High Mileage question

PowerHouseDan

I am looking to buy a e46 Bmw 318i se or there abouts in the Uk but EVERY and i mean every Bmw over there seem to have savage mileage 00 - 01 approx 100k most have full bmw service history but should it really be a worry?

le-dub

I would'nt buy any second hand car no matter what make or how cheap it was unless the the milage was under 35,000. I would'nt drive a car with 100,000 miles even it i got it for free.

redman

You should easily get to 200k miles on a well serviced one, so I wouldn't worry on that front. Good motorway driving, engines driven long periods, well maintained is much better that getting a low mileage one thats brought the shops and back and never really driven.

Litcagral

le-dub wrote:

I would'nt buy any second hand car no matter what make or how cheap it was unless the the milage was under 35,000. I would'nt drive a car with 100,000 miles even it i got it for free.

Why not? I was in a car recently with 875,000 KMs on the clock and it looked great.

le-dub

It's not all about looks at the end of the the day, its about reliabilty. I see loads of muppetts in opel corsa's, micra's etc, with allowys tinted windows and the body kit and it looks F**k Sh*t and sad. Boy racers they think, until you blow pass them and they look foolish. The end of the day its your money and your choice, but you asked for opions.....

maidhc

le-dub wrote:

I would'nt buy any second hand car no matter what make or how cheap it was unless the the milage was under 35,000. I would'nt drive a car with 100,000 miles even it i got it for free.

As said above a well maintained car will do 200k without letting you down. While a brand new car could expire with a dud sensor at 3k miles.

Personally though I would buy something with a more mundane badge and lower miles than a BMW.

PowerHouseDan

I no your payin for the Badge etc but my first car was a Bmw and dont really want to change from that. Le Dub my current e36 has 124k on it running perfect , but my concern was from a 00- 01 point of view..

le-dub

if your going for a 01/02 then i guess your should'nt have many problems. I would check though as im sure you will it has a full serivce history and check the last time it was serviced. I can't imagine you have many problems with a 01/02. I sill would'nt buy a car with 100,000 miles on it, even if i was offered for free.

Guy:Incognito

le-dub wrote:

I sill would'nt buy a car with 100,000 miles on it, even if i was offered for free.

You would'nt be buying it then,would you. 100,000 miles is feck all. Look at taxis driving around with hundreds of thousands ofmiles on them. The key is how well they are looked after. Any car not well maintained will cause trouble, But one properly looked after and regularly serviced will go forever ( not literally)

PowerHouseDan

Ya thanks for the advice anyway for a 00 full spec/with full bmw service is working out 5-5700k sterling

Lex Luthor

If it has a full service history and it's GENUINE, then I wouldn't worry about it. BMW's are built to last if they are taken care of.

visit the BMW Car Club Forum and have a look at the Buying/Selling FAQ Section and see if you can nail down the important bits to check for in buying this type of car.
http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.uk/forum_topics.asp?FID=47

I know someone with a 9 yr old 5 series with 200k miles on the clock and the car is good for another 9 more years if treated with care.

However, if I was buying a BMW I'd opt for the 6-pot engine always.

PowerHouseDan

Insurance is the problem even though uk insurance is cheaper for 21yr old still be expensive

bazz26

PowerHouseDan wrote:

I am looking to buy a e46 Bmw 318i se or there abouts in the Uk but EVERY and i mean every Bmw over there seem to have savage mileage 00 - 01 approx 100k most have full bmw service history but should it really be a worry?

The reason for this is that the BMW 3 Series is a very popular car in the UK. It even outsells the Ford Mondeo. Alot of 3 Series are used as rep mobiles and travel up and down UK motor ways. If you are worried about the mileage then you need to be patient and wait for a privately owned car rather than the usual ex company cars that flood the UK forecourts and auction houses every year.

Regarding high mileage cars:

I would be more concerned about the way the car was driven and how it was maintained. The mileage on the odometer is only one factor when looking at a car.

Take for example, a granny who only uses the car a few times a week to go to the shops might seem like a car that is hardly used. But she could be the worst driver on the road, grinding gears, heavy wear on the brakes and clutch and the oil like water due to lack of maintenance. Whereas a high mileage company car that has spent most of it's life driving on motorways and serviced on time seems a better buy to me.

PowerHouseDan

Ya and the thing with the company cars is that most of them have a full bmw service.. Thanks for the advice all anyway.

bucks

le-dub wrote:

I would'nt buy any second hand car no matter what make or how cheap it was unless the the milage was under 35,000. I would'nt drive a car with 100,000 miles even it i got it for free.

Spot the lad who knows f**k all about cars..

If the car is well maintained and not driven hard every day of its life then you will get up to 200k miles out of it if not more.

The majority of Uk cars are in better condition than ours due to better road conditions and owners actually caring about their vehicles.

Generally if you buy a second hand car in the Uk you will get a load of history with it ie. receipts, full service history etc...

Buy a car here and you would be lucky to get the owners manual.

PowerHouseDan

Well the only reason i am buying a car over there is i am moving to the uk so wont have to pay vrt etc so makes more sense.

bucks

PowerHouseDan wrote:

Well the only reason i am buying a car over there is i am moving to the uk so wont have to pay vrt etc so makes more sense.

It will also work out cheaper aswell and you will get a better car for your money.

PowerHouseDan

Well i got a Quote for Insurance on a 318i se model for approx £720 which aint all that bad..And have my e36 sold over here.

Henry Ford III

bucks wrote:

Spot the lad who knows f**k all about cars..

If the car is well maintained and not driven hard every day of its life then you will get up to 200k miles out of it if not more.

The majority of Uk cars are in better condition than ours due to better road conditions and owners actually caring about their vehicles.

Generally if you buy a second hand car in the Uk you will get a load of history with it ie. receipts, full service history etc...

Buy a car here and you would be lucky to get the owners manual.

True but why not buy a lower mileage car with a good service history?

Buying a 100,000 mile car is like playing russian roulette. All things being the same, you'll get a major problem sooner.

PowerHouseDan

but thats what i am sayin 85% of the cars have high mileage...

bucks

Henry Ford III wrote:

True but why not buy a lower mileage car with a good service history?

Buying a 100,000 mile car is like playing russian roulette. All things being the same, you'll get a major problem sooner.

That would be the perfect option for all of us but in the end money talks and a similar car with less mileage full history will cost more money.

The point im trying to get across is just because the car has 100k miles doesnt mean its gonna clap out the second he hands over the cash. From the sounds of it its probably an ex company car which has motorway miles and will more than likely have a full BMWSH. Plenty of life still left in her.

Gatster

Spot the lad who knows f**k all about cars..

Chuckle chuckle...My E36 has 109k on it with total BMW history (main dealer/specialists) and lots of general history/reciepts. Just had an inspection 2 and a few new bits and bobs (totalling over a grand, but worth it) and it's running amazingly well (it was good before I spent the few quid) and still looks stunning.

And now I have to sell it as it's too old to qualify for my company car scheme...gutted!