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Buying a Used 3-Series

758 messages,  Last post on Dec 17, 2012 at 9:34 AM

You are in the BMW 3-Series Forum.

What is this discussion about? BMW M3, BMW 3 Series, Motorsports, Engine, Suspension, Car Buying, Coupe

Messages Page 73 of 77

#717 of 758 Interested in buying 2008 CPO 328xi by hiluxssrg

Aug 15, 2011 (5:18 pm)

Hello all,
 
Would anyone offer their purchasing recommendation on the following?
 
2008 BMW 3 Series 328xi CPO Off Lease
 
36k miles, all service performed at dealership
 
BMW dealer asking $27,500 from posted $29,500 sale price
 
Automatic Transmission/ Premium Package/ Leather Seating/ Xenon High Intensity Discharge Headlights/ Satellite Radio System/ Rear Ski Bag/ Hands-Free Multi-Function Remote w/Keyless Ignition/ BMW Assist/ Bluetooth
 
I haven't started negotiating yet, but salesperson/dealer looks motivated to sell.
 
Not sure if the offer is fair or out-of-line. Any advice is appreciated.
 
Thanks,
 
Charles.

#718 of 758 Re: 3 Series WAGON [isellhondas] by roadburner

Aug 15, 2011 (8:19 pm)

Replying to: isellhondas (Aug 15, 2011 3:06 pm)
Well, I topped off my radiator with (gasp) Prestone!
  
I suppose the bottom tank is going to fall off now!
 
It's your car and your choice, but no way would I use anything other than BMW, Mercedes, or Zerex G-05 coolant in a BMW. Using the proper coolant is cheap insurance- use of an incorrect coolant explains why many older Bimmers suffer catastrophic cooling system failures.
 
From my friend/tech guru Mike Miller- writing in Bimmer magazine:
 
BMWs are incredibly sensitive to operating fluids, including coolant. I've always felt this is due to the metallurgy used in the engine construction, but there is no way to know for sure. On neglected cars, aluminum oxidation builds up in various places within the engine, including on older models, between coolant hoses and aluminum fittings. That is the most obvious manifestation of aluminum oxidation. It causes the worst problems inside the sometimes tiny coolant passages of the cylinder head, where it can act like hardening of the arteries, restricting or even cutting off the supply of coolant to various parts of the cylinder head. This sometimes presents itself as phantom overheating with no known cause, though more often than not the cylinder head gasket blows before that.
I learned long ago that using phosphate free Original BMW antifreeze mixed 50-50 with distilled water and changing it every 2 years, of even four years on hotter running OBD-II models essentially eliminates aluminum oxidation. The cars I maintain don't blow head gaskets or have chronic overheating problems.

#719 of 758 Re: Interested in buying 2008 CPO 328xi [hiluxssrg] by roadburner

Aug 15, 2011 (8:11 pm)

Replying to: hiluxssrg (Aug 15, 2011 5:18 pm)
I'd guess that $26,000 would be a fair price.

#720 of 758 Re: Interested in buying 2008 CPO 328xi [roadburner] by hiluxssrg

Aug 15, 2011 (9:10 pm)

Replying to: roadburner (Aug 15, 2011 8:11 pm)
$26,000 would be a good price to get it at. I guess I can offer $25,000 to start negotiations, but I wonder if that is too low?
 
I got a phone call yesterday from an Infiniti salesperson offering a competitive offer on a 2010 G37X and now I feel a bit torn between the two cars.
 
Wish I could get both.
 
Thanks for the input.

#721 of 758 Re: Interested in buying 2008 CPO 328xi [hiluxssrg] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Aug 16, 2011 (8:21 am)

Replying to: hiluxssrg (Aug 15, 2011 9:10 pm)
Well you cannot negotiate successfully if you can't get up and walk out. And if they let you walk out (literally or metaphorically by phone), and don't call you back, then your offer was too low. If they counter, you're still in the game.

#722 of 758 Certified Preowned if Sold to 2nd dealer?? by breezley

Sep 09, 2011 (7:01 pm)

I am consdering at 2009 that is at a local toyota dealership. When looking up on the VIN on car max I found that the following
 
one person owned it then ....
- it was offered for sale by a nearby BMW dealership as a certified PreOwned BMW.
-then 5 days later it was sold at auction (Listed as a dealer vehicle Sold at auction)
 
The Toyota dealership registered it after the auction so they obviously got it there. My question is, is it still a Certified Pre Owned BMW? It's not listed as such, but if it was certified as preowned then sold to another dealership wouldn't it still be certified?? As I understand it Certified PreOwned have extra warranty that may not come with the car if it's not a certified preowned.

#723 of 758 Re: Certified Preowned if Sold to 2nd dealer?? [breezley] by kyfdx HOST

Sep 10, 2011 (6:33 am)

Replying to: breezley (Sep 09, 2011 7:01 pm)
It's possible that you could find a previously certified CPO vehicle at a non-BMW dealership. But, it seems doubtful that the original dealership would pay BMW the $1500 or so to certify the car (and add the warranty), only to send it to auction a few days later...
 
The only way to know for sure is to give the VIN to someone at a BMW dealership and ask them to tell you if it has the CPO warranty.
 
That isn't information they will normally give out, except to someone that owns the vehicle.. You might have to drop in and kindly ask a service advisor for a favor....
 
If it is CPO, then that warranty transfers to whoever owns the car.. Don't tell the Toyota dealership, or they may jack up the price....
 
regards,
kyfdx

#724 of 758 Re: Certified Preowned if Sold to 2nd dealer?? [kyfdx] by roadburner

Sep 11, 2011 (7:13 pm)

Replying to: kyfdx (Sep 10, 2011 6:33 am)
That's what happened with one of the cars I was looking at. The selling dealer gave me the Carfax that clearly stated the car had been sold as a CPO BMW previously. A friend at my BMW dealer confirmed that the CPO warranty was still valid. It was a nice car but a painfully boring color combo(silver/black).

#725 of 758 Mileage Factor by loyalist

Sep 23, 2011 (5:22 am)

Good morning.
 
I realize there's no easy answer to this, but how do you factor in mileage when deciding whether to purchase a used BMW? I'm looking at a 2003 330ci 2D coupe with 137,000 for about $9500. That seems to be pushing the limit, but I've seen BMWs push well into 200,000 or beyond.
 
I realize it's all a bit of a crapshoot, but the car does have a very consistent maintenance record going back to its birth. Is there some guide or formula or something that would help?
 
Thank you!

#726 of 758 Re: Mileage Factor [loyalist] by qbrozen

Sep 23, 2011 (7:05 am)

Replying to: loyalist (Sep 23, 2011 5:22 am)
Factoring mileage into what? The purchase price? Any online pricing guide takes mileage into account. And 137k on a 9-year-old car isn't exactly outside the bell curve. It is right within it, as a matter of fact (just a hair over 15k/year).
 
High mileage doesn't always scare me. It all comes down to how it was taken care of. If it is ultra-clean, well maintained, and everything checks out by a mechanic prior to purchase, I see no reason why such a vehicle wouldn't last you for years to come.

Messages Page 73 of 77

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