BMW 3 series E46...

SixTwoSix · 14 Oct 2014 at 18:39

I know nothing about BMW's but i've been made an offer and wondering whether to take the guy up on it.

Brother in law has been giving a lot of help to a friend of his in regards to getting a new car sorted on finance. They were successful and as a result he's offered him his old car for £1000. He's not bothered so passed the offer on to me.

What I know so far is it's a 3 series, E46, 1.8, 2002, 104,000 miles. MOT until march, cambelt changed last year. 4 reasonably new tyres. Bodywork in good condition. Only work required on it is rear suspension on one side requires a new spring.

So, would you go for it? Not sure what the value is on these, BIL's friend reckons it's worth about 2k and is offering it to him reduced as repayment for the favour.

[TW]Fox · 14 Oct 2014 at 18:52

How on earth does it take 'a lot of help' to get a new car on finance? You walk in, sign an overpriced agreement for a white diesel with AMG SPORT PLUS on the order form and job done?

I wouldn't go for it, because I don't want an old 318i. Do you? Seems a bit silly to buy it for the sake of it, it's hardly outstanding.

Peerzy · 14 Oct 2014 at 18:57

Is it even worth £2k? Maybe people list them for £2k on Autotrader but I'd probably expect you get less, it's a 100k nearly 13 year old small BMW - it's barely worth the trouble unless you've always dreamed of owning an old slow BMW.

If you want an e46 then surely spend some time looking at them and buy a decent example based on condition.

craaaaaig · 14 Oct 2014 at 18:58

Depends what you currently drive

SixTwoSix · 14 Oct 2014 at 19:11

[TW]Fox;27053575 said:
How on earth does it take 'a lot of help' to get a new car on finance? You walk in, sign an overpriced agreement for a white diesel with AMG SPORT PLUS on the order form and job done?

The guy is a self employed lorry driver with poor records and his english isn't the best in the world being his second language but he's still pulling in over £1k/week :eek:

[TW]Fox;27053575 said:
I wouldn't go for it, because I don't want an old 318i. Do you? Seems a bit silly to buy it for the sake of it, it's hardly outstanding.

That's why i asked, I know nothing. However if the car was worth £2k and I could get it for £1k, then I could make a bit of money if I didn't like the car.

Peerzy said:
Is it even worth £2k? Maybe people list them for £2k on Autotrader but I'd probably expect you get less, it's a 100k nearly 13 year old small BMW - it's barely worth the trouble unless you've always dreamed of owning an old slow BMW.

If you want an e46 then surely spend some time looking at them and buy a decent example based on condition.

Don't know what it's worth, again why i asked, seems to be so many variations of BMW, I have no idea what's what.

Don't particularly want a BMW but not against the idea.

craaaaaig said:
Depends what you currently drive

Clio 172 which needs about £500 on work for it or get something else. Considering it's only worth about a grand anyway, i'm considering something else.

First few replies have pretty much made me realise I shouldn't even be considering it.

Gaygle · 14 Oct 2014 at 20:49

Wait, is he offering it to you for £1000 or £2000? Cars at this age and price are all about the condition. 95% of them will be crap and will give a £500 bill at every MOT.

SixTwoSix · 14 Oct 2014 at 20:58

Offering for a grand.

I've had a look across various sites over the last few hours, really not that good a deal at all.

Peerzy · 14 Oct 2014 at 22:03

SixTwoSix said:
I've had a look across various sites over the last few hours, really not that good a deal at all.

Exactly, it would have potentially been a good deal if any of the following applied;

* The car was your dream car
* You knew the car was in amazing condition
* It was a rare, top spec or valuable car
* You stood to make a decent profit on the car

None of the above apply.

inogen · 14 Oct 2014 at 22:31

Really not sure a 13 yr old 318i that "needs work" is worth £1000.

A similar 318i with no work required, with a recent MOT and decent tyres is maybe worth £2k. It would cost a grand or so to get this there, with associated risk.

rodenal · 14 Oct 2014 at 22:54

A 318 that needs rear springs for its next mot for a grand sounds fine.

PS the cambelt statement is ********

Of course, if its a 318 that has no mot or a very short one and "just needs a spring" is potentially a complete waste of time unless you're able to actually check it over thoroughly yourself

Edit just seen the MOT is for 5 months. Sounds OK I guess if its otherwise sound enough

Gaygle · 14 Oct 2014 at 23:04

I think the overwhelming thing is that although not a lot of money to risk, there is a high risk of disruption and expensive bills to repair things when they do fail (and something WILL fail on a £1000 E46 that will require fixing for the MOT and your car may be off the road for this time). And all of this for a ropey sounding 318i.

rodenal · 14 Oct 2014 at 23:07

Well yes and no, if it's a car to be loved and cherished then its absolutely not the thing to be buying.

