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      01-04-2022, 03:18 PM   #1
filoxophy
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2003 3.0i MT with Sport Package for $12k?

Hi everyone, my coworker is moving out of the country and is selling his wife's 2003 3.0i manual with 62k miles and I'm trying to figure out if this would be a good buy. He is firm on the $12k price.

In the past year, he has had the following services performed:
  • Power top hydraulics serviced (not sure exactly what he means because the pump itself wasn't replaced, although he bought a new pump and is including it in the sale).
  • New clutch
  • Drive belts replaced
  • 4 new run flat tires (oh well, what can you do)
  • New battery, new rear center brake light, new windshield washer pump, new side mirrors, new "interior front cover" (?) where the convertible top meets the windshield

The car was just at the dealer for tire installation and an overall inspection. Everything apparently checked out except for a small oil leak, which they recommended replacements of the valve cover gasket, oil filter housing gasket, and oil pan gasket. He says he has seen no oil leaks in his garage and hasn't had to add any oil since the last oil change (a few months ago).

My main pause at this point is that the CarFax only shows a few service records--I'll ask him about this.

What do you all think? Is $12k a fair price for this?
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      01-04-2022, 03:55 PM   #2
pungo
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Replacing a clutch at <62k miles makes me question why? Inexperienced driver or abuse? Should go 100+k if driven properly. 3 oil leaks, depending on the severity and if you can DIY them, the cost could really add up. Without carfax service records, the seller should at least have paper copies of all services. Some people will go 15k miles between oil changes which is double what I'd recommend. As far as price, without knowing the options, seems kinda high, but in these weird times, vehicle pricing is out of control.
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      01-05-2022, 11:23 AM   #3
filoxophy
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Thanks for your perspective pungo. I’ve worked with this guy for a few years so there is some trust there that he’s not hiding any issues with the car that he’s aware of. If he were some random seller, I’d have an easier time walking away but it is a selling point to me that I can have some trust that the car has been taken care of and not abused.

I’m not sure why the clutch was replaced, that’s a good question. If the oil leak is due to the gaskets that were identified by the dealer, I think I’m comfortable tackling those on my own.
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      01-05-2022, 06:56 PM   #4
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Between the VCG, OFHG and Oil Pan.... the latter is the only one that's challenging to tackle DIY. Sure it's not rear main seal?

How's the rest of the car in terms of wear? Any past accident damages?
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      01-06-2022, 07:07 AM   #5
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Some small leaks are to be expected from an 18 year old car as the rubber seals will dry out over time on a car that's not driven often. Seems to be the case here since it only has 62K miles. A rear main seal leak usually leaks pretty bad - I expect spots or puddling on the garage floor or a really dirty/oil caked engine.

Does the owner do his own maintenance? That could explain the lack of records in Carfax. I do 99.99% of the work needed on my two Z4s. I don't keep a lot of receipts, but I do keep good notes, so I'd expect those if he does his own work.

$7-8K would've gotten you a good Z4 with that mileage in pre-COVID times, but as previously noted, used car prices have spiked as much as 30% accordingly to some auto news sites.

Also, Jan in the northern hemisphere is not an ideal time to sell a convertible, so you may have leverage there. But if he has a Carmax offer or one from another bigbox retailer, you may not have much wiggle room.

If you're looking for a fun car that you're planning to drive the heck out of with no thoughts of selling soon, then it's probably a decent buy. But if you're looking for something to drive couple of years and hope not to lose too much money on then I'd say wait for the COVID pricing to subside.
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      01-06-2022, 10:47 AM   #6
filoxophy
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Gamb1t The car is in good cosmetic condition, with no past records of accidents in the CarFax. I would tackle the VCG and OFHG myself and see then how I feel about taking on the oil pan.

tomjonesBT33 I need to follow up with him on whether he has additional service records that aren't in CarFax. It hurts to hear that prices were that much lower pre-covid... My plan is to use this as my DD with no plans to sell anytime soon, and I have a 2014 Forester to fall back on. So while I obviously don't want to overpay, I am looking to keep the car longer term and continue to maintain it to the best of my abilities.
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      01-12-2022, 08:36 PM   #7
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Price seems high even in this market. My 2003 Z4 3.0 MT was purchased 5 years ago for $10K. Mileage at that time was 98K with no rust or cosmetic issues.
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      01-13-2022, 12:11 PM   #8
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I just paid $10k for a similar car. 90k miles with an auto but lots of recent documented maintenance and upgrades.

I feel like I overpaid but the market is stupid right now and I was tired of looking for one in good condition.
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