Independent Motor Company - any views?
Discussion
I've never actually bought a car from them but would say the following:
About 6-7 years ago when I was searching for my E30 M3 they sold almost exclusively E30 M3s and Lancia Integrales...which was my other choice at the time. I phoned them up and enquired about both. Even though they were still selling both they were honest enough with me to say that actually they regarded the E30 M3 as the much better buy and in fact that they were going to give up selling Integrales as even though they were great cars to drive they were fed up with people having to bring them back with things having gone wrong (principally electricals).
Also, since then it appears these guys have worked very hard to build up a much bigger business. I often browse the PH classifieds very early, first thing in the morning and often they have already updated there stock listings at circa 7am. So they obviously work very hard...and I think that deserve a degree of respect?
I don't know if their prices are expensive or not on the much newer cars that they now tend to sell. Certainly when I was looking for my car (the E30) their prices were a bit higher than one could buy privately - but not outlandishly so (like certain other 'specialist' M3 dealers were quoting at the time!).
At the end of the day one has to accept a certain mark-up as they too have to earn a living and develop their business? But if their prices really were excessive they wouldn't have been able to build what is apparently a very successful business over such a long period?
About 6-7 years ago when I was searching for my E30 M3 they sold almost exclusively E30 M3s and Lancia Integrales...which was my other choice at the time. I phoned them up and enquired about both. Even though they were still selling both they were honest enough with me to say that actually they regarded the E30 M3 as the much better buy and in fact that they were going to give up selling Integrales as even though they were great cars to drive they were fed up with people having to bring them back with things having gone wrong (principally electricals).
Also, since then it appears these guys have worked very hard to build up a much bigger business. I often browse the PH classifieds very early, first thing in the morning and often they have already updated there stock listings at circa 7am. So they obviously work very hard...and I think that deserve a degree of respect?
I don't know if their prices are expensive or not on the much newer cars that they now tend to sell. Certainly when I was looking for my car (the E30) their prices were a bit higher than one could buy privately - but not outlandishly so (like certain other 'specialist' M3 dealers were quoting at the time!).
At the end of the day one has to accept a certain mark-up as they too have to earn a living and develop their business? But if their prices really were excessive they wouldn't have been able to build what is apparently a very successful business over such a long period?
Have a look at the pictures on my profile mate !!!!!!!! My one came from Indipendent Motor Co. When i visited them along with a friend who origionally bought the car, they were only dealing in the very best examples that were avaiable. Infact they even sourced my car for my friend and no money exchanged hands unitl he was happy with the spec....which i'd like to add proved really quite hard to get. (Esterial Blue-Black Leather-Harmon Kardon HiFi and SMG `box).
We can all only speak from our own experiances and i'd very happyly spend my hard earned money with them again BUT, that won't be happening as i really do love this e36 i've found
M3John.
IMO I would go for the non Evo version, stronger engine and a gearbox that you can actually get parts for. The only negative thing I have heard is regarding the handling but surely one can sort this out with stiffer springs etc, oh and a non Evo is a lot cheaper to buy in the first place:
www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk/rm/adverts.asp?section=M%20Power%20Cars
about half way down page a lovely looking saloon
www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk/rm/adverts.asp?section=M%20Power%20Cars
about half way down page a lovely looking saloon
A friend bought a Ferrari 308GTB from them, it was a US import and therefore cheap but with with zero history. It has been faultless subsequently and is now probably worth a tad more than the £15k he paid.
My experience was less positive, I agredd the purchase of a 993 cab subject to it being checked over. The specialist found various things wrong and they wouldnt fix at the price, so they kept my £300 deposit and refused to return it.
bennno
bennno said:
A friend bought a Ferrari 308GTB from them, it was a US import and therefore cheap but with with zero history. It has been faultless subsequently and is now probably worth a tad more than the £15k he paid.
My experience was less positive, I agredd the purchase of a 993 cab subject to it being checked over. The specialist found various things wrong and they wouldnt fix at the price, so they kept my £300 deposit and refused to return it.
bennno
Thats completley put of order, unless they told you before the inspection that they wouldnt do any work at the agreed price.
When I used to own an E30 M3 and they specialised in these there were lots of horror stories about them on Forums. I think they were importing some sub-standard M3's from Germany and punting them out quickly without any real checkover.
One of the M3's I had was imported by them (I didn't buy it from them) and it turned out to be a bit of a lemon.
I've not dealt with them personally and bear in mind that this is going back several years now, possibly up to 10.
Mags
One of the M3's I had was imported by them (I didn't buy it from them) and it turned out to be a bit of a lemon.
I've not dealt with them personally and bear in mind that this is going back several years now, possibly up to 10.
Mags
I bought an e36 M3 evo from them without properly checking the bodywork as it was a dark rainy winters day and their shed has very dim lighting. The first sunny day after i noticed 3/4s of the car had been sprayed badly with overspray on window seals and a very poor colour match to other panels.
The drivers seatbelt buckle stalk had been pulled right down to the floor showing the anti submarine had been triggered but the seatbelt not replaced afterwards. There was also a problem with the vanos leaking which had been covered up by some bodging by someone (im not saying they had anything to do with this) and the car had noticably more power at low revs once i got this sorted. I would have expected a specialist who drives these cars regularly to notice the lack of power.
I wouldnt expect to find any of these problems on a car from a specialist like they claim to be, especially at the price increase they used to charge....i havnt checked their site since i bought that car.
The drivers seatbelt buckle stalk had been pulled right down to the floor showing the anti submarine had been triggered but the seatbelt not replaced afterwards. There was also a problem with the vanos leaking which had been covered up by some bodging by someone (im not saying they had anything to do with this) and the car had noticably more power at low revs once i got this sorted. I would have expected a specialist who drives these cars regularly to notice the lack of power.
I wouldnt expect to find any of these problems on a car from a specialist like they claim to be, especially at the price increase they used to charge....i havnt checked their site since i bought that car.
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