If it seems to good to be true...
02-09-2009, 08:31 AM
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Found this '08 535i Sport 6MT with tons of options and <8K miles for <$41K on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...em=300291761559
Sounded like one of those "too good to be true" things, and if you scroll down, that seems to be the case. I found the following qualification:
I assume everyone here agrees that this car should be avoided. Anytime you're looking at a buy back, the manufacturer has been pushed and prodded into a corner due to a significant enough issue to force them to do so. Sucks, because this car is actually almost exactly what I'd order (plus comfort access), but I just don't want to spent $60K+ on a car right now...
Oh well...don't expect anything out of this...just posting this interesting car and my musings on it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...em=300291761559
Sounded like one of those "too good to be true" things, and if you scroll down, that seems to be the case. I found the following qualification:
Note: This 2008 BMW 535i Sport Sedan was reacquired from its original owner by BMW North America due to downtime associated with a warranty repair. Non-conformity: "Engine runs rough at idle." - Correction: "Replaced DME and programmed vehicle.? - The vehicle has been thoroughly inspected and the non-conformity listed above have been corrected - Repaired by BMW!
BMW has corrected the non-conformity and we have all paperwork from BMW to confirm the car meets all quality standards. BMW provided us with the disclosure of the issue, which you as the new owner will have to sign. CA law requires that a CA title be noted with a Manufacturer Buyback / Lemon Law Buyback. This process does not affect the factory warranty in any way and the car currently has the Full Balance of BMW Factory Warranty for 4 Years/50,000 miles valid until 01-26-2012 or 50,000 miles whichever occurs first and NO COST $0 BMW Maintenance Program for 4 Years/50,000 miles valid until 01-26-2012 or 50,000 miles whichever occurs first. Further, this vehicle qualifies for extended warranties.
Under California Law, the manufacturer must warrant to you, for a one year period, that the vehicle is free of the problem(s) listed above.
IMPORTANT: Other states might not recognize the California buy back procedure and title in your state may not have a Manufacturer Buyback / Lemon Law Buyback notation. Please call us or your local state DMV for more details.
BMW has corrected the non-conformity and we have all paperwork from BMW to confirm the car meets all quality standards. BMW provided us with the disclosure of the issue, which you as the new owner will have to sign. CA law requires that a CA title be noted with a Manufacturer Buyback / Lemon Law Buyback. This process does not affect the factory warranty in any way and the car currently has the Full Balance of BMW Factory Warranty for 4 Years/50,000 miles valid until 01-26-2012 or 50,000 miles whichever occurs first and NO COST $0 BMW Maintenance Program for 4 Years/50,000 miles valid until 01-26-2012 or 50,000 miles whichever occurs first. Further, this vehicle qualifies for extended warranties.
Under California Law, the manufacturer must warrant to you, for a one year period, that the vehicle is free of the problem(s) listed above.
IMPORTANT: Other states might not recognize the California buy back procedure and title in your state may not have a Manufacturer Buyback / Lemon Law Buyback notation. Please call us or your local state DMV for more details.
Oh well...don't expect anything out of this...just posting this interesting car and my musings on it.
02-09-2009, 08:38 AM
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A tempting offer, but I suspect you are correct in avoiding it! 
02-09-2009, 10:47 AM
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i would be tempted. the problem is fixed, right?
offer him 38K. you will have the best deal on that car ever.
after all, it has a warranty still... it wouldnt be a bmw if it didnt spend just a little time at the dealership
offer him 38K. you will have the best deal on that car ever.
after all, it has a warranty still... it wouldnt be a bmw if it didnt spend just a little time at the dealership
02-09-2009, 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by craigm1841' post='788719' date='Feb 9 2009, 02:47 PM
i would be tempted. the problem is fixed, right?
offer him 38K. you will have the best deal on that car ever.
after all, it has a warranty still... it wouldnt be a bmw if it didnt spend just a little time at the dealership
offer him 38K. you will have the best deal on that car ever.
after all, it has a warranty still... it wouldnt be a bmw if it didnt spend just a little time at the dealership
02-09-2009, 11:21 AM
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I wouldn't tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I would do. I would run, not walk, away from this "deal." As difficult as it is to get a dealer to accept a lemon back, you know that this must have put the previous owner through hell. I thought that they scrapped lemons or donated them for crash and safety causes and if they didn't, they should...
02-09-2009, 11:44 AM
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Hi
Simple rule with euro cars, if you can't handle the heat stay out of the kitchen! (I dont mean that in a mean way) its just that I personally and my friends have made numerous costly mistakes on cars which were "great deals".
Highlights inlclude a friend in the UKs GBP25k M5 when market was GBP30k, hmm GBP7k to fix the tranny go figure...my POS Volvo v70 for the family (sold)...and the list goes on and on.
Buy used, I did with my 545, and just be patient and hunt out a mint car and negotiate hard! (surely there has never been a better time?)
cheers
stu
Simple rule with euro cars, if you can't handle the heat stay out of the kitchen! (I dont mean that in a mean way) its just that I personally and my friends have made numerous costly mistakes on cars which were "great deals".
Highlights inlclude a friend in the UKs GBP25k M5 when market was GBP30k, hmm GBP7k to fix the tranny go figure...my POS Volvo v70 for the family (sold)...and the list goes on and on.
Buy used, I did with my 545, and just be patient and hunt out a mint car and negotiate hard! (surely there has never been a better time?)
cheers
stu
02-10-2009, 02:26 PM
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Yeah, I'm not planning to pursue that car. It looked interesting until I saw that clause, but that shut it down. I've owned several German cars including my current Audi S4, my wife's current MINI Cooper S Cabrio, and a BMW Z3 2.8. I had significant transmission problems with the 6MT that almost led to a buy back (they actually just kicked in an extended warranty for me), so I'm familiar with how tough it is to get to that point and how bad the problem must be for BMW to relent! No way I'd buy that car, but for whoever does get it, I hope it's problem-free and therefore a great find!
I'm planning to wait for the B8 S4 to reach US shores in the fall unless a legit deal like this on a 535i Sport 6MT or 550i 6MT just magically appears, but I'm not holding my breath. When the S4 is out and I can do a head-to-head with the 5-er, I'll make a decision on what my next car will be.
I'm planning to wait for the B8 S4 to reach US shores in the fall unless a legit deal like this on a 535i Sport 6MT or 550i 6MT just magically appears, but I'm not holding my breath. When the S4 is out and I can do a head-to-head with the 5-er, I'll make a decision on what my next car will be.
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