REVscene Automotive Forum - Heads up about a local M3 for sale...

Dealer Ad:

http://i.imgur.com/KesK3Js.png

I looked at the car in the ad and had it inspected. This what I've found:

- Front bumper is all chipped up, and has tons of scratches on the bottom. Badly needs a re-spray.
- Body scratches on almost all panels.
- Interior has rough spots. Seats have a million cracks in them (rear's aren't bad, but far from perfect). Door handles also have tons of cracks.
- Left bi-xenon light occasionally doesn't work and is on its way out.
- Tires are completely shot.
- Front brake pads are brand new, but unknown (read: china) brand.
- Front rotors weren't replaced with the brake pads
- Listed as no accidents, but there is visible clear coat run on the rear right quarter panel, under the body trim. Also visible overspray on numerous bumper tabs. This car was painted.
- Oil leak from the oil pan.
- Battery light came on during an extended drive.
- Alternator has hammer marks on it, and is very obviously on its way out. This is likely the reason of many error codes in the car's computer, everything from VANOS to mis-fires on each of the six cylinders.
- Car has aftermarket headers and no cat. Noisy, annoying rattle when accelerating.
- Air intake was obviously removed and replaced - likely had an aftermarket cold air intake from the previous owner.
- No maintenance records of any kind. Some bullshit line about it being the "law" to shred such maintenance records before selling the car. Salesperson was a clueless tool.

The car needs at least $2000-3000 worth of work, and that's before any regular maintenance. As it stands, it's a $19,000 vehicle.

Additionally, the dealer was willing to take $23k out the door (all taxes, ridiculous $595 "documentation fees," etc.) prior to me finding all these issues. Don't pay a penny more.

I'm almost certain the mileage on this M3 has been rolled back. I've looked at a few other M3s of similar mileage (+/- 10k km) and they were all a hundred times better inside. By comparison, this interior looked destroyed, and that only comes after serious use, not the 82k km the odometer shows.