The drive was about 3 hours in length and took us down to Penticton from the West Side, over to Keremeos, then Princeton then up highway 3b to the Coquihalla connector.

If you are reading this post and don’t live in Western Canada – don’t worry about all that – just know that it was an amazing drive – typical of the breathtaking scenery that we are so lucky to enjoy here out west.

Add in some insane German hardware (*more on that in a minute), some new friends and perfect weather – you’ve all the ingredients for a performance car enthusiasts dream.

Ironically – my E39 m5 was the ONLY beast which came out – despite there being a number of others in my home town who couldn’t make it for one reason or another.

The pics below will tell the who story, but the contingent of brands was almost evenly split between Porsche, BMW and a very spiffy Mini that was very adept in the corners – but less so on the straightaways… given that some of these cars have 700, 800 and 900 horsepower *(yes you read those numbers correctly), the Mini was in a different league.

Anyway, we are looking forward to getting out again in July for another run and I’ll probably take some more pics then.

You will notice below that we are being briefed by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officer – he happened to be in the parking lot where we met in Penticton and took an interest in our little get together.

Despite LOTS of full throttle runs – I can say that all the drivers behaved and did not take any chances or sped excessively… at least the ones I can remember.

It’s experiences like this which are the reason why I own an M5.

I did shoot some hi-definition video which will take me few weeks to edit, but for now…

Here’s the pics – enjoy.

It is designed for BMW models 525i, 528i, 528IT, 530I, 540i, 540IT, M5 and others. The page lists down the year, type, liter and designation of the BMW cars that fits the product. There is a one year warranty for the Front Right Window Regulator and if you are living in the United States of America, shipment is free.

Broken windows are always great inconvenience so replacing your broken window regulator is a must.

Check it out at this site: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-Front-Window-Regulator-E39-525i-528i-530i-540i-i-M5_W0QQitemZ220442846994QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item33536ae712

The criteria include comfort, performance, handling, exterior styling, interior design, features, value for money and reliability. The average rating from all the reviews is 4.9 out of 5. One owner asserts that it is the best car he ever owned while another stated that he enjoys his E39 M5 because it is string and fun to drive.

And one of the nicest E39 M5 review on this page says ” rides smooth, sounds nice and looks nice”. This superb sedan just continues to get rave reviews over the years.

Visit the following site: http://www.cars.com/go/crp/research.jsp?section=consumerreviews&aff=&makeid=5&year=2002&modelid=36#reviews

The guy is now a proud owner of a black 2001 E39 M5 with a mileage of 70,000 miles. It is actually a post done by his brother who sounds quite enthusiastic about the new car. Plans of mods include some nice wheels, window tint, intake and exhaust.

Some readers commented that the 70,00 mileage could mean some expensive repair is in the offing. But not to worry since some maintenance at 65,000 mileage was already done on the car and that should mean it is in good shape.

Read on at the following site: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=18527227

There are pros and cons to boths oil change methods as you’ll learn in this video.  Had I just done a topside oil change, I would have missed the power steering hose leak that we discovered while underneath the car. 

The good news I didn’t learn about that while on a long stretch of deserted road somewhere!

In addition to recommending some useful products, I also outline all the tools you’ll need from the most basic stubby 10 mil driver, to a torque wrench, to different brands of topside fluid extractors.

Changing the oil on the S62 engine yourself is simple if you know what to do… and you’ll save at least $75.00 in labour each time from the $tealer.

You can log in to get the video here: http://www.m5videoguide.com/amember/login.php

What else could be said about the best 4 door car ever made – other than you should own one!????

Most of the information about the E39 m5 is readily available on the internet and for those who own the car – there’s no question that it remains the king of four doors.  Once you drive one, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Anyway – some good stuff worth reading if you are interested in the e39 m5 over at http://www.39m5.net.

It is a replacement oil filter kit for most V8 and V12 engines. It also has quality plastic ends on both sides of the filter. The kit includes gasket or seal rings and is often sold as BMW part number 11 42 1 745 390.

It is very important that you verify the plastic ends of the filter as shown in the picture above to make sure it fits your car.

Visit the following site: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=11427510717

Basic tools include a good roll around floor jack with a capacity of 2 tons at least. Four good jack stands, two drive on ramps, pads for the jack and jack stands, are also needed.

Read on at this site and learn more about the jacking points of your E39 M5 and how to lift your car at the desired position.

Visit the following site: http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/jack/jack.htm

This item is from Pittsburgh brand and measures .6 inches in diameter. ECS Tuning, advertising itself as an independent tuning specialist, features this item on its web site, among other accessories, for your E39 M5.

The Magnetic tray with hood is one of the newer items being offered. For a very minimal price, you will be spared the frustration of missing those little bolts and nuts that are essential for some job you want to do on your car.

Check this product in the following site: http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E39-M5-S62_5.0L/

The parts needed are the left and right control rail kit. You will need a T-25 Torx wrench, screwdriver, pliers and heavy lithium grease. The first step is to retract the sunroof slightly back so that you can remove the front stops on both sides. Close the roof after this and trying pressing the tilt button. More likely, you might have to do this manually.

Remember to place something soft between the glass and the sunroof to keep it tilted. And now you are ready for the actual job.

This site will give you detailed information on how to repair your sunroof. The author is kind enough to provide pictures too.

Check it out at the following site: http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e39/8023857-4.html