Inspecting a Used Car.

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superfuse

Original Poster:

103 posts

130 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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Good Morning All!

So Im currently looking to buy a E46 M3 its a bit of mine field... Anyway If I went to view a private car for sale do you think it would be cheeky to ask to put the car on 4 axle stands so I could get underneath to give the car a good look over. Also was thinking about buying the BMW diagnostic software to check for any fault codes, vanos faults etc.

Do you think Im being unreasonable? Not sure what someone going to think If I turn up to buy a car with 4 axle stands, jack, laptop, ruler, clipboard and spread sheet etc etc. Just really don't want to buy a pup. Of course I would ask before I turn up.

If anyone know of a good M3 for sale would love to know. Really after a below 100k blue,black,gray on 18" wheels no sun roof and a dark interior.

Pints

18,444 posts

193 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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If the seller has nothing to hide, I see no issues.

steve-5snwi

8,592 posts

92 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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How would you feel if someone did the same to you ? I wouldn't have an issue with a good look around and a fault code reader but I wouldn't let a private person with a laptop get let loose on the car for fear of the damage they could cause.

I would have no issue with an rac/AA inspection and neither would I have an issue with taking it to a local garage so they could get it up on the ramps. I would not let anyone jack the car up on the drive in case they damaged it jacking it up.

The other issue is if someone wants to spend 3 hours trying to pick fault with a used car then the chances are they won't buy it and you will never get that time back. It's the same with paint gauges, look at the quality of the paint because you will find most cars have been painted and if your the type of person to turn down a car because it's had paint then you would never buy a used car and possibly new cars too.

You can find out more from the car by talking to the owner and calling the company who has maintained it for them.

Pickled Piper

6,334 posts

234 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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You can ask.

Personally, if i was the seller I would be a bit wary of someone coming round and jacking my car up. What if you damage it? Easily done when putting a car up on axle stands. I would be happier if a third party inspector didi it, because if something goes wrong I would be able to claim against them, Similarly, i would be happier driving it to a garage where it could be inspected.

Let us know how you get on.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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steve-5snwi said:
I wouldn't have an issue with a good look around and a fault code reader but I wouldn't let a private person with a laptop get let loose on the car for fear of the damage they could cause.


First thing that'd crop up in many people's minds (especially with something as nickable as an M3) is the BMW security flaws, and was it going to go AWOL overnight. I know it's not applicable to this age of car, but even so...

steve-5snwi said:
I would have no issue with an rac/AA inspection and neither would I have an issue with taking it to a local garage so they could get it up on the ramps. I would not let anyone jack the car up on the drive in case they damaged it jacking it up.
That seems a very reasonable compromise - it's also going to allow you to see far more.

superfuse said:
Really after a below 100k blue,black,gray on 18" wheels no sun roof and a dark interior.
We're talking about a 10-16yo car which is rapidly gaining a reputation for rot, as well as the long-standing reputation for being thraped and bent. Focus on finding a GOOD one, then worry about fripperies like which wheels, colour and mileage (which can easily be wound back anyway)...

Edited by TooMany2cvs on Sunday 24th July 10:44

ClaphamGT3

11,269 posts

242 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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Axle stands would be fine for me - a sign of a committed buyer who wants to give the car a good check. I would supervise pretty closely to make sure they didn't jack or prop off anything dumb and would expect the right sort of buyer to be cool with that.

I think I'd draw the line at letting some random stranger play around with a car's electronics

jimmyt1202

211 posts

182 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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Personally I would think you were a bell-end

SuperHangOn

3,486 posts

152 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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I wouldn't be allowing any of that!

I would agree to booking it in at the local MOT place to get it up on a proper lift to look underneath.

superfuse

Original Poster:

103 posts

130 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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hummm decisive a bit like I thought it might be. From the research I've done you need to use laptop to read for any faults Im more worried about vanos than anything else. Just to add my job is a race mechanic I've build cars that have won at lemans. (sorry don't mean to blow my own trumpet.) so more than capable of jacking up a car. We will see how I get on.

superfuse

Original Poster:

103 posts

130 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
quotequote all
jimmyt1202 said:
Personally I would think you were a bell-end
care to expand on your comment?

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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superfuse said:
Just to add my job is a race mechanic I've build cars that have won at lemans. (sorry don't mean to blow my own trumpet.) so more than capable of jacking up a car.
Lovely, an' all - but the vendor doesn't know you from Adam. You're some random bloke who's called up about his car for sale.

Pistom

4,914 posts

158 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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If you were coming to look at my car, I'd put the car on stands for you if you wanted.

DuraAce

4,240 posts

159 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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TooMany2cvs said:
superfuse said:
Just to add my job is a race mechanic I've build cars that have won at lemans. (sorry don't mean to blow my own trumpet.) so more than capable of jacking up a car.
Lovely, an' all - but the vendor doesn't know you from Adam. You're some random bloke who's called up about his car for sale.
Exactly. OP won't be jacking any of my cars up. You could be the greatest mechanic ever but I don't know that.

My fear would be some bodger caving in the floor/sills then walking away.

By all means take it to a workshop for an AA inspection etc etc.

steve-5snwi

8,592 posts

92 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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Pistom said:
If you were coming to look at my car, I'd put the car on stands for you if you wanted.
But let's assume the worst happened and the car fell of the stands while the buyer was under the car - very remote chance I agree but not something I would risk in the current blame/sue culture.

steve-5snwi

8,592 posts

92 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
quotequote all
Pistom said:
If you were coming to look at my car, I'd put the car on stands for you if you wanted.
But let's assume the worst happened and the car fell of the stands while the buyer was under the car - very remote chance I agree but not something I would risk in the current blame/sue culture.