Team-BHP - Buy pre-owned BMW 325i, or wait for Skoda Octavia vRS?
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-   -   Buy pre-owned BMW 325i, or wait for Skoda Octavia vRS? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/luxury-imports-niche/159202-buy-pre-owned-bmw-325i-wait-skoda-octavia-vrs-4.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quarter Mile (Post 3695612)
@shankarbn - Wouldn't mind having a look. Received your PM. Let me ring you.

I'm a bit concerned on the FE bit. Cant image 5-6 per KM!! My idea of picking up a pre-owned Petrol is primarily due to low maintenance costs compared to a diesel 320d which would have clocked 50k and more.

Yup, pricing in Bangalore is way off. You'd be lucky to find a 325i at 15L with no major issues. Arm chair pricing can only go so far and it's usually very hard to find used cars in Bangalore priced fairly at all, given their condition. It is generally easier to live with a 15L car with no issues than a 12L car with some "minor" issues. But, generalisations are just generalisations and you should pick something that suits your fancy and know works for you.

Anyway, all that banter aside, 5-6kmpl seems very low. My 320i stretches upto 9-9.5kmpl if I baby it, after which I'm either too bored or reach my destination. I'm not saying I baby it all the time though, because it is very hard to do ;).

Came across a 330i last week with Classic Motors near Manyata Tech park. Asking price was 26 Lacs with 24500 on ODO! The car definitely was not looked after with a lot of dings on the roof , scratched all along , Side wall bulge on front tires, cracked rear screen , missing OVRM glass. Why would an owner not maintain their cars!! Too much money to give a damn about condition of what they drive?? And over this, the guys at this pre-owned showroom tells me : Saar, it's limited edition //M. hmph..!!

If, the car was in a better condition, it would have been a quick decision from my end. I have come across such funny sellers, which would make up for a new topic overall.

Hunt continues..!

Quick update gents. Scrapped the idea of the 325i for its obvious reasons.

Picked up a 320d Exclusive. I cannot tell you how happy I am with this!

Sneak Peak:

Buy pre-owned BMW 325i, or wait for Skoda Octavia vRS?-img_5833.jpg

Suggest to please drop the M badge. Instead, import a good quality M3 bumper OR You can also refer akshay1234 threads for front bumper, spoiler extensions if at all you wanna do some cosmetics mods.

Congrats Quarter Mile! :)
The car looks good. Pls share some more details like the cost, ODO.etc.

Asit

Congratulations..! I would say that was quick. Was it a good deal coming to you or your patience running out on 325i?

Please do share more details on it, so we all beemer dreamers can get an idea of what to expect and what not!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dipen (Post 3709728)
Suggest to please drop the M badge. Instead, import a good quality M3 bumper OR You can also refer akshay1234 threads for front bumper, spoiler extensions if at all you wanna do some cosmetics mods.

Thanks for the advice. Will surely look into that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by asit.kulkarni93 (Post 3709795)
Congrats Quarter Mile! :)
The car looks good. Pls share some more details like the cost, ODO.etc.
Asit

Thanks mate. Will share more detail and photos in time. Just been soo tied up with work. Cost yet to be frozen on. Have a good circle of friends and this one too comes from a friend and a car well taken care of. 60k on the ODO and still the engine feels so new. Extremely powerful car and love the way it moves. Once I drove this car, the 325i chapter was closed immediately.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aditbelw (Post 3709849)
Congratulations..! I would say that was quick. Was it a good deal coming to you or your patience running out on 325i?

Please do share more details on it, so we all beemer dreamers can get an idea of what to expect and what not!

Yeah mate. Well, I don't think it was that quick to be honest. I saw soo many cars from various people and I tell you, I ran a company check on those cars and their history and number of owners was a shocker. My advise to all would be don't just go by the looks of these cars as they all seem to look fantastic but with hidden facts. Do not rush in before a complete check on the car.

Will share a complete report on this acquisition with details and photos shortly.

In short, I believe this acquisition was perfect and worth the wait. The 320d is a beauty and definitely a drivers car.

Cheers!

