Parts availability for E39 M5 - what's the status?

[nyc951]

I bought this car because of what other people have said about it, about it being the best car/M5 ever. I have to disagree, I also own a manual E60 and I find myself picking it nearly every time over the E39, except for looks maybe.

I’ve been eyeing the e60 m5 lately - please elaborate on the differences between the 2 cars.

[nyc951]

I miss my e39 M5.

… and remain convinced that the e39 530i with manual is the best overall car ever made. Kind of want to build one with an s54/420g.

I have a 528i e39 without a sunroof that was ordered by my aunt who picked it up in Munich and drove it on the Autobahn before shipping it back home to the US.

When I put a fresh OEM sachs suspension on it, I felt it handled better than my m5. The next time I overhaul the car I hope to put an S54 in it, but would love to use the SMG because I’m getting older and drive in traffic all the time.

[Obioban]

I have a 528i e39 without a sunroof that was ordered by my aunt who picked it up in Munich and drove it on the Autobahn before shipping it back home to the US.

When I put a fresh OEM sachs suspension on it, I felt it handled better than my m5. The next time I overhaul the car I hope to put an S54 in it, but would love to use the SMG because I’m getting older and drive in traffic all the time.

600 lbs lighter than your M5, and has rack and pinion steering (unlike the m5). Good odds it handles better

My ideal e39 starter chassis would be:
-Euro (so comes with the the euro dash/good center armrest, and so no sunroof is possible)
-no sunroof
-no fold through seats (chassis stiffness, not that the e39 lacks in that to start with)
-6 cylinder (R&P and subframe set up for 6 cylinders)
-manual (just to make the swapping more already done)
-M sport (pretty bumpers)
-from a country that doesn't have enough winter to salt the roads

... and I may have to do this. I'm pretty sure it would just be the perfect DD for everything I want.

[Obioban]

I’ve been eyeing the e60 m5 lately - please elaborate on the differences between the 2 cars.

e39 M5 has effortless speed, nicer interior, nicer exterior, feels much smaller than the e60 on the road (as in, it feels like a mid point between e60 and e46 in exterior size), has a significantly bigger interior if you have euro dash, doesn't suffer idrive, has better gauges, is always 6mt, is more reliable, is FAR easier to work on, and has ~double the highway range.

The e60 M5 has better steering feel (R&P), sounds better (not to say the e39 sounds bad, but the V10...), and has a more engaging engine. It generally feels like someone hit an e46 M3 with an enlargement ray and an ugly stick, but fixed the exhaust note in the process (but forgot to enlarge the gas tank). It's truly shocking how often you have to get gas when DDing the e60 M5. Expect a realistic range of 200 miles. I average 11.5mpg, and I don't get to drive it hard very often on my commute. And the tank is smaller than e39.

I miss my e39 M5. IMO it's a far better M5 than the e60. The e60 is undoubtedly sportier, but that's not really what I want from a 4000 lb mid sized sedan. The e39 is far better at being a car, and still pretty freaking good at being fun to drive.

[Obioban]

I can't see the s54 suiting it though can you? S54 is so fkn manic. Seems like the m5x/n52 is closer to s62 which is in the e39 m5 and suits e39 well.

Is an s62 into a 530i a non starter when the m5 exists?

The S54 can be manic, but it doesn't have to be. As in, it makes more HP/TQ than the M54 at every RPM. You could choose the drive it like an M54 and it would be as civil as an M54. A fully stock S54 is a pretty reasonable experience. Better fuel economy, too

I don't really see how an S62 530i differs from an M5. You'd have to lose the R&P (or go dry sump and lose AC), you end up at M5 weight... what is the point when you can just buy the factory version if that's what you want?

... did you mean S52? If so, only 15 hp more than an M54-- doesn't seem worth the effort.

Full DISA/headers N52 could be interesting. Gets you to ~300 hp, but with much less weight than the S54 or M54. But, doesn't plug and play with the chassis electronics like the S54 does, so you'd probably end up with a much less OE experience. Of all the non S54s, that would probably interest me the most. More civil than any of the other options above :P

[George Hill]

The e60 M5 has better steering feel (R&P), sounds better (not to say the e39 sounds bad, but the V10...), and has a more engaging engine. It generally feels like someone hit an e46 M3 with an enlargement ray and an ugly stick, but fixed the exhaust note in the process (but forgot to enlarge the gas tank).

