[Imola.ZHP]

Not posting the link, I've got dibbs...

I've found a 2007 335i sedan 6-speed manual, montego/black leather/silver trim, Sport and Premium packages are all that is listed, but its obvious it has heated front seats, maybe other options as well, not even 16,000 miles...

Asking $29,999.

WTF? Every BMW lot I've looked at (websites anyway) have similar cars for $5-10k more. Granted this is an independent dealer and would NOT be a CPO, this is a STEAL, isn't it? With the savings, I could buy the extended warranty.

I've been e-mailing him and the ball is in his court right now. I sent him all the info I could over the intarweb about my ZHP, slapped some pictures with it and told him to let me know what he could offer me in trade.

Tomorrow is a Holiday, hopefully I'll hear back on Friday or Saturday.

Thoughts?

Has anyone found a better rate then PenFed's 4.75%?

PS: CarFax is clear, shows the car being bought in one state (12/2006), then moved to another (few states inbetween) about a year later. Still, not even 16,000 miles in 24 months? Is that fishy? Or a blessing?

[BlkSapphire]

It may have been driven by a heavy cigar smoker, or have been in a flood, or something else that makes it smell bad. Bad smelling cars are almost impossible to sell.

[SoQuick]

Won't hurt to check it out.

The ball is always in your court BTW., you don't HAVE to buy anything

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Imola.ZHP

Not posting the link, I've got dibbs...

I've found a 2007 335i sedan 6-speed manual, montego/black leather/silver trim, Sport and Premium packages are all that is listed, but its obvious it has heated front seats, maybe other options as well, not even 16,000 miles...

Asking $29,999.

WTF? Every BMW lot I've looked at (websites anyway) have similar cars for $5-10k more. Granted this is an independent dealer and would NOT be a CPO, this is a STEAL, isn't it? With the savings, I could buy the extended warranty.

I've been e-mailing him and the ball is in his court right now. I sent him all the info I could over the intarweb about my ZHP, slapped some pictures with it and told him to let me know what he could offer me in trade.

Tomorrow is a Holiday, hopefully I'll hear back on Friday or Saturday.

Thoughts?

Has anyone found a better rate then PenFed's 4.75%?

PS: CarFax is clear, shows the car being bought in one state (12/2006), then moved to another (few states inbetween) about a year later. Still, not even 16,000 miles in 24 months? Is that fishy? Or a blessing?

That's what my Credit Union is offering on new or used, up to 60 mos. But I know my Credit Union is not that great, as when I went to buy, the dealership told me to tell them whatever I'm being offered, and they will beat it. They were arrogant and confident, and sure enough (granted this was 2006) when I told them my CC had 5.75% (friends were doing 6.5 online at the time), they said they'd do 5.5%. I should have told them even lower, and they would have gone lower just to get the loan. You should ask for lower, it can't hurt, because HELOCs are in the 3, 3.25% range now. Not that it's a genius move to put a car on a HELOC (we saw the 'I invest the cash' mentality go bust late last year and all of this year). Good luck....

[Bimmer007]

check carfax and dealer service records first (use vin#)

the price is no surprise with the way the current economy is

[bluescoupe]

Originally Posted by limited_slip

maybe the car has no warranty due to an aftermarket tune on the engine.

good point! check it out.

[kar335]

That is the price that most of the auctions are selling them for right now. Does not surprise me. I would check it over with the fine tooth comb... maybe take it to a reputable BMW mechanic and have them check it out too.
Could be a bunch of factors that would be in play at that price. Tune, with the warranty voided, lemoned, buy back.... etc....

[vod74]

may have been crashed and repaired...wont drive the same, seller wants to get rid of it.

[Imola.ZHP]

Originally Posted by BlkSapphire

It may have been driven by a heavy cigar smoker, or have been in a flood, or something else that makes it smell bad. Bad smelling cars are almost impossible to sell.

If it were in a bad enough flood, I would think the owner would have had it totaled through insurance, that would have popped up on the CarFax, which is spotless. Still, a very valid point, in my list of questions for him to answer next I'll ask if there are any odors in the car. By Cigar/Cigarettes or other...

Originally Posted by SoQuick

Won't hurt to check it out.

The ball is always in your court BTW., you don't HAVE to buy anything

True! It's the cheapest one I've found and I'm hopeful, but I'm not expecting him to offer any more than CarMax did to buy my ZHP outright. Which was about $7,000 less than I wanted. EEK! Yeah, I'll respond and try to up him some, but if I cant get him to at least pay it off, I don't think I'll be making the deal...

Originally Posted by limited_slip

Penfed is only for military member right? so i guess you can't get the 4.75% APR

Unless I'm reading wrong, all I have to do is make a one-time $20 donation to NMFA. It would be worth the $20, see quoted info from their site below...

Originally Posted by PENFED'S WEBSITE

7 National Military Family Association (NMFA)

If you do not fall within our regular field of membership, you can join the National Military Family Association (NMFA) in order to become a member with Pentagon Federal Credit Union.

Low, one-time only fee
Membership is open to anyone
NMFA is the leading non-profit advocacy organization for military families
You do not have to retain NMFA membership to stay a member with Pentagon Federal Credit Union

Originally Posted by John 070

That's what my Credit Union is offering on new or used, up to 60 mos. But I know my Credit Union is not that great, as when I went to buy, the dealership told me to tell them whatever I'm being offered, and they will beat it. They were arrogant and confident, and sure enough (granted this was 2006) when I told them my CC had 5.75% (friends were doing 6.5 online at the time), they said they'd do 5.5%. I should have told them even lower, and they would have gone lower just to get the loan. You should ask for lower, it can't hurt, because HELOCs are in the 3, 3.25% range now. Not that it's a genius move to put a car on a HELOC (we saw the 'I invest the cash' mentality go bust late last year and all of this year). Good luck....

His website does speak of financing, so it wouldn't hurt to see what he can get me. I remember BMWFS sending me a notice that they will finance cars NOT purchased at a BMW dealership, doesn't even have to be a BMW. In the past 30 months they've loved me for sending in my payments early and always with a little extra. I'll check and see what kind of rate they can give me on it too. If he makes a decent offer on my ZHP...

[phrozen06]

I don't think that's unusual. I'm seeing more and more 2007 335i coupe and sedans on the upper 20's and low 30's range. Just check out Autotrader.com and Cars.com and these prices are becoming more common now.

It could be the economy now and dealerships need to move inventory

[Imola.ZHP]

Originally Posted by limited_slip

maybe the car has no warranty due to an aftermarket tune on the engine.

I'll ask if the standard warranty is still in effect, it is not mentioned, I just assumed it had it with the car being younger than 4 years and less than 50,000 miles. Great point, I'll ask...

Originally Posted by Bimmer007

check carfax and dealer service records first (use vin#)

the price is no surprise with the way the current economy is

CarFax is squeeky clean saying the car is worth MORE money because it is a 1-Owner with LOW mileage.

I'm kind of close with my current service advisor, do you think she could pull up service records on it? Wouldn't hurt to ask huh?

As for the economy, good point, this is NOT a BMW dealership and he might be looking to sell some cars quickly!

Originally Posted by kar335

That is the price that most of the auctions are selling them for right now. Does not surprise me. I would check it over with the fine tooth comb... maybe take it to a reputable BMW mechanic and have them check it out too.
Could be a bunch of factors that would be in play at that price. Tune, with the warranty voided, lemoned, buy back.... etc....

Great points. I'll ask if the car was traded in or an auction car. It will be difficult to "check it over with a fine tooth comb" as it is not quite 500 miles away. He has a TON of pictures, but yes, I need to NOT have "GOOGOO EYES" if I do go to look at it and check everything out. I had the "GOOGOO EYES" when I picked up my ZHP. I didn't notice that EVERY wheel had "curb rash," a small "star" on the windshield, and some fairly deep scratches on the drivers door that had been filled in with touch-up paint. If I do go to get the car, I'll call a local BMW dealership and ask them what they would charge to check it out. My roomie had Toyota check out a 4Runner he bought from CarMax, they only charged $40 and it put his mind at ease, well worth it...

Wouldn't a "Lemon Law" or a "Buy Back" car have some type of note on the CarFax of that occurring? Again, the CarFax is SQUEEKY clean...

Originally Posted by vod74

may have been crashed and repaired...wont drive the same, seller wants to get rid of it.

If it was that bad of a crash, wouldn't it show up on a CarFax? Unless the previous owner had lots of cash and wanted to pay for the repairs out-right. I couldn't pay for repairs out of pocket, I'd have to claim it on insurance.

Still a valid point, the car has an M-Tech rear bumper, if we get to the point that I go to look at the car, I'll do my best to see if any of the paint looks a little "off" and look for overspray in the wheel-wells, etc. If there is an opportunity to change my mind, I'll probably take it to my detailer when I get back from getting it, he'll be able to tell me what is OEM paint and what is not. Then if it turns out 1/2 of the car has been repainted, I would most likely take it back...

Originally Posted by phrozen06

I don't think that's unusual. I'm seeing more and more 2007 335i coupe and sedans on the upper 20's and low 30's range. Just check out Autotrader.com and Cars.com and these prices are becoming more common now.

It could be the economy now and dealerships need to move inventory

Great points. I've not looked autotrader.com, but I would guess that a lot of those cars at those prices are FSBO. I would also guess they would have more than 16,000 miles. I'll certainly be checkin though in the next few minutes, thanks for noting that.

And again, yep, its not a BMW dealership, its an independent "sports car" dealership, they may be itching to roll some inventory out the door. I just hope in that doesn't translate into a VERY low bid on my ZHP...

[CyberGypsy]

takes 6 months after a accident for carfax to have info on it>

[mapezzul]

CarFax is NOT always reliable, it does not even pull from some states and as with anything there is a delay in the reporting of incidents. I have personally gotten rid of a past car that was in an accident this way, not to a private party but to a dealer on a trade just to rid myself of the car. The repair I had was flawless the paint meter did not even see it but I wanted no part of the car anymore.

A dead give away that there is something "off" with this car is the rear bumper; why does it not match the rest of the car? Was the front a match to the ///M kit then there was an accident and the car was repaired to OEM as is required in most cases.... like I said not all incidents need to or are reported.

You may be able to post to a forum in a dealers section the vin # and they will run the service, in some cases the vin is required for auto body shops to order certain parts through BMW and it is entered....

Best of luck! and the warranty should be valid unless the car was a a loss.

[Imola.ZHP]

Originally Posted by CyberGypsy

takes 6 months after a accident for carfax to have info on it>

Ah, I see, thank you, I was NOT aware of that...

Originally Posted by mapezzul

CarFax is NOT always reliable, it does not even pull from some states and as with anything there is a delay in the reporting of incidents. I have personally gotten rid of a past car that was in an accident this way, not to a private party but to a dealer on a trade just to rid myself of the car. The repair I had was flawless the paint meter did not even see it but I wanted no part of the car anymore.

A dead give away that there is something "off" with this car is the rear bumper; why does it not match the rest of the car? Was the front a match to the ///M kit then there was an accident and the car was repaired to OEM as is required in most cases.... like I said not all incidents need to or are reported.

You may be able to post to a forum in a dealers section the vin # and they will run the service, in some cases the vin is required for auto body shops to order certain parts through BMW and it is entered....

Best of luck! and the warranty should be valid unless the car was a a loss.

Excellent points! I, too, have wondered why the rear bumper is M-Tech, yet the front is not. When the PO ordered the car, you can either order it with or without. Correct? there is no "mix and match" available that I'm aware of. Unless his dealer let him do it after initial purchase. The front bumper is not M-Tech, but it does have the painted splitters, or lip, or whatever you e90 guys call it. Not M-Tech though...

