Is it reasonable to ask ... ?

[svenwillmann]

Hi,

Have been registered for a long time but not very chatty in general.

Having said that, I would like to get your opinion about how you make sure if you buy a used BMW that the car is “fine”.
Do you think it is ok to drag the potential seller to a garage of your choice to have the vehicle inspected (on the buyers cost of course)?
Would you do that if you sell your car and a buyer would ask you for it?

Reason is that I never did that before and about a week ago I bought a real lemon (long story) after mine was written off and I would like to prevent this from happening again.

Let me know what you think is reasonable

 

[" N1KHAR-ZN "]

I think that is acceptable, and if the seller has nothing to hide, it shouldn't be a problem especially if it is at your own cost. It also shows the seller that you are serious about buying the car and not a time waster. Another option is to get a mechanic to go with you to view the car, if possible.

Sent from my HUAWEI GRA-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[msm]

I think it's reasonable to request it. However, at the same time, put yourself in the sellers shoe too - it needs to be decent reputable garage too, not Piet's roadside repairs in Pofadder...

I'd happily take my car to places like Tunetech, Gizmo, Ross Duncan, etc for a check up with a potential buyer. However, mention a place that I've never heard off and I would not let them touch my car.

 

[svenwillmann]

Thanks for the reply.

I try to put myself in the sellers shoe as you said and in addition to the “I don’t know who is checking out my car” there is also the time and effort you would have to invest as a seller which might be difficult especially during working hours.

Just want to prevent to have the same situation again and buy a car that has a faulty engine.

So I guess no harm in asking the seller.

 

[Blueskys]

Definitely advisable when buying an older vehicle, especially if there isn't a full service record with BMW, if the garage is sound then I don't see why not.

 

[maleven-GP]

I did that when I bought my 335I from the dealer(non bmw).. I paid R800 at Bmw to be on the safe side...

 

[aksamg]

I think it is definitely reasonable and the seller shouldn't mind the small inconvenience if it will get his/her car sold faster than entertaining multiple time-wasters.

I think the ones mentioned above/any BMW/Dekra/Bosch technical inspections - the latter 2 being what is used by Chocned (company outsourced by MFC for private-private vehicle finance).

 

[Blueskys]

Have heard some Dekra branches aren't so great, they'll miss basic faults, suppose as long as they come recommended it'll be a decent survey of the vehicles condition.

The Dekra inspection if passed will include a roadworthy certificate?

 

[Malicezn]

Have heard some Dekra branches aren't so great, they'll miss basic faults, suppose as long as they come recommended it'll be a decent survey of the vehicles condition.

The Dekra inspection if passed will include a roadworthy certificate?

I in turn have heard the opposite. A buddy of mine was selling his Isuzu KB300 privately and needed a Dekra certificate. They claimed the brake discs were worn as their spec showed "x". He took it to the dealers and they refused to change them under warranty because they were still within Isuzu spec "y".
Dekra wouldn't budge even with a letter from Isuzu.
Cost him the price of new brake disks to make the sale happen.

My 330d is with Dekra as I write this. My buyer got finance from Wesbank who insisted they have the top of the range Dekra Technical Inspection.....( R2500 out of my pocket) even though the car is still under full BMW motorplan without any comments.

The Technical Inspection does include the Roadworthy Certificate though ( :dizzy

Regardless of all of this the buyer then has to take the car to BMW for a Quality check (another R2500) to transfer the Motorplan!!

You have to think that someone is trying their utmost to make it as difficult as possible to sell a vehicle privately.

If this all goes pear shaped the car will stand in my garage until I find someone with cash. :smashScreen:

 

[aksamg]

Have heard some Dekra branches aren't so great, they'll miss basic faults, suppose as long as they come recommended it'll be a decent survey of the vehicles condition.

The Dekra inspection if passed will include a roadworthy certificate?

I in turn have heard the opposite. A buddy of mine was selling his Isuzu KB300 privately and needed a Dekra certificate. They claimed the brake discs were worn as their spec showed "x". He took it to the dealers and they refused to change them under warranty because they were still within Isuzu spec "y".
Dekra wouldn't budge even with a letter from Isuzu.
Cost him the price of new brake disks to make the sale happen.

My 330d is with Dekra as I write this. My buyer got finance from Wesbank who insisted they have the top of the range Dekra Technical Inspection.....( R2500 out of my pocket) even though the car is still under full BMW motorplan without any comments.

The Technical Inspection does include the Roadworthy Certificate though ( :dizzy

Regardless of all of this the buyer then has to take the car to BMW for a Quality check (another R2500) to transfer the Motorplan!!

You have to think that someone is trying their utmost to make it as difficult as possible to sell a vehicle privately.

If this all goes pear shaped the car will stand in my garage until I find someone with cash. :smashScreen:

I agree with this - although Wesbank's process is slightly easier - I have heard of 2 sales in the past month that have been approved with them so I'm sure yours will be fine.

With Chocned/Chocolate (MFC's partner), you have to trace actual payment receipts/invoices to the time it was bought from the dealer, so every proof of payment for the life of the car as well as all the technical documentation, which is almost impossible.

When/if I sell a car in future, I'd rather get a dealership to facilitate the deal for R10/15k and put the finance charges on the buyer if they choose to go that route - In your case I'd have asked BMW to facilitate and they can do it for R10k.

 

[svenwillmann]

I was unsure first if it would be ok to ask for it but from your input I gather that if a seller is genuine and has nothing to hide it is reasonable to ask to have the car inspected by a reputable place, otherwise it actually might already indicate that there could be a potential problem with the vehicle anyway.

 

[RonCT]

I asked for a quality check to be done at BMW, and I was prepared to pay (or pay half), but the seller paid the entire cost in the end (including replacing the brake pads and a faulty coil).