I think this is an excellent synopsis.

IMO it's a far better M5 than the e60. The e60 is undoubtedly sportier, but that's not really what I want from a 4000 lb mid sized sedan.

IMO the only thing the two cars share is the name, they are wildly different driving experiences.

The S54 can be manic, but it doesn't have to be. As in, it makes more HP/TQ than the M54 at every RPM. You could choose the drive it like an M54 and it would be as civil as an M54. A fully stock S54 is a pretty reasonable experience. Better fuel economy, too

I don't really see how an S62 530i differs from an M5. You'd have to lose the R&P (or go dry sump and lose AC), you end up at M5 weight... what is the point when you can just buy the factory version if that's what you want?

... did you mean S52? If so, only 15 hp more than an M54-- doesn't seem worth the effort.

Full DISA/headers N52 could be interesting. Gets you to ~300 hp, but with much less weight than the S54 or M54. But, doesn't plug and play with the chassis electronics like the S54 does, so you'd probably end up with a much less OE experience. Of all the non S54s, that would probably interest me the most. More civil than any of the other options above :P

Agreed, its almost ALWAYS a poor choice to build a car when BMW makes it ESPECIALLY an I6 steering rack to V8 and steering box conversion.

I'd lean towards putting ESS TS supercharger on a M54B30 and then swap to a GS6-37 trans before converting to an S62.

OR what I really want to do... cover your ears... N62 H1 in an E39. 🙄

[Casa de Mesa]

It generally feels like someone hit an e46 M3 with an enlargement ray and an ugly stick, but fixed the exhaust note in the process (but forgot to enlarge the gas tank).

😂🤣 Priceless.

repoman89 I saw your M3 go through BaT. Then I saw your M3 go through BaT. So sorry that first buyer flaked on you, BaT should be imposing stiffer penalties. That car photographed so well and you did an incredible job managing the auction. Both of them.

All - This is immensely valuable feedback, thank you. I just spent 3 hours in an AutoTempest rabbit hole, flipping between E90s and E39s. My heart wants an E39...

Appreciate all these perspectives. And George Hill LOL at that expansion tank!! That's quite a stark difference.

-Casa

[TexaZ3]

e39 M5 has effortless speed, nicer interior, nicer exterior, feels much smaller than the e60 on the road (as in, it feels like a mid point between e60 and e46 in exterior size), has a significantly bigger interior if you have euro dash, doesn't suffer idrive, has better gauges, is always 6mt, is more reliable, is FAR easier to work on, and has ~double the highway range.

The e60 M5 has better steering feel (R&P), sounds better (not to say the e39 sounds bad, but the V10...), and has a more engaging engine. It generally feels like someone hit an e46 M3 with an enlargement ray and an ugly stick, but fixed the exhaust note in the process (but forgot to enlarge the gas tank). It's truly shocking how often you have to get gas when DDing the e60 M5. Expect a realistic range of 200 miles. I average 11.5mpg, and I don't get to drive it hard very often on my commute. And the tank is smaller than e39.

I miss my e39 M5. IMO it's a far better M5 than the e60. The e60 is undoubtedly sportier, but that's not really what I want from a 4000 lb mid sized sedan. The e39 is far better at being a car, and still pretty freaking good at being fun to drive.

As an owner of both as well - the above is spot on. Agree with every word.

[EthanolTurbo]

I’ve been eyeing the e60 m5 lately - please elaborate on the differences between the 2 cars.

The E60 M5 is way crazier... much higher revving motor, sounds like a true exotic, and the chassis is basically a better E90 chassis.

I'm selling my manual '09 E60 M5, has rod bearings done and 72k miles.

