WTB a secondhand BMW - advice please

[ilovebettyho]

Hi, I know this is a bit crazy - but after driving cars for more than 6 years back in my home country, I just can not help but buy a car. I used to have a 2007 BMW 325i and looking for a BMW 3er convertible (323ci LCI 2010/11/12 preferable) or a 2010/11 new X3. The new ones' selling prices are around HKD550k and I am looking for a second hand at around HKD350k-430k, depending on the quality and the configuration.

I looked at bmwhk's second hand car webpages. They do have good cars on offer but the options are limited and the prices seem to be a bit high. I am thinking about buying at second hand car dealers but am deeply concerned with the quality as well as the cheating issues.

Questions (may not be in good logic order)
1. Is there generally any clocking/metering or other cheating issue relating to second hand BMWs? I heard that it's pretty impossible to clocking (changing the mileage) or doing other cheating things but is it true?
2/ Have you ever used a good quality second hand car dealer, reliable and trustworthy? Or is there any generally good dealers around that I can look at? I am close to Olympic Station / Mongkok area.
3. Do you have a friend who wants to sell his/her car that may be of interest to me? If so, would you forward the message? I know that it is always better to buy second hand cars from leaving expats but it is just so difficult to meet up with one. Even looking at the classified here, you will see lots of dealers.

THanks!

[wtbhotia]

sent you a pm

[Grizzly111]

You should visit the bimmerpost.com 3-series forum and then go to the HK section

I have not heard of any tampering on late model BMWs with digital odometers. However that is not to say on digital cars its impossible - some Lotus would have to have their stack unit replaced/have an error and hence display 0 mileage for example.

[jaykay]

Pretty easy to change displayed mileage on late BMW's, just plug in with right software and it's done. However the true mileage is stored in the main ECU. Not something easily accessed. Added to the fact main dealers will not reveal history without the registration document, stating data protection, and it's hard to uncover the real history of any car.

[Cwbguy]

Rule Number 1-Avoid any dealer with Vin or Vincent in the name operating out of Tin Hau like the plague.

[Watercooler]

Just my opinion, but stick with the 3 series when you get a second-hand car. It remains their best driving car. The X3 (or any X model for that matter) doesn't serve much purpose on the congested and narrow roads of HK.

Second-hand dealer that is trustworthy? You can try checking out the one at Kowloon bay.