Had a 2001 e39 M5, but felt it was a bit heavy on the courses, although a fun car.
Started looking at the GT3's, and then the Cayman S, deciding a mid engine car was the way to go. But sort of felt that the corporate powers had slightly handicapped the Cayman to keep their 911 as a clear front runner.
Once I decided I could justify a 2 seater, I started researching the Ford GT intensely, studying pricing and closed transactions and eventually found the exact one I wanted. Black no stripe, red calipers, BBS Forged, no McIntosh, 3.6 miles on the odo, all the stickers and wrappers. I figured I had maybe an hour to decide, and decided within 10 minutes. I felt that if I didn't pull the trigger on the purchase, I would likely regret it the rest of my life.
My best friend said, I know you are never going to sell your M5, so tell you what. Sell it to me, then you'll have some of the money to go get your GT. So, I did just that. Also sold my last motorcycle, a limited production #3 of 300, R1100S. The GT was my exit strategy from motorcycles. It would have to be something incredible to say goodbye to 22 years of riding and 11 motorcycles.
I had bought that M5 used, and it was the most I had ever paid for a car. (About $38K). I had modified to about 395 rwhp, and had H&R Coilovers, StopTech BBK, Race Cats, Tubi Exhaust, BBS LM's, Power Pulleys, Software, etc. I loved that car.
Previously, I'd owned a 1970 GTO, a 1996 Mustang Cobra, a 1997 Roush Stage II Mustang. Never owned a japanese car, only american and german.
The GT really is an amazing masterpiece, on a completely different level of anything I had ever experienced.