[bmwfnatic]

e39 M5 has effortless speed, nicer interior, nicer exterior, feels much smaller than the e60 on the road (as in, it feels like a mid point between e60 and e46 in exterior size), has a significantly bigger interior if you have euro dash, doesn't suffer idrive, has better gauges, is always 6mt, is more reliable, is FAR easier to work on, and has ~double the highway range.

The e60 M5 has better steering feel (R&P), sounds better (not to say the e39 sounds bad, but the V10...), and has a more engaging engine. It generally feels like someone hit an e46 M3 with an enlargement ray and an ugly stick, but fixed the exhaust note in the process (but forgot to enlarge the gas tank). It's truly shocking how often you have to get gas when DDing the e60 M5. Expect a realistic range of 200 miles. I average 11.5mpg, and I don't get to drive it hard very often on my commute. And the tank is smaller than e39.

I miss my e39 M5. IMO it's a far better M5 than the e60. The e60 is undoubtedly sportier, but that's not really what I want from a 4000 lb mid sized sedan. The e39 is far better at being a car, and still pretty freaking good at being fun to drive.

I agree with most of this to be honest.

But the steering feel and braking feel in the E39 really annoy me, especially the brakes, which some say can be solved with the E65 MC upgrade, but some m5board users also report that is sort of a bandaid fix, so I am holding off a bit on that one.

I think you got it right there, the E60 reminds me of the E46, the engine characteristics especially, making all the power near redline is somehow exciting.

But in the final conclusion I am still going to pick the E60, because I don’t care about DD’ing or actually using old M cars as a car, I use them all for fun only, and for me the E60 is just more exciting.

[Obioban]

I agree with most of this to be honest.

But the steering feel and braking feel in the E39 really annoy me, especially the brakes, which some say can be solved with the E65 MC upgrade, but some m5board users also report that is sort of a bandaid fix, so I am holding off a bit on that one.

I think you got it right there, the E60 reminds me of the E46, the engine characteristics especially, making all the power near redline is somehow exciting.

But in the final conclusion I am still going to pick the E60, because I don’t care about DD’ing or actually using old M cars as a car, I use them all for fun only, and for me the E60 is just more exciting.

Have to admit, I’ve only ever driver e39 M5s with bbks (including my own, which came with it). Probably speaks to how bad the stock ones are that they are so ubiquitous.

…. and my e39 m5 had monoball thrust arms, which I remember significantly improving the steering.

[nyc951]

As an owner of both as well - the above is spot on. Agree with every word.

The e39 looks great (otherwise I wouldn’t have 2 of them) but after all these years, I’m beginning to appreciate the e60’s design for what it is. Flame suit on.

[TexaZ3]

The e39 looks great (otherwise I wouldn’t have 2 of them) but after all these years, I’m beginning to appreciate the e60’s design for what it is. Flame suit on.

E60 is a beautiful car, I said that from the very beginning. Davide Arcangelis' last design and I'm glad it was released unchanged.

[bmwfnatic]

Have to admit, I’ve only ever driver e39 M5s with bbks (including my own, which came with it). Probably speaks to how bad the stock ones are that they are so ubiquitous.

…. and my e39 m5 had monoball thrust arms, which I remember significantly improving the steering.

Unfortunatley I already have Brembo GT, I still find it shit, but perhaps since the previous owner only installed it on the front, it might throw off the balance even more.

[repoman89]

😂🤣 Priceless.

repoman89 I saw your M3 go through BaT. Then I saw your M3 go through BaT. So sorry that first buyer flaked on you, BaT should be imposing stiffer penalties. That car photographed so well and you did an incredible job managing the auction. Both of them.

All - This is immensely valuable feedback, thank you. I just spent 3 hours in an AutoTempest rabbit hole, flipping between E90s and E39s. My heart wants an E39...

Appreciate all these perspectives. And George Hill LOL at that expansion tank!! That's quite a stark difference.

-Casa

It was all good! BAT does impose pretty stiff penalties on flake buyers tbh. They kept his $3300 and banned him from the site. The car ended up in much better hands anyway (a member of this forum who seems like a really cool dude. Already requested that he message me first if he sells )

Good luck with your decision re: the E39 and post back with whatever you end up choosing. If you were local I’d offer to let you drive mine.