08 328i CPO Deal or No Deal?

Hey guys new to the forum. I've been lurking here for a month or so and looking for a 328i or X-Drive and came across an 08 328i in Sparkling Graphite Metallic with a black interior. Car has 57,000 miles, has had two owners and was CPO in Dec 2010 at 32,000 miles. So in other words it has almost 3 yrs left of warranty. From what I can tell it has no premium package or cold weather (no sport) package and they are asking $18,900. The dealer told me it is in excellent condition and hardly a scratch inside or out. Is this too much for an 08 you think? According to Carfax they should be asking $1390 over retail so I guess this is a good selling point and I know cars like this are hard to find (I think)? Pull the trigger or not?

NADA Clean Retail is 19,178 plus $1100 for mileage and CPO is $1525 which comes to $21,800.

Originally Posted by sleeper22

Hey guys new to the forum. I've been lurking here for a month or so and looking for a 328i or X-Drive and came across an 08 328i in Sparkling Graphite Metallic with a black interior. Car has 57,000 miles, has had two owners and was CPO in Dec 2010 at 32,000 miles. So in other words it has almost 3 yrs left of warranty. From what I can tell it has no premium package or cold weather (no sport) package and they are asking $18,900. The dealer told me it is in excellent condition and hardly a scratch inside or out. Is this too much for an 08 you think? According to Carfax they should be asking $1390 over retail so I guess this is a good selling point and I know cars like this are hard to find (I think)? Pull the trigger or not?

It's difficult to say as pricing is highly dependent on area, supply, and options for the car you're considering. My recommendation is to perform a search on sites like cars.com, autotrader.com, and Craigs List as well as BMW. That should give you an idea of what they're selling for.

Regarding CPO I would recommend you verify it really is covered by CPO. There was a thread here recently where a buyer purchased a vehicle he believed to be CPO and it turns out it was not. Only BMW can verify this...don't take the selling dealers word for it (I assume this is a non-BMW selling the car). Verify it. Also keep in mind CPO is a good warranty but it is not as inclusive as the regular warranty. Be sure you understand the difference between the two. A pre-purchase inspection before you buy is also a wise idea. Never assume anything...have it independently verified.

And finally don't waste a lot of time trying to find the killer deal. If you find something you like and it's reasonably priced buy it. Good luck with your search and post some pics if you buy.

Originally Posted by sleeper22

Hey guys new to the forum. I've been lurking here for a month or so and looking for a 328i or X-Drive and came across an 08 328i in Sparkling Graphite Metallic with a black interior. Car has 57,000 miles, has had two owners and was CPO in Dec 2010 at 32,000 miles. So in other words it has almost 3 yrs left of warranty. From what I can tell it has no premium package or cold weather (no sport) package and they are asking $18,900. The dealer told me it is in excellent condition and hardly a scratch inside or out. Is this too much for an 08 you think? According to Carfax they should be asking $1390 over retail so I guess this is a good selling point and I know cars like this are hard to find (I think)? Pull the trigger or not?

Seems like a good deal based on what I found up here in NJ but as other user's mention, it depends on the area/supply/etc... Definitely contact BMW about the CPO.

My 2 cents? If you like the car and you can get it at a good price (or price you're comfortable with)? Do it. I found a CPO 09 328xi Coupe last week that had a saddle interior (always wanted), stick, sport, premium, 37k mi and iDrive...it was a little out of my price range but I kept coming back to it again and again. I waited over the weekend and the price dropped $2k to NADA retail which I was exactly the price range I was looking for. Went in this Monday 2/4, purchased it, and joined Bimmerfest Tuesday

Whatever you do, good luck!

Good advice on the CPO and especially regarding the thread mentioning buyer thought it was CPO and it wasn't. Good lord I would be piiiiissed. The Carfax does say it was CPO at 32,000 miles and from what the dealer says it definitely is. Here is a link below for Carfax but I will call BMW to make sure regardless. The SGM is a color I really like and it has xenons that I am finding are rare other than on coupes and sedans with the sport package. I live in Lexington KY and car is in TN.

http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory...VA37568NL52212 but I will call BMW to make sure regardless.

