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Some of you anoraks may find this interesting- an old thread on the M5 board that showcases a Brit’s experience doing the Nowack thing with his e39 20 odd years ago… https://www.m5board.com/threads/nowack-tuning-report-the-truth-long-version.13288/

From what recall, Nowack tuned their E39 M5’s to increase bhp to 500. However it was very costly and there were complaints with quality. Not sure if they exist today. This car was a British M5 that had ‘Nowack treatment.’ Unfortunately, from what I know had corrosion issues when being imported to NZ- hence needed a new body - so the vins won’t correlate with the original Nowack M5.

There was an article on Nowack tuning many years ago in BMW car magazine- the now defunct British magazine. Nowack hailed from Germany and at the time created a name for their modified E39 M5’s. The gentleman selling his car here sourced his Nowack M5 in the UK. Crazy fast in its day and super rare. His car failed on compliance due to corrosion upon arriving in NZ- hence the car getting a new shell. Never seen one in the flesh.

I am not sure - 20 years ago the story was that there were only 2 3.6’s sold new in NZ and 1 3.8 5 speed ( NZ and Australia apparently never received 3.8 6 speeds with the wider grill). However, one of the Bimmersporters here claimed in a forum years ago that there were about 6 3.8’s delivered new. From my viewpoint, NZ hardly sold any 3.8’s ( or BMW E34’s in general) and this colour combination is ultra desirable.

True, but the one that got exported to the USA had clocked inter- galactic miles and despite fantastic provenance was ex UK. This particular car has comparatively low mileage and was one of very few sold new in NZ. As you say though, very desirable colour / spec. Rock star!

I remember reading about this car and people telling me about it as well. This is what I know. Was a genuine Alpina built from a 850csi - so it was a super rare Alpina B12 5.7- putting out 410 bhp; 30 more horses than a standard 850csi. Written off in a crash in the uk. A guy called Rice buys it and swaps what he can into a 850csi. Rice who owns a number of E31’s sells them all to Kiwi Alan Ferguson ( about 14 years ago). Alan sells off collection - and this car is sold to an Aussie. That gentleman is paralyzed in a racing accident around the same time in an E39 M5 - so the Alpina never actually leaves NZ shores. Car sold to a group associated with Alec Cartio who is LA based, and is one of the world’s flag- bearers of E31’s mainly 850csi’s. Car sold on BAT.

Opportunity cost I guess, right? What do you replace it with? Nothing I would replace mine with either .

One thing I have noticed though- the ‘Ostritch sports leather’ is one of the most durable Bmw seats ever made.. have seen so many examples with inter- galactic miles still looking sensational.

These are not comfort seats. There were 3 style of seats available with the E39 m5. Heritage leather is what appears here… vertical stitching. It was presented as a premium option and often in the day came with wood trim. The ‘Barry basic’ option available was the sports seats in ostrich pattern style leather… often came with titanium trim. These days the most popular option. The other option was comfort seats- totally different style. this car originally had fine wood trim and being a pre LCI had a different sat nav screen and different steering wheel. Phones gone too.

I believe so.

The Avus blue example that has been marketed in the last year for $26k has been given some love over the years and is a lovely car. This red one fascinates me - how did the bonnet deteriorate in condition? Left outside for years and never washed / polished? Not sure the demand is there to make this a $45k car.

Nice to see it grace the pages of Bimmersport, AB! You and AW were the ones who inspired my passion for this car! I know photos don’t really show how good your vehicle really is. A testament to your fanaticism! Rock star colour too!

Was previously owned by one of the Kiwi face group members. An early LCI vehicle that has comfort seats and chrome door trim and wood interior trim. Was owned by a Wellingtonian who flipped it, and shortly after arrived in Canterbury for sale. Not sure about the mechanical history. At that mileage I would expect that it has had, or will require a ‘to do list.’ Like the now- sold and previously discussed Lemans blue example that was being marketed in Cch recently, this M5 weirdly was once equipped with a tow-bar.

This car was a 1999 Singaporean import (as noted already) and was 1out of 5 delivered there (we also have an Anthracite example in NZ that was sold earlier this year). So, the specs are slightly different—double-glazed windows, anthracite headlining, glass sunroof, and rear visor. However, it does not have a Satellite/ navigation screen. Has the long- deleted chrome gear shift (they deteriorated rapidly - clearly showing in a photo). I'm not sure why the photos and copy have been presented in such a way. Maybe the owner is not that motivated. Carbon black has to be photographed in better lighting to be presented properly. (Maybe $18k in this condition / mileage in 2012).

