New Member

[lurker]

Hi Guys,

I have finally found the 135i I have been looking for a while. Taking advantage of the economy being bad, and have picked up a fully optioned 135i for high 60s.

Just wanted to say hello, and get your guys opinions on the car:

http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-car/...sn7023958.aspx

A few questions for you guys:

* Is the price good?
* Do you think the current market is deflated and will return. I am hoping if I need to sell the car in a year or two, I can do it without losing much, but redbook says max private sale is around $60k which is alot less than I am paying, but I see none cheaper/better.
* Anything I should be looking out for buying this? Seems to be unmodified and BMW serviced.

Cheers guys!!

-- Lurker

[05C4R]

you'll sell your kids in a year or two before you sell that

[lurker]

You could be right.... but I have a specific need for this car for around 18 months. Money for it is coming off mortgage, so just hoping to get the use of it for that time and sell it for max $$$.

Planning to add a Procede to it, and that is about it.

[MikeVictor]

Originally Posted by lurker

Hi Guys,

A few questions for you guys:

* Is the price good?
* Do you think the current market is deflated and will return. I am hoping if I need to sell the car in a year or two, I can do it without losing much, but redbook says max private sale is around $60k which is alot less than I am paying, but I see none cheaper/better.
* Anything I should be looking out for buying this? Seems to be unmodified and BMW serviced.

Cheers guys!!

-- Lurker

To be straight and to the point:

1. The price is good if that's what you're prepared to/ can afford to pay. You don't need to search this forum much to find out how much we all like driving our cars.
2. Cars do not equal investments. They're not assets. Buy it because you want to drive it. If you're worried about resale don't buy it.
3. Your licence. Loss of points can be a possibility due to the loose nut behind the wheel.

[Tj303]

i've "spotted" this car before, turning off Sussex St and hooning up towards Kent St.

Looks good but be careful what he means by "fully optioned" -- with so many options available on the 135i you think you'd list them all individually as a selling point. For example, he has got mentioned the Hifi-10 speaker but Logic 7 is the higher option.

[Zuzu]

Couldnt see him paying $92,500 for the car even with those options with no metalic paint..

I paid less for a vert at the same time he purchased his in May 08 with similar options and metalic paint.

As long as you are happy mate with the 18.5K Km's on the dial and the price you are paying..You have only yourself to answer to..

[lurker]

Thanks for the info guys. Purchase price is interesting. I have the 135i brochure in front of me and I know the options from seeing the car:

Base price: $72800
PDC F+R: $715
Sunroof: $2920
Adaptive headlights: $940
Comfort Access: $1500
BMW Nav Pro: $5050
Hifi 10 Pro: $2080
Electric seat Memory: $2910
Lumbar: $640
iPod interface: ????

I get $89.5k without on-road costs. $92.5k seems about right to me with onroad costs. Also, having seen the car, and gone down the options list, it has almost every one except the active steer. Logic 7 is no metioned in the brochure. Have I calculated wrong, or was BMW offering good discounts around a year ago. Also prices have probably gone up in the last year from BMW. What is a realistic driveaway price on a new 135i with similar options right now given the current economy? Are BMW offering discounts? Should I buy new?

I realise a car is not an asset, but I am buying this for different reasons to most, and know that I will be selling it in about 18 months. My plan was just to get a nice car for 18 months and then maximise return. I had hoped that the poor economy would get me a near new car with alot of depreciation and hopefully when I come to sell the economy will be better, and I do not wear as much depreciation. Time will tell. I am going to lose money and have a great car to enjoy for 18 months. Any car I own will depreciated, but hopfully I can own a nicer car with similar levels of depreciation to a new cheaper car.

I know a thing or two about keeping licenses!! My track car WRX is registered and would leave the 135i for dead... 250kW ATW, AWD and 400m in mid 11s. But with no interior, and race suspension, it is not so good for day to day!!

[05C4R]

you want to know what you'll lose. well what would you pay for a 3 year old 135i with say 50-60,000kms on the clock.
don't worry about options, other then a sunroof they are meaningless after a couple years so its all about k's and condition. Say its still unmarked and clean. i'd give ya $54,000 for it. thats what it'll cost you to own it for 2 years, about $8,000 per year.

[bfi2906]

The car market has deteriorated since this car was purchased, therefore, it probably owes him more that it would if he bought it today. Dealers are a lot more inclined to discount 135's now than the were 12 months ago.

Folks are getting new cars for mid / high 70's OTR. Options don't usually add much to the value of a second-hand car, they just make it easier to sell. Certainly that's the case from a dealer.