Originally Posted by sleeper22

Good advice on the CPO and especially regarding the thread mentioning buyer thought it was CPO and it wasn't. Good lord I would be piiiiissed. The Carfax does say it was CPO at 32,000 miles and from what the dealer says it definitely is. Here is a link below for Carfax but I will call BMW to make sure regardless. The SGM is a color I really like and it has xenons that I am finding are rare other than on coupes and sedans with the sport package. I live in Lexington KY and car is in TN.

http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory...VA37568NL52212 but I will call BMW to make sure regardless.

Beware a Carfax report only lists what has been reported to Carfax. Do not assume a "clean" Carfax is indicative the car had no issues (such as an accident, repair, etc).

True again. This is something I will check on and ask for the previous owners number. I never buy a car without doing this. From the ad:

2008 BMW 328i Certified w/ Warranty and Maintenance Plan

This BMW 3-Series is immaculate! The previous owner traded it in for a larger SUV and the car came with a 100k mile warranty and maintenance package. Basically, the Certified Pre-Owned BMWs cover the following: Engine, Powertrain, Steering, Electrical, Heat/Air, Fuel System, etc... The Maintenance Plan stays with the car as well and it covers the following: Oil Changes, Brakes/Discs, Drive Belts, Inspections, Wiper Blades, etc... To PinPoint a true value on this Warranty and Service Package, we called the BMW Service Department in Nashville. Phillip, the Sales Manager said it adds about $2500 in real value!!

The car is obviously in 100% mechanical condition and just serviced at BMW. Cosmetically, it is almost flawless too... The interior is scratch free, non-smoker, 2-key fobs, owners manuals, all floor mats and it is super clean. The exterior has little to no scratches at all with newer Continental Tires and a very clean shine.

Originally Posted by sleeper22

True again. This is something I will check on and ask for the previous owners number. I never buy a car without doing this. From the ad:

I would be very surprised if the dealer provided you the previous owners phone number.

Originally Posted by sunny5280

I would be very surprised if the dealer provided you the previous owners phone number.

They are required to or at least in KY they are and if they don't I walk. A local guy traded the 328 on a SUV so the number is available. Maybe this isn't required in all states?

Originally Posted by sleeper22

Hey guys new to the forum. I've been lurking here for a month or so and looking for a 328i or X-Drive and came across an 08 328i in Sparkling Graphite Metallic with a black interior. Car has 57,000 miles, has had two owners and was CPO in Dec 2010 at 32,000 miles. So in other words it has almost 3 yrs left of warranty. From what I can tell it has no premium package or cold weather (no sport) package and they are asking $18,900. The dealer told me it is in excellent condition and hardly a scratch inside or out. Is this too much for an 08 you think? According to Carfax they should be asking $1390 over retail so I guess this is a good selling point and I know cars like this are hard to find (I think)? Pull the trigger or not?

Graphite metallic is a beautiful color. I would have ordered my 2011 coupe in that color if were still offered.

Originally Posted by sleeper22

They are required to or at least in KY they are and if they don't I walk. A local guy traded the 328 on a SUV so the number is available. Maybe this isn't required in all states?

That's very interesting. I wouldn't want a car dealership being required by law to provide my contact information to the new owner.

Originally Posted by sleeper22

They are required to or at least in KY they are and if they don't I walk. A local guy traded the 328 on a SUV so the number is available. Maybe this isn't required in all states?

When I bought my 328i in KS, the dealership would not provide phone numbers for previous owners, the only information I got about the previous owner was a record of the routine and preventative maintenance that had been done on the car. The dealership was already selling the car to me for $1000 less than the price it was listed for because we negotiated, so I decided not to push my luck too much pressing for previous owner contact information - although if I had really wanted to, I could have searched the previous owners by name through public records, but at that point, I had already made my decision and bought the car. Anyway, good luck with your purchase!

Originally Posted by sleeper22

Hey guys new to the forum. I've been lurking here for a month or so and looking for a 328i or X-Drive and came across an 08 328i in Sparkling Graphite Metallic with a black interior. Car has 57,000 miles, has had two owners and was CPO in Dec 2010 at 32,000 miles. So in other words it has almost 3 yrs left of warranty. From what I can tell it has no premium package or cold weather (no sport) package and they are asking $18,900. The dealer told me it is in excellent condition and hardly a scratch inside or out. Is this too much for an 08 you think? According to Carfax they should be asking $1390 over retail so I guess this is a good selling point and I know cars like this are hard to find (I think)? Pull the trigger or not?

Almost three years of warranty left?? Unlikely. The CPO warranty is for two years or 50,000 miles beyond the end of the new car warranty for a total of six years or 100k miles from the original in-service date. Even on the outside chance the car was a way leftover 2008 and somehow didn't go into service until this time in 2009 there would only be two more years of CPO warranty. If it went into service fairly early in the 2008 model year,say November 2007, it could easily have less than a year of CPO warranty left. This scenario makes more sense. If it was leased for 36 months in November 2007 it would have come off lease in November 2010. You need to find out the in-service date.

Edit: Just looked at the CarFax. First, you need to take the VIN and verify with a BMW dealer that it is in fact a BMW CPO. The fact that it went from a BMW dealer to an Audi dealer and back to a BMW dealer raises questions. Second, it went into service in July 2008. That means the CPO warranty expires in July 2014. A little less than 1 1/2 years from now.

Edit 2: You can check the equipment list at www.bmwvin.com , it does have the premium package, which includes leather seats, power memory seats and power lumbar support, integrated garage door opener control, and Bluetooth. It has heated seats. No sport package and the wheels are 16". It does not have the Logic7/Harman Kardon sound system.

The dealership seems like a very socially concerned operation. But, they say the car has a BMW maintenance plan and you need to verify that. Unless a previous owner (probably the second one) purchased the extended maintenance plan the original four year maintenance plan expired in July 2012.

Looks like you found a drama free car. Every used car has a story; at least you know this one doesn't appear overly complicated.

Do you have rudimentary knowledge of auto repair and collision refinishing? Take your time: go over the car with a good flashlight. Start with the bumper covers and then move onto the doors and body panels. I worked in a collision repair shop for a summer and then after school for a while. It's easy to spot any bodywork. Even the best work is obvious if you know what to look for...

Originally Posted by sunny5280

That's very interesting. I wouldn't want a car dealership being required by law to provide my contact information to the new owner.

Why not if I may ask? What if your the buyer wouldn't you want to know? I would think its to protect the buyer. Most previous owners I have talked to didn't mind at all and most were pretty chatty LOL.

Lots of public information available on registered owners of motor vehicles if you can tap into it.

www.publicdata.com

This is not for every state, but those that participate, the information is invaluable. Run the VIN number to obtain registered owner. Check whitepages dot com to see if the individual has a published phone number. If not, you have the address, mail them a letter requesting contact.

WOW I like this forum. Lots of good information and advice. Thank you very much.

I just called the local dealer service department. The Maintenance Plan and CPO are good until July 31, 2014. So roughly 1 1/2 yrs left. I do know it was just serviced at the sellers local BMW dealership in TN. He told me that it had a ticking sound which I understand is fairly normal from what I have read. He said it no longer has the ticking.

We just signed for a 2011 and in the paperwork, CPO terms and deductible were outlined. If it's in the paperwork, it's CPO. Get it in writing.

Originally Posted by sleeper22

Why not if I may ask? What if your the buyer wouldn't you want to know? I would think its to protect the buyer. Most previous owners I have talked to didn't mind at all and most were pretty chatty LOL.

I don't like the idea of a third party being required to share my contact information with perspective buyers. I no longer own the vehicle so who I am along with my contact information is irrelevant to the sale of the vehicle.

Originally Posted by sleeper22

WOW I like this forum. Lots of good information and advice. Thank you very much.

