Opinions (on used car): Subaru Impreza 1.6L or BMW 318?

babo9

Hey Guys,
Getting a new car and have seen two I like, but can't really decide...
Both have similar milage and are similar price, so that doesn't factor in so much. Impreza (not the WRX version, btw) is 2003 and 318 is 2002.

BMW body is probably in better condition, but when I saw it was only in, the front panels and bumper (and hood too I think) had been resprayed and the airbag was out. Dealer told me the tyre went into a Kerb and deployed the airbag...said the front was reprayed cos there was a couple of marks and the likes on it.

Suburu is in good condition too, one or two nicks, but nothing major that can't be fixed.

Any opionons, advice!? I'm not sure which way to go

Anan1

Back out the front gate of that 'garage', find someone who knows about cars to go with you, and buy privately.

babo9

Anan1 wrote: »

Back out the front gate of that 'garage', find someone who knows about cars to go with you, and buy privately.

Thing is, I want to trade in my current car so hense going the garage root.
I don't want the hassle of trying to sell mine privately (they are notoriously hard to shift).

I did a motorcheck on both cars. Alarmingly the suburau hasn't been taxed for 3 years :eek:
BMW for 9 months, but BMW has had 3 owners, after the first owner traded it to the dealer, it was sold after 3 months and then the next owner only kept it for 5 months and the current owner for a year or less (don't know how long a dealer has had it)!

babo9

babo9 wrote: »

................. Impreza (not the WRX version, btw) is 2003 and 318 is 2002......................

babo9 wrote: »

Thing is, I want to trade in my current car so hense going the garage root.
I don't want the hassle of trying to sell mine privately (they are notoriously hard to shift).................

Your car must be worth close to sfa if you are trading up to either of them, dondeal it for a few hundred, no garage will want it anyway from what you say so it's madness to trade it in.

Anan1

babo9 wrote: »

Thing is, I want to trade in my current car so hense going the garage root.
I don't want the hassle of trying to sell mine privately (they are notoriously hard to shift).

It'll be just as hard for the garage to shift, which will be reflected in your trade-in offer. Just put together a good ad (people here will help you with that), price it competitively, and it'll go. Honestly, the kind of dealers operating at that end of the market are generally sharks - there's simply no good reason to get involved with them.

The BMW sounds like it was not far off a write off, airbags aren't cheap.

hughmace

I have subaru for years they are bomb proof had 2x impreza and 1x forrester currently drive a legeacy wife has forrester now 180k on clock nothing touched on it all had over 120k before i changed them cant say enough good things about them.

We also had a BMW 316i back a few years ago 1995 nothing but trouble and cost serious money to get fixed.

hope thats helps

Mully_2011

1: dont buy off that garage
2: between them get the beemer would be a better car those 1.6 Subarus are pigs on juice and **** slow

babo9

Thanks for the opinions guys. I really don't want to go the private route for now, so think I'll be sticking to a dealer for the time being.

Brian?

Something sounds dodgy about that BMW, I would stay well away. I could be grand of course, but why take the risk.

I wouldn't be a fan of a 1.6 Impreza at all, way underpowered.

Anan1

babo9 wrote: »

Thanks for the opinions guys. I really don't want to go the private route for now, so think I'll be sticking to a dealer for the time being.

Good luck, so - you'll need it. Be sure to have an independent mechanic look at any car you're considering before handing over any money, and don't pay for the car until all outstanding issues have been resolved.

vectra

Front of the BM sprayed.
Airbags out.!

OP
Take off your blinkers and find a different dealer.

JP 1800

babo9 wrote: »

Hey Guys,

Dealer told me the tyre went into a Kerb and car hit solid object and deployed the airbag...

This would be a more accurate description, run away fom this dealer as others have said.