best way to buy car (not cash)

[rubez]

hi, i want to buy a car remotely... pay, have it transported.

obviously the guy doesn't want to release the car to the transporter without recieveing the funds first.

so what is the best way to pay so i am protected?

i am not good at this kind of stuff. don't use credit cards, but i do have one knocking around... but the credit limit is nowehere near enough. otherwise i think that would have given me the safety net?

the price is £13k.

what are my options?

thanks.

[rubez]

it is a private sale.

intend on HPI'ing it, and getting one of those AA used car checks... i believe the AA (or RAC) go to the guys house, check the car over and generate a report. the guy says he is happy for me to organise this.

i am guessing the HPI would give me the guys name and address? so if the name on the HPI is the same as the name of the bank account i am paying into, that would confirm he is legit? (no clue how this actually works though)

how does that sound?

[rubez]

it's like a 12h drive. not my idea of fun, even in a car i was familiar with.

[rubez]

randlemarcus said:

Proper HPI check will give you an idea of the car's history, not the owner.

AA check is money up the wall. Pay the same money to get it looked at by a local marque specialist (local to him), and pay him to drive it there.

V5 should match collection address ideally.

Use a PHer to do the collection - there are a few, but you'd need to find someone local to you or him.

What and where is it?

sorry was away weekend.

here is the ad.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/bmw-135i-coupe-e82/1...

i know most people here wouldn't buy without seeing the car first, but i have no mechanical knowledge so i not sure what i would be doing anyway. obviously a test drive would be preferred, but unless there was something very obviously wrong with the car, i wouldn't be able to tell... i'd say "pop the hood mate" and pretend to do some cursory checks

Edited by rubez on Tuesday 2nd May 12:28

[rubez]

what does it matter if it's on gumtree or not? maybe the guy has never heard of pistonheads? (and as if there aren't countless lemons on PH!)

i am looking for a good example 135i @ 13k or under, doesn't have to be modded.

doesn't the price seems a bit low for a N55 / low-ish miles?

but the missing service record is supposedly down to engine replacement done @ BMW.

how plausible does this sound? says there are emails as proof (?but no paper work)

does sound dodgy, though i would hate to miss out on a good motor because of paranoia...

Edited by rubez on Tuesday 2nd May 16:24

[rubez]

what is wrong with the pics? the styling?

some pics were dark, so i have asked for better ones...

the hole in the records sounds dodgy AF, but if i can get it legit accounted for... it would be a bit stupid to miss out on a N55 for N54 money, especially (if true) then this engine/turbo has only done about half the miles that are on the clock... !

Edited by rubez on Tuesday 2nd May 16:29

[rubez]

what does me flying down achieve though? (seriously) other than silence that paranoid voice in my head just because i got to see it in the flesh.

i feel everything is assumed to be a shut-n-cut lemon unless it's 100% stock.

i have been trawling the ads for a while now, and 135i's do pop up regularly, but 90% of them are garbage - auto transmission, soft top, diesel... either that or they look like something a pensioner would drive.

[rubez]

MinuteMan said:

rubez said:

how plausible does this sound? says there are emails as proof (?but no paper work)

Don't walk away, run away

lol yeah. of course that was the reddest of red flags right there, however...

if i could get it all accounted for, legit paperwork, this would be a 135i, with the N55 engine that's only done around 30k miles for £13K...

Edited by rubez on Tuesday 2nd May 17:10

[rubez]

yeah, that looks like something a mid level manager would drive to an insurance meeting. sorry lol.

i have a great 135i in mind, but the guy is away for a few weeks, and he says he may not even sell anymore. so i am in limbo. i need some wheels, but not prepared to compromise and buy something that uninspires me every single day i have to use it... i know i would be kicking myself if i bought something so boring.

guess i'll need to wait it out :s

Edited by rubez on Wednesday 3rd May 10:33

[rubez]

so! just i got the emails forwarded to me... says the the engine, turbo and vanos units were replaced @ £17200

the email looks like it came from a used car sales place... Mathew Hutchinson @ Dick Lovett

http://www.dicklovett.co.uk/

surely there should have been the original physical paperwork kicking around somewhere? (and if i could secure it, all good?)

i mean, that's 20 grand worth of work carried out.

what do you think? try and contact the used car dealership i suppose? the link looks like it is a delaership that specialises in high performance motors.


thanks.

Edited by rubez on Wednesday 3rd May 10:33

[rubez]

no, wouldn't go that far. it isn't that bad... i've seen MUCH more garish 135i's on my searches... i had a fairy low key impreza. it looked as much of a "sleeper" as an impreza could (silver alloys, low spoiler, in white)

that black 135i though - it just looks like it's asleep! i am not a businessman, and that black 135i looks like one of a thousand other BMWs I see every single day. mudane AF, and i'd feel that feeling everytime i approached it.

Edited by rubez on Wednesday 3rd May 13:45

[rubez]

brrapp said:

I'm with others on here , something doesn't seem right with this one, not sure what but lots of little niggles adding up. Engine change, very low mileage for 2013 to 2015(from MOT history), no service history etc. It may be absolutely fine, but that's not the sort of car I'd be buying unseen and the fact that you don't have the mechanical knowledge to check it out properly means I'd be looking elsewhere.
If however you choose to ignore and go with your heart, in answer to your original question, buy with Paypal, at least you've got some sort of dispute resolution if things do go tits up. (and don't pay him via a Paypal gift, yes he'll save some money on fees but you'll lose your protection.)

isn't the engine change a good thing? i have heard of these engines needing replaced before - turbos too especially. should be a good thing this happened under warranty and replaced/fixed by BMW themselves. if it blew on my watch, i'd have to scrap/break it. i'd be fked.

Edited by rubez on Wednesday 3rd May 13:47

[rubez]

i have emailed the OG owner, under whose ownership the engine had failed.

lets see if i get a reply...

[rubez]

not into modding cars at all, however if the right one comes along...

the OG owner got back to me. confirmed BMW replaced the engine and he will try dig up any paperwork he might have, but he can't be sure as it was ages ago... he thougght he passed it onto the current owner but not sure.

has he will have a dig around...

not unpromising.

[rubez]

lewisf182 said:

Theres a better looking white example on babybmw which has been for sale a while at roughly the same price. It's in hull so less of a treck slightly.... looks a real good example plus has bmw performance wheels which i'd sell as they're vile and that gives you £1k to buy what you want

thanks for the heads up... you got a link?

getting a headache trying to navigate that site, don't see a classifieds section.

edit: can't get into the classified section without signing up first it seems, so won't be able to see the link anyhow... unless the car is advertised elsewhere?

will sign up later.

Edited by rubez on Thursday 4th May 17:19