95 318ti 377,000 miles

[larryn]

As I previously said, if you are going to buy this car, it's going to be a lot more expensive than the sticker price in the long run. Maintained or not, things will break routinely with that many miles. Miles that high are the exception to the rule, not the norm.

Spending an extra few thousand now on another car will likely save you lots of cash in the future.

[Den]

Originally Posted by aceyx

I'm going to disagree.

Cars, not even BMWs, make it to 377k miles without regular maintenance. I've got a bigger bet that this thing is in "pretty good condition" because the one owner knew what he/she was doing, and kept it together.

+1

1 word: Records?

If the owner has records of good upkeep, this could be a sweet deal. IME, original owners tend to pay for the maintenance required to keep the car running like it did when they bought it, and they tend to keep records, and they tend not to trash the interior. Go look at the car and look at the records. If it's in nice shape and you get it for, say $2k, and you have to rebuild the head for $1,500 after a few more miles, you will have a nice clean Ti with a new head for $3,500. You could do a lot worse.

p.s. Don't be shy about making a low offer. Only a nut like one of us would buy a car with 377k on it, so you won't have much competition.

[Den]

Originally Posted by larryn

As I previously said, if you are going to buy this car, it's going to be a lot more expensive than the sticker price in the long run. Maintained or not, things will break routinely with that many miles. Miles that high are the exception to the rule, not the norm.

Spending an extra few thousand now on another car will likely save you lots of cash in the future.

Not bad advice, but I wouldn't dismiss a car on the basis of miles alone. A Ti with half the miles would need most of the same stuff replaced. As Aceyx suggests, the car probably has not made it this far without some help in the form of repairs already taken care of.

IMO, it's worth a look. It's at least worth a phone call to inquire about service records. Maybe the car has a new head, new trans, rebuilt suspension, etc. You don't know if you don't ask, and given the fact that nobody is interested in a car with 377k, the deal is yours to make as sweet as you like.

[fast318ti]

its owned by one of the most reputable luxury car dealerships in the city, LOL.
They can "wholesale" or "auction" it for over 2 grand. They want to make a "grand" on it, so there sitting at 3 grand for it. There so a full of it, they'll come running back in a few months, who honestly wants a car, espically a bmw (the most un-desirable one ever brought to the u.s market at that)(not to me im english) with 377,000 miles. I'm still in HS, i see it as cheap motoring, but its also a liability. Could just drop a I6 in it if worst comes to worst.

[Den]

Did you ask about records? Probably none since they are a dealer.

I doubt the car would fetch $2k from another dealer at auction. WTF would any dealer want with a 377k car? Nothing. This dealer probably got it as a trade-in on another car that they sold for $3k too much.

Check back with them in a month.

[SDKmann]

The dealer probably got it in on a sale and the miles are the reason its on the whole sale lot. I just had a really bad experience trying to buy a wholesale car that has caused me to change my veiw completely of a dealer that I thought was a pretty decent place and now I will never even have a car serviced there let alone buy one. So the moral of the story is be careful with wholesale cars and dont get your heart set on it cause you may get screwed. That combined with the potential problems of a high miles car would be more then enough to drive me away and look for another.

[BobbyDigital]

To be honest with you dude, Mine has 272k miles, and when I sell it, which wont be for a while, I'm going to ask $3000.

At the same time, I have been replacing stuff here and there.

[fast318ti]

i'm gonna be straight up. Its not like i dont have the money to buy a better 318ti, but in chicago, there all automatic and there about 6-10 grand. Do you think this things even worth trying to buy? I mean im gonna low ball him in like 2 or 3 weeks but do you think theres much left in the car? I am in HS and i would hate to have it just blow up when im out somewhere with my friends.

[larryn]

Even a well maintained drivetrain and car has it's limits. This may go longer, but they are not designed to go 400k miles. There's probably only a handful of 318ti's with that many miles in the world. I think you should wait for something with the potential for more reliability. It has potential for being a money pit.

I'm not saying it will be a money pit, but odds are you'll be sinking a lot of cash into it.

[Mothman]

Same here I am at 212k and got mine around 40k as well. I average about 33k miles a year in my car. So I will be there as well.

Originally Posted by madfronter

And I thought I had a lot of miles on my car (248,000). I bought it with 48,000 miles on it. I think you could find one with less miles on it!

[Mothman]

I would walkin with only $1,500 and tell him take it, Then he will come back with another number and then tell him ok $500.00 + what ever state tax and lic is. You go down lower than your first offer. If he said no, I would do like someone else said, check back in a money and offer him $1,200.
Tell him you know every month that car is on the lot he is losing month. He might get 1k if he is lucky for scrape metal.

[Den]

Originally Posted by fast318ti

Do you think this things even worth trying to buy? I mean im gonna low ball him in like 2 or 3 weeks but do you think theres much left in the car? I am in HS and i would hate to have it just blow up when im out somewhere with my friends.

Well, what these guys are saying is true. You will certainly need to put more money into the car, and you could probably find one with fewer miles if you waited. . .but you would certainly need to put maintenance money into that car as well.

There's no such thing as a BMW that you don't have to put $ into, except for a new one under warranty.
Unless it's been done already, a Ti with 177k is going to need most of the stuff that one with 377k will need: water pump, timing chain tensioner, wheel bearings, struts, ball joints, shifter bushings, flex disc, center support bearing, shocks, rear subframe bushings, etc. . .exceptions being the head and maybe the trans. I have owned E3, E28, E30, E36's. . .it's the same drill on all of 'em with a few variations, mostly different motors + electronics.

It sucks that a dealer has this car, probably with no records, but I think it's worth the trouble if the interior and exterior are in good shape. A clean Ti rolling shell is probably worth ~$1,500. If you pay $1,500 for the car, every mile you get out of the motor is a bonus. I would go have a look at the car and maybe take her for a spin if the dealer is agreeable. You're in HS, don't you have some time to kill one afternoon before getting high?

I like Mothman's strategy. The car is just taking up space on their lot where they could have a low-mileage Lexus sitting, on which they could realistically expect to make $3k. Lowball and tell them you are looking at Hondas & other junk for less than $2k, but look at the car first to see if it's worth the hassle. It never hurts to have cash in your pocket and be ready to deal in case you hit a salesman who is in the mood. Bottom line is that a 12-year-old car with 377k is a boat anchor to them.

[Den]

Oh yeah, the other crucial question is:

Can you turn a wrench?

If so, then the cost of owning a BMW is reasonable.
If not, you may want to look into other marques.

A shop will want ~$500 to do any one of the routine maintenance items I listed above.
Rear subframe bushings on a BMW? $500.
Rear wheel bearings on a BMW? $500.
Clutch on a BMW? $500.
etc, etc.


"Drop in an I6?" $3k just for labor.

So. . .your idea of 'cheap motoring' is only valid if you are mechanically inclined.

[3DGE]

I want to see pictures!!

[3DGE]

IF you get this ti, I would be prepared to replace most everything, Iwould look for a salvage 328+ for a direct swap.