F90 M5 CS review: What a Master Tech Actually Thinks
F90 M5 CS review from an ASE Master Tech: performance, brakes, maintenance traps, and whether the CS is worth the premium. Here's the honest final verdict.
This F90 M5 CS review starts where every good inspection should: with a clear head and a cold engine. I've spent 22 years in dealership service, and the CS is the F90 M5 at its most honest. It's lighter, louder, and harder-edged than a standard M5 Competition, but that doesn't mean it's a fragile garage queen. You can daily it, you can track it, and you can still do a healthy share of your own maintenance if you approach it with the right tools and the right torque specs. Let me walk you through the ownership view.
What the CS Package Actually Changes
The standard F90 M5 launched in 2018 with 600 horsepower. The CS goes further: revised engine mapping, a retuned eight-speed automatic, stiffer springs, adaptive dampers, and a lighter exhaust. BMW stripped weight with a carbon-fiber hood, roof, and rear diffuser, plus lighter wheels. The result is the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 627 horsepower and a chassis that communicates every pound of it. Hit the steering wheel M button and the CS gets genuinely loud. It is the kind of noise that makes you look in the rearview mirror, then smile. On a cold Minnesota morning, the exhaust crackle is all the coffee you need.
What I notice most is how much of that chassis work is visible. The carbon roof is obvious if you run a hand over it. The forged wheels are staggeringly light. The front splitter and rear spoiler add real downforce. None of that is gimmickry, but it means the CS rewards an owner who actually drives it. If you buy this car and park it, you're paying for tools you don't plan on using.
Driving the CS: Steering, Ride, and Brakes
The first thing a driver feels is the CS-specific steering. It is quicker and heavier than a regular 5 Series, and in Sport Plus it loads up like a good analog rack. On uneven pavement, there's some tramlining from the wide tires. The adaptive dampers do double duty: in Comfort they smooth out freeway joints, and in Sport they turn the M5 CS into a sharp track tool.
The carbon-ceramic brakes are standard. They stop hard and never fade on a road course. At street temps they can groan on the first stop of the morning, especially in cold weather. That's just the nature of ceramics. If you plan to track the CS, they are worth every penny.
The Ownership Reality: Brakes, Tires, and Fluids
Here's the part that separates an honest F90 M5 CS review from the showroom hype: maintenance. The CS uses the same 4.4-liter engine as the M5 Competition, so oil changes are routine. You need about ten quarts of BMW-approved oil, a new filter, and a fresh drain plug crush washer. If you can change oil on a Honda, you can change oil on the M5. The trick is getting the car level and taking the under-tray off without breaking the plastic clips. Tool Check: a set of metric sockets, a low-profile jack, and jack stands rated for at least six thousand pounds. Don't trust the scissor jack that came in the trunk; this is a heavy car.
Safety First: never get under a car supported only by a hydraulic jack. Use the jack stands, then give the car a solid shake before you trust it.
Here's what I see go wrong most often: owners stretch the oil change interval because the computer allows it. On a twin-turbo V8, don't. Track time means more frequent changes, and the same goes for the eight-speed automatic's fluid.
The big budget item is brakes. Full carbon-ceramic service is expensive, and track use eats pads and rotors. A complete rotor set can run well into five figures at dealer prices. That's not a scare tactic; it's an ownership number. Tires are the second shock. The CS wears staggered 20-inch performance tires, and a track weekend can chew through rear tires quickly.
Wheel bolts on the M5 tighten to about 101 lb-ft. Torque to spec, and yes, the spec matters. Using an impact gun until it clicks is how rotors warp and hubs distort. Use a torque wrench in the right pattern after the car is on the ground.
What to Check Before You Buy a Used M5 CS
If you're reading this F90 M5 CS review because you're shopping used, start with the basics. Look for a complete service history, especially the 1,200-mile run-in service. If that service didn't happen, walk away. No matter how clean the paint is, a missing run-in service on a twin-turbo M car is a deal-breaker.
Get the VIN and have a BMW dealer pull the service record. Then pay a BMW specialist for a pre-purchase inspection. Ask them to scan for hidden codes, check the cooling system hoses, and look for scrape damage on the underside. The CS sits low, and careless owners leave evidence.
Also check the tires for inside-edge wear. The CS's aggressive alignment will show issues there long before the steering wheel does. If the car has been lowered or has aftermarket camber plates, plan to restore the suspension geometry or the car will eat tires.
The Bottom Line from a Shop Teacher
A used CS carries a real premium over a standard M5 Competition. Whether that's worth it depends on whether you'll drive it. For a driver who will actually use it, yes. You can do this. Here's the safe, right way: respect the maintenance schedule, torque every bolt to spec, and keep a complete service history. That's my F90 M5 CS review, and I'll stand by it. If you find a clean one with records, buy it. If you find a cheap one with no records, let the next guy take it.
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