Hey, Im going to get my *cough* permit *cough* soon, so I'm starting to make a wishlist of cars. Near the top is the E34 M5. I'll be 16, so it would be my daily driver. Also, I'll have some crap job that doesn't pay well, so I was wondering how much stuff would cost/reliability of the E34's.

Thanks,
Tim

The E34 M5 is a beautiful but very high maintenance car. I know there are at least one or two people on this board that own one, I don't think that either would recommend it as a daily driver. More importantly, I couldn't ever recommend such a fast car to anyone who just got their driving permit (especially not to someone who just turned 16...), it's asking for trouble. If you like BMWs and would like to learn about them and work on them etc, look into a nice E30 325i or 318is, rock solid but still fun and spirited. Maybe even an E36 325i or 318is.

Go for a 535i. An M5 is not a first good car. I can guarantee that the maintainence bills will eat you alive. It's not easy maintaining my 525 on a crap job, and an M5 would be twice as bad.

agree with above...maybe you'd be happy looking at an E34 525 instead. i'd also recommend something like an E36 325is. they are a great and classic model that you can learn a lot from. maintenance is doable especially with all the how-to writeups and helpful owners on the internet. good lick in your search and drive safely :)

Hey, Im going to get my *cough* permit *cough* soon, so I'm starting to make a wishlist of cars. Near the top is the E34 M5. I'll be 16, so it would be my daily driver. Also, I'll have some crap job that doesn't pay well, so I was wondering how much stuff would cost/reliability of the E34's.

Thanks,
Tim
:rolleyes
WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY TOO MUCH car for you, young grasshopper.

As well, maintenance costs would eat up everything you've got.

thanks for the advice. if my parents knew that the m5 had 315 hp, there's no way in hell that they would let me get it. :/

Im also looking at a/s4's just casue i live in pittsburgh and quattro would be helpful in the winter (theres still snow on the ground here :sigh: )

340 hp 4 door super car is exactly what you should be driving at 16, thumbs up.

at 16? no. too much power for somebody just starting off to drive and the maintenance is not cheap. plus it's not a good daily driver.

You'll need several crap jobs to afford the maintenance costs of an M5, double that for an older M5. I've considered buying a 1992 M5, 90K miles for around $19K but I already own a BMW that's almost 10 years younger and I've spent about $8000 in maintenance costs over the past 2 years. So ask yourself, would you like to have money left for stuff like the prom, movies and women? Or do you want to be chained to the car and the high cost of ownership?

340 hp 4 door super car is exactly what you should be driving at 16, thumbs up.

I agree! All 16 yr olds should drive a high performance sports car that is capable of 160plus mph in just a few seconds. :redspot :alright :buttrock

340 hp 4 door super car is exactly what you should be driving at 16, thumbs up.
:lol :buttrock Think of the chicks!!

yeah, so i might not have any money to spend on girls.....But its cool casue id have an M5 :)

Also ive been looking around at some 525i's and 535i's on this board....pretty sick :)

as long as we're makin wishlists put me down for a 1984 911. turbo would be nice...


but in all seriousness i think the way i did it / was done to me is best....

i turned 16 got my permit, and my parents got me a 95 sc1 saturn stick
learned to drive stick properly and sold that car for a 89 325i that was
a great car...but it had some problems and no airbags so my parents
helped me get this 91 535i that i have now....

its good to start with a light smaller car....

of course depends what kind of driver u are...

Yeah, progression is best. I learned on a 4-cyl Jeep stick, really taught me how to judge things right. Plus, my folks knew I'd crack it up, so when I did, (not my fault!) it was no big deal to fix. Then the 540 became my "at home" car. Now, I'm looking for a crappy beater because I don't want downtown to eat the 540 alive with dings and bashed windows. A car doesn't just need to suit the driver, but the situation the driver is in. Also, no matter what you get, insurance will eat you alive. Something old and something slow would be your best bet. If you must get a bmw, an e30 or e36 318 would be your best bet.

well i'll probably be learning on a civic 5spd thats worth something like $300... And yeah, insurance will be a bitch for a 16 year old with a bimmer :/

can't go wrong with a saturn..

it was a 95 sc1, 100 horse at the crank, fwd...
prolly 85 horse to the wheels...the factory
painted it silver plum, but i say it was pink...

a big helping of humble pie doesn't hurt early
on in your automotive career...esp since u'll
be hit with a ton of stereotypes....

ass : aw, daddy bought u a beemer?
you : no f+cktard, i bought a bimmer.
ass : um yeah ok

yeah, especailly since my school district is probably one of the richest in southwest pa. (Note: I said school district. Just csaue i go to the school does not mean that i am rich)

If anyof you know of Zambelli fireworks....i go to school with one of their kids...i think he has some like 2001 benz or something (why a benz i do not know :/)

I've had my Bimmer since I was 16, and insurance isn't bad. It's the cheapest car out of all the cars my family owns to be insured under. It's also the cheapest car...

wow...what kind of cars do your family members own...:o

"insurance isn't bad"? what's your provider? Heck, with state farm, my dad's insurance on the 540 with no accidents and no tickets was still like 600$. Of course, my insurance on the Jeep was around 1800$/year, since I was an unmarried male under 25. Curse my lack of common sense as a youngster!

