New e46 330d

[Guetzer]

Hi guys, I recently baught an e46 2003 manual 330d with 242000 km on, I am very happy with it and have enjoyed every second of driving with it. It however is a very plain one with grey interior and i was planning on giving it the full Mpack/individual treatment (bumpers, interior, steering wheel, etc). This however turns out to be a quite expensive makover, and in the meantime I have descovered this: http://www.gumtree.co.za/a-cars/plumstead/bmw-330d-e46-2004-manual/1001113711360910014600209

So now I am in the process of buying it, it has pretty much all the extras and bells that I was originally interested in. Cois checked and according to him it has been in an accident in 2011 and repaired before it could be scrapped. The current owner said he has owned it for 2 years and he has chipped it and spend some money on it (new clutch + DMF, software tune, K&N airfilter, new bushes). I pulls like a train and drives extremely pleasurable!

The current owner told me about one bad experience he had with the car 2 years ago where it did not want to start and he spent quite a lot of money on it to get it to start again, including a new ECU (although it was not the ecu causing it not to start) and diesel pump and few other things. I cant recall exactly what the issue was but it has been sorted out until now.

What are your guys thoughts?

 

[ChefDJ]

I personally would not take any car that was ever in an accident :sorry:

 

[RAArmstrong]

I personally would not take any car that was ever in an accident :sorry:

Likewise...

 

[Guetzer]

I know its not desirable but I think for the price its not so bad and it might not have been in a big accident, but thats a risk ill have to take. I cant see any signs of accident damage so either it was in a small-ish accident or it has been repaired extremely well?

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[Waseem 333i]

I know you just bought your 330d. Instead of going the motorsport look maybe try doing something different. The silver one does look good but an accident that almost cause it being a write off is worrying. I also recently bought a 330d and it has the msports individual. If i didnt get one with the trim i was going to do something different. Look at your other options 1st. Wheels and after market body kit and msports steering wheel. Do it in stages and i am sure you will have a head turner.

 

[Guetzer]

To be honest im not even sure if it was in an accident, this is what Cois told me based on the fact that the car was owned by MFC Loss Control Department in 2011-04-29. This is a bit confusing to me because they seem to be a devision of Nedbank motor financing and they do things like auctions. The current lisence disk shows that it has been roadworthied on 2011-06-02 (Confirmed by Cois), that leaves basically one month for someone to have baught the car, repaired it and sold it again before that roadworthy happend... is this even possible?

 

[ChefDJ]

Unless it was bought and sold without being repaired.

Buddy, that price is the normal price for an E46. Some are a little higher, and some lower.

Look around further :thumbs:

 

[DieselFan]

Are you just after the look? You can always get aftermarket bumpers etc and have your leather recovered...

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[Guetzer]

Are you just after the look? You can always get aftermarket bumpers etc and have your leather recovered...

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No not just the look, but looks are also important to me, I like to spend money on how it looks and drives. I have to consider if its worth it spending a few arms and legs on getting my current 330d to look like and individual as well as replace the clutch and DMF, or if I should get an individual to start with (if I can find one for a good price)...

 

[DieselFan]

Does the guy have proof that the clutch and dmf were replaced? I don't know. If it were me I'd rather spend the money on the car you have rather get koni fsds and eibach 330d springs. And some csl reps that will change the look a lot.

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[Guetzer]

Does the guy have proof that the clutch and dmf were replaced? I don't know. If it were me I'd rather spend the money on the car you have rather get koni fsds and eibach 330d springs. And some csl reps that will change the look a lot.

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Yes he has all the invoices of things he did on the car, he also told me now he baught it from a guy who baught it on auction... so I still dont see how the car was ever in an accident? I wish Cois would clarify why he thinks it was in an accident :argh:

 

[Caddy101]

Look around further :thumbs:

I agree with the Chef.

Keep looking. Buying a car isn't like buying shoes, even when your budget isn't extravagant.

So take your time and look around, I'm sure you'll find something good
:fencelook:

 

[ChefDJ]

Just look for another indi.

Don't waste time on possible accident buys.

 

[Guetzer]

I agree with everyone I just dont know where Cois gets the info from that it was in an accident?

The figures dont add up, and also the milage on the car with its FSH would surely be a bit different if it was in a huge accident? The intervals and milage between services are all correct.

Previous ones that was in accidents all had much lower milage and their service intervals were off during the time when the car was repaired.

This car looks and feels veeery good as I say and beside a few scratch marks and one dent on the one kidney grill I really cant find any evidende of it ever being in an accident...

 

[ChefDJ]

Trust Cois.

 

[Guetzer]

Trust Cois.

I do, and he has really helped me A LOT! raise: I just want to know if it is possible that the car was just reposessed and sold on auction instead of being in an accident. The owner told me that he kindof knows who the guy was who had the car but lost it due to things that went wrong in his life and therefore the car was reposessed and sold on auction.

 

[RAArmstrong]

Trust Cois.

+1 :thumbs:

 

[Nikhil]

If it was a minor fender bender or something I would say go for it! also remember another member on the forum had a minor accident with his E46 330i which he hit a curb with and broke the front left side of his suspension and damaged a fender and rim,however no airbags popped,insurance wanted to write of his car for damage which was not structural at all. Maybe get the car inspected at the AA as they should be able to tell you what was replaced and what was not. :thumbs: also its pretty easy to get a car written off if the damage is being assessed by a BMW dealership :argh:

 

[Guetzer]

If it was a minor fender bender or something I would say go for it! also remember another member on the forum had a minor accident with his E46 330i which he hit a curb with and broke the front left side of his suspension and damaged a fender and rim,however no airbags popped,insurance wanted to write of his car for damage which was not structural at all. Maybe get the car inspected at the AA as they should be able to tell you what was replaced and what was not. :thumbs: also its pretty easy to get a car written off if the damage is being assessed by a BMW dealership :argh:

Thanks yeah I know, my previous 328i e36 was also in a small accident which was mostly cosmetic damage but the repair quote was R500 under writeoff value and subsequently the insurance wanted to write the car off, we had to fight for almost 2 months to get them to not write it off and I had the car for another 3-4 years after that with no issues. Maybe I should get AA or someone like that to inspect it yes good idea!

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I just phoned the WC Traffic Dept and they confirmed the car was in no accidents and the reason why it was owned by MFC Loss Control Dept was because it was reposessed and then sold in an auction.

 

[Dbn540i]

Seems like this car has seen alot of repairs.

Ive personally done alot of repairs on my wifes BMW. It makes me feel better knowing that i did it myself/got my mech to do it. I was on verge of selling it but really enjoy the drving the car now so much so that ive decided against selling it.

The last thing you want is getting this car and then spending alot of money in the near future.:nonono:

I personally wont take it and i see our fellow forum memebers share my sentiments. There are alot more vehicles out there.:thumbs: