Build Moonstones F90 M5

[moonstone]

I thought I'd start a dedicated thread on the new motor.

Having now spoken with both of it's previous owners, it turns out that this car is a Competition in everything but name. Right down to the swapped-out anti-roll bars, M Sport Exhaust and M Performance height adjustable spring kit! I even found the Competition Badge in the glove box so decided to stick it on because I like how it looks and think I can justify it given whats been done to it (and it obvious adds an extra 1BHP).

The car came with all genuine M Performance exterior goodies and I've added the wing mirror caps and carbon grill surround along with a set of modded-to-fit BMS black Chrome exhaust tips. It's also running 10mm spacers all round. Have to say I'm really pleased with the carbon grill. Juts gives it a bit of contrast with the black paint. I think I'm going to get the side-vents to match too.

Gave it, its first wash last night and this is what it looks like (click thumbs for bigger images)




I've got the LCI tail lights ready to go on and a couple of interior bits on order to replace a scratched gear knob and Idrive surround. After that, there's not much else I'm going to do to it. I do have a very compelling offer on the table for an Evolve stage 2 set up taking the car to 770BHP. Not something I was thinking about but the deal is pretty amazing to be honest so I'm definitely considering it.

I'm considering modding the headlights to get rid of the chrome (like I did with the M4). It's a cheap mod that makes quite a difference, but might settle for a light smoke tint in the meantime.

 

[Burnsey]

Perfection mate.

Well, apart from the bodge I mean badge 🤣

 

[SS13]

I think it looks pretty bang-on*. The stance you’ve achieved is perfect.

You and Rev need to hook up for a little twinned up photo sesh.

*just not sure about the badge. I’d be inclined to remove them all but I’m from the school of less is more.

 

[moonstone]

I think it looks pretty bang-on*. The stance you’ve achieved is perfect.

You and Rev need to hook up for a little twinned up photo sesh.

*just not sure about the badge. I’d be inclined to remove them all but I’m from the school of less is more.

To be honest I’m not into black badges on a black car so it’s always going to be temporary. I’d like to get an M5 badge done in a nice gunmetal or similar type of colour.

 

[boba fett]

Well I like everything about it. Stunning car. Not much more you can do to this, its nigh on a perfect M5. Hmmm now which one Stones or Revs

Looking forward to some feedback and maybe a comparison against the M4.

For now though enjoy

 

[Burnsey]

Hmmm now which one Stones or Revs

Interesting (!) but such a personal choice thing.

I bought new, so every addition has been my choice and I’m still not done. De chromed for gloss black, then swapped for carbon, but not all - some still in debate (mirror caps and front grills etc). Much influenced from members of car forums by the way!

Moon likes to mod, which is already evident, so I think we will all see the journey and I’ll no doubt pick up ideas too.

I bought the colour combo I really wanted, albeit a little boring (grey with black), but planned to keep it long term, so tried to keep it dateless so to speak. Currently the plan is on track.

On a black car with carbon, I’d love to see a quality carbon rear badge, but many are a bit, well, tacky. Be cool if you got it right though.

 

[moonstone]

Interesting (!) but such a personal choice thing.

I bought new, so every addition has been my choice and I’m still not done. De chromed for gloss black, then swapped for carbon, but not all - some still in debate (mirror caps and front grills etc). Much influenced from members of car forums by the way!

Moon likes to mod, which is already evident, so I think we will all see the journey and I’ll no doubt pick up ideas too.

I bought the colour combo I really wanted, albeit a little boring (grey with black), but planned to keep it long term, so tried to keep it dateless so to speak. Currently the plan is on track.

On a black car with carbon, I’d love to see a quality carbon rear badge, but many are a bit, well, tacky. Be cool if you got it right though.

Nobody seems to make them. Either they’re hydro-dipped or painted and both look dung.

If I had a grey car, they’re wouldn’t be a single bit of carbon on it. Everything would be gloss black instead. That’s my fav combo. With black you either need to paint the bits a lighter colour or go carbon for the contrast.

I’ve got some other carbon bits on order so will post up when those go on.

Minor issue with the car which seems to be thanks to a bodged seat re-trim from Park Lane. The headrest badges aren’t lighting up due to a short circuit so it goes into the dealer on Monday to sort under warranty.

Last owner didn’t even notice.

 

[Che]

Looks lovely mate, Congrats!

 

[Burnsey]

If I had a grey car, they’re wouldn’t be a single bit of carbon on it. Everything would be gloss black instead.

Which again, demonstrates how we all like different things.

