Mileage Vs. Maintenance
 

So I was looking at e39s for sale and was wondering which would you prefer?

02 540i 6 speed with 120k miles decent shape needs cooling system and a clutch pretty soon. Current owner likes the car but not really an enthusiast.

With the 540i I wouldn't have more than $1k for maintenance after purchase price

or

02 m5 with 300k miles currently located in florida 2 owners the current owner has owned it since 67k miles. Great shape alot of preventative maintenance. The owner loves Bmws and is a enthusiast like myself.

I would have about $3k for maintenance. I do labor myself.

Generally I would say get a 180k car that has been enthusiastically maintained over a 120k that has not. But a reasonably maintained 120k 540 vs a 300k M5 regardless of maintenance is a no brainer for the 540.

A 300k M5 is gonna be PRICEY.

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+1, a lot can go wrong on a 300K mile car.

Do you DIY? If not, avoid both cars and get a Toyota. Both cars will need $$ for maintenance. You can always afford to buy an e39, you just can't afford to maintain one. If you DIY, get the 540.

There is a 2002 6speed M5 in my area with 62k miles on it for $20k. I think I might go check it out if I can slip away for a hour or two...:bigpimp:

Yeah I already owned a 540i 6 and loved it. Pot hole at night ruined my engine.

Everyone please stop saying Toyota and crap other than a,rear wheel V8 German sports sedans. I know maintenance better than most on these forums.

I'm inclined to go with the m5. What 18 year old wouldn't want the car of his dreams?

Have fun paying insurance... Why not just buy a decent lower mileage M5 thats been taken care of. If you buy a cheap M5 you get get just that.

It is not too much more than the 540i plus I won't be putting collision insurance. It has been taken care of obviously!

Forgot to mention I would pull the motor in the summer and put a S62 with 120k miles 1 owner in it. While I rebuild the original engine to my specs. Then I would yank the lower mileage motor and put the forged rebuilt one in.

One who must pay insurance on it...

Honestly both don't seem good at all. The 540 will likely need more than the cooling system once you find nit picky things, and the M5... 300k is just effin bananas.

Just my 2c

That's why I want it. Imagine me saying "yeah I drive a m5 with 500k miles on it" that would be nuts!

Forgot to mention. The owner of the m5 owns a house in Florida and Mass so a lot of the miles are highway miles and I believe him

Keep looking kid ... 300k miles on a car is a huge repair you cant afford just waiting to happen...

Ok Boy, listen here I can afford it. The point of a super car isn't to be cheap and affordable. I love fixing Bimmers. Its not natural when something breaks on my 540i I can't wait to fix it. It's down right Stockholm Syndrome. I find it fun to learn how it all works in an engine and really want to pull one apart. I am studying to be a mechanical engineer.

If you can afford it - why buy a car that's been driven to hell and back?

BMW S62 requires BMW technician experience and lot of expensive tools..I will go with the 540 that engine is easier

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Why would anybody want to buy an m5 with 300k miles on it!? Makes no sense to me. Keep saving your money and buy an m5 with lower miles if you really want it or buy the 540i now
You could buy the m5 and a week later the motor gives out!

because he wants part out it :p

Maybe he wants the m5 so he can finally stop being a ///Mposter :rofl:

Listen to this man with everything you've got. He's a well established member and has been "around the block" more than once when it comes to DIY'ing and maintaining the e39..............

Ok bro man, I don't like how he said "kid" I know it is expensive but I also know how Bimmers can reach 300k miles easy. I would need a rebuild but I got it figured out. I like engines and have been working on them my whole life.

I want the real thing not my impostor that got totaled by some soccer mom. I have that initial $3k for maintenance right off the back.

Things that make the m5 worth it

Alcantara Headliner $500
Extended leather $1000
Navigation $350
m5 cluster $150
m5 illuminated shift knob $100
m5 bumpers $1000
m5 belly pan $100
m5 splash guards $100
m5 fender liners $100
m5 doorsills $200
m5 impact strips $100
m5 mirrors 499
m5 mirror modules $180
quad exhaust $150
fold down rear seats $400
Brand New tires $1000
Plus 120 more hp $3500(based off of lalarays supercharger)
LSD 3.15 $400
transmission $600

I could part it out and still make my money back.

I mean plus its an actual m5 not my fake m5 or want to be like my friends say to me

Yes yes I do :cry::cry::cry:

getting sloppy man. :D

I love engines they are pretty cool and interesting to work on. I figure you are a BMW technician? I looked into becoming one. But I decided that I would be better off designing engines. I would out source some of the rebuild that requires milling of the heads and sleeving of the block. I was thinking about putting forged pistons and VACs upgraded head that costs $2000. The vanos has recently been rebuilt but the timming chain guides might be due.

Dont get either one. Make the switch to Mercedes Benz. Get a 2004-2005 E55 AMG or an S55 AMG. E55 is like a 5 series, and s55 is like a 7. Both cars have the same 5.4L supercharged V8 with 469hp and 516 ft-lbs...stock. There dont have the cooling system, thurst bushings, ccv, timing chain guides, VANOS, ignitions switch...ect ect problems that our Bimmers have. The only real problems they have is the intercooler pump ($130 for aftermarket one) and the ABC (Active Body Control) which can get pricy if your not a DYI kind of guy. For an extra $1400 you can get a SC pulley, re-map ECU (which eurocharger.com can do in 30min right over your internet connection), and air filter and make 550+ hp and 605 ft-lbs.

They can be had with 100K or less miles around $20K. Hopefully ill be making the switch this weekend. Gonna drive my 740i to El Paso to look at a beautiful black on black E55 and trade up.

Take a look at them. Youll be suprised.

Sounds like you have your mind set, OP. Go do what makes YOU happy.

Yeah I really was hoping someone would agree with me. The problem is that I just love the m5. But I will be disciplined when negotiating I'm trying to get him down to a price where I can part it out if it breaks and make a profit. If you saw the car you would honestly think it had 100k miles on it tops. That means a lot because in the northeast roads are crap. It is so much cheaper than the 540i that I can't bring myself not to buy it.