[keithbd]

hi, iv got an appointment to view a 58 plate e93 (private). now im not exactly what you would call knowledgeable about cars, iv never bought a car private & every other occasion iv bought a bmw it has always been brand new.
is there anything specific about this age of this model that i need to look or ask for? any common faults i need to be aware of?
finally, any buying private hints & tips would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance.

[westsidee90]

hi if your buying private then I would HPI the car, the 335 I just brought for my mrs had 9k outstanding on it, however the chap did tell me that but its always better to be safe then sorry. Check the SH if its all from different garages then I would question myself why (I assume its only had 1 - 2 owners) so if its had a few services all from different garages then it may raise a few questions.

Make sure all the electrics and toys work, check panel gaps paint work etc etc, tyre treads. If the tyres are some un known brand from china then what else hasnt the owner spent money on? Are the tyres matching pairs?. Go through the idrive and see what is due to changed in the near future as these cars are conditional based service

Also take your car insurance details so you can drive the car and take it for a drive on different roads, motorways, B roads etc etc, keep the radio off so that you can hear any bumps rattles etc etc. How doe sthe ownwer drive the car if its cold and he steps on right away then maybe he always drives the car like that, the worst thing they say is 'it goes well doesnt it?' real put off for me

There maybe a guide on this site for specific problesm relating to the 335 so it could be worth trying a search. buying a car should be enjoyable not a stressful event :-)

Id also take another person along 4 eyes are better then 2 lol!.

let us know how you get on.

[davyk31]

Be sure of what orice you should be paying, do loads of research. There are loads of private sale cars on offer at very close to dealer prices and you loose any comeback if you buy private. You really need to be sure of what you are buying if spending decent amounts of cash.

HPI check is an absolute must. I would do that before even viewing as you may be wasting your time doing it the other way round. Its shocking how many cars do not come back HPI clear, sometimes there are genuine reasons for this but best to have the knowledge upfront.

[wallsmk2]

If all looks good on the viewing, then ask if you can pop it into a local indi or even a decent MOT garage so they can check it over.

[keithbd]

Hi, thanks for the replies.
I would/will do a hpi before viewing.
The seller says he got it from BMW auc when it was about 12 months old with 10k on it (1previous owner), he has since put another 50k on it so obviously approx 60,000 is above average mileage for a 3.5 year old car. Also it needs all 4 new tyres.
Service & mot Was done in feb 4/5,000 miles ago & tax for 3 months.
It has full BMW S/H & paperwork for everything inc actual purchase of car.
Its a 320i m-sport with Met paint & leather interior.

What is a fair price for me to be paying for it?

Thanks in advance.

[Moh]

Originally Posted by keithbd

Hi, thanks for the replies.
I would/will do a hpi before viewing.
The seller says he got it from BMW auc when it was about 12 months old with 10k on it (1previous owner), he has since put another 50k on it so obviously approx 60,000 is above average mileage for a 3.5 year old car. Also it needs all 4 new tyres.
Service & mot Was done in feb 4/5,000 miles ago & tax for 3 months.
It has full BMW S/H & paperwork for everything inc actual purchase of car.
Its a 320i m-sport with Met paint & leather interior.

What is a fair price for me to be paying for it?

Thanks in advance.

You should do a search fro 320i...well documented problems

[keithbd]

what is a fair & reasonable price for this car?

e93 320i m-sport
reg dec 08
60,000 miles
test till jan
tax till sept
had service jan/feb
NEEDS 4 new tyres

[davyk31]

Would you by any chance be selling this car and looking for pricing advice???

You haven't asked anything about the 320i issues mentioned above which I would think most purchasers would be more than interested in.

[keithbd]

Originally Posted by davyk31

Would you by any chance be selling this car and looking for pricing advice???

You haven't asked anything about the 320i issues mentioned above which I would think most purchasers would be more than interested in.

defiantly not, i asked the question relating to price after you advised me to be sure of what i should be paying in your earlier reply.

i also did a search of 320i documented problems & seen the coils were one but were fixed for people on recall.

finally, if i currently owned the car & wanted to ask what i should be selling it for, wouldn't i just ask that question instead?

[Moh]

Originally Posted by keithbd

defiantly not, i asked the question relating to price after you advised me to be sure of what i should be paying in your earlier reply.

i also did a search of 320i documented problems & seen the coils were one but were fixed for people on recall.

finally, if i currently owned the car & wanted to ask what i should be selling it for, wouldn't i just ask that question instead?

Fair answer I guess

[lolololol]

Get a full RAC inspection if you are buying privately - £200 odd quid could save you thousands in the long run - also tell the seller what you plan on doing so he can come clean if any issues - finally there could be some little niggly issues that need sorting which ain't major but could help leverage a discount discussion.

[keithbd]

sorry to ask another question but i want to be as sure as i can be.

the car was serviced at 55000 in feb, service included brake pads, microfilter and plugs replaced as well as oil.

now 3.5 months & 5,000 miles later the dash says 3400 until the next service.
is 8400 from one service to the next normal?