BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check?

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fangs

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Thinking of buying a used 325d Coupe from a main BMW dealership in the UK after July. As an approved BMW used car it is backed up by a 12 month BMW warranty, full road test, vehicle history, mileage check (see here for full list of benefits [broken link removed].)

If I was buying privately I would do this through the AA and do an online HPI check myself as mentioned plenty of times in this site.

Any considered opinions on whether I should get any independent checks done? Should I factor in the cost of a private AA/HPI check regardless or would it be duplication of effort?

Thanks
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

Even if the warranty is a BMW manufacturer's warranty you may have problems getting it honoured here, I'd suggest you check first with BMW in Ireland.

I'd recommend an independent check on the car and maybe consider the RAC as an alternative to the AA. That is not to suggest there is anything wrong with the AA, just another option.
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

I am planning to buy from a main dealer too - I was not planning on getting it checked.
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

If it's an approved used BMW it will come with a verified mileage and finance check from an independent body. I'm not sure what additional value a further check would give you. For me it would depend on whether the car was a trade-in and its age - I wouldn't bother on a dealer demonstrator, for example.

AFAIK due to the banning of block exemption warranties must be honoured in all EU countries, but I await correction.

BTW I'll be doing exactly the same towards the end of the year, for a 520d.

SSE
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

When considering your purchase.

Log on to

It's a UK based website that provides the information behind the scenes for the Autotrader television programme.

If you go in through the UK site you will have to pay for the downloadable guides to each car ( how to spot a serious lemon )

But if you visit www.drivemagazine.ie you can register with for FREE and get a fully downloadable guide ( mechanical guide plus any possible faults guide ) for FREE

The information compiled in the guides in based on thousands of hours of interviews with mechanics who show you how to spot the tricks of the trade such as car clocking ( which you will see on the majority of used BMW imports ) or worse still cut n shuts.

Did you not watch Primetime Investigates last week?
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

Thanks for your replies, I'll be looking for a 1 or 2 yr old car with FSH. Because of the money involved another few hundred €'s won't hurt to get an independent check I suppose. No matter the reputation of BMW dealers I reckon you can't beat an independent check. AFAIK Irish BMW dealers are obliged to honour EU BMW warrantys, I will check this out however and post my findings up here.

Planning to go over after the VRT change date so any other practical advise appreciated.

Here are my expectations and tips gleaned from various sources just for reference, it'll be interesting to see how it pans out

  1. Use AA/RAC for motor check
  2. On a positive report, use currency.ie for money transfer (from forums they have good record and excellent exchange rates). Will confirm prices closer the time
  3. Request car is delivered to convenient airport (or at least be collected)
  4. Expect at last a 5% discount for cash purchase (will barter hard for more). Mates have achieved 8% for a 4 yr old 7 series
  5. Depending on location aim to be over and back on same day
Once its done I'll write a full account of how I got on with costs.......till then...
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

Fangs - good luck. I was planning on going over to the NW of England as there are loads of dealers around Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Bolton, Chester, N Wales etc. and you're close to Holyhead. I'd say many of these dealers will be getting even more familiar with Irish Car Purchase Tourism given the VRT and exchange rates.

Bear in mind that discounts on 4-year-old E65 7-Series will be much easier to get than a 5 or 3!

All - one thing that's been bugging me - if you fill in the V5C for Permanent Export on the day you purchase and collect the car do you need to tax it? Anybody been stopped by the Police in such a situation?

SSE
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

save yourself a few hundred more €'s by not buying through bank draft and instead contacting xetrade or currency.ie, banks generally dont offer a good deal on this and a call will let you know pretty quick what you can save
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

Excellent links creditcrunch, I registered with usedcar and they have sound advise. Its scarey alright about the amount of clocking thats going on, particularily on BMW's. A HPI check and the fact I'll be buying a new model car should mitigate any risk.
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

fangs, are you not going to test drive before you buy?
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

If you are bringing in a car after July 1st, will the Open Market selling Price used by Revenue, fall to reflect the reduced VRT (which is included in the OMSP) and thereby pass on a little more saving on registration?

