Even if it's not the full S2 package, that's still a good price for an E39 M5, as this article (I can haz shameless plug?) explains: [www.examiner.com]#bmwm5
I came *ever so close* to picking up a very similar 2002 M5 about a year and a half ago. One owner, full Dinan S2 package, exhaust, headers, suspension and wheels. It had about 82k miles on the clock, and the dealer wanted a hair over $20k for it.
The problems:
1. As mentioned previously, a cocaine, exotic fish and Belgian prostitute addiction would have been less expensive to maintain.
2. It was one owner, and I had happened to see that one owner out on the road before. There aren't a lot of Dinan tuned M5s in St. Louis, so I took note when I saw a beautiful blue one screaming by me on I-70 at 125mph (without Alex Roy's glistening head at the wheel).
3. I realized that M5 ownership, even at that price, would also make me a BMW owner. Yikes. I started looking around for an E30 M3 instead, figuring that might be cool and funky enough to defray the karmic penalties of ownership. Then I remembered Problem (1)
I ended up consoling myself by picking up a bank-repo 2004 Triumph Speed Triple instead. That has been more like doing lines of heroin off the belly of an aroused porcupine: socially unacceptable, surrounded by fear and danger, yet ultimately very soothing.
@macfarlane.a spent more on beer than dinner: 3. I don't care. I'm still going for an E46 M3 within the next 3 years. I know I'll be seen as a douche, but I won't care with as much fun as I'll be having. #bmwm5
I said Crack, ja I did.
Because just like crack, entry level is cheap; it's the maintenance that destroys you.
Plus I couldn't resist GR's "Dinan wanna." We must reinforce that level of wit and sometimes vote for the funniest choice rather than looking at materialistic things like cost. #bmwm5
Not a bad price if the engine internals haven't been overstressed and are now waiting for the right opportunity to turn into shrapnel.
Beautiful car. Need to redye the leather. And I agree about the wood trim being off. On the other hand I'm not wild about black hole interiors, either. #bmwm5
$20,000 to buy and $20,000 per year to keep running. After a bit over one year, I'll be paying more than I do for my newer, less troublesome, more comfortable G8 GXP. Crack pipe. #bmwm5
I'm kinda over the E39 M5 now that the G8 GXP offers better dynamics in a similar package that's going to be far less maintainance intensive in the long run. #bmwm5
@pauljones: Thanks, Paul. I was having a great day right up until you so painfully reminded me that there will no longer be any G8s, GXPs, or any other Pontiacs for that matter.
The G8 wound up being the automotive equivalent of the short-lived Excelsior-Henderson revival back in 1999. Great bikes, but killed because of poor market timing and poor marketing. They were much better than the Gilroy Indians. #bmwm5
Oddly enough, I followed a very similar Dinan 5 into work today. I would say nice price if no salvage title in the last 50k miles or so. Salvage title doesn't bother me if the car has been able to run tens of thousands of miles after the rebuild. But sometimes I'm not real particular. #bmwm5
Nice price, but be aware maintenance requirements make is seriously unappealing. M5s are notoriously expensive: rule of thumb is to take whatever it's cost to fix an issue on a regular E39 (usually not cheap) and multiply by 2. With Dinan mods, this is an even bigger concern. You might easily put down 20 grand to the dealer and another 20 just to get the car into shape, and yet another 20 to keep it running for a couple of years. #bmwm5
I will be a contrarian and say this: the E39 M5 has always appealed to me more in concept than in reality. I've driven a few of them, and each time came away feeling that the balance was tipped too far in favor of "sedan" and not enough in favor of "sport." To me, that's what really makes the E90 M3 so much more desirable, despite the apparent on-paper similarities--the E90 M3 feels like a car that begs to be driven, whereas the M5 feels like a car that doesn't do much more than tolerate it. In short, no matter how old you are, the M5 feels like your dad's car.
That said, I wouldn't be opposed to an E39 M5 as a daily driver. But for me the Dinan mods are a deal-breaker--I know lots of people swear by them, but if I'm going to buy an M5 I don't want an M5 as interpreted by Steve Dinan. Show me a lower-mileage stock M5 and I'd have some thinking to do, but this? No, sorry. Not interested. #bmwm5
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. So my question is that if the price on such a legendary car is so low, then what is wrong with the car? How many miles does it have? How was it cared for? What shape is the transmission in? And the list goes on....
If truly it were a pristine car, then it would be a nice price. But, if it's a typical SoCal used car lot (which I suspect that it is), then there's something funky going on here.
@pauljones: I'm always skeptical of a used sports car, regardless of price. Yeah they're desirable for their performance, but that's why the last owner bought it too. Chances are good that it's been ridden hard... especially if the M5 is Dinan tuned. #bmwm5
@pauljones: Actually the price is spot-on according to KBB. In "good" condition, they have it at $17K. Add a few grand for the Dinan mods (regardless of what they originally cost) and $20K is a fair deal. #bmwm5
@pauljones: I agree with your thought as well. I'm waiting for my father to unload his 2000 M5. It's got ~95k miles and had the engine rebuilt for the piston ring problem around 60k miles. Thing runs like a top and he's put ~$10k into it (rip off if you ask me) over the last year. As soon as the 2001 M Coupe is paid off, I'll have me a very nice Anthracite on Black family sedan. The real question is, do I need 3 cars? When the time comes, it's going to be hard to turn that car down for ~$10-$15k or whatever preferential pricing the old man gives me. #bmwm5
@pauljones: That'd be a tough choice, but I think I'd go Bimmer if I were you, but I bet insurance would be way more. Better interior quality and way bigger trunk than the GTO, amongst other things.
