TexaZ3

Hello fellow BMW Enthusiasts, my first post here :-)
Thinking about starting a family, and my Z3 is not exactly a family car, so I decided on new 5er.
I found several cars I like, but wanted to get your opinion on the price. The car I'm leaning towards is a 2004 530i w/ Sport & Premium, Xenons, Actve Steering, Auto tranny, silver/black, has only 9K on the clock and looks very clean inside and out, has no paint damage or repairs of any kind, clean carfax, etc. Drives like a dream. Asking price is $41K - should I grab it, or keep looking?

On another note, what are 2004 year known problems? The car is still on factory warranty, but I would really appreciate the heads-up. Thanks!

ericdbs

if it has everything you want as for options... i think the price is great...considering

dgjk

From reading this site it seems most 04's were without issues.
However, people here really care about their cars and notice a lot of problems that others would not.
I have read a lot about software issues people had with the 04's but it seems BMW corrected mostof these. I would do a search of this site and see.
I have seen problems such as anti trap errors, rattles, and i drive/radio issues discussed frequently and it seems most of these issues have been dealt with.

The 04's also had a different motor. But 41K for the car seems like a great deal - kbb has it listed at 47K

Other issues int he 04's - if it matters is bluetooth, sirius, and mp3 compatability - so check on these things and see if they are important to you.

Also, why only 9K in 2 years? That would be my biggest question

It would cost you in the mid 50's to get the same car in an 06 - so again the price seems good

TexaZ3

Thanks for the input guys.
Not sure why it only has 9K - should I be suspicious? Its a one owner car, maybe it was built late in 2004? Then it would mean somebody had it for slightly more than 1 year, and I for example, drive my car less than 8K a year anyway. How would I go about finding a build date?

More opinions?
I think I'll get hte car, so, expect more posts from me in the future!

Ray Hull

Tex, Welcome. You don't mention whether this is a BMW dealer or not. That would play a large role in my mind as to how reliable the car's history is. Having watched ePrey for a while to determine the value of my 98 540iS, and looking at 545s too, I saw an awful lot of them in Texas. I don't know what you boys do with them down there, but there seemed to be a disproportionate number of them available (vs. NY, LA, Chicago). If this is NOT a dealer, tell him you are serious, but want him to run a CarFax or whatever the VIN registry is on it; and take the VIN and have the service department at your intended dealer run it through BMW.

It pays to be suspicious, especially at these price levels, but odd things do happen. I just bought (Halloween!) a NEW 04 545 i Sport 6 spd, that I initially saw on ePrey. I dealt off line with the BMW dealer because I wanted to be more sure of the car, him and my trade. The reason that this car sat around for two years is that a deal had been struck on it, but never consumated, and the MSO (Mfr's Statement of Origin) had this notarized (lease company) strike-out on it. Ergo, to the next customer, it was a tough sell as "New" car. Finally, I got it for a song, along with a new MSO from BMW that shows me as the first owner.

So, even the dealers have strays; but note: I would never have purchased this particular circumstance car from a non-franchise dealer. At only 9K if it is NOT a dealer, then I would be suspicious. That's the exact type car a dealer hoards to himself at the end of a lease, as he can be sure of it and resell it handilly at a premium price.

Let us know what you find out.

Ray Hull

TexaZ3

Thanks,
The guy is a used car dealer, not a BMW dealer though. He's been doing business in the area for some 15 years now (as he claims), but its a very small dealership close to Dallas. His stock is around 30 cars, 90% BMW, some Porsches, and MB.

Original asking price was $43700, but I got him down to $41.5, and now $41 (don't ask :-) ) I test drove the car twice now, and it is in perfect condition - at least it feels that way to me. I used to work in a body shop long time ago, and as far as I can tell, there was no body damage of any kind - no paintwork or anything. Interior is very clean, no apparent flood damage, but I'm no expert in this area. Carfax is clean, but he provided it. The VIN is WBANA73574B800109 - if anybody has a Carfax subscription - I would be very thankful if you could run a report for me.

I'm thinking of buying it tomorrow or Thursday, so if anyone has any concerns, or suggestions, please let me know! Thanks again for all the help!

Alex

ademitt

Take the VIN into your local BMW dealer and get them to run it through their computer system. The print out will give you the build date, original factory options as well as the service history and any warranty work performed by a BMW dealer. That should give you a good idea on its history and any problems that the car may have had.

You may want to run it through a BMW shop for a quick ckeck to see it any repairs have been completed by a non BMW service shop.

You should also be aware that if you buy from a non BMW dealer, you do not get the CPO Warranty on the car, only the original factory warranty. The $$ savings may not be worth it if you do not get an extended warranty.

Others pointed out that 04's had Bluetooth issues with cars built before Mar 15, 04. You should also know that you cannot put a phone cradle in an 04 build (if that matters to you at all).

Cannot comment on price (from Canada eh).

TexaZ3

Thanks,
Will my BMW dealership disclose the information about the car if I give them VIN? I tried to get the information from them about my own Z3 service history some time ago, and they said they can't do it, and that it is a violation of privacy, etc... Bull like that...

Also, what kind of Bluetooth problems are you guys talking about, I can't find anything in archives. not sure waht you mean by phone cradle?

Alex

ademitt

Pre March 04 production E60's require the repalcment of the TCU (telematics control unit) for BT to work properly with full voice control on the phone. It will cost between $1500 and $2000 to make the changes and is not covered by BMW. This will bring the BT functionality up to current production cars and allow you to select from a number of BT phones for wireless use in your vehicle. BT will also interface with the voice control and fully load the phone book from your phone into the car when paired. If BT is not a priority for you, you can get a CPT 9000 phone to work with the existing TCU.

In 05 models and newer, you can install a cradle in the center console that allows you to plug in your phone and have it fully charged by the vehicle. It also connects the phone to the antenna in the shark fin to improve phone range and performance. In 04 models, only a CPT 9000 phone and cradle will work.

Also just remembered, I do not think that the 04's came with Satellite pre wiring. This may be an issue if you want Sirius.

TexaZ3

Oh, ok, I see now.
What's a CPT 9000 phone? Never heard of it.
Anyway, I don't think this will be a big problem, since I barely use my phone anyway....
Even though I finally got one with bluetooth and it would be nice to have this little gadget in my car... :-)

Thanks!