Is 262,000km safe to buy?

[Sumoke9999 0]

Hi everyone,

Im looking at a:

BMW 330I 2001

Body: Blue, 4 door, Sedan

Fuel type: Petrol

Engine: 6 cylinder, 3000cc, Tiptronic

History: 2 owners, NZ New

Kilometres: 262,000km

Obviously the Milage is quite high, Im still keen to purchase.. after a check with VTNZ the only thing pointed out was Brake performance which is a rear brake pad needing replacement.

Mechanically sound car

Very well looked after..

Would it be safe to buy such a high milage BMW of this type (from research the 6 Cylinder engines are quite robust)

any help would be great!

[Smac01 12]

It all depends what you mean by "very well looked after".

What major work has been done on the car?

Does it have full service history?

It's a pretty subjective area.

Personally, I wouldn't touch it, but others will disagree.

[zenetti 0]

Does it have a full service history?

I would think a BMW specialist such as Glenn at Botany Motor Worx would be able to give you a better pre purchase report than someone like VTNZ.

just my 2c

[Allanw 1071]

It will need money spent on it, but then so does my E39, with under 120K. I'm just pricing up rear suspension bushes/arms etc as they are a bit knackered, and the wof guy wondered how the rear stabiliser bar was still attached because the links were so poked!

If it's so much cheaper to make it worthwhile, go for it. Wear items such as suspension and brakes etc are going to need attention on any 10 year old bmw, almost regardless of milage, but engine and trans etc are more likely to need attention on a high miler. Maybe not soon though. Who knows.

I was going to get a newer car than the E39, but when you look at them, even a 3 year old car with 80K on it can need a lot of parts - shocks, brakes, CV boots etc, so in the end, decided older with lower purchase price was better.

The most reliable, cheapest car to maintain we have had was a 1995 Subaru Impreza which we sold at 320,000 - and only then becuase it was too awkward to gets kids into seats and had no safety gear. It only ever broke down once, when the fuel pump died (at 315,000) and only ever had a clutch, rack end and cambelts/tensioners/waterpump for repairs, the rest was brakes, CV boots, rack boots etc, which I class as wear items. It was an awesome car even with the huge kms.

If you are worried about reliability/expense, a BMW isn't always the best choice, especially not an old one. With high kms.

If it's really cheap, and you'rehappy to fix things that come up, go for it.

[m325i 709]

The relvant question is how much is it?

[Sumoke9999 0]

Thanks for the prompy reply guys,

By "very well looked after" I mean that its really tidy and has been an Ex-Luxury Rental vehicle.. the interior is well maintined.

Yes it does have the Full Service History

Its going for around $7000

*Thanks zenetti but im based in Wellington so I cant have it checked there, thanks though.

Edited June 8, 2012 by Sumoke9999

[Smac01 12]

I assume its the blue one that has been on TradeMe for months?

Personally I wouldn't touch it for $7k with those kms unless it had extensive servicing already done on it.

Ie new cooling system & suspension bushes / arms etc.

[m325i 709]

My view is that I know someone who got one, NZ new, full spec for $10k. It had done 130k.

Maybe that was a good deal, but $3k 'insurance' against maintenance isn;t much and you will really struggle to sell it when its done 300k.

So the extra you pay now for a lower km one, you will probably get back in resale.

That being said my car has 210k on it and my e30 had 320k.

[NZ BMW 368]

I know how I treat rental cars. So I vote no.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

I know how I treat rental cars. So I vote no.

lol someone beat me to it

Jon at JKSE can probably give it a look over

[zenetti 0]

I know how I treat rental cars. So I vote no.

+1

[Michael. 2313]

If it was owned by a meticulous owner for most of the cars life then yes, most of the time those sort of cars can be good buys.

But a rental company car.... no thanks!

[1rotty 40]

Have to agree with the other boys....personally I have no prob with high k cars,but I think you can do much better than this one dude.

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Maaate, they're dreamin!!

[bmw.maniac 1]

They're definitely dreaming. My little sister picked up an '01 330i NZ New (with full JCBMW service history) with 56,000km for 10K. The value of early e46s is plummeting.

[Dave@nz 11]

Hi,

Most rental companies only service there car when they have to and at a price. I would be surprised it it has been serviced at the dealers.

I nearly forgot to mention most rental companies which don't service there own vehicles have there own service plan which the garage have to follow it tells them what to do at the different service intervals.

It includes times and items they will pay for and anything over this permission from the rental company is required prior to carrying on with the repair/service.

The dealers might be expensive but a pre purchase inspection from them would be money well spent imhop.

Dave.

Edited June 13, 2012 by 87M3@NZ

[KwS 2425]

Barge Pole.

High K is all good, if its been well looked after (My E39 case in point, 253,000ks, would never tell it was that high by looking at or driving it) but hell, i wouldnt touch an ex-rental (or ex-taxi) unless it was a dirt cheap runabout.

[Sumoke9999 0]

Thanks everyone for your replies and advice, I have decided to dodge this one and definitely feel like I made the right decision.

Cheers everyone!

[Jo Blogs 11]

+2 on the rental car thing.

I remembering teaching my last rental how to 4x4 over in Aussie

Cheaper lower mileage 330's come up.

Just be quick!