E39 M5 S62 — the greatest M car ever made? 5 year ownership review

The E39 M5 is the car that made me fall in love with BMW. I had one for 8 years before selling it (biggest regret of my life). The manual gearbox, the V8 sound, the understated looks — it is the complete package.

One thing I want to emphasize about the clutch — the E39 M5 clutch is a dual-mass flywheel setup and replacement is expensive because the transmission has to come out from below. Budget 1500-2000 EUR for a quality clutch kit and labor. Some owners switch to a single-mass flywheel for a more direct feel, but it adds some vibration at idle.

The VANOS seals are a must-do maintenance item. When they fail, you lose power and get rough idle. The Beisan Systems kit is the go-to solution — well documented with excellent instructions.

Beautiful car and great review. The E39 M5 values are only going one direction. Manual V8 sedans from this era are becoming collectible across all brands.

For anyone looking to buy one — check the rear subframe mounting points carefully. The E39 M5 puts a lot of torque through the rear end and the subframe mounts can crack, especially on cars that have been driven hard. Reinforcement plates are available and should be installed preventively.

Also check the window regulators — they fail on every E39 eventually. Not expensive to fix but annoying.

Thanks for the replies. To add one more thing — the E39 M5 throttle response is something you cannot replicate with modern turbocharged engines. The individual throttle bodies give instant response with zero lag. When you blip the throttle, the engine reacts immediately. It is addictive.

For anyone on the fence — drive one before you decide. No amount of reading about it can prepare you for how it actually feels. The combination of the S62 engine, manual gearbox, and perfectly weighted steering is automotive perfection.