Looking to get a Z4MC - advice fpr a newbie!

[rasoliman]

Hi there,

Hello to you all. I'm a newbie looking to get a Z4MC in the next couple of weeks. I've been on the usual sites (PH's, AUC, AT etc) websites for ages but thought as it has come near to the time to buy, I would very much value your advice. There seems to have been a couple of cars that have the spec (Sat, Bluetooth, Logic7) but have been around.

Is there an issue with the following cars:

http://pistonheads.com/sales/1468299.htm

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260_159980106__,00.html?currentCh=WBSDU92080LF78364

Also, I'd value your opinion on the issue of mileage? Is 47k for a 56 plate too high. Is the AUC warranty enough peace of mind? Is a 2k saving worth it?

Looking forward to being a paid up member of the M club soon.

Cheers,

 

[Entwistlea]

Mines done 51k now and is spot on, i bought it at mid 40's through as an AUC. No regrets, and have peace of mind of manufacturer backed warranty

 

[rasoliman]

Dear Entwistlea,

Many thanks for that. Gives me a bit more peace of mind. Right next question (sorry to pester on a Monday evening). Would you have bought a non AUC car with similar mileage e.g.

http://pistonheads.com/sales/1536123.htm

I believe this car has been around for at least 6 weeks now. Nice spec (particularly like the leather colour).

Also looking around for insurance quotes at the moment. I've looked on the insurance forum and Elephant, Adrian Flux have been thrown in the ring. Elephant have quoted 2k and Adrian Flux 2.4k.

30yrs old, 7 yrs NCB, 6points, living in London. Are these prices reasonable?


Thank you all for you help :wink:

 

[Darren M]

That guy (Thakeray car sales) is a comedian he states "This vehicle is a 1-owner car used purley for visiting Church on Sundays!" - Must be visiting a church far away with 43k miles on it .

My advice is to shop around and buy the best you can afford. Milage isn't really an issue with these cars (should do 200k miles on same engine) but if there isn't a big enough savings, buy with lower milage and spend a few more £££.

Personally I would prefer to buy BMW AUC, or via a private sale by an enthusiast, not via another trader. If the car is at a dealer other than BMW, there may be a reason why (no running in service, damage?).

Mechnical things like to be used, so 12k*4 years for some of the early cars = 48k miles, nothing wrong with that.

 

[rasoliman]

True Darren,

Or he's a preacher in the "Cannonball Run" mould. Doing the work of the lord in an Z4MC allows you to do the lords work a lot faster!! :lol:

I'm liking the safety of a AUC car. What are your thoughts of decent BM independents like Munich Legends?

They have 2 well specced Z4MC's for 24k, (were 25k for a couple of months untill last week).

Are they reputable?

 

[Darren M]

True Darren,

Or he's a preacher in the "Cannonball Run" mould. Doing the work of the lord in an Z4MC allows you to do the lords work a lot faster!! :lol:

I'm liking the safety of a AUC car. What are your thoughts of decent BM independents like Munich Legends?

They have 2 well specced Z4MC's for 24k, (were 25k for a couple of months untill last week).

Are they reputable?

Must have been driving to heaven and back .

Heard mixed stories about Munich Legends.
If a car is out or nearly out of BMW warranty and comes with a 1 year ML warranty and if the car is the same price as equvilent BMW AUC cars, I'd 100% buy through BMW AUC? Why? For that extra piece of mind and any waranty work would be carried out by BMW (any BMW dealership) rather than having to return the car to ML for warranty work to be carried out (bearing in mind also the mixed stories I have heard also). While BMW still sell these cars, better off buying via BMW AUC in my opinion - ML could be worth a look in say 15 years time if buying.

In my opinion, a certain magazine(s) has helped create the 'great' image Munich Legends have. You know, "you lend us cars for our magazine and we'll praise you to high heaven"

 

[Entwistlea]

I decided i wanted a car from a main dealer, i wanted a decent warranty and a lot ofthe independants aren;t worth the paper they're printed on ( some are of course)... I could have got a lower mileage example privately, but decided that i was happy with the mileage and wanted the peace of mind

As Darren says, buy on condition and Spec and then look at mileage v asking price. Mine was the right spec ( better than i expected), the right colour combo and in excellent condition. So, the mileage was irrelevant. I also had to consider that i do quite a few miles and had i paid extra for a very low mileage example i'd have taken a bigger hit when i evetually (if) sell.

Get the colour and spec you want, you won't regret it... they're addictive

 

[rasoliman]

Hmm,

Would that be Evo per chance? Been reading that for 10 years and ML's name keeps cropping up. With AUC garages, found the same thing with Hexagon. They've had this car for months now. Bit overpriced IMHO.

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260_159980106__,00.html?currentCh=WBSDU92010LF78819

I'm getting the service history of the Grey BM faxed to me tomorrow. I'll give ML a ring tomorrow and see what they give warranty wise. Is there anything I should be looking for on a car that's done 47k apart from the 1200 service? Is there anything that needs replacing at this mileage?

 

[mikedav]

http://pistonheads.com/sales/1468299.htm

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260_159980106__,00.html?currentCh=WBSDU92080LF78364

Munich Legends have a good reputation and that car is fully loaded in my favourite colour combination(I wanted Sepang leather!). Not the biggest deal on price but a very nice car by the looks of it. Make sure the 1200 mile service is present and correct. At 47k ish it's going to be in Insp 2 territory, which is about £1000-£1200, so if not yet done, maybe a bargaining point. The AUC one looks good too though.

r insurance quotes at the moment. I've looked on the insurance forum and Elephant, Adrian Flux have been thrown in the ring. Elephant have quoted 2k and Adrian Flux 2.4k.

