To sell or to keep E90

[E90Fan111]

I'm just trying to get everyone's opinion on my car.

2011 E90
Space Grey
Manual
ZCP
Competition
Speed Cloth seats
Slick top
Cold weather
Front half has PPF
Aftermarket intake, exhaust, wheel spaces, painted reflectors and blacked out side indicators. (Have all original parts too)
52k miles

I'm debating if I should be selling it or not. It has been in storage at a family home for the last 4 years, maybe had 1k miles put on it since. I ended up moving and so did family so the storage costs aren't making much sense. It's always been my dream car, I just live across the country from it. It's immaculate inside and out.

Part of me had thought the value would go up eventually on it, especially given it won't be run more than a hundred or two miles a year when I head home. I'm debating doing the Rod Bearings just so it's done for peace of mind.

Is the car still desirable? Value? Do you guys think it'll increase or stay flat?

[Frozen]

It's a desirable spec worth upper 30s

[pbonsalb]

Drive it or sell it.

[Yvette]

If you dont drive, sell
I personally like to drive and stare at them in my garage. If it cost to keep in the storage, its better sell

[bvrider1]

If you can keep it in storage for 4 yrs do it for another 15 yrs when Ice engines are gone. Then you could probably make a decent return.

[MJBO]

As above, drive it or sell. I toss up between selling mine now and then, only because I could use the cash more responsibly at this point in time, but I drive it regularly (though not all that far), and it never fails to put a smile on my face.

The M3 is a great car, but it’s not exotic or rare enough to be shooting up in value any time soon. At 52k miles it’s not particularly low mileage either.

[E90Fan111]

Originally Posted by MJBO

As above, drive it or sell. I toss up between selling mine now and then, only because I could use the cash more responsibly at this point in time, but I drive it regularly (though not all that far), and it never fails to put a smile on my face.

The M3 is a great car, but it’s not exotic or rare enough to be shooting up in value any time soon. At 52k miles it’s not particularly low mileage either.

That's the way I've been leaning recently. Hard when you have an emotional attachment to it, as it was my dream car and is still one of my favorites. It's just getting harder to justify letting it sit there. If it had 20k might be worth wrapping it in bubble wrap and pulling it out in 20 years.

[Bartledoo]

Drive or sell.

[wyatth]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Drive it or sell it.

This x 10.

[UBERV8]

Tomorrow is promised to no one...drive or sell.

[Helmsman]

Wont be worth mega even if you wrap it in paper and store it for another 10 years. Sell it.

[94jedi]

Drive it or sell it. If you do sell it, I'll buy it. No joke, 100% serious, let me know. I have a terrible M-car addiction lol.

[PYE46M3]

Keep it. The car has a lot of the right specs everyone is looking for including 2011, slick top, zcp, speed cloth, low mileage. Would have been even better if it was blue or red or some individual color and no navi.

I think it will be worth much more in 5 years from now. Don't listen to all of the drive it or sell it comments. Some people just like to buy cars and collect them. I got two in the garage that sit for months.

[vitalsigns]

Originally Posted by E90Fan111

Is the car still desirable? Value? Do you guys think it'll increase or stay flat?

Your car's value will never appreciate enough to overcome the sum of:

--opportunity costs (investing the money elsewhere, at reasonable or low risk)
--ongoing maintenance costs
--storage costs
--insurance expense

Whether you buy or sell is another issue entirely, but don't use the prospect of an increase in value as a material consideration. Extremely few cars appreciate enough to compensate for the above costs.

[akkando]

I think the miles are just low enough that there would be a lot of motivated buyers for this spec right now in the mid to upper 30s. Could be an interesting car on BAT. Would it increase in value in 5 years or 10? yeah probably, but the miles are too high to be fetching hundreds of thousands. As others have said it's not likely a good investment considering the opportunity cost of taking the money now and investing in Vanguard fund or something reasonably safe. Then account for insurance, storage, maintenance whatever.

You said it's your dream car, so why not drive it? Could you store it at reasonable cost near you and then go drive it on weekends or whatever until you're in a situation where you can have better access to it? These cars are meant to be driven, and you might be sad if your situation changes in 5 years where you could drive the car but you no longer have it. Or if you keep it and after 5 years it's worth like 42k are you going to be disappointed?

