Would you buy a 135i with a clean Carfax, but had been in a wreck?

[xlr231]

I'm thinking about buying a 135i, it has a clean Carfax, but when I went to look at it the dealer had a stack of service records for it. I was looking through them and there were receipts for 2 trips to the body shop. One looked like it was for a front collision. It listed a bumper cover and a front wheel bearing.

I think the second was a rear end collision. Both looked to be minor, the bills were under $2000.

Does this look to be a good deal or should I stay away from it?

here is the listing: Cargurus

[chadillac2000]

When a car is listed for thousands less than market value, there's usually a reason. Especially when it looks to be clean with decently low mileage.

It seems as if you've already found some conflicting information judging actual receipts and Carfax accident records.

Did you drive it?

[xlr231]

Yes, I drove it. It seemed to drive ok, at that point I hadn't seen the service records yet. I probably need to drive it again and pay closer attention before I'd make an offer on it.

I think the dealer wants to just get rid of it, they've had it a year now and have way more cars than they have room for in their facility. They also told me it had just had the oil pan gasket replaced along with the accessory belt, and some other stuff.

On the other hand the guy also told me it was all original paint and it had never been wrecked when I asked, before I drove it. Maybe I just need to keep looking.

[chadillac2000]

Originally Posted by xlr231

Yes, I drove it. It seemed to drive ok, at that point I hadn't seen the service records yet. I probably need to drive it again and pay closer attention before I'd make an offer on it.

I think the dealer wants to just get rid of it, they've had it a year now and have way more cars than they have room for in their facility. They also told me it had just had the oil pan gasket replaced along with the accessory belt, and some other stuff.

On the other hand the guy also told me it was all original paint and it had never been wrecked when I asked, before I drove it. Maybe I just need to keep looking.

Hard to argue with that price if you aren't looking for a garage queen and you wouldn't mind getting your hands dirty if some things needed replacing. Oil pan gasket could mean they're chasing an oil leak, which may not be fully corrected. Hard to imagine why a 135i would sit for a year at $10,900 with 80,000 miles on the odometer unless something was up, but you never know? Could be worth taking a chance on if it drives strong.

[xlr231]

I think they recently lowered it because they'd had it a year, I think they had it listed at $14,900.

I'm also looking at a 2011 at the local BMW dealer with similar miles, but it's about $5K more. It is nicer, should be more reliable, and has the DCT. But I live in an apartment and my car is always getting covered in tree sap and pollen, so maybe I'd better off with a car that isn't as nice for now.

[mr.fabulous]

I wouldn't worry much about superficial accident damage. But I wouldn't buy a 1-er without the MSport kit (just MHO... sit in one before you decide).

Any dealer with inventory that old is dying to get rid of it. Offer them $8K and see what happens.

[MightyMouseTech]

Honestly, under $2k is a parking lot ding.

[tock172]

I wouldn't touch that car with a 10 ft. pole. The alignment of the hood is totally off in the photos and the paint looks very inconsistent. The fact that the repair was not documented on the vehicle history report is scary, and likely means the repair was not a professional affair.

[doublevanosrc]

Originally Posted by tock172

I wouldn't touch that car with a 10 ft. pole. The alignment of the hood is totally off in the photos and the paint looks very inconsistent. The fact that the repair was not documented on the vehicle history report is scary, and likely means the repair was not a professional affair.

Agreed the hood is misaligned. RUN AWAY!!!

[NVHoo]

First, hood misalignment is usually an easy fix adjusting a few bolts. The service department should do it for you before you buy. Last time I had a front end repair, the hood was mis-aligned, I bitched, and it was fixed in a few minutes while I waited.
Second, not all body repairs are reported to Carfax. Each state is different on what level of damage must be reported to the state. In many states, like NV, it only has to be reported if the car was totaled. Insurance companies and body shops have no requirement to report accidents to Carfax and many don't unless required by law. Information missing from Carfax is not an indication of fraud.
Third, as someone mentioned, $2K in body work is a parking lot bump for a BMW.
Fourth, if the repairs were several years ago, then that would indicate to me that the owner was happy with the repairs. If they are more recent, get a body shop to inspect it.

[KNS]

Sometimes a parking lot bump requiring a new bumper cover will be defined as a "collision" and may or may not end up on Carfax (which can be full of errors and mistakes on even a clean car).

If the car is everything you're looking for otherwise it wouldn't stop me.

I personally think Carfax has done just as much to hurt used car sales as they have to help the used car buyer. One small error in mileage on the keyboard (as you're getting emissions testing, for example) can cause a host of problems that can be a royal PIA to get sorted out.

[Gangplank]

Car fax is only part of the story. If it shows an accident there was one. If it's clean that doesn't mean there wasn't one, just that it wasn't reported.

Take it to a good recommended Indy bmw shop and pay them to do a pre purchase inspection. They will find more repairs needed than the inspection costs you. Then either you'll know to run away or have the info you need to haggle a better deal.

[STR8-6IX]

if it was only a new bumper and no frame damage, I think its worth a shot.

then again, the fact its been sitting there for a year makes me thing otherwise...

[Mr Rooty Von Tooty]

The car is 8 model years old with 85K miles. Any dealer would be happy to get $10K+ for it. These cars aren't worth much, because they weren't too popular to begin with. Don't forget it is a "discontinued" model.

If you can, look up the body shops and ask them if they can recall the repairs. As far as the condition of the car, I can't tell a damn thing from those photos, but nearly any body shop could tell you.

If I wanted the car, I'd offer him eight and give him my card. He'd be a calling me.