Hey guys I'm a 17 year old high school student. I found a 2001 bmw 325i on Craigslist the guy is only only asking $1800 for the car so I went to go see the car the car starts and runs good ,shifts really good he's a bmw mechanic he actually owns the car shop that I'm buying it from, the car has 210k miles on it, also has a few wear and tears on the leather the a/c works ice cold ,everything looks fine few scratches on the paint, all the windows work should I get it? It's really just something until next year around January just to get to work and back. He said if anything major happened to the car he would take care of it for me free of charge. What do you guys think? I have no bills so why not?
slammeddre
I'd say if you got the money and want it go for it! I just got my rag the same way and now am a BMW lover forever! Do some searches on here first though if you have questions and read the stickys here in general they help a lot! Post some more pics if you get her.
With the body damage though I'd try to work my wheeling and dealing skills for a better price haha. Without that damage (heck with it) I'd roll that thing till the wheels fell off!
With the body damage though I'd try to work my wheeling and dealing skills for a better price haha. Without that damage (heck with it) I'd roll that thing till the wheels fell off!
Didn't you ask about this very same car on another forum about 2-weeks ago? If I recall, the transmission was kaput and the seller said he'd fix it if you bought it. I guess he did. Hope you didn't/don't. The answer then was a resounding "NO - RUN AWAY FROM THAT CAR". Nothing's really changed, except now you don't have to wait for him to fix the tranny before you buy it (assuming you haven't already purchased and are just looking for reassurance now).
My son is 17 too. We got him an e46, but we spent upwards of $9K to get him a good one, an '04 330 ZHP coupe... and still expect to put a couple of grand into it soon. We looked at lots of others. Could probably have gotten a decent 325 for around $5 or $6K, or a non-ZHP 330 for $6K or $7K. Below that, everything we saw was just asking for us to end up with more in the car after pending repairs and deferred maintenance, and not have as a nice a car afterwards. $1,800? I wouldn't even consider it. The seller knows it's a POS or he'd be asking and getting much more for it.
My son is 17 too. We got him an e46, but we spent upwards of $9K to get him a good one, an '04 330 ZHP coupe... and still expect to put a couple of grand into it soon. We looked at lots of others. Could probably have gotten a decent 325 for around $5 or $6K, or a non-ZHP 330 for $6K or $7K. Below that, everything we saw was just asking for us to end up with more in the car after pending repairs and deferred maintenance, and not have as a nice a car afterwards. $1,800? I wouldn't even consider it. The seller knows it's a POS or he'd be asking and getting much more for it.
Yeah I found out nothing was wrong with the transmission he said that it needed some lifetime fluid again and a filter because it had a leak I test drove it 2 days ago and it drives fine, I also called my mechanic and asked him to come check it out, and he told me it was a good deal, tbh I don't know why he's selling it so cheap but if anything is wrong with it he will fix it. That's what he told me, plus I don't think he would lie to me because for the past 3 weeks he's been giving me a ride home from work until he fixes the car, believe it or not I trust him.
I will probably catch some flak for this but I say buy the car. You are not going to find anything better for $1800. Your mechanic can help you fix things and you can learn to wrench some as well. Let's hope the current owner isn't leaving you with too much to worry about. You can always part the thing out and probably recoup most if not all of your money if the car is a dud.
I would use your money toward a Civic or something. I do not believe you would have a good experience getting into this car, its going to cost you a lot of time and money that you more than likely do not have of either.
e46 as your first car with little income will be a nightmare in my opinion. They are great cars, if you can afford the maintenance on them. I got an e46 as my 2nd car and I fell in love and now I've had 4 since then in various states. I would just recommend to do your research on maintenance of these cars, figure out what you are willing to pay, and get a full inspection of the one you want to buy so you know exactly what you are getting.
I know its a cliche that your first car doesn't really matter but from experience I learned this the hard way... I saved up for 2 years to buy a rx7 FD and I wrecked it within two years. It was a learning process though and the accident wasn't my fault at all... I've wrecked two e46's as well that weren't my fault (I guess it's just the area I live in with tourists and crazy drivers). To me it just seems like the first car is a learning curve and will always see some sort of abuse or run into misfortune.
If this is the car you really want, go for it. Ever since I bought my first e46, I was hooked and I can't see myself in any other vehicle for my daily driver. I have several other vehicles but I just don't feel the love and passion that I do for the e46.
I know its a cliche that your first car doesn't really matter but from experience I learned this the hard way... I saved up for 2 years to buy a rx7 FD and I wrecked it within two years. It was a learning process though and the accident wasn't my fault at all... I've wrecked two e46's as well that weren't my fault (I guess it's just the area I live in with tourists and crazy drivers). To me it just seems like the first car is a learning curve and will always see some sort of abuse or run into misfortune.
