[mprrr]

I have been looking for my dream car and came across this one

2005 28k smg grey and the dealer is asking for 29k

I need an smg as I would like my wife to drive it
other than that I am flexible (per advice from this forum will get an aftermarket warranty)

couple of qs
1. What should be the max I should offer for this car?
2. Since this is a BMW dealer should I still get a ppi done (am concerened about the sub frame vanos ...
3. Is that leather original on the car.... Looks cheap compared to a cinnamon and red I had looked at in the past.... Don't much care about leather but will check the car out this evening
4. Anything else I should be looking out for/tips (I have looked at all the stckies....truly a great forum to belong to... Hopefully with the car...




http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national

[rparker35]

Wow, that car is almost identical to mine with the exception of the nav. Even has about the same amount of miles.

Now, the description does not match the car (I am sure you noticed that already). It is talking about a 2006 convertible, which this car is obviously not. Their description of that car talks about a warranty, but again, that is not this car. So, one big question is does the car have any warranty left? Mine was certified per-owned when I got it and has CPO warranty until the fall of 2010. This one may have a similar CPO warranty.

Now, on to your questions.

1. What should be the max I should offer for this car?

The ad says the asking price is $30,995. You state the asking price is $29,000. To be honest, $29K is not a bad price for this car, assuming it is in a good a shape as the pictures seem to say it is. So, assuming it really is in great shape inside and out and there is some CPO warranty remaining, the asking price isn't far off what I would pay. Try for $27K, but I don't see them moving to far down from $29K.


2. Since this is a BMW dealer should I still get a ppi done (am concerened about the sub frame vanos ...

I always recommend getting a professional set of eyes to look over a used car. If you can't do that, at least make sure you look over the service records and go over the car with a fine toothed comb before purchase. If anything seems funny, walk away. I had to search for 6 months to find the right car. Take your time.


3. Is that leather original on the car.

Yes, that is an OEM black interior. They never really photo very well. In person they look great. Not as wild as imola, but I have black and think it looks great with the silver gray exterior.


4. Anything else I should be looking out for/tips

Again, make sure you look over the service records. Make sure the 1,200 mile service was done. Get a carfax on the car. Take your time when looking over the car. See if you can spot any irregularities in the finish that could mean a respray (not a big deal if it was just a respray for rock chips, but could also mean an accident). Look over each rim for damage. The OEM 19's are very fragile rims and are not easy to repair. Take a long test drive on both low speed roads as well as highway. It the car doesn't feel right, don't be afraid to walk away.

Also, don't worry to much about vanos or smg failure. They are not as common as you may think. You just see a lot about them on the forum as this is the place to go to try and diagnose or fix a problem. You never come here and post that you had another trouble free day or driving. That would make for a very boring post.

[mprrr]

Thanks for the advice.... I love the color... The warranty on the car is the maintenance plan through may 2011. Had talked to the dealer over the phone and 29k is what they are willing to sell the car for. I looked at the carfax and it says no accidents.... But there is an imconsistent odometer indicator....
Has anyone seen this?

[rparker35]

I have seen odometer inconsistency several times on carfax. Most of the time it is nothing and is just a data error in the carfax system. However, this gives you even more reason to scrutinize the service records. As long as the service records seem consistent with the current mileage, ignore carfax.

You stated that the dealer said the car had a "maintenance" plan until 2011. Please keep in mind that a "maintenance plan" and a "warranty" are two very different things. The maintenance plan just covers scheduled maintenance (oil change, inspection I/II, new brake pads, etc.). The maintenance plan is NOT a warranty. It does not cover anything other than scheduled maintenance. It is rare to see a car that has the maintenance plan in place and not a warranty, so inquire as to the status of warranty coverage (would have to be CPO at this point unless the original owner purchased the extended warranty).

You may already know the difference between the "maintenance plan" and the "warranty", but there always seems to be some confusion on the forums with this so I thought I would cover it just in case.

[gcurnew]

Originally Posted by rparker35

ignore carfax

Good advice...in my experience it's so unreliable as to be virtually useless.

[CJF]

29k seems fair, maybe even a good deal, if the car is flawless.