While a good SH is important on these cars people need to be sensible/realistic when looking at them.
They are of a certain age, and with the best will in the world not all of them will have perfect history.
Take mine, INSP2 came up at about 60k.
One of the members on here started yapping on about that being a "black mark" in the service history as some services may have been done late. While it could mean its had the odd late service (can't be bothered to go and look at the book), is it detrimental to the life of the engine?? Probably not.
Its that kind of stupidity that annoys me, as does the "I want a shim report or a refund".
When I had my INSP2 done I asked for a shim report, and I got one. If you don't ask, why should you assume you get???
More importantly, if you failed to ask, why the hell should you get a refund if the works been done??
Do you ask for the old filters to prove they've been changed??? No
Lets say you have a report, how do you know they didn't make it up??? You don't.
Best get a refund then.
Some of the attitudes on this forum are beyond belief, and its always the same few encouraging it.
Lets not forget, perfectly maintained examples seem just as likely to eat themselves as ones that have a less than perfect history.
Mine has had a clean bill of health from 2 very well respected independents, and I'd rather take that than than the opinion of some halfwit on a forum who thinks he knows better. If the engine shits itself, so be it.
On another note I've just stripped and replaced 90% of the front suspension on my car, and will start the back end this weekend. I did it in my garage.
I'm not BMW trained, I'm an IT consultant......another black mark in the cars history??? Bet it makes no difference.
Oh look, I've had a rant!!