New Car Advice....
Discussion
Went to view a car on Tuesday evening. Guy selling from home for the last 11 years or so. Seems genuine enough.
Unfortunately, by the time I got to him it was dark, so had a quick look round and a quick drive.
He told me that the dentmaster man had been that day and failed to get a dent out so he was having that panel painted this coming Saturday.
It has brand new wheels and tyres. Looks nice.
I've just received the report from the independent engineer. It is a good, genuine car but it has had some accident repairs. Specifically:
a new bumper
2 new wings
new drivers door
plus a couple of other panels. In all, probably £3k of work.
However the bonnet is original. He did say that all of the work was done at the same time, so he suspects a low speed collision, possibly both sides or just low enough not to touch the bonnet.
The engineer has told me that it has not been a substantial impact because the chassis is straight and the airbags did not deploy.
The car is pretty rare given that I am after manual, estate and in dark blue.
Personally, I don't have a huge problem with the repairs or the mileage given that 5hit happens.
Previous owner is a leasing company. Car is a 2003 BMW 330d with high miles. FBMWSH. MOT 3 months ago and next service due in 10000 miles. Book price is 16,000 with normal miles. This is up at 11,000.
I've paid a deposit which the vendor said he would refund if, for any reason at all, I was unhappy.
It seems to me that I have 2 options:
1. Pull out
2. Proceed and view/test drive the car once it has been painted and make a final YES/NO decision on the day. Also once I've had an opportunity to review the engineers report in full. (A top guy BTW - 17 years with the AA previously).
I'd appreciate thoughts from the experts.
Cheers
Had a brief test drive. I
Unfortunately, by the time I got to him it was dark, so had a quick look round and a quick drive.
He told me that the dentmaster man had been that day and failed to get a dent out so he was having that panel painted this coming Saturday.
It has brand new wheels and tyres. Looks nice.
I've just received the report from the independent engineer. It is a good, genuine car but it has had some accident repairs. Specifically:
a new bumper
2 new wings
new drivers door
plus a couple of other panels. In all, probably £3k of work.
However the bonnet is original. He did say that all of the work was done at the same time, so he suspects a low speed collision, possibly both sides or just low enough not to touch the bonnet.
The engineer has told me that it has not been a substantial impact because the chassis is straight and the airbags did not deploy.
The car is pretty rare given that I am after manual, estate and in dark blue.
Personally, I don't have a huge problem with the repairs or the mileage given that 5hit happens.
Previous owner is a leasing company. Car is a 2003 BMW 330d with high miles. FBMWSH. MOT 3 months ago and next service due in 10000 miles. Book price is 16,000 with normal miles. This is up at 11,000.
I've paid a deposit which the vendor said he would refund if, for any reason at all, I was unhappy.
It seems to me that I have 2 options:
1. Pull out
2. Proceed and view/test drive the car once it has been painted and make a final YES/NO decision on the day. Also once I've had an opportunity to review the engineers report in full. (A top guy BTW - 17 years with the AA previously).
I'd appreciate thoughts from the experts.
Cheers
Had a brief test drive. I
You were plenty clear 
I'd get it HPI checked if your engineers report didn't cover this already.
Your thread makes it sound as if you can't see any reason not to buy, I'm not sure if I understand what's stopping you?
Also my experience of BMWs suggests that service intervals are generally between 6k to 8k miles (or is that just the way I drive!!), so seeing this has another 10k left till next service surprised me.
Your thread makes it sound as if you can't see any reason not to buy, I'm not sure if I understand what's stopping you?
Also my experience of BMWs suggests that service intervals are generally between 6k to 8k miles (or is that just the way I drive!!), so seeing this has another 10k left till next service surprised me.
blindswelledrat said:
Calorus said:
If it needs £3k work and is £5k under book but otherwise perfect, why are you posting?
Edited by Calorus on Thursday 4th January 17:37
Why did you say that?
Because the person best qualified to give advice is the person whose been over it with a finetooth comb. And from his post, it looks like that person gave it a perfectly clean bill of health.
From then on it's just down to whether or not ips wants whatever it is - as you say, it was clear from the post it had been done I was suffering from brain absence.
TheKeyboardDemon said:
I'd get it HPI checked if your engineers report didn't cover this already.
Your thread makes it sound as if you can't see any reason not to buy, I'm not sure if I understand what's stopping you?
Also my experience of BMWs suggests that service intervals are generally between 6k to 8k miles (or is that just the way I drive!!), so seeing this has another 10k left till next service surprised me.
Your thread makes it sound as if you can't see any reason not to buy, I'm not sure if I understand what's stopping you?
Also my experience of BMWs suggests that service intervals are generally between 6k to 8k miles (or is that just the way I drive!!), so seeing this has another 10k left till next service surprised me.
BIL has just bought a 535d and I think I am brooding a little for a new set of wheels. But I've been afte rone of these for a while and they are very rare, especially at this price.
I've just remembered that the vendor showed me the original wing bolts and suggested that they hadn't been interfered with. Engineer put him right today.
One thing that did slightly annoy me was that when I turned up he wasn;t too sure about letting me have a drive. Quote "I prefer people to have decided what vehicle they want then come along and buy mine". I told him there was no way I would buy a car without driving it. Plus it as pretty short and I had no opportunity to experience its performance.
I think if you have doubts, then walk away.
However, it doesnt look like anything in particular has been hidden from you or the vendor is being duplicitous.
Its been inspected, you can HPI it etc. Also, as you are buying from a trader, you will have your full statutory rights, which amount to a three month warranty at the very least, plus any insurance underwritten warranty that might be purchased/negotiated on top of your statutory rights.
