WTF has happened to the E34 M5 market???!!!

[jaeldot]

You can't give these cars away. Any of you out there having difficulty selling their M5s?

Its a bummer.....said to say.

[Joe user]

[pap]

Is that to say that some of the ads I've seen online recently (autotrader, craigslist) for low mileage E34 M5s for under 5 figures may be legit? I've been trolling around for "lesser" cars (non-M E28s, E30s), but may have to recalibrate. Are these Ms hideously expensive to maintain?

[Chris]

I have a 92 M5 and have owned various Toyotas, Fords, as well as an e21 320is and a e30 318is.

My M5 had 80k on the odo when I bought it, it has 145k on the clock now. Besides tires, brakes, sparkplugs, oil changes etc. this car has not needed repairs at all. Most of the maint. items have been comparable cost wise to the other BMWs and the Toyotas. The SLS shocks are expensive to replace but knock on wood I have not had to yet.

Now...if the engine goes OMG. The rebuild costs are considerably MORE than what my car is worth...that being said I'd do it, or try to find another motor.

This is one of the best engineered and built cars of all time...and rare, fun, fast, safe, practical, and cool to boot. Go for it.

[m5todd]

you're supposed to keep it! Seriously, they are older BMWs now and, IMO, completely under-appreciated by the general population. Even a lot of newbie BMW owners have no clue. I had a FNG in a new E39 M5 tell me that my '93 wasn't really an M5. I was forced to educate him to the contrary, lol...

Keep it. Drive it. Enjoy it. If you wait long enough, you'll see them on the ramp at Barrett-Jackson for outrageous figures someday and you'll think: "Damn! Who ever thought they'd bring this kind of money." while kicking yourself mentally because you sold your's ;>)

[PPrezas]

Panos
99 540i.6

[silbershark]

Slow time of the year?, slowing down economy? .... who knows, I am trying to sell one of my 95 540 6 speeds, decent car good nikasil engine decent miles... no interest even at $7000!!! I parked it in the corner and just forgot about it. Could be an interesting flower pot one day!!!

[M5zealot]

I was in the market for an E34 for months and couldn't find one with a transmission that didn't have bad sychros, bad paint, 150,000+ mileage and backward throwing stars! Most of the cars I saw were also $5,000+abouve retail blue book value. I looked at an 92 w/ 112,000 miles, fair paint, bad 3rd gear synchro, asking $15,000. It was the lowest mileage M5 in town but,I did not want to deal with rebuilding the tranny. He ended up selling to a friend of mine for $6,000.00! I saw one pristine model with 65,000+ but, asking $30,000! For about $5,000 more I could get a used E39 M5!
Frustrated I decided to bite the bullet and think with my heart -rebuild the engine in my E28 M5 instead. Why would anyone want any other car when you have an E28 or 34 M5?

[Sunny5]

Honestly, I got tired of the creepy people who'd come to look at M5, the price shoppers telling me the Kelly Blue Book price of the car. Then there was the bozo who during the test drive took a corner to fast and we did a 180....

My bud with the firebird really wanted the M5 and I the firebird, so it was a match made in heaven.

Oh yeah, I still have my 92 M5. :-D

[dbrumbach]

I just bought a 91 M5 last week after 11yrs. of happy e34 525i ownership. I searched long and hard for mine, a very good condition/low miles M5. I agree with another post in this thread that no one really knows what an e34 M5 realy is. When you can have a hand built car that will certainly become a classic and more valuable over time, why would you want to sell one? I plan on willing mine to someone after I am long gone.

db

[sprbxr]

[Milovius]

[Stuka]

Maybe I am just more [Oops!] than most, since all my cars have clearbra, but I am having a hard time finding a clean U.S. M5.

At this point, I am looking at a few 3.8l federalized M5. I don't mind paying 25K, but I am not paying 25K for a car with respray, high mile, and U.S. engine. Most U.S. M5's that I have seen on the Internet are worth no more than 10 to 12K given the condition.

Anyway, if anyone knows of a good 3.8l M5 for sale, please feel free to share.

03 GT2 SY/Black
88 325is Black/Cinnamon

[Bm5]

Let's face it. These cars are old...Thus the value of these cars can not be based on pure logic. If HP and 0-60 times are your priority, then you need not look here. These cars are ancient in terms of covenience compared to the new line of 'regualar cars' released by Asian and European brands. By this I mean there is a long list of current cars that will keep up with the e34 m5 on the road and provide a level of civivlity that certainly matches or surpasses that of the e34. But this is of no value to all those that still charish these gems. Yeah, OK, maybe when I first purchased the car, I was enticed by the performance figures...But now that father time has graced upon me the joy and appreciation of longevity and craftmanship, I can not think of a single purchase or product that beckones my high degree of appreciation.

For the gentleman that commented below on willing his m5, I share your sentiments exactly. These cars are now being tested. All I can share with you is that in the auto industry, BMW's e34 m5 is highly regarded and still represents the best 5 series ever built...for many reasons...but it's the underpowered s38 that builds doubt in us all.

[Obayern]

I have a 1993 M5 with 49K original miles on it. Original paint and interior. Stock running gear except for the DIANAN chip. It's not a trailer queen, but it is a very straight car. Never been in an accident, and it runs beautifully. I would probably let it go for under $23K, though I have over $25K invested in it.

[LagunaM5]

"rare, fun, fast, safe, practical, and cool to boot."

I couldn't agree more.

Maintenance depends mostly on how you use the car. Many people have good luck with daily drivers, but if you can keep the car in the garage during the week then maintenance won't be an issue. I do roughly one expensive service per year. Last winter it was replacing parts of the SLS. This winter it will be new spark plug wires and a D'Sylva chip. Next winter will be all new coolant system (hoses, radiator, water pump, stat). The year after will pulling the motor to replace all seals. etc. etc. But since I only put 3-5k miles per year on my car, it is definitely getting better with age (at least in the last 5 years). The PO had to do front shocks, clutch, tie rod in the prior 3-4 years and 20k miles. These are all $500-$1500 services, so they do add up faster than on an Accord. The parts are expensive, but the repair times are not unreasonable. In my opinion, it's a pretty straightforward car to work on, using standard BMW repair practices.

Eric Lee

[MP]

Better yet.... W.T.F. has happened to the board?