How Much Did 'American Pickers' Pay For A 1950s BMW Isetta?

For Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz (who passed away in September 2024), the job of an American Picker is basically a day-to-day treasure hunt. Like modern-day Indiana Jones, they drive around looking for rusty gold in old, dilapidated barns, flea markets, and even the occasional dumpster. Not a bad gig, right?

During season 12 (episode 3, "Big Boy Toys"), which aired in August 2014, the guys visited the home of self-proclaimed motorhead Al (and his wife Deb) in California, a couple with a lot of character. While trolling through their endless wares, which included motorcycle gas tanks, banjos, boats, cars, and even a massive and operational 28-cylinder air-cooled radial piston Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major airplane engine that Al claimed was like those used on the incredible Spruce Goose flying boat that only flew once, they stumbled upon several BWM Isettas in various states of disrepair.

Since Mike is an old Isetta picker (having purchased his first in 1990), he was ready to drop some cash. Al took them to a red one he was restoring and said it was worth $15,000. Mike countered with $11,000, but only if they got it cleaned up and it ran, then left Al and Deb to mull over the offer. During the final segment, Al called Mike, saying the little vehicle was running and wanted the guys to come check it out. When they arrived, the BMW Isetta 300 looked like a different car — bright, shiny, and complete with new carpet. More importantly, it ran beautifully. After some haggling that included Deb throwing in a Hula girl for the dashboard and an Isetta T-shirt, they settled on $13,000.

Believe it or not, the Isetta actually saved BWM from bankruptcy. During the mid-1950s, BWM found itself on the brink of filing bankruptcy because its motorcycle production had been in a tailspin, thanks to the high production costs of its 503 and 507 models. They needed a vehicle to get into production quickly, with minimal cost and could make their money immediately. While attending the 1954 Turin Car Show, executives from the German automaker came across the booth of Iso Rivolta. The Italian company made refrigerators, but they also made microcars and happened to have a three-wheeled model on display called the Iso Isetta.

Like their refrigerators, Iso's Isetta also had a large front opening door, so when Mike said it looked like a scooter collided with a refrigerator, he wasn't far off the mark. BMW bought the licensing rights for the Isetta and the production equipment from Iso Rivolta on the spot. A year later, it had a production-ready vehicle rolling out the door. It was powered by a modified 250 cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine pulled from its R25 motorcycle, generating 12 horsepower. While the Iso version only had three wheels, BMW added a fourth, setting the two rear wheels only 19 inches apart. 

The BMW Isetta was 4.5 feet wide and 7.5 feet long and sold 161,728 units during its 8-year run, making it the world's best-selling single-cylinder car and pulling it from the edge of ruin. Mike figured the actual value of their acquisition was $18,000, making them a tidy little profit. Ultimately, we feel this little BWM Isetta is one of the 10 coolest vehicles ever uncovered on the show.