Buying BMW english reg. question

Tlevinxs

Hi guys,
Im lucky now to buy a BMW 320d 2002, i've found a realy nice 320d, but the only thing worries me is that its on english plates. Im ok with VRTs, but she also has english nct, so there is a question will i have to do irish nct again? or i can drive the car on english nct?

bladespin

Didn't realise there was an English NCT, the MOT would be ok to cover you driving it here while you reg/vrt it but AFIK you'll have to NCT is as soon as the reg is through.

Tlevinxs

bladespin wrote: »

Didn't realise there was an English NCT, the MOT would be ok to cover you driving it here while you reg/vrt it but AFIK you'll have to NCT is as soon as the reg is through.

So you mean when i change to irish plates, i will have to chnage my nct anyway, is it?

lee_

Tlevinxs wrote: »

So you mean when i change to irish plates, i will have to chnage my nct anyway, is it?

yes you will need an NCT test 100%

Tlevinxs

lee_ wrote: »

yes you will need an NCT test 100%

Alrite thanks for info lads!

listermint

Hi OP

there are alot of 320's on the market here with Irish registration. Why would you want to get an english one. The prices for that model are pretty rock bottom and you can pick up a really good one fairly easily.


Why bother with the VRT and NCT hastle??

lee_

I've been looking too and will probably wait until after Christmas to get one. They all seem to be in the 3500 - 4500 and most have about 120,000 on the clock.

This one looks alright, but wonder what the service history is like.

Folks what would you be expecting to knock off the asking price of this (If it had FSH) purchasing it cash in hand, considering the mess the economy is in, ........20%??

MidlandsM

lee_ wrote: »

Folks what would you be expecting to knock off the asking price of this (If it had FSH) purchasing it cash in hand, considering the mess the economy is in, ........20%??

You might think that, but its a sellers market out there too at present. If you have a good value,decent spec and well presented diesel, you can near get your asking price these days.

Tlevinxs

listermint wrote: »

Hi OP

there are alot of 320's on the market here with Irish registration. Why would you want to get an english one. The prices for that model are pretty rock bottom and you can pick up a really good one fairly easily.


Why bother with the VRT and NCT hastle??

Look at this BMW to answer your question, really gut spec on it

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1717503

Armin_Tamzarian

Tlevinxs wrote: »

Look at this BMW to answer your question, really gut spec on it

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1717503

Nice but it doesn't have an English reg.

Tlevinxs

Armin_Tamzarian wrote: »

Nice but it doesn't have an English reg.

It does have! read the ad, vrt is 800euros

Armin_Tamzarian

Tlevinxs wrote: »

It does have! read the ad, vrt is 800euros

It's a Northern Ireland reg.
It'd look alright if all those stickers and stuff were taken off it.
Is the price not a bit steep?

Tlevinxs

Armin_Tamzarian wrote: »

It's a Northern Ireland reg.
It'd look alright if all those stickers and stuff were taken off it.
Is the price not a bit steep?

Well considering if a buy a stadard one, and put coilovers, hid kits, remapping it will be the same price.

Ok if its Northern reg, is that mean i can drive with nct that she has?

Armin_Tamzarian

Tlevinxs wrote: »

Ok if its Northern reg, is that mean i can drive with nct that she has?

No.
You have to NCT it.

Tlevinxs

Armin_Tamzarian wrote: »

No.
You have to NCT it.

Yea this is a bit of hassle id say

DonJose

-40c on the readout :eek: Its also been remapped, you'll have to disclose that to your insurance company.

Armin_Tamzarian

Tlevinxs wrote: »

Yea this is a bit of hassle id say

Once the car is ok it should be fine.

Tlevinxs wrote: »

Well considering if a buy a stadard one, and put coilovers, hid kits, remapping it will be the same price.

You'd pick up a 2003 320d up North for less than €4,500.
HIDs kits are very cheap and getting a remap doesn't cost that much.
If it were me I'd probably buy a cheaper one and get the suspension changed afterwards.

MidlandsM

NCT'ing it is no hassles, after you VRT the car, wait 3 days for your new reg no to be updated on the system in shannon, call up the ncts people, and book it in for an nct - no hassles.

Tlevinxs

MidlandsM wrote: »

NCT'ing it is no hassles, after you VRT the car, wait 3 days for your new reg no to be updated on the system in shannon, call up the ncts people, and book it in for an nct - no hassles.

Yea but who knws will she pass nct or no, maybe something is missing, and you know that bmw parts are expensive, if she fails then its minimum another 300 euros if not more, so its kind of risky

Wolverine_1999

Be careful.. a lot of Northern cars have been badly abused.

Just get it mechanically checked before hand!

Leonard Hofstadter

Be very careful with about what you buy OP.

These engines are potential time bombs if they are not properly maintained. They really get very troublesome after 120,000 miles.

Turbos are notorious weakspots in these engines. Ensure the postive crankcase breather is changed asap or else you will be needing a new turbo.

But the urgency to change that pales into insignifiance compared to the need to remove the swirl flaps. The flaps themselves don't fail, but the mechanism that holds onto them (the spindles) fails and when these fail, they fall off and injest themselves into the engine, which writes off the engine in the process.

While a 318i or the 320i with the more powerful and nicer sounding six cylinder engine may not seem as appealing initially because of fuel economy(plus the 318i is not as powerful as the 320d), you need to think long and hard about whether or not the fuel savings of the diesel will be wiped out by inferior reliability and the higher purchase price.

If I was buying a 3 series of that vintage, I'd be buying the 320i with the six cylinder engine.

MidlandsM

Tlevinxs wrote: »

Yea but who knws will she pass nct or no, maybe something is missing, and you know that bmw parts are expensive, if she fails then its minimum another 300 euros if not more, so its kind of risky

Then get a freshly MOT'd car from the uk or norn iron is you want to import.

Del2005

MidlandsM wrote: »

Then get a freshly MOT'd car from the uk or norn iron is you want to import.

While our NCT may not be the best the MOT is wide open to corruption.

MidlandsM

Del2005 wrote: »

While our NCT may not be the best the MOT is wide open to corruption.

so is the nct i understand.;)

-Corkie-

DonJose wrote: »

-40c on the readout :eek: Its also been remapped, you'll have to disclose that to your insurance company.

And you forgot to say have the sh1te driven out of it..;)

Edit: Could be a candidate for the skangermobile thread with all them stickers and crap on it.

mathepac

-Corkie- wrote: »

And you forgot to say have the sh1te driven out of it...

The sticker on the L/H side of the boot is a Nurburgring sticker, which might suggest it's been tracked, although in fairness to the seller he's not hiding that.

daRobot

OP

That car doesn't look like it's been owned by someone that's given it an easy life.

I'd look elsewhere to be honest.

-Corkie-

mathepac wrote: »

The sticker on the L/H side of the boot is a Nurburgring sticker, which might suggest it's been tracked, although in fairness to the seller he's not hiding that.

He had a 03 one for sale also. I googled his phone number. I would be getting a Motorcheck report first op if you are intrested. Allthough the price is crazy imo.

JOSman

Did I not see recently that the nct outfit are issuing the vrt certs (emissions). Could be wrong?

L1011

Del2005 wrote: »

While our NCT may not be the best the MOT is wide open to corruption.

MOT in the North is done by a single company under contract just like the NCT here.