Did I get a good deal?? (128i)

[Happy Jose]

Originally Posted by duder13

That's exactly why you buy from CarMax (and also buy the MaxCare warranty.) I bought my 135i from there and the headlights took on water the first week (probably weren't sealed properly after last bulb change.) They paid the BMW dealer for the $4500 bill to replace all the headlights and controllers, and it was painless. Then, 2 weeks later, my charge pipe blew, and MaxCare covered it. I haven't had any issues in the 9 months since, but that initial 30 day warranty gives you enough time to figure out what's wrong with the car and fix it for free, and then, if you buy MaxCare for a couple of grand, you have the same easy maintenance for 5 more years.

Assuming I could find a car I wanted at CarMax, I'd buy it just so I could get the MaxCare warranty. It can't be beat being backed by a major used car company.

[smeard]

Originally Posted by Olgeezer1

Have to agree. If you want the last of the old time BMW's, this is it. The price, if you plan on keeping it is almost irrelevant. You will not see a 6MT, N.A straight 6, hydraulic steering etc. ever again - they're gone, and you've got one.

yup! I found low priced 2014 320i and a 2013 328i, but steering feel on the F30 was so lackluster, throttle response was not great at all and shifting felt hollow and rubbery on the manual car (auto one was quick shifting and great, but my left leg would've killed itself out of boredom). My brother picked up a 2012 F30 328i M/T, and although more luxurious the feel of "Ultimate Driving Machine" just isn't there. He got it cuz MPG is AMAZING with the n20 engine and it is very practical.

[smeard]

Originally Posted by Happy Jose

Assuming I could find a car I wanted at CarMax, I'd buy it just so I could get the MaxCare warranty. It can't be beat being backed by a major used car company.

I did not purchase MaxCare but my indy is awesome and he takes care of me and my baby

[Rmtt]

When I decided to pick up a new daily driver, I looked for about 3 months before the one I just bought came along.

2011 128i with 70,000 miles, M-Sport, 6 Speed in Alpine White. I wanted a bare bones car, but did have to settle for one with a sunroof.

I paid less than $10k, and it was a 2 owner car that came with all it's needed service records plus brand new tires as well.

[smeard]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

When I decided to pick up a new daily driver, I looked for about 3 months before the one I just bought came along.

2011 128i with 70,000 miles, M-Sport, 6 Speed in Alpine White. I wanted a bare bones car, but did have to settle for one with a sunroof.

I paid less than $10k, and it was a 2 owner car that came with all it's needed service records plus brand new tires as well.

Congrats! was oil pan, OFHG and water pump already done?

[doublevanosrc]

Originally Posted by captain slowly

The honest answer is you overpaid. That is always the case with Carmax.
At the end of the day, if you are satisfied with the car, its all worth it.

This^^

I used to work at Carmax and they're a joke. Better deals are out there.

[duder13]

Originally Posted by smeard

I did not purchase MaxCare but my indy is awesome and he takes care of me and my baby

For free??? My $2000 MaxCare warranty has already saved me $5500 in the first year.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by smeard

Congrats! was oil pan, OFHG and water pump already done?

Everything but the water pump....although the coolant has been flushed at least twice during the PO's ownership.

I know it's coming, but just couldn't pass the car up after looking so long. Plus it had brand new Michelin Pilot tires on it!

[smeard]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Everything but the water pump....although the coolant has been flushed at least twice during the PO's ownership.

I know it's coming, but just couldn't pass the car up after looking so long. Plus it had brand new Michelin Pilot tires on it!

Very good find man!!

[smeard]

Originally Posted by duder13

For free??? My $2000 MaxCare warranty has already saved me $5500 in the first year.

Damn near free! I used to work for him and still help him with financial and legal stuff, he did my oil pan gasket recently, charged 10% of what dealer quoted

[smeard]

Originally Posted by doublevanosrc

This^^

I used to work at Carmax and they're a joke. Better deals are out there.