Also, thanks for the info on having a forum person run the VIN. I think I know just the forum to try

So here is a "worse" case scanario: The previous owner was in a substantial rear-end wreck in which he had the rear bumper replaced with an M-Tech, then decided to trade for a different car before the incident showed up on CarFax? The car was in one state for a year (purchased there) then in Texas for about the past year. I have bought from dealers in Texas before (I used to live in Oklahoma) and I'm pretty sure CarFax checks Texas. Its just a case of was the accident reported? And if so, will it pop up on the CarFax AFTER I've already locked into buying it? IF there was an accident at all...


Thanks, again, for all of the help, car forums are the best at sharing ideas, previous experiences, and other useful knowledge. Keep it coming!

[Imola.ZHP]

Just looked at the CarFax again...

There is nothing past 8/2007 on it. In 7/2007 it went through an emissions inspection in Texas, mileage was reported at 5611. 8/2007 says the owner notified the DMV or a change of address.

From the day it was in port to the day it was sold was only 9 days. With about 4 states inbetween, I would guess this was an ordered car, not one bought off of the lot. The first odometer reading was 11 in 1/2007 so I would say it didn't do a Euro or Performance Delivery. In 6 months, howver, it was only driven 5600 miles, then 11000 in the following 16 months. The mileage seems slightly off, 933/month for the first 6 months, then only 688 for the remaining 16. With high fuel prices though, when the person moved to Texas, they could have moved close to work....... Or the car could have been in a body shop for a few months.......

[Exacc]

Or it could have had the M-tech kit, and the front was in an accident and the replacement bumper is a normal bumper already.

[Imola.ZHP]

^ yep, that would be bad...

I'll have to search and see what the difference is (if there is a difference) between regular side-skirts and M-Tech side skirts. Here are some pictures if one of you can instantly tell...



M-Tech Rear



Not M-Tech Front



Non M-Tech Sides? Or is there a difference between M-Tech and non-M-Tech?

I don't see any trunk lines that look "off" they all look gapped the same, taillights line up properly from qtr panel to trunk lid...

[Motor She Wrote]

Originally Posted by phrozen06

I don't think that's unusual. I'm seeing more and more 2007 335i coupe and sedans on the upper 20's and low 30's range. Just check out Autotrader.com and Cars.com and these prices are becoming more common now.

It could be the economy now and dealerships need to move inventory

+1. Considering the price difference between the 07 and an 08, a $29-32k price seems about right. I could see an independent dealer pricing it at $29k to get it out the door. I'd be concerned if it were $25k or less.

Side note: is anyone half-amazed that E46 M3s go for $25k nowadays?

[darkcloud]

I had my rear end repaired twice (once fairly bad, once a hole fill and respray). The body shop told me they DO NOT report to carfax unless I want them to, I obviously didn't.

You can tell instantly if the rear was repaired. When you pop the trunk there are the weld lines on both sides of the trunk. The factory uses machine welds which are very smooth and uniform. If it was repaired it will have been welded by hand which the welds will then be fairly bumpy and not always uniform. It's very easy to tell the difference, you can check all the cars weld points that are visible for these differences.

Also look for cloudy looking paint and/or badly matched paint.

From the pictures it looks good but who knows. You'll never really know until you go check it out in person and drive it. Hopefully you get the good deal though.

[LI E90]

$29k is about market now that the economy is taking a dump

[John 070]

The vehicle mentioned is real, so I would say check it out, in person. This thread has gotten into armchair qb city! How can anybody possibly explain why the price is or isn't 29k, without knowing more about it, possibly actually seeing the vehicle in person? If anybody out there can accurately predict why the car is priced where it is, can you also then predict when a BlackBerry Storm will be delivered to my home? LOL The over/under is Dec. 9. add'l info ordered day 1 through corp. rep.

[edy74]

maybe is the ex-VQMotoring car? the black one that has a widebody and needs some work to be done?