Accord Sideswiped - BMW Wagon with a Rap Sheet?

Too long? Skip to the last paragraph.

I was driving along a straight, empty, four lane road today, minding my own business at 40 mph (the speed limit) in the left lane. For some reason a septuagenarian, wanting to head westerly with me, decided to turn right from a side street and cross the right lane to occupy the same space in the left lane as my Dismal Metallic Mist* Accord. I did an emergency swerve from the left lane to the right lane to avoid rear ending the old lady (<--go ahead and do it, you know you want to) and once I was along side her, nearly escaping unscathed, the horn and screeching tires must have awakened some primitive survival response in her hind brain because she jerked the wheel to the right, seeking the comforting sound and safety of folding sheet metal and collapsing suspension pieces that only a Japanese, low to mid level sedan can provide. After asking if she was OK, my next question was going to be "Are you Sylvester Stallone's mother?" followed by "Do you know if euthanasia of the elderly is legal yet?", but instead I went with "Why did you just do that?"

Anyway, it looks like my lifelong dream of owning a 10-year old, BMW 3-series wagon with medium mileage might be coming true.

I'm looking at this one WBAEP33463PF02556, but the ad says it has 27 Auto Check or CarFax records. Is that possible? I'm not specifically asking for a CarFax report, but what exactly is a record on one of those reports? I've never seen one. "Need an oil charge? That's a record." "Need new wipers? That's a record". Or was this thing totaled 27 times and now mostly Bondo and meager scraps of wire?

*a 2001 four-cylinder ULEV, automatic Accord sedan with cloth interior-only color.

27 Auto Check or CarFax records. Is that possible?

yes

vehicle delivered, sold, title issued, oil changes, tire rotations, service, recalls, vehicle resold, title transfer etc... it adds up on a 10 y/o vehicle

Sorry to hear about your accident. The records are service records, and the fact that there are 27 either means someone was meticulous in their maintenance or it's a lemon.

Here's a link to some sample carfax reports, so you can see what's typically on them.

I would fork up the $$ and find out.

Or better yet bring it to the sellers attention and have them look in to it.

I assume this is the car.

http://www.auto.com/cars/BMW-325-xiT-2003-WBAEP33463PF02556#info

It is a dealer. Get the report from them.

who cares what the report says: it might have 27 minor and normale things on the report, but it might have 2 or 3 big things that never got put on the report for whatever reason..

look at the car. drive the car. if anything freaks you out, ask about it or walk away.. i know it's hard to believe, but millions of people bought millions of cars before "show me the Carfax" was a phrase that existed. and just like today, most people were happy with their new purchase and had few problems with it and a few people got screwed over when they bought a lemon..

That looks like my car with a bigger ass. I say go talk to the dealer, ask to see that carfax.

dean1484 wrote: I assume this is the car. http://www.auto.com/cars/BMW-325-xiT-2003-WBAEP33463PF02556#info It is a dealer. Get the report from them.

Yes, that's it, though I didn't know it was on AutoTrader. I didn't notice it was AWD either; not sure if I want that.

novaderrik wrote: who cares what the report says: look at the car. drive the car.

I'm a state away and this is the closest wagon I've found. While I've heard about the flaws in the various reports, it could save me from wasting a Saturday and 350 miles.

Apis_Mellifera wrote:

dean1484 wrote: I assume this is the car. http://www.auto.com/cars/BMW-325-xiT-2003-WBAEP33463PF02556#info It is a dealer. Get the report from them.

Yes, that's it, though I didn't know it was on AutoTrader. I didn't notice it was AWD either; not sure if I want that.

That's not Autotrader.

This is Autotrader: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=44070&endYear=2015&vehicleStyleCodes=WAGON&modelCode1=325XI&showcaseOwnerId=595712&startYear=1981&makeCode1=BMW&searchRadius=300&mmt=[BMW[325XI[]][]]&listingId=323727741&Log=0

Weird, though. When I was hunting W8 Passats, I was able to view the information for free. That may have been the discretion of the dealer selling the car, though.

And yes, a lot of it is service history information. 99% of dealers and a growing number of independents are putting service history on there, right down to the most basic items. Basically, any time the car has paperwork attached to it for any reason, that goes onto the car's "permanent record". A lot of people like this, as it is proof of maintenance that can't be lost or fabricated, which goes a long way towards a vehicle's resale value.

The 'rap sheet' would not be a deal breaker for me...

... the transfer case would.

Are they that bad?

Some states have annual safety or smog inspections that can show up on those reports every year.

Datsun1500 wrote: Accident reported Involving front or side impact Involving left side impact with another motor vehicle Left side primarily damaged Disabling damage reported Side airbag deployed That was in 2004 with 5600 miles on the car. It's a 4 owner car.

I think I would offer 3k max for that one. There are identical cars out there for that money with out that repair history. I would want to know alot more and have a PPI done at the shop of my choosing.