BMW E39 M5 | The Masterpiece M Car 

Best BMW sedan ever made in my humble opinion. It could be the year 3475 and this car will still look good. I have a 2003 540 M Sport 6spd and absolutely love it.

Ahhh, the late 90’s and early 00’s. The glory days for BMW.

E39. The last perfectly styled BMW before they started roiding at the gym. It was a classy, understated gentleman's car that didn't command your attention with cheap tricks. It didn't catch your eye by force, but if you did happen to look at one, man you were treated to a beautiful machine. Couple that with simple design, no crazy electronics, and there's your proof on how cars should be made. No one wants the newer ones, look at the E60 and how that worked out. The golden age of cars is quite over.

The E39 M5 is a legend. It's as simple as that.

“It’s a sleeper.” To which all I can say is you would have to be fast asleep to not see that car is BADASS!

When BMW still built solid sports sedans....now they build fashion accessories that are made to lease, not own.

BMW made some of the greatest wheel designs in the early 2000s. Gorgeous!

Should be a lot of spare Motorola parts in Western Chicago suburbs. Don't give up.

The Tiff Needell video of this car when it came out was classic.

This brought back great memories. I had one of the first E39 M5's in the US, late 99. Avue Blue with Silverstone. Drove it nearly 50,000mi and tracked it regularly with very few issues. The early ones did like oil, about 1qt/750mi but no issues ever developed from it. Once we realized the brakes would overheat on track, one fellow owner went to home depot and bought two kitchen sink drain rings and some dryer vent hose, cut two holes in the front and routed the air back onto the brakes. It worked and became known as the "sink drain mod". Another owner retrofitted the Ratheon infra-red night vision system from the Cadillas of that time into this M5. Made it very much a Canonball stealth car. Great times!

Totally agree with your review. I have an ‘03 E39 M5 and absolutely love it. The more I drive it, the more I respect it. And people on the road constantly give me thumbs up. Very rare for a bmw haha

One of the most beautiful BMWs ever made.

As a child I always loved BMWs M5 ads with Clive Owen. Him and those amazing ads got to me and I suspect I will end up getting one of these mostly because of those ads.

These M engines like the S65 and S85 use oil squirters to COOL the pistons bc of the very high revs that can be held for long periods of time. That’s where the oil consumption comes from, it’s normal and totally fine for the true Motorsport engines.

"I'm on my laptop right now"......so glad I wasn't drinking anything lol. These are seriously the best outros of any RU-vid series I've ever seen. For the love of God do not stop making these.

Do more late 90s and 00s ghosts from the past it would be awesome. We all know that new cars are shit

Best sport Sedan Ever! Of note: The E39 530 was 400lbs lighter than the 540 and M5. It also had a proper rack and pinion. Many car magazines called it the best steering car ever. The Straight 6 was beautiful engine. Power everywhere and when opened up with an exhaust, sounded amazing. They weren't rocket ships, but they were still quick. I owned one for 8 years and sometimes regret selling it.

Got a e39 540i, love that car.

Hey Mark, thank you for finally reviewing an E39 M5. As a current owner of one, you really should have gotten a better sorted example. MY2000 was the only year these cars has oil consumption issues. One look at the forums will tell you that BMW refined the piston rings etc so resolve the issue. My 2002 M5 has 180K miles and does not burn oil, never had any rod bearing issues, and is proper fun on a the track. I used to race mine regularly at Gingerman and it is a total hoot. I have done the chain tensioners (takes a weekend to do) and VANOS seals. Other than that, just your usual hoses, seals, and bushings that wear with age. These are sport sedans that are ACTUALLY reliable, unlike BMWs after this. I’m pretty sure driving one with bad synchros is going to be off-putting for a hero car. The GETRAG gearbox on these cars is fantastic, along with the clutch action and feel. The steering could be better, but this wasn’t meant to be an E46 M3, which is still the best M3 IMO. Really, I believe you should find a 2001-2003 model with the facelift and even more amenities. Driving one of these hard will make you appreciate this 4000 lbs dance partner. Bonus points if you find an example with the Ostrich leather seats and LeMans Blue color. I’ve had my car for 6 years and literally haven’t found any such complete package that gives me as much joy and is pure in it’s form and function. I also had a 540i, which is the diet version, which I had to sell as I could only keep one. Amazing vehicles and Enthusiast Auto in Ohio might be able to let you drive a few pristine examples of fantastic M cars. Cheers !

