New Member from Orange County

[sg552sd]

Hey guys my name is Andrew and I'm kind of new to BMW forums in general, (read lots of them...e46fanatics, bimmerfest, and zhpmafia of course) but never really posted anything. Anyway I'm looking forward to talking to you all and honestly just learning as much as I can. This seems like an awesome forum and I am looking forward to being a part of it. I'm currently looking at buying a ZHP (or another 3 series depending on budget...but hopefully a ZHP!) and wanted to get some advice from some really knowledgeable people. That being said I'm going to jump right in and see what you all think about these cars I've been looking at. Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=287550122&dealer_id=65735769&start_year=2003&advanced=y&make2=BMW&make=BMW&model=330I&search_type=both&distance=75&end_year=2012&default_sort=newsortbyprice_ASC&address=92677&model2=330CI&seller_type=b

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=292780574&dealer_id=65977085&start_year=2002&search_type=both&distance=100&min_price=0&advanced=y&end_year=2012&default_sort=priceASC&address=92677&max_price=9000&seller_type=b&make=BMW

[kayger12]

Welcome, Andrew. Good thing about being out in Cali is there seem to be a lot more cars to choose from out there.

Take your time and you'll find what you're looking for. What is your budget and what are your preferences?

Maintenance history is probably the most important thing to look for with these cars. A higher mileage car that was properly maintained will put you in a much better position than a lower mileage one that was ignored and might have problems brewing.

Also, are you set on an automatic or is manual trans an option?

[Alphatek45]

Welcome, Andrew. Good thing about being out in Cali is there seem to be a lot more cars to choose from out there.

Take your time and you'll find what you're looking for. What is your budget and what are your preferences?

Maintenance history is probably the most important thing to look for with these cars. A higher mileage car that was properly maintained will put you in a much better position than a lower mileage one that was ignored and might have problems brewing.

Also, are you set on an automatic or is manual trans an option?

+1. You're in the right state.
Take a peek here http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?93-Want-To-Buy-Template

[danewilson77]

Welcome to The Mafia.......

Check here for possibilities also my friend...

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?8-ZHP-Classifieds

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Andrew, welcome to the site. You are at the right place, indeed. There is a very knowledgeable user base here.

Good luck on finding the right car. Hopefully, you'll find a ZHP.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Andrew, assuming the first car is in good shape, it's very well priced. And it is located in your neck of the woods. You should take a close look at it. Make sure there has not been any accidents.

The owner does not know what he owns, by the way. From the description:

OBO, Many different mach 3 series accessories including mach 3 rims, clean title, Looks & runs great, Low mileage, Custom wheels, Must see, Never seen snow, Non-smoker, Maintenance records available, Power everything, Runs & drives great, Very clean interior, Well maintained. have the carfax. has blue-tooth and programmable garage door opener. must see and drive. reason for selling is that the family grew and we don't fit. car is very clean and worth every penny the car does not need any work and no lights on the dash turn on.
---

As we all know, there are no "mach" parts on our cars. Additionally, I did not see the words ZHP or performance package anywhere in the ad.

The seller says that he has a clean carfax. I don't trust carfax for picking up accidents. I like AutoCheck a lot better (http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-4193730-10418592). Plus, unlike Carfax, AutoCheck has an unlimited plan (check as many cars as you want for a month).

Because I think the price is on the lower side for the first car, I'd be extra careful when inspecting the car. Plus, given that the owner is throwing words like "mach" around, I am on heightened alert. You'd think that most BMW owners know what the "M" stands for. In all of my years in the BMW community, I have never heard anyone (newbie or not) say that the M stood for mach.

Be careful out there; it's a jungle.

[mimalmo]

Welcome. Hopefully your new car is a ZHP.

[danewilson77]

But if its not...we still welcome your company and knowledge here...

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[pyreguy]

Welcome

[Mtnman]

welcome to the site!

[dabdibridgep]

A word to the wise. Be patient when buying your car and remember that it is a buyer's market. You should get the exact car you want and fight for the right price as well. CA is the best state to be in not only for its variety, but as I said right now it is a buyer's market, this is especially true for Californians.

Good luck, and enjoy your new BMW whichever model it is.