2000 BMW E39 M5 Review - Even Better Than The V10? 

"I think I just gave a thumb-up to a hearse"

Better? Yes, the E39 in general is quite possibly one of the greatest cars of all time.

I sadly sold my 2003 E39 M5 a year ago. I loved the thing. Brimming with character, useable and very much suited to UK roads. They're a brilliant thing. Don't give too much attention to the internet doom mongers who preach mechanical issues with these cars. Like you said buy on condition from a loving enthusiast. Suspension bushings, the odd spot of rust and keep it well oiled with the correct Castrol oil and you'll not go far wrong. Other than the engine and brakes the car is pretty much a normal E39 and parts are reasonable. Just find a nice one and buy it :-)

Who remembers the Clive Owen and madonna advert 😂😂

Never forget when i got over taken by one of these in a tunnel in Austria about 20 years ago in my Delta HF Turbo.Didnt even tried to race it just enjoyed the v8 sound.My favorite M5 for sure

I had many BMW'S in my life,and repaired even more. From my experience and life with them,I can say that E34/E39 are one of the easiest to work on. And even many can argue,I believe the E38/E39 models were at the peak of BMW engineering. They had their fair share of faults,like the cooling system, rust,and jerky electronics,but in general very solid car,which gives you joy like no other. Also many will argue about E60 M5 being better because of its V10. Well,at that time no family saloon had V10 F1 related engine under the hood,so in that sense yes,it was impressive achievement. The sound astonishing. Rest was crap. Very jerky in city, highly unreliable, expensive like hell to maintain,and interior..horrible. So yes,E60 was definitely more advanced and faster,but in no way better.

When that shape BMW 5 series was released it was rumoured to be the all round best car in the world. I’ve driven that shape M5 it’s fantastic 👍 My father owned one it was amazing

Back when I was in the army in 2000 based in Germany my mate bought an E39 M5 brand new. He used to go on the autobahn flashing arrogant Porsche’s out of the way! One hell of a car, loved being a passenger in it.

Probably one of the best m cars ever made !

That brings back a lot of memories my father owned a Silverstone Blue M5 back when they were new. It was also the 1st BMW I was a passenger in as a kid

“Last one with a manual gearbox” Actually, if you lived in the U.S., the E60 and F10 M5s were offered manual transmissions. With the current M5 however, no manual is offered in any region.

I own a silver metallic 2002 M5. I've had it since 2013 . My dream car. Still puts a smile on my face every time I start the engine. Best all around car ever in my opinion.

I've always wanted one of these, I will forever love the NA engine over a fartbox sounding turbo.

I still have my e39 M5. Albeit off the road at the moment. The prices just keep going up too. If you're liking the gearbox and shifter... I bet its had the shifter replaced with a Z3 item. Direct swap, very cheap to do and gives you a much sharper shorter shift. The OEM shifter has a comically long throw, even for its day, in the e39 M5. I did poly bushes throughout as well as a suspension arm and steering overhaul. What was already a good handling car became a car that really defied its weight and size. Best exhaust mod - simply cut the 4 small mufflers off the rear and get an exhaust fabricator to make up nice straight pipes. Not too loud but also means you don't need to be high up the rev range o hear the best of the engine. These cars were over muffled as the idea was subtle performance. A few weak points... and there are many - the thermostat fails often and is a costly job to replace. Clutch can get toasted easily if you're abusing it. The plastic trim on the lower corners of the front bumper shatter easily if cold. Crankshaft bearings can be an issue and should he inspected at some point. Oil consumption is pot luck... always carry a litre or two of the correct oil in the boot. I've heard 1l for every 500 miles wasn't unheard of. Mine gets 1l for every 3500 miles when I drove it daily and I drove it hard. Nowadays... when I see an e39 on the road you realise how bloated cars have become. The e39 almost looks svelte and compact now.

Had my 2001 m5 for 14 years. Couldn't bring myself to part. I think the kids will have to fight over it once I'm gone lol. Just an incredible car, that puts a massive smile on your face every time.

It IS the best M5 :D I agree, it is indeed a classic. I miss mine...

My God he has an M Coupe and the E39 M5? I need this guy to be my friend. It's hard to argue against the V10, but I think the E39 is the better platform and MUCH better looking. The late 90s and early 2000s brought us the best lookin Bimmers ever, the E36, the E39 and the E38 (I like the 740i).