True, true. However, I love this car because it is nearly exactly how I would have specced it new and at a well-within-budget $14k. Also, car was local and I legitimately couldn't find another M sport manual in my state for sale at the time! There were various ///M cars and N54 cars, but either way outside budget or too many miles. CarMax isn't the best, but my bank and I appreciated how easy the transaction was.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by smeard

True, true. However, I love this car because it is nearly exactly how I would have specced it new and at a well-within-budget $14k. Also, car was local and I legitimately couldn't find another M sport manual in my state for sale at the time! There were various ///M cars and N54 cars, but either way outside budget or too many miles. CarMax isn't the best, but my bank and I appreciated how easy the transaction was.

As long as you are happy, that is all that matters.

Honestly I think I was very lucky with my find. I have had two texts from the PO wondering if I would be willing to sell the car back to him as now he regrets it.

It's shocking as he also has an E90 M3. Told him maybe we could work out a trade/deal........but he isn't parting with that car.

[Zombie_Head]

Originally Posted by The Wind Breezes

It's a fair deal if you're happy with it. Real "deals" aren't super common but will make your head spin.

I was going to say this, the only "fair deals" are if you find a car that meets nearly all of your options (almost impossible to find that perfect one) and financially to you it is a sound purchase.

Unless you spent €10K+ over the market price ^^

[bobdavisnpf]

Got our '12 135i vert, 45K, M sport for 17K from friend-of-a-friend. PPI turned up 3-4K work needed; seller was unimpressed and stuck with the 17K. We got it anyway, as my wife likes it, as do I - and paid the ask, rather than upset friendships. Could we have gotten a better deal? No, as we were not in the market (after a debacle buying & returning a 328i last summer, for a $3K loss): if we passed on this, we would not have bought anything.

[smeard]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

As long as you are happy, that is all that matters.

Honestly I think I was very lucky with my find. I have had two texts from the PO wondering if I would be willing to sell the car back to him as now he regrets it.

It's shocking as he also has an E90 M3. Told him maybe we could work out a trade/deal........but he isn't parting with that car.

wow e90 m3 is rare too compared to e92! Must have one helluva car brother

[smeard]

Originally Posted by Zombie_Head

I was going to say this, the only "fair deals" are if you find a car that meets nearly all of your options (almost impossible to find that perfect one) and financially to you it is a sound purchase.

Unless you spent €10K+ over the market price ^^

this is the perfect spec for a 128i, even if i ordered from factory. Literally exactly to spec. Sapphire Black metallic on black (maybe real leather would've been nice, but i dont want power or heated so its a compromise), m sport, manual, xenons and i actually wanted sunroof unlike many on here. I love the car and plan on hangin on to it!

[smeard]

Originally Posted by bobdavisnpf

Got our '12 135i vert, 45K, M sport for 17K from friend-of-a-friend. PPI turned up 3-4K work needed; seller was unimpressed and stuck with the 17K. We got it anyway, as my wife likes it, as do I - and paid the ask, rather than upset friendships. Could we have gotten a better deal? No, as we were not in the market (after a debacle buying & returning a 328i last summer, for a $3K loss): if we passed on this, we would not have bought anything.

$17k isn't bad for a 135 with that mileage, but like me you could have gotten a cheaper deal. The whole buying from friends thing can be good and bad, but if you like the car then it was still a way better deal than paying the 50-60k price brand new for that beast!

[Rmtt]

I would have loved to went with a 135i. But there are so many of 335i's and quite a bit of 135i's where I live that that the whole time I was researching the cars....pricing was questionable.

Most were priced lower than you would think and it seemed like most people were "dumping" them around the same average mileage.

It just raised a red flag that maybe people were starting to have issues, and trying to pawn them off on others. Most of the time when I would see these cars out, the drivers were typically young and really beating on the car.

Now if I didn't have the Corvette, and the 135i was going to be my weekend toy, I would have picked one up in as good a shape as I could find in a heartbeat...and just budgeted for the potential money that I know I may be spending in the future.

But since I was looking for a new DD....I went for the 128i.