M5 oil consumption?

[OVERKILL]

I took out my first M5 for a test drive today. Car is a 2000, has a few miles on it, but they have been all highway. Car ran smooth and quiet, had acres of power (EVERYWHERE) and generally seemed to be in excellent mechanical upkeep.

It was spotless underneath and I took it for a good 50Km drive.

I asked to see under the oil cap, he had no issue with that. Aside from a VERY light coating of varnish in a couple of areas, it was incredibly clean. He had been using TWS 10w60 in it, as had the previous owner AFAIK.

It was purchased originally at BMW Autohaus and then traded in there on a new M5, which is where this gentleman bought it last year.

Car has two issues that he made me aware of:

1. The CEL is on. He said he's had it into BMW three times, they have no idea what it is. The cannot find anything wrong. He thinks it might be something as simple as the gas cap.

2. AM/FM on the stereo stops working after about 15 minutes. The CD-player works fine however.

So, then I asked him if it used oil. He said of course, all M cars use a bit of oil. I asked how much. He said he wasn't sure. He keeps a couple litres in the trunk and checks it regularly. He said it doesn't visibly burn it or leak it, but the level goes down, so he tops it up. He couldn't remember the exact mileage at which he'd add a litre, but he said it may be around 1,000Km. He was adamant that this was perfectly normal.

So, is this normal?? I guess that is my question

 

[Lead Shoes]

Lol, walk away, last thing you need is an expensive oil burning car with a check engine light that you don't know about..

Besides the maintenance on those cars after 5 years or so is just ridiculous...

 

[HTSS_TR]

My brother in-law had late 80's M5, it used about a quart every 1k miles. He has mid 90's 6 series and it use oil too, his 2004 535 use oil too. I think most BMW's use some oil between oil changes, the M-sport use more oil than standard engines.

 

[hattaresguy]

A lot of M cars use oil, its the nature of a high strung motor, very few of them don't burn any.

As for the CE light I call [censored], take it to another dealer and have the codes scanned. It probably needs cats or something that's why its for sale so fast and he is playing dumb on the light.

Pay for a PPI, its very common for an older high end car to need a lot of work, even if they drive fine. You have to really know what your looking at to go through them.

 

[OVERKILL]

Some quick research shows that the oil consumption... surprising is apparently normal. WOW!

But hattaresguy: You have a very good point about the CEL.

I'm going to ask for him to have it scanned and tell me what the problem is or what the code is. That sounded far too vague for my liking as well, since even the most vague of codes will tell you where to start looking.

No worries about the inspection. That is part of the deal.

 

[hattaresguy]

Well it sounds like your doing it the right way, I have seen a lot of people buy cars like this without doing their homework only to find out it needs just about everything.

Done right the ownership experience is very rewarding, done wrong its financial painful.

 

[jaj]

I owned one of those - wait, no, I owned two of them, a 2001 and a 2003 - and they are absolutely wonderful vehicles. There is no car in the world like them.

The CEL is probably caused by one of two common problems: the secondary air injection system or the camshaft sensors.

The secondary air system requires a major service intervention to fix, although I'd never actually fix it. I'd buy an aftermarket engine (Powerchips) tune that turns off the light. It's not a significant issue and won't affect engine performance or life. All it means is that the drilled passages in the head are blocked with carbon and the cats are slower to light off. No harm, no foul.

If it's camshaft sensors, they are cheap and easy to fix - just fix them.

I also had the stereo issue. You need a new stereo head unit - get it written into the deal. They aren't cheap, but they're not brain surgery either.

Oil consumption of a liter per 1000 km is pretty normal. If you want it lower, take it out to the track for a day.

These cars are a remarkable product. The 2000 South African "fastest production sedan in the world" commercial says it all. Nothing performs like they do. Nothing.



Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
I took out my first M5 for a test drive today. Car is a 2000, has a few miles on it, but they have been all highway. Car ran smooth and quiet, had acres of power (EVERYWHERE) and generally seemed to be in excellent mechanical upkeep.

It was spotless underneath and I took it for a good 50Km drive.

I asked to see under the oil cap, he had no issue with that. Aside from a VERY light coating of varnish in a couple of areas, it was incredibly clean. He had been using TWS 10w60 in it, as had the previous owner AFAIK.

