z3 M coupe price concerns... _NG

[burgosr]

I have been watching a 2000 Z3 M coupe for a number of years(4). The owner recently expressed mild interest in selling the little jewel to me. Price has not been discussed. The car is a daily driver with some cosmetic imperfections, and has approximately 130,000 miles on the odometer. Before I do a car fax, discuss a price, personally inspect the car thoroughly, and have the car checked by my mechanic, I wanted to get the opinion of the Forum....

[Vinci]

If it has normal cosmetic wear and has been well-maintained, I don't think that $16-17k would be unreasonable for that mileage.

[blairrm]

From the current 00 coupe's on Autotrader, Vinci's $16-17 estimate looks about right.

[///McQ]

I just bought a nearly perfect '00 M Roadster with 72K miles and both tops for $16.7. I found eBay to be a great place to comparison shop. If you don't mind traveling a bit, or having a car shipped (anywhere in the US for about $1 K), then you might find a comparable car, with that mileage, for closer to 14K. For example, this one (a '99) is only $12K OBO with 104 k miles: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-M-Roadster-Coupe-M-Coupe-One-of-a-kind-BMW-M-Coupe_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ133184QQihZ008QQi temZ180277443113QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW. There are currently several nice coupes to choose from, just do a search for BMW M Coupe. Whether or not you buy from eBay, it's a great place to comparison shop for real world prices. I bought my car locally, but by perusing eBay, I knew I had found a great deal.

[burgosr]

First off I would like thank Vinci, Blairrm, & McQ for responding to my post concerning prices on the 2000 Z3 M coupe. Armed with that info I would like to know what types of problems I should be looking for on a car with 130,000 South Florida miles on it. What about the engine, tranny, front and rear end. Are there issues with the chassis and interior components. What are weakest links on these cars. What sort of questions should I be asking the owner(I believe he is the only owner) Are there any other publications out there besides the Bentley Manual and the Brooklands Gold Portfolio of road tests. Assuming I purchase this car the plan is to keep it for quite a while so I'm compelled to do as much research as possible. I don't want to end up with a money pit and an "I told you so" from my wife. Thanx again......

[GBauer]

First off I would like thank Vinci, Blairrm, & McQ for responding to my post concerning prices on the 2000 Z3 M coupe. Armed with that info I would like to know what types of problems I should be looking for on a car with 130,000 South Florida miles on it. What about the engine, tranny, front and rear end. Are there issues with the chassis and interior components. What are weakest links on these cars. What sort of questions should I be asking the owner(I believe he is the only owner) Are there any other publications out there besides the Bentley Manual and the Brooklands Gold Portfolio of road tests. Assuming I purchase this car the plan is to keep it for quite a while so I'm compelled to do as much research as possible. I don't want to end up with a money pit and an "I told you so" from my wife. Thanx again......

Achilles heal: rear subframe. Other than that, little stuff can go wrong but nothing really major. Just do a search on subframes and you'll find everything you need.

[burgosr]

Just want to thank GBauer for his input on M coupe quirks. After looking at several posts and articles it seems the subframe problem is not that bad. However, in speaking to several individuals the S52 Vanos system was mentioned. I understand it's a costly fix. How do you dianose this??? And while I'm at it, what's the ballpark price for a clutch job, tie rod ends, ball joints and a steering rack. These are probably items I'm going to have to replace, could be a bargaining tool... Thanx

[///McQ]

Get the VIN from the seller, and call your local BMW service center. With my 2000, they always want to know the VIN before they give a repair quote. Evidently, parts and prices vary somewhat between year models, and depending on what month the car was made (mine is a 2000, but it was built in 99, so that complicates things).

FYI, the subframe can be REALLY bad, when it's bad. Put the car on a lift to check the welds, and look in the trunk for the rivots. There is a great thread on this topic with pics. Just do a search. While it's on the lift, pull a wheel to check the brakes, and look at your bushings and for leaks. It should be as pretty underneath as it is from above if the owner took care of it.