I owned one of these for about 6 years until 2008 - absolutely superb car that I wish I had never sold!

See, BMW. No need for stupid popping, crackling and farting exhausts like you're doing with your new cars.

"She pulls very well low down and in the mids".....lol sorry mate Very true of course and again ...great vid

It looks good, it sounds good, it is powerful, comfortable. It is old enough to give you this nice feeling that you have to drive the and not the opposite. It s reasonably priced, although t is going up. It is even fairly reliable for a 20+ year old BMW M car. The best M5 ever; possibly. Definitely, a treat to watch it in this nice review!

His shirt makes him look like he works in a Zoo

My "attainable dream car" of choice. Must be Imola red...

Having owned both a 6speed e60 m5 and e39 m5 AT THE SAME TIME for years. The e39 m5 (s62) was more fun to drive lazy and the e60 m5 (s85) was the one to drive like an air-cooled 911/964/993. Loved them both, sold the e39 m5 at 180,000 miles and still have my e60 m5 at 165,000 miles.

I have an E39 5 series 2.8i M sport auto registered September 1999. It is silver and in immaculate condition. Everything works and the suede interior is perfect. It is a such a great looking car with Angel lights and the orange front indicator lights changed to clear. I know it is not an M5 but for me at 74 gives me all the power I require now. My son found it for me 8 years ago and I paid £1150 from a private seller in London. I have never paid so little for a motor and had absolutely no trouble, except needing a battery! My son keeps all topped up and checks it over every fortnight on his visits to me. I really hope that it will see me to the end of my driving days as it gives me so much pleasure. Compared to the later shaped BMWs it is as stylish to me as my favourite car as a child the 2.4 Jaguar. Enjoyed your video and style of presenting. Thanks for posting. As it was great to see the motor moving around the lanes as it looks identical to mine. Except under the bonnet but who is looking.

Without a doubt the best M5 ever. The E39 generally is the best 5 Series ever, and for sure one of the best cars ever. Never drove a car again that was so sporty bur also comfortable at the same time, the engines were phenomenal and the suspension(M-Suspension) the best ever when you wanted it sporty AND comfortable. No one again achieved a suspension that was able to it like the E39 M-Suspension. The interior was just so high-quality and amazingly looking - simply the best M5 ever and one of the best cars ever produced.

I ran mine as a daily driver for 3 years, and absolutely loved it. Very enjoyable car in pretty much all situations. I even drove it through the winter, and with the LSD it did well in the snow. I've since sold it as I was attracted to smaller more nimble cars. Now I am dailying an e36 M3 and find it the absolute sweet spot of speed, agility, comfort, and looks.

Quickly becoming one of the best car reviewers.....IN THE WORLD. I know I'm late to the party with this video but the recent content has been pure gold. Keep it up!

You said M cars this week and I'm overjoyed to say you've done the 2 I hoped to see, Lorenzo is a man IMO with impeccible taste in cars.

Truly the last great M5. Stick shift, great handling, and no fake sound!😣 I have a friend who owns one and I’ve rented it a few times, and it’s plenty fast enough for me.

a fine car, Im looking for one at the minute. I had an E39 528i for a few years and loved that. I have an F10 530 at the minute, had it for a few years but cant compare to the e39 for pure driving enjoyment

Nice work James, I have bought an E39 M5 in the past 6months and love it! James you need to buy one and join our E39 M5 WhatsApp group...planning a trip to Munich next year 🥰

Jay, if you're ever in the North West you're welcome to a drive of my E39 530i Sport manual. See if you agree with me that it's the perfect daily driver package.

