2014 M3 with high kms - should I buy?

[Colossus 0]

Hello,

I've haven't yet owned a BMW but I have an opportunity to purchase a 2014 M3 from someone I know and trust that has owned it from new and been the sole driver. It has a full service history from continental and I understand still has a year factory warranty remaining. Never been tracked.

It has has high kms but the kms are from a 300km commute done twice a week. Is it a crazy idea to buy it?  What are maintenance costs like? e.g. how much would it cost to do front rotors and pads? I'm obviously also concerned with major issues that may cost $$ to fix as well e.g. engine and DCT but I suspect I won't be able to get much certainty regarding that.

Thanks!
 

[gjm 3258]

Is it an E- or F-series? V8 engine, or twin turbo 6? You mention DCT so I suspect it is a V8.

It's a solid car., and the S65 is a good engine. How high is ''high kms'? If it has been correctly maintained it should be fine: well looked-after high mileage vehicles are rarely an issue (with some notable exceptions).

That said, I don't own one and haven't driven one. I'd like to!

 

[Navin 180]

The DCT is available in both models though?

[Gaz 1058]

How many kms? Factory warranty is 5 years/100,000kms

[Colossus 0]

It's the twin turbo 6 cylinder, I believe that's an F80. I think it was the first of them after the v8.

I stupidly must have removed the mileage in the original post. It's up to 135,000km. So it's high as in I start to wonder about the service life of key components as we may hit that number during my ownership.

Based on post above regarding warranty I talked to the owner who genuinely believed the warranty was unlimited KM's, he admitted he may have just been blissfully unaware and is going to check.

[qube 3570]

how cheap is it?

Those are pretty high kms so it better be a damn good price

[gjm 3258]

10 hours ago, Navin said:

The DCT is available in both models though?

You're right. ? I'd got confused with the Hewland box in some E9x models.

59 minutes ago, Colossus said:

It's the twin turbo 6 cylinder, I believe that's an F80. I think it was the first of them after the v8.

I stupidly must have removed the mileage in the original post. It's up to 135,000km. So it's high as in I start to wonder about the service life of key components as we may hit that number during my ownership.

S55 is based on the N55...
Oil consumption issues caused by duff PCV.
Engine vibration caused by failing fuel injectors around 80,000km. Replace injectors to sort.

Key thing is to ensure you use good quality fuel and oil. If that's done, you're gold.

37 minutes ago, qube said:

how cheap is it?

Those are pretty high kms so it better be a damn good price

It's fairly high for a 4-year old car, but no real mileage if the use has been continual long runs and servicing has been adhered to (which it sounds as though it might). Certainly mileage is against it in terms of value, but not necessarily reliability.

[Colossus 0]

That's the next question - what would a fair price for that car be? Basically if you looked at it you would think it had done maybe 60,000km in terms of wear and tear.

Most of the ones you see have 50-80km on them so it is hard to get a comparison.

[qube 3570]

Im gonna just throw out a number - $62,000.

Why dont u just tell us what price the seller wants for it?

I dont think its being advertised on TM so its not like we are going to steal it from under your feet.

[Colossus 0]

A price hasn't been agreed, but it will be less than $60k, I think $55k would be a done deal, and that may not be the bottom number.

[qube 3570]

now I do want to steal it from under your feet.

I wanted to say $50k but thought that might be a bit too mean. at the end of the day it is still an M3 2014 and 135,000kms isnt all that bad.

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Wasn't there an issue with early models in this generation breaking crankshafts? The cog for the timing gear shears off at the front end of the crank?

[M3AN 4016]

Hasn't there been a bottom end problem with every S engine designed since about 1999?

Either way, 55k would be a sharp price. Anything less than 150k is low miles in my mind, it doesn't matter how quickly it got there to me. But at around 150k miles km's you need to understand that all brake components and bushes probably need servicing/replacement and there's a few thousand dollars (say $3k) in that so factor that into your negotiations.

Make sure you know for a fact if there's still a factory warranty on it and how long it has to go.

Edited June 21, 2018 by M3AN

[qube 3570]

you mean $3k per corner right?

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

18 minutes ago, M3AN said:

Anything less than 150k is low miles in my mind, it doesn't matter how quickly it got there to me. But at around 150k miles you need to understand that all brake components and bushes probably need servicing/replacement and there's a few thousand dollars (say $3k) in that so factor that into your negotiations.

150k Miles ?

That's over 240,000km

The car in question has done 135,000kms.

[M3AN 4016]

Yes, I ment km's - I was thinking "mileage". 

And yeah, $3k per corner if it has the stupid-for-the-road carbon brakes!

 

[Colossus 0]

How much per corner for the standard brakes?

Does anyone have a service schedule so I can look into regular maintenance costs?

It's only one service out of the free servicing period so hard to guage.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

$3k per corner for carbon ceramics...? You're a little way out there. $15k option from the factory which is nearly $4k so times that by a heap for parts and servicing pricing. Good thing is they are supposed to last for a very, very long time. Especially with only road use. Pads go a bit faster though.

If it's got the 5 year warranty then it must be an NZ new (factory warranty is only 2 years) and there haven't been any carbon ceramics optioned from factory except on the M3 CS.

