FS: '04 ZHP / Imola / Beige / MT / 37K miles / AL / BaT link

[M4J0R T0M]

Hey guys, I wanted to give y'all a heads up on my super minty vert I have listed on BaT, in case any of y'all want a crack at it. The auction went live today and someone opened up the bidding at $15,330! The last clean, low mileage vert listed on BaT sold for $21,000!! Anyways, here's the link.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2004-bmw-330ci-zhp-convertible/

[fredo]

Car sold for $15,750.

[A1Gio2]

“Super minty” might have held down the bidding


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[BMWCurves]

Wiped it down with toothpaste for that minty freshness

[pedro2u]

Congrats on the sale, great car, but can't help but be curious why the opening bid was $15,330? Seems really odd that it would open at that high a price? Just me?

Historically auctions slowly migrate though multiple lower bids to get to the final market value..... not start there

[Cabrio330]

Congrats on the sale, great car, but can't help but be curious why the opening bid was $15,330? Seems really odd that it would open at that high a price? Just me?

Historically auctions slowly migrate though multiple lower bids to get to the final market value..... not start there

The opening bidder was Bimmers R Us in St. Louis, an active dealer that specializes in BMWs and ZHPs in particular. I presume they know ZHP values well and maybe decided to cut to the chase so to speak. And the $330 was just being clever.

[az3579]

The opening bidder was Bimmers R Us in St. Louis, an active dealer that specializes in BMWs and ZHPs in particular. I presume they know ZHP values well and maybe decided to cut to the chase so to speak. And the $330 was just being clever.

Nope. They're just another EAG, greedy as all hell. If they won it, you'll probably see this pop up on their site for somewhere in the high 20's. Completely absurd.

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[Cabrio330]

Bimmers R Us did not win it. There were only two bids at $15,330 and the winner at $15,750.

[NYRhockey]

BimmersRus is a joke. They STILL have the zhp i almost bought when i got mine back in Jan 2017. They paid $16K and are still asking $22.9K for it after sitting for 2.5 years.

[Cabrio330]

BimmersRus is a joke. They STILL have the zhp i almost bought when i got mine back in Jan 2017. They paid $16K and are still asking $22.9K for it after sitting for 2.5 years.

Which one is that?

I don't mind them - they usually have good examples and their high prices make me feel proud about what I paid for mine (probably $8-$10k less than what they would ask for it)! ;-)

[NYRhockey]

Which one is that?

I don't mind them - they usually have good examples and their high prices make me feel proud about what I paid for mine (probably $8-$10k less than what they would ask for it)! ;-)

Here it is.

The PO was originally asking $18K and I would have worked out an agreement with him but insisted he would only take cash, and i simply did not feel comfortable meeting someone in the boondocks of PA carrying that kind of money with me so i ended the conversation. Then, a few days later, he texts me saying he has an offer for $16K and if i was willing to match it (he preferred it not go to a dealer) but i passed due to his cash requirement. I remember the mileage at the time being 53,9xx so it has been driven but a few miles in 2.5 years.

https://blusolutions.homenetinc.com/bimmersrus/details2.asp?path-taken=used&vehicle_id=2883#tippytop

[illirep]

Jack and the Bimmers crew are really good people. They aren’t greedy. They are in the car business. You can’t have a facility, and inventory and employees without selling cars for more than you buy them for. Should every franchise BMW dealer sell their new and pre-owned cars for what they own them for?

Same deal with EAG - only difference is that the EAG staff have always been pretentious and rude to deal with in my experience.

Jack at Bimmers has purchased several cars from me over the years. They pay a very reasonable price, which is always a breath of fresh air after getting low balled by 50 tire kickers first. They have clients that are willing to pay top dollar for clean examples. They cater to their market. Nothing wrong with it.


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[racer2086]

They can charge what they want, but I don't agree with you about their attitude. Back when I was looking for a ZHP earlier this year, a few of their cars popped up in my search. A blue one was listed without a price. I called to inquire, to which I was told it was a new acquisition, getting prepped, and because of the low miles going to be in the high 20s to low 30s. I mean, what? Is this a mint M3?

The guy Jack did call me back later. I gave him my budget of 10-12k as he asked, and got told they weren't going to have anything in that price range unless it was a convertible with high miles. He launched into a big explanation about why sedans and manuals command the highest price, trying to justify asking 50% of MSRP on a 15 year old car.

No offense to anyone on here (I mean I have a ZHP myself and I love it), but why would anyone spend that money and not buy a used M3 or a Porsche or something?

I just looked on their site. I see they have branched out to other cars. Like a $55k '02 M5. I wish they listed the prices for the E38s on there. I could use a good laugh right now.

[Cabrio330]

They can charge what they want, but I don't agree with you about their attitude. Back when I was looking for a ZHP earlier this year, a few of their cars popped up in my search. A blue one was listed without a price. I called to inquire, to which I was told it was a new acquisition, getting prepped, and because of the low miles going to be in the high 20s to low 30s. I mean, what? Is this a mint M3?

The guy Jack did call me back later. I gave him my budget of 10-12k as he asked, and got told they weren't going to have anything in that price range unless it was a convertible with high miles. He launched into a big explanation about why sedans and manuals command the highest price, trying to justify asking 50% of MSRP on a 15 year old car.

No offense to anyone on here (I mean I have a ZHP myself and I love it), but why would anyone spend that money and not buy a used M3 or a Porsche or something?

I just looked on their site. I see they have branched out to other cars. Like a $55k '02 M5. I wish they listed the prices for the E38s on there. I could use a good laugh right now.

Gotta say, nothing in your post about their comments to you suggest an "attitude." Sounds like he was responsive, and accurate as to (a) the realities of running a car dealership as illirep described and (b) the realities of what you should expect - from a dealer - based on your price range. Sounds like you were offended by their pricing explanation for the blue zhp.

Like I said in my prior post, if you are going to be offended by prices at a dealer, the flip side is you will feel better if/when you find a private seller that is willing to trade at your price.

[Cabrio330]

Here it is.

The PO was originally asking $18K and I would have worked out an agreement with him but insisted he would only take cash, and i simply did not feel comfortable meeting someone in the boondocks of PA carrying that kind of money with me so i ended the conversation. Then, a few days later, he texts me saying he has an offer for $16K and if i was willing to match it (he preferred it not go to a dealer) but i passed due to his cash requirement. I remember the mileage at the time being 53,9xx so it has been driven but a few miles in 2.5 years.

https://blusolutions.homenetinc.com/bimmersrus/details2.asp?path-taken=used&vehicle_id=2883#tippytop

Interesting that the seller required all cash from you, as it is hard to imagine Bimmers R Us rolled into town with a stack of cash. Maybe the seller felt more comfortable taking a check from a known business. But I'm speculating. But it sounds like that seller walked away from at least $2k more by not selling to you!

I notice that car has been on Bimmers for awhile, and that most of their ZHP models sit for awhile but that they are also pretty low on inventory now. Just goes to show that price has a time component: If you want to move a product faster, lower the price. If you want to get a higher price, be prepared to wait longer.

Knowing that, it baffles me that people get upset with a dealer who doesn't run a business as they see fit.

[zhp4life]

BimmersRus is a joke. They STILL have the zhp i almost bought when i got mine back in Jan 2017. They paid $16K and are still asking $22.9K for it after sitting for 2.5 years.

well said:thumbsup, thats pretty much separate a flipper from an honest dealer, usually I have seen a [honest] dealer will do all the recommended maintenance/inspection and price car within some reasonable limit not some insane prices that we have been seeing from them with no maintenance done.

think of it this way, this car could have been bought by NYRhockey at a very fair price, driven/enjoyed and may be passed to next enthusiast, instead it has been sitting in a garage for years somewhere waiting to be flipped to some deep pockets..

also another trend I am seeing from them as Pete mentioned that they are coming up with some absurd bids on E46 on BAT that they have no intention to buy
but just inflating the price and making it even harder for a normal hardworking class person to own these. Check their bid on this one and ask yourself
are they going to buy this ?

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-bmw-m3-coupe-71/

trust me it feels very frustrating when you are in the market for a 330i and see these flippers in action.......

[Cabrio330]

also another trend I am seeing from them as Pete mentioned that they are coming up with some absurd bids on E46 on BAT that they have no intention to buy
but just inflating the price and making it even harder for a normal hardworking class person to own these. Check their bid on this one and ask yourself
are they going to buy this ?