I've had my Bimmer since I was 16, and insurance isn't bad. It's the cheapest car out of all the cars my family owns to be insured under. It's also the cheapest car...

Same here. Both of my parents have '98 corollas. My first car was a '92 corolla. I highly recommend it, since that car is a definition of bulletproof. Auto tranny on that thing is rock solid, it gets 30mpg, and doesnt burn a lot of oil. oh, and I still have it. I'll be swapping in a supercharged engine from JDM levin wiht 5-speed this summer.

If you have 'some crap job that doesn't pay well' you shouldn't even be looking for a used BMW, let alone an E34 M5. They are fairly reliable cars, but when you do need repairs you need to be prepared to open your wallet.

yeah, so i might not have any money to spend on girls.....But its cool casue id have an M5 :)

Also ive been looking around at some 525i's and 535i's on this board....pretty sick :)
doesnt matter the girls would come and shower him with nice warm gifts "cough" gifts "cough" body.... :devillook

if you are responsible i dont see a problem learning on such a powerful car maybe im saying this because im not much older than you but believe me 318i or M5 once you do something stupid a dangerous stunt you will stop and pull over with that you will shake the shit out of yourself and never drive liek you did before M5 = most likely a faster bomb 318 is a bomb slower but u can still die u can die in ANY CAR power makes you try and search for the top and especially if youre in a bmw it will make you want to search for that top edge so i guess thats a no but what ever suits you dont do anything stupid either way you go we dont need any more young kids die

bu the girls thing will be true and the expenses on that mofo will be thru the roof unless its not driven hard ....... but then again what was a car like that designed for


good luck man be safe

:confused 2001 MERCEDES :confused

thats it?

my friend from long island and the hamptons roll in Brand spanking new Z4s and E320s one kid got an SL500 and another a 2002 M5 corbon black

so i guess that hood isnt that rich ..... :confused

anyway i am not that rich so i cant drive cars like that :( unless i win the lotto

anyway once again good luck and be safe

OK I have to commend you on your choice of cars. Though when I was 16 all I could think of was Porsche 911. I drove crap Celicas till I was 20 and had me some cash. Then I promptly found a beautiful 73 911S and bought it. At that time I was making decent money and could affoard to maintain and insure the car and my truck that was my daily.
The moral is I had another daily driver and I drove crap for 4 years till I had my P car. That and don't forget maintaining a E34 M5 is maintaining a 60K BMW not a piece of crap Celica.

^^^probably the wisest comment. I drove my corolla for 2yrs before getting a BMW. Although I wanted an M5, I decided to save some money and got a 525i. It's the same body style, but much cheaper to buy, maintain, and insure. Oh, and it's also fun to drive; not even remotely close to M5, but enought to put a grin on your face. Also, after driving a POS for some time, you will appreciate BMW much more than before.

OK I have to commend you on your choice of cars. Though when I was 16 all I could think of was Porsche 911. I drove crap Celicas till I was 20 and had me some cash. Then I promptly found a beautiful 73 911S and bought it. At that time I was making decent money and could affoard to maintain and insure the car and my truck that was my daily.
The moral is I had another daily driver and I drove crap for 4 years till I had my P car. That and don't forget maintaining a E34 M5 is maintaining a 60K BMW not a piece of crap Celica.
A 911 and a E34 in my garage and I would be content.Let the wifey have everything else(except plasma/stereo).

wow...what kind of cars do your family members own...:o
A '97 Passat VR6 and a '02 Accord EX. Nothing special, but they are simply worth more than the BMW, and that's all insurance cares about.

Well all i know is that if i get a bimmer, i would want some sort of e34 or 36 (only e30 thats nice is the m3, imo). So the search begins.....in a couple of months.

But like I said before, an AWD car like a a4 with quattro or a wrx or something would be nice casue we have prolonged winters in pittsburgh :(

I'm glad you are looking at BMW's as your first ride, but let me tell you something because I know how 16 year olds think considering I was once one...

At 16 set your goals lower. When I was 16 I wanted Ferrari 308GTSi but hey that wasn't possible. I grew up with fairly wealthy friends having beautiful Alfa's and Pantera's as their first cars. They would always show off and do disgustingly dumb stuff in them. My father saw how I badly I wanted a car and told me that if I got an education I could afford my dream cars. I was mad at the time, but once I graduated university I knew he was right. At my high school reunion, my friend with the Alfa was working as a coal miner, and the pantera buddy had died a few years after he bought the thing in an accident. There I was, in my brand new 540 having the last laugh I guess. I bought my first car, a Jag XJS V12 in second year university and I could honestly say I'm glad I waited to buy a monster of a car instead of a VW rabbit back when I was younger. I could afford this car because of the money I earned during co-op. A couple years after I bought my dream 308GTSi but then sold it when the wife had kids. Maybe a 355 spider is in the works now.... :buttrock

You may be saying ya whatever this guy is an old fart...I honestly can't count how many 16/17 year olds in my neighbourhood now have E55's and 540's given to them by their daddy. The dumb idiotic things they do in those cars is just appauling. In the past couple months, 2 teens have died in either a Benz or BMW on my street because of inexperience (my street is winding). Both these teens just got their license, or was 'about to'. It's tragic really that these things happen but that's what you get for giving a 400bhp monster to an experienced, hormone filled boy.

