"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion) 10/22/2018 at 09:51 • Filed to: maybe I'm just salty because it's monday

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This is the RWD version of my car, two years older, nearly the same mileage. My car would look more like this if I detailed the crap out of it, but I don’t have time, and I’m also not trying to sell mine.

W hile I hope to see a nice, strong value for this car (selfishly) , I have to wonder, outside of BaT, who is buying a 2001 BMW with not just one, not two , but THREE reported accidents in its history. The two previous owners, who both love the car and vouch for it in the comments, only put 10,000 miles and almost 7,000 miles on it, respectively. I don’t care how great it is, I wouldn’t trade my car for it, nor would I pay $3k for it. And I don’t think my car is worth more than $3,500 where the bidding currently sits, but hey. Maybe I’m wrong, and manual wagon values are going up! By the way, that roof rack isn’t included. But it can be negotiated, maybe.  Then don’t show it in the pictures! (sorry, pet peeve of mine)

Seriously, though, of the two most important things for an old BMW - maintenance history and accident history - this car is lacking in at least one. Oh yeah and the airbag light is on “but it’s an easy fix,” the temp gauge bulb “just needs replacement, ” there is a cracked diff bushing, and “t he car is said to occasionally exhibit an intermittent idle.”

Sounds pretty turn-key!

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All that said, these cars are pretty easy to work on, and really quite reliable. It’s just... too many red flags for me on this one. It kinda feels like the current owner bought it (7 months ago!) , found that it constantly needed one little thing or another - even if nothing major - and figured, “hey I know where I can cash out! Bring a Trailer is FULL of people drooling over manual wagons!”

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 09:57

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the 3500 its already at seems like a grand too much.

Party-vi > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 09:58

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“ found that it constantly needed one little thing or another”  

Yep. It’s an E46.

functionoverfashion > Party-vi 10/22/2018 at 10:02

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Exactly. You just have to keep up with these little things. I can’t decide whether to applaud his honesty on things like the cracked diff bushing, or shake my head that he’s detailing it and selling it on BaT as-is. 

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 10:02

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BaT is kinda a joke now

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 10:03

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Is it just me or is the market for some used car getting ridiculous? I suspect BaT has no doubt accelerated this, but I guess it just has to be any older Manual Wagon nowadays for it to sell no matter how big a Crackpipe it is.

functionoverfashion > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/22/2018 at 10:03

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Right? I sold my 2001 E46 325xiT 5-speed a few years ago for $3450. It had 202,000 miles but it didn’t have three accidents in its past, and didn’t have any current issues. 

functionoverfashion > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 10/22/2018 at 10:07

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I think this is living proof. If this car was on Craigslist, he’d be fending off tire kickers @ $2000. Good for the seller for finding his audience, I guess? Yay capitalism?

I’m gonna go shake my fist at some clouds now. 

functionoverfashion > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 10/22/2018 at 10:09

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I saw it on Oppo somewhere, but it’s becoming “bring a trailer full of money”

I still feel that it’s probably the most honest place to buy a car on the internet. So there’s that. 

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 10:31

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Manual wagons on sporty chassis are just commanding a premium. B7 Audi A4 Avants go for 33-50% more than a comparable sedan. Same thing with BMW E9X wagons compared to sedans.

I haven’t noticed this effect quite as strongly on E46s but it probably will soon. Which is funny because there is a 100k mile 325i touring for sale near me and I thought $6k was too much but it might be right on. 

promoted by the color red > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 10:36

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BaT commentariat are the most anal, obsessive-compulsive bastards you will ever find and God bless them. There’s been some sketch-ass cars on that site and the comments have done a great job exp osing them.

MarquetteLa > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 10:41

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A friend of mine used to own the BMW pictured. I don’t have much to add other than that.

functionoverfashion > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 10/22/2018 at 10:54

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I guess that’s true, and in fact it’s not going to go down, now that there are really so few options new. Mini Cooper S Clubman, Golf wagon, umm... any others?

functionoverfashion > MarquetteLa 10/22/2018 at 10:56

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Interesting! I’d be curious what the accidents were. It’s a small manual wagon world...

MarquetteLa > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 11:04

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I don’t believe it was in any accidents while owned by my pal.

MarquetteLa > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 11:06

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Yeah, I just saw in the ad that the accidents happened in 2005/2007. My pal owned this a few years ago.

functionoverfashion > MarquetteLa 10/22/2018 at 11:18

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So there’s that... if the accidents were a big issue, it wouldn’t still be on the road 14 years later. Up in Rust Land, even good body work doesn’t usually last as long as factory body work, so just about any accident will, at minimum, get you more rust. Exceptions are few and far between, like a minor-front-end that required a bumper, hood, and little else. And those were early in the car’s life, so they were more likely to be reported to insurance... and yet, still. Three!

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 11:45

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That’s about it...

Also the 325it near me is for $10k...

Back to looking for XWD Saab’s...

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > functionoverfashion 10/22/2018 at 12:03

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I can only hope this spike in interest for any RWD wagon ever made makes my Spertkrass worth 16 cents more in the future.

functionoverfashion > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 10/22/2018 at 12:15

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TIL that the spacecrab spertkrass is RWD. Sweet!

And yeah, by the time I get rid of my car, its status as a manual wagon isn’t going to matter. It’ll be on Craigslist and cross-shopped with Imprezas and Volvos.

Wait, no. I’ll put it on BaT in any condition, if the craze continues.