Somewhat agree on gloss black, but M-Performance don't make a spoiler/side skirts in gloss black and to be fair, larger items look like cheap black plastic in black, which is why I went for carbon on those. I did order from anon OEM supplier and they looked gash so went back.

With carbon, I think it is a case of not to have a car dripping in it, but the rear spoiler with its shape, perfectly goes with the roof, so that is a given for me. I've ordered my last bit of carbon today - front grilles and then I'll have chrome, black and those too - just in case 🤣

I like the mix of gloss black and carbon when done right, but now I am only missing the lower front pieces, but they are not for me and wing mirror caps, but like the rear bumper insert, that many change to gloss black, I like them body colour.

@moonstone I have a spare rear bumper insert - what do you think it would look like all carbon - clash with diffuser? I could get it carbon wrapped and the chap I've used is darn good...

 

[moonstone]

Which again, demonstrates how we all like different things.

Somewhat agree on gloss black, but M-Performance don't make a spoiler/side skirts in gloss black and to be fair, larger items look like cheap black plastic in black, which is why I went for carbon on those. I did order from anon OEM supplier and they looked gash so went back.

With carbon, I think it is a case of not to have a car dripping in it, but the rear spoiler with its shape, perfectly goes with the roof, so that is a given for me. I've ordered my last bit of carbon today - front grilles and then I'll have chrome, black and those too - just in case 🤣

I like the mix of gloss black and carbon when done right, but now I am only missing the lower front pieces, but they are not for me and wing mirror caps, but like the rear bumper insert, that many change to gloss black, I like them body colour.

@moonstone I have a spare rear bumper insert - what do you think it would look like all carbon - clash with diffuser? I could get it carbon wrapped and the chap I've used is darn good...

I’ll be honest I’m not a fan of carbon wraps. Look ok from a distance but I think they look a bit obvious up close. They just lack the gloss you get from real carbon. I’d like to get a carbon bumper insert. There’s at least one aftermarket one but it might be a bit OTT.

Should be possible to get someone to overlay the original in carbon. Plenty do it with interior parts. Who knows what it would cost though

If you’re talking about the Maxton gloss black stuff, I’m very familiar with it. It was the only option on my RS5. Looks ok when fitted but it is pretty shite.

My car actually has the M Performance side blades for the standard 5 series painted in Sapphire Black to match the bodywork. The last owner took a gamble and it paid off. So those could be an option for you if you did one gloss black blades.

I’m not sold on the front M Performance front inserts either. I’d prefer a proper one-piece front splitter like on the M4 that gives a less rounded side profile at the front, there’s a couple of aftermarket ones available that I might look at later on but will stick with these for the time being.

I really want to do this with the headlights but I might wait till next summer:



Until then, I’ve got LCI tail lights to go on. A few replacement interior bits to go on, carbon wing vents and that’s about it.

My favourite thing so far is the carbon kidney grill. It just gives such a nice contrast to the black paint from the front the M Performance corners make so much more sense with the carbon kidneys and mirrors tying it all together.

 

[Burnsey]

I’ll be honest I’m not a fan of carbon wraps. Look ok from a distance but I think they look a bit obvious up close. They just lack the gloss you get from real carbon. I’d like to get a carbon bumper insert. There’s at least one aftermarket one but it might be a bit OTT.

Should be possible to get someone to overlay the original in carbon. Plenty do it with interior parts. Who knows what it would cost though

If you’re talking about the Maxton gloss black stuff, I’m very familiar with it. It was the only option on my RS5. Looks ok when fitted but it is pretty shite.

My car actually has the M Performance side blades for the standard 5 series painted in Sapphire Black to match the bodywork. The last owner took a gamble and it paid off. So those could be an option for you if you did one gloss black blades.

I’m not sold on the front M Performance front inserts either. I’d prefer a proper one-piece front splitter like on the M4 that gives a less rounded side profile at the front, there’s a couple of aftermarket ones available that I might look at later on but will stick with these for the time being.

I really want to do this with the headlights but I might wait till next summer:



Until then, I’ve got LCI tail lights to go on. A few replacement interior bits to go on, carbon wing vents and that’s about it.

My favourite thing so far is the carbon kidney grill. It just gives such a nice contrast to the black paint from the front the M Performance corners make so much more sense with the carbon kidneys and mirrors tying it all together.

You've misunderstood the 'carbon wrap'. It's actually real carbon skinned over the OEM part - looks fantastic, but does have a thickness to it.

