Recommend purchasing from an individual (archive)

Both have advantages and disadvantages. As stated earlier, the "good" dealerships have a reputation to protect. A dealership may offer an extended warranty on some cars (depending upon mileage & condition). All cars purchased from a dealership should have some form of warranty unless otherwise stated. The disadvantage is that a dealership has overhead costs and is in business to make money. Translation: be prepared to pay full retail or high market value for a car.

Buying from an individual requires homework and an investigative search/history of the car. Since you are purchasing a car from an individual in "as is" condition, it is best to THOROUGHLY inspect the car and learn its service/repair history. VIN checks are highly recommended (I came across a Lexus dealership selling an M3 with a salvage title). Review all service/repair receipts and correlate them with the owner's stories. Learn to detect panels that have been repainted, realigned, and welded to replace damaged panels. Check the condition of the tires for unusual wear patterns. And all the other usual "visual" inspection clues such as worn belts, dried hoses, excessive dirt/grime in specific areas, etc.

Fortunately, most M3 owners are detail oriented and very good about keeping up with maintenance and repairs. This is the big advantage of purchasing from an individual: getting to know the current owner of the car, his/her driving style, pride of ownership level, and intimate history of the car. None of the above is available when purchasing from a dealership.

Follow Ups:

[ Follow Ups ] [ E36 M3 Message Board ] [ Msg. Board FAQ ]

Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.