If your reason for it being impractical is that it's RWD (for winter) -- lots of people do it. RWD doesn't make it impractical...you just need to put some weight in the trunk, get a good set of snows, and drive appropriate to the conditions.

The first two cars I ever drove on a regular basis were RWD...winter and all...and this was before the invention of fancy traction control systems.

 

M5 or your gay. You only live once, F practicality.

 

How so? I drove mine on a daily basis even in our crazy canadian blizzards and I was fine. As long as you're not foolish with your right foot and get a good set of winter tires, you'll do just fine. Also like SS said, do you it's impractical because it's RWD? Because apart from that in terms of space, it's a bigger car for sure.

 

Well if it's only between a 2003 M5 and 2009 328, then I would lease the 2009 328. You are just asking for trouble when buying that old of a BMW, IMO. And to only keep it for a year? Too much hassle and waste of money for me.

 

Well, RWD wouldn't be my first (or second ) choice anymore due to the amount of snow and ice we get up North where we frequent.... But it's not like you'd be the first and only person to do it.

 

Good point

I sent you a PM btw

 

How much would the car depreciate over 1 - 2 yrs,....anyone have an idea????

70, 000 kms,......asking in the higher 30's for it,......how much could we negotiate down realistically on the M5???

 

I am not sure but i think the M5 has issues with the suspension that is costly to replace. Might want to look into that.

See about getting a used 335i with an extended warranty. There are plenty out there used and lots of great deals.

 

Here's the real issue: if I see a M5 in the winter, then I consider that a poser move. An M5 is a 2nd/3rd car in Canada behind a reliable all season vehicle. My neighbor's M3 vert is garaged for the winter while he drives a 5 for a DD. My other neighbor garages his IS350 for christs sake.

So be a sensible Canadian and not like those brash Americans and get the 3, or better yet a nice FWD/AWD. Then, if you still have the cash flow above and beyond a DD, mortgage, your RRSP, kid's RESP, etc, you can pick up an M. It should be preferably new because they depreciate more than half in 3 years... that should really, really tell you something.

 

 

Errm... Other way around. If a car depreciates more than HALF in the first 3 years, it makes all the more sense to get it USED. Why would you want to pay top dollar only for it to be cut in half so soon?

And I don't see any reason why someone can't get a vehicle they can use year round. Buy a car and drive it, enjoy it, use it. Cars that are garaged 6-8 months out of the year are extravagances are pretty bad investments.

 

^ Sorry...garaged cars are bad investments when bought new.

Lots of people drive their BMWs (including RWD and hard-top convertibles) during winter. You just have to be careful.

 

to last three posts

 

damn dude that seems like a horrible decision to make, i'd want to get the m5, but i couldn't justify that price TBO.
and the most draw of the m5 i think, is obviously the power (not ever gonna use all of it), the mint condition (hard to keep as a DD), and the low mileage(impossible to keep low as a DD, and as a car you all are gonna want to drive everywhere), and lastly the gas mileage
As much as it pains me to say this... i think the smart thing is to get the 3...
whatever happened to considering an Inifniti M?

 

We're not talking about any car, we're talking about a high performance sports car. And actually, West6MT gives the answer in a previous post:
West6MT, you're not the only one who thinks this way. A M3/5 is to be really enjoyed, driven hard, and dumped before all the worn out parts need replacing out of warranty. Just how often do you think that engine has hovered near redline? Or the clutch dumped at 4k RPM?

Excluding some rare examples, cars are not investments , and an M3/5 is an extravagance any way you cut it.

Well yes, humans exhibit a range of behavior and just because lots of people do something doesn't make it right/sensible. Lots of people drive with bald tires, or don't put on snow tires in Canada in the winter.

And generally speaking, people who engage in risky behavior are not the people who tend to be careful. An exception of course are the older car enthusiasts who by their wits or dumb luck have survived getting themselves killed.

 

Alright, an update is long overdue. I apologize for not getting stuff up earlier. We drove some cars, agonized over what to do, and finally came to a decision.

I'll put a few comments about each car, and then talk about what we got. Apologies in advance, as I am not good at writing reviews.


2007 M35x

The M35x had 21,000 kms on the odo, and was in good condition. It was a nice car, very comfortable, loaded to the eyeballs with everything you could get in the car. I thought it drove well, cruised very nicely on the hwy and felt good in the corners etc based on our test drive. I personally didnt like the accelerator pedal, as it felt like I was stepping on a brick it was so stiff. I dunno if that is normal or not. Anyway, overall the car was really nice, and I liked the fact it was an AWD model.

Note: We were going to look at a G37, but the back seat was not comfortable, so that was off the list really quickly. The placement of the seat belt receiver thing was poorly thought out.

2009 Genesis

I was looking forward to driving the genesis (sedan) having checked it out for the first time earlier this year at the autoshow. We got to take out a nice dark blue V6 model with navi. The interior was very comfortable both up front and in the back. The car had a smooth ride, and would be a great hwy cruiser for sure. I personally thought the accel pedal was a little on the sensitive side, but no biggie. The car felt like it had good power for its size, and I quite liked the look of the gauge cluster etc. I would have liked more side bolster support on the seats, as I was sliding around a bit in turns I wasn't taking that fast.The car wasn't really sporty, and we were not expecting it to be sporty,...so no surprises there. Overall, a great car, and I think Hyundai did a great job with it. As with all the cars we drove, this was a great option.

