JDOMROE

Here's my problem.

I love my 00'Imola Red M5. I drive a '97 540I 6sp daily. I have the M5 since 2/00 and have 3800 miles on it. The M5 is great but the 540 is pretty damn good.

The problem. I have a friend who is a Dodge dealer. I can purchase a 2003 Viper at dealer cost. To do this I would sell the M5.

My reasoning (because I basically don't like to sell anything) is that although the M5 is superior to the 540, there is a similarity between the drives. And I certainly need a daily driver. The Viper on the other hand (although I've never driven one) I believe will be a different, more raw power/sports car.

What's the value of a '03 Viper at dealer cost?

Any opinions?

Bill
'00 M5 Imola/Caramel
'98 E320 4-matic/wagon
'97 540I 6sp Green/tan
'95 S600 Coupe
'69 Corvette (original owner)

MarkM5Lauderdale

Drive it first! Before signing on any financial details, make sure that is what you want. Believe it or not, when I ordered my M5, it was for the test drive alone. Only after the test drive did I agree to purchase.


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Mark
2000 Dinan M5
2001 X5 4.4 Sport

Mark's M5 Page
X5 Page
modo2@email.msn.com

TiGumz

FWIW, I say sell the 540, use the M5 as a daily driver and jump on the Viper deal

Ran

What is wrong with using the M5 as a daily driver. Now I can understand the Viper as a weekend car but an M5? It is such an easy car to drive but is yet a nice beast as you guys say. Yes, I totally agree that your 540 is nice too but thats like saying that the 330i is also very nice. Undoubtedly these are all great cars but the M5 is more than the 540. So, keep the M5 as your daily driver, dont pay unnecessary insurance, inventory holding etc.
We use the M3 as our daily driver (M5 just seemed too big handling wise but its still a great car and if we had kids, or when we do, we will use the M5). I use a 993TT as my fun car and perhaps even a daily driver very soon.

Cheers

JDOMROE

The 540 also serves as a "winter" car. I have snows/wheels that I change to.

I guess that I could do the same for the M5.

I really never thought of the M5 as a daily driver...why not?

I appreciate other "car guys" opinions.

Thanks,
Bill

barilla

Keep the M5 its a classic. The Viper will be another american rat.

Stallion M5

IMHO... a car was made to be driven and if I have to think about the resale value, mind as well not getting it.

"Drive it like you stole it" ... just don't abuse it (unless you really want to )

If you were going to get the 2003 Viper, get the GTS-R, you can't go wrong with that. Please ask your friend at the dealer if he can get that specific one for me, we may have a deal. I asked several local dealerships here since in the beginning of the year, no one could give me a straight answer and some of them don't even know what I'm talking about.

If you have to give up one of your 5 series, I would give up the 540 instead of the beast. Don't feel bad about putting some miles on your beast. I racked up 1,200 of them within 3 weeks (even though I think it's the odometer fluke but oh well...). I should reach that mark by tomorrow and I already have appointment for 1,200 miles service plus for the Dinan stage 2 software download. Perfect timing don't you think?

GENTLEMEN, STARTS YOUR ENGINE...... LET THE FUN BEGINS....

So far I have bought few cars in the past without even test driving them, my beast was one of them. No regrets whatsoever.....

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Adrian
01 M5 LeMans Blue/Silverstone - Titanium Trim

PhilMW

Maybe sell the 540 and one of the Merc's. The 2 people I know who own M5's drive them daily. The one guy has a 996TT to toy with and the other has a Viper (sound familiar). Also, my buddy with the Viper and the M5 put over 3200 miles on his in the first 3 weeks.

Phil

Need4Spd

I agree. Keep the M5 and sell the 540i; the M5 is a great daily driver. I probably put 300-400 miles on it a week, commuting and taking business colleagues to meetings during the week and the family (w/kids) on weekends. Remember, it has ASC as part of the DSC system, and a limited slip diff., so it should do fine during the winter if you put the right tires on it. As for a weekend toy, think about how you would use it. The Viper is a Supercar, but to get the most out of it on public roads, you'd be going seriously, seriously fast, and could easily get into a lot of trouble. And it's big and heavy for a two seater, much like a Corvette, only more powerful. In a way, it feels much like the M5, only with more horsepower and less room. If you like to do track events on the weekends, it's hard not to enjoy a Viper. But for public roads, consider something light and (pretty) fast, that you could push nearer its limits on your favorite twisty road, like a Honda S2000 (feel of controls and 10,000 rpm redline make it drive like an Formula car), Boxter S or M Roadster. And since it's a toy, there's nothing quite like the open air feeling of a top down convertible. Just my opinion of course, but you did ask...

M5Laser

Keep the M5. In a few years when they are not making M5s anymore you will regret selling it. Nothing can compete with the M5. And you spent all that money on it so why not drive it and enjoy it? You shouldn't baby the Beast...it wants you to drive it.
Its your life...enjoy it
-Duncan

blue max

You're a lucky man Bill.

But I would sell the Benz or 540i before the beast any day. Driving is the car's middle name. You have to start putting some miles on that baby. Starting with our LR meet next week.

As far a the Viper? I would say drive it first.

Ah... decisions, decisions...

sell this baby? never... or you could sell it to one of us

DrJimM5

First off Bill, I hope you didn't get this idea from me. Your friend's salesman did call and I told him I wanted the 2003 info as it becomes available. I am going to wait a year or so on the Viper, so they sort a few things out. These days even manufacturer's like BMW and Mercedes churn them out too fast and can't get it right in year one, so Dodge has NO CHANCE to pull it off. The deal will always be there for you, so wait. When the time comes, get rid of the 540 and treat the M5 as the daily driver it could be. It's a great car, but hell, if I had the money, I'd probably drive a Ferrari on a daily basis. It's great to keep our things nice, but for whom, the next owner? Enjoy the stuff you have NOW! I know you a little bit from our time in Spartanburg, and you don't seem like a Viper guy to me. Sell the 540, sell the S600, keep the M5 and get a Z8 or 911 cabrio!

Jim