E90 M3 purchase

[Chaz645]

Hi all,

Will be moving the 645ci on in the next few months and looking to stay in the BMW fold...will be my 7th and only been driving 5.5yrs

Anyway, never owned an M car and fancy an M3 Coupe, will be looking around 30k so the earlier 2007 maybe 2008 cars. Im a bit torn as an M6 is in the same price range but will be a couple of years older and telling myself ive already had that "shape".

What should i be looking out for with this year m3? Obviously want as much spec as poss, 645ci is full with toys. Any problems on the early cars?

Will more than certainly be buying a car with BMW warrantly, hopefully private sale with warranty remaining...to be renewed.

Thanks

[gilford]

First and foremost, make sure you buy one with a warranty! Most will still have the 3 year manufacturer warranty, but if £30k is your budget you will be looking at the earliest 2007 models so they may just have ran out.

Dealer prices and indy prices are basically the same so I would opt for the former for piece of mind.

I came from a fully loaded E60 M5 so the extra's in my E92 seem very "bare" compared, but it has the "essentials" I need and what people say you need for decent re sale.

To be honest if you can stretch your budget a little to circa £35k you will get a good 20-30k miler 2007 car from a main dealer which is what I would prefer to do, for £30k I feel you will really be scraping the barrel.

If you have any more questions just let me know

[Chaz645]

Thanks Gilford, great advice there.

I will have some flex on the budget, for the right car, because as you say warranty is essential! Although dont want to top £35k as then im into AMV8 money...and that is where my heart really is...one day though!

Are there any common/major issues with these cars? And sorry for the stupidity...when did the e90 become the e92? and what changed?

[gilford]

Chaz645 said:

Thanks Gilford, great advice there.

I will have some flex on the budget, for the right car, because as you say warranty is essential! Although dont want to top £35k as then im into AMV8 money...and that is where my heart really is...one day though!

Are there any common/major issues with these cars? And sorry for the stupidity...when did the e90 become the e92? and what changed?

I think E90 is 4 door and E93 convertible?

Remember that a June 2007 car up at £34k will need its warranty renewing in a couple of months and its £700. A main dealer bought car comes with 12 months, I'm not trying to tell you how to suck eggs, just something that can get overlooked.

A quick search of the BMW site shows 3 within your £35k budget, so I would take it from there. There is a nicely specced black one for £33k albeit with 47k miles, but if you do very little mileage like me, it wont really make much difference.

A lot of people have strange views on which spec to have, but rule of thumb as far as I'm concerned is that you need EDC, 19's and bluetooth. This will tick most boxes come resale. Mine has got quite a few more, but again they were things I wanted and not really what someone else may want (heated seas, security glass, stereo, extended storage etc etc etc.....).

Basically get as much as you can for your money

[Chaz645]

Yeah i see what your saying re. the warranty. I think main dealer is the way to go with these cars, for me anyway, bought many cars private but wouldnt feel too confident buying one of these the same way.

That car for 33k is perfect, my 6 is black with red leather, although a little darker...unless the pics are making the m3 red leather look brighter than it is...?? Love the combination. Spec wise im with you that it needs to have a lot of toys, as i will miss them. Mainly being h/seats, bluetooth etc...my car even has heated steering wheel...

Its a weekend car, occasional trip to the gym mid week, so mileage not an issue in that respect.

[gilford]

Seems perfect for you then, I will accept my £50 finders fee via Paypal please

[Chaz645]

hahaha easy, didnt really want to give BMW my car on part ex, they will murder me on the price!!

[okgo]

Chaz645 said:

hahaha easy, didnt really want to give BMW my car on part ex, they will murder me on the price!!

they won't if they think they can get you to buy their car and sell yours too! I should think you can get a deal

[Chaz645]

Waiting for them to call me back on the figures but it sounds like a nice car, not exactly local though...

Anything this car is missing that i should be looking for?

http://www.approvedbmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details...

Keep the advice coming any problems on these cars that BMW should have addressed under warranty?

Thanks again

[gilford]

Chaz645 said:

Waiting for them to call me back on the figures but it sounds like a nice car, not exactly local though...

Anything this car is missing that i should be looking for?

http://www.approvedbmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details...