2009 BMW 328i automatic

We spent A LOT of time at the BMW dealership looking at different things. We went out in a 328i twice, and it definitely made an impression. The dealer took the wheel at first the first time we went out, and showed us what the car could do. :devilgrin It was definitely fun watching the dealer guy thrash the car,...note to self,...never buy a bmw demo (any demo really ). He did an emergency stop with two wheels on the gravel from 80, violently pulling side to side a few times on the wheel. Next up was a slalom though metal poles in a GO train parking lot at a good clip (impressive handling). Then WOT with the car in full lock to the left to show us the safety systems etc, and then WOT in a straight line and slamming on the brakes. This could be standard fair for BMW test drives (I wouldn't really know), but it was really fun.

Personal thoughts,....I really liked the 328. It handled great, pulled strong, had great brakes, and had a very nice ride over bumps etc. I liked the size of the car and thought it was very comfortable. The 09 models with the LED turn signals etc also look sweet IMO. I thought the auto reacted pretty quickly when in the manual shift mode or whatever it is called, but it was still an auto. My dad wanted an auto in the 3'er if we got that, but I wish I got a chance to drive a manual version anyway. I thought the pedal in this was a bit sensitive too,...maybe it is me lol.

2003 BMW M5

I don't think I really need to say much for this one. I wish both myself and my dad pushed the car harder on the test drive. The car is solid!!! No lean in the corners, composed ride, great sound, lots of power, great brakes, and extremely comfy. The car had me when I walked outside to it, went around to the back, and heard its sweet sweet idle.

I was expecting to hate the clutch, but it turn out to be very easy to drive. To me it doesnt feel that much different from my TSX, but maybe I am just crazy. It is a little bit heavier, but very nice. It seems to be more forgiving. Shift was notchy/rubbery, but that is supposed to be typical BMW, so no point saying anything further.




So,............what did we get?????

I'll post up a few pics in a minute.

 

Congrats on the BMW

Im gonna guess the 328i

 

How do you know what we got???

 

I guessed. Plus the 328 had the most written about it.

 

^^^

congrats on the new whip

 

^^ on 328 ,...my vagueness worked!!!! hahaha


It was a tough to decide on what route to go, and after a very LOOONG week of deliberations, discussion, and reflection, we finally made a decision. We went to the dealer, chatted, looked around some more, gave evil looks at the ppl eying the car we ended up with, all the song and dance, and left with the deal done. We are keeping the Infiniti I30 to drive in the winter. The TSX will be in the driveway on weekends when I come home to visit.

The beast now resides in the garage.


<a href="http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x9/West6MT/?action=view&current=_DSC6128aaa.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x9/West6MT/th__DSC6128aaa.jpg" border="0" alt="M" ></a>

<a href="http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x9/West6MT/?action=view&current=_DSC6150aaa.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x9/West6MT/th__DSC6150aaa.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

<a href="http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x9/West6MT/?action=view&current=_DSC6168_ADJ.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x9/West6MT/th__DSC6168_ADJ.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

<a href="http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x9/West6MT/?action=view&current=_DSC6181_ADJ.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x9/West6MT/th__DSC6181_ADJ.jpg" border="0" alt="M3" ></a>

 

I guess I should say a bit more about the new car,...

2003 BMW M5
71,000 kms on her
Carbon Black w Caramel interior (wood trim)
Has all the extra options,....so upgraded to 14 speakers, rear sunshade,...and whatever else.

My dad is very happy. Seeing the smile on his face when he gets out of the car makes me very happy. It meant a lot when he thanked me for my help/advice/input on all the cars we looked at. I actually advised against the M5 after initially being for it,...then came back round again to being in favour. When he told me he made a selfish purchase, I knew for sure that he got the car that would make HIM most happy.

When we got her home, I took the car out with my best friend,...and quickly scared myself at how fast the car is. I REALLY like it!!!!!!!!!!!! The sound is fantastic, it pulls like a train, and it has great brakes. The grip in the corners is crazy (at least to me,...never driven a road car like this before,...although the open wheeler I drove a few years back was nuts).

So yeah, I am super excited about the car. I missed it so much this week, but drove it around a bunch this weekend while home visiting. Will have some cool pictures soon.

 

nice!

 

bigger pics please

 

Click on the thumbnails

 

nice car

 

one more reason to go home on the weekends i guess
but great purchase, one of my favorite BMW's of all time.
and i'm sure it'll keep your dad happy for a long time to come

 

Nice pickup. I have always liked those M5's. I probably would have gone with the M35X though. Mostly because of the lower miles, etc.

 

awesome!

 

Thanks for the comments guys.

 

Ya the M35x was definitely a good option. It was silver though,...everyone in my family greatly dislikes Silver. If my dad pulled the trigger on that, he seriously would have had it painted another colour. We could have gotten a good deal on it I beleive, so it wouldnt have been too big of a deal. Crazy, I know haha.

 

Even better!!

 

Nice......One of my favorites, before Bangal-ization....

 

I hear ya on color. I'm not a big fan of silver, although both my current cars are silver. The color is kinda growing on me. Especially since I never have to clean it.

Good luck with the BMW.

 

Once again Steve; Congratulations! The M looks pretty good in black; take some more pictures and enjoy her in the best of health!

FYI, m5board.com has tons of good information; take a look on there sometimes.:wink:

 

Will do.

A big thanks to Nokiaman for all of his help with giving me info regarding M5s etc. Thanks man