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      07-09-2020, 03:38 PM   #1
j2dad5389
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First time test driving e92 - thoughts

Something I really appreciate about this car was how raw it felt, and connected you feel to it as a driver. Coming from the current generation F chassis, you never feel that with the electric power steering. Here I felt I could take corners like it was nothing and every turn on the steering wheel you could feel, no play of a few inches with it. On top of that, revving to 8,000 with that V8 was absolutely glorious. I was grinning ear to ear. One thing that did concern me though was the amount of torque in the low end. You had to really get up there to feel it. Other than that, this is a brilliant car.

While we're on subject, I feel this car is priced extremely well for a low mileage example. I'm not sure of the exact spec, but it was missing the backup camera and no carbon roof. its a 2009 with Mileage at 52k, and its priced at 24.5k. I feel I could get him to 23 as he said he had a guy offering 23.5 for it and he would take it. Is this a good price?

Last edited by j2dad5389; 07-09-2020 at 06:21 PM..
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      07-09-2020, 04:30 PM   #2
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I think that is a fair price.
Buy it now and enjoy the car.


Quote:
Originally Posted by j2dad5389 View Post
Something I really appreciate about this car was how raw it felt, and connected you feel to it as a driver. Coming from the current generation F chassis, you never feel that with the power steering. Here I felt I could take corners like it was nothing and every turn on the steering wheel you could feel, no play of a few inches with it. On top of that, revving to 8,000 with that V8 was absolutely glorious. I was grinning ear to ear. One thing that did concern me though was the amount of torque in the low end. You had to really get up there to feel it. Other than that, this is a brilliant car.

While we're on subject, I feel this car is priced extremely well for a low mileage example. I'm not sure of the exact spec, but it was missing the backup camera and no carbon roof. its a 2009 with Mileage at 52k, and its priced at 24.5k. I feel I could get him to 23 as he said he had a guy offering 23.5 for it and he would take it. Is this a good price?
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      07-09-2020, 04:34 PM   #3
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Depending on condition it's a great price at $23k and you won't find a 2009 with a back up camera.....sensors I believe so as I have them on my 2011.
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      07-09-2020, 04:41 PM   #4
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Quote:
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Depending on condition it's a great price at $23k and you won't find a 2009 with a back up camera.....sensors I believe so as I have them on my 2011.
Is there a big difference with a 08/09, versus say a 12 or 13?
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      07-09-2020, 05:11 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by j2dad5389 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by timothy2001 View Post
Depending on condition it's a great price at $23k and you won't find a 2009 with a back up camera.....sensors I believe so as I have them on my 2011.
Is there a big difference with a 08/09, versus say a 12 or 13?
the idrive was updated in 09 or 10 I think. other than that car didn't change much. new tail lights. option of comp pack in 2011+. Bluetooth music in 2011.5. leather seat color inserts option on 2011+
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      07-09-2020, 06:21 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by j2dad5389 View Post
Something I really appreciate about this car was how raw it felt, and connected you feel to it as a driver. Coming from the current generation F chassis, you never feel that with the power steering. Here I felt I could take corners like it was nothing and every turn on the steering wheel you could feel, no play of a few inches with it. On top of that, revving to 8,000 with that V8 was absolutely glorious. I was grinning ear to ear. One thing that did concern me though was the amount of torque in the low end. You had to really get up there to feel it. Other than that, this is a brilliant car.

While we're on subject, I feel this car is priced extremely well for a low mileage example. I'm not sure of the exact spec, but it was missing the backup camera and no carbon roof. its a 2009 with Mileage at 52k, and its priced at 24.5k. I feel I could get him to 23 as he said he had a guy offering 23.5 for it and he would take it. Is this a good price?
Take it and drive the heck out of it!

Do not let it be a garage queen.
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      07-09-2020, 11:05 PM   #7
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I think it's a a good price for the mileage, assuming it's not beat up. I also think we might have a good match as far as someone who cares being the new owner. Only bummer would be the CCC but that can be changed out for CIC, NBT or Android. If it were me I'd plan on RB's & TA's right off the bat. Then I'd hit cooling system as well as plugs & coils soon as I got her. Then I would give her a lil spirited driving and enjoy
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      07-10-2020, 06:25 AM   #8
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So Scrippy makes a good point. My gut tells me.....and I have absolutely no evidence of this......that these cars do best or actually thrive on spirited driving and always a proper warm up. Never beat the crap out of it but drive the car, it will thank you so to speak in that sweet spot of ~4-8k RPM.

I remember the first time I drove my E92 and it was the first time I ever drove one. There are so many overused adjectives to describe the feeling, sublime, intoxicating, addicting etc but it was all that and more. The first time I hit an on ramp and put my foot into it I knew in an instant I would own that car. So the car and price point are an incredible value to me and many others.
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      07-10-2020, 10:32 AM   #9
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Throttle actuators are NOT a must do right away. Worst case they go on you and your car goes into limp mode. It doesn't hurt anything. Take that money and put it into new plugs (you'll feel a difference if the plugs are OG) valve cover gaskets (Bc I know they're weeping), fluids in the drivetrain, tires if those are needed, and something fun like a cat back exhaust. Or test pipes and a tune.

I'd like to make an argument that rod bearings aren't the first thing you should spend money on either, but...I won't. Just know that the majority of people here will change their rb's and then immediately go back to driving the car in all the wrong ways. Drive it like you have a proper race engine under the bonnet. You do. And that part ironically collides with going to the grocery store for a quick carton of milk.

Bmw made a mistake. They made an engine that needed specific operating procedures by mechanically informed people, and sold it to the masses. People who never warmed up their 328i were jumping into an s65 equipped car and doing everything wrong.