OMG! Congratulations on the purchase. It's a beautiful car. Please do share the details on cost too when you finalise the price. I'm curious :P

Hello, Pundits! I posted the same question on another thread as well, but want to make sure it does not go unnoticed, hence here as well. I'm in need of some advice regarding a used 325i (Sorry for re-hijacking this thread!)

We were contemplating replacing our 2006 Civic. We bought it pre-owned in 2012, and it has run around 30,000 kms since it is our second car. The Civic is serving us well and is mechanically sound. But the itch to replace it has gotten quite unbearable. So, we came across a 2009 BMW 325i for an asking price of 12L. It has run about 40,000 kms. Had a first look at the car today and it seems to be in an immaculate condition, aesthetically. Will be taking it to a BMW showroom for an inspection soon, but thought I'll ask the experts here once before taking the decision to the next level.

What could be the pros and cons of the car? We are solely considering a petrol because of the low running and the NGT rules. Also, how does this compare to a 2011 BMW X1 petrol? We are BMW fans and this would be our first plunge into the luxury segment. So, any help would be appreciated.

Cheers! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by satrikon_454 (Post 4569191)
...2009 BMW 325i for an asking price of 12L. It has run about 40,000 kms. Had a first look at the car today and it seems to be in an immaculate condition, aesthetically. Will be taking it to a BMW showroom for an inspection soon, but thought I'll ask the experts here once before taking the decision to the next level.

What could be the pros and cons of the car? We are solely considering a petrol because of the low running and the NGT rules...


It is definitely not a wise decision to buy a 10 year old German. Check out the evaluation report from the BMW service centre, and you'll get an idea of how good the car is. Even if the mechanicals are good, the electricals on such old cars are prone to failures, if not maintained properly. Check out the evaluation report and you'll know how much you have to spend on the car in order to bring it up to shape, and then keep it that way.

One piece of advice though, don't buy it just because its cheap. In your head it'll be a 12L car, but in reality its maintenance cost will be equal to that of a 45L car. Furthermore, considering the fact that the car is already two generations old, getting critical spares might be an issue in the near future.

In short: It's best to stay away. You wouldn't want to ruin your German experience at the start. Maybe it'll turn out to be a good decision, but it all depends on your risk appetite. You could spend your 12L on a pre-owned (but pretty new) Jetta instead. A quick search on OLX throws up quite a lot of 2014-15 Jettas in that range in Bangalore. It'll be less risky (since its newer) but way better (again, since it's newer).

Cheers, and all the best!

Quote:

Originally Posted by satrikon_454 (Post 4569191)
we came across a 2009 BMW 325i for an asking price of 12L. It has run about 40,000 kms.

Can be a good buy if it's single owner and indeed 40K. It must be a CBU Import from Germany, I will pick this over an X1 any day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boniver (Post 4569216)
It is definitely not a wise decision to buy a 10 year old German.the electricals on such old cars are prone to failures, if not maintained properly.
In your head it'll be a 12L car, but in reality its maintenance cost will be equal to that of a 45L car. Furthermore, considering the fact that the car is already two generations old, getting critical spares might be an issue in the near future.
It's best to stay away.

I used to have a 2009 X6 till recent past and apart from a small charging issue with an Alternator, nothing else failed. That too was due to extended non-usage and given the relations with local dealer, they got it changed under warranty without a dime. I agree to your views that it's maintenance costs will be for something that cost 35 Lac when new BUT won't you be getting the same fun by paying 1/3rd the money :) None of the new cars at 12-15 lac can generate that kind of adrenaline that this beamer can. The guy who picked my X6 is enjoying my car like anything, with Zero issues.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boniver (Post 4569216)
One piece of advice though, don't buy it just because its cheap. In your head it'll be a 12L car, but in reality its maintenance cost will be equal to that of a 45L car. Furthermore, considering the fact that the car is already two generations old, getting critical spares might be an issue in the near future.

In short: It's best to stay away. You wouldn't want to ruin your German experience at the start. Maybe it'll turn out to be a good decision, but it all depends on your risk appetite. You could spend your 12L on a pre-owned (but pretty new) Jetta instead. A quick search on OLX throws up quite a lot of 2014-15 Jettas in that range in Bangalore. It'll be less risky (since its newer) but way better (again, since it's newer).