Had one for 8 years. 2 trips across Europe, Stelvio Pass on one trip. Put 100,000 very happy miles on it. Miss it terribly

Jay i have to agree with u the m5 was the best bmw ever built it was a rocket it went like stig u could go through a set of back tyers in no time but it was a sweet car monster of a car

I can tell you first hand that the E39 was miles better to drive than the E60 because I went thru the worst case of buyers remorse when I got rid of my 2001 M5 in 2006 to buy the highly anticipated new V10 M5 and realized almost immediately what a disappointment that car was in comparison. It was so much more complex and lacked the analog drivers feel of the E39. Ironically, although the SMG was lousy ofcourse, that wasn’t the main thing that bothered me, the car just felt so much heavier in ride and handling, the steering lacked the feel of the E39, the V10 didn’t feel that special until it was at high revs (which was not that easy to regularly access in day to day driving). I only had that car for 6 months and residual values at the time we’re tanking as there were many people who were underwhelmed with their cars as well and decided to get out of them quite quickly judging by all the nearly new extremely low mile examples for sale and it baffles me that people nowadays seem to look back like the E60 was such a sought after drivers car especially when I see how ridiculous the running costs to keep that complex 12-13 year old car on the road is. I understand that E39’s aren’t inexpensive either but atleast you’re getting a world class driving experience that is as enjoyable as any sedan I’ve ever owned before or since it.

My favourite car of all time. Owned one for year. It was incredible! If you have been thinking of getting one -do it. As the man In the video says, buy on condition. Only thing that failed on mine a year was the viscous coupling and number plate light bulb. Saving up for another one as we speak.

Great review! Just confirms everything I love about this old lady. Have had mine for 3 years now.. spent some cash on small renovation, keeping the car in 100% shape, as a fun car for sunny weekends. Kinda expensive but the car deserves it. It's still the top of the game for me. We went to Italy/Austria mountains last year, visited Dingolfing factory on the way back home to make some pictures.. it's just - fun and very rewarding car. With a proper character. Just love it :).

This car will never get old, the perfect super sedan.

Glad to see a review of a man who understand what he as talking and also appreciates this beautiful pieces of engineering.

Mike Tyson reference 😂👍🏽

I loved owning one of these.It is a magnificent car.All you would ever need.That engine is a peach😎

Is this the best M5 ever? No. This is the best car ever.

classic! no question. when I sold my E39 530dA I cried. I loved the solid interior and the massive feel and sound of closing doors. I really wanted an E39 M5 but I think I made the wise and right decision and went for an E92 M3. I love the newish feeling, precision, racey character and - knock on wood - no issue life, but sometimes I feel sorry revving the shit out of that "6k above" engine. and still easily fading brakes. E39 M5s are pure magic.

Can't believe I just stumbled upon this cannel! You sir are one of the most (if not the most) underrated car youtuber out there. Judging by the quality of these videos you should have been huge by now!

one of the best modern cars in the era … owned the same color 2001, had a black one & a white one, too.

Styling has aged on that car. I really like it's look.

Great video bud 👌🏻. I’m not the biggest German car lover but I have to say, that shape M5 is very special. Beautiful looking machine.

The sweet spot of M5's

that was my dream car in my college days... in many ways it still is. Thanks for the blast from the past and the enjoyable review

A guy down my road had a straight piped one of these. Used to start it up as I was walking to school. It was glorious 😍

I was surprised that my lowly 260bhp megane kept up with one of these the other day, it was modded and really did sound glorious though.

Omg the lust I have for one of these in that spec is unreal

I love mine. It’s my daily driver. Just fun. Never stop smiling.

Best sound,best feeling , full comfort

I’ve been fortunate to drive one of these a few times and they really are truly great cars to drive, as James says they don’t feel like a big car, at all - of course later cars are huge now by comparison!

My old car, definitely one I should never have let go of

ABSOLUTLEY ITS A CLASSIC CAR! ITS AN AUTOMOTIVE LEGEND!

You may want to try the e34 m5, They really are special last hand built very analogue cars with truly soulful engine notes. I know they are ultra rare. Would let you try mine a last year production Nurburgring spec car, but based in London. If possible give us a shout. :)

Nice balance of driving vs interior vs outside shots great job mate

I've had my E39 525i sport over twelve years now so that says something.

Ooh yes ... and uploaded just in time for tea time !! 🤣🤣 Cracking work on the recent uploads Jay 👍

Ha “roller blind” I love it. My favorite feature in my car is what we call here in the states the power rear sunshade lol

without a doubt the last great m5

Man Jay, you are really tempting me with these beautiful BMWs. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. This might be my first BMW.

Great taste in BMW's Lorenzo well done...

Makes me miss mine, expensive to keep running and driving as they should but totally worth it. Best all round car I've had. Such a wide range of abilities- great on the motorway, great to hustle down a favourite road, quick, comfortable, engaging, timelessly good looks from when BMW actually knew how to design a car and a soundtrack to die for. Just have the bank balance to keep it that way.

