R/T: 2003 BMW M5 vs 2015 Chevrolet SS

Non-repair car talk
kevm14
Posts: 16025
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: R/T: 2003 BMW M5 vs 2015 Chevrolet SS

Post by kevm14 »

Hmm. Thoughts from a former M5 owner.
The SS is as fast in a straight line as an E39 M5, the LS3 is worlds more reliable than the S62, it handles better, and gets better gas mileage.

I'm an E39 leg humping fanboi, and I DD'ed a 540/6 for 8 years. I have thousands of posts on M5Board in the E39 section, and I'm a literal walking dictionary on all things E39.

The SS is the better car. I know; I've driven it.
Then some doubters, and this retort.
Ok guy. If you're unable to understand that the car with a terrible clutch, an engine that rarely delivers full power or contains it's oil, rod bearings, VANOS accumulators and timing chain, which is all contained in a chassis that has awful steering feel, a sloppy transient response, heavy under steer and brake fade, while holding you in a nice interior that is prone to seat twist, windows that fall into the door, sunroof cassettes that break, wood that delaminates and fractures, all while posting similar straight line numbers to the SS while being worse elsewhere, and while posting worse handling numbers, I know we shouldn't be talking cars. I'm here to talk about cool cars, not be a blind fanboi.

I have decades of experience with one of the cars, and the SS is the better car. If you could get over the badge and had the experience with both cars I've had, you'd see that too.
This perspective is important when we look back at the M5 as some kind of product with "lasting quality."

On the suspension comments, I think that is part of the "granite suspension" comparison. I'm sure the M5 is more supple. I also don't think it's as sharp handling of a car as the SS is. And the SS is an M5 when you compare to the full tilt Charger SRT-8 stuff.
bill25
Posts: 2583
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:20 pm

Re: R/T: 2003 BMW M5 vs 2015 Chevrolet SS

Post by bill25 »

Having those two pictures side by side didn't help the SS. I think the Malibu looks better there.

The SS looks more like the Cruze.


If you forget looks, this car is awesome. If you care about looks more than performance, buy a [insert pretty car that sucks].
kevm14
Posts: 16025
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: R/T: 2003 BMW M5 vs 2015 Chevrolet SS

Post by kevm14 »

Guy on a VW Vortex thread was toying with picking up this one, which apparently is a very dark green that looks awesome in person.
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Bob
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Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:36 am

Re: R/T: 2003 BMW M5 vs 2015 Chevrolet SS

Post by Bob »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbLweooe3aM

This video makes a similar comparison. The SS actually beats the M5 around Willow Springs by over a second.
kevm14
Posts: 16025
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: R/T: 2003 BMW M5 vs 2015 Chevrolet SS

Post by kevm14 »

I saw that. The 2014 was actually a second+ faster than that. They softened it a bit with the MR shocks. Depends on what you want. I think I'd be plenty happy with the 2014 - reminds me of what the FG2 shocks were on the CTS-V1. Auto only though.
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