About To Buy My First Bmw!! Please Help!! - BMW Forum

hemaljm · 10-07-2004, 09:56 AM

Hi everyone, Any assistance will be highly appreciated!!

I am about to join the BMW-club by buying my first BMW. Want to purchase a 1992 BMW 525i from a private seller. The car has 86,000 miles and the CARFAX report on the car is clean. I even checked with BMWUSA about recalls on the car and was assured that all recalls on this particular BMW have been completed.

My question is regarding having an inspection performed on the car before actually buying it. I want to have the car inspected (body & engine) by a certified BMW service center to ensure that I don't land up buying a car that's going to break down 5 minutes after I pay for it.

Can anyone please advise as to what inspection/s need to be performed? Also, the BMW dealer I made an appointment with mentioned an additional Compression check that can be performed on the cylinders... Is that advisable?

Thanks!!
HJM
anonimus@ftml.net

LOS · 10-07-2004, 10:06 AM

The compression test is a MUST!!!

They probably charge you around $300 for the the inspection. As for additional things they look for, they check the brakes, lighting, switches, general visual inspection, check the exhaust system, tires, ext...

LOS

rsn48 · 10-07-2004, 11:06 AM

LOS, I would trust the service check the BMW tech does on the car. Things can still go wrong with the car and they will, with that mileage on it, but it will be the usual stuff, like altenator, etc (the normal stuff that goes on a used car) even if it gets a clean bill of health from the tech.

IF you don't have the past service records, I would immediately flush the radiator and put in new fluids and flush the tranny and put in new fluids, if you purchase the vehicle. I say this after replacing many a radiator and transmission on many a used car on different makes of cars. If the car has a timing belt instead of a chain, replace it now as well if that has not been done.

BeelZibub · 10-07-2004, 12:53 PM

I've often seen posts from the US where people have bought a second hand beamer from a dealer then taken it home and basically serviced it them selves (rad flush, oil change etc.). Don't you people get a full service done on the car (paid for or completed by the dealer) before you collect it? - It's pretty much the only way to go here.

Silver4evr · 10-07-2004, 01:03 PM

You might try calling a dealer and asking what type of service they have for this, what it covers and how much $$$$. And how soon it can be done or if an appointment is needed. If the car was serviced by a local dealer, ask the dealer to print out the service records or if not by a local dealer, call whoever serviced it and ask them for any available records if the current owner doesn't have the records. If the current owner doesn't offer you the records, it's not a good sign.

Good luck.

leetman · 10-07-2004, 07:12 PM

SApe! I just bought my first car a 1990 525I with 240,000 miles on it OMG!! I only paid 1400 though. How much are you paying for yours? Also what I did was take it to a local mechanic that specializes in BMWs and he only charged me 50 bucks to spend almost an hour with me going over the shit. I was glad I did it though because I had a busted spring that I didnt even notice untill we got it up on the lift. Dont get ripped off at the dealer to have them tell you that you need more cooling fluid.