I'm 28, no points. 5yrs NCB, and it's £698FC, with Admiral...

 

[rasoliman]

Thanks Mikedav

I really like the ML car - Black with seppang leather and the smoked wheels look excellent and it does have rally good spec. However, need to check the warranty situation. When I spoke to the salesman last week, he mentioned that it may still have BMW warranty till July.

Cheers for the insurance advice. I'll keep searching although I'm in South East London so that may affect things

 

[Raify]

Hmm,

Would that be Evo per chance? Been reading that for 10 years and ML's name keeps cropping up. With AUC garages, found the same thing with Hexagon. They've had this car for months now. Bit overpriced IMHO.

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260_159980106__,00.html?currentCh=WBSDU92010LF78819

Hexagon? Overpriced? Shurely shome mishtake! I wouldn't bother going there, they "don't do test drives."

 

[rasoliman]

He He,

Good point Raify. Hexagon also have loads of overpriced M3s at the moment. A few years ago, I was thinking about an E39M5 and there were a few there at ludicrous prices.

Based in North London with Hampstead/Highgate round the corner seems to have affected their pricing. Did get a test drive though :wink:

 

[mikedav]

Hexagon? Overpriced? Shurely shome mishtake! I wouldn't bother going there, they "don't do test drives."

I was at Thames Ditton on Saturday test driving an M3 DCT and the salesman had something similar to say Apparently Highgate BMW are well known throughout the network for stocking hideously overpriced cars for months and months....possibly in part due to being privately owned / funded (so no finance stock plan requiring them to flip cars every 60 days)....

On a side note, Park Lane are the only BMW owned dealer, so they often have the pick of the ex BMW GB fleet, management cars...never dealt with them myself tho

 

[original guvnor]

I've just bought an M Coupe. I adore it !

I always tend to go the AUC route (especially with the M and its S54 engine which is not cheap to repair if something goes wrong). The peace of mind is worth all of the premium price you pay IMO. Having said that this car has been on pistonheads for a while now and they may well be open to a deal http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1347676.htm It is a Ferrari/Maserati franchise dealer in the New Forest so should be pretty reputable and they ought to have a decent warranty scheme....

As one of the posters above says at 47k an inspection 2 is pending and is the biggy in terms of cost. If it's an AUC you could make sure that is done as part of the deal.

Have you tried Swiftcover for insurance ? They have insured me and my Zeds for 5 years now and were miles cheaper than anyone else even when I had 9 points. I'm 41 now with only 3 points and 7 years NCB and its 630 for me in Notts but my renewal isn't due until August so I'll have another shop around then.

Good luck in your search. You won't regret owning one of these little gems thats for sure !

 

[rasoliman]

Thanks Mikedav,

I didn't know that. I'll give Park Lane a ring and see if they have anything in stock.

So most dealers have 60 days and then have to flip them? Where? To other BM dealers or out of the network?

By the way, how was the M3? Its got loads of good reviews.

 

[rasoliman]

Thanks Guvnor

I'll give Meridien a ring. Good spec on that car too. Thanks for the advice. I''ll give Swift a ring too.

Really looking forward to owning one of these beauties!

I'm doing a Euro road trip in June with a few other guys, (2 in Z4M Roadsters) and am really looking forward to it.

Now to find the right car!!

Thank you all for all your help guys.

 

[mikedav]

Yeah most dealers Using a financed stock plan will have something like a 30/60/90 plan.... Ideally it will be sold in the first 30. If it isn't they must start reducing the price to get it gone...if it's not gone in 90, they have to trade it out to another dealer or auction.

M3 was very good - I drove a manual at launch, wanted to try a DCT car . I loved SMG II but DCT is so smooth it feels like an auto...only clue what gear you are in is the number on the display, it's lost all the 'feel'. Only drove for 30 mins but it wasn't as satisfying to use as SMG II IMO. Like the car but it does feel cumbersome after the Z LOL.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1347676.htm

That one has been for sale forever due to it's crazy pricing...But their Gransports are very expensive too

 

[original guvnor]

Yeah most dealers Using a financed stock plan will have something like a 30/60/90 plan.... Ideally it will be sold in the first 30. If it isn't they must start reducing the price to get it gone...if it's not gone in 90, they have to trade it out to another dealer or auction.

M3 was very good - I drove a manual at launch, wanted to try a DCT car . I loved SMG II but DCT is so smooth it feels like an auto...only clue what gear you are in is the number on the display, it's lost all the 'feel'. Only drove for 30 mins but it wasn't as satisfying to use as SMG II IMO. Like the car but it does feel cumbersome after the Z LOL.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1347676.htm

That one has been for sale forever due to it's crazy pricing...But their Gransports are very expensive too

Must be able to afford to have stock lying about on the forecourt with all those Ferrari & Maser margins !

 

[mmm-five]

Munich Legends have a good reputation and that car is fully loaded in my favourite colour combination(I wanted Sepang leather!). Not the biggest deal on price but a very nice car by the looks of it. Make sure the 1200 mile service is present and correct. At 47k ish it's going to be in Insp 2 territory, which is about £1000-£1200, so if not yet done, maybe a bargaining point. The AUC one looks good too though.

ML have had a 'marmite' reputation for the last 10 years as far as I can tell - and I can give you both good and bad testimonials (but of course most good experiences don't end up on the forums)

However, the old clowns Barney & Fred (sorry Tony) have sold it, and the new owner has promised an end to the old shennanigans - time will tell.
Although the new owner did have the temerity to come on to one or two M forums requesting we remove any negative posts about the old ML.

 

[rasoliman]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your advice so far. As an update: