yeah, i own one and have top out at 176 actually so you should have basically an identical experience as me. i don't know how you can say the S8 "drives better" then comparing driving dynamics. the only thing the S8 does "better" is have a softer ride. it doesn't handle, steer, accelerate, top speed or brake even remotely comparably to the M5. i will say as far as looks tge S8 is potentially less offensive, but i don't know if you could say it's better. with the M5's looks, i'll say you are either a fan or you are not, simple as that. with the S8 i don't really see how anybody could dislike the looks, but conversely i can't imagine anyone being absolutely enthralled with the looks. but hey, to each their own....

 

I had the M5 and traded it for a CTT.

Plus

• Fast if you hammer it
• Looks good
• Sticks like glue
• Stops on a dime
• Holds value decently

Minus

• gas mileage sucks
• gas tank is small
• seat will not move back far enough
• SMG trans sucks, makes passengers car sick with all the herky jerky shifting
• When you want to go fast you need to press M mode or trans setting, power mode, suspension switches
• When you do have it set to go fast the car shifts violently
• While the breaks certainly stop well there is virtually no modulation to them on first bite, also makes passengers car sick
• I drive is a bit complicated but not the hell that all the auto mags would have you believe
• You will know the service manager at the BMW dealership well because the service intervals are not set at standard mileages, once you get past 20K it goes off all the time.

We tested the CTT and fell in love with it. Fast, useful and fun.
I also looked at the S8 and loved it, I just found the CTT more useful.

 

Maybe it's because I preferred the driving experience to the E39, which I loved. For some reason, it felt rawer. Also I drove an SMG which I hate, so that also played a role in it. The S8 does have a softer ride but I found it to be the more focused car in terms of being a sedan. I know that may seem counter to my liking of the E39, but that's just what I felt. Also, I haven't had a ton of seat time in either car. I test drove the S8 and have driven the M5 my friend owns a few times.

 

fair enough, all makes sense. in general, the M5 is either love it or hate it. my dad has an E39 540i that he swears by... he has dumped so much money into repairs but he won't get rid of it... he doesn't think anything drives as good as it. and i know what he, and you, mean...

 

Again, S8 and M5 are both great cars but cannot be put into the same sentence. A8=7series=Sclass, 5series=A6=Eclass.

 

ok well..... In my spontaneous purchasing nature.....

I just got back from signing the papers on an 08 M5!! I pick it up tomorrow afternoon.

Silverstone on Silverstone leather - SMG - fully loaded!!

I couldnt justify the nosedive in resale on the Audi!!

I'll post pics next week!!

 

S8 more classy

 

Congrats man, very nice color combo. I couldnt wait and ended up with Interlagos Blue / Black, but if I did it over again I would definitely get silverstone, its such a beautiful silver and one of the few colors (aside from white) that really sets off the carbon fiber mirrors.

Enjoy it in good health

 

Congrats. You'll be happy!

 

avi8tir you made the correct choice. The M5 is a dynamic sports sedan. Those that equate the M5 with the 5 series are dead wrong. A 550i is not even close to an M5. The S8 is a big cumffy cushy car. It's performance is pathetic to compare. The car is numb, there is poor feedback or none to the steering and contact with the road.
You best compare the S8 to the 750i or 760i. Boats to boats. The B5 Alpina will sweep the floor with the S8.
This can go on for ever but IMO the M5 is superior in performance and all the dynamic features and functions of the car. The S8, AMG's are boring. Maybe some do not know how to get the most from the car.
I've taken down many heavyweights with my modded M5, even weighing 1000 lbs more. Do not underestimate the "M".

Cheers gentlemen, GT3Ranger...Juan

 

the m5 is gonna take a pretty big spanking too when it comes to resale.

 

Ok, like the M5 is not hyped up enough. M5 is nice and all but for Christ sake get some torque and a decent tranny. Cars are WORTHLESS without a decent tranny.

 

Hey avi8tir here are pics of the M5 and siblings. The M5 is the big boy of the stable. Good luck and good choice in your acquisition. You'll never look back.
http://picasaweb.google.com/whitneydelgado63/TheFamily

 

Meaning the Mercedes AMG slushbox is a good tranny? Also look at the Ferrari motor as in the F430 and what's the torque, I guess that motor sucks too. These are high rpm engines to develop their power. That V10 is an F1 inspired motor. It's not a low end grunt motor.
With the mods I have changed that in my M5. The car dyno'ed 581 rwhp and 461 lbs/ft rw torque. Its no slouch.

Cheers, GT3Ranger...Juan

 

An AMG 5speed inside a 65 is one of THE TOUGHEST trannies ever made, able to handle torque well over 1000lbft. Their 7 speed offer amazing shift speed with automatic smoothness (something the SMG wish it had). No one is saying the M5 is a slouch, just pointing to the fact that the car does not feel fast at all! And with that dumb *** SMG, it won't get anywhere and BMW knows it that's why they are going with DSG in March Production M3s. I know its F1 inspired and all but we are not on the track are we? No one would buy a M5 and thinking it would be a weekend warrior at some local track. On the street, Torque rules, Audi's V10 has torque, Gallardo's V10 has torque both are high revving by the way. In our little town called Toronto, you'd be in jail before the M5 could make its real power which is past 100mph. And speaking about dyno #s is just non sense since every single dyno produces different #s each day and on the street speed matters not dyno #s. I am in no way dissing the M5 or being offensive to you, a fellow 6speed member.