Cheers, and all the best!

I cannot agree more!
Unless this is a second car, and you have a decent budget for repairs (think around 1L/year as an average at the very least), it is just not worth it because even if one issue crops up, it would cost a reasonable sum to fix.
Instead, I'd look at plonking money on a newer Laura TSi / Jetta TDi instead (even a Superb TDi could be worth it), which can also be upgraded to make it more relevant unlike the E90 325i (like android auto, etc.).
These cars are also a lot more practical and spacious than the 3 series, and would be easier to live with in the long run too.

The way I see buying a used German (over 3 years old) is only viable if you have a decent chunk of change left over for maintenance.

As a thought, what if you picked up a 2009/10 E60 5 series instead at 8L, which would allow you to still have 4-5L left over for maintenance, but ONLY if you have a reliable garage who could carry out the services and sourcing of parts for significantly cheaper than what BMW would charge.

The X1 - I would forgo it entirely. It was a flop in the market during it's prime and for due reason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbanator (Post 4569228)

I used to have a 2009 X6 till recent past and apart from a small charging issue with an Alternator, nothing else failed. That too was due to extended non-usage and given the relations with local dealer, they got it changed under warranty without a dime. I agree to your views that it's maintenance costs will be for something that cost 35 Lac when new BUT won't you be getting the same fun by paying 1/3rd the money :) None of the new cars at 12-15 lac can generate that kind of adrenaline that this beamer can. The guy who picked my X6 is enjoying my car like anything, with Zero issues.

I agree with you, and the same holds true for my E60 5 series as well which was sold after 9 years of use. The new buyer loved it when we last spoke. I handed over delivery to him after completing a 600km road trip a day before, after which he drove down from Mumbai to Bangalore with no issues.
Our car too only had an issue with the battery / alternator due to limited use.
However, it was still on it's stock suspension which would be up for change shortly, a lot of rubber components had become hard and needed to be replaced soon, interior wear and tear (which the E90 is a little notorious for - sticky rubber handles etc.), are some of the things that would have had to be fixed in due course of time - maybe not immediately but say 2-3 years down the line). After market parts are available, but if done by BMW, these can still be pretty steep, especially coming from a reliable and easy to maintain Honda.

Get a validation on odo reading. I've had an instance where the same 325i advertised on olx was listed with 60,000 on odo and then after a few weeks the same car had 36,000 on it. Both Kms.

Also,make sure the odo mentioned is indeed Kms and not Miles.

If, the car is genuine and well maintained I do not see much fuss , though keep in mind maintenance will not be at par with your current civic. Seen buyers complaining about upkeep costs of Skoda's when they upgraded from Marutis.

Try to score out the 330i for sale on olx. I have test driven it a few weeks back and this one will be more punchier and better then the 325i with same maintenance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbanator (Post 4569228)
I used to have a 2009 X6 till recent past and apart from a small charging issue with an Alternator, nothing else failed. That too was due to extended non-usage and given the relations with local dealer, they got it changed under warranty without a dime. I agree to your views that it's maintenance costs will be for something that cost 35 Lac when new BUT won't you be getting the same fun by paying 1/3rd the money :) None of the new cars at 12-15 lac can generate that kind of adrenaline that this beamer can. The guy who picked my X6 is enjoying my car like anything, with Zero issues.

I'm glad to know you had a trouble-free time with your '09 X6. However, I feel it is an exception rather than a rule. Very few people actually look after their cars the way BHPians too.

Like I said, it's a gamble. satrikon_454 could either end up with a brilliant car that's been taken care of really well, or a troublesome one that will keep him away from high-end Germans in future. In my opinion, chances of the latter happening is more. Buying this 325i (assuming it clears the authorised dealer's evalution) or not, depends on his risk-appetite.

That being said, most senior members on his forum wouldn't touch a >5 year old modern BMW with a barge pole.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boniver (Post 4569216)
It is definitely not a wise decision to buy a 10 year old German. Check out the evaluation report from the BMW service centre, and you'll get an idea of how good the car is. Even if the mechanicals are good, the electricals on such old cars are prone to failures, if not maintained properly. Check out the evaluation report and you'll know how much you have to spend on the car in order to bring it up to shape, and then keep it that way.

