01 BMW with very low mileage - what to watch out for

beer enigma

Fortunate enough to have imported a 2001 BMW 318i Coupe Auto which was owned by my Sister from new. She imported it from Germany as a new unregistered vehicle, but living in Central London, she very rarely drove it.

It's been serviced by a BMW main dealer every year but still (including the drive from London) only has 12,600 miles on the clock - its in immaculate condition.

My question is, should I be looking out for anything specific, bearing in mind the low useage. I'm presuming anything major would have been picked up in the last service (April 2014), but its an 'unusual' situation, so thought I'd throw it open

renofan

You lucky fecker getting a car that old with that little mileage!

Only things I'd be concerned about would be rubber bushings and the likes of brake fluid/coolant. If you have a service history check to see if any of these were ever changed. I presume it was NCTd to get an irish reg so I presume the bushings should be ok.

christy02

Also look at tyres. Could theoretically still be on same tyres as when it was bought new. They will perish over time though.
Apart from that car looks great. Almost like having a new car.

Alanstrainor

All depends on what has been done in all of those services to be honest. It looks immaculate even from that one pic! Things like fluids should all be checked, and replaced is necessary. But I'd wager all is good there if a BMW dealer has been working on it all of these years.

All depends on the service history really, I could make a list the length of my arms that could need to be changed due to age. The belts for the water pump, AC, and power steering would be one I'd check.

Great colour too!

Comhrá

Wow! I always dreamed of buying/acquiring something like the OP has... an immaculate, mint-condition older Audi, BMW or VW Golf GTI of similar vintage.

The sort of thing perhaps an older recently deceased widow might be trying to sell off, where the hubby might have bought new, with loads of extras, than never got around to driving it except for weekly Mass or something like that.

Ah well - we can all dream can't we?

beer enigma

renofan wrote: »

You lucky fecker getting a car that old with that little mileage!

Only things I'd be concerned about would be rubber bushings and the likes of brake fluid/coolant. If you have a service history check to see if any of these were ever changed. I presume it was NCTd to get an irish reg so I presume the bushings should be ok.

Thanks - Its fine on those & sailed the NCT. It was maintained by Berry's of Chiswick which is a main BMW Dealer & thankfully has full documented service history as the NCT guy was looking for proof the engine was original :cool:

beer enigma

christy02 wrote: »

Also look at tyres. Could theoretically still be on same tyres as when it was bought new. They will perish over time though.
Apart from that car looks great. Almost like having a new car.

They were the only things I had to change for the NCT. They were indeed the original tyres & whilst they had plenty of tread, the walls had cracked. Got a deal on new ones (High Performer HS-2 225/50 ZR16 92W with rim protection) at €65 each through an online crowd.

I'm presuming that being Main Dealer serviced as recently as April, belts and the like would be checked ? I believe it has a timing 'chain' rather than belt....do these have a lifespan ?

Idbatterim

just on an aesthetics front, the clear indicator lenses up front, look so much better than the frosted ones, in my opinion...

beer enigma

Idbatterim wrote: »

just on an aesthetics front, the clear indicator lenses up front, look so much better than the frosted ones, in my opinion...

Hadn't thought about it - its literally as it rolled out of the factory with the exception of new tyres & I've just replaced the tape deck with a CD unit. Led to believe that the German version may have been a slightly higher spec than the UK version though.

H3llR4iser

Curiosity: how did she get a right hand drive car in Germany?

blastman

Defence forces, I'd guess....

Seweryn

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Curiosity: how did she get a right hand drive car in Germany?

I guess she just ordered one.

mickdw

Seweryn wrote: »

I guess she just ordered one.

A Few years back possibly around the turn of the century there was alot of people buying new ex Germany into the UK as the pre tax price was better in Germany. There were companies specifically doing this. You could order your uk spec car in Germany so Id say that's how it came about.

beer enigma

mickdw wrote: »

A Few years back possibly around the turn of the century there was alot of people buying new ex Germany into the UK as the pre tax price was better in Germany. There were companies specifically doing this. You could order your uk spec car in Germany so Id say that's how it came about.

Yep, she literally ordered it online through some direct import company. If memory serves, she had a company car allowance and it was the cheapest way to get the model she wanted, it also came with better alloys, full leather etc. it was quite a popular method at the time, but I assume it no longer makes financial sense as you don't see it these days.

Back to an earlier question, I believe these have a timing 'chain' rather than a belt which implies more robust, but is there a stage where these need changing ?

Alanstrainor

Andip wrote: »

Yep, she literally ordered it online through some direct import company. If memory serves, she had a company car allowance and it was the cheapest way to get the model she wanted, it also came with better alloys, full leather etc. it was quite a popular method at the time, but I assume it no longer makes financial sense as you don't see it these days.

Back to an earlier question, I believe these have a timing 'chain' rather than a belt which implies more robust, but is there a stage where these need changing ?

Wouldn't worry about the chain to be honest...

The engines are very robust, just have to keep an eye on the cooling system really. Rad, water pump, hoses, expansion tank and condition of the coolant itself. If you're looking for perfection I think I would go about replacing a lot of that to be honest, simply due to the age of the plastics/rubber. But, I reckon you'd be fine just driving it as she is provided the fluids are good!

delly

Andip wrote: »

Hadn't thought about it - its literally as it rolled out of the factory with the exception of new tyres & I've just replaced the tape deck with a CD unit. Led to believe that the German version may have been a slightly higher spec than the UK version though.

There should be a CD changer unit in the boot, I only mention it in case you haven't noticed it yet.

beer enigma

delly wrote: »

There should be a CD changer unit in the boot, I only mention it in case you haven't noticed it yet.

I did look but couldn't see one, mind you as it came with a cassette tape deck head, I'm presuming there'd be no changer fitted. Could be another difference in an import.

Foxhole Norman

Andip wrote: »

I did look but couldn't see one, mind you as it came with a cassette tape deck head, I'm presuming there'd be no changer fitted. Could be another difference in an import.

There should be, most higher end BM's of that era came with both a tape deck and a CD changer in the boot. Should be in the left of the boot if it has one.

beer enigma

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

There should be, most higher end BM's of that era came with both a tape deck and a CD changer in the boot. Should be in the left of the boot if it has one.

Sadly just an empty slot......it would never have been removed, so must just be a difference in the spec

Foxhole Norman

Andip wrote: »

Sadly just an empty slot......it would never have been removed, so must just be a difference in the spec

Not the end of the world, I'd rather a tape deck anyway to play music from my phone, actually really annoying my new car didn't come with one :pac:

beer enigma

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

Not the end of the world, I'd rather a tape deck anyway to play music from my phone, actually really annoying my new car didn't come with one :pac:

If its an E46, I have the old tape deck in mint condition that you're welcome to as I've just replaced it with a CD

Sobanek

PM me your VIN, I'll decode it for ya

Foxhole Norman

Andip wrote: »

If its an E46, I have the old tape deck in mint condition that you're welcome to as I've just replaced it with a CD

Mines an E39 unfortunately! Thanks anyway!