Tricky Business this loooking to buy!

[Deek]

You start digging……
Car has a decent service record in terms of stamps in booklet but look at MOT history and failures for things that should not happen for a car like this; bald tyres and shoddy brakes.

Car has poor service record in terms of gaps in years but mileage v low between services (8 years in one case). But has a good clean MOT history.

I can go on ……

 

[Deek]

There’s not many that hit ‘the sweet spot’!

 

[bigwinn]

That’s half the fun of looking

 

[RedUn]

Avoid...if it's been run on 8yr old oil that could be asking for trouble, low mileage or not

 

[Pondy]

There’s not many that hit ‘the sweet spot’!

That is the case for almost everything I have seen in the last few years, no matter what car it is.

If you can find a genuinely looked after car it will be priced at a massive premium IME.

 

[Mr Tidy]

It's always the same, you just have to decide what you can live with.

At one point my 330i went nearly 5 years between services, but it had done plenty of miles with proper servicing subsequently so I took a punt and more than 6 years later it still performs brilliantly.

Just realised this is in M Specific. I would run away from an M that went 8 years without a service!

 

[mark seeker]

You start digging……
Car has a decent service record in terms of stamps in booklet but look at MOT history and failures for things that should not happen for a car like this; bald tyres and shoddy brakes.

Car has poor service record in terms of gaps in years but mileage v low between services (8 years in one case). But has a good clean MOT history.

I can go on ……

8 years without a service, unless it was in storage I wouldn't consider it. The probability is that the paperwork was lost but whenever you come to sell the car on, most will have the same concerns as you (unless its hugely discounted - IMO)

 

[Vanne]

8 years without a service, unless it was in storage I wouldn't consider it. The probability is that the paperwork was lost but whenever you come to sell the car on, most will have the same concerns as you (unless its hugely discounted - IMO)

These cars are now 20+ years old, in another ownership or 2 they will be 30 years old, NO ONE is going to be asking service history for a 30 year old car. You’ll just be lucky to be able to buy one if it’s that they are still around.

If your looking to flip it, then yeah, I’d worry about that, but I sure as heck wouldn’t be buying into these cars to flip, the market for wanna be owners is quite small. And if your buying it to drive and hang onto to it, buy on condition.. condition first, history a distant 2nd. You’ll know as soon as you see the vehicle whether it’s had a hard life or not, and more so when you open the door.

Enjoy the search..