--- title: "A Dealer Is Holding This 633-Mile E39 BMW M5 Hostage for $280K" date: "2024-09-13" modified: "2024-09-13" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/a-dealer-is-holding-this-633-mile-dakar-yellow-e39-bmw-m5-hostage-for-280k" categories: - "BMW News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "BMW" - "luxury" - "M5" - "sedan" - "sports car" --- # A Dealer Is Holding This 633-Mile E39 BMW M5 Hostage for $280K ![]() *Bill Jacobs BMW* Trigger warning for all [BMW]() fans: this listing may cause frothing at the mouth and danger to your bank account. Right now, there's a [2000 BMW M5]()—the coveted E39 generation—for sale at a BMW dealership in Naperville, Illinois with only *633 original miles* on it. Oh, and it's Dakar Yellow over black. The bad news? The shop is asking $280,000 for it. This E39 M5 is the perfect M5 for so many car enthusiasts. For starters, the [E39 M5]() is widely regarded as the best-driving M5 of all time and one of the all-time great sport sedans, regardless of brand. It's been over two decades since the E39 M5 first went on sale and it's still used as a benchmark for sport sedan handling. Since it's over two decades old, though, it isn't easy to find one-owner cars with barely more than dealership miles on them. And it's even harder to find one with original factory Dakar Yellow paint. According to Bill Jacobs BMW, this is a one-of-one spec. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The dealer, then, is apparently capitalizing on this exclusivity. With a listed price of $279,997 for this basically brand-new classic, it's more than double the cost of a [brand-new M5](). However, the doubly expensive E39 doesn't look like it was designed by three different people in three different rooms and stitched together in the dark, so maybe it's worth the extra cash. You certainly don't spend that sort of money on its performance. With a 4.9-liter naturally aspirated V8, a six-speed manual, and 400 horsepower, the E39 M5 is quick enough to be fun but it's downright slow compared to more modern performance sedans. A new four-cylinder BMW 530i xDrive would give the E39 M5 a run for its money in a stop-light drag race. Instead, you buy the E39 M5 for its old-school steering feel, its near-perfect ride and handling balance, and its grumbly naturally aspirated V8. It's a far purer, more engaging experience than any new performance sedan can provide, which in my view, makes it as exotic to the current market as any mid-engine car from Italy. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Since it's supposedly a one-of-one spec car, wears one of the most beloved classic BMW colors, and has such novelties as factory navigation and an original six-disc CD changer, this E39 M5 is the holy grail of M5s for BMW nerds. Is it worth double the price of the new one that packs a 717-hp twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain? That depends on what you want. If you're looking for performance, no it isn't. But this E39 M5 gives someone the chance to go back in time and buy one of the best BMWs in history essentially brand-new from the dealership, while also providing an experience that's completely foreign to what any modern car can offer. And to those folks, it's hard to put a price on that. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()