Things to look for when buying a 1M

Almo · 09-02-2015, 05:03 AM

Hi guys,

I am new to the forum and have never owned a BMW before. I currently have an alfa 147GTA that is the first of my future collection.

I have msg'd on a couple of other threads before I was able to start a new one. Probably better to continue on here rather than completely hijacking the other ones!

I was asking people for there advice on things to look for when looking at 1Ms. I have had some good advice so far.

Service history is naturally a must, but what would you expect? I searched for the schedule and found that between the initial 1200 service and a big 30k service there is scheduled to just be one oil change at 16k and nothing else? Am I looking in the wrong place? Surely oil needs to be changed more than every 16k? What is the deal with the 5 year BMW service package? Would that include the big 30k service? I believe this includes, diff oil, MT fluid, plugs and brake fluid? How much am I looking at for that service if not covered by the package? Because the one I am looking at is on 27k miles.

The other thing i was warned to look for was any paint respray. Apparently the main dealers were keen on spraying bad sections and not all done well.

I am currently looking at a VO 1M in Plymouth, I have been to look and it looks in very good condition. I didn't go into too much detail because my main first look was to see whether I liked the car in the flesh. I loved it. It was an independent garage (Someone did point out that it might not be ideal buying a £40k car from a garage that ranges from 3k to 40k!) I will bear this in mind when I go next. They are independent and source the cars rather than buy locally. The sales guy seemed reasonably knowledgeable about performance cars in general, having worked at Lotus and TVR, but wasn't too hot on the 1M, although I can live with that. They are very reputable around this way.

I looked underneath and it looked brand new! I literally wouldn't have been able to tell it wasn't new from beneath. The only thing i picked up (But didn't bring up) was that the front bumper seemed to have a smaller gap between the bumper and headlights on one side than on the other. I guess that could suggest that it's been removed.

Anyway I have written an absolute essay here, sorry for that! I am looking with the intention of keeping this car for a long time. I bought my Alfa GTA after getting hooked and realising they were appreciating, it's about doubled in price now. I want to make sure i buy a Mint 1M.

Cheers,
Alex

p.s. any advice is more than welcome, here is the one I am looking at:

http://www.motorcityplymouth.co.uk/u...-series-m-1617

PaulMcA · 09-02-2015, 06:46 AM

Alex, I have replied on the other thread.

Servicing is not done on just mileage it is age too. And generally down to the onboard computer telling you when a service is required. As an example mine is a 2011 car just done 24k miles and just had a recent service. In the period since first registering mine has had 4 services, first one was at 879 miles. Generally speaking a service should be one at least every 24 months.

Again, look through the service book and speak to the dealer and they'll have a record if you give them the reg or VIN number.

Almo · 09-02-2015, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulMcA

Alex,

Link for mine is here http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...-white/4520138

...and more pics here from my detailer, just click on the pic of my 1M on the front page http://www.cambridgeautogleam.com/gallery.html

My thoughts...

If the car is THAT immaculate, I'd be concerned. I'd expect stonechips and a few minor marks around the front and check the underneath of the front bumper for scrapes - It's a used car that has done 26k miles and some minor marks from use show originality.

Check stickers on inside of door shuts are there.
Check when it was last serviced and by whom - then call that dealer and ask about any history they know of.
Was the 'M' Service done in the recommended time frames/mileage?
Check supplying dealer - same as above.
How many owners.. check V5 document and contact previous owner if you can. Not always easy, but at least get their details. See if on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
I would want to know where they got the car from! Why would they not tell you if nothing to hide and genuine?

Tyres all the same brand on all four wheels? Depth and condition?

As for Warranty.. It will be worth diddly, no matter what they say. Warranty Direct, etc. All crap.
Only warranty worth anything on these cars is a BMW one. I and many would not buy an BMW 'M' car without a BMW warranty.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Almo View Post
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the response, can you send me a link to yours?