So really the point I'm trying to make is get an education, and then think of your dream car. Don't worry about the other show offs because they will become no good burger flippers in the future. Get your license first and learn to drive safely on a fuel effecient car then when you get a bit older save up for an M5 to fill the speed void.

Don't take this the wrong way I'm sure you are probably a great driver, but don't think M5's come easy. Many people work a hell of a lot to purchase an M5 and they don't really want to see a 18 year old driving one and doing burnounts on the highway beside a civic. Keep at school and then buy a Gallardo to smoke your friends.

PS - E34 M5 = wow

All the best
-Paolo

yeah, so i might not have any money to spend on girls.....But its cool casue id have an M5 :)

Also ive been looking around at some 525i's and 535i's on this board....pretty sick :)


I've got a 525i, and I manage to get the chicks :D :D ... yeah mine is average :D

I drove an 85 Dodge Omni from 16-18 and got more A$$ than my BMW 525i I have now :D
85 Dodge Omni 16-18
87 Jeep Cherokee 2 Dr. 18-25
89 BMW 525i 26-Present

Remember one thing. The car doesn't make the man, the man makes the car. All about attitude when it comes to girls. Aim for a 325i or 525i for a first ride.

My 40000 Rupals=$0.02

How come I never see a fugley in a Ferrari then??

I am a little jealous of people who get nice cars right off the bat. My first car was a $1k beat up old Karmann Ghia, followed by a $1k Ford Fiesta (remember those :D ).
I hadnt spent more than $3700 for a car until I was over 30. I did have a $12k 98 M3 for a couple monthsa little while back, before I jettisoned it. Too nice a car for someone like me toting around a young daughter.
Even with the gutless cars I had, I still almost put myself into all manner of obstacles, driving like a liquored up Juan Manual Fangio.
I cant imagine how I would have been with a 300+ hp car.
I say by a nice, low-mile Volvo 740 and stick with that for a couple years.

I've got a 525i, and I manage to get the chicks :D :D ... yeah mine is average :D

Same here. BTW, I'll probably be getting the same paint as you. Mix of islandgrun and VW green, right. Expect the pics in about a week.

According to the popular statistic (which may or may not be true) you're more than 100% likely to get into an accident between the ages of 16 and 18(?). Given the people I knew when I was that age, I couldn't argue that statistic at all.

So; please don't get an M5 and wreck it. :(

Same here. BTW, I'll probably be getting the same paint as you. Mix of islandgrun and VW green, right. Expect the pics in about a week.


Its not literally a mix of the two, my bodyshop mixed the paint more metallic than island grun but not as dark as vw green, using vw paint.

.

as a first car i was also obsessed with the e34 m5. my dad said it was too explensive to maintain, and too powerful, and knowing what the "m" meant, i knew he was right. i settled, if you could call it that, for an e34 525i. deffinately the right choice. at 16 i was way too reckless, and 300 stock horses under the hood would have been way too much for me. my recommenadtion is to save some money and get a 525i. then if you want a little more power, get a performance chip, i have the DINAN one and it works great. it will set you back about $300, but installation you can do on your own. it only takes about 10 minutes if you know what to do. then i would buy the m5 euro body kit. dont know how much it is, i got my 525i with the body kit already on. i cant imagine it would be more than a grand though. installation is also something you can do on your own if you have a jack and the right tools. this will give your car the m5 look that you want, as well as some experience. if that isn't eoungh though, you still have saved enough money to put more aftermarket parts on it to boost horsepower or improve handling, close to that of an m5, and you will still save on maintenance! if you have any questions, i have been working on different areas of my 525i for four years now and am pretty comfortable with most installations. happy hunting!

If you wer closer I,d give you my old lebaron conv. to trash. Good for chicks and cheap to operate. After learning to drive then you get yourself something thats fast.

this is frightening... I started on an 89hp honda, and by all accounts should be dead.

and I wasn't doing half the stupid stuff some of my classmates did.

M20 525 would be a good start... car can barely get out of its own way..... ample "chick-getting" ability. and you can get a decent one for like five grand....

I say a nice manual 535i if you can find one. Bulletproof engine and quite a quick car in its own right. My first BMW was at about 30 years old, '89 325i. I wish I still had it. In fact, if you can find a nice E30 325i they are SO much fun and epitomize the BMW feel (a good 700lbs lighter than any E34). Quick car too with a chip and basic mod's.

Go for the 535i, i got mine when i was 15 and it was great