Yes the original M5 was a 99’ South African import. Came unstuck in an accident- written off. Hell BM did the conversion from what was salvaged.

I love the passion man! I believe there are are 3 others in NZ with your colour combo! Carbon black was the most popular in the E39 M5 - about 6,500 out of the 20,000 made for the global market was in that colour - and most had black interiors. Even in NZ, the founder of our Facebook group for NZ owners has tracked around 37 NZ new cars and 12 were carbon black!

The best value example sold in recent times was one of the last examples sold new in NZ - a 2003 LCI in Carbon black/black sports leather / titanium trim with approximately 120,000 k’s. Sold for $65-$70k earlier in the year. Lasted only a few weeks, and from what I understand is in a collection now. Cool car.

The court case which was discussed on this forum years ago. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/auckland-car-dealer-ordered-to-pay-nearly-8000-for-misleading-conduct/P6WWZN2XOJXGIKW7645O4TXQYE/

$89,990. Then $76,990. now $69,990. Dropped (approximately) by a third already. As many had predicted. Market has definitely cooled off but what’s the level where it’s compelling for a car with history like this?

You know it’s funny. A good old friend of mine who told me me so much about BMW’s from the 70’s and 80’s told me repeatedly too that the 840’s equipped with the 6 speed manuals were so much rarer than 850csi’s ( in rhd). He was right. Only 54 with the M60 4.0, and 3 with the M62, 4.4. Our NZ new 840 6 speeds’ were even appointed with the Euro CSI body kits ( including mirrors that the Us spec CSi’s never got). I have a good friend who has 2 NZ new examples- lucky boy! I miss my 8 - it was a stunning car and only had 53,000 k’s so drove like new.

I wonder how many CSI’s are in NZ now? We had none originally ( Oz had 2-3). A few have come through. At one stage, Mr Alan Ferguson imported a number of special E31’s including Alpina’s, (not to mention CSI’s) but some have been shipped off shore now. I had a very rare 6 speed 840ci sport but always wanted a 850csi! The ultimate!

To be fair, I believe that car in Christchurch would be worth 90k all day if it wasn’t for its history. It’s a late model, LCI in a lovely color combination. Mileage is moderate. I believe that the E39 M5 with the lowest mileage that we know of in NZ sold for around the $100 mark privately in the last year. A nice example. However, there is another special example lurking in NZ - in pristine, Lemans Blue. Equipped with a few very special mods, this car is off the market but the owner deems it to be a $110-$120k car. One might question that, but try getting another LCI, fully spec’d vehicle in the right colour - and of this incredible level of presentation. They just didn’t have that many in NZ. It’s pretty expensive to import one from the UK these days too. These cars are addictive- so many ‘car guys’ have one - they may not be new anymore- but they look and go great - an all time classic from BMW. Think I will be importing mine from the US one day!

Agreed the car has not been presented properly. Even the photos are a shambles versus the ones taken of the Lemans blue example in Christchurch. However, agreed, don’t think you can compare the selling price versus E60. Having owned a E39 M5 for 6 1/2 years, they are not that expensive to run versus an E60 M5 that comes unstuck. Lot less E39 M5’s too!

Sorry mate! There was a Bimmersporter here many years ago ( and I thought his name was Brad) and he managed to bring in this ex UK, beautiful purple 850csi ( Daytona violet or Technoviolet- can’t remember which one). It had clocked some relatively big miles but he couldn’t get compliance due to a nasty case of rust. There was talk of transplanting parts from a donor car - but never heard anymore. Would have been a magnificent car in its hey-day.

It’s a June 2000 production car that has been owned by a member of the NZ E39 M5 Facebook group’s father. It’s actually Oxford green 2, and is a pre LCI car ( a fair chunk of NZ cars were pre LCI) so has the older steering wheel and sat nav screen. 1/4 in Oxford in NZ ( known of) and the other 3 have caramel leather. The asking price is kind of commensurate of dealership prices in recent times. I think we can all remember how a cheap one a few years was around low $20’s and a minter was $40-$45. Sadly, those days are gone.