It was purchased originally at BMW Autohaus and then traded in there on a new M5, which is where this gentleman bought it last year.

Car has two issues that he made me aware of:

1. The CEL is on. He said he's had it into BMW three times, they have no idea what it is. The cannot find anything wrong. He thinks it might be something as simple as the gas cap.

2. AM/FM on the stereo stops working after about 15 minutes. The CD-player works fine however.

So, then I asked him if it used oil. He said of course, all M cars use a bit of oil. I asked how much. He said he wasn't sure. He keeps a couple litres in the trunk and checks it regularly. He said it doesn't visibly burn it or leak it, but the level goes down, so he tops it up. He couldn't remember the exact mileage at which he'd add a litre, but he said it may be around 1,000Km. He was adamant that this was perfectly normal.

So, is this normal?? I guess that is my question

 

[OVERKILL]

Thanks Jaj! I've put in the inquiry on the CEL, hopefully will hear back tomorrow.

BTW, I'm looking at another 2000, but it doesn't appear to have the "right" wheels. It has lower mileage, is a bit "cleaner" but is also about $3500 more. The wheels are familiar, but I don't know why....

 

[OVERKILL]

He seems confident this CEL is a null issue. I sent him an e-mail. He asked for a downpayment on the car of $500.00 and he would take it into BMW. If they found any actual issues with the car, he would refund my money immediately (car is being sold safetied and E-tested). However, if they find nothing, then I owe him the rest of the agreed upon price for the car. Which I think sounds fair.

I really enjoyed driving this car yesterday. It comes on a set of Michelin Pilot sport tires, the engine is obviously very healthy. The clutch action was superb (clutch was done at BMW in November) and it shifted like butter. And you could eat off the underside of it.

I'd never driven a six speed, but the action on the Getrag was a lot nicer than any other manual I've ever driven. The car just felt "right" in every way.

 

[cp3]

I hope this works out for you man!!

One of my all time favorite cars...

...very jealous!

I like how you are going about it and ya I think it sounds fair. Myseflf, it would probably be in my driveway already because I don't think I could keep my head on straght after being out in it.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[OVERKILL]

Yes, mine as well. Been in love with the car since 1999, LMAO! But they were so insanely expensive... Nothing more than a pipe dream for a University student.

Twelve years later, they are actually somewhat affordable and finding a good specimen is apparently not all that difficult.

 

[rg200amp]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
I took out my first M5 for a test drive today. Car is a 2000, has a few miles on it, but they have been all highway. Car ran smooth and quiet, had acres of power (EVERYWHERE) and generally seemed to be in excellent mechanical upkeep.

It was spotless underneath and I took it for a good 50Km drive.

I asked to see under the oil cap, he had no issue with that. Aside from a VERY light coating of varnish in a couple of areas, it was incredibly clean. He had been using TWS 10w60 in it, as had the previous owner AFAIK.

It was purchased originally at BMW Autohaus and then traded in there on a new M5, which is where this gentleman bought it last year.

Car has two issues that he made me aware of:

1. The CEL is on. He said he's had it into BMW three times, they have no idea what it is. The cannot find anything wrong. He thinks it might be something as simple as the gas cap.

2. AM/FM on the stereo stops working after about 15 minutes. The CD-player works fine however.

So, then I asked him if it used oil. He said of course, all M cars use a bit of oil. I asked how much. He said he wasn't sure. He keeps a couple litres in the trunk and checks it regularly. He said it doesn't visibly burn it or leak it, but the level goes down, so he tops it up. He couldn't remember the exact mileage at which he'd add a litre, but he said it may be around 1,000Km. He was adamant that this was perfectly normal.

So, is this normal?? I guess that is my question

My M3 used about half a quart every 6000-7000 miles. . . If that!

While not a M5, not ALL M car use a lot of oil.

Also, about the check engine light. NOTHING on a BMW, let alone a M is "simple".

Used M cars are a load of fun at a fantastic price. But things get REAL expensive REAL quick. If this is going to be a weekend/joy car, get one.

