Select Auto Imports

[mokotoff]

My neighbor is looking at an 05 530i from them and since he sees me washing my M3 all the time figures I know a lot about this (not), anyone have any input on the place, positive or negative.
Thanks, all.
Charles

[OwnedbyDuncan]

I have not heard anything bad about Select. They have been around for years but then so has Easterns. I would try ot find out more info about the car. I would be a little leary of an 05 BMW that ended up at Select instead of in a dealers used car lot as a Certified car. Even if the car was traded in on a Lexus, Infiniti, Mercedes or Caddie the dealer should have kept the car for his lot since it is an 05.

As with any used car even an 05 should be checked out by a good independent BMW shop. Are all the vin tags on the hood, fenders etc? Seams straight and level etc. What brand of tires are on the car?

[mokotoff]

Pretty sure they are Continental 17s, the dealer's card is still in the trunk with the manual, etc., I had to set the clock for him and had a quick look over. It looks pristine, I was suprised I had to set the clock as typically that is done by a dealer. I told the guy (he has possession of it now) to contact the dealer who it evidently came from and get the story.

I see the VIN tag in the typical place driver side windshield, looks cool and matches the window sticker which is still in car. Where is the other VIN tag located?

[OwnedbyDuncan]

Front fenders should have vin tags, the hood, trunk lid, rear quarter panels.

If the tags are missing car was in an accident. Again its odd this car was not kept by dealer etc.

[bmwcs3]

Select buys cars from BMW auctions. BMW sells cars coming off lease, dealer demos, etc at regional auctions. As I understand it, they have to disclose any defects, like accident damage, paint work, etc. From what I have heard, Select picks out only undamaged cars and corrects any mechanical problems they find before sale.

[OwnedbyDuncan]

I just find it strange that this car isn't in a BMW dealers lot as CPO car or on the lot of a Jag, Benz, Lexus or Infiniti dealer. Just wandering why?

[mokotoff]

Well the guy bought it, he seems happy, gorgeous car. The weird thing is when he stopped by with it a few days ago the electrical system was going bonkers, wipers wouldn't turn off no iDrive screen, tach needle bouncing, wow, would have scared me. Guy said the next day it "is fine"...He bought it, got a good deal from Select, I am gonna stay out of it...hopefully its just a bad battery or some such easy warranty thing. All in all, $44K for an 05 530 ain't bad. Me? I would go for the higher horsepower in the 06...

[wolfgang20878]

I would have checked the carfax or the BMW service records to see if it was a lemmon. Cars off-lease will be retained by dealers for CPO if they are "A" cars, otherwise sold to auction houses. At auction, the "B" cars will generally go to non-OEM dealers, the "C" cars go to Joe's Used Cars. At the auctions, the bidders have only a few minutes to examine a car, so really the difference between A's and B's might be significant, though hidden, as in electrical bugs.

[mokotoff]

the guy has been to both Passport and now at VOB with this car, VOB told them they would fix it or "BMW will buy it back", he is pretty non-fazed by this whole thing. I bet if you multiply the number of hours he has had to futz with this car times what he thinks his time is worth, this is starting to be less of a bargain...

[Barry]

My neighbor is looking at an 05 530i from them and since he sees me washing my M3 all the time figures I know a lot about this (not), anyone have any input on the place, positive or negative.
Thanks, all.
Charles

I usually recommend CPO cars.
As used cars go, they will be a little pricier than a non-CPO version of that car, but the condition of the CPO car will be worth it. It should have low mileage and a warranty up to 100,000 miles, backed by the manufacturer.
Barry

[GStiles]

FWIW, I bought my current car ('95 525) from Select Auto Imports back in 1998. I have had zero problems with the car since. I was a bit leary with purchasing a non-CPO car, but my experience with them was good and the car has been teriffic.

[Sigfod]

My wife just bought a CPO VW Beetle, and it was well worth it. Both window regulators were replaced under warrantee this month. As to the Vin stamps even my lowly Nissan has vin stamps on most of its body panels.