BMW M5 M5 4dr SMG (2005)

2006 BMW M5 - It's a lovely car to drive, just takes a little too much fuel

We've had our BMW M5 from new in 2006. The warranty took care of the only (minor) problems with it, some sort of little adjustments to the rear suspension and wing mirrors, if memory serves. Other than that it's been perfectly reliable.

It's mostly my car for commuting as my husband works from home. I do about 50 miles a day in it, and it's always a joy. It's especially nice to get into and just relax on the motorway (when it's clear) by slipping the cruise control on and letting the M5 do the work - well, I do need to steer!

I have very rarely had a bit of 'fun' with it by pressing the M button and feeling everything in the car tighten up. I'm not all that up with the mechanics of it, but it really is suddenly a different car, lots more power and acceleration. My husband likes to go on about the hundreds of horse power (five hundred I think, from what I remember of his repeated boasts!). Anyway all I can say is that the BMW M5 just feels like it's sort of hungrier in M mode.

Unfortunately it literally is hungry, and gets hungrier with the M mode. We stop altogether too often to fill it up, and although we wouldn't have bought the car if we had too much worry over that sort of ongoing cost, it has roughly doubled in the time we've had it.

I would say as a warning that the SMG gearbox is a bit of a pig in city/town type conditions. I did feel that when we test drove it, and saw it as not too much of a problem since it's mostly a long distance commuter car, but that is something to be aware of, along with the high costs.

I wouldn't say the M5 is totally impractical though. I've had five people in it before (myself and four colleagues) with a boot full of all their overnight stuff and our presentation kits, and it had enough room inside for all that, plus all the usual power to overtake at the drop of a hat.