Which M3 is Best M3?

[straight6pwr]

easy: e34 m5 touring, because, well, its the only m5 touring.

[P_Roloff]

straight6pwr said:

easy: e34 m5 touring, because, well, its the only m5 touring.

Not so fast. They did make an e60 M5 touring, although we never got it here in the states and I’ve seen conflicting info on whether or not you could get them with a manual. I’d have a really tough time deciding between the e61 and e34, a v10/6spd wagon sounds pretty fun, but so does a s38.

[m42b32]

P_Roloff said:

Not so fast. They did make an e60 M5 touring, although we never got it here in the states and I’ve seen conflicting info on whether or not you could get them with a manual. I’d have a really tough time deciding between the e61 and e34, a v10/6spd wagon sounds pretty fun, but so does a s38. 

I always thought the US was the only place to get a manual trans in both the e60 and f10 M5's, but It's entirely possible I'm wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if a manual e61 m5 was never a thing (though it would certainly be glorious if someone built one!)

It's entirely possible @straight6pwr is choosing to ignore the existence of the e60 haha

[P_Roloff]

m42b32 said:

I always thought the US was the only place to get a manual trans in both the e60 and f10 M5's, but It's entirely possible I'm wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if a manual e61 m5 was never a thing (though it would certainly be glorious if someone built one!)

It's entirely possible @straight6pwr is choosing to ignore the existence of the e60 haha

That may very well be that only the u.s. got the manual, I don’t honestly know much about the e6x cars other than the e61 m5 existed at all lol.

[Jdesign]

Here lies your answer:

"What transmissions were offered on the E60 M5 sedan and E61 M5 Touring?

The majority of E60 M5 sedans and all E61 M5 Tourings were equipped with a third-generation Sequential M Gearbox (SMG III) with a single clutch, 11 DRIVELOGIC shift programs (5 in automatic mode, 6 in manual mode) and launch control. Unlike earlier SMG systems used in the E36 M3 (SMG I) and E46 M3 (SMG II), the 7-speed SMG III was developed from scratch to work in concert with the S85 motor and was not adapted from an existing manual gearbox. It is capable of shift times that are 20 percent faster than those of the earlier SMG II transmission. Gear ratios for the SMG III are as follows: 3.99 (1), 2.65 (2), 1.81 (3), 1.39 (4), 1.16 (5), 1.00 (6), 0.83 (7). The final drive ratio is 3.62:1.

Due to market pressure from North American customers, BMW introduced a manual transmission option for E60 M5 sedans sold in the United States and Canada beginning with September, 2006 production. The ZF Type G 6-speed manual gearbox was shared with the E60 550i and carried over to the E60 M5 with the same internal ratios: 4.05 (1), 2.40 (2), 1.58 (3), 1.19 (4), 1.00 (5), 0.87 (6). However, it retained the significantly shorter 3.62:1 final drive from the SMG-equipped M5."

-The Offical BMW Registry

http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=21

[straight6pwr]

didnt realize there was an e60 m5 touring because I give zero shits about the e60. 

you also couldn't get the e34 m5 touring in the U.S., but that irrelevant to which is best.

[patsbimmer1]

Touring or not the e39 is the best M5.

[Jdesign]

patsbimmer1 said:

Touring or not the e39 is the best M5.

That is debatable.

Looks? Yes. (IMO)

Sounds? I D K 

E39 M5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF-ncih6-dU

E60 M5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrfaDvuWhNE

[patsbimmer1]

Jdesign said:

That is debatable.

Looks? Yes. (IMO)

Sounds? I D K 

E39 M5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF-ncih6-dU

E60 M5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrfaDvuWhNE

No argument there!  The e60 sounds WAAAAY better!  Looks uninspiring and the smg thats found in most of them is terrible.  The e60 is better in every measurable way but i'd pick an e39 every time for no good reason at all.  I'm in the minority when i say the e60 isn't the worst m5 though.  It's ugly but I think the e28 is uglier.  For the cost of ownership of the s38 i'd buy an s85 and delight in a screaming v10.

[Jdesign]

patsbimmer1 said:

No argument there!  The e60 sounds WAAAAY better!  Looks uninspiring and the smg thats found in most of them is terrible.  The e60 is better in every measurable way but i'd pick an e39 every time for no good reason at all.  I'm in the minority when i say the e60 isn't the worst m5 though.  It's ugly but I think the e28 is uglier.  For the cost of ownership of the s38 i'd buy an s85 and delight in a screaming v10.

I was in complete agreement till your E28 comment. Then I stopped reading and disregarded your opinion. 

[patsbimmer1]

Jdesign said:

I was in complete agreement till your E28 comment. Then I stopped reading and disregarded your opinion. 

I'm used to having the unpopular opinion lol.  Neither the e28 nor the e60 is pretty but the e60 at least has some muscular architecture to it.  The stanceworks and the motul e28's look cool but a stock e28 m5 just looks meh.

[YoungCR]

patsbimmer1 said:

The stanceworks and the motul e28's look cool but a stock US e28 m5 just looks meh.

US M5’s are meh but a proper euro is the tits. How many E60 M5’s are gonna make it to 2-300k though? I’d argue the maintenance costs aren’t that different over the lifetime of the car. 

I’d still vote e39 as the overall best too though.

[Jdesign]

They all have their place. I agree that the E39 M5 is the best.............................................. with an S85

[ChrisO]

Jdesign said:

That is debatable.

Looks? Yes. (IMO)

Sounds? I D K 

E39 M5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF-ncih6-dU

E60 M5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrfaDvuWhNE

Did anyone else realize that e39 has 400k miles

[Jdesign]

No, but thats awesome.

[straight6pwr]

Jdesign said:

That is debatable.

Looks? Yes. (IMO)

Sounds? I D K 

E39 M5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF-ncih6-dU

E60 M5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrfaDvuWhNE

neither is better than an s38. 

and that v10 sounds terribad. 

in the end, i think what i want is a 4-rotor 5 series touring. is that too much to ask?

[Jdesign]

straight6pwr said:

neither is better than an s38.  

and that v10 sounds terribad. 

in the end, i think what i want is a 4-rotor 5 series touring. is that too much to ask? 

hmmmm....... Well... since "terribad" isnt a word, your opinion is invalid about the S85.  

I wanted to think your ears are broken, but then you mention a 4-rotor so I know they kinda work.