the E55 but I can imagine the engine will be a sledgehammer but will be let down by the transmission. Will feel dated and slow. The chassis on the M5 is a peach too. They will also appreciate it value.. Get a facelift, Freshen the bushes and dampers if needed. Lower on some eibach Spring and keep the body rust free and u really can't go wrong.

I can only compare it to my facelift C63. Although the merc is faster the M5 feels more balanced, easier to drive and still very quick. It's subtle and classy too. C63 is an amazing car but the image is tarnished somewhat...

Owned a M5 few years back myself and Alpina E39's. The M5 is surely a brilliant car and can take a fair amount of stick. I have to disagree regarding the E55 Transmission it is very alive and plenty quick enough trust me. With the amount of torque the car produces its an amazingly fast machine. be it in sport or M shift mode. The m5 when at it you have to be very very precise with shifts the E55 is pure silk like when shifting. As said you can let the box do it all for you or you can take the raines yourself. Believe me its not dated in my opinion. The E55 is a much Brutal Beast also.

 

[AMGeed]

Never even owned a BMW before but I would have liked to have tried an M5 to see what its all about.
It would have to be a helluva a car to surpass the power my E55 puts out though. Maybe its outdated, maybe the autobox is slow, but by God it shifts.
Sure, the M5 is allegedly more of a "drivers" car in the way it handles, but when can you use this on our roads?
Crushing acceleration in a straight line is more my scene and the E55 has it in bags.

 

[nickjonesn4]

https://youtu.be/Hku7SwqZmIw

 

[rockits]

I can't comment on the E39 M5 as never had the pleasure of driving or owning one. Had a couple of E39 540i's and loved the way they drove.

The E55k & E60 M5 are so so different I can't imagine the E39 would not be so different as well. The E55k hustles along & drives really well but you always feel it is carrying the weight it is. The E60 M5 hides it's weight so well & and I've had many big & lumpy cars but none drive, handle and brake as well & so balanced as this.

I'm still hankering for an E39 M5 but prices are so strong it is hard to justify. Especially when the nice E55k high spec 7 seater estate I bought can be had for £10k

I think the sensible money is on the E55k. A better car most of the time and better built mechanically. The E60 M5 was awesome at 10/10 but not so go at anything less. The gearbox worried me and I winced when changing gears in it s most aggressive setting It is like someone smacking the gears home with a massive sledghammer!