If this is the car you really want, go for it. Ever since I bought my first e46, I was hooked and I can't see myself in any other vehicle for my daily driver. I have several other vehicles but I just don't feel the love and passion that I do for the e46.
Op the car in the photos does not look well cared for at all. I would ask the seller for all service records that he has so you can post them here and have us take a look at what's been done. If he doesn't have any records then you need to assume nothing has been done to it. Either way I wouldn't touch that POS with a ten foot pole. Keep this saying in mind through all this as it always ends up being true "there is nothing more expensive than a cheap German car".
If you really want an e46 then do it the right way and start with a clean well cared for example. Make sure you set aside a few thousand dollars for maintenance and then enjoy your BMW ownership. Buying that pile of bolts is not going to do much more than bring you troubles. Especially if you aren't prepared financially.
$1800 is pretty cheap for even an e46, and this guy is in the auto business. So think about it op, what's really wrong with this car that he is so eager to pass it on so cheap? If it seems too good to be true then 9 out of 10 times it usually is.
If you really want an e46 then do it the right way and start with a clean well cared for example. Make sure you set aside a few thousand dollars for maintenance and then enjoy your BMW ownership. Buying that pile of bolts is not going to do much more than bring you troubles. Especially if you aren't prepared financially.
$1800 is pretty cheap for even an e46, and this guy is in the auto business. So think about it op, what's really wrong with this car that he is so eager to pass it on so cheap? If it seems too good to be true then 9 out of 10 times it usually is.
Why does it look like it was in a rear-end collision.
If you need a car to get back and forth from work for a year then buy a Civic.
If you need a car to get back and forth from work for a year then buy a Civic.
Maybe, but I blew up the picture and it looks like there's a crease at the bottom of the sail panel followed by another crease.
Either way, that thing is trashed. Obviously been sitting for a long time.
Either way, that thing is trashed. Obviously been sitting for a long time.
man... I would steer very clear of this thing if you need reliable transportation. It would have to be a very special circumstance to suggest you buy something like this. Like maybe ....
... you work at a garage and could work on it there when it's broken.
... you can take public transport too and from work or school.
... you have a second car that is reliable and PAID for.
... you work at a garage and could work on it there when it's broken.
... you can take public transport too and from work or school.
... you have a second car that is reliable and PAID for.
I'll show you guys more pictures of the car today, but he showed me all of the stuff that he replace like water pump he also put the life time fluid in there he did an oil change on the car pretty recently and yes there is a dent by the rear window but I'll show more pics Today, As I will be taking another look at it.
Dre,
Just go ahead and buy it. We all know you're going to anyway. And nobody's going to be able to talk you out of it. And, that's okay. Lessons learned the hard way stick with you better at your age. And one of those lessons may be, "I need to learn to listen when I ask for advice so I don't have to learn everything the hard way!"
If/when you have problems with that car, come on back (to either forum you posted on about this car) and there will be plenty of people willing to try to help. Nobody's against you (not that you said we were)... just against seeing you make a big mistake. BUT, don't come back cryin' about how much it cost to fix it, or how you didn't know what you were getting into, or how e46's are all POS's (they're not, but that one likely is). We tried to warn you!
And, I do get it. At 17 you want a cool car (I do too, BTW). But, what you need is a car that won't keep you bleeding money you don't have. Sometimes it's hard to come to terms with "want" and "need" being two different things. I'm pulling for you, though. I really am. Regardless of doubts, I hope your e46 turns out to be the most trouble-free $1,800 car anyone has ever owned!
Just go ahead and buy it. We all know you're going to anyway. And nobody's going to be able to talk you out of it. And, that's okay. Lessons learned the hard way stick with you better at your age. And one of those lessons may be, "I need to learn to listen when I ask for advice so I don't have to learn everything the hard way!"
If/when you have problems with that car, come on back (to either forum you posted on about this car) and there will be plenty of people willing to try to help. Nobody's against you (not that you said we were)... just against seeing you make a big mistake. BUT, don't come back cryin' about how much it cost to fix it, or how you didn't know what you were getting into, or how e46's are all POS's (they're not, but that one likely is). We tried to warn you!
And, I do get it. At 17 you want a cool car (I do too, BTW). But, what you need is a car that won't keep you bleeding money you don't have. Sometimes it's hard to come to terms with "want" and "need" being two different things. I'm pulling for you, though. I really am. Regardless of doubts, I hope your e46 turns out to be the most trouble-free $1,800 car anyone has ever owned!
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