# how can I learn more about a preowned bimmer?



## ///M3 Wes (Aug 23, 2002)

hi Jon,

I was wondering if there is any way I can look up more info on a preowned bimmer, vin WBSBR93401EX21062. Heading out in a week and a half to see the car and (if all is well with it) purchase and bring it home! Am obviously a little anxious about it, of course the dealer assures me thre has been no accidents/body/paintwork or mechanical issues and I'm assuming that having passed the bmw preowned cert., all is well. Just wondering if there's any way to dig into the background of the car a little more. It's got 3,600 miles, just hope they were spent correctly!

thanks,
Wes


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## DaveN323i (Jan 17, 2002)

A 2001????

Gosh, PLEASE PLEASE make sure the engine is not within the period when they were blowing up!

Do a search here for that issue, and also go to the E46M3 board at roadfly.

DO DO DO check for this issue.


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## ///M3 Wes (Aug 23, 2002)

tell me about it!

luckily the car was produced in June 2001, a few months before things really seemed to be getting out of hand (worst period seems to be october on). Jason's excel spreadsheet shows 2 failed engines from June 01. needless to say I will be more than careful, and wouldn't consider the vehicle without the fact that the warranty is good through 7/2007. thanks for the concern!!!

-Wes


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## SoonerE39 (Oct 10, 2002)

Carfax.com was helpful in my purchase. can't remember what the fee was but I checked out several of the cars I was looking at. It checks title history and will let you know if it has ever been a total loss, commercial or lease vehicle, date it was first titled in the US and where, flood damage, lemon laaw history if any, etc. One car I looked at they showed it failed it's first emmisions test, then passed it a few days later. I also found out one of the cars had been titiled in a completely different part of the country until is showed up at a dealers auction in Dallas.
I think it is probably accurate on determining prior repairs because most insurance companies use one of several electronic estimating services and the vin would end up on a database. I would say its worth a few bucks when making a purchase that large. Of course the car you are looking at is new enough, it's less likely to have a problem history but you might wonder why the miles are so low. Was it out of commission for repairs for awhile?


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## ///M3 Wes (Aug 23, 2002)

yeah it was originally a lease, then looks like it went on auction in April and at the end of May...


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## Newbie325cic (Sep 18, 2002)

*Beautiful car...best of luck with it!*

Excellent choice! As a 325/330cic prospect, may I ask you what made you go for the M3 instead of the 330 (I noticed the 330cic in your name)? Also, what's the typical price for a used M3 cab like this? Maybe it's the way to go instead of a new 325/330cic.

:dunno:


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## DaveN323i (Jan 17, 2002)

Check this one. Only $40,000???

http://www.autotrader.com/findacar/...anced=n&sort_type=year&=&color=&car_year=2002


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## ashecnc (Dec 20, 2001)

*Re: Beautiful car...best of luck with it!*



Newbie325cic said:


> *Excellent choice! As a 325/330cic prospect, may I ask you what made you go for the M3 instead of the 330 (I noticed the 330cic in your name)? Also, what's the typical price for a used M3 cab like this? Maybe it's the way to go instead of a new 325/330cic.
> 
> :dunno: *


what post is this supposed to go too :dunno:


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## Jason B (Apr 13, 2002)

Was this a PM?

I always hear, "Don't write something you don't want everyone to read". :lmao:


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## Newbie325cic (Sep 18, 2002)

*That's right *

nm


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## Jon Shafer (Dec 15, 2001)

330Cic Hopeful said:


> *hi Jon,
> 
> I was wondering if there is any way I can look up more info on a preowned bimmer, vin WBSBR93401EX21062. Heading out in a week and a half to see the car and (if all is well with it) purchase and bring it home! Am obviously a little anxious about it, of course the dealer assures me thre has been no accidents/body/paintwork or mechanical issues and I'm assuming that having passed the bmw preowned cert., all is well. Just wondering if there's any way to dig into the background of the car a little more. It's got 3,600 miles, just hope they were spent correctly!
> 
> ...


2001 M3Cic Jet Black/Black 522 (xenon), 674 (HK), 388 (blk soft top), 662 (am/fm/cd), OCWP (cold weather pkg.).

Sold originally by Voss Vlg BMW 7/28/01
CPO enrolled by Foreign West Motors 7/17/02

Not much else to tell you...


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## ///M3 Wes (Aug 23, 2002)

thanks Jon and everyone for your help...


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## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

DaveN323i said:


> *Check this one. Only $40,000???
> http://www.autotrader.com/findacar/...anced=n&sort_type=year&=&color=&car_year=2002 *


Does seem like an unusually good deal for an SMG. Oddly enough, at our last club meeting we had a rep from the Ca. Auto Repair agency (the agency that investigates body shop fraud, etc.) and he told us about a story where somebody bought what appeared to be a steal on an M3 conv. Turns out it was a salvage car (interior had been gutted by fire, but a nice repiar job done on it) but because of various technicalities, the car did not show up as a salvage title in carfax or any of the normal methods. The first time salvage showed up on the title was when he took the car and titled it for Ca. It was a long, complex story involving a cars moving from Nevada to Ca. and how some states are lax on that kind of stuff, and circumstances on how the new owner took possesion and what not, but the bottom line is "if it's too good to be true, be suspicious". He even had this car inspected at a dealership (which did a bad job and missed the damage and they'll be dealing with that from CAR and BMWNA).


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