Thank you for the review! Picked up a 2002 M5 this year and all I can say is that there’s something special about this car. A vehicle that must go in the garage of any enthusiast that started driving in the 90s and early 2000s.

My favorite M5 of them all. Still looks great 19 years later👌🏽

Another long term E39 M5 owner. This car fits just right. Not too big. Not too small. Just right. Anyone who drives it appreciates it even so many years later. Glad to see you finally reviewed it even though this car was not perfect.

I really appreciate the commentary on how well damped and comfortable 90/00’s car were compared to today. I’ve gone through a lot of sport sedans from a new e46 m3 back in ‘05 through to an f80 m3 comp today, and from other manufacturers in between, and they have all gotten increasingly stiffer and more comprised on street - all for the benefit of what I assume is ring lap times to feed the marketing departments and wow’ing the new vlogger generation at track launch days

I am not sure who this new guy is in the shoppe segment but he is awesome. Very knowledgeable and talks alot. Please keep this guy forever

Speed Academy and Savage Geese. My two most fav channels on YT.

I've had 2 of them. Objectively speaking- Best car ever made.

I miss the subtle badging BMWs of this era had. Now you see ///M logos everywhere. Even on non-M stock cars

E39's never gets old!

Where did you get that sweet hoodie?!

Showing the "Scott Turbowski" cut over text at this point is like pouring salt on a wound.

I've always been torn between the e39 and the e90. This vid makes it even harder!

Wow that testing rig for the suspension and wheel. Mind blowing.

When this car was released is about when I peaked as a BMW fanboy. Everything they did was perfect in my eyes. Their looks were so conservative yet very sporty. I loved their interiors just as much. Hell, even the E39 540, at the time, would beat Mustangs day in and day out. The 7 series was my favorite ultra luxury car and lets not forget about the Z3 M3 (especially the hard top coupe). Then there was that very, very special car: the Z8. Then, Chris Bangle came in and destroyed the aesthetics of the car. Yes, I know many people liked the direction he took BMW. But for me, they got damn too ugly.

The best editing of any car video team. Love the sinister night shots. You have a real talent for this stuff.

Mr Goose, I damn near fainted when I saw the title.. #1 car youtoober in the game my friend. Keep doing your thing, love your content, the attention to detail, the craftsmanship, and thank god someone keeps it f*ing real.

The E39 5 Series... And the E30 3 Series are my FAVOURITE BMW's EVER! I owned an E30 325i SE once (sadly couldn't afford repair bills when the cam belt said "See ya!" 😟, what... a car! They CERTAINLY DON'T make them like they used to! I once used to work as a security guard at a BMW car compound (parked up fresh off the RoRo ferries in Immingham/Grimsby - UK) and once saw this GORGEOUS Midnight blue with white cream leather interior E39 530i... MAN! THAT was a good looking car! 👌 My thoughts, you DON'T NEED an M5 (though it WOULD be nice!), pick up a decent 525/530 i or D Manual, look after it and vitally, enjoy it! 😎🇬🇧

This car is so incredibly well kept and clean. Certainly makes a statement for Chicago Auto Pros. Thanks for reviewing this gem!

This is one of my earliest memories of BMW from when I was a Child. I agree it looks great and brings me back to a simpler time.

One of my favorite M cars of all time!!🔥🔥

Thank you for the Flashback! You are 1 of the only ones in your reviews whom mentions all the electronics on modern cars and how they will start to fail after a few years! i actually take that in to account now when i see the new cars. ill see them later used and wonder.👍🏾

I definitely agree about the BMW styling of that time. I liked the looks back then. These days I can hardly glance at BMW's without breakfast wanting to fall out my face (Chris Bangle syndrome, and everything after).

