M Roadster on Pistonheads - dodgy?

camcc · Post by **camcc** » Fri 31 Jul, 2009 12:12

Hi All,

There is an 39000 mile 2002 M Roadster for sale on Pistonheads which has no service history so it's quite cheap at 7.5k.

Whilst looking at the pictures I noticed that the dials are the black ones from the S50 engined cars and not grey like they should be?

I wonder whether this is a dodgy sale or whether the guy has simply put the wrong date in the advert??

http://pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1166161.htm

estocks · Post by **estocks** » Fri 31 Jul, 2009 12:19

Maybe it was a model built in 2000/2001 and only registered in 2002.

shantybeater · Post by **shantybeater** » Fri 31 Jul, 2009 13:06

yeah there is no way an s54 would be up for that price regardless of Service history. Its still v.cheap for an s50 with that mileage

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Fri 31 Jul, 2009 13:41

Not an S54

whiteminks · Post by **whiteminks** » Fri 31 Jul, 2009 14:01

It is not an S54 as there is no DSC button.

siwilson · Post by **siwilson** » Fri 31 Jul, 2009 14:46

whiteminks wrote:It is not an S54 as there is no DSC button.

Plus the dials are black and the wheels are silver.

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Fri 31 Jul, 2009 15:14

defo not an S54.

Looks in good nick but hard to tell from pics and ///M boot badge is very faded for an 02 car but the rear screen looks fresh?

I can imagine some of the last S50's "sitting" for a while before registration, everyone would have held out for an S54 (I presume?) but the dealers usually pre register them and run as demos so they can discount???????

I like the colour combo.

I can't understand how people sell with no service history on a car like this unless they have something to hide. It would be easy to get a warranty report from the VIN at any BMW dealership which would give some indication of mileage authenticity (depending on amount of warranty work done, mine was on 5 pages !!!!!!!). This would alsogive an indication of who carried out the warranty work nd therefore may be able to get at least some service records.

May be a bit of a bargain, or may be clocked / rebuild ???? If I was looking I would take a gander

Ian_C · Post by **Ian_C** » Fri 31 Jul, 2009 17:08

Nice plate too; probably worth £1k. Got to be worth a look if you're in the market for an ///M

texasjohn · Post by **texasjohn** » Fri 31 Jul, 2009 20:11

It's on ebay too

In the ebay ad he says it is a 1999 but not registered until 2002. He has all the MoTs.

6 previous owners according to ebay header. Seems a lot for six years but that is also a fair few people to lose the service book. I am tempted to ask for the VIN and contact BMW to see if service records exist...if so a new book can be ordered and you can get it stamped by each dealer. All of a sudden you have added 3 or 4 k to the value.

But then if it was that simple why has he not done this himself

I suspect that it has not been serviced.

Alfie · Post by **Alfie** » Sat 01 Aug, 2009 01:26

texasjohn wrote:I am tempted to ask for the VIN and contact BMW to see if service records exist...if so a new book can be ordered and you can get it stamped by each dealer.

Sadly, in my (and others) experience, BMW will refuse to tell you anything about the car's history without proof of ownership.
So you have to buy the car before they'll spill the beans.

A bit risky, perhaps?

A.

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Sat 01 Aug, 2009 08:34

My dealer printed full warranty info on mine before I bought it (I got the VIN). This was comprehensive (5 pages) with date and mileage for each event from replacement CD changer after 1 week, 2 air compressors,3 aircon switches, VANOS bolt replacement (well worth checking for this), etc, etc.....

Its the service info thats harder to get unless you know exactly which dealership carried the work out (each dealer can only see their own service records but can see warranty records for all dealerships).

I used the dealer records on the warranty report to contact the 2 dealers who had carried out the warranty work and they confirmed the service records (there was one stamp missing, just hand written but dealership confirmed had been carried out and you could see some warranty work on the same date/mileage on the waranty report).

So with a bit of investigation you can find out, but obviously helps if there was lots of warranty work.

nb I never let warranty work put me off, just means problems have been fixed properly and the owner cared enough to get it fixed!

SP30 · Post by **SP30** » Wed 05 Aug, 2009 02:19

Got an update on this vechicle:

I Have popped over to see this car and to be blunt it's not worth £5000,

Subject in my opinion only:

Complete vechicle re-spray done poorly, with a blue door and front bumper sprayed over in silver, the panel alignment was shocking it had a new rad on the front, crossmenber had been removed and re-welded!!!!

inside: no roof linning and a puddle in the boot from the rear light. Seats are in good order as are the gauges etc, all worked well.

On the plus side the engine sounded in fair nick with little vanos rattle and no smoke.

Didn't bother with a test drive as it was a bit of a mess so walked away.

The guy selling it lodges at the address given, and wasn't in when I called around to view at the time arranged, (He was called into work at the last minute, without his car?), so spoke to the house owner, all a little underhand for me.

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Wed 05 Aug, 2009 07:45

Sp30 you bought it didn't you, up as sold now

Good feedback though

Post by **Robert T** » Wed 05 Aug, 2009 08:49

SP30 wrote:inside: no roof linning

Well if it is an S50, it wouldn't have. They were only fitted post-facelift (which is kind of what the S54 is for the ///M), though they can be retrofitted. So it isn't missing - it never had one.

Cheers R.

SP30 · Post by **SP30** » Wed 05 Aug, 2009 12:03

Jonttt wrote:Sp30 you bought it didn't you, up as sold now

Good feedback though

mmm yep it's on my drive now, being dismantled for spares. About all it was worth...Joking..wouldn't touch it with yours

Didn't know about the lining thanks for that fella.

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Wed 05 Aug, 2009 12:04

I think the ///M's got the rooflining as standard before the S54. Mine has it and its not listed as an option (july 99 build).

This link inplies from 04/99 production changes to ///M included roof lining

http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=16

Post by **Robert T** » Wed 05 Aug, 2009 13:55

Am quite happy to be corrected on the date if I'm wrong - but it was not standard on the early cars. Don't suppose you checked the build date on the label on the front suspension turret to see how long it had been stood in a field before being registered?

Cheers R.

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 08:45

Robert, mine is July 99 build, 1st March 2000 (W) registered ie was probably purchased between Jan and March 2000 and owner waited for new W plate

SP30 · Post by **SP30** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 14:35

Robert T wrote:Am quite happy to be corrected on the date if I'm wrong - but it was not standard on the early cars. Don't suppose you checked the build date on the label on the front suspension turret to see how long it had been stood in a field before being registered?

Cheers R.

Yep sure did,

I checked the strut tower and it was a 99. So from that I guess 3 years in a field!

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 17:38

It must have been <04/99 to not have the roof lining but thats a loooooong time from manufacture to registration in 02