I understand what you're saying about not being a specialist. I have been to see the garage. It is a bit random that they have it, but they are also massive petrolheads. I did ask how they came about the car, and they got it in from their usual network source. The thing i can't understand is, it looks really underpriced. It looked IMMACULATE. I looked underneath and it genuinely looked like a brand new showroom car. Their reputation around here is amazing, they do a ridiculous warranty and after sales package with all cars. I definitely trust them, I think maybe they took a punt with this to see if there is any scope to branch out.

Are there any signs you would look out for? I guess it is very close to a big service at 30k? I read somewhere that you can look at the info system to see how long certain bits have until need changing?

Paul, Thanks for the thoughts, firstly, your car looks amazing, you are quite clearly in the know about these. I was only really looking for the Valencia Orange, but you have me tempted. Those seats really make the interior standout more.

With regards to the VO one I posted a link to, there are signs of a few stone chips at the front, the back bumper has a small blemish, which i guess all suggest that the paint hasn't been touched, but something I will look into more. The thing i was amazed by was the underneath looking so good. They offered to get it up on the ramps, but I will save that for if I go back again for a closer look. Thanks for the suggestion, I will definitely check the underside of the front bumper.

All good advice, I am compiling a big list to go back with!

bdaddylo · 09-02-2015, 09:11 AM

Here in the States, the oil services are every 12 months or when the CBS notifies you which is usually 15k miles. Fit and finish of the 1Ms aren't the best, but the front bumper should not have large gaps between the headlights or fenders.

Paul pretty much covered everything. It's much easier to buy a car from a private seller as opposed to a dealer because you can get more history on the car. You should really get the car inspected by a BMW specialist to ensure there was no previous body damage. It also needs to be checked for engine modifications. Aftermarket tunes extract additional power from increasing turbo boost which leads to premature turbo failure.

As for warranty, I totally disagree with Paul on the 1M. Other M cars with bespoke engines which are more exotic, less durable, and more expensive to repair, a definite yes. An M car with tweaked run of the mill N54, I would be less concerned. BMW has made over a million N54s that powered 1 series, 3 series, 5 series, X3s, X5, etc., so it's designed to be durable. Hope this helps.

PaulMcA · 09-03-2015, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdaddylo

As for warranty, I totally disagree with Paul on the 1M. Other M cars with bespoke engines which are more exotic, less durable, and more expensive to repair, a definite yes. An M car with tweaked run of the mill N54, I would be less concerned. BMW has made over a million N54s that powered 1 series, 3 series, 5 series, X3s, X5, etc., so it's designed to be durable. Hope this helps.

In the UK, most high end owners or potential owners of BMW's will always want a respectable warranty. Especially when spending £40k (UK GBP). A BMW warranty will cover almost all components, remember it's not just the N54 engine that would be covered, but SatNav, drivetrain, electric folding mirrors, headlight failure, etc. All very expensive items. for the sake of BMW charging £450/year it's a no-brainer surely!

If I see two identical cars for sale one with and one without a warranty I'd always go for the one with.

Alex, white cars are faster

Mine is going back for sale at £39,995 at the weekend if you are interested. The Performance seats have now been removed and originals put back in. Welcome to come and have a look at her.

And defiantly check for any mods done on the car that could affect future reliability and issues with BMW.

goodboy1451 · 09-03-2015, 11:18 AM

The VO model looks gorgeous. I got my AW 1M just 4 months ago, trading in my beloved Cayman R for it. Totally love the 1M, its so much fun to drive.

Things to look out for in addition are:

1. check for crack lines on the M3 wing mirror stalks.
2. when you press the engine start button, the engine should burst into live immediately

Good luck with your search.

