The M5 price and weight challenge!
Joined: Nov 2006
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It's stupid. I'm still way more upset about the M2 being a 3800 lb. "small" 2 door sports car. Nobody ever thought of the M5 as a small car. The M2 is their slot to make a smaller offering than the M3/M4. They're all bloated but I'm most mad about the smallest one being 3800 lbs. I hope people rebel against the M cars until they start trending right again.
E46 M3 (mine)
Doesn't quite meet the weight limit, but got it beat on price!
We already have rebelled, but it won't change a thing. Look at the values of E36, E46, E9x M3s skyrocketing. Used to be able to find a clean E90 M3 low miles for $35-40K, now 50+. E46 M3 for $25-30K, now 40+, E36 10K, now 20+. Part of that is inflation but also those cars have hit classic status and its not just our generation but also the generation younger than us who is interested in them. Hagerty had an article a while back that the 90s BMWs were rising in value very quickly, mostly bolstered by both millenials AND gen Z.
Anecdotally, I was at a popular meeting spot a couple weeks ago and a super clean FB RX7 and FC RX7 pulled in together, both near stock but very well kept. Out hopped a couple 16 year olds driving them. We must have been the oldest people at the spot that day. It was heartwarming & really cool to see the gen Z kids still so into the old cars and classic style.
The people propping up the modern BMWs, are us, and the boomers. We want something to "do-it-all", take the kids/in laws around, go to work, go on a date, and be "fast" and "fun", and have a warranty/not need to worry about it. Most of us "true enthusiasts" have realized the futility of that, but there are way more people than us true enthusiasts who are buying their first "fun" car , have no idea what they're looking for, and they buy whatever BMW M serves up because they're too scared to buy the E46 M3 of their dreams.
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I like the feel of that car. It drives a bit more like the S2000 than later M3s.
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From: Queen City, NC
Lotus Emira - ~3200 pounds, $80k
Mazda Miata - ~2000 pounds, $30k
Mazda FD RX-7 - ~2800 pounds, $50k
Alfa Romeo 4C - ~2400 pounds, $60k
Joined: Apr 2006
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ND2 Miata
E46 M3 (mine)
Doesn't quite meet the weight limit, but got it beat on price!
We already have rebelled, but it won't change a thing. Look at the values of E36, E46, E9x M3s skyrocketing. Used to be able to find a clean E90 M3 low miles for $35-40K, now 50+. E46 M3 for $25-30K, now 40+, E36 10K, now 20+. Part of that is inflation but also those cars have hit classic status and its not just our generation but also the generation younger than us who is interested in them. Hagerty had an article a while back that the 90s BMWs were rising in value very quickly, mostly bolstered by both millenials AND gen Z.
Anecdotally, I was at a popular meeting spot a couple weeks ago and a super clean FB RX7 and FC RX7 pulled in together, both near stock but very well kept. Out hopped a couple 16 year olds driving them. We must have been the oldest people at the spot that day. It was heartwarming & really cool to see the gen Z kids still so into the old cars and classic style.
The people propping up the modern BMWs, are us, and the boomers. We want something to "do-it-all", take the kids/in laws around, go to work, go on a date, and be "fast" and "fun", and have a warranty/not need to worry about it. Most of us "true enthusiasts" have realized the futility of that, but there are way more people than us true enthusiasts who are buying their first "fun" car , have no idea what they're looking for, and they buy whatever BMW M serves up because they're too scared to buy the E46 M3 of their dreams.
E46 M3 (mine)
Doesn't quite meet the weight limit, but got it beat on price!
We already have rebelled, but it won't change a thing. Look at the values of E36, E46, E9x M3s skyrocketing. Used to be able to find a clean E90 M3 low miles for $35-40K, now 50+. E46 M3 for $25-30K, now 40+, E36 10K, now 20+. Part of that is inflation but also those cars have hit classic status and its not just our generation but also the generation younger than us who is interested in them. Hagerty had an article a while back that the 90s BMWs were rising in value very quickly, mostly bolstered by both millenials AND gen Z.
Anecdotally, I was at a popular meeting spot a couple weeks ago and a super clean FB RX7 and FC RX7 pulled in together, both near stock but very well kept. Out hopped a couple 16 year olds driving them. We must have been the oldest people at the spot that day. It was heartwarming & really cool to see the gen Z kids still so into the old cars and classic style.
The people propping up the modern BMWs, are us, and the boomers. We want something to "do-it-all", take the kids/in laws around, go to work, go on a date, and be "fast" and "fun", and have a warranty/not need to worry about it. Most of us "true enthusiasts" have realized the futility of that, but there are way more people than us true enthusiasts who are buying their first "fun" car , have no idea what they're looking for, and they buy whatever BMW M serves up because they're too scared to buy the E46 M3 of their dreams.
The BMW resale prices on those cars were inevitable, it's like any other aspirational luxury good, as the OEMs continue to increase MSRP on the new models, people who want to keep up with the Joneses will look for cheaper alternatives. The only criteria is that the cars can't have any fatal (expensive) flaws, reasonably maintainable, and have some level of desireability. It also helps resale when OEMs seem to want to make the new stuff worse (in this case heavy and big). I always joked that it's funny how cars seem to get more reliable as they age, because I'm old enough to remember how everyone complained how unreliable/fragile they were when they were new. Part of that is people figuring out how to work on them, but I think it has more to do with people caring more vs the idiot who bought the new shiny toy and abused the crap out of it.
The E36 M3 was heavy and under powered, and relatively expensive to maintain... until we got into the BMW turbo era, suddenly track bois rediscovered the E36 and said hey it's a trackable BMW, answering the question what BMW, and my self esteem will only allow a BMW, can I use for a track car on somewhat of a budget? Like at this point of the world, why wouldn't anyone just buy a Miata, BRZ, S2000, or 6th gen Camaro? Special mention for the E46 ZHP.
I do find it amazing everytime I go to car meets how these kids now are into the old stuff, but if you look around what else can they get? 30k for a Civic Si? Also, older cars just stand out so much now from the sea of jelly beans on the road, it's kinda crazy how much love the NA gets with the kids these days. Not surprised, been wondering how long it would take, but I never thought it was going to be kids who revered them so much. What's even more surprisingly to me is how 80s cars are gainly more popularity.
It is pretty astonishing how much those old cars stick out now. Like imagine seeing an EF, stock or modified, parked on the street in today's world. It stands out because they're tiny, and angular. With a few cheap mods it can really look unique and separates you from your peers driving their parents' cars.
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From: Michigan
I was going to say I'd just keep the 2 I already have, '19 911T and my 05 S2000. Was surprised the weight difference between them is only 300lbs. but over the 5200 lb limit.
Oh well, still keeping what I've got.
Oh well, still keeping what I've got.
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Amer
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Feb 26, 2007 09:22 PM