Advise: Buying an used 528i Company Car

[e46er]

Hi sifus and experts,

I'm in the process of purchasing a used 528i. The details as follows:

Model: 528i Msport
Year Regn: Dec 2015
BSRI: 5 years
Mileage: 60,000km
Previous owner: Company Registration

Anything that I need to look out for or to ensure before I close the deal?

 

[gendong]

hey bro. congrats on ur soon to be new ride. looks like the car has gone thru quite a journey covering 60k km in 2yrs. a work horse indeed. i wld assume that the car was bought brand new, hence it shld hv full record of maintenance at the service centre (SC). U can actually check with the SC whether the car has been serviced on-time, any issues, replaced parts etc thru its registration plate. U also hv the option of getting the car inspected by the SC (at your own cost) for issues to look out for and taken care of up front by the seller.

hold on...... ur getting the car through a car dealer or the company itself?

on the car itself, these are some of the things u can scrutinize. the list has served as a 'guide', and not as exhaustive, but gives u some ideas on what to look out for.
Car Info
• Build date
• Make
• Model
• Mileage
• Exterior color
• Interior color
• Modifications

Test drive
• Strange noises/rattles?
• Feel solid?
• No excess vibration
• Car tracks straight
• Idle is constant and smooth
• Clutch test: On a slight incline at ~30 mph, put the car into fifth gear and floor it. Does the clutch slip?
• Any CELs or any other lights on in the dash?

Cooling System
• Hoses (cracks, fitments, etc)
• Where does needle sit on the water temp gauge?
• No dry coolant visible in engine bay
• Is the engine driven fan still present?

Engine
• Belts (cracks)
• Pulleys (any excess noise/play)
• No excess A/C compressor noise
• Any suspicious oil residue under car?
• Condition of gaskets: Oil pan/timing cover/valve cover/head
• Air filter is in decent shape?
• Intake boot is not cracked
• Oil level is in range of ‘half full’ to ‘one half quart over max’.

Exhaust
• Muffler mounted securely
• Heat shields are secure and don’t rattle
• No deteriorated/rusted areas

Transmission/Differential
• All gears engage/disengage smoothly.
• No transmission seals are leaking
• Transmission mounts are securely installed and not worn
• Guibo/Flex Disc is not cracked or worn
• CV boots are in good shape
• No excessive play in joints
• No differential seals are leaking

Power Steering
• Reservoir is full
• No PS fluid leaks from the hoses/rack/reservoir
• The wheel turns without making excess noise at parked idle

Suspension
• All bushings are solid and not cracked or worn
• Front control arm (2)
• Front sway bar (2)
• Rear shock mounts (2)
• Rear trailing arm (2)
• Upper and lower (wishbone) outer rear ball joints (4)
• Upper and lower (wishbone) inner rubber fittings (4)
• Rear sway bar (2)
• Rear sway bar endlink (2)
• Differential carrier
• Rear Subframe (4)
• Area where rear subframe is connected to body is solid and not cracking
• Shocks/dampeners are solid and not leaking fluid
• Tie rods are in good condition

Brakes
• % pad left:
• % rotor life left:
• Brake lines don’t leak
• Caliper doesn’t leak
• Caliper boot is intact
• Reservoir doesn’t leak

Tires/Wheels
• Do all tires match?
• Tire size(s):
• Tire brand(s):
• % tire life left
• Tires are worn evenly
• Wheel finish isn’t chipped or cracked
• No excess caked-on brake dust on face of wheels

Exterior
• All body panels match exactly
• Have any body panels been repainted or worked on?
• Any significant dents/scratches/rock chips
• Headlights are not pitted or cracked
• No rust or clear-coat peeling
• No lights out
• No windows are cracked

Interior
• Dashboard is in good shape and not cracked
• Glovebox does not sag
• Owners manual is in glove box
• Windows auto-up function works and doesn’t stop halfway up
• There are not significant tears/rips in interior
• No strange smells
• Has the car been noticeably smoked in?
• No lights out
• Stereo/speakers work
• No speakers are blown
• Climate control works
• A/C blows cold
• Are windows tinted? If so, approximately what %?
• Tint is not peeling or fading
• All interior panels are in good shape and not ripped or faded

All the best bro!

Reference : http://www.bmwclubmalaysia.com/newforums/index.php?/topic/35250-need-some-advise-here/?hl=checklist#entry695398

 

[TSS]

Wow..an exhaustive list to look into

 

[e46er]

Thank you for the advice. Will definitely use this guide.

 

[Joshnph]

Wow impressed with the full details of the checking list

 

[black2]

Gendong

The Best :adore: