Looking to buy car that has been in storage for 3yrs...
Discussion
I'm going to view a BMW 7 series (06) that has been left garaged/not driven for the last 3yrs. It's recently been taken out of storage and has been given a new battery and, according to the seller, is running perfectly. It has full main dealer service history, last being serviced about 5k miles ago...which is about 4yrs ago!
Is there anything I should be wary of / looking out for?
Thanks in advance for any help...
Is there anything I should be wary of / looking out for?
Thanks in advance for any help...
Usual advice on here is to change the tyres, brake pads, brake fluid, all perishable/rubber hoses along with a major service from a reputable dealer or after market specialist. It might also be an idea to get the software updated as part of the service and a full error code analysis done at the same time.
Nothing wrong with buying cars that have stood still for a few years but there will be consumable items that will require replacement purely due to non use. Stick a few hundred away after the above has been completed for issues that will crop up with a car that has stood still for so long and you should be fine.
Nothing wrong with buying cars that have stood still for a few years but there will be consumable items that will require replacement purely due to non use. Stick a few hundred away after the above has been completed for issues that will crop up with a car that has stood still for so long and you should be fine.
Out of curiosity, why would tyres need to be changed? Is this due to them likely being flat spotted? If the car has been garaged, the tyres wouldn't degrade due to UV.
Also, can anyone give an indication of likely cost of changing rubber hoses (I have no idea how many there might be in a car!)
The reason it's been garaged is the previous owner died...and probate has lasted a couple of years
Also, can anyone give an indication of likely cost of changing rubber hoses (I have no idea how many there might be in a car!)
The reason it's been garaged is the previous owner died...and probate has lasted a couple of years
Grey Ghost said:
Usual advice on here is to change the tyres, brake pads, brake fluid, all perishable/rubber hoses along with a major service from a reputable dealer or after market specialist. It might also be an idea to get the software updated as part of the service and a full error code analysis done at the same time.
Nothing wrong with buying cars that have stood still for a few years but there will be consumable items that will require replacement purely due to non use. Stick a few hundred away after the above has been completed for issues that will crop up with a car that has stood still for so long and you should be fine.
The trouble being that if you do all that on a relatively new 7 series you'll have no change from about £5k!Nothing wrong with buying cars that have stood still for a few years but there will be consumable items that will require replacement purely due to non use. Stick a few hundred away after the above has been completed for issues that will crop up with a car that has stood still for so long and you should be fine.
Surely you inspect those thing but thy don't HAVE to be changed. Brake pads don't degrade do they? Dics's might clean up.
I bought a golf that had been sat for 2 years, the clutch started to go nd some suspension bushes went. Other than that it was fine. That was stored indoor/heated though. Depends how it was stored!
The car has been driven over the last couple of weeks by the dealer selling it - he reckons it runs beautifully (of course he would). But presumably the fact it's started and running smoothly is a good sign that the engine hasn't ceased or anything.
If the car's a good one, I might buy it and just factor in a £500+ service at a decent BMW indy (explaining to them that the car has just been brought out of storage)
If the car's a good one, I might buy it and just factor in a £500+ service at a decent BMW indy (explaining to them that the car has just been brought out of storage)
I would just drive it and see how it feel, the engines hoses wont need changing, I mean, if it were used for the last three years nobody would consider replacing them all, tyres, a visual check, not sure what being stored would do to brake pads, an oil change would be a must, brake fluid will be due but I doubt it will have deterioated much being stood, the coolant will be due.
mdowning said:
The car has been driven over the last couple of weeks by the dealer selling it - he reckons it runs beautifully (of course he would). But presumably the fact it's started and running smoothly is a good sign that the engine hasn't ceased or anything.
If the car's a good one, I might buy it and just factor in a £500+ service at a decent BMW indy (explaining to them that the car has just been brought out of storage)
Why not ask him to chuck it through a MOT at your expense?If the car's a good one, I might buy it and just factor in a £500+ service at a decent BMW indy (explaining to them that the car has just been brought out of storage)
At least you'll get an idea what it's likely to need to return it to the road.
I just sold my Mitsubishi an it had been laid up for almost six years. New battery and it was driven on trade plates around four miles. Change of oil later and it passed the MOT with no advisories as it did the next year.
I recently bought a 205 that was 15 years off, there was a bit more needed there though. New plugs, leads, cap, rotor arm, air filter, tyres, brakes, oil, bushes and exhaust and I am just in the middle of changing the water hoses after one developed a slight leak.
I would think that an oil change in your case should be sufficient
I recently bought a 205 that was 15 years off, there was a bit more needed there though. New plugs, leads, cap, rotor arm, air filter, tyres, brakes, oil, bushes and exhaust and I am just in the middle of changing the water hoses after one developed a slight leak.
I would think that an oil change in your case should be sufficient
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