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      02-24-2018, 11:44 AM   #1
us_gh
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Drives: 2017 Volt, 135i Vert next week
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: CT

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Buying a 135i Convertible in and around CT

The 135i I was looking at turned out to be a mess after inspection.

Quite a few people noticed the car I was looking at was too good to be true, and it was. So I want to make sure I know what is good enough to be true.

I'm looking to buy a 135i convertible with a DCT. My goal is to pay 14,500 out the door but maybe that's unreasonable...

All the cars I'm seeing that meet that price point have something weird about them:
  1. 2011 BMW 135i M-Sport, iDrive, 54k miles, asking for 13,950 in Virginia.

    That would probably be too good to be true... but 3 owners and the last owner got in two accidents in 3 months .

    Neither seems to be obviously their fault (swiped and rear ended). No obvious body panel issues from repairs, and it was driven away from both accidents, but obviously puts a damper on things.

    Would you ever consider a car like this? At what price does the accident history become something you can ignore?

  2. 2011 BMW 135i M-Sport, 79k miles, asking for 12k in Florida.

    One personal owner but it almost looks like maybe it started life as a... lemon (that's just my hunch)

    CarFax starts at 16k miles with "Listed as manufacturer vehicle and sold at auction", and only from there does it follow a "normal" single owner story. CarFax claims it's not a lemon, but I've read that lemons don't have to be reported in all states so...

    Anyways, the single owner takes it with them to Florida, some dealer buys it, and they haven't been able to sell it in over a year (so it's down 5k from it's original price).

    The guy drove it for years and it was always serviced at the dealer, so I have a good feeling about the car (looks clean and well kept), but it's also *really* cheap, and the dealer is one of those dealers that will literally sell anything (they've got Crown Vic Interceptors with hoods that won't close packed like sardines on their lot...) so I'm worried to say the least.

  3. 2011 BMW 135i M-Sport, iDrive, 50k miles, asking for *14k in Florida.

    *Listed at 15k, but was 13k just a few months ago according to price history, lets be optimistic and pessimistic and say I get them to go halfway to the price they had at the middle of winter...

    Single owner, one accident listed, couldn't get details without calling

  4. 2011 BMW 135i M-Sport, iDrive, 95k miles(!), asking for *12k in Georgia.

    Single owner, one accident listed, couldn't get details without calling

Do any of these not sound as bad as I think they are?
Are my goals too lofty?
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