FOUND: BMW E46 325i 4-dr, manual, non-black

[BLINGMW]

Still looking for an E46 325i 4-dr, manual, light color interior and something other than black exterior in good condition.

[SlimKlim]

Didn't you already have one of these?

I assume you're crawling through bimmerforums on a daily basis? I see clean stickshifts pop up every now and then, beats wading through the mountains of automatic non-sport non-premium bimmer-corollas on autotrader.

[Ryan T]

I've seen this car, and it does need some paint repair, but other than that it's in great condition. Doesn't have light interior though, but figured I'd pass it on.

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[SlimKlim]

This would be such a cool one if it wasn't a steptragic.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/c...49704.html

[BLINGMW]

Yeah, we did have one a couple years ago, probably should have kept it. But it was gray/steel-blue on black interior and we didn't have much trouble saying goodbye to it when baby #2 was on the way.

No, I'm not doing a great job looking, mostly because yes, it's not fun wading through all the automatics and black on black ones with chrome wheels or tinted windows. And we're not in a big hurry.

That green on tan combo is very high on our list. One just like that, manual, popped up at this little dealer in SALEM 2 months ago. 5 minutes away. Too good to be true! Did I already tell this story?

I test drive it. ABS and TC light are on. A few dings here and there, but it's priced accordingly, and we're just going to drive it into the ground anyway. Sales guy mentions before I drive it that the AC stopped blowing on a test drive the other day. And they're going to fix that, and when they put new pads on it, they broke one of the wheel speed sensors, which they have ordered and will replace. He even tells me the passenger window doesn't always like to respond, and they're replacing the regulator.

Cool. Seems like he's being upfront, that story is all quite plausible/typical. I drive it, seems great. All body panels original, looks clean underneath, no rust, engine sounds perfect, suspension and steering actually feel pretty crisp, like bushings have been replaced at some point. I can hear the compressor engage with AC, so maybe just the fan motor has died. Carfax checks out.

I put a small deposit on it pending repairs. He calls me up a week later. It's all done, sorry it took so long, come get it.

I drive it again. They had replaced the blower, AC working great. All windows work every time. Dash lights off....
I jam on the brakes. They lock. Hmm. I power out of a low speed corner, tail out. No ABS. No TC. :evil:

As I pull back into the dealer, I lock the brakes again right in front of the place, hop out and toss him the keys. We're done here buddy. You disabled the dash lights you ass. Are you trying to get my wife and kids killed?

Of course they're all defensive, and the owner just cannot believe I'm making such accusations, they would never do such a thing! I take them out to the car and explain that ABS and TC lights SHOULD come on when you first put the key in, which they do not anymore. Owner pretty much tosses my dollars back at me like I'm a stripper, I take them and GTFO.

Super Cars in Salem. Don't ever go there.

I hate most small dealers I've ever dealt with. I understand they're just flipping cars they got at auction, crossing their fingers that there's little or nothing wrong with them, washing them and putting them out there. But that isn't always going to work. I know tampering with airbag systems is criminal, I don't know ABS and TC, but I'm sure they sold the car to some other sucker and their "business model" proved once again successful. Heck, the first E46 we got was almost the same way, from Airport Motors in Charlottesville. Screw those guys too. I wanted to chuck the control arm I had to replace through their window, but I did finally get them to pay me the princely, deal-killing sum of $150 dollars that they agreed to pay at sale if the control arm was indeed bad as I had suspected, after threatening legal action.

I've only been searching for private party sales lately.

[HAULN-SS]

Is that the place that is in that curve right there as you're going out towards 419? I think I test drove an eclipse there for a friend one time. They gave us 5$ to put a gallon of gas in it across the street since it was low. Pumped gas, got back in the car and it wouldnt start. Walked across the street gave them the keys and told them we'd probably be passing.

[BLINGMW]

OMG THEY'RE ALL AUTOMATIC :evil:

[ScottyB]

OMG THEY'RE ALL AUTOMATIC :evil:

they really are. wtf?

low miles, dark blue...just don't squint and it won't look black :lol:
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another manual
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here's a good color combo but i think its sold
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[BLINGMW]

Thanks, I guess Raleigh it is! :thumbup:

another manual
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huh, I've never seen one with nav, that's wild

[ScottyB]

Thanks, I guess Raleigh it is! :thumbup:

let me know if you want me to check any of them out. plus, if you come down we'll go karting and eat BBQ

[SlimKlim]

It doesn't seem like many people optioned the Nav in the E46, and when they did it was on the 330i. Still, all of them are DVD based, so if you wanted it you'd be better off buying one without it and getting a Dynavin.

That blue one with the sport pack is a nice looking car, but if it's worth 12k so is my E36. I paid $14k for one with 72k miles back in 2008. That thing is worth $10k at best now.

[BLINGMW]

That blue one with the sport pack is a nice looking car, but if it's worth 12k so is my E36. I paid $14k for one with 72k miles back in 2008. That thing is worth $10k at best now.

Agreed

[Evan]

used car market is retarded right now. add at least $2k to a normal reasonable price on just about anything

[.RJ]

used car market is retarded right now. add at least $2k to a normal reasonable price on just about anything

Which baffles me, because I feel like everything I've sold I have to deduct $2k from a normal reasonable price.

[SlimKlim]

used car market is retarded right now. add at least $2k to a normal reasonable price on just about anything

Which baffles me, because I feel like everything I've sold I have to deduct $2k from a normal reasonable price.

I know that feeling.

I don't understand how people logically price cars, whether its Joe Blow on CL or someone that does it for a living. I've seen '05ish TLs, with about 100k on them listed for $9k or so. Last week i was kicking tires with Jake at Carmax and saw an 05ish TL with slightly less miles and they wanted like $18,900 for it. :?: :?:

There are always going to be the super high priced cars out there for sale, because they never sell. You just have to be patient enough to wade through it for a few months and find the right car at the right time for the right price.

[BLINGMW]

Well Scotty you got me checking the Raleigh market too now. An '04 blue, 4dr, 5spd, tan interior was posted like, friday apparently, I saw it and emailed yesterday and it's gone. :oops:

[SlimKlim]

CHANNING!!

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp...f=national

I hate single photo listings but its the right color, right trans, right package, right miles and almost the right price. Lemme know if you want someone to go look at it for you.

[BLINGMW]

close man close, I'll hold out for non-black interior
thanks though :thumbup:

[SlimKlim]

Ah, forgot about the light interior requirement, thought I mighta had 'er. Do you have a preference for tan or gray? We've got the dove gray in the E39 and it looks awesome with blue.

[BLINGMW]

Tan, gray, both fine.