If you're happy to take the risk, fix it yourself for a bit then bin it when things get difficult it might not be a terrible way to go.

Still get £500 back and although deathly slow I can think of worse £1k car. At double the money or as some sort of pretence at an uber reliable motor it's a silly prospect.

Gaygle · 14 Oct 2014 at 23:09

rodenal said:
Well yes and no, if it's a car to be loved and cherished then its absolutely not the thing to be buying.

If you're happy to take the risk, fix it yourself for a bit then bin it when things get difficult it might not be a terrible way to go.

Still get £500 back and although deathly slow I can think of worse £1k car. At double the money or as some sort of pretence at an uber reliable motor it's a silly prospect.

Yeah, if you have time to faff around and you don't need to get to work/take children to school/go shopping with a car. If you *do* need a car to be semi reliable and you do use it for essential journeys - just don't do it, it'll cost you more hassle than it's worth IMO.

inogen · 15 Oct 2014 at 01:57

I bought an 11 yr old 325i, with 12 months MOT and no advisories last year for £1650.

Okay, it's a Compact, but it has, in fairness, been uber-reliable for the last year. Am about to get it MOT'd and not expecting any problems at all. Recently serviced, no worries. 10,000 miles of trouble free driving.

I wouldn't by one that needed work for a grand.

Jez · 15 Oct 2014 at 09:13

SixTwoSix said:
What I know so far is it's a 3 series, E46, 1.8, 2002, 104,000 miles. MOT until march, cambelt changed last year. 4 reasonably new tyres. Bodywork in good condition. Only work required on it is rear suspension on one side requires a new spring.

So, would you go for it? Not sure what the value is on these, BIL's friend reckons it's worth about 2k and is offering it to him reduced as repayment for the favour.

There is some misinformation in this thread;

1) If this car is a 1.8 then it is a 316i, not a 318i, the 318i is a 2.0 on a MY2002.

2) It doesn't have a cambelt - if he is claiming its had a cambelt done then i would wonder what else he is not telling you about or lying about having done.

3) Most 316i's are very low spec, almost all of them are also saloons or compacts, the two least desirable E46 models.

4) No i wouldnt take it at a grand. A 2002 316i SE Saloon even in good condition is a car you will struggle to sell for much more than that anyway - its not a great deal.

SixTwoSix · 15 Oct 2014 at 09:18

So there's no cambelt...that's interesting, sounds like he's taking the pee a little bit.

Just had photo's through my email, it's badged as a 318CI.

I think i'll stick to my 172 go kart for a while

Thanks for all the comments, this sub-forum is now my first go to place for car info!

Jez · 15 Oct 2014 at 09:20

Oh its a 318CI?

That changes things a lot, thats a 2.0 though, it seems weird that he doesnt have the slightest clue about his own car......everything he has said about it is wrong.

A 318Ci is easily worth a grand, take it at that money and just sell it on after fitting a spring if you dont want to keep it. I personally would keep it though, if i currently had a clio, a 318ci is a good upgrade from that - the 318ci is a nice little car.

Post the photos up and you can probably get a more reliable spec and comments.

Uncle_Gravy · 15 Oct 2014 at 09:30

The 172 is the better car, save ya cash.

SixTwoSix · 15 Oct 2014 at 09:40

Jez said:
Oh its a 318CI?

That changes things a lot, thats a 2.0 though, it seems weird that he doesnt have the slightest clue about his own car......everything he has said about it is wrong.

A 318Ci is easily worth a grand, take it at that money and just sell it on after fitting a spring if you dont want to keep it. I personally would keep it though, if i currently had a clio, a 318ci is a good upgrade from that - the 318ci is a nice little car.

Post the photos up and you can probably get a more reliable spec and comments.

Well I got most of the info second hand via the brother-in-law, i'm thinking he made a few errors.

It's the cambelt thing that bothers me, if he is claiming it was changed when it has a chain, makes me wonder what else he is lying about.

Couple of pics...

Doesn't do anything for me in the looks department, but I drive a clio sport so I can't say much about looks

Jez · 15 Oct 2014 at 09:52

Oh god thats quite nice, thats easily worth a grand. Take it and sell it on if necessary, that thing would even auction at more than that.