Thinking of buying a late (3.8) E34 M5 (archive)

I'm considering buying an E34 M3, and would be interested to hear from any of you regarding your experiences with this car. I intend to use it for motorway and A road cruising/commuting in the UK, with the odd excursion down country roads or on track.

I'm interested in how it compares to other cars you've driven. Also, how does it perform in the wet, how well does it handle cornering at speed, what is the ride quality like, does the tail feel predictable or do I have to worry about snap oversteer, how reliable are they, and what are the running costs like? I've not driven a 5 series before so I'd also be interested in comments on comfort (e.g. seats), the quality of the interior, and the ease of use of the driving controls, especially over long distances.

I'd welcome any comments on reliability, ease of use/maintenance, & especially other people's attitude to the car (e.g. do I have to worry about leaving it out on the street, people key-scratching it, kids trying to race all the time etc)

Lastly, what kind of prices could I expect for the later E34 M5s, and is it best to go to a BMW official dealer, independent specialist, or other dealer or private sale? If you know any good specialists I'd appreciate any contact details.

I realise this is a lot of questions, and I appreciate any answers no matter how short. Thanks in advance!

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