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Possible eBay bargain?

Apologies I just added this to the sales section too. I’ve always avoided Sterling car ads on eBay. Just looks so dodgy and a lot of negative feedback.

Is it me or is the rear sitting very high? Could just be wrong springs used on the rear. I’d definitely be viewing before going near bidding.
 
Jembo said:
If it was a reasonable car, no one in their right mind would chop it in to be paid peanuts & if they did it’d be picked up way before by someone in the Trade, not end up in a place that’s renowned for being at the bottom end of the market.
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The owner may have got himself into some financial trouble and the car could be reclaimed by the finance company, all they do is put them through the auctions, they just want their money back.
The car looks good, described as "stunning condition" they would be fools to describe a dog as stunning as no one would buy when they see it.
Has a fresh mot, full dealer service history, what's not to like? I would go for it and if it turns out to be no good, walk away nothing lost.

Don't know much about the Alpina engine, does it require valve clearances doing regularly? Anything else that might incur an immediate cost just because its an Alpina?
 
Davz said:
Jembo said:
If it was a reasonable car, no one in their right mind would chop it in to be paid peanuts & if they did it’d be picked up way before by someone in the Trade, not end up in a place that’s renowned for being at the bottom end of the market.
Click to expand...
The owner may have got himself into some financial trouble and the car could be reclaimed by the finance company, all they do is put them through the auctions, they just want their money back.
The car looks good, described as "stunning condition" they would be fools to describe a dog as stunning as no one would buy when they see it.
Has a fresh mot, full dealer service history, what's not to like? I would go for it and if it turns out to be no good, walk away nothing lost.

Don't know much about the Alpina engine, does it require valve clearances doing regularly? Anything else that might incur an immediate cost just because its an Alpina?
Click to expand...

Its similar mileage to mine that I bought with 12 month warranty last year.
Before I bought the car the dealer replaced all brake shoes and pads, roof motor, a couple of sensors and serviced it. Under warranty I had steering column replaced £2.5k for part alone, both front springs and window regulators.
Buyer might be lucky and not need to do anything but could also buy a car that potentially needs £4-6k spent on it.
Under £10k it might be worth a gamble, if it's higher there's others for sale with dealers that might be a better option.

Servicing costs and road tax are same as 3:0si.
 
MefiEcosse said:
Before I bought the car the dealer replaced all brake shoes and pads, roof motor, a couple of sensors and serviced it. Under warranty I had steering column replaced £2.5k for part alone, both front springs and window regulators.
Buyer might be lucky and not need to do anything but could also buy a car that potentially needs £4-6k spent on it.
Under £10k it might be worth a gamble, if it's higher there's others for sale with dealers that might be a better option.
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These are also costs that any z4 could have! Costs can be significantly reduced if your handy with a set of spanners!
 
dhobbs said:
Strange that the passenger seat belt is attached to the drivers seat, got to ask why!
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Probably to stop the beep for not wearing a seatbelt when being driven round the yard.
 
Also, here is the ad from this or last year - https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/bmw/alpina/2005/9627042

As mentioned before, the fact an Alpina model has ended up in this kind of retailer would worry me a bit.

Maybe now the original seller has got shot they'd give a more honest appraisal?
 
I would say, under £10k (and if you really want to own an Alpina) this is probably worth a punt. Being sold privately, I doubt many would have questioned its history/quality that much, and I doubt it’s become a bad car overnight just because of who currently owns it. Cars this age, and this style will always need expensive work - it’s the nature of the beast, and IMHO isn’t a reflection/result of it’s current predicament. On this point, buyer should always be aware of what they are getting into...

As for the eBay guys, granted they’ve clearly f**ked a few people about and probably aren’t many of us’s ‘cup of tea’, but they must sell plenty of cars without issue to be where they are today, so I’d suspect, especially with a car like this, that you’d be ok.

I don’t have a spare £10k, so maybe my opinion counts for nothing, but if I did have £10k, I’d be tempted.
 
Well to be fair quick look through the sellers other items shows this up with the fault listed in the title.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/54-LAND-ROVER-DISCOVERY-3-2-7-TDV6-GS-SATNAV-LEATHER-GEARBOX-NOT-100/293105055573?hash=item443e6c3755:g:giMAAOSwzL1cxEQ2

Maybe it just comes down to luck with who drives and lists the vehicles.
On the other had why are the Alpina's so sort after? IMO i'd much rather the Z4M.
 
Worcester_spoon said:
I would say, under £10k (and if you really want to own an Alpina) this is probably worth a punt. Being sold privately, I doubt many would have questioned its history/quality that much, and I doubt it’s become a bad car overnight just because of who currently owns it. Cars this age, and this style will always need expensive work - it’s the nature of the beast, and IMHO isn’t a reflection/result of it’s current predicament. On this point, buyer should always be aware of what they are getting into...

As for the eBay guys, granted they’ve clearly f**ked a few people about and probably aren’t many of us’s ‘cup of tea’, but they must sell plenty of cars without issue to be where they are today, so I’d suspect, especially with a car like this, that you’d be ok.

I don’t have a spare £10k, so maybe my opinion counts for nothing, but if I did have £10k, I’d be tempted.
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Thats a good way of looking at the situation :thumbsup: private sale, no one would bat an eyelid. But because it's now in the trade, something looks fishy.

Maybe the owner couldn't be bothered with the hassle of a private sale and just px'd it for something newer? It's not unheard of for trade sellers to chuck older stuff through the auctions as they don't deal in older vehicles. Too much that could go wrong and cost them in the warranty period I guess?
 
I know a mate that sold his 18 month old Golf to webuyanycar because he couldn't be asked with the hassle of trying to sell it himself, and they paid more for it that VW were offering for it in part ex.
That car went straight through BCA the same week.
 
I have emailed the previous owner and while he didn't say why he sold it (I wasn't that cheeky to ask) he did say that the car was always kept in tiptop condition, he even went to the trouble of taking off the wheels for cleaning! He said that it was in perfect running order and that it required nothing to be spent on it.
If my youngest wasn't still at uni (with my 64 plate golf!) and bleeding me dry I would've had a serious bid on it
 
captain caveman said:
I know a mate that sold his 18 month old Golf to webuyanycar because he couldn't be asked with the hassle of trying to sell it himself, and they paid more for it that VW were offering for it in part ex.
That car went straight through BCA the same week.
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Both my brother's done the same with a 9 month old mustang (only the 2.3) and fiesta st180. I imagine they both went to auction also :thumbsup:
 
Warming said:
Is the engine based on the 3.0i or 3.0si?
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pre facelift, so 3.0i. I’m sure some experts can give you a full rundown on what they did to make it the 3.3/3.4 (never really sure which of those it is).
 
Warming said:
Is the engine based on the 3.0i or 3.0si?
Click to expand...

Its actually based on the M52 engine, which was replaced by the M54 before the Z4 launched (thus the early Z4s have the M54). Increased bore, redesigned intake and exhaust manifolds mean a bump up to just over 300bhp.
 
no sure thing as a bargain when it comes to motors. Cheap cars are a false economy - there's always something which needs sorting and on cars like these the bills can soon mount up and you end up paying for what a tidy example would have cost you anyway.

Unless you have access to 100% free labour wheeler dealers style you will never be better off buying a 'bargain'
 
Ah M52 thanks for that. I'm sure a guy I know with an E36 328i sport would be interested to know they can be worked on to output 300 bhp.
 
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