Used BMW prices esp the e34??

[Russell]

Anyone looked at used BMW values/prices lately, especially the e34?

Kelly retail book values for the e34s seem high now that we have $4 plus gasoline here in the US. Perhaps the newer, not fully depreciated cars (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1020711#), suffer a lot more. I also see from the media that buyer/sellers guides like Kelly do not really respond quickly enough. I understand the wholesale auctions are a better guide.

Anyone have any insight?

BTW, my old fully depreciated 1998 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer is not going to be traded soon. just driven a lot less.

[repenttokyo]

i'm seeing 6 cylinder cars selling 3k and 540's selling for between 6 and 8.

Of course, with the 6 cyl cars, a lot is determined by age. You can pick up a 95 525 for around 4 or 5k if it's in great shape, but the older cars are quite inexpensive.

In Canada, the cars still cost more. 4-5k for a well sorted 6 cyl.


Ebay is a very good resource for finding the true market price of an item. They have a feature where you can search through ended auctions, and they divide things into sold / not sold, so you can see the prices for each. Buy it now is also a good indicator.

For example: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1993-BMW-525i-Very-Nice-CALL-NOW_W0QQitemZ230254772451QQihZ013QQcategoryZ6056QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Russell]

Interesting that the 6 cylinder cars are so much different than the 8s in terms of price. Apparently the market for e34s (to date) is not impacted by fuel prices. may not be affected. even so, I am still happy I have a "great condition" six in terms of simplicity and a little bit better fuel economy. Even so, I miss power.

[BMWCCA1]

In my experience, a 530i V8 will usually go for less than a 525i with comparable miles, in comparable condition, and with the same type of transmission. The only V8s that bring bigger bucks are the 540i sport 6-speeds. A good '95 525i 5sp with AST, luxury package, and low miles will bring way more than $4k and probably more than $5k, even as high as $6k; or more than an early E39 528i in many cases. I know I'd pay extra not to have OBD-II. There aren't a whole lot of cars that will do what an E34 525i will do and still get 29-mpg on the highway at 75-mph. It's the V8s that will suffer from fuel prices.


Edit: This post should be #5. The forum may be back up but it's still whacky!

[repenttokyo]

Interesting that the 6 cylinder cars are so much difference than the 8s in terms of price. Apparently the market for e34s (to date) is not impacted by fuel prices. may not be affect. even so, i am still happy I have a "great condition" six in terms of simplicity and a little bit better fuel economy. Even so, i miss power.


people almost always are willing to pay a higher price for more horsepower. The 8 cylinder cars are also less common.

[filmy540i/6]

KBB and NADA are usually higher than real-world prices. Ebay is usually lower (a real buyer's market there, if you can hit someone's reserve on a decent car). As was stated earlier, you can't touch the bang-for-the-buck of an E34.

The 535s are plentiful and desirable because of BMWs most reliable retail market engine. The 540s are relatively rare, but DAMN - so performance-oriented. The 530s have a smaller displacement than the bullet-proof M30 engine, are more costly to repair and are more maintenance-prone. I'm sure it was marketed as a more economical version of the "larger" 540i. And it puts out substantially less hp and gets lousy mileage. But at the time (mid-90s) a V8 BMW was an earth-shattering concept. (Yes, I know the 840i and 850i were around by then, but the were considered an exotic - and priced as such.) For reference, the then-most-popular Ford engine was the 5.0L V8, and it was still a "small-block" V8. The 540i is only ~4.0L, and kicks ASS on the stock 5.0L, with only 4/5 of the displacement.

I saw a car ad on TV for some new mid-size import sedan, touting 24MPG on the highway! My 540i/6 gets at least that (with a 4.0L performance V8), and better on long trips when the control systems lean out. About 210K on the clock and still going (very) strong.

[BMWCCA1]

To compensate for manufacturers fiddling with the testing, especially on hybrids, the advertised highway mileage is not the actual tested mileage. The procedure was just changed for the 2008 model year but even before that the actual EPA test results used to be reduced by a factor of something like 22% on the highway test. (Your car actually tests at 30 on the rollers, you get to claim 24.) The testing now is a bit more strict in how the vehicle is operated on the test bed, and I don't know what factor is in current use. Regardless, it's not that hard to beat the ratings if you monitor your driving style.

[repenttokyo]

KBB and NADA are usually higher than real-world prices. Ebay is usually lower (a real buyer's market there, if you can hit someone's reserve on a decent car). As was stated earlier, you can't touch the bang-for-the-buck of an E34.

The 535s are plentiful and desirable because of BMWs most reliable retail market engine. The 540s are relatively rare, but DAMN - so performance-oriented. The 530s have a smaller displacement than the bullet-proof M30 engine, are more costly to repair and are more maintenance-prone. I'm sure it was marketed as a more economical version of the "larger" 540i. And it puts out substantially less hp and gets lousy mileage. But at the time (mid-90s) a V8 BMW was an earth-shattering concept. (Yes, I know the 840i and 850i were around by then, but the were considered an exotic - and priced as such.) For reference, the then-most-popular Ford engine was the 5.0L V8, and it was still a "small-block" V8. The 540i is only ~4.0L, and kicks ASS on the stock 5.0L, with only 4/5 of the displacement.

