Advice: BMW with no service history

I've seen a beauty on sale at a dealer in Dublin, at a good price, but with no service history. I'm tempted to buy anyway... is it worth the risk?

It's a 1996 328i, 120,000 miles, 8,500 Euro. It's an attractive machine, but obviously a risk.

spokey wrote: Run, don't walk, for the nearest exit.

I second that!

Talk to BM Fan on here.  He has a similar car that he's selling with a fraction of the mileage and good prevenance for very little more.

Edited by Dergside

Beavis

I'd be careful about the history, reason being is that when you go to sell her all potential buyers will be having the same conversation as we are having now.

As for BMWSH fantastic but expensive and on older cars not as important but it should at least have some history prefrably with a BMW specialist independent - lots on the club website contacts section.

I sent you pm with other details, click on the link in my sig. Also see Cibies post - Joing club hopefully


Edited by BM Fan

I agree with the general concensus above - i.e. leave it alone.

1996 isn't old as in 'OLD'.  Plus, the 328i is a higher end model that you'd expect to come with some history at least.  The fact that there is none at all would concern me greatly.

Out of curiosity, what price is it going for? What specification is it - alloys, manual/auto, leather, aircon, sunroof, obc, etc.?

The fact that it has no service history means that it could end up costing you several thousand on repairs (e.g. the aformentioned nikasil problem). You will never recover this though when it comes to reselling. When i was out looking for my car I stumbled across two cars where I strongly suspect that the engine was shot. One of the garages promptly ran me off the forecourt when I mentioned it! Presumably by now that particular car was sold (it wasn't even a good spec and there was some bodywork repairs/repainting needed!) and the proud new owner regrets the day they even went near it!

My last car was like this,  I contacted the dealer network with my chassis number and they tracked down a good few stamps for me, also if you really want to get the story on the car contact the last owner, they're usually helpfull.

Is it the spec Richie which gives it away, or it's very tidy condition. Well it looks tidy in the picture anyways.

I wouldn't run from it at all... but I would do alot of homework. There are too many bargains to be had in leggy motors with big engines!

Bought my 1995 328 off Skillie who's in the club. It didn't have history, and it was originally english. So I contacted BMW GB, checked it's history (it was in their service network up until 2000), learned it had an engine replacement due to Nikasil in May 1999 etc etc.

It was an 84k car so had component wear anyway. I'm fussy about how my cars drive so knew i'd be replacing bushes, shocks etc anyway, so once I knew I wasn't going to have Nikasil issues, I was happy.

Buying any 2nd hand car is a gamble. They reach a point where a service history or specific milage isn't a priority - the condition or work done to it is. However, for E8,500 and 96, as BM Fan says, do the homework.

The risk I'll run when I sell mine (in a yr or so hopefully, for an E36 M3 saloon or E34 M5 - Right, Ritchie!) is that I don't have the history. However, as I've replaced the suspension with an ACS kit, done the clutch, bushes, new wheels, brakes etc it shouldn't be a factor. So maybe hang on until then?

Best of luck with the searching and purchasing!

Hi Lads,

I don't think I've ever seen it in Limerick, i'd nearly remember if I had, the number is unusual, definitely an import.

Nice car all the same, the mileage wouldn't put me off if it had Nikasil replacement at some stage, if it didn't I'd walk away. The fact that this car falls into the bracket for Nikasil cars is one thing but if it starts drinking oil like Oliver Reed at a free bar, you have nowhere to go with it now that BMW GB have closed the door on Nikasil.

I know plenty of Sixes are running fine with Nikasil blocks but personaly, I wouldn't tempt fate twice. I would have to have some re-assurance that the block was changed..

Mac.