Slim
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

Slim said:
If you are bringing in a car after July 1st, will the Open Market selling Price used by Revenue, fall to reflect the reduced VRT (which is included in the OMSP) and thereby pass on a little more saving on registration?

Slim
Click to expand...

an excellent point Slim - OMSP is defined as the pirce, inclusive of VRT, which in the Opinion of the Revenue a vehicle might reasonably be expected to fetch in the open market

..well worth doing taking note of the pre 1 July OMSP on the VRT website for your proposed purchase and then seeing if the OMSP actually does fall post 1 July - if not, you've grounds for an appeal...

on the other side, the factor for cars coming in from the UK that tends to be overlooked from the point of VRT is that any enhancements or accessories fitted or attached to the car can be valued by Revenue separately to the OMSP that they would normally place on the same Irish model (as it generally will not have all these enhancements)... these enhancements could end up costing you extra VRT should a detailed examination of the car be carried out by Revenue... just worth noting
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

doogo, I have driven several cars of the model I want from friends / dealers and its exactly what I want. I'll not learn anything new by test driving the car I will buy. The 'AA' check will determine road worthiness issues so I've no problems just driving it away really. Kind of analagous to buying a new car.

Slims point is interesting alright, think I'll do a before and after comparison. My car will be spec'd up (M sport, leather upholstery) so am budgetting for that. Though I have heard it depends on the day and the VRT inspector you get. For my mates 7 series they didn't even look at the car.
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

I brought in a BMW 525d at the start of march. When I went to Tallaght VRO they just verified the VIN matched the V5c and then this was sent to Rosslare.

What they told me was that every BMW, Audi, Lexus and Mercedes has the chassis number sent to Rosslare if it hasn't reached it's 4th Birthday. If over 4 years then it's the normal visual check.

Then Rosslare check with the distributor in the country of orgin to verify what extra's are on the car. This takes about a week to come back. They gave me a letter to show guards or customs if I was stopped in the meantime.

When they came back to me my car had 10K sterling worth of extras. They depreciate these and I was chared an extra 900 euro VRT from the internet quote.

Everything is included, mine had optional ashtrays in the back and even these were listed. Just to bear in mind if car not over 4 years old!
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

mathepac said:
Even if the warranty is a BMW manufacturer's warranty you may have problems getting it honored here, I'd suggest you check first with BMW in Ireland.
Click to expand...
Thats my fear too.... worse still... if there is a problem and its only honored in UK there would be transportation costs to be facted into it. Does anyone know if it really does stand in Ireland if there is a problem. I'm looking at bringing in a low CO2 Coupe to avail of 16%VRT and looking at the same car in the 2nd hand Irish market there is €13k in the difference.
Anyone know what the trade in issues with UK imports are when actually looking back in Irish dealers for a newer car in say 2 years? Should I expect to loose the €13k "Saving"?
 
Re: BMW Used Car UK - Independent Check???

Best to get it checked, I spoke to someone recently who almost bought a 2nd hand bmw that turned out to have trouble with the turbo. He reckons it would have cost 3k to fix.

better safe than sorry
 
Dear Mr F
Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding purchasing a Used BMW.
I can confirm that if you were to purchase an Approved Used BMW, which
was originally registered in January 2008, you would inherit the
remainder of the three year manufacturer's warranty and emergency
service cover. This would be honoured in Southern Ireland if you were to
import it and you could then take the vehicle to any BMW Dealership in
Southern Ireland in the event that any warranty or service work was
required.
I can also confirm that all BMW models come with a 2 year world wide
warranty. For UK purchased BMW models, BMW UK supply the vehicle with a
third year Dealer warranty. This third year warranty is only valid in
the UK and Southern Ireland. In addition, the BMW Emergency Service
cover is included which provides home and road side assistance in the UK
and Europe, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
I trust that this information is of assistance to you, if you have any
further questions regarding this, please contact us on the telephone
number below.
Yours sincerely

Warranty Services Advisor
BMW Group
Financial Services
 
Remember, dont just walk into your bank and ask for a uk draft as the rate will be terrible and you'll lose hundreds of euro
 
ccraig what would you recommend as the best way to transfer money to sterling?
 
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