....just like a good branded wine.... give it two decades of right maintenance and it rewards you with feel of sunshine.... I think what makes the most of its matured character is BMW themselves changing newer M5 generations from cognac gentlemen club into celebrities' high party...

Also Tiff's fav M series car.

Nice video mate, I'm starting to like these classic cars now , you appreciate them more now considering what modern electronics have done to cars

My friends father has one of these tucked away along with a rather fantastic 930 911 Turbo. Talk about a hard decision to make on for Sunday morning blast.

INDEED it’s a classic. And what’s magical with these videos about older cars is that even in Y2K you would mostly read about those cars. That’s without this fantastic grunt, I mean.

What a machine. Don't worry about the herse used to sing the ghostbusters theme as a kid when i seen one.

As always a great review! Cheers.

One of your most enjoyable vids. Keep it up!

It's like you read my mind and heart and videos all my favorites. Love your channel!

These are lovely, lovely things. I think BMW design peaked with the E46 and E39; they’re both soooooo well proportioned to these eyes. It’s a shame they rust so much. The modified exhaust sounds lovely on that car.

I have a 2002 e39 in imola red it’s only a 525i m sport but I absolutely love it, had it since 2012 an no plans to ever get rid of it

E39 M5 in Silverstone Blue is automotive perfection, would love to drive one.

I would love an M5 E39. I had a couple of E39 528i models and whilst not quite in the same league as the M they were still terrific cars. I have had a few other newer BMW's since and none have been built as well.

The E39 M5 is perhaps the greatest modern classic car imo

My fav M5. What a fantastic noise

Daily Driving my 3rd E39 M5 since April 2009

Selling my silver Porsche 944 turbo and my carbon black E39 M5 are my two biggest automobile regrets of all time, I’ll never forget the memories though !!

Old video I know but I have a 2000 323i in titanium silver and I absolutely love it. It’s my first bmw it’s so comfortable to drive even more than my XC90 Volvo. It’s just an amazing car. The getrag shifter you mentioned in the video I think is the same in my car and it shifts flawlessly, a little stiff when it’s below freezing but once it warms up it’s a pleasure to shift. My opinion some of the best drivers cars ever made I like it so much I’m already looking for a 330ix awd with the 6 speed manual. I just recently subscribed great reviews I like your video style keep up the great work.

Great review as per jay.. only a matter of time before big things happen 👍🏻

I have always wanted one of these.

Great review! Was a useful reference for me when looking to purchase my M5….. keep it up 👍🏻

My favorite sport sedan ever - thanks for the review

Legendary car imho

We were lucky enough to get the e60 m5’s in manual in the US. But now they are dirt cheap because of all the issues they suffer from. The e39 m3 will always remain the holy grail to me like what the e30 m3 was to the three series.

This and the Gle 63 coupe/Suv Amg are my dream cars

My mate's prefacelift satnav (small square screen) took us all the way from West Sussex up to the top of Wales and back again, no problems. Mega bucks to fix it when the engine started going wrong though! And it drank like a camel. I miss it dearly. Carbon Black 2000 plate

Really good looking these old Beemers...

If the value is going up from where it was 5 years or so ago, it *has* to be a classic.

Teenage me loves this vintage of BMW and who doesn't love an M5, but 54 year old me has just reminded me that a stock 2019 330i will leave it in it's wake in a straight line all the way up to top speed having got to 60 nearly a second quicker... and that's just a standard spec four cylinder 2.litre. The problem is that it's teenage me who still chooses what car to buy next :-)

Such a cool car

The best M5 ever? Yes. Next question.

I had a E39 530d Sport tuned to 272bhp. That thing was bomb proof.

I’ve owned three E39s (a 528i and two 530i’s). They’re just great cars. A bit dated now eg on the inside but handsome looking, so solid and so...right. They did pretty much everything well. I owned an E60 530i as well but it never lit my fire. Felt a bit flimsy, and there were lots of little annoying things like the sound the starter motor makes and the “clang” sound that the doors make when you shut them (compared to the E39’s “thunk”). Steering too light as well. Not my cup of tea. I’d be tempted to buy another E39 even now, when they’re all at least 16 years old.