I’m thinking of buying a low-mileage BMW from “Boston Foreign Motor” of 521 CAMBRIDGE ST Brighton, MA 02134. They seem like a pretty small place and I can’t find any reviews online. Has anyone bought from them and what was your experience? They claim BMW will honor the warranty up to 50K miles…is that true even if you buy it from an independent dealer?
They claim BMW will honor the warranty up to 50K miles…is that true even if you buy it from an independent dealer?
You should ask BMW.
Warranty coverage is always continent upon the vehicle having been properly serviced. Unless that Beemer comes with complete maintenance records that verify maintenance in accordance with the mfr’s maintenance schedule, you have to assume that you will not be covered by the BMW warranty.
Good dealers can sell POS cars once in a while. Also bad dealers could occasionally give you a good deal. Check the CAR out, or rather take it for an inspection by a reliable mechanic. The warranty question should be directed to the dealer and make sure they know you are not the first owner.
You also have to consider how old the car is. BMWs are now sold with a 4 year, 50000 mile warranty/service plan, meaning that all regular maintenance (and even wear items like brakes) is covered during that timeframe. This helps because there is no longer any concern about the high cost of repairs, so people should be more likely to bring them in for service. Since the dealer should have kept records, this may be good for you too. I’d get the VIN and ask a BMW dealer if they have any service history.
If it’s older than 4 years, then you have to consider it like any other used car, and take it to a mechanic.
BMW owners tend to be aggressive drivers. Therefore, they wreck their cars quite often. Because these cars, especially the 3-series, have high resale value, these wrecks are frequently rebuilt when they should have been shredded. There is an entire underground industry involved in this trade. Just because CARFAX or some other agency says the car is clean means little. Many wrecked cars avoid being branded “salvage” and many don’t get reported to CARFAX…So before you buy ANY sporty used car, have a pro go over it carefully…These secondary dealers buy most of their cars at auctions. There is a reason cars get sold at auctions…Today, repo’s are a big percentage of auction car sales…So do your homework.