I finally found what I think is the right beater in terms of price and warranty. I go to school in Boston so I need something that will handle well in the snow with all wheel drive, plus some cargo room. I thought the C4 was going to be perfect but I just cannot justify taking it out in the snow and getting it full of salt. Anyway here is the car I just left a 500 refundable deposit of on it:

2003 BMW X5 3.0Liter, 5speed, full dakota leather, 24,400miles, Grey green Metallic paint, Dakota grey leather interior.
Date in Service 8/19/03
Original Warranty expires 08/19/07, 50,000 miles, BMW certified preowned for an additional 2 years, 100K miles until 08/19/2009
The car looks new and cannot be told apart from a new car except for a small scratch on one of the radio buttons.

Car comes with all service records, it has only been to the dealer once at 14K for scheduled maintenace. Car Fax is clean.

Paint Check passes with 3.5-4.5 mils everywhere except in the passenger side rear quarter panel where it had a minor scratch and was touched up, on that panel paint reads 6.0 mills. This panel which was touched up is between rear tailight and rear passenger door, it is only a small part where it was touched up, I went through it with the paint meter.

I negotiated the price to $28,500, dealer fees are 149, then just taxes tag and title. After all my research this seems like a ridiculous winter deal, what do you guys think? SHould I move on on it?

 

Will you drive it much? If lots of miles are expected, factor in the extra gas money. Also, will it be easy to park an SUV on campus?

$28k for a beater car, hmm, that's interesting. My idea of a beater is ~$15k, but that's just me.

 

My idea of a beater car is 500-2k. I'm so poor..

 

My beater right now is worth about a thousand dollars but I always crash it in the snow or get stuck, so it comes out to be more expensive because I Have to get towed back, or leave it there and get tickets. the other day I hit some black ice and went inbto a little river. Luckily my airbags didnt go off and Im driving it again but it was 100 to get towed out plus the cops werent buying my story that i lost control of the car when i saw a deer run through. Plus the car is so old I always fail emissions and have gotten more tickets. I just thought this was a good deal because it will probably have good resale value in the future, I am buying it under trade in value with a warranthy until 100K, and its pretty safe.

 

Actually the real question is: Is this a good deal?

 

Sounds Like a great deal.

 

Great car, good deal ...check out roadfly for good X5 info. - loved mine !

 

But the cops didn't have any trouble believing that you hit black ice in Miami???

 

I think he's in Boston right now
What about the Cayenne in your sig Adiaz?
It should be able to handle the snow.
The deal sounds pretty good though.

 

I live in Miami and go to school in Boston. Cayenne and Ducati are in Miami, C4 and 300gt are in Boston

Since I am driving the 93' 3000gt as a daily driver I really take the word beater car to action. I have been practicing my drift techniques every day, every chance I get/ however it is front wheel drive so I have to pull the e-brake a little bit to get it to start drifting. The X5 would basically be the new daily driver, and car to go skiing, pcik up groceries, or take long trips with the family as they dont fit in either car when they visit boston.

 

Thanks Bumble 996, I was just thinking of doing that (4.6 body kit) and i love those BBS rims, although if I would get those I would put them on the Cayenne. For the X5 I was thinking just stock 4.6 wheels. Although for the same price about I can also get the AC schnitzer body kit, which one do you think looks better?

 

My advice sell the 3000, use that $ and ship your cayenne up too Boston and be done with it. That X5 is going to be a waste of $ you have a prefectly good truck to bring up there and all year round there is no need for SUV in Miami except for the look.


PS I went to school at BU.

 

In the south east, cheapest wholesale deals are in the $26.8k - $28k range, so you'd be pretty much buying at wholesale; you're hit over a couple yrs of use will be decreased by maybe a couple of grand if you're lucky.

If it's a college "beater" car, you could save another few thou going with an AWD Lexus RX of the same year. And if you really wanted to slum it, you could go for the Toyota Highlander AWD V6 variant for even a few thou more saved, bringing your expenditure below $20k

And, if you really want to dip into the teens, a Cherokee V8 from '03.

If money's not a concern, you could also go up $5k to an H2, or ???

 

Great Car lost of fun.....4 years now and no major complaints

 

Well I go to Miami every month so I need a car there and I plan on keeping all the porsches for at least five years, so I dont want to get the cayenne full of salt and let it sit out in the sun all year. I am only considering this deal on the X5 because I am buying at wholesale or even under wholesale with a better than new warranty when you factor in the certified additional 2 years. I just think I can use the x5 for a couple of years and then sell it private party and take very good care of it and take very little hit on it since in three years it will still have two years left of warranty until 100K miles. If I cant flip it, My mom who loves the X5 can then just keep it. On the other hand my other option is a 1999 Boxster in Silver with 35K miles for about $19,000. I personally would love the boxster as a daily driver because of the nadling, but I would be stuck with the same problkem, it doesnt run in the snow, I cannot fit anyone to take trips, it does not have a warranty, and I will take a big hit on it when I want to get rid of it.