09-02-2015, 05:03 AM	#1
Almo New Member 1 Rep 7 Posts Drives: BMW 1M Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: South West England, UK iTrader: (0)	Things to look for when buying a 1M Hi guys, I am new to the forum and have never owned a BMW before. I currently have an alfa 147GTA that is the first of my future collection. I have msg'd on a couple of other threads before I was able to start a new one. Probably better to continue on here rather than completely hijacking the other ones! I was asking people for there advice on things to look for when looking at 1Ms. I have had some good advice so far. Service history is naturally a must, but what would you expect? I searched for the schedule and found that between the initial 1200 service and a big 30k service there is scheduled to just be one oil change at 16k and nothing else? Am I looking in the wrong place? Surely oil needs to be changed more than every 16k? What is the deal with the 5 year BMW service package? Would that include the big 30k service? I believe this includes, diff oil, MT fluid, plugs and brake fluid? How much am I looking at for that service if not covered by the package? Because the one I am looking at is on 27k miles. The other thing i was warned to look for was any paint respray. Apparently the main dealers were keen on spraying bad sections and not all done well. I am currently looking at a VO 1M in Plymouth, I have been to look and it looks in very good condition. I didn't go into too much detail because my main first look was to see whether I liked the car in the flesh. I loved it. It was an independent garage (Someone did point out that it might not be ideal buying a £40k car from a garage that ranges from 3k to 40k!) I will bear this in mind when I go next. They are independent and source the cars rather than buy locally. The sales guy seemed reasonably knowledgeable about performance cars in general, having worked at Lotus and TVR, but wasn't too hot on the 1M, although I can live with that. They are very reputable around this way. I looked underneath and it looked brand new! I literally wouldn't have been able to tell it wasn't new from beneath. The only thing i picked up (But didn't bring up) was that the front bumper seemed to have a smaller gap between the bumper and headlights on one side than on the other. I guess that could suggest that it's been removed. Anyway I have written an absolute essay here, sorry for that! I am looking with the intention of keeping this car for a long time. I bought my Alfa GTA after getting hooked and realising they were appreciating, it's about doubled in price now. I want to make sure i buy a Mint 1M. Cheers, Alex p.s. any advice is more than welcome, here is the one I am looking at: http://www.motorcityplymouth.co.uk/u...-series-m-1617
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09-02-2015, 06:46 AM	#2
PaulMcA Private First Class 6 Rep 117 Posts Drives: 1M Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Herts, UK iTrader: (0)	Alex, I have replied on the other thread. Servicing is not done on just mileage it is age too. And generally down to the onboard computer telling you when a service is required. As an example mine is a 2011 car just done 24k miles and just had a recent service. In the period since first registering mine has had 4 services, first one was at 879 miles. Generally speaking a service should be one at least every 24 months. Again, look through the service book and speak to the dealer and they'll have a record if you give them the reg or VIN number. Last edited by PaulMcA; 09-02-2015 at 07:11 AM..
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09-02-2015, 09:11 AM	#4
bdaddylo Major 168 Rep 1,479 Posts Drives: 2017 F80 M3 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (3) Garage List 2011 BMW E90 M3 [10.00] 2005 Acura MDX [0.00] 2011 BMW 1 Series M ... [10.00]	Here in the States, the oil services are every 12 months or when the CBS notifies you which is usually 15k miles. Fit and finish of the 1Ms aren't the best, but the front bumper should not have large gaps between the headlights or fenders. Paul pretty much covered everything. It's much easier to buy a car from a private seller as opposed to a dealer because you can get more history on the car. You should really get the car inspected by a BMW specialist to ensure there was no previous body damage. It also needs to be checked for engine modifications. Aftermarket tunes extract additional power from increasing turbo boost which leads to premature turbo failure. As for warranty, I totally disagree with Paul on the 1M. Other M cars with bespoke engines which are more exotic, less durable, and more expensive to repair, a definite yes. An M car with tweaked run of the mill N54, I would be less concerned. BMW has made over a million N54s that powered 1 series, 3 series, 5 series, X3s, X5, etc., so it's designed to be durable. Hope this helps. __________________ _______________________ 1991 E30 M3/Brilliantrot 2017 F80 M3/AW
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09-03-2015, 11:18 AM	#6
goodboy1451 Private First Class 52 Rep 151 Posts Drives: BMW 1M Coupe Join Date: May 2015 Location: Hampshire UK iTrader: (0)	The VO model looks gorgeous. I got my AW 1M just 4 months ago, trading in my beloved Cayman R for it. Totally love the 1M, its so much fun to drive. Things to look out for in addition are: 1. check for crack lines on the M3 wing mirror stalks. 2. when you press the engine start button, the engine should burst into live immediately Good luck with your search.
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