Keep the advice coming any problems on these cars that BMW should have addressed under warranty?

Thanks again

The spec seems spot on to me, mine hasn't got the USB connection! lol

Just get them to fax/e mail you the key data so you know the service intervals, if anything is below 3k miles it has to be done under the approved used scheme, along with the tyres if they are below a certain depth.

They can do a "walk around" the car and describe it to you, if you are happy just get them to deliver it

If it turns up not as described, just send it back, simples

Dont be afraid of buying a car this way, I have done it with a 911, an M5 and now my M3.

Shrewsbury BMW are renowned across the country for having the cheapest prices on the dealer network, I have phoned about a few but they always seem to be "deposit just taken this second sir" so I always thought it was too good to be true. You may be lucky!

[okgo]

They can't and don't advertise fake cars, but as Gilford says they will leave 'cheapest in country' cars on the AUC page for as long as possible too get calls

[Chaz645]

I may just be! But ofcorse there is the problem of getting my car to them...unless they pick it up at the same time...with no pre-inspection??

Yep they have offered to do both those things re. walk-round and sending me the data, although they have just serviced the car and done anything that needs doing...brakes and tyres need to have a fair bit of life in them!

Thanks Gilford!

[okgo]

They can give you the same treatment, if you6 series is as described we'll give you this amount.. We did it all the time.

[gilford]

Chaz645 said:

I may just be! But ofcorse there is the problem of getting my car to them...unless they pick it up at the same time...with no pre-inspection??

Yes, they will drop the M3 off and take yours away, but again if you have not disclosed something to them it will affect the part ex price or they will walk away from the deal if it has been in a smash etc

Chaz645 said:

Yep they have offered to do both those things re. walk-round and sending me the data, although they have just serviced the car and done anything that needs doing...brakes and tyres need to have a fair bit of life in them!

Thanks Gilford!

Be very careful with the key data, someone on here bought an M5 off BMW and presumed it would be fully serviced etc, only to find out a few months down the line it needed a major service for nearly £1k. It may be that this car is a bit cheaper because it may be due such a service in say 4.5k miles? Again, as this is condition based depending on your driving that may come round pretty quickly! I would say the discs would either have just been changed or will need doing soon with that mileage.

Let us know how you get on

[Chaz645]

Yeah i remember seeing that...will be cautious dont worry

Also a little concerned about how much life is left in the clutch with 47k on the car...

Anyway, still tapping calculators but as it stands at the moment we are too far away on prices

The idea was to sell my car private so guess i'll have to go back to that, if anyone is looking for a black 645ci coupe with all the toys and 19in 650i wheels...you know where i am

[Not Ideal]

Looks great that one - must be a load of motorway miles in there so is probably in fantastic condition.

Let us know how you get on!

[JMRS4]

You really must drive this car BEFORE committing a mate bought on spec from a dealer 200+ miles away when it arrived he sent it back, bodywork was crap chipped to hell. Be warned.

[okgo]

JMRS4 said:

You really must drive this car BEFORE committing a mate bought on spec from a dealer 200+ miles away when it arrived he sent it back, bodywork was crap chipped to hell. Be warned.

So what was the problem? Worst case scenario you waste 30 mins looking round it and then say no. Just like you would at your local.

[gilford]

okgo said:

JMRS4 said:

You really must drive this car BEFORE committing a mate bought on spec from a dealer 200+ miles away when it arrived he sent it back, bodywork was crap chipped to hell. Be warned.

So what was the problem? Worst case scenario you waste 30 mins looking round it and then say no. Just like you would at your local.

Exactly!

Remember this car is 420bhp with a very low plastic front end, unless you buy new you are crazy to expect it to be perfect! My car was particularly good, but after a month on Welsh roads it has picked up a few chips already. Its just the way the car is I'm afraid. If it bothers you get a front end bra, or just get it sprayed before you shift it on.

[mat205125]

Chaz645 said:

I will have some flex on the budget, for the right car, because as you say warranty is essential! Although dont want to top £35k as then im into AMV8 money...and that is where my heart really is...one day though!

Buy the M3, and sleep soundly at night in the knowledge that you opted for the faster car