[Kabrich]

saw a BMW that caught my interest today. Very Good price as it was Lemon / Buyback.

BMW replaced entire engine. Dealer very open about it. Carfax shows it was Lemon/buyback.

With new engine, the problem should be gone. But then again, mixed feelings.

Thoughts?

[2013_Estoril_335i]

Originally Posted by Kabrich

saw a BMW that caught my interest today. Very Good price as it was Lemon / Buyback.

BMW replaced entire engine. Dealer very open about it. Carfax shows it was Lemon/buyback.

With new engine, the problem should be gone. But then again, mixed feelings.

Thoughts?

I would say forget about it unless it has an extended warranty. I drove an '06 M6 with 100k miles last year and its never fun driving a car that makes you worried its gonna break down.

[Beek]

Better be a super good deal with a warranty! That Carfax report isn't going to go away and someday you'll want/need to sell the car. How about some more specifics, is this a new 340i with 100 miles or a '15 320 with 15 thousand? Might make a difference in the responses you'll get.

[Kabrich]

Originally Posted by Beek

Better be a super good deal with a warranty! That Carfax report isn't going to go away and someday you'll want/need to sell the car. How about some more specifics, is this a new 340i with 100 miles or a '15 320 with 15 thousand? Might make a difference in the responses you'll get.

I was typing a response that obviously a new car with 100 miles would not be a Buyback and then remembered my first 1994 Viper fell into this category. Was trucked in from Texas Dealer 1200 miles away and wouldn't run from day 1. Dodge sent in techs and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. Had a refund check within 10 days.

Regardless, it's a 2014 with 12k miles. Supposedly entire Engine replaced which is why I would consider it (though I would get complete details prior to purchase).

Obviously new engine would not have 12k miles on it.

Given Lemon Laws typically in effect for 12-18 months - and car went to Auction in April, i see that as very legit time frame.

If indeed entire engine was replaced, I just don't see a lot of downside or risk.

[Bob in IL]

Personally, I'd stay away from a car like this. Too many others out there without the "history". Good luck if you decide to go with it, it might work out just fine.

[Beek]

I guess if they are discounting the price of the car up front at least the same amount that Carfax report will reduce the value when you go to sell then why not. I might not have bought my 340xi had I thought too much about resale value. In the end if it's the right deal for you then you should go for it and not look back. I regret more things I didn't do than things I did.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by Kabrich

I was typing a response that obviously a new car with 100 miles would not be a Buyback and then remembered my first 1994 Viper fell into this category. Was trucked in from Texas Dealer 1200 miles away and wouldn't run from day 1. Dodge sent in techs and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. Had a refund check within 10 days.

Regardless, it's a 2014 with 12k miles. Supposedly entire Engine replaced which is why I would consider it (though I would get complete details prior to purchase).

Obviously new engine would not have 12k miles on it.

Given Lemon Laws typically in effect for 12-18 months - and car went to Auction in April, i see that as very legit time frame.

If indeed entire engine was replaced, I just don't see a lot of downside or risk.

The engine replacement does not guarantee success. The replacement engine is not identical to the engine installed on the assembly line. It's a remanufactured engine, usually stored in the local warehouse and available to dealers when BMW NA approves an engine replacement. There are 2 major unknowns: who rebuilt the engine, who installed the engine.

If you can obtain a copy of the original repair order describing the work performed, you will learn more.

Unfortunately, there is no practical way to determine if the replaced engine will be trouble free without buying the car and driving it.

Purchasing an extended warranty should be seriously considered.

[shivaswrath]

Probably electronic gremlins in the too... Youll easily blow savings on fixing this car out of warranty. I'd skip!

[CruzM3]

I would skip it but if you know everything the previous owner complained about was fixed then it might be worth a chance. I just couldn't buy a car that was lemon/buyback unless it was a ridiculously good deal and every big/little thing was fixed.

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by Kabrich

saw a BMW that caught my interest today. Very Good price as it was Lemon / Buyback.

BMW replaced entire engine. Dealer very open about it. Carfax shows it was Lemon/buyback.

With new engine, the problem should be gone. But then again, mixed feelings.

Thoughts?

How much? What kind of warranty? Need more info.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by tex2670

How much? What kind of warranty? Need more info.

Very good question. Is the vehicle being sold as CPO?

[Kabrich]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

Very good question. Is the vehicle being sold as CPO?

Well, it has BMW 4 Year warranty until May 2018, so CPO would be a serious Downgrade.

Regardless, when I started getting very specific on who do the work and which engine was replaced - and a bunch of "don't know" answers, it turned me off.

Now I am not even sure an engine was replaced....so I'll take walk. Feel the Dealer was somewhat shady in original statements.

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by Kabrich

Well, it has BMW 4 Year warranty until May 2018, so CPO would be a serious Downgrade. .

So adding a limited warranty of 1 or 2 years, and 25,000 or 50,000 miles after the expiration the main warranty would be a "downgrade"?

[Wires]

Keep in mind warranty means nothing if you're stopping by the dealership weekly to get something fixed.

I'd think if there was engine issues, and then it was swapped, why was it lemoned? Sounds like there might be more issues with it.

[Spied4US]

If I'm not mistaken, Florida records the fact that a car was re-purchased by the manufacturer, and that fact appears on the title. On this board or the other BMW board, a person who bought such a car described in detail the issues he had initially in trying to obtain financing and insurance at a reasonable cost and later when the tried to sell the car. BMW dealers refused to accept the car as a trade in, and eventually the only way he was able to sell the car was at auction for pennies on the dollar. (Why did he buy it in the first place? He thought it was "too good a deal to pass up.")

If, Kabrick, you intend to keep this car for years beyond the warranty period, the car's history may not matter. On the other hand, if there are other problems you don't want to live with, selling the car could be difficult.

[Kabrich]

Originally Posted by Spied4US

If I'm not mistaken, Florida records the fact that a car was re-purchased by the manufacturer, and that fact appears on the title. On this board or the other BMW board, a person who bought such a car described in detail the issues he had initially in trying to obtain financing and insurance at a reasonable cost and later when the tried to sell the car. BMW dealers refused to accept the car as a trade in, and eventually the only way he was able to sell the car was at auction for pennies on the dollar. (Why did he buy it in the first place? He thought it was "too good a deal to pass up.")

If, Kabrick, you intend to keep this car for years beyond the warranty period, the car's history may not matter. On the other hand, if there are other problems you don't want to live with, selling the car could be difficult.

Thanks. Check out post 12 above.

[Wires]

Smart move. When the gut feels off, it's good to walk....

[ashpal19]

Nice thread to discuss pros and cons, however I would stay away from this car.

[jd_perspective]

from personal experience... stay away!

a prior car of mine had 3 transmissions put in and then all the airbag modules replaced. Airbag lights and transmission malfunctions were still occurring. They eventually bought it back after I threatened to sue. A couple months later the car was on a dealer lot in another state, sold at auction with "buyback/lemon" on the title.

Sure the new dealer might disclose there were new transmissions put in but A) they are unlikely to really know what happened B) unlikely to even know or care if it was properly fixed C) who knows what problems the car was really having.

So I'd stay away - my problems were intermittent so they didn't pop up in an every day drive. You never know - don't let someone else's headache become YOUR headache!