I just called the local dealer service department. The Maintenance Plan and CPO are good until July 31, 2014. So roughly 1 1/2 yrs left. I do know it was just serviced at the sellers local BMW dealership in TN. He told me that it had a ticking sound which I understand is fairly normal from what I have read. He said it no longer has the ticking.

You may want to take the VIN to a BMW dealer and request the service records. Some dealers may not provide this information if you're not the present owner.

Originally Posted by sunny5280

You may want to take the VIN to a BMW dealer and request the service records. Some dealers may not provide this information if you're not the present owner.

Great idea and your probably correct. It would be nice to know the service history but I will try to get the history if I can without being the present owner. Worth a shot!!!

Originally Posted by sunny5280

You may want to take the VIN to a BMW dealer and request the service records. Some dealers may not provide this information if you're not the present owner.

I just leased a new 550 and the dealership and I signed one of their boilerplate privacy policy agreements. I remember that one of the specific disclosures seemed unique and included language regarding this specific matter. Basically, they promised that they would not disclose any of my contact info to third parties. The language wasn't geared towards marketing partner(s) crap; it was specifically aimed towards this issue...

Originally Posted by mryakanisachoad

I just leased a new 550 and the dealership and I signed one of their boilerplate privacy policy agreements. I remember that one of the specific disclosures seemed unique and included language regarding this specific matter. Basically, they promised that they would not disclose any of my contact info to third parties. The language wasn't geared towards marketing partner(s) crap; it was specifically aimed towards this issue...

The last 328 I looked at a local dealer gave me the number of the previous owner. He was local and they gave me all the service history not on Carfax and other information that was helpful. Sounds like it varies from dealer to dealer or state to state? It wouldn't bother me if someone contacted me about a car I sold or traded to be honest. Now like you mention if it was marketing crap then HELL NO

I did talk to the previous owner. His wife lost her job so they had to cut expenses is the reason they traded the car. I could tell they babied the car and it was his wifes daily driver. It also was serviced at a BMW dealer. The owner did tell me how much they gave him for the car without me asking. Looks like they have a $3500 markup so I offered them less via email as one of the owners emailed me and told me how much he would give me on trade for my TL. A salesmen emailed me back and asked for my phone number to discuss my offer and I haven't heard back. They were very busy so I figure they will call on Monday or if not, the car is sold. We'll see soon enough.

Originally Posted by sleeper22

Hey guys new to the forum. I've been lurking here for a month or so and looking for a 328i or X-Drive and came across an 08 328i in Sparkling Graphite Metallic with a black interior. Car has 57,000 miles, has had two owners and was CPO in Dec 2010 at 32,000 miles. So in other words it has almost 3 yrs left of warranty. From what I can tell it has no premium package or cold weather (no sport) package and they are asking $18,900. The dealer told me it is in excellent condition and hardly a scratch inside or out. Is this too much for an 08 you think? According to Carfax they should be asking $1390 over retail so I guess this is a good selling point and I know cars like this are hard to find (I think)? Pull the trigger or not?

I just bought a non-CPO 2008 328xi with 46k miles, premium, cold weather, alarm, and sat radio. One owner, always serviced at the dealership which I got the car from. 12 oil changes in 46k miles, exhaust lifters replaced at 32k miles. The car had 23 service records on CarFax, so when I went to the dealer I had him print every service record for the car. It was close to 100 pages long, but instead of a lemon, the car was meticulously maintained. The guy would bring the car in for every little squeak or rattle and besides the valve lifters, the only big item done was a replacement of the drivers seat due to faulty stitching and the guy claiming it clicked when he adjusted the seat. He did have a new radio put at the end of the warranty at about 45k and paid $400 for new battery a couple months before he sold the car back to the dealer which was just after the 5 year new car warranty expired. The car still had the 100K maintenance plan so I get another oil change, inspection 2, and probably front brake pads before Nov of this year when that expires.

The CPO is a good deal, but I could not find an 08 with even a year of coverage left, so decided to pay $20k for a car which I know has been maintained much more than the CPO cars coming off lease with 50k miles that have had the oil changed 2 or 3 times.