Viewing Zed with Mechanic

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DonkeyKong

Member
Hi Everyone,

I am currently looking out for a oldish Z4, facelifted so 2006 or newer, with a budget of 8k.

There are some good examples on Autotrader which ticks all the boxes.

I have read up on the good advice from this forum on what to look out for and try not be swayed by the sheer beauty of the car (difficult), and instead look for any signs of imperfections, so i'm considering bringing a mechanic friend along to check the car out so hopefully any potential work on the car can be used as a haggling tool, as well as peace of mind so i dont get any nasty surprises once i hand over the ££££!

Just wandering if anyone has experience of this and if its money (for the mechanics time) well spent?
 
Can't do any harm although I don't think there's a great deal to look for, especially if you can't look underneath the car.

Personally I'd be offended if someone brought a mechanic and tried to find fault with mine as I know it's been looked after like a baby :lol:
 
Yes i guess there is that with regards to some people taking offence.

Obviously if the cars fairly old then you would expect wear n tear, and things will need replacing eventually, but there are owners out there who do cut corners so unless you know what to look for, theres every chance you could get stung with a pretty stiff bill afterwards.

I guess for total peace of mind i could always look for an Approved Used from BMW but then i'd have to drop my pants and bend over lol
 
DonkeyKong said:
Yes i guess there is that with regards to some people taking offence.

Obviously if the cars fairly old then you would expect wear n tear, and things will need replacing eventually, but there are owners out there who do cut corners so unless you know what to look for, theres every chance you could get stung with a pretty stiff bill afterwards.

I guess for total peace of mind i could always look for an Approved Used from BMW but then i'd have to drop my pants and bend over lol
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There was mention on a thread earlier today about cars coming back from service At the dealer and basic service items not changed, or changed with bad workmanship one resulting in leaves getting blown into the cabin through the air vents, so if unsure take some one with you, do be afraid to walk away from a car if uncertain,
 
Not sure if taking a mechanic is a great idea really. Better to do your own research first (you're in the right place). Once you know the main glitches to look out for make sure you go for a long test drive and get the car up to running temperature.
It's always a risk buying privately; one rule of thumb is do you like and trust the owner - what is your gut telling you? Also how long has he/she had the car and why are they selling? If you want some sort of comeback after you've driven it away then you'll have to pay a bit more and buy from respected dealer.
 
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