Fun pig. Smg I assume. Those have so many more fickle issues compared to the c6 S6 / d3 s8, although the high revving and highway blasting is fun though and it handles decent to boot. I honestly miss that big boat sometimes at full tilt, but all the other times it was a clunky pita. At the same time it is still a cool albeit quirky car with a ton of character (good and bad) that was really “lucky” to be made, much like the v10 audi’s.
Good luck with the flip.
Thank you. It really is a love/hate relationship with that car. An engine modeled after f1 technology, high revving v10 that sounds like a symphony, and a transmission, that when running correctly, is absolutely awesome. The reality though, this car is awesome when it is under warranty and on the dealership dime, but outside of warranty, one repair can end up costing the same as buying another used m5.
I know this all too well. I owned mine out of warranty, and one minor part on the smg went out part was $40-50 labor was $1k plus. The car didn’t last too much longer in the garage. However, if your handy mechanically and you get the 6 speed manual it’s a helluva a car, and still a love hate relationship.
Basically you need to be a mechanic to handle or have deep pockets and patience for the e60 M5, i do argue that once you replace everything once and some thing’s twice 
you should have a fun car that can’t be compared to anything else. I still might be crazy enough to consider owning another in 6 speed with a bored out built motor of course and records of everything replaced twice 
I am a Bmw tech and this S85 motor scares me to death, especially since I am the one fronting the cost. VANOS solienoids have jumped in price to $2100 a piece (4 needed), VANOS pump is $2500, VANOS Controllers $1500 (need 2), BE Upgraded Bearings…ugh, the list keeps going. The first M6 I saw with failed bearings got sent out to a builder named Troy in Michigan, to get a stroked motor (the specs and crank developed from one of the engine builders at Hendrick Motorsports)…WOW, that car is like being on a 1 liter streetbike, both sound and acceleration (~9500rpm limit).
10-4 on all of the above. I’m also very familiar with troys work. If anyone is interested there is a Troy stroker in co for sale for 25k with probably 2-3 times that in work from I believe the original owner on m5board. It’s the 5.7 not the 6.0 stroker I believe but it’s still crazy. Again, only apply if you are mechanically inclinddd and have a direct line for parts or stockpiling common parts that fail.
Couldnt agree more, hopefully I don’t end up being the person having to buy that motor because my existing engine is damaged beyond cost effective repair…classic car flips gone wrong. Good to know about that Troy motor though, thank you.
Got the S4 on the lift yesterday. Height is perfect for a seated creeper. Still not ready to drop the built motor in and no matter how hard I try, this Jhm tune has kept the motor together, so no extra motivation to swap them