Looking into buying a 3-series

[OwenSE83]

Ive been browsing around used car sites for a while, and i've found a couple possibilities. A 1995 325i with 104 miles (yes, it lists 104, not 104k, i called the dealer and they said this is correct, but im going to have to take a look at the carfax report to make sure there is no foul play afoot) for 8 grand, and a 97 328iS with something like 10k miles for 14 grand. My spending limit is around 15k.
If I ended up getting the 325i, I plan on spending the rest of the money ive set aside for this to buy some upgrades etc. for the car, but i dont know as much about cars as i would like to, so i would probably have to pay someone to do the work for me. Any advice on which model is more reliable, which is a more fun car to drive, or any other advice in general would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Kevin325i]

104 miles, holycrap

Good luck with the purchase

Kevin

[OwenSE83]

Thanks for the welcome If i end up buying the car i'll be posting here a whole lot more.

[93is]

can we say odometer fraud?

[OwenSE83]

Yeah. Quite a possibility. Need to take a look at the carfax reports to check into that. I'm not going to go buying it without doing my research first.

[Silver4evr]

Here's a sample search from CarsDirect.com<-----click here to try your own.

Communicate directly with this seller to:
• Schedule a test drive
• Get any questions answered
• Make an offer
Tell them you saw it on CarsDirect

E-mail Seller Now
gsc_99@hotmail.com

Seller Information
Contact:Gopal Chauhan
Location:Torrance, CA 90501
Day phone:310-704-9869 2000 BMW 323Trim:323iYear:2000Miles:88,000Price: $14,000

Seller provided photos. Click on image to enlarge.
DESCRIPTIONExterior ColorRedBody StyleSedanDoors4Engine6-cylinderTrans.AutomaticDrive Type2-wheel driveVin: N/A OPTIONS
ABS, AM/FM Radio, Air Conditioning, Alloy Wheels, CD Player, Leather Interior, Moon Roof, Power Lock, Power Steering, Power Windows, Rear Window Defroster
SELLER COMMENTS
Have maintained this car extremely well. Am pricing it below the Kelly bluebook. It has been a real joy driving this car for three years now. I am sure you will love it also for many many years. The Red color makes it stand out especially in the evenings and at night when it takes on a bright orange kind of tint.
Report an inaccurate listing

[OwenSE83]

I live near Boston, Mass.

[CiscoKid]

104 miles would be an awesome project car... it would be a cremepuff

[OwenSE83]

Wanted to ask one thing more. What should I set as my mileage limit? Im looking at having this car for quite a while, long enough atleast to last me through college (just finished my first year) and atleast a couple years after I graduate until I can afford a newer one.

[El Presidente]

jesus

104. Thats begging for a SC or a TC. Even TTCs.

[OwenSE83]

SC? TC? TTC? I apologize for my ignorance :P

[bitcore]

Look in the engine bay and the undercarage, if it's dirty at all, then it can't be ONLY 104 miles.
If it really is 104 miles, then hell yah, Turbocharge (TC) or supercharge (SC) that thing! 8 grand?

Seriously, That really smells funky Too good to be true?

I dunno what ttc is... uh..

As for a milage limit, these things last for 250,000+ miles without a major overhaul or rebuild. I think autotechnica or someone has 250k miles on his car, and he drives it like a racecar. All you have to do is change the oil+filter every 3,000-5,000 miles and repair the minor breakdowns that can't be avoided in any car and it will last a long time.

[OwenSE83]

Yeah, I'm going to be checking out the car next week once I get home from college. I sure hope it isnt odometer fraud, cause that would be an awesome find if its for real.

[jack cass]

way too good to be true. i mean, my roommate just bought a brand new '04 wrx and it had 191 miles on it. if the dealer has had that car around that long, he's certainly driven it more than that. and if not, then the engine is probably jacked up because that means the car has just sat around for years.

[camnipotent]

Sounds too good to be true, which means it probably is. Hopefully, it's not. TTC I'm guessing here, stands for twin turbo charge? No idea. Anyway, if you need a CarFax/AutoCheck done, I can do it for you. I have 7 checks left so if anyone wants one, LET ME KNOW.