[colinmac]

Hi - I'm considering buying a 2018 3-series sports wagon from the BMW Store on Burrard in Vancouver but I live in Hawaii and would have to fly there before I can check out the car in person.

Can anyone recommend a good BMW independent mechanic near that dealer so that I can have them do a pre-sale inspection to confirm that the car is in good shape and doesn't have any hidden surprises?

I'm not sure that the dealer will let me do this, but their service department has a pretty lousy reputation on Yelp so I'd prefer to rely on the evaluation of an unbiased source before I go through the time and expense of flying to Vancouver and then getting the car back to Honolulu.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[xXSupa]

A 2018 vehicle should still have factory warranty. I don't really see the reason to do a pre-sale inspection? Or did you just want somebody to go down there to check out the condition of the vehicle before you decide if it's worth negotiating?

[colinmac]

Thanks! Yes, you're right about the warranty. I guess that I'm just a little nervous as I've always examined and driven a car long before I considered buying it whereas this situation is almost the reverse.

Originally Posted by xXSupa

A 2018 vehicle should still have factory warranty. I don't really see the reason to do a pre-sale inspection? Or did you just want somebody to go down there to check out the condition of the vehicle before you decide if it's worth negotiating?

[xXSupa]

I've purchased 4 BMWs in the last 5 years for myself and my family. 3 of those were preowned and only 1 out of the 3 was from a dealership (BMW Store as well). The other two were both private sales. Didn't do a mechanical vehicle inspection for any of the 4 cars. The worst thing I got was a poorly patched tire that was leaking. Other than that, warranty basically covers everything.

That being said, it doesn't hurt to test drive the car beforehand and check for anything that just really "doesn't feel right." Could probably find any car enthusiast to do that. I live pretty far from there and rarely in the area. Next time I'm in that neighbourhood I can check out the car for you too, if you still haven't found someone. I'm guessing it's the blue one?

[hunter82]

I bought a used F31 this summer from the BMW Store, and I pass by there pretty much every day. I looked at three or four from the same dealer (over the period of a few months), and it's definitely worth going over the cars before purchase, I found a considerable difference in the condition between all of the vehicles (even a pre sale inspection can't really tell you if the paint/body is in mint condition, condition of the leather on the driver's seat... etc.). E.g. I noticed a small hairline crack in the windshield about 8mm long (to which it was suggested I claim on insurance after I buy... no thanks), they ended up replacing the windshield before delivery.
Major issues should be covered by the warranty however, hopefully it's not something used often!

[colinmac]

Yes, it's the blue one and thanks for your kind offer.

I've already sussed out all of the logistical work – e.g., Letter of Compliance from BMWNA, U.S. Customs forms, shipping, State Tax Collector, etc. – so now it's down to convincing my wife that she should trade her sedan for a wagon, making sure that the car doesn't have non-warranty issues, and taking it for a spin.

It's funny, I used to have tons of friends in Vancouver but all of them have moved back East and I kept moving West. I'd love to take my daughter on a long road trip before she goes off to university and this might be the perfect opportunity to drive the west coast down to Oakland.

Originally Posted by xXSupa

I've purchased 4 BMWs in the last 5 years for myself and my family. 3 of those were preowned and only 1 out of the 3 was from a dealership (BMW Store as well). The other two were both private sales. Didn't do a mechanical vehicle inspection for any of the 4 cars. The worst thing I got was a poorly patched tire that was leaking. Other than that, warranty basically covers everything.

That being said, it doesn't hurt to test drive the car beforehand and check for anything that just really "doesn't feel right." Could probably find any car enthusiast to do that. I live pretty far from there and rarely in the area. Next time I'm in that neighbourhood I can check out the car for you too, if you still haven't found someone. I'm guessing it's the blue one?

[colinmac]

Thanks for your advice! Yes, it was the potential non-warranty issues that concerned me.

I almost bought a used 3-series here a few years ago and the private seller, a prominent restaurateur, assured me that everything was fine with the car but when I took it to our long-time BMW mechanic and they uncovered some major issues which nixed the deal.

Hopefully, a dealer is better but it's tough to get non-warranty things resolved if you're 2,500 miles away post-purchase.

Looks like a quick trip to one of my favorite cities might be in my immediate future (fingers crossed).

Originally Posted by hunter82

I bought a used F31 this summer from the BMW Store, and I pass by there pretty much every day. I looked at three or four from the same dealer (over the period of a few months), and it's definitely worth going over the cars before purchase, I found a considerable difference in the condition between all of the vehicles (even a pre sale inspection can't really tell you if the paint/body is in mint condition, condition of the leather on the driver's seat... etc.). E.g. I noticed a small hairline crack in the windshield about 8mm long (to which it was suggested I claim on insurance after I buy... no thanks), they ended up replacing the windshield before delivery.
Major issues should be covered by the warranty however, hopefully it's not something used often!

[vinzcast21]

Okay, I can refer you to my personal mechanic as he does all cars but specializes in European but technically he can do anything. He agrees to give u contact but by pm only