Advice - looking to purchase a 330i M Sport Touring

[gprs999]

I've had diesels now for over 15 yrs, including a 2008 535d and more recently a Merc E350 CDI. I've got very used to 6 pot smoothness and power but now have the opportunity to purchase a 16 plate 330i M Sport Touring. It's coming from a car supermarket with full BMWSH and 2 owners and 43k on the clock. At just under £18k I'm thinking it's overpriced given it doesn't have Prof. Sat Nav, sun protection glass or 19" wheels. I haven't had a petrol car for a while but given I'm in London's ULEZ land inside the North Circular can't really commit long term to a diesel especially as I don't do long motorway runs anymore.
I'm going to see the car tomorrow - anything I should look out for, test, ask about?

[sortedcossie]

Do you know which 'packs' or extras it does have?

Things like the HK sound system, black panel display, extended storage etc all affect the asking price.

For example, this is a year younger, higher miles but it does have HK and panoramic roof:

https://www.gtonesales.co.uk/used-cars/bmw-3-serie...

I've not been looking at petrol ones recently, but 18k at a trader feels in the ball park. There's probably some negotiation room if it's at one of those drive away in an hour places.

[gprs999]

It just seems to have the extended lighting, interior lights and luggage compartment storage packs. Not ones I would pick.

[sortedcossie]

I'd be buying on what you do want it to have, it's a decent chunk of wedge on something which sounds like it may be a longer term vehicle for you.

I've just changed my daily to an F31 335d, I made a 'must have', 'would like to have' and 'not bothered' list for the spec. Took me a while (3 months), but eventually found one with everything I wanted bar adaptive suspension.

If you aren't bothered by options particularly then go and have a look and go in with a low ball offer, worst they can say is no. What I can say is that it appears the better spec'd cars sell easier if you need to move it on.

Edited by sortedcossie on Tuesday 11th May 17:02

[gprs999]

Yes totally agree re packs - I think I may pass on this one. It's a 200 mile round trip, they aren't allowing test drives at the moment and as it's just come in, there are no photos either.

[sortedcossie]

Long way to go for something that doesn't tick all boxes, especially if you can't drive it and it's the first one you've seen.

Good luck with the continued search.

[mfmman]

It does sound a bit pricey, I bought a 330i saloon (so accept it would be cheaper) with 16k on a 67 plate last August for £19.4. Spec is similar, mine doesn't seem to have any options except a sunroof (I think it's a option)

[gprs999]

Thinking now about a 320i and getting GAD Tuning to do a remap. the petrol engines appear to be able take a whopping 70 Bhp increase which would put it in the 250 ballpark. Decisions, decisions.

[NeilMick]

Got my 2015 (lci) 330i touring with 55k miles for £15700 in March, however most still seem to be around £19k for slightly newer models. At that price I'd be tempted to go for the 340i

The 320i runs a different compression ratio to the 330i but as long as you don't go silly on a remap and keep it around 250bhp you should be fine, seems to have been a few issues around the 300+ Mark.

[gtidriver]

Id say minimun options are pro nav 19s h&k heated seats, nice to have are adaptive head lights and high beam assist and front parking sensors. This was the spec of my last car, annoyingly quite a few f31/f30 don't have any options on them and are still over priced. OP id wait out for a better spec'd car.

[gtidriver]

gtidriver said:

Id say minimun options are pro nav 19s h&k heated seats, nice to have are adaptive head lights and high beam assist and front parking sensors. This was the spec of my last car, annoyingly quite a few f31/f30 don't have any options on them and are still over priced. OP id wait out for a better spec'd car.

My old 13(63) reg car had to have a new steering rack after developing a clunk when turning the wheel dry steering, that bill would run into many thousands I believe, mine was covered under warranty.

[NeilMick]

gtidriver said:

gtidriver said:

Id say minimun options are pro nav 19s h&k heated seats, nice to have are adaptive head lights and high beam assist and front parking sensors. This was the spec of my last car, annoyingly quite a few f31/f30 don't have any options on them and are still over priced. OP id wait out for a better spec'd car.

My old 13(63) reg car had to have a new steering rack after developing a clunk when turning the wheel dry steering, that bill would run into many thousands I believe, mine was covered under warranty.

There is a repair kit for that now which you can buy for £30

[gtidriver]

This repair, doesn't that sort of bodge the issue though??

[gprs999]

gtidriver said:

Id say minimun options are pro nav 19s h&k heated seats, nice to have are adaptive head lights and high beam assist and front parking sensors. This was the spec of my last car, annoyingly quite a few f31/f30 don't have any options on them and are still over priced. OP id wait out for a better spec'd car.

I've just found out via BMW that this car does have some options such as sun protection glass and sports automatic transmission but now the seller is saying it doesn't have sat nav. Surely that's not possible for a 2016 plate. I thought all BMWs had sat nav as standard from 2015.

[NeilMick]

gtidriver said:

This repair, doesn't that sort of bodge the issue though??

How? It's a genuine BMW repair kit to replace the faulty part, if you went to the main dealer now they wouldn't replace the steering rack.