Looking for One's in All The Wrong Places?

[MrGalactic]

So I've only been searching online for a few weeks but it seems clear the 6MT's with < 100k miles are pretty rare now. And in a convertible, forget about it.

Anyways, I thought I'd pick your collective brains to make sure I'm looking in all the right places. Here are the sites I'm stalking on a daily basis. Are there any other sites or resources I should check into? Thanks in advance.

Bring-A-Trailer
Autotrader
CarFax
Edmunds
Cars.com
TrueCar
Carvana
CarGurus
AutoTempest (supposedly searches many of the above-mentioned sites)

-Future 1Series Owner

[dfox]

I traveled a bit while I was searching, flew to CA to check out a car, funny though because it threw a CEL on my test drive and I went home empty handed.

I ultimately found my 1 convertible 6mt on facebook marketplace...

[lucahemi@gmail.com]

Snagged my 6 speed E88 on BaT!

[ZHPizza]

As grimey as it is you should really include Facebook marketplace in your search

[Meestah Chow]

There's also CarsAndBids.

There will probably be more choice as the we get through winter. I'm sure people had other things to do in December than list their cars.

If you don't mind importing a car from Canada, I've seen some promising cars last year. British Columbia doesn't salt their roads so rust isn't that big a deal. Long road trip though.

[Josh-PA]

Agree re: FB marketplace and even Craigslist. Some private sellers just don't want the cost of paid ads on autotrader, etc. I also suggest keeping an eye on the bmwcca classifieds and forum for sale sections, here, bimmerfest and whichever other ones are popular. There is a site called autotempest that will search multiple for sale websites and conglomerate the results for you

[MrGalactic]

Thanks everyone!! - CCA Classifieds & Cars & Bids were not on my radar, now added. And as dicey as FB Marketplace and Craigslist sellers can be, i'll add those sites but if you don't see another post from me it's because I'm locked in some weirdo's basement out in the woods


lucahemi@gmail.com Car looks great! Wish I had the patience for Black, more power to ya! Was the buying process on BAT pretty easy?

[lucahemi@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by MrGalactic

Thanks everyone!! - CCA Classifieds & Cars & Bids were not on my radar, now added. And as dicey as FB Marketplace and Craigslist sellers can be, i'll add those sites but if you don't see another post from me it's because I'm locked in some weirdo's basement out in the woods


lucahemi@gmail.com Car looks great! Wish I had the patience for Black, more power to ya! Was the buying process on BAT pretty easy?

Yes was easy and everything has gone smoothly! Zero complaints here

[cerealwars]

In my searches I found probably 10-15 manual convertibles before I found a manual coupe. Had to drive four hours away and back to get it. A sub-100k manual vert shouldn't be too hard to find. Convertibles also tend to be lower mileage since they often get put away for half the year or are weekend cars. Hold out and you'll find the one.

Good luck dude!

[JustAnotherSportsCar]

I found my ‘08 6MT 135 vert on Cars and Bids. Bought it cheap, then spent about the same amount bringing it up to what I consider acceptable condition. It had 93,xxx miles, has about 97,xxx now.

I’ve added the PPK2 if you are interested.

[HappyDuck]

Originally Posted by lucahemi@gmail.com

Snagged my 6 speed E88 on BaT!

Love those wheels!

[MrGalactic]

Originally Posted by cerealwars

In my searches I found probably 10-15 manual convertibles before I found a manual coupe. Had to drive four hours away and back to get it. A sub-100k manual vert shouldn't be too hard to find. Convertibles also tend to be lower mileage since they often get put away for half the year or are weekend cars. Hold out and you'll find the one.

Good luck dude!

I appreciate the encouragement! I hope you're right about <100k vert mt's not being too hard to find.

[lemansblau135is]

I went to most of those places, too. Finally ordered one through carmax. Paid extra, but the car was low milage, local, bought the warranty (which I've 2x over since).

[mkeiser]

when I found mine it was listed as an automatic on the site. so if you don't mind a bit more leg work, don't filter out automatics and use a VIN decoder.

[BikeNHV]

This site.

I look through the classifieds here for shits n' giggles, and I see quite a few cars that I wouldn't mind owning.

I got mine on Craigslist, but that was 2015. I looked at two reasonably-affordable, sub-100k mile early 128i manual coupes that were local-ish. Both were decent candidates. 08 sport and 09 base. The 08 was a more interesting car, "year 1 of the 1" and an 08-only color, but picked the 09 base because it drove better and the interior was in better shape.

In retrospect I should have bought both

[WeryPert1]

Found my 2010 Coupe on Craigslist, in another state. Just 38k miles on it when I bought it in 2019 (and 50k now). Took a few months of looking though so be patient.

[GoRomeo]

I bought mine on OfferUp ☝️😁

[MrGalactic]

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

I bought mine on OfferUp ☝️😁

OfferUp, nice one - i will add this to the list.

I'm trying to be patient guys, i really am

[NorthernDancer]

I bought my 08 in 11 and it was 1212 miles away. Still have it.

[Finneganistan]

Originally Posted by Josh-PA

Agree re: FB marketplace and even Craigslist. Some private sellers just don't want the cost of paid ads on autotrader, etc. I also suggest keeping an eye on the bmwcca classifieds and forum for sale sections, here, bimmerfest and whichever other ones are popular. There is a site called autotempest that will search multiple for sale websites and conglomerate the results for you

I found my '13 135Is on Craigslist a couple months ago. Got a fair deal and am very pleased! In fact, my last several car buys and sells have been through CL. It cost me five bucks to list my boxster two weeks ago, and it was gone almost immediately.

[JoeH128]

BMWUSA website currently shows 3 cars, all convertibles, with manual transmission and <100,000 mi. Another 12 cars, also with <100,000 mi, are listed with no indication of transmission type.

[ejm3]

I am the original owner of a stock 2012 135i convertible 6-speed with 75k miles that's never even seen the rain.
I'm not selling thought, at least not yet.
Any new fun convertible with a manual is like $100k now (M3, 718 Boxter).
Though now that the Z4 is available in a 6-speed I have my eye on that...