[E90Fan111]

Originally Posted by akkando

I think the miles are just low enough that there would be a lot of motivated buyers for this spec right now in the mid to upper 30s. Could be an interesting car on BAT. Would it increase in value in 5 years or 10? yeah probably, but the miles are too high to be fetching hundreds of thousands. As others have said it's not likely a good investment considering the opportunity cost of taking the money now and investing in Vanguard fund or something reasonably safe. Then account for insurance, storage, maintenance whatever.

You said it's your dream car, so why not drive it? Could you store it at reasonable cost near you and then go drive it on weekends or whatever until you're in a situation where you can have better access to it? These cars are meant to be driven, and you might be sad if your situation changes in 5 years where you could drive the car but you no longer have it. Or if you keep it and after 5 years it's worth like 42k are you going to be disappointed?

Im heading home soon to see it and get it service so I'll likely see how I feel about it. It was never bought as an investment, I've just kept it because it has always been my favorite M3. I don't think the pricepoint is really the driving factor. I'll have to see what storage options are here and whether it's worth it or not. It's the only car I've ever owned that has illicited an emotional reaction. I feel like if I don't sell it now I likely won't for the next 30 years.

[br2wdc]

Your words: It's the only car I've ever owned that has elicited an emotional reaction

Why in the world would you consider selling a car like that? Because it's not worth the storage costs?

You have only one choice: Get the car to your current location and DRIVE IT.

Originally Posted by E90Fan111

Im heading home soon to see it and get it service so I'll likely see how I feel about it. It was never bought as an investment, I've just kept it because it has always been my favorite M3. I don't think the pricepoint is really the driving factor. I'll have to see what storage options are here and whether it's worth it or not. It's the only car I've ever owned that has illicited an emotional reaction. I feel like if I don't sell it now I likely won't for the next 30 years.

[m3jala]

Seems like a nice specimen. Why not store it closer and use it in the summer?

[MJBO]

Originally Posted by E90Fan111

That's the way I've been leaning recently. Hard when you have an emotional attachment to it, as it was my dream car and is still one of my favorites. It's just getting harder to justify letting it sit there. If it had 20k might be worth wrapping it in bubble wrap and pulling it out in 20 years.

With the high revving V8 and DCT and manual options it’s a seriously underrated and undervalued car. Sadly I don’t see them shooting up in value any time soon, but makes it a lot easier to enjoy it IMO.

I get mine out rain or shine, definitely better when it’s clean and shining though! This time next week it will have an Alpine engine tune and GTS DCT tune to make the grin even wider!

[tigermack]

Originally Posted by MJBO

At 52k miles it’s not particularly low mileage either.

9 years old, 52k miles, that's on the lower side of mileage.

OP, I'd keep it unless you do not plan to drive it at all after you head home.

[CSBM5]

If you've hardly driven a 52k mile car in the past four years, it's time to sell it. I know it's highly dependent on location, but if the car is kept registered many have to pay personal property tax plus have full insurance on the car. Those costs plus storage costs will consume any likely short term (3-5 years) appreciation (if it happens) most likely.

If this car had 2k miles or delivery miles it would be a different story.

If you are going to sell it, I would suggest putting it 100% back to stock condition, sell off those parts, meticulously clean it including the undercarriage (this is assuming it's never been on a winter road which will require even more undercarriage detailing not to mention reducing its value among those really wanting a pristine car), and then submit it to BaT and hope to get approved. For the most part, you'll never get with private sale advertising what you'll get on BaT.

[Ab28]

Originally Posted by vitalsigns

Your car's value will never appreciate enough to overcome the sum of:

--opportunity costs (investing the money elsewhere, at reasonable or low risk)
--ongoing maintenance costs
--storage costs
--insurance expense

Whether you buy or sell is another issue entirely, but don't use the prospect of an increase in value as a material consideration. Extremely few cars appreciate enough to compensate for the above costs.

+1.
Actually +1,000,000

This is the voice of reason folks.

I’ve seen so many threads about keeping X car for the sake of appreciation.

One big maintenance item and a few years of insurance premiums and you’re looking at a losing investment.

Even if the car does appreciate, will it be enough to justify keeping the cash in a car and not using it?

I’m totally in the drive it or sell it camp. Let’s say it’s worth upper 30s now with 52k miles. It might still be worth (more than) 25k with 100k miles. Hell, people are paying almost 20k for 08 E90s with 175k miles!

You get one shot on this rock. Drive your M3.