Low-Mileage BMW E39 M5 Is Certainly Desirable – But $150K Desirable?
A rare E39-generation BMW M5 is currently up for sale courtesy of Enthusiast Auto Group in Cincinnati.
BMW didn't produce all that many E39 M5s in Imola Red and, unless we're mistaken, it appears as though this particular example was previously listed on eBay 12 months ago for $78,000. It's now much more expensive...
(https://images.carscoops.com/2019/10/1c853812-imola-red-bmw-e39-m5-18.jpg)
There's no doubting the fact that, to this day, the E39 M5 still looks superb. It has aged very gracefully and is perhaps the perfect mix between aggression and refinement. There's no crazy sharp edges, skirts, wings, or splitters like many modern performance sedans and instead just simple lines and only a few tell-tail signs that distinguish it between a regular 5-Series of the same era.
The E39 M5 was built between 1998 and 2003 and features a naturally aspirated 4.9-liter V8 with 394 HP and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque at 3800 rpm, and this particular car only has 9,225 miles (14,846 km) on the clock which, considering its age, is not a lot.
(https://images.carscoops.com/2019/10/ce593f81-imola-red-bmw-e39-m5-3.jpg)
Now for the price. Well, saying that it's not cheap is probably an understatement. In fact, in the video below, the seller states that the dealership is asking $150,000. Yes, that is roughly $50,000 more than a new M5. The seller notes that it's hard to find Imola Red E39s in such superb condition as this one, but still, the asking price does still seem excessive. Perhaps a hardcore E39 M5 enthusiast will disagree.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZuNjkz8_EQ
(https://images.carscoops.com/2019/10/c28f5025-imola-red-bmw-e39-m5-15.jpg)
Link: https://www.carscoops.com/2019/10/low-mileage-bmw-e39-m5-is-certainly-desirable-but-150k-desirable/
That's 2 GT350s.
Its a nice car, but I think I'd rather get a more generic color at a better price.
You would think OEMs might see old products having high amounts of desirability (and price) and start going back to the drawing boards on their new products that aren't selling...
To be fair, GM had a car that was extraordinarily similar in size/performance to the E39, but not many people wanted to buy it.
Quote from: SJ_GTI on October 22, 2019, 08:02:32 AM
Its a nice car, but I think I'd rather get a more generic color at a better price.
I actually think this E39 M5 looks quite subtle and understated in this color. In my opinion the light blue ones (that color that one instantly associates with the E39 M5) somehow look more flashy than this.
Quote from: r0tor on October 22, 2019, 09:18:55 AM
You would think OEMs might see old products having high amounts of desirability (and price) and start going back to the drawing boards on their new products that aren't selling...
I feel like the German OEMs have very little control of what future product will be. The EU and China are forcing them down a very narrow and likely unprofitable path.
I think the pricing on this thing is absurd. E39 M5 is probably the best M5, but even one from BMW's vault is not worth this kind of money.
Yes, I want it and the red looks awesome.....but the value in a low mileage car is in the low mileage. I'd feel guilty driving it. I'd rather buy this one for less than a third of the price and drive it guilt free:
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=527191103&zip=19123&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D19123%26startYear%3D1998%26sortBy%3Drelevance%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26marketExtension%3Don%26endYear%3D2004%26modelCodeList%3DM5%26makeCodeList%3DBMW%26searchRadius%3D0&startYear=1998&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=2004&modelCodeList=M5&makeCodeList=BMW&searchRadius=0&makeCode1=BMW&modelCode1=M5&clickType=listing
Or this one with similar miles in a more common color for $60K.
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=503940966&zip=19123&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D19123%26startYear%3D1998%26sortBy%3Drelevance%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26marketExtension%3Don%26endYear%3D2004%26modelCodeList%3DM5%26makeCodeList%3DBMW%26searchRadius%3D0&startYear=1998&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=2004&modelCodeList=M5&makeCodeList=BMW&searchRadius=0&makeCode1=BMW&modelCode1=M5&clickType=listing
Quote from: Raza on October 24, 2019, 12:13:35 PM
Yes, I want it and the red looks awesome.....but the value in a low mileage car is in the low mileage. I'd feel guilty driving it. I'd rather buy this one for less than a third of the price and drive it guilt free:
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=527191103&zip=19123&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D19123%26startYear%3D1998%26sortBy%3Drelevance%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26marketExtension%3Don%26endYear%3D2004%26modelCodeList%3DM5%26makeCodeList%3DBMW%26searchRadius%3D0&startYear=1998&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=2004&modelCodeList=M5&makeCodeList=BMW&searchRadius=0&makeCode1=BMW&modelCode1=M5&clickType=listing
Or this one with similar miles in a more common color for $60K.
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=503940966&zip=19123&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D19123%26startYear%3D1998%26sortBy%3Drelevance%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26marketExtension%3Don%26endYear%3D2004%26modelCodeList%3DM5%26makeCodeList%3DBMW%26searchRadius%3D0&startYear=1998&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=2004&modelCodeList=M5&makeCodeList=BMW&searchRadius=0&makeCode1=BMW&modelCode1=M5&clickType=listing
Either of those would be fun to own/drive. I don't think I'd want them as a daily driver, but they would be great weekend and/or fair weather cars for someone with a big enough garage.
BMW makes the best cars ever so yes it's worth 150K. I don't need a house.
JayEmmOnCars recently did a review on an E39 M5 where he called it a classic car. I'm inclined to agree. I think I'd feel bad dailying one. But classic cars can still be overpriced.
Plus to me rare/cool interior colors are more valuable than exterior ones.
Are those headlights assembly really stock? They look strange to me
Yup...stock pre and post facelift headlamps.
I spend way too much time perusing EAG's (the dealer selling this car) cars. I would love to buy an E46 M3 from them someday, value be damned
The economy is strong so it's a seller's market for most toys. Most prices for desirable used cars are through the roof. If/when the next recession hits, a lot of these things are going to be unloaded for cheap. It's even worse in the boat market. Used desirable boats are going for 2 to 3 times more than what they were worth about 5 years ago. These were the same boats that people were literally abandoning to the sea in 2009 after the financial crisis hit because people couldn't afford the upkeep costs.
Quote from: CALL_911 on October 30, 2019, 07:06:01 PM
I spend way too much time perusing EAG's (the dealer selling this car) cars. I would love to buy an E46 M3 from them someday, value be damned
EAG is just down the street from me. It's a cool operation.