However, it doesnt look like anything in particular has been hidden from you or the vendor is being duplicitous.
Its been inspected, you can HPI it etc. Also, as you are buying from a trader, you will have your full statutory rights, which amount to a three month warranty at the very least, plus any insurance underwritten warranty that might be purchased/negotiated on top of your statutory rights.
ipsg.glf said:
One thing that did slightly annoy me was that when I turned up he wasn;t too sure about letting me have a drive. Quote "I prefer people to have decided what vehicle they want then come along and buy mine". I told him there was no way I would buy a car without driving it. Plus it as pretty short and I had no opportunity to experience its performance.
I can understand his point of view also. I look at things the same way, i.e. go to a dealer and take a decent test drive to decide what car you want to buy and then if you want to buy privately you can go and buy as opposed to seeing if you like that model (test pilots is the term).
A short test drive to check the particular model if you are decided is fine, but your comments 'opportunity to experience its performance' would get similar treatment from most private vendors.
bennno
bennno said:
I can understand his point of view also. I look at things the same way, i.e. go to a dealer and take a decent test drive to decide what car you want to buy and then if you want to buy privately you can go and buy as opposed to seeing if you like that model (test pilots is the term).
A short test drive to check the particular model if you are decided is fine, but your comments 'opportunity to experience its performance' would get similar treatment from most private vendors.
bennno
Presumably, it is OK with you that I go to a dealer and test drive their car (even though I would have no intention of buying it). I've never done that in my life and I have no plans to start now.
Any private buyer who won't provide a decent test drive over carious roads and at various speeds has, at best, a strange attitude and, at worst, something to hide. All IMHO.
My 330d has done 10k since the last service and is indicating anoth 5k before the next. Not sure I'm too happy about this but the service intervals have opened up in recent years.
As for your car, well , are you really really sold on the diesel? If I were you I'd be thinkning 135k, a bumpy ride on the way there or....
www.pistonheads.com/sales/99789.htm
www.pistonheads.com/sales/116592.htm
www.pistonheads.com/sales/115838.htm
www.pistonheads.com/sales/85309.htm
As for your car, well , are you really really sold on the diesel? If I were you I'd be thinkning 135k, a bumpy ride on the way there or....
www.pistonheads.com/sales/99789.htm
www.pistonheads.com/sales/116592.htm
www.pistonheads.com/sales/115838.htm
www.pistonheads.com/sales/85309.htm
ipsg.glf said:
bennno said:
I can understand his point of view also. I look at things the same way, i.e. go to a dealer and take a decent test drive to decide what car you want to buy and then if you want to buy privately you can go and buy as opposed to seeing if you like that model (test pilots is the term).
A short test drive to check the particular model if you are decided is fine, but your comments 'opportunity to experience its performance' would get similar treatment from most private vendors.
bennno
Presumably, it is OK with you that I go to a dealer and test drive their car (even though I would have no intention of buying it). I've never done that in my life and I have no plans to start now.
Any private buyer who won't provide a decent test drive over carious roads and at various speeds has, at best, a strange attitude and, at worst, something to hide. All IMHO.
are you asking for the owner to take you out for a drive or are you expecting to personally slip in to the driving seat to see if its fast enough. I always take prospective purchasers on a decent 10mile test drive, and would let one drive when he turns up with cash......if one came buy and expected to performance test my car then I would tell him to naff off as would 95% of sellers I expect
bennno
bennno said:
ipsg.glf said:
bennno said:
I can understand his point of view also. I look at things the same way, i.e. go to a dealer and take a decent test drive to decide what car you want to buy and then if you want to buy privately you can go and buy as opposed to seeing if you like that model (test pilots is the term).
A short test drive to check the particular model if you are decided is fine, but your comments 'opportunity to experience its performance' would get similar treatment from most private vendors.
bennno
Presumably, it is OK with you that I go to a dealer and test drive their car (even though I would have no intention of buying it). I've never done that in my life and I have no plans to start now.
Any private buyer who won't provide a decent test drive over carious roads and at various speeds has, at best, a strange attitude and, at worst, something to hide. All IMHO.
are you asking for the owner to take you out for a drive or are you expecting to personally slip in to the driving seat to see if its fast enough. I always take prospective purchasers on a decent 10mile test drive, and would let one drive when he turns up with cash......if one came buy and expected to performance test my car then I would tell him to naff off as would 95% of sellers I expect
bennno
I fear that it would take far too long to educate on these type of matters. Let's just say that you are right and I am wrong.
Maybe we are talking at crossed purposes but most of the cars I have sold privately have been BMW M, AMg, TVR, Ferrari, Porsche, Couple of Monaro's and a Viper - so its just not entertained.
Out of interest do you get insurance in place prior to viewing cars? AS many fully comp policies now exclude other car driving or at best limit cover to third party only cover - in which case the vendor is at risk..
bennno
bennno said:
Maybe we are talking at crossed purposes but most of the cars I have sold privately have been BMW M, AMg, TVR, Ferrari, Porsche, Couple of Monaro's and a Viper - so its just not entertained.
Out of interest do you get insurance in place prior to viewing cars? AS many fully comp policies now exclude other car driving or at best limit cover to third party only cover - in which case the vendor is at risk..
bennno
OP is buying from a trader, so one would expect him to have the requisite insurance to allow prospective customers to test drive.
Personally I wouldn't buy it. The fact that it has big miles and has been bumped may not be a big issue now but they will be come resale time. There's plenty more cars out there and its a buyers market.
Unless you're doing big miles a diesel isn't that cost effective.
Edited by sparkythecat on Thursday 4th January 23:39
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