2009, 91k miles?
I would look to be buying from a nun (or some other member of the clergy) with 1 owner.
Check for how frequently it has changed hands, and how regularly it has had money spent on it (ideally with the receipts). You can check the BMW service history by getting a key read at a dealer, outside of the network you are on your own & need to check manually with invoices / phone calls etc.
MOT history can be checked online & may give some clues. If it's failed more than a couple of tests that shows the current owner (whoever it was) did not keep up with proactive maintenance - I avoid these cars.
Don't worry about the odd cracked wheel on the MOT report - it's a thing to be aware of rather than worried about.
If the current owner has had it for under a year I would run away laughing & screaming - he may have discovered how much the issues will be to fix!
This age of e89 has the leaky rear LED lights & they are near impossible to buy nowadays - if the originals, they are a problem waiting to happen.
Everything else is standard used car checks, but to be honest, grabbing a cheap, old, high milage 35is would not be my plan for smooth ownership. Fundamentally I think it's a good reliable car, but with lots or areas that can be a problem over time. Especially if it's neglected.
I'm on my second 35is, and both have been brilliant. But I sought out the very best, lowest milage examples I could find, with the best history etc & a full warranty.
So - get familiar with this forum, buy a code scanner, and get a nice set of work clothes.