I still remember getting a paper brochure from BMW and having a permanent crease for the 2 page spread of this car. 20 years later I still geek out seeing one on the road. 👏👍

The "Ronin" model M5. The pinnacle BMW

Man those exterior driving shots and the music gave me a "Knight Rider" feel, pure awesome. And you driving filmed from the front made it look like you are in heaven, cause of the clouds reflecting in the windshield. Very nice car, expected since thy guy owns a car detail shop. Informative, attractive presentation, even the commercial was very well done, watched the whole thing with joy.

One of the best looking modern sedans. Nothing exaggerated, clean,purposeful lines. Understated finesse.

Excellent. The overall quality here is only exceeded by his masterful narration of the '90's BMW experience.

Brings me back to watching The Transporter. I know it was a 7 series in the movie, but thats where my mind went immediately. Stunning vehicle.

The inline 6 cylinder cars have much better steering than the steering box setup. It's really surprising how good it is. They also feel more agile when equipped with the sport package. I completely agree how remarkably refined these cars are. They feel so solid. Great review!

That’s one thing I love about my e60 550i the v8 throttle response is instant.

Golden duo, great editing, down to earth presentation.. damn i love this channel so much.

I'm a simple man, I see a Savagegeese video; watch all commercials, like and share.

The blessed video has finally been dropped. Ever since I bought my M5 I've wanted someone to make a good video on it. Especially since you talked about it briefly in another M5 video.

The M5 E39 is one of my favorite BMWs and one of the best all time cars It’s an amazing car to drive

Yes! The BMW films with Clive Owens were so good!

Bought a BMW Z3 new in 2001 and kept it for 16 years. A great time for BMW products.

BMW should do a buy back program, take the M5 from late 1999 to 2003 and fully restore them to factory specs, they would sell like hot cakes.

want theater and drama while keeping things simple? try the e28 m5. always loved the e39.

low key one of the best car channels on youtube

I owned a 2003 530i with the winter package and it was great! Even though it was the i6 with an auto, it wsa the best car I ever owned. Solid and luxurious and then it would boogie when you wan to. Wonderful, maintenance is another story.

I'm glad you liked it. I was apprehensive watching this review, I guess it was an important car for the era when we wanted cars but could not afford them. I'm off to check out the E90/E92 videos now.

Bmw e39 the best and real ultimate driving mashine ever built💪💪😍😍

Great video as usual! Where do you get your BMW ENG footage in your videos? The rolling road test in this one was super interesting to see load on tires and suspension. I love how you use technical documentation in your videos, it adds a lot. Great point on how tire technology has totally changed the ride and handing behaviors in today's cars. Keep up the good work.

My Dream Car! Especially the Face Lift models from 01-03. Supposedly they fixed most of those issues on the facelift models. Minus the rust and timing chains guides.

I’m still in love with my 2002 E39 M5. It’s a California car so it’s spotless underneath. I definitely replaced plastic parts in the engine compartment cuz they disintegrate from the heat. I did take the mufflers out for more sound and even then it’s pretty quiet LOL. The secret to keeping it happy is to drive it and change the oil regularly. Leaks and other mechanical issues start happening when you don’t drive it is what I’ve heard.

I owned a 2003 M5 and I loved it. Other than a clutch that wore quickly it was reliable for me. A muffler delete and evolve or Dinan headers are a must.

E90 or E92 M3 FTW! But love the E39 M5!

As much as I liked BMW's "the hire", with the classic "star", it was Tiff Needell with the e39 m5 and also the e46 m3 that made me love those cars. The way he drove them was mindblowing in my young mind. It added to the coolness factor the m5 already had.

Eisenmann race mufflers with Rogue X-pipe changes the persona quite a bit 🙂

In black it looks so "mafia". It looks like a savage gentleman's car. Gorgeous.

When he said eject button, I thought of passenger.

