Possible E70 4.8 purchase

[Barney]

Hi all,

After looking for a suitable E53 I'm now going towards a newer E70 4.8 model as I prefer the more modern looks and less miles etc.

One I have found has the following spec;
Registered July 2008, approved used BMW dealer jobbie, 28,000 miles, owners - demo plus one.

It's an xdrive 4.8i SE  with the following extras;
High beam assistant
Media package
BMW Business hi-fi
Sun protection glass
Panoramic roof
Beige nevada leather
Dark bamboo trim
Black sapphire paint
Dynamic package
Y spoke alloys
Zenon headlights


Now, please go easy with me as I'm new to BMW's and the E70's  Does the 4.8 SE come with any or all the above as standard?
What's the 'SE' model, is it the sports model, top of the range or is there better?

The dealer is asking just shy of £25,000 for it, does this sound reasonable for the year and spec?

The dealer is a fair way from me but has done a 'BMW Video' and pics and it looks good enough for a viewing in the flesh if the above all makes sense.

Any advice or comments appreciated or any areas to look at or pay attention to with regards to the E70.

Thanks, Paul

[Don Coffey]

Hi Barney,

The SE is the entry model, followed by the Sport.  That said the car does come with a very good standard spec and the options on this car tick the right boxes.  If I remember correctly leather was and still is standard and metallic paint was and is a no cost option.  Not sure what the standard hi-fi was but think it may have been the business model.  Given the low mileage and no-doubt a full BMW Service History as well as a years warranty you will have some piece of mind.  That said, there are plenty around, so don't be afraid to play hard ball and haggle.  Remember they are not doing you a favour!

Good luck

Don

[Barney]

Cheers Don,

I like to haggle so that's not a problem As far as the spec goes, does the Dynamic pack bring it up to Sport levels or are the Sports much better?

[Don Coffey]

[quote="Barney"]
Cheers Don,

I like to haggle so that's not a problem As far as the spec goes, does the Dynamic pack bring it up to Sport levels or are the Sports much better?
[/quote]

I'm happy to be corrected here, but I believe the dynamic package gave it the sports suspension, big wheels, sports seats and maybe a few other things but unlike the sports model, you don't get the body kit.  So the main difference between this car and a sports model would be cosmetic, ie the body kit.  I would suggest doing a google search and look at the images to see for yourself the visual differences.  I personally liked the SE model fitted with an off road bumper protection.

Don

[Don Coffey]

Here's an image of a 2007/8 Se with I believe dynamic pack and showing the front protection on the bumper.  Another big difference between se and sport is the sport is completely colour coded as opposed to the se having the unpainted lower bumpers, wheels arches.



Don

[Sanj]

Nice one Don - to add, those specific snowflake style of alloys are supplied with an SE spec X5 with the Dynamic Pack (thanks to 535dboy).

The lower trim is not standard on any SE but and Aero kit.

The bumpers, arches are not colour-coded, the running boards are ONLY available on the SE models. Interior wise, the steering wheel is different for the Sport models too - no doubt headlining and seats with/without memory, etc is also different.

Colours are also specific to each variant. Alloys styles, exhaust trims too. And the bumpers!

[535dboy]

As said above really - dynamic is m sport without bodykit

The seats will be electric memory too

On the price I just sold my SD m sport £24k privately which had 57k on it so I would negotiate hard on the price for the less marketable V8

Bus hi fi is one grade up from std and it was fine

Good luck

[xl5]

i've just acquired a 4.8i msport and coming from a diesel range rover i've found the 4.8i engine so quite and responsive...the mpg isnt that great but its worth it...

[westside]

i sold my 4.8is sport 57 plate with 44k on it for 21k

it had PanRoof
HUD
7 seats
heated seats
4 zone climate
21" optional BMW alloys
fold in mirrors
Bamboo trim
etc

thats seems a bit steep at that price so haggle hard as not many people buy the V8's now!

[Barney]

Bit of an update on this.

Went to the BMW dealer today to see the X5 mentioned in the opening post to this thread, didn't really have time but was keen and convinced it was 'the one' having asked loads of questions on condition/history etc via e-mails and calls to the dealer.

The sales guy I had been dealing with all week waas with another customer so this other salesman dealt with me, the saving grace is that he was a rare car salesman in that he was genuine and agreed with what I found and pointed out.
Anyway, all started well, the look at a distance was good and the wear and tear on the front of the car was ok, a couple of very minor scuffs on one corner that would machine polish out the interior was good condition although the seatbelts were grubby and the carpet had been severely wet vac'd (why, unless it had been neglected?).

Then I moved to the rest of the outside of the car and found what can only be described as the crappiest paint/body repair that I've seen in many years to the rear passenger side door !!
The colour match was good, the finish was poor with debris under the paint and lacquer in places and the prep job was so poor that sanding marks in the initial stages could clearly be seen in the final coats of the paint. This was in all directions all over the door, the adjacent panels didn't suffer as bad but had runs in the lacquer in several places as well as signs of debris under the paint.

