This needs to be decided right away!
My best and oldest friend who is 64 y o. and has signed papers to trade in his champagne colored 2003 BMW 525i sedan tomorrow on a new Kia Genesis.
I have always coveted this BMW; it is the last year of the E39 model, I was with him the day he bought it in Berkeley California, and he was offered $11,000 by the dealer for it in trade tomorrow, so I think for a few hundred bucks more I could get it if I gave him the cash.
This car is immaculate! It has never been smoked in, garaged from day one, and very gently driven, and NEVER had pets smokers or children in it, ever! -- and the body is perfect, and the interior even looks and smells new! It has only about 45,000 miles on it, all books and records from brand new and taken care of, and all service and repair records. Serviced to facto5ry spec so not fanatically, but all records are there.
He has also a 1993 Bentley and a 1956 Packard so it has not been abused, and I like the cart a LOT except for the low performance 525i motor. He told me yesterday he is rather bored and lkooking for a new daily driver.
I have known the owner since 1969 and is one of my best friends, who knows I really liked the car since he bought it new, and would never sell it to me, though I had asked many times. It cost him abut $40k and he did not have enough money to buy one with a 530 or 540 engine, (About $5,000 more for the next lartger motor) and this is the last year of the pre-Chris Bangle BMWs and it looks mint and very iconic.
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The car I would have to give up to get it is my beloved "Red Plum" that I have had for 10 months, the top of the line, last year of w124 Mercedes Benzes, the bulletproof ones designed by Bruno Sacco and in production since 1986-1995.
I love this car too, and have put over 15,000 miles on it since July when I bought it for $3,000.00
PLUS over $8,000 into it, for paint, AMG wheels, a Remus exhaust from an E500 and a Lorinser spoiler on the trunk; and euro front blinkers and a triangle.
It has 146k on it, and has been maintained franatically, all fluids updated, even the sunroof lubed, new Bilstein HD shocks, new brakes, new Contintinental Extreme Contact DWS tires, and I even replaced the spare, tires, no expense spared. Even the desireabloe OLD style wiring harness is replaced with the non bio degradeable one.
It is the top of the line w124, in my favorite color, (Almandine Red) and has a great looking leather & burlwood interior, CARFAX is perfect, tool kit, jack and first aid kit all there, original windshield, and I know the history from brand new on it.
It's a delight to drive and I adore it. It cost about $53,000 when new in 1995. It was the best of all 1995 E class sedans, with the biggest engine (the dohc m119 engine, and is very fast. it is maybe 70% the performance of the legendary MB/Porsche E500 that was made for $85,000 by MB and Porsche that was sold for $85,000 new.
Both cars user premium gas, and obviously the V8 w124 is really really fast.
Can anyone give me thoughts as to which path to follow here, buy the 525i or keep my old Mercedes?
Both are known cars in perfect turn key running condition, and need NOTHING.