I drive a 2003 E39 530i M-Sport that I manual swapped. Would love to hear your thoughts on a non M5 E39. I don't have the navigation so that pretty much solves all your complaints with the interior. None of the pixels in my dash have shit the bed (which isn't the LCD itself going bad btw, it's the ribbon cable that starts to break). 180k miles all stock other than headers (factory catback, so it still sounds stock). It's the facelifted model, which was BMW's first car to feature their signature "angel eyes." The 6cyl cars have a much nicer feeling rack and pinion steering as opposed to the steering box & servotronic of the 540i/M5 (V8 took up too much room so BMW couldn't do a rack and pinion on those cars). Similar to the M5, the 530i (and all E39's for that matter) have aluminum control arms, struts, and subframes. Since my car has the M-Sport Suspension package, it sits a solid inch and a half lower than a comfort suspension car, with slightly less body roll. Ride quality isn't compromised though, it still has its original struts and yet it rides better than most cars I've been in. Considering this platform came out in the 90's I think this is really impressive. Not to mention the 530i weighs nearly 500lbs less than an M5 while retaining a more balanced 50/50 weight distribution. Combine that with the better feeling rack and pinion steering and I honestly think you'd enjoy driving the non M car more as long as you don't mind half the horsepower. Still hits 150mph no problem lol.

The most beautiful BMW every built to this date, 11/7/2019.

You guys should really try to get your hands on a 6 speed Chevrolet SS. Yes, the interior doesn’t come close to this car, but it’s really similar in ideology. It’s SO fun to drive. Very involving car!

Opening music is so spot on man!

I've driven one and it felt magical. I really like them

Now, this I did not expect. Mark you're awesome.

I also dreamt about this car! The sound is amazing! I finally ended up with a F10 M5, but this car still has a place in my heart :)

Excellent and informative review - thank you!

One of several cars that is on my bucket list... Hopefully, I'll get one...

Favorite classic! Still looks amazing!

What can we say... just another fine video from this channel. When you said at 15:26, i remember that russian drifter Giorgi Tevzadze.

Yet another top notch video. Thank you!!!

I have a pre face lift 2000 M5 myself - it has factory badge delete and is a total stealth weapon. Still damn fast in today’s traffic. I also have an E46 M3, both are great drivers. The M3 is more of a firecracker, where the M5 is a smooth highway Uber car. With a muffler delete the M5 makes some insane sounds without being overbearing.

Coming from Dougs review (all respect) this is on a different level in every way. Keep it up guys:)

I love the wood trim in this car. This interior is gorgeous as is the exterior

for some reason .. the quality of the video is so damn satisfactory !!

I owned one, absolutely the best. I did a custom exhaust, lower ratio diff,coil overs , intake and tune. It totally transformed the feel, no compromise on ride or anything, still super refined but just made it beastly.

This might be the best exterior intro montage I’ve ever seen on this channel! Got me so hyped for this car. I need to know that song..

Even the standard one is still beautiful as it is.

ooo that 3rd gear crunch!

If I remember correctly the front end of V8 E39s were based on the E38, the 6 cylinders had rack and pinion. E39 530i sport for the last 14 years.

my first experience with this car was some 9 years ago when my friend took me as a passenger in his 530d. even then this was an "old"car but i will never forget the refinement it offered. i don't think there are many cars out there that offered that level of solidity, comfort and refinement.

I have this car and I put a full exhaust system on it it is far from quiet one of the best sounding cars you can imagine and very loud and brings the car to life

I knew what you were going to say about this by how you talked about the F90. M5s have always been less raw than contemporary cars, but IMO this one is raw enough that with a couple of light mods it’s super entertaining, while being comfortable enough that you could use it the whole day without feeling exhausted

You said it.. this was before everything went crazy. very nice car.

Well all the buttons worked before the big kid started just pushing on all of them....lol. These were and still are very cool cars. Nice vid and reviews on older cool cars are always nice to watch.

Dude still my favorite M5

The issue with electric being and feeling old is very easy solvobol. I changed my cd changer for an android. Works like a charm. Bluetooth, music, navi. You can answer and speak on the phone not even touching it. Really changed the expierience. I drive an E39 530D with an LSD diff. Love the E39. Thank you for the video.

Props for rockin' the Northstar Motorsports cap.