If your looking to buy it as a daily driver, It would be cheaper to just lease a new one!!!!! LOL

It took me about 9 months to let go of my M. LOL

 

[OVERKILL]

This is a "toy car" that I expect to drive a fair bit (whenever the weather permits and I feel like rowing the gears) during the summer.

The Expedition is "captain reliable" and will continue to serve in the role it currently occupies: Reliable family transportation that can tow the 4-wheelers and drag the kids around.

We will probably be giving the Focus to my cousin however, since I don't have enough driveway space. The Mustang/Capri is in the garage. The driveway only holds two cars beyond that. The Lincoln is currently in storage until I figure out what I'm doing with it.

When I realized it had EIGHT throttle bodies, VANOS and enough nannies and gizmos that it could likely double as a product of NASA.... saying it was "complex" really didn't do it justice, LOL!

 

[rhouse181]

The s62 in '00 M5s used the old ring design and had a propensity for eating oil... Consumption varied pretty widely, from anywhere between 1 qt every thousand miles to almost zero.

The CEL is definitely worrisome... there is quite a list of potential issues that are [censored] expensive to fix: vanos, blocked emission passages due to carbon build up, etc etc.

I used to owned a '00 M5... and while the car was absolutely amazing, it was ridiculously expensive to maintain (especially higher mileage versions).

The rod bearing issue is the biggest problem. Here are the rod and main bearing from my car @ 110k miles:

Unless you have deep pockets, don't bother...

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: rhouse181
The s62 in '00 M5s used the old ring design and had a propensity for eating oil... Consumption varied pretty widely, from anywhere between 1 qt every thousand miles to almost zero.

The CEL is definitely worrisome... there is quite a list of potential issues that are [censored] expensive to fix: vanos, blocked emission passages due to carbon build up, etc etc.

I used to owned a '00 M5... and while the car was absolutely amazing, it was ridiculously expensive to maintain (especially higher mileage versions).

The rod bearing issue is the biggest problem. Here are the rod and main bearing from my car @ 110k miles:

Unless you have deep pockets, don't bother...


Did you own it since new and run TWS 10w60 in it? (curious about the rod bearings)

The car has a clean bill of health from a number of different BMW dealers. All say the CEL is insignificant. VANOS is perfect on it apparently.

I've heard that consumption varies widely on the entire e39 M5 line-up. 2000 was known for VANOS issues due to it being the first year.

 

[OVERKILL]

I guess I should add:

It's an M5. I don't expect the cost of upkeep to be like that of the Expedition, or parts to be inexpensive like for my wife's Focus.

It's a high strung, very complex (for the time) V8 with rather high specific power output for the displacement (read: high power density) with systems like VANOS and eight individual throttle bodies. There is a lot to go wrong here. And that's just the engine.

The car itself, again, is very "advanced" for its time. The DSC, ride control, NAV....etc. A lot of systems that may not age well.

I'm not buying this car to be a "daily driver". I don't want a Corolla/Civic/Focus/Fusion/Accord/Solara/Altima/Maxima...etc Nor do I expect this car to be as inexpensive to maintain as those. Heck, BRAKES for this thing likely cost more than a major component overhaul for one of those cars.

It's an M-car. Like an AMG, and in some ways like a Cobra or high-end Caddy, it shouldn't be driven year round, and cars with complex systems tend to sometimes not age all that gracefully. This car is eleven years old. I know that.

You've gotta pay to play. A 400HP 7,000+RPM V8 powered German car is not designed to have the same TCO as an Accord. A 10 year old M5 costs more than a new Civic.

But it's an M5. It occupies a unique slot shared with very few others.

I've wanted one since they were first introduced. I am now in a situation to be able to get one. And I'm going to.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

I've wanted one since they were first introduced. I am now in a situation to be able to get one. And I'm going to.


You, sir, are my hero for today!

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: rationull
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

I've wanted one since they were first introduced. I am now in a situation to be able to get one. And I'm going to.


You, sir, are my hero for today!

I'm jelly.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Congrats on the new car. Hope it goes well for you.

I say this as a former BMW owner with all due respect.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Congrats on the new car. Hope it goes well for you.

I say this as a former BMW owner with all due respect.


That makes two of us! LOL!