As I said, all different tastes. I prefer carbon to gloss black, as long as it matches, so OEM all the way for me. But I hated the price these things are so took it a bit at a time to make me feel better about it. The only thing I am missing for the set are the front pieces and mirror caps. Front is covered with the Stercken, so it really is just the mirrors and currently happy with body colour and that is with carbon side blades and vents - what I mean is it doesn't look out of place and as long as we are happy, with our cars who honestly gives a shit?

Exciting!

 

[moonstone]

You've misunderstood the 'carbon wrap'. It's actually real carbon skinned over the OEM part - looks fantastic, but does have a thickness to it.

As I said, all different tastes. I prefer carbon to gloss black, as long as it matches, so OEM all the way for me. But I hated the price these things are so took it a bit at a time to make me feel better about it. The only thing I am missing for the set are the front pieces and mirror caps. Front is covered with the Stercken, so it really is just the mirrors and currently happy with body colour and that is with carbon side blades and vents - what I mean is it doesn't look out of place and as long as we are happy, with our cars who honestly gives a shit?

Exciting!

Ahhhh! That is very interesting! What sort of price are we talking to get it skinned in carbon then?

You need to post some pics of your motor. I’m really not up to speed on what it looks like. Let’s see it for some inspiration!

 

[Burnsey]

Ahhhh! That is very interesting! What sort of price are we talking to get it skinned in carbon then?

You need to post some pics of your motor. I’m really not up to speed on what it looks like. Let’s see it for some inspiration!

Not sure on cost mate. I had some bits done on my bike and thought it reasonable.

Guy is AB Carbon on Facebook and rate his work.

I’ll send some pics when I’m back home. Just chilling in the lakes this week…

 

[Senna11]

How on earth do you paint the inside of the lights? Do you need to dismantle the whole thing? Think you will need to a step by step guide

 

[Senna11]

Gloss black badge would look spot on. I personally think it looks better without the competition badge.

 

[Senna11]

You've misunderstood the 'carbon wrap'. It's actually real carbon skinned over the OEM part - looks fantastic, but does have a thickness to it.

As I said, all different tastes. I prefer carbon to gloss black, as long as it matches, so OEM all the way for me. But I hated the price these things are so took it a bit at a time to make me feel better about it. The only thing I am missing for the set are the front pieces and mirror caps. Front is covered with the Stercken, so it really is just the mirrors and currently happy with body colour and that is with carbon side blades and vents - what I mean is it doesn't look out of place and as long as we are happy, with our cars who honestly gives a shit?

Exciting!

Carbon looks much nicer than gloss black. You want to see the prices Mercedes charge for gloss black, make your eyes bleed!

 

[moonstone]

How on earth do you paint the inside of the lights? Do you need to dismantle the whole thing? Think you will need to a step by step guide

Where have you been? 😀

https://www.deutschespeed.com/threads/moonestones-sapphire-black-f83-m4.34/post-51

 

[moonstone]

Nice wee job completed today. I’ve got a couple of scratched trims as I mentioned. Nothing out of the ordinary for a used car but they’re very visible to me so have sorted these out.

Still got a nasty scratch on my knob but I’m waiting on the bits to arrive to sort that.

 

[Senna11]

We don’t need to know about your knob!

 

[moonstone]

Couple of BIG updates today....



Quite a bit of graft on both fronts. The wheel is much more complex to strip down and rebuild than the M3/M4 steering wheel but I got there. Same design as on my M4. Alcantara with a subtle black leather 12 o'clock marker.

On the lights. You need to completely strip the boot, remove the edge of the rear seats, front and rear sill trims, bottom of the B Pillar and under the drivers footwell, change the lights over and then remove all the pins from connectors on the bootlid lights (the outers are plug and play). Then you need to add to additional wires for the bootlid indicator sections and run these to a connector in the BDC module in the drivers footwell. All, in all its a time consuming ballache. After that there's coding required and having scoured various online forums I'm not confident in doing it myself and I don't currently have up-to-date E-Sys, Edibias, Tool32 stuff (you can only do some of it via BImmercode) so I'm paying a bloke £100 to remotely code the lights and activate full screen Carplay for me. That's supposed to be happening shortly. The inner sidelights act as both indicators and tail lights until the BDC module is coded to suit.

I get that some folks think that the LCI headlights on the M5 are a backwards step (I'm on the fence myself. The LCI benefits from a front end that juts out much more aggressively from the middle of the kidney grills downwards so personally I think it works) but I really do think the LCI tail-lights are a must have for me. It really updates the back end. Kind of ironic when you consider that not that long ago folk were updating the rear lights to LCI on the F80 (myself included) to look much like the pre-LCI design on the M5.

Here's a comparison shot: (my phone camera is determined make them look orange for some reason)