H1 2025 Market Review: The First Half-Year in the Premium Used Car Market
First Half of 2025: Review and Analysis
The first half of 2025 is behind us. Time for a comprehensive assessment of the premium used car market for BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.
Price Overview H1 2025
Average Prices Compared
| Model | Jan 2025 | June 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW E38 7 Series | EUR 16,200 | EUR 16,915 | +4.4% |
| BMW E39 5 Series | EUR 7,850 | EUR 8,147 | +3.8% |
| BMW E46 3 Series | EUR 7,200 | EUR 7,056 | -2.0% |
| Mercedes W140 | EUR 13,800 | EUR 14,234 | +3.1% |
| Mercedes W210 | EUR 5,950 | EUR 5,892 | -1.0% |
| Audi C6 A6 | EUR 10,450 | EUR 10,292 | -1.5% |
Winners of the Half-Year
The biggest price increases at a glance:
| Model | Increase | Main Reason |
|---|---|---|
| BMW E39 M5 | +8.2% | Classic status |
| BMW E38 740i/750i | +5.5% | V8/V12 demand |
| Audi RS4 B5 | +4.8% | Limited numbers |
| BMW E38 all | +4.4% | Youngtimer wave |
| BMW E39 all | +3.8% | Quality awareness |
Losers of the Half-Year
Models with price decline:
| Model | Decline | Main Reason |
|---|---|---|
| BMW E46 (non-M) | -2.0% | High availability |
| Audi C6 A6 (diesel) | -2.2% | Diesel skepticism |
| Mercedes W210 CDI | -1.8% | Rust issues known |
Market Trends H1 2025
Trend 1: Youngtimer Boom Continues
Vehicles reaching the 25-30 year mark experience stable demand:
- E38 7 Series (1994-2001): H-plates possible from 2024
- W140 S-Class (1991-1998): Already H-eligible
- E39 5 Series (1995-2004): First models H-eligible
Trend 2: V8 Renaissance
Large engines are experiencing a comeback:
| Engine | Demand Increase H1 |
|---|---|
| BMW M62 V8 (E38/E39) | +18% |
| Mercedes M119/M113 V8 | +15% |
| Audi 4.2 V8 | +12% |
The reasons:
- Finite nature of the combustion era
- Emotionally valuable sound
- Relative affordability before value increase
Trend 3: Condition Over Price
Buyers are becoming more selective:
| Condition | Price Development H1 |
|---|---|
| Very good (1-2) | +6-8% |
| Good (3) | +2-3% |
| Acceptable (4) | stable |
| With defects (5) | -3-5% |
The spread between top condition and average is growing.
Regional Analysis
Price Gap Germany
| Region | Deviation from Average |
|---|---|
| Bavaria | +9% |
| Baden-Wurttemberg | +6% |
| Hamburg/Bremen | +2% |
| NRW | -2% |
| Berlin | -3% |
| Eastern Germany | -8% |
International Influences
- Import from EU: Slightly declining (-5%)
- Export to Eastern Europe: Still stable
- US re-imports: Occasional for M models
Supply Development
Availability by Model
| Model | Listings Jan | Listings June | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| E38 | 58 | 48 | Declining |
| E39 | 102 | 89 | Declining |
| E46 | 185 | 172 | Stable |
| W140 | 42 | 35 | Declining |
| W210 | 95 | 78 | Declining |
| C6 A6 | 108 | 95 | Slightly declining |
Decreasing availability of youngtimers supports prices.
Mileage Analysis
Average Mileage
| Model | Average km | Change vs. 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| E38 | 178,000 | +5,000 |
| E39 | 192,000 | +4,000 |
| E46 | 168,000 | +3,000 |
| W140 | 165,000 | +4,000 |
| W210 | 198,000 | +6,000 |
| C6 A6 | 172,000 | +3,000 |
Available examples increasingly have high mileage.
Price-Mileage Correlation
| Model | Correlation | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| E38 | -0.52 | Condition more important than km |
| E39 | -0.68 | km relevant, not decisive |
| W140 | -0.48 | History decisive |
| W210 | -0.78 | km very price-relevant |
| C6 A6 | -0.72 | km important |
Seasonal Patterns H1 2025
Monthly Activity
| Month | Demand Index | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| January | 85 | Post-Christmas |
| February | 95 | Normalization |
| March | 110 | Spring upturn |
| April | 115 | Peak |
| May | 105 | Slight cooling |
| June | 90 | Summer lull begins |
Convertible Season
The typical convertible curve:
| Month | Convertible Price Index |
|---|---|
| January | 85 |
| March | 100 |
| May | 115 |
| June | 110 |
Forecast H2 2025
Expected Development
| Model | H2 Forecast | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| E38 | +3-5% | Youngtimer demand |
| E39 | +2-4% | Stable value growth |
| E46 | stable | Sideways movement |
| W140 | +2-4% | Classic status |
| W210 | stable | Price floor forming |
| C6 A6 | stable | Consolidation |
Risk Factors
- Economic uncertainty: Could slow luxury purchases
- Fuel prices: Affect V8 demand
- Regulation: Driving bans in cities
- Interest rates: Financing costs
Opportunities
- H-plates: More models qualify
- Summer discounts: July-August favorable for buyers
- Quality supply: Good examples coming to market
Recommendations for H2 2025
Buy Recommendations
| Priority | Model | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| High | BMW E39 | Best value for money |
| High | BMW E38 | Before further increase |
| Medium | Mercedes W210 | At price floor |
| Medium | Audi C6 A6 | Stable values |
Sell Recommendations
- Convertibles: Sell by September
- Diesels: Sell at stable prices
- High-priced M/AMG models: Monitor market
Conclusion H1 2025
The first half of 2025 confirms the long-term trend: Premium youngtimers from German manufacturers are increasingly viewed as investment assets. Prices for well-maintained examples are rising continuously while supply decreases.
For buyers this means: Quality over price, and rather today than tomorrow. The golden era of affordable premium used cars is coming to an end.
All data based on our continuous market analysis. As of: July 7, 2025