Well, depends on what you wanted it for. I look back on the '500 as the best fun of my helo time - even more than the Gaz, but then I didn't need to carry baggage on pipeline patrols and never felt the position of yaw pedals when parked to be worthy of notice.
As a charter pax I'd hate it. As a powerline observer in the back ditto. As the pilot I'd not be at all happy in that role either (I wasn't). But for getting from a to b without bags or 2 up with bags it was just the tops.
In most respects (finances and support aside of which I know little) the Gaz had it way way better - declutched rotor at idle - a HUGE benefit, baggage and space even if the back seats were uncomfortable - an easily fixed design glitch.
From a purely practical view in that era the JetRanger was surely tops, simple, safe, spacious, big boot, got there 5 minutes after the Gaz on a 2 hr trip with pax still able to walk (unlike the poor sods in the back of the '500)
Just a smaller grin on the face of the pilot and the finance broker.
If I was going to own a machine of that era as a private owner I'd be torn between the slinkiness of the Gaz and a '500E but I think I'd end up with a 206L III...