used m3

[chezzy12]

Looks like im gonna get an m3 in the next few weeks, doesnt have sat nav...do i really need it? price looks good, car is immaculate, even though its from a dealer should i get it checked out,dealer says its hpi clear with no damage ever,any suggestions?

[shamrock]

Personally I would get it checked it, for peace of mind if nothing else.

IIRC there was a massive thread on one of the forums about a dealer in Farnborough (Barons?) selling a used M3 which had an engine failure not long after purchase. Think the buyer had to take the dealer to the small claims court in the end to get their money back as it turned out this dealer had done that kind of thing a few times before.

Someone on here has had big problems with a car purchased from a dealer:

http://www.petrolheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

[dan101smith]

Get it checked.

You don't need Sat Nav, you can buy a map or TomTom, but pay less because it doesn't have it.

[dadofbud]

Chezz

Get it Hpi, you need to check; Condition, 1200 mile service is very important, History, History & history.

The BMW satnav is not all it should be, just focus on buying the best, latest, lowest mileage car you can get, and just to put the extras in perspective a dealer will offer you the same money at trade-in regardless of what extras you have.

M3 is great value for money, the days of cast iron residuals maybe gone, but it's still a great performer

Best of luck, and remember there are many M3's out there and if this one does not feel right move onto the next


Bob

Edited by dadofbud on Wednesday 23 July 18:36

[paoloh]

dadofbud said:

Chezz

Get it Hpi, you need to check; Condition, 1200 mile service is very important, History, History & history.

The BMW satnav is not all it should be, just focus on buying the best, latest, lowest mileage car you can get, and just to put the extras in perspective a dealer will offer you the same money at trade-in regardless of what extras you have.

M3 is great value for money, the days of cast iron residuals maybe gone, but it's still a great performer

Best of luck, and remember there are many M3's out there and if this one does not feel right move onto the next


Bob

Edited by dadofbud on Wednesday 23 July 18:36

Dealer will NOT offer you the same money without satnav. Glass's hits M3's without nav for £1500. Whether the Satnav is any good or not, it will impact on resale and value. People expect M3's to have Nav!!
Not sure how dealer can say, " car has never had damage".... HPI clear means it's never been "written off". Could have been involved in 20 accidents and never put on HPI.
History is all important.

[chezzy12]

thanks for the tips lads,thing is ill be bringing the car to europe and then back home to ireland next year.The sat nav thing is not important because i think i can dodge the irish import tax because i dont live there which will save me about 14k euros.Just looking at a 2003 model from trevor jones this morning,looks great, mileage is very low,suspicious maybe???? anyway any more tips then please forward them to me,cheers,

chezz

[paoloh]

Floor the gas in 2nd, if back wriggles all over the place, rear trailing arm bushes need replacing.

[dadofbud]

paoloh said:

dadofbud said:

Chezz

Get it Hpi, you need to check; Condition, 1200 mile service is very important, History, History & history.

The BMW satnav is not all it should be, just focus on buying the best, latest, lowest mileage car you can get, and just to put the extras in perspective a dealer will offer you the same money at trade-in regardless of what extras you have.

M3 is great value for money, the days of cast iron residuals maybe gone, but it's still a great performer

Best of luck, and remember there are many M3's out there and if this one does not feel right move onto the next


Bob

Edited by dadofbud on Wednesday 23 July 18:36

Dealer will NOT offer you the same money without satnav. Glass's hits M3's without nav for £1500. Whether the Satnav is any good or not, it will impact on resale and value. People expect M3's to have Nav!!
Not sure how dealer can say, " car has never had damage".... HPI clear means it's never been "written off". Could have been involved in 20 accidents and never put on HPI.
History is all important.

Ok so look at it this way, dealer will offer you the without satnav price even if you have it, it's a buyers market and prices are so far behind book they won't even bother getting Glass's out the draw, I don't think that someones going to walk away from a mint low mileage car with fully documented history because "People expect M3's to have satnav",if someone wants satnav then that's fine, if they don't where's the problem, so if I buy second had satnav off Ebay and fit to my car the dealers going to give me £1,500.00 more than if I take it along without satnav.

The OP had cause for concern regarding the providence of the vehicle, £20.00 for HPI sounds good value to me, yes it can't tell you that it has been repaired several time or not, dealers use it, they even have special rates.

If I'm honest I have Smartnav (very uncool) fitted to vehicle and a Garmin in an other and I prefer the Smartnav every time, it just does not look as good as screen in the dash of your M3, as you can tell I don't have satnav in my M3.