Small correction: the price I quoted was for private party. Suggested retail is $21,500, so the above car is a good price, especially considering the mods. #bmwm5
Approach with extreme caution. As others have said, get a thorough inspection and check out the complete history. If there's a salvage title in the past, avoid. I've seen the used car business in Miami first hand, and I've learned about many of the tricks of the trade. It's not hard for a dealer to make a near-clunker look wonderful. I've also run across plenty of salvage title "bargains" slapped together just enough to look great on a dealer lot, only to fall to pieces within a month. It's the sport and luxo jobs like the featured car that are especially prone to this treatment. Even the good BMWs can become money pits with age - it's no coincidence that a lot of them are sold off when the free service runs out. Now imagine a chewing-gum-repaired, written-off wreck and its impact on your wallet.
I call Nice Price, but only if the car has a clean title, has never been in a serious accident, and has passed an expert inspection.
Also, I'd like my star back please. Jalop 3.0 seems to have eaten it.
I generally dislike most BMWs, possibly because of the reputation of the DB ownership. I also think the E34s were the last ones that looked good - a somewhat more chiseled shape, it just appealed to me more. This oozed-extruded nose just doesn't grab me on a sedan.
But the Dinan package makes all that go away. Nice Price. #bmwm5
Well, when you sell it compared to a Camry, of course it's a nice price. That's like asking someone if they'd rather have a kick in the nuts, or a beer. The only question remains whether this is a cold, fresh Bitburger, or a bottle of PBR that was opened last night. #bmwm5
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10/16/09
The problems:
1. As mentioned previously, a cocaine, exotic fish and Belgian prostitute addiction would have been less expensive to maintain.
2. It was one owner, and I had happened to see that one owner out on the road before. There aren't a lot of Dinan tuned M5s in St. Louis, so I took note when I saw a beautiful blue one screaming by me on I-70 at 125mph (without Alex Roy's glistening head at the wheel).
3. I realized that M5 ownership, even at that price, would also make me a BMW owner. Yikes. I started looking around for an E30 M3 instead, figuring that might be cool and funky enough to defray the karmic penalties of ownership. Then I remembered Problem (1)
I ended up consoling myself by picking up a bank-repo 2004 Triumph Speed Triple instead. That has been more like doing lines of heroin off the belly of an aroused porcupine: socially unacceptable, surrounded by fear and danger, yet ultimately very soothing.
That's my kind of habit. #bmwm5
10/16/09
10/16/09
Because just like crack, entry level is cheap; it's the maintenance that destroys you.
Plus I couldn't resist GR's "Dinan wanna." We must reinforce that level of wit and sometimes vote for the funniest choice rather than looking at materialistic things like cost. #bmwm5
10/16/09
Beautiful car. Need to redye the leather. And I agree about the wood trim being off. On the other hand I'm not wild about black hole interiors, either. #bmwm5
10/16/09
10/16/09
I think you meant intake runners and not headers. I suppose I'll do this guys work for him. #bmwm5
10/16/09
@Comrade Clockwork: I have had it with these muthaf*ckin' snakes on my muthaf*ckin' engine!
Wait, no I haven't! #bmwm5
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And sadly, I can't afford one yet. #bmwm5
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Thanks for ruining my day. #bmwm5
10/16/09
The G8 wound up being the automotive equivalent of the short-lived Excelsior-Henderson revival back in 1999. Great bikes, but killed because of poor market timing and poor marketing. They were much better than the Gilroy Indians. #bmwm5
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That said, I wouldn't be opposed to an E39 M5 as a daily driver. But for me the Dinan mods are a deal-breaker--I know lots of people swear by them, but if I'm going to buy an M5 I don't want an M5 as interpreted by Steve Dinan. Show me a lower-mileage stock M5 and I'd have some thinking to do, but this? No, sorry. Not interested. #bmwm5
10/16/09
10/16/09
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. So my question is that if the price on such a legendary car is so low, then what is wrong with the car? How many miles does it have? How was it cared for? What shape is the transmission in? And the list goes on....
If truly it were a pristine car, then it would be a nice price. But, if it's a typical SoCal used car lot (which I suspect that it is), then there's something funky going on here.
10/16/09
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@pauljones: My fear is how many bodies have occupied the trunk of this car.
Other than that, It is a nice price for me --
Crack-smokin' for them. #bmwm5
10/16/09
You mean I can actually afford an M5!?
This provides the 05-06 GTO a very serious competitor. #bmwm5
10/16/09
10/16/09
Small correction: the price I quoted was for private party. Suggested retail is $21,500, so the above car is a good price, especially considering the mods. #bmwm5
10/16/09
I call Nice Price, but only if the car has a clean title, has never been in a serious accident, and has passed an expert inspection.
Also, I'd like my star back please. Jalop 3.0 seems to have eaten it.
10/16/09
But the Dinan package makes all that go away. Nice Price. #bmwm5
10/16/09