Is an e39 523i a modern classic?
Discussion
Mr Tidy said:
I hate to say this, but I think you may have just talked your parents into sp*nking a chunk of your inheritance! 
Their E39 and E46 may not be worth much to anyone else, but with such good history and low mileage would surely have been well worth keeping!
Who needs the latest plate after all?
+1 Their E39 and E46 may not be worth much to anyone else, but with such good history and low mileage would surely have been well worth keeping!
Who needs the latest plate after all?
Added to that, even though the 523i is not the most sought after E39 at the moment, if the car is in immaculate condition and low mileage (and kept that way), eventually it's value will begin to rise again as the various E39's become rarer and rarer, and immaculate examples become harder to find.
highway said:
They've done 55k in 18 years and I've persuaded them to sell this and there 330D touring to have another new BMW
Why would they want a new BMW? It won't ride as well, it'll be full of annoying gadgets and things that go bong all the time and it will depreciate like fury. What is the upside of selling two classic bangernomics cars to get one new one?
Nick Froome
Hi Highway,
In case you are still reading this thread...
Orient Blue, 523i V reg, 85K example with beige leather Sports seats, individual anthracite roof lining, alloy wheels, clear top rear light clusters, white indicator front headlamps, black/shadowline exterior window trim, Sport suspension option from factory, BBA reman ABS unit refurbished unit with lifetime warranty and M Sport steering wheel. Looks in above average condition in pics, with some age wear etc though. So newer and much better specced and he's asking £1100 for it. It'll sell for perhaps £950-1000 I'd have thought.
Keep your parents in the E39 and the money you would have spent on a new car, you can spruce it up for relatively little money. Leather interior for around £100-200, steering wheel around £50-85 with airbag, a nicer set of oem BMW E39 wheels, white top rear lamp clusters, £35-50, front upgrade to oem 'early' Xenons around £150-200 and a suspension refresh for new along with new brakes etc will have the car feeling taught and new again.
Bank the rest of the money!
Cheers, Dennis!
In case you are still reading this thread...
Orient Blue, 523i V reg, 85K example with beige leather Sports seats, individual anthracite roof lining, alloy wheels, clear top rear light clusters, white indicator front headlamps, black/shadowline exterior window trim, Sport suspension option from factory, BBA reman ABS unit refurbished unit with lifetime warranty and M Sport steering wheel. Looks in above average condition in pics, with some age wear etc though. So newer and much better specced and he's asking £1100 for it. It'll sell for perhaps £950-1000 I'd have thought.
Keep your parents in the E39 and the money you would have spent on a new car, you can spruce it up for relatively little money. Leather interior for around £100-200, steering wheel around £50-85 with airbag, a nicer set of oem BMW E39 wheels, white top rear lamp clusters, £35-50, front upgrade to oem 'early' Xenons around £150-200 and a suspension refresh for new along with new brakes etc will have the car feeling taught and new again.
Bank the rest of the money!
Cheers, Dennis!
Hi, at 55k and garaged from day one it still feels fresh and new. They purposely didn't spec leather as my mum never liked the smell. I can achieve a healthy discount on a new non M BMW through work and they were interested. I've not been to see many 99 5 series but I don't imagine there are many one owner from new cars as nice as this. I'm also well aware of the depreciation on a new car, mitigated somewhat by the discount. However, given the valuations here I can't see them forging on with a sale.
DennisCooper said:
...you can spruce it up for relatively little money. Leather interior for around £100-200, steering wheel around £50-85 with airbag, a nicer set of oem BMW E39 wheels, white top rear lamp clusters, £35-50, front upgrade to oem 'early' Xenons around £150-200 and a suspension refresh for new along with new brakes etc will have the car feeling taught and new again.
Don't do this!If they decide to keep it, originality is key when they finally do decide to sell!
Vroomer said:
DennisCooper said:
...you can spruce it up for relatively little money. Leather interior for around £100-200, steering wheel around £50-85 with airbag, a nicer set of oem BMW E39 wheels, white top rear lamp clusters, £35-50, front upgrade to oem 'early' Xenons around £150-200 and a suspension refresh for new along with new brakes etc will have the car feeling taught and new again.
Don't do this!If they decide to keep it, originality is key when they finally do decide to sell!
Leave it be.
Hi,
To those thinking that values of a 1997 may rise in the future, they might do. Actual Selling prices are not really likely to be surprisingly higher though, there were 1.5 million E39's made and of those only a few are 'sought after' models. The 523i isn't one of them. Originality does indeed help to sell 'older' cars that are in excellent condition, very low miled and have extensive history to back up the condition/drive. This example discussed here is a very low spec car and it will sell to someone who does like the E39 but for the levels that currently gets a facelift Sport in decent/good/excellent condition with many more 'executive car' options on it.
In the forseeable future, once the onslaught of electric cars begins to overtake petrol/diesel car sales, and when governments including our own here in the UK begin to increase taxes and costs for running a fossil fueled car, I'd say 'normal' and 'bread and butter' examples of non sought after BMW's (and every other brand out there) will reduce in actual selling prices. There'll be lots of high 'asking prices' around though !
Highway - of course, you can keep the car as original, no problem in that regard. I mentioned the above option as it just means updating a known to you 'good car' with unwanted bits off other broken/tired/crashed E39's where the parts just swap and bolt right over (for the most part!) The effect of that would be an even better driving/experience for your parents in 'their' E39 they've had from new.
Cheers, Dennis!
To those thinking that values of a 1997 may rise in the future, they might do. Actual Selling prices are not really likely to be surprisingly higher though, there were 1.5 million E39's made and of those only a few are 'sought after' models. The 523i isn't one of them. Originality does indeed help to sell 'older' cars that are in excellent condition, very low miled and have extensive history to back up the condition/drive. This example discussed here is a very low spec car and it will sell to someone who does like the E39 but for the levels that currently gets a facelift Sport in decent/good/excellent condition with many more 'executive car' options on it.
In the forseeable future, once the onslaught of electric cars begins to overtake petrol/diesel car sales, and when governments including our own here in the UK begin to increase taxes and costs for running a fossil fueled car, I'd say 'normal' and 'bread and butter' examples of non sought after BMW's (and every other brand out there) will reduce in actual selling prices. There'll be lots of high 'asking prices' around though !
Highway - of course, you can keep the car as original, no problem in that regard. I mentioned the above option as it just means updating a known to you 'good car' with unwanted bits off other broken/tired/crashed E39's where the parts just swap and bolt right over (for the most part!) The effect of that would be an even better driving/experience for your parents in 'their' E39 they've had from new.
Cheers, Dennis!
Edited by DennisCooper on Tuesday 26th September 20:50
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