Purchase Advice

B

Broads

Member
 Melksham
Hi Guys, some of you may have seen my earlier post, almost 2 months ago now, where I happened up on a lovely low milage 3.0 Z4.
The next day I confirmed I would purchase it with a proviso that they sorted out the airbag light. (Both myself and the garage that was selling it on behalf of a private seller thought it would just be a connection under the seat).

So two months down the line and it turns out the light was an indication due to a failure on the wiring loom to the airbag module on the drivers door, which had been damaged by water. A new loom was eventually fitted. But has yet to be programmed, With time slipping away, and the owner always working away in London it was promised that this would be taken to the dealer to be carried out.

It hasn't yet. I have now been offered a further £500 off the asking price, if I was to get this done in my own time. That takes the price of the car down a total of £1000 from the original asking price, aparently the owner was sorry for messing me around for so long.

This now sounds like a great deal, However I am now wondering what my options are and have been ringing around.


I have contacted a BMW Specialist who tell me that they can re-programme modules, however some take and some dont.
They also pointed out to me that Main Dealers don't normally re-programme second hand modules.

So does anyone have experience of airbag door modules / looms? and will BMW program a second hand unit, if not what is the worst case scenario (price) for a new one.

Would love to see this car on the road as it ticks all my box's otherwise, but I am getting pre-purchase jitters.
 
Where are you in the country?

I can suggest a couple of knowledgable places if nearby me & a couple of others, that you can then phone up for indicative costs & capabilities.

Otherwise others will nodoubt recommend alternative places once we know where 2 find u
 
Hi Jembo.. I'm in Wiltshire (Melksham) nice profile car by the way looks like the same color as I am looking to purchase.
 
Hi all back again with a bit more info

So looking at the MOT History it looks as though the car has had the Supplementary restraint system problem for a while.
At least from 2016, 2017 the car was SORN, and so coming back for 2018 with a new MOT possibly trying to sell.
https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/ -- WJ53YXW

Apparently if I can get the VIN we can get history of test stations.. What’s the betting it’s the same testing station?

Since this all seems a little suspect, my plan at the moment is to take the car for a diagnostics at a BMW specialist and see what they say before committing and putting down the money, I think its better to spend £100 than to spend £4k and have an huge bill on top, which I may not want to take on.



I've been following topic https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37521&start=15 which is an interesting one to follow, but seems like it’s going to cost in the region of £500 > 1k to fix so perhaps the reason for sell?


But having said that, I am looking at paying £4300 for the car, so even with a spend of £1000 that's £5300 for the car so this still seems like a good deal. Just it all seems a little shady at the moment.

This is the car in question, and comes with a matching hard top.


1.jpg

2.jpg


For reference I am basing my comparisons on the following:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=sponsored&radius=200&postcode=sn126xr&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&make=BMW&model=Z4&price-to=7000&maximum-mileage=70000&minimum-badge-engine-size=3.0&transmission=Manual
 
BMW main dealer is the last place I would be taking it! The airbag control module is not in the door of course, it's under the centre console and a bit of a bitch to get to, so not sure from your post above if the garage are even looking at the right thing. If its had water in the cabin, this certainly is vulnerable in terms of connector corrosion and can sometimes be sorted just with thorough drying and copius amounts of WD40.

If the module is stuffed then indeed you do need it coding to the car but there are a number of forum members on here that can do that for beer money.

This is a good guide in terms of accessing the module.... https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=108370&hilit=console but if you have a £1,000 in hand to sort the issue I would say that is more than adequate. In fact, a lot more.

Car looks lovely by the way. Rare colour too.
 
Ph001 thanks for your input.
Yes, Im not really too sure whats been going on with the car. I am getting confused now. But believe the last thing I was told was that it was the door loom to the airbag module. But it sounded like they had the center console off.

I assume that it would be a good purchase once fixed, but it comes with some risks.

For reference the millage is 56k
Do you think for 1k at a BMW Specialist (not dealer) I should be able to get it fixed?

If not please put me in contact with some forum members that I can pay in £1k woth of beers.. :P
 
Regrettably Wiltshire is way out of my Indy recommendation zone - anyone else?

In terms of the colour... can quite understand why you’re taken by it... Maldives is gorgeous.

However, £4.3k for a car with the things you’ve mentioned, I would like to suggest to at least look at other alternatives & kinda feel these issues could keep coming back to haunt you, ruining your Zed experience
 
What's been done in total on the car? Lights exhaust, what else? I'm just thinking its not original spec, so has anything else been fooked with?
Low miles is not always the best option. Trust me. I don't think its cheap, or expensive but I'd be looking at others as well.
But that's just my opinion.
D
 
Z4 coupster,. Good point.. i thought it's been tinkered with also. Think it's also got a non standard airbox. Would that worry you. Looking at other cars in the forum other more exotics also appear to be tinkered with to some degree..
 
Electrical problems due to water ingress? I’d run a mile if I were you as the current issue might turn out to be just the tip of the iceberg.

£4300 doesn’t sound particularly cheap for a 53 plate either?

Chris
 
Broads said:
Z4 coupster,. Good point.. i thought it's been tinkered with also. Think it's also got a non standard airbox. Would that worry you. Looking at other cars in the forum other more exotics also appear to be tinkered with to some degree..
Click to expand...
Personally unless I knew the car id rather a standard one. If there's bits to tinker with,id rather do the tinkering.
Or it would be a forum car if I wanted one dine already.
But that's my opinion. More of a worry is the electrical issue. I'd be looking elsewhere or buying it a a very low price.
D
 
i believe it was a forum members at some point.
it has a sticker in the hardtop.

i am so conflicted. i should be getting warm and fuzzies when buying a car not sleepless nights thinking things through.
 
Broads said:
i believe it was a forum members at some point.
it has a sticker in the hardtop.

i am so conflicted. i should be getting warm and fuzzies when buying a car not sleepless nights thinking things through.
Click to expand...
I'm sure someone will recognise it then if it was a members.
D
 
Incase anyone is following this story, or comes across this car when it comes on the market again. I had it checked out at an Indie BMW specialist where I paid out £100 for a diagnosis. It wasn't good, and would have cost me to the tune of £1500 so I have politely told them I will leave the car alone.


I am now re-considering my future options, paying a bit more for a later model Z4, or a bit more with finance for E89..
Also are the 3.0's the only option of z4 to go for or are 2.5s worth considering?

For now though I am back to the old boy.. ( I know you guys like pictures )

Z3-Calandar.jpg
 
Broads said:
Incase anyone is following this story, or comes across this car when it comes on the market again. I had it checked out at an Indie BMW specialist where I paid out £100 for a diagnosis. It wasn't good, and would have cost me to the tune of £1500 so I have politely told them I will leave the car alone.


I am now re-considering my future options, paying a bit more for a later model Z4, or a bit more with finance for E89..
Also are the 3.0's the only option of z4 to go for or are 2.5s worth considering?

For now though I am back to the old boy.. ( I know you guys like pictures )

Z3-Calandar.jpg
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with the old boy!! Got a 3.0i myself.
And Z42.5 are good but early ones only 5cog. But you are used to that in the Z3.
Both good choices.
D
 
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