I guess the question you have to answer for your self is -- Is paying $7K - $8K more and getting a new car, with known history and 3 yrs warranty, better for your purposes, than saving the money and getting some extras.

It's a personal preference -- I went for the new car.

[Sprey]

Welcome to this obsessive compulsive world, 'lurker'. Whatever is the case, buying 'preloved' would see a lesser depreciation than those of us who bought 'new'.

But whatever is the case, in my opinion the E82 is worth every cent.

[lurker]

Thanks for the opinions guys.

Unfortuantely the car will not be long term for me as much as I would like it to be. Have cut into the mortgage line of credit for this one to enjoy for 18 months or so, and just trying to minimise my loss there. It is a buyers market at the moment, so hopefully that has worked in my favour.... having said that, I am also selling a car that was depreciating also... no matter what I have it depreciates... this will just be a little more than my Renault Clio Sports runabout!!

I have never owned a luxury road car, so looking forward to the experience. I have however owned some very fast cars, but generally enjoy them in a motorsports environment at the track. So the 135i is not going to rock my socks off performance wise, but it will certainly be by far the most livable car I have owned with good performance and still comfort for every day use.

Great to meet you guys!!

[RadiuM]

Originally Posted by lurker

Electric seat Memory: $2910

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this standard? you put your key in and it moves to your saved position?

Ipod interface is just a cable, 160$ odd. They should throw this in when you buy it.

[Timbo]

yeah when I bought electric seat and lumbar were standard... not sure if it's changed.

Still think it's a pretty good price though!

[Zuzu]

Originally Posted by Timbo

yeah when I bought electric seat and lumbar were standard... not sure if it's changed.

Still think it's a pretty good price though!

Was standard in May 08 when I purchased..

[takahashi]

Seat and electric seat memory are standard and yes they are still personalised to the key inserted or in my case the key in my pocket.

Whatever you buy lurker, car is a luxury item. You enjoy it everyday and you have to pay for it. I cut back a lot of money to modify my race car since it is money down the drain at the end. Boy, I got a lot of joy out of it --- some better than sex.

If you budget yourself and prepare to lose some money after 18 months - go for it. Remember if you put the money into mortgage or finance $70000. You are effectively losing around $3500 a year. If you invest the $70K, you may be losing more (when eco recovers) or less depends on market.

After all, I see my second car is luxury item and the replaying I made every month... I don't think I see them back in this depreciating asset. I may get about 65% after 3-4 years if I have low mileage and the residual is 35%.... you calculate the sum after interest...

However, if I did not buy a BMW now and wait until I pay off the mortage first... I will be too old to enjoy it.

[Zuzu]

Originally Posted by takahashi

Boy, I got a lot of joy out of it --- some better than sex.

Taka... I think you have inhaled to much exhaust fumes mate...

NOTHING is better than sex...

[takahashi]

... hmm. I don't know about that. Sometimes getting sex is more expansive than some of my mod. It can be time consuming....

Better get back to the topic.

[Tj303]

Originally Posted by lurker

Thanks for the info guys. Purchase price is interesting. I have the 135i brochure in front of me and I know the options from seeing the car:

Base price: $72800
PDC F+R: $715
Sunroof: $2920
Adaptive headlights: $940
Comfort Access: $1500
BMW Nav Pro: $5050
Hifi 10 Pro: $2080
Electric seat Memory: $2910
Lumbar: $640
iPod interface: ????

Logic 7 is no metioned in the brochure.

my bad, i think Logic 7 is what the yanks call it... Hifi 10 Pro is the top optioned hifi here. I still get confused between the "Hifi System Professional" and the "Hifi loudspeaker system with 10 speakers", especially as i have the latter and the head unit says "professional" on it

[takahashi]

Does it???

I don't have that option and my head unit also said BMW Professional!!!!???

[Tj303]

i think they all say Professional i dunno lol

[takahashi]

I see ///

I wanna see if I can buy a cheap 4Gb flash drive. Just found out that my collection is a pathetic 3.28Gb

[sparoz]

Electric seat and lumbar's standard - but definitely check if it's really fully optioned. Apart from Sunroof and Paint the options depreciate a lot quicker like everyone else says.

However, I still think high 6s a good price, considering my wife's 125 is in the low 7s.

Like everyone else says, treat your car as an expense, a 2nd hand car will always depreciate less than a new car.

A car with low mileage always sells more, but another years the car probably worth just around the 50 mark if you are lucky.

Personally, I don't like to use line of credit to buy cars to have fun. I always work on a passive income to cover car expenses.