- 6,041
- Puget Sound
- Crash852
Looking it up, taking the highway with some tolls, it'd be four hours to get to the BMW dealership with the grey IS300. But, being out of state, I wouldn't know where to get it checked out... I suppose I could feel somewhat relaxed as it's at an actual dealership, rather than a sketchy wholesale one. At the same time, it would be difficult to get the price down I suppose.
Unfortunately the green one was already sold...![]()
Research, research, research.
With most cars nowadays, there are forums online dedicated to the discussion of these cars. Go on those forums and browse and read up all about the cars. What are the weak spots? What commonly wears out? What are the expensiv fixes? What are the small details that an uncaring owner wouldn't notice? Often times, someone on these forums would have compiled a buyer's guide or something like that. These forums will likely also have recommendations for shops that do good work in whatever area. Take all this information, ask the seller all the relevant questions, ask if title is clean and on hand, ask if they have all service records, ask what maintenance has been done, ask if whatever weak spot has been fixed, ask what issues there are (and the more honest the seller, the better it is), then call the shop that are deemed reputable and see if they will do pre-purchase inspections and what that entails. Get all the VIN numbers and run a history. Ask for plenty of pictures, especially in rust prone areas or for shots that can demonstrate a lot of information. Look at overall cleanliness of car. Request that the owner take the car to a local shop of your choice for a pre-purchase inspection (that's on your dime). If everything checks out, negotiate a deal pending your final in-person inspection and fly out and pick it up.
If you do your research and homework and really learn about the car that you want, and the other key being patient, you will find the right car at the right price. This means being willing to walk away from a deal, or if car has red flags, be able to walk away even if it seems so enticing. Fortunately for you, you still have a functional car, so you can afford to wait and shop for a bit. But research and patience really are the keys to finding the right car.
Dealerships generally don't mean much unless you're purchasing a certified used car from that brand's dealer with a warranty. Everything is Caveat Emptor. You need to make sure to do your research and protect yourself and only buy if it feels right.