The SMG trans is crap, it can't shift smoothly no matter how you program it. It's also prone to many issues. Mine was replaced after it left me stranded.

This is one car that you would not want to own out of warranty.

 

Even before I modified the M5 the Gallardo was good at one thing and that was getting real small inmy mirrors. So you are a butt dyno kind of guy and not real dyno results well you are not with the tuning motorsport community. And you want real street encounters, well I've taken modded Z06 vettes and for raw power thats the street gold standard. A stock 997 TT is in my mirrors.
Regarding massaging dyno #'s you could play with 20 -25 hp but you can't f-around with 100 hp and be a reputable shop. Dyno'ing remains the standard to check tuning done but trust me we do high speed rolling starts out there in late night roads in "Mexico".
Look this has no end, you feel my M5 is a piece of **** and I will tell you it would kick butt on day to day encounters. Even as a4200 lbs. sedan.
BTW the DSG has been known as the best tranny in the market.

Good luck and enjoy your car,
GT3Ranger

 

Frankly I apologize for spending too much time discussing a BMW on a Porsche forum.
So gentlemen we have our differences and so be it. You have your read information and personal experiences and I know the savage brutal acceleration of my M5. There lies our differences.
Enjoy your cars and your encounters because that's the thrill of the motorsport thread that binds us all together.

Cheers gentlemen,
GT3Ranger...Juan

 

SMG sucks, theres no doubt about it. I didnt get SMG on my 06 M3 because it sucked then too. The M5 will be my daily driver and (even if it sucks - which we all know it does) the SMG gives me the option to put it in auto.

The S8 is all around smooth. no one can argue with that. you dont buy an M5 for a butter smooth ride or butter smooth anything. thats fine with me.

 

S8 as a daily in the US is awesome. I had the RS6 Avant and the S8 and i really loved them - interior quality is state of the art. But wife, kid, dog has gone so i changed to the 997TT as a daily , but having both is the perfect combo. The sharper performance of the M5 is no advantage for a daily - just my 2 Cent - but hey i think i´m getting old

 

eh. i think you maybe never learned how to drive SMG, it's not an Auto and you can't drive it like one... mine shifts perfectly fine.

 

I hav a 997 TT and an S8 and love them Both. I also like the m5 but I am surprised that people keep saying how bad resale is on the s8. I think the resale is smuch better for a loaded s8 with low miles than an m5. Just look how many m5 are for sale on ebay. To me the real comparison for the s8 is the b7 which is an amazing car. I have been wondering for a while if I might like it even better than my s8. I am tempted to try that car.

 

Do you mean letting up on the gas and predicting the cars shifting so it is smoother?

Maybe you don't have a clue what a smooth shift is?

The SMG trans is crap, quit making excuses for it.

 

I was also debating between M5, B7, S8 for daily driver. I test drove the B7 yesterday and really liked it. Great power low down torque with good handling and brakes. I left a deposit on the car. Previously drove the M5 and felt it to be a great car, but felt you had to drive it in S6 and very aggressively to enjoy, not what I wanted for daily duty. After leaving the deposit I went to Maserati, and decided to buy the new quattroporte sport GT S. The New automatic sport GT is the best auto trans I have driven. Better then the B7 as well as the 7speed mercedes. The car is visually beautiful, and exciting to drive with the best handling of all the sedans. The only thing that I found lacking was no keyless entry, bluetooth or Sat radio, and smallish trunk. The sport GTS will be even better handling then the car I drove, as it will have and upgraded suspension and brake package. I am currently driving An A8L which is beyond boring and was planning on getting the S8. My wife loves the Audi. But when we pulled up to the Maserati dealer there was an S8 parked next to the quattroporte and she said you have to get the Maserati. Just another choice to consider.

 

I had one of the first (Oct 2006) M5s and loved it. Sold it when I retired as I no longer needed a 4-door sedan and bought a 997TT. It's a great car that requires some time to get used to.

Some suggestions, if you get the SMG forget the auto mode as it's useless. That's the source of a lot of the complaints on the SMG. In the quicker modes (which should be the norm) it is great. If you want an automatic don't buy the M5. It's a driver's car not a cruiser.

Another regular criticism is I Drive. Once you spend a couple of days getting used to it it's not a problem. Also they've added 6 buttons that can be programmed. I also found the voice system to be useful for a lot of commands.

I know a lot of people complain about the complexity of the car but I didn't find that to be a problem and I found it to be very reliable.

Your point about the S8 value is important, however, if you're going to keep it for several years shouldn't be a problem.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another M5 if I needed another sedan. It's a great driver's car.

 

I see you guys just won't let it go with the M5. If you want a cruiser big boat for comfort get the S8 but do not for a second tell me the S8 is a more dynamic sports sedan.
BTW argue with EVO magazine who called the M5 the best sports sedan.
And yes, imolazhp_ci, I do believe these guys do not know how to shift and handle a sequential box. The SMG has had problems but all fixable followed by no problems. I'll bet none of you ever took the M5 to a road course. The SMG is ***** on.
My M5 makes 709 bhp and 562 lbs/ft torque and every single hp and torque has been squeezed out competetively and the SMG and diff (3.91) work marvelously.
Out running and pulling 3 car lengths on a modded Z06 Vette in a rolling start of 60 to 185 mph is good enough for me.
This is getting old gentlemen, so good luck to all and lets enjoy our cars.

Cheers, GT3Ranger

 

So to summarize I think we can all agree:
M5 is a crap auto
M5 isnt for cruising its a drivers car

and out for debate:
SMG smoothness

I think if you drive it as if you are driving a manual car minus a clutch you can get very smooth shifts, and the only time they arent, is when you are brutally accelerating but at that point you really arent worried about comfort as much as performance.

So long as you dont think you are getting an auto-cruiser you will enjoy the car. And if you have driven plenty of manual cars and treat as such you will get smooth shifts.

Oh and the M5 SMG shouldnt be compared to the E46 M3 SMG, personally I love the M5 SMG and I cant stand the E46 SMG, that is really a transmission that has some clunky shifts. Definitely not as comfortable if its a daily driver.

 

M5. NO comparison. That is, if you want a thoroughbred sports car in sheep's clothing. It is extremely luxurioius as well, especially with the comfort seats. You CAN have your cake and eat it too!

The SMG is FANTASTIC, it is an engineering marvel and a pure JOY to drive. It can be just as smooth as any standard automatic IF you know how to drive it, before each shift lightly lift off the throttle, just as you would in any manual gear box. It can be both rewarding to drive and very interactive for a true Super SPORTS Sedan.

IF you are too OLD, a pansy or not a true auto enthusiast, then you might want to consider a Cadillac DTS.

 

IMO both cars sound great, if resale is such an issue why not do a short term lease that way you can do enjoy the car you REALLY want without the worries of resale. Bottom line is most cars today take a bad hit when it comes to resale. One should drive what one wants today and not be so concerned with tommorow.

 

M5 for a driver
S8 for a cruiser