Bay Area BMW service provider for PPI

[jacobpdx]

I'm currently working on a deal remotely with Steven's Creek BMW on a vehicle I will buy without viewing it in person and have shipped to a neighboring state(as I noted was indicated by others here dealing with them hasn't been the greatest). While overall it hasn't been a great experience, all I really care about is the vehicle which I will get independently inspected even though it is CPO and low mileage.

Has anyone here used A&D Autowerks(an indy Bimmer shop nearby) for service/pre-purchase inspections and was the outcome good? I spoke to their owner