Went to look at a car

Good stuff mate!! Happy testing

Darren,

I actually managed to get the guy to scan and e-mail me the service logbook and with a bit of PI work managed to actually check out the service prior to buying the car. Just a bit of bum kissing on the phone managed to get the guy whistling the service history down the phone and as the car had had all its servicing carried out at the one Main Dealer I infact had an accurate log of the cars history. Fan-tas-tic! Could try that one out for size mate!?!

Baz

All M3 potential purchasers, especially Senny.

A mate of mine bought a modified M3 3.0lt about a year ago on an M reg. It had a remapped ECU, performance exhaust, split rim alloy amongst other things. He had bought it with Full BM Service history for about 8000 I think (Will get him on the boards at some point!) Has just had the car returned from a specialist after having to spend 4000 on stripping the engine down, 6 new pistons aswell as other major parts within the engine after having been told by a BM Dealer that the knocking noise he was hearing might have been the Vanos.

When the specialists drained the engine and began stripping it they found it was unbelievably 'crappy' and had in fact not been service properly in a long time. This made my mate check the service history and begin doubting it. I will ask him to call round the 'stamps' in the service manual and check them out. I've done this buying my and all service history fully checked out! Phew So just closely examine the Service Docs. And this weekend he has just replaced the Alternator which is something I've never heard of on an E36, an E30 maybe! I think his car has done about 70000 miles, not bad for a 95 I thought!

Mine is a 97 Evo and sounds tapitty on cold startup, but is due an Inspection I soon and will ask then. Hope its simple!

Good Luck Senny,

I assume you are still thinking of an E36?

Tbh i think im a little nervous about buying it, as i have never spent this much on a car before. I had a Golf Vr6 before that cost 5k and this car is up for double.

 

Are i c where you coming from now.

The thing is though, it comes with 6 months warranty. I'm gonna try and push that to 1yrs warranty. So i cant go too low with the bidding

 

I do agree with you, it was a very nice car. I will keep looking and see what the best one is. If it happens to be that one ill make an offer. I'll be looking at more this weekend so i'll be able to see the bigger picture then.

darren

It does not seem to be the same place, please disregard my above post. Mind you my information was for a garage around there 8 years back!

 

Go in very low after all it's christmas and they are unlikely to sell untill about the end of january and they all want there Christmas Bonus. The advice above is very shroud. Go in make your silly offer and show then the money if they don't take it walk away and see if they have any reaction. If they react you will be buying a very cheap car. Try £7500 and be prepared to go to 8k and see what happens. But only do this if you like the car and feel it is genuine as i have herd of clocked cars from a Garage by that name from a friend in the trade who sold a 525 with 160k and saw it on offer with 80k about three weeks later. He was sure it was the same car he sold. If you have any doubt walk away as there are plenty of nice M3's about.

senny wrote: That garage have just called me. I said i was looking to spend around 8500 on a car like that. They must be keen to sell asap. bit strange how they would call to see if i was still interested after a couple of days. What do u think guys? stay away, or buy and pray? darren

My experience is that you'll know the one you want to buy once you see it.  If you are not certain that it's the car for you then don't buy it.  I saw two or three that I would not have wanted no matter how much the price came down, but when I saw the one I bought, it was just a case of agreeing a price. 

If it is the car for you then waving cash, as opposed to cheques, part exchange or a finance deal which will all get him a better profit - sometime in the future, in the face of the seller at this time of the year should work wonders, but only if you are sure that the car is for you.

If it was me, I'd go in there with £7750 in cash in one pocket and the balance of the maximum I was prepared to pay in another and do some nose to nose negotiation.  Best of luck.