I saw a car ad on TV for some new mid-size import sedan, touting 24MPG on the highway! My 540i/6 gets at least that (with a 4.0L performance V8), and better on long trips when the control systems lean out. About 210K on the clock and still going (very) strong.

my 94 lincoln got 30 mpg on the highway with 280 horspower from the 32 vavle v8 :)

the 5.0 was a very low technology engine, designed to be cheap to produce - and it was and still is a lot cheaper than the 4.0 in the 540. apples to oranges ;)

[BennyM]

This site is incredibly helpful if you want to research mileage on different models:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

[repenttokyo]

This site is incredibly helpful if you want to research mileage on different models:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

i looked up my car, and they are wrong my 5 mpg on the highway...

[BennyM]

It's all based on the new 2008 EPA calculations, which are different than what we're used to or what our window stickers said. And, of course, everyone drives differently. I find it particularly interesting that my non-vanos 525i costs about $300 more per year to fuel than a 95 vanos 525i.

[filmy540i/6]

Wow! - 13/22 for my 540i/6 speed. I get waaaay better than that with over 200K on the clock. It even shows it as a "guzzler" at those numbers, meaning new owners had to pay a gas-guzzler tax on top of the horrendous price tag. Used cars FTW!

[nirvana19]

people almost always are willing to pay a higher price for more horsepower. The 8 cylinder cars are also less common.

I'd disagree on slightly used cars (1-3 years old). When my father was looking into audis, mercedes, BMWs, etc. he ended up paying more for his A6 3.2 than he would have for the 4.2 (slightly). The 3.2 was loaded to the brim with every option including the s-line package, and the 4.2 was equipped to have virtually identical features. Roughly same age and mileage too (1 year 15,000 miles). And Volvo XC90 V8s at the time were selling for far less than asking (at or lower than the 3.2 pricing). Similar was happening at Euro Motorcars on used E-class sedans, where their lot was loaded with E500s nobody wanted but E350s were leaving the door the day they came in. Keep in mind that people were paying full asking price on the used E350s in this market and the E500s of same vintage were being offered at the same price or SLIGHTLY more and no one was buying them. Even a few AMGs sitting on the lot for a while.. and the two SLRs have been there forever

[repenttokyo]

I'd disagree on slightly used cars (1-3 years old). When my father was looking into audis, mercedes, BMWs, etc. he ended up paying more for his A6 3.2 than he would have for the 4.2 (slightly). The 3.2 was loaded to the brim with every option including the s-line package, and the 4.2 was equipped to have virtually identical features. Roughly same age and mileage too (1 year 15,000 miles). And Volvo XC90 V8s at the time were selling for far less than asking (at or lower than the 3.2 pricing). Similar was happening at Euro Motorcars on used E-class sedans, where their lot was loaded with E500s nobody wanted but E350s were leaving the door the day they came in. Keep in mind that people were paying full asking price on the used E350s in this market and the E500s of same vintage were being offered at the same price or SLIGHTLY more and no one was buying them. Even a few AMGs sitting on the lot for a while.. and the two SLRs have been there forever


in these cases you might be looking at the reliability issues of the audi and mercedes V8's versus V6's....

[Matt P]

Sold my 1990 535i last month on eBay.

High mileage, but fantastic condition, 5-speed (Blanton unit @ 180k), dinan chip, Empeg Stereo, no maintenance items, Just had Inspection 2.

253K miles, sold @ $2550.

[nirvana19]

I found a June 1990 consumer reports which puts the BMW 535i up against the Lexus LS400, Infiniti Q45, and Lincoln Continental. The reviews weren't that helpful.. "spartan interior overly complicated on board computer system, no shift interlock," about 10 problems from the factory including a front end oil leak and broken seatbelt height adjustment, etc... (who needs that sort of negativity?). The fuel economy was interesting though.. EPA was 15/22 but on their test they got 11 in the city and 27 on the highway, which is quite close to what I get. I though my car was just horribly out of tune or something? Keep in mind that my city driving is DC driving usually during peak hours.

I'll try to upload the article if anyone is curious

[Russell]

I found a June 1990 consumer reports which puts the BMW 535i up against the Lexus LS400, Infiniti Q45, and Lincoln Continental. The reviews weren't that helpful.. "spartan interior overly complicated on board computer system, no shift interlock," about 10 problems from the factory including a front end oil leak and broken seatbelt height adjustment, etc... (who needs that sort of negativity?). The fuel economy was interesting though.. EPA was 15/22 but on their test they got 11 in the city and 27 on the highway, which is quite close to what I get. I though my car was just horribly out of tune or something? Keep in mind that my city driving is DC driving usually during peak hours.

I'll try to upload the article if anyone is curious

overly complicated obc?? They would have died with the current e60!

Love to get a copy. Thanks,