Don't lug the engine. That's the big one hardly no one talks about. Give the car a good 5+ min warm up, at least. Even once it's warmed up take it easy for a mile or two and let the drivetrain fluids get up to temp. Change the oil more often than you think you should. Use the best oil you can possibly source (I use Fuchs Titan). If you know the prior owner(s) did these things and you continue to do them, you too can have a car someday with a 150k miles on original rb's (there are literally thousands of them out there).

Or change them if your peace of mind is fragile.

Last thing, don't snatch the car at stoplights. This isn't the tool for that job. It's not THAT impressive. Low-mid 4's to 60? In 2020 that's pretty meh.
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      07-10-2020, 10:51 AM   #10
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But back to your main point. That's a good price on a good car. I got my 08 e92 6mt with 83k for 17,500 about 6 months ago. Had it been a slicktop with no nav I'd be in heaven, but that would have also pushed the price up a bit I'm sure.
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      07-10-2020, 07:26 PM   #11
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I'd also recommend an extended warranty if you don't have the service history. Mine has paid for itself multiple times.
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      07-11-2020, 12:34 AM   #12
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Extended warranty is a must. I have major guard with ally and I hope to not use them but major guard will cover pretty much very little thing in the car including the seatbelt arm. My deductible is only $100. Also get a GAP insurance just in case. I wouldn’t buy any of this on my Honda or Toyota but for M3 or any German car is a must. Just for peace of mind and just in case.
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      07-11-2020, 12:35 AM   #13
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Also, I always like the LCI model 2011-13 so when I was looking for my M3 it was a must. I found one w 10K miles on it and everything else that I look and want in my M3. I waited for 4 yrs and finally found the right one. Just don’t rush into it unlesss you’re sure that is th car you want.
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      07-11-2020, 04:19 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by L1FHR View Post
Extended warranty is a must. I have major guard with ally and I hope to not use them but major guard will cover pretty much very little thing in the car including the seatbelt arm. My deductible is only $100. Also get a GAP insurance just in case. I wouldn't buy any of this on my Honda or Toyota but for M3 or any German car is a must. Just for peace of mind and just in case.
I bought my M3 last year from CarMax for $26k. It's an exact replica of the one on Obsessed Garage- blue competition package etc. Watching his videos had me hooked and with blue being my favorite color it was something I had to have to go along with my 335 so when the perfect / identical one arrived on the CarMax's website I was hooked. The car was out of Ft. Lauderdale and had to be shipped to me so I paid the $400 shipping fee and 3 weeks later I got it.

Here's where Doug Demuro's videos and SavageGeese videos helped me. Doug Demuro raved about the CarMax warranty on his Range Rover and SavageGeese said you've gotta know what you're getting into if you buy this car after warranty.

So I heeded their advice and bought a 4 year 125k mile CarMax warranty for a little over $4k. It has a $500 ded. My car had 74k miles on it when purchased and with it being my 3rd car I figured I'd run less than 7500 miles per year so no worries on miles. Here's where the fun starts.

Having bought the car sight unseen and using CarMax's 5 day return and 30 day warranty I immediately took the car to BMW for an oil change and inspection after purchase. I figured if anything is bad I'll just return the car and move on as well as the need to get proper oil in the car because who knows what CarMax used. The car checked out ok but they noted the valve cover gaskets leaking and the battery needed to be coded. They coded the battery and off I went to CarMax to see about the valve cover gasket and they said nothing to see here. Ok. I was too excited to make a huge deal about it.

A few days later I got the increased emissions light. I took it back to bmw and they changed the thermostat and water pump. That was about $2400 in repairs and was covered 100% by CarMax because it was within 30 days.

Two weeks ago I took it in for a poor shifting DCT. Comes back with a leaking pan gasket and valve cover gaskets (surprise)and that was $2800 minus my $500 ded. Not 3 days later I get a transmission malfunction light and took it back into BMW and they advised that the mechatronics needed to be replaced. The total cost was $9000 dollars!!! Ouch!! I couldn't imagine anything in a car short of the engine costing that much. CarMax sent an adjuster out and covered the repairs.

I've got a lot of lessons learned but in my situation knowing what I was getting into and protecting myself with the warranty was critical and very good sleep insurance.
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      07-11-2020, 09:29 PM   #15
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Man I read some posts on here about guys getting a used car and shit just immediately breaking left and right and I'm over here and literally the only thing that's ever been replaced on my car that wasn't a consumable was an abs module and the valve cover gaskets (which are kind of a consumable with enough age).

Did I get lucky or are some of you guys unlucky?

Question: is it not possible to have a trusted Indy do a PPI on a car max car? Dct and valve cover leak would have been caught by any Indy who knows what they're looking at seeing as how a metric shit ton of s65 valve covers and dct pans are leaking as if they were designed to.
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      07-12-2020, 02:30 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by butte2butte View Post
Man I read some posts on here about guys getting a used car and shit just immediately breaking left and right and I'm over here and literally the only thing that's ever been replaced on my car that wasn't a consumable was an abs module and the valve cover gaskets (which are kind of a consumable with enough age).

Did I get lucky or are some of you guys unlucky?

Question: is it not possible to have a trusted Indy do a PPI on a car max car? Dct and valve cover leak would have been caught by any Indy who knows what they're looking at seeing as how a metric shit ton of s65 valve covers and dct pans are leaking as if they were designed to.
I think the optimum words are patience, ppi, and getting previous service records. I was guilty of buying blindly and relying on my warranty and ability to do DIY projects. I have no regrets but I'd recommend folks to spend a little more for a proven example and go from there.
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