Moving round the car, the drivers' side rear door had an odd patch on the bottom hinge side of the door, an area the size of my hand with small dents going in and out. My only assumption is that it was 'paintless dent removal' gone wrong.
The sales manager was called out and said that they would do what was needed to do 'a proper job', I said I thought that we are possibly talking new door/door skin on one or both sides and he said they would let their 'skilled' paintshop guys look and give their opinions or methods to put it right.

If I'm honest I think I'm walking away from it, I'm disgusted as I thought that BMW Used cars were pricey but quality and fully checked. I would have faired better by paying 4 grand less at dodgy John's car lot  ) 
I'll let them suggest what they are going to do to put it right but they will need to throw some serious money and skill at it to get it right, as they've wasted half my weekend with a 150 mile round trip then I'll waste some of theirs 

Had a test drive so that was good, lovely car and still convinced I want one, I have learnt though that BMW AUC aren't all they're cracked up to be.

Edit: to save other people wasting their money and time this is the car in question;

        http://www.approved.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/bmw ... fid=401274

 

[X5Sport]

Oh dear.....it seems that your story is becoming ever more common with these Used BMWs.  They're always top money, but seem to be well short of the quality you might expect.

I think these Dealers are just shipping them off their lots with an AUC policy and letting the insurers underwriting AUC deal with it later.  Too many garages just seem to fail to carry out checks on what they get in before they sell it on again.

Shoddy really, but I suppose they're no different from buying a used NetworkQ car from Voxhell.

[Barney]

The problem is that shoddy bodywork repairs wouldn't be covered by an AUC warranty, in my opinion when looking for a good used car every little thing builds up to a picture of how the car has been cared for, no amount of corrective smart repairs etc. will change the fact that the car has been neglected.
If the sales person that took the car in didn't notice what I saw today (this is what was being suggested) then they and all the personel that saw the car since it's been at the dealership need re-training or sacking !!

I'm coming to the conclusion that they took in a PX with damage and paid bottom dollar for it, tarted it up with a clean and poor smart repairs in order to turn a good profit.
My phone and e-mail has been red hot all week with the amount of times they've contacted me, it'll be interesting to see now how quick they contact me next week to discuss the so called remedial work to the car. I really think now that they will stop trying to please me and leave it on the forecourt for some poor unsuspecting person to buy it eventually as I can't see it being economical for them to put that car right as it should be 

[Barney]

Actually, I'm getting really wound up over this, I asked ALL the right questions with regards to evidence of repairs etc. and on numerous occasions was told it had 100% sound bodywork, I wasted best part of today going to look at it not to mention petrol costs and am then faced with a repair a ten year old kid could have done better.

Yep, Vauxhall, Ford and most of the other main dealers are a con too but then the rubbish they sell is half the price of BMW's 

[5wany]

I know there might be the odd one or two salesmen that are ok, but the general rule is:

You know a salesman (especially cars) is lieing if thier lips are moving.

Basiclly used car salesmen do not give a sh1t about you, oh they are your friends when selling to you, this car is the best, blah,blah, blah, all chaty, blah...........Get u in the showroom.  You turn up and within 5 minutes realise the cars a dog.  They work on the principle most buyers are fools who coudn't tell a banger from a sausgage.  TBH they do get away with it a lot, Go figure  :hmmm:

I had the same 2 years ago, bought a Audi A3 2yrs old & 20K, was assured it was minted, paid £1K deposit drove from Edinburgh to Sheffield Audi, stayed overnight with wife and 1 year old, went to pick car up in morning.  Oh what a pile of crap it was, dented bonnet, excesive stone chips, poor alloy wheel refurbishment, broken internal plastic trime, scraped door cills.  Rejected car, but still took 3 weeks to get my deposit back as they had registered the car in my name to tax it.
Anyway thats life.

In your case I would avoid this car, dirty, poor repairs (that were needed in the first place!!), what else is lurking??  Would appear owner(s) did not respect the car.

Hold out you will get one, they do come up, and often with huge specs, ex WAG, millionire car, just be patient for the right car.  I often look at Autotrader just cause I'm a bloke and that what we do.  I've seen a few nice ones over the past 6 months from private sellers that looked excellent buys.

Just be thankfull you not a mug and know you will get a 'gud un' eventually 

[Barney]

Just what I was thinking, 99% of the UK car buying public must be mugs, the dealerships wouldn't be carrying on like this if they didn't get away with it and earn money.

Being a 'bloke' I'm glued to Autotrader too, only been looking for an E70 for the past two or more weeks so not too long, I'm prepared to wait for the right one and buying private isn't the shocker it first seemed. I won't dismiss an AUC from BMW but would have one only if it's mint and ticked all the boxes, the saving that a private buy would give you can either stay in the bank or be spent on a warranty so you're no worse off in the long run.

Car Salesmen and Estate agents, all the bloody same.....they'd cheat their own mothers for some commission