One piece of advice though, don't buy it just because its cheap. In your head it'll be a 12L car, but in reality its maintenance cost will be equal to that of a 45L car. Furthermore, considering the fact that the car is already two generations old, getting critical spares might be an issue in the near future.

It all depends on the report. Spare parts is definitely one of the concerns. The maintenance costs have been taken into consideration, hence the plunge. But you make valid points. Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by boniver (Post 4569216)
In short: It's best to stay away. You wouldn't want to ruin your German experience at the start. Maybe it'll turn out to be a good decision, but it all depends on your risk appetite. You could spend your 12L on a pre-owned (but pretty new) Jetta instead. A quick search on OLX throws up quite a lot of 2014-15 Jettas in that range in Bangalore. It'll be less risky (since its newer) but way better (again, since it's newer).

The Civic is in a great condition and we have no complaints *touchwood* It was just an itch to move up the ante into a premium luxury brand without spending a bomb :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbanator (Post 4569228)
Can be a good buy if it's single owner and indeed 40K. It must be a CBU Import from Germany, I will pick this over an X1 any day.

It's actually a company owned car, later transferred to the employee. So, second owner. I didn't get deep into it and it was just a casual visit since I was passing by that area. Will try to fetch more details on the same. Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamborghini (Post 4569232)
I cannot agree more!
Unless this is a second car, and you have a decent budget for repairs (think around 1L/year as an average at the very least), it is just not worth it because even if one issue crops up, it would cost a reasonable sum to fix.
Instead, I'd look at plonking money on a newer Laura TSi / Jetta TDi instead (even a Superb TDi could be worth it), which can also be upgraded to make it more relevant unlike the E90 325i (like android auto, etc.).
These cars are also a lot more practical and spacious than the 3 series, and would be easier to live with in the long run too.

The way I see buying a used German (over 3 years old) is only viable if you have a decent chunk of change left over for maintenance.

As a thought, what if you picked up a 2009/10 E60 5 series instead at 8L, which would allow you to still have 4-5L left over for maintenance, but ONLY if you have a reliable garage who could carry out the services and sourcing of parts for significantly cheaper than what BMW would charge.

I am mentally prepared to keep a couple of hundred thousands aside if we plan to get it home. Hoping there won't be a lot to change. Like I mentioned earlier, it all depends on the report. Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamborghini (Post 4569232)
The X1 - I would forgo it entirely. It was a flop in the market during it's prime and for due reason.

Really? The petrol X1 did have some critical reviews, but I didn't have such bad impressions about it. Have come across as few lucrative deals, but did not test drive any of them yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aditbelw (Post 4569237)
Get a validation on odo reading. I've had an instance where the same 325i advertised on olx was listed with 60,000 on odo and then after a few weeks the same car had 36,000 on it. Both Kms.

Also,make sure the odo mentioned is indeed Kms and not Miles.

If, the car is genuine and well maintained I do not see much fuss , though keep in mind maintenance will not be at par with your current civic. Seen buyers complaining about upkeep costs of Skoda's when they upgraded from Marutis.

Try to score out the 330i for sale on olx. I have test driven it a few weeks back and this one will be more punchier and better then the 325i with same maintenance.

From the looks of it (the wear and tear), it did not feel like a 'rogue' car. But looks can be deceptive. Will get that tampering test done as well. Haven't come across many 330i in Bangalore. I'll still keep a lookout for them. Thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boniver (Post 4569242)
Like I said, it's a gamble. satrikon_454 could either end up with a brilliant car that's been taken care of really well, or a troublesome one that will keep him away from high-end Germans in future. In my opinion, chances of the latter happening is more. Buying this 325i (assuming it clears the authorised dealer's evalution) or not, depends on his risk-appetite.

This was my first interaction as a buyer of a German marque. I need to stay grounded and think from the head rather than the heart lol. Hoping that the reports come out looking good. He said the car is non accidental, but is there any other way to check the car's history apart from the A.S.S itself?


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