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Old 13th December 2009, 21:34   #1
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2002/03 BMW 530i ..queries!!

Hello all..This is my first post on Team-BHP though Ive been around for more than 3 years..yep..ive just been browsing through various topics but never had anything to post about. anyways.

Im planning on purchasing a used BMW thats up for sale here in Chennai.some details about the car

2002Manufactured,2003 registered
530i with M-kit including M suspension and M exhaust
done a genuine 12000km
single owner

The car is black in colour..The front bumper has suffered damage and needs replacement.The Right side headlamp also needs replacement as it has also suffered a mild scuff..the left side door skirt has a small scratch more like the ones u get if the skirt rubs against a stone.and the left mirror has a small ding too..oh the BMW logo on the bonnet has also faded. other than this the car is in immaculate condition.I did go for a TD and came away impressed..no unnecessary rattles or squeaks..the auto shift is seamless..is there any way I can check if the car has ever been involved in a shunt...?keep in mind, the doors shut tight and all the body lines seem perfect and matching..no rust at places like the door sill and all..

When I went for the TD the second time, I took my family.After the TD, I noticed that the right suspension was lowered compared to the left one after we all got out of the car.mind you the car was fully loaded with 5 Adults and I being the heaviest of them all and I was sitting on the right side. When I asked the person about the suspension he had no idea but said that it was a self leveling suspension and since it was fully loaded with a lil extra on one side it was probably squatting on that side alone. he promised to run a full diagnostic and show us the results in front of us. We test drove another car and by the time we returned( read 20mins) the suspension had risen and was fine. So my query now..is this something common or should I investigate further.and yes there is absolutely no kind of sound coming from the suspension set-up.no squeaks nothing.

The car was being used by a big industrialist as a weekend car( reason for unbelievably low mileage) and was used in Delhi and it is now in Chennai..so my next query is about transfer of registration..how much will it cost approximately..? and is it easy to tamper the meter on such cars to show a lower mileage than actual..I heard from a lot of sources that its next to impossible to tamper the meters on such beemers. This car does not have a service history and thats primarily because it never had a proper service carried out..oils were changed and thats about all the service it ever had..so is there any other way of reconfirming the mileage just to be sure..the owner of the car has a couple other expensive machines too but even then this will be my first beemer so I just want to very sure!! let me know if there are any other methods of determining the actual mileage.. the leather on the interior seems to be brilliant with hardly any cracks which kinda proves the low mileage but still!!

Finally what will be a good price for the car...There is another 530i here and that dealer wants 16L for that car..and this cars asking is 10.5+ another 2 for the bumper,lights and a service..works out to about 12L..is it a good price..?

Let me know what you guys think.and also if there is anything specific that I should be looking at while buying this car..to be honest im in love with this car but im keeping my heart from overpowering my brain!! :P so help me out guys..cheers
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Old 14th December 2009, 13:04   #2
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What you are considering is the E39 5 series and, in my books, the best looking 5 series ever.

2002/03 BMW 530i ..queries!!-sig1zs.jpg

Pic source : DTM Forums

Quote:
Originally Posted by prashanth_benz View Post
The car is black in colour..The front bumper has suffered damage and needs replacement.The Right side headlamp also needs replacement as it has also suffered a mild scuff..the left side door skirt has a small scratch more like the ones u get if the skirt rubs against a stone.and the left mirror has a small ding too..oh the BMW logo on the bonnet has also faded
Don't worry about the looks, nicks or dents. They are the easiest to fix.

What you need to do is:

1. Get the car professionally evaluated by the local BMW showroom. Or an independent garage that specialises in European cars. Believe me, this 5,000 rupees will be the best you spend on the car.

2. Check if all import duties, taxes, octroi charges have been paid. Verify the receipts. Hiring a local RTO broker will make things easier for you.

Quote:
We test drove another car and by the time we returned( read 20mins) the suspension had risen and was fine.
The owner is talking rubbish. IIRC, only the station wagon E39 5 series had a self-leveling rear suspension.

Quote:
This car does not have a service history and thats primarily because it never had a proper service carried out
That's bad news. Euros run super, but they absolutely need their regular services. If the owner doesn't have a documented service history, speak to the garage that has maintained her. But again, a professional evaluation of the car is a MUST!

Good luck with the evaluation, I hope the car comes out clean. Quoted prices seem alright.
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Old 14th December 2009, 14:20   #3
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@ GTO - The E39 Sedan did have a self levlelling option for the rear suspension. Apart from the fact that the system is useless, is horribly expensive to maintain.

@ Prashanth benz - You can confirm the same by removing the spare wheel in the boot and check if you can see a big black dome like thing which is the air compressor. Also you can pm me the Vin of the car to check if i can get any details of the car.
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Old 18th December 2009, 16:38   #4
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@GTO : thanks for posting the topic under the right thread.and to answer your questions

*The car was shown to me at the BMW service center with a person working there being responsible for its sale..the owner of the car has gone for a new 5.

*The import documents have not yet been verified..I do plan on doing it as soon as the agent gets it..I did have a look at the RC book copy though..and there was a note which said that the car should not be sold for 2 years..I guess the car was got on TR back in 03.I will post details about all the duty paid etc once I get to see them.

*The service history of the car is not there because the car has never been serviced..yes that is right..only the oils have been changed periodically and no major service was done..and since the car has only done 12XXX Km since new I dont know if a service was ever required..but if I decide to get the car Im getting it serviced by KUN here and the agent from KUN told me that the service invoice will carry the 12XXX Km as the original KM on all official receipts..thereby creating a first official service record for the car. and again ,all these facts came from the agent who works for the authorized showroom here.

and the car has done only 12XXX which I definitely find it hard to believe..but as far as the ride,performance and gearshifts suggest it sure looks like a very low mileage car..and the interior leather is absolutely pristine which does kinda prove the low mileage..I also tried reading up on how to clock the E39 clocks..and the general opinion is that the E39 clocks or for that matter most Beemer clocks cant be clocked very easily..and in the E39 if the car is clocked a small red indication comes up on the dash display I guess..as per what I read online suggest..and I dont see that red spot on the dash..and finally I dont think an official BMW agent will have the audacity to sell a clocked car from his showroom and record the mileage on the original service receipt..so!

@Maverick: First of all, thank you for your offer to decode the VIN of the car..il find out the VIN and PM you as soon as I get it and if the agent allows me to copy it. and thanks for the tip about checking if the car comes with the self leveling suspension or not...what are the indications of a failed auto suspension..? as per what happened on my drive I have described above..the car does not squat while its unladen..the car was fully laden on our drive and thats when the one side squatted but it did rise back up in a few mins once we all alighted..as per the BMW mech thats the way the system works..I do not know..any pointers here would be greatly appreciated..

again thank you guys for your replies!! cheers all!
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Old 19th December 2009, 14:30   #5
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Alright time for an update..the import papers of the car are not there..the car is registered with the Delhi RTO and the BMW guy here says he can re-register the car here without the import papers...Im not really interested in picking up a car without the papers..what do u guys think..?
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