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-bmw-m3-coupe-71/

trust me it feels very frustrating when you are in the market for a 330i and see these flippers in action.......

I am not following your point here. Bimmers bid $25k on the M3, and Autox124 bid $28k since. Are you suggesting Bimmers bid their amount just to drive the price up for "normal hardworking class" people? What do you think Autox124 is up to here?

I am just curious - what do you say is the value of a 2003 M3 with only 8k miles? And what is the basis for your value, other than your opinion? Any recent comparable sales as reference points?

[holyc0w]

I could see them buying it at the right price.

[illirep]

They usually bid their best price and let it ride. Sometimes they win and some times they don’t.

I actually bid on and one a zhp there with the same approach. They were also a bidder. And there were other bidders between them and I.

They and I were not just driving the price up for the ultimate buyer.... we both put our best bid in and the market spoke!


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[racer2086]

Gotta say, nothing in your post about their comments to you suggest an "attitude." Sounds like he was responsive, and accurate as to (a) the realities of running a car dealership as illirep described and (b) the realities of what you should expect - from a dealer - based on your price range. Sounds like you were offended by their pricing explanation for the blue zhp.

Like I said in my prior post, if you are going to be offended by prices at a dealer, the flip side is you will feel better if/when you find a private seller that is willing to trade at your price.

Yeah, I didn't dive into the phone conversation enough, and the way I wrote it sounded totally normal. But basically, when I get lectured on what a ZHP is after I called inquiring about a ZHP, I find that to be demeaning. Maybe it wasn't intended that way. But then beating your way around the bush to explain why it's worth more than the average going rate for an M3 doesn't go over well with me either. I don't appreciate sales people obfuscating about the high price of the car by arguing that a ZHP is "easier to maintain" than an M3 or that the 4-door sedan is more coveted. Please, unless you have some research to back that up, that is only an opinion, and an opinion of a sales person.

Again, I don't care what they charge; it is their business after all, so they can do what they want. Therefore, they will sit with the car until some un-educated buyer comes around with enough money. Free market at work.

In the meantime, you are absolutely right -- I feel great about my ultimate purchase.

[NYRhockey]

Apparently it's comedy hour at BimmersRus.

great low mileage, but $32.9K?

https://blusolutions.homenetinc.com/bimmersrus/details2.asp?path-taken=used&vehicle_id=2973#tippytop

[M4J0R T0M]

Apparently it's comedy hour at BimmersRus.

great low mileage, but $32.9K?

https://blusolutions.homenetinc.com/bimmersrus/details2.asp?path-taken=used&vehicle_id=2973#tippytop

For that asking price, you'd think they could at least provide some actual photos of the car, lol.

[Cabrio330]

Bimmers R Us did not win it. There were only two bids at $15,330 and the winner at $15,750.

Curious to know how Bimmers R Us ended up with the car even though they weren't the highest bidder. It seems there are only 3 possible ways:

- Bimmers shill-bid with a different name and won;
- the winning bidder (AlexR308) did not close on the purchase and the seller agreed to take the 2nd highest bid; or
- Bimmers purchased the car from the winning bidder.

Regardless, I agree that $32.9k for that car is wishful.

[illirep]

Gee you think you guys would be rooting for them to sell it for that price as it would help every other zhp owner....


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[fredo]

Curious to know how Bimmers R Us ended up with the car even though they weren't the highest bidder. It seems there are only 3 possible ways:

- Bimmers shill-bid with a different name and won;
- the winning bidder (AlexR308) did not close on the purchase and the seller agreed to take the 2nd highest bid; or
- Bimmers purchased the car from the winning bidder.

Regardless, I agree that $32.9k for that car is wishful.

I'm going with option B, highest bidder didn't close the deal.

[Cabrio330]

Gee you think you guys would be rooting for them to sell it for that price as it would help every other zhp owner....


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Oh, I wouldn't mind if they got their price. I just would like to find my next ZHP before they do!

[illirep]

This Imola is not the one on their site guys.


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[Cabrio330]

This Imola is not the one on their site guys.


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My bad, I made a leap without checking. Thanks for clarifying!