That is a LOT of car for that price, even with a few kms on it. If servicing has been done, which it should have been as its service included, then the kms are not a big issue.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

1 minute ago, Colossus said:

How much per corner for the standard brakes?

Does anyone have a service schedule so I can look into regular maintenance costs?

It's only one service out of the free servicing period so hard to guage.

Price for brakes depends on what needs doing and who is doing it for you.. Have the pads been replaced yet? Usually about 2 sets of pads to one set of rotors. Fronts wear quite a lot faster than rears, so unlikely they will all need doing at same time.

There are aftermarket pads and rotors available, not sure how they compare price or performance wise against genuine. Are you skilled enough to change the brakes yourself or would you need to pay the dealer or a mechanic to do it for you? Can save a good few $$$s there if you can swing a spanner, and it's a simple enough job without the need for any special tools.

[M3AN 4016]

That it's a $15k option is largely irrelevant, you don't replace the calipers when servicing the brakes for a start.

And I suspect you can get a much better deal on pads and rotors than from BMW.

Price aside, my point is that approaching $150k km's you need to budget for a bunch of overhaul items. If $3k won't be enough then adjust accordingly based on the estimates you get beforehand.

 

Edited June 21, 2018 by M3AN

[allan 295]

Research, research and the big question is why, why,why?. With the price range mentioned by other members trade me has these listed only looked at a couple around the same yr but k's far lower. https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryAttributeSearchResults.aspx?search=1&cid=268&sidebar=1&rsqid=3d344d1b5cc94e2ba35bff578620e851&14=BMW&15=&5=&11=&1=&18=50000&18=60000&13=0&13=0&24=0&24=0&54=&searchRegion=100&sidebarSearch_keypresses=0&sidebarSearch_suggested=0

 .

 

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

1 hour ago, M3AN said:

That it's a $15k option is largely irrelevant, you don't replace the calipers when servicing the brakes for a start.

And I suspect you can get a much better deal on pads and rotors than from BMW.

The option price is for the rotors and pads upgrade, most cars come with calipers as standard these days. I believe the retail for one front carbon-ceramic rotor for an M5 is just under $9k. 

Yes, there probably are cheaper options out there now - for standard brakes anyways as I said before.

[Gaz 1058]

3 hours ago, Colossus said:

How much per corner for the standard brakes?

Does anyone have a service schedule so I can look into regular maintenance costs?

It's only one service out of the free servicing period so hard to guage.

A decent PPI will give you all the info you need and when it's due. Including any brakes and if any bushes etc are showing signs of wear.

Or if you have a chance to view the car, it will give you an idea of when the brakes are via the service info in the idrive. Brakes wear can vary alot depending on how the drive treats the car.

Edited June 21, 2018 by Gaz

[Colossus 0]

10 minutes ago, Gaz said:

A decent PPI will give you all the info you need and when it's due. Including any brakes and if any bushes etc are showing signs of wear.

Or if you have a chance to view the car, it will give you an idea of when the brakes are via the service info in the idrive. Brakes wear can vary alot depending on how the drive treats the car.

Good points, and thanks for the info regarding idrive - I didn't know it had wear information.

3 hours ago, E30 325i Rag-Top said:

If it's got the 5 year warranty then it must be an NZ new (factory warranty is only 2 years) and there haven't been any carbon ceramics optioned from factory except on the M3 CS.

That is a LOT of car for that price, even with a few kms on it. If servicing has been done, which it should have been as its service included, then the kms are not a big issue.

Thanks for that info, I didn't think they were CC and it is NZ new.

3 hours ago, E30 325i Rag-Top said:

Price for brakes depends on what needs doing and who is doing it for you.. Have the pads been replaced yet? Usually about 2 sets of pads to one set of rotors. Fronts wear quite a lot faster than rears, so unlikely they will all need doing at same time.

There are aftermarket pads and rotors available, not sure how they compare price or performance wise against genuine. Are you skilled enough to change the brakes yourself or would you need to pay the dealer or a mechanic to do it for you? Can save a good few $$$s there if you can swing a spanner, and it's a simple enough job without the need for any special tools.

I would be paying someone else to do it. I'm in the Bay of Plenty though so not sure who yet.

[Colossus 0]

1 hour ago, allan said:

Research, research and the big question is why, why,why?. With the price range mentioned by other members trade me has these listed only looked at a couple around the same yr but k's far lower. https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryAttributeSearchResults.aspx?search=1&cid=268&sidebar=1&rsqid=3d344d1b5cc94e2ba35bff578620e851&14=BMW&15=&5=&11=&1=&18=50000&18=60000&13=0&13=0&24=0&24=0&54=&searchRegion=100&sidebarSearch_keypresses=0&sidebarSearch_suggested=0

 

I did a bit of research. There are basically three factors to consider that people have different ideas about:

1) Do you want a car that is 4 years old with higher KM's, or  a completely different car that is 8 or so years old with fewer KM's

2) Do you want one that is NZ new and dealer serviced or are you happy enough to get an imported one

3) Do you value knowing the type of KMs and who the driver/owner was or do you think it's all the same

The ones I see on trademe are from 2014/15 are all more than $75k. So then it's a question of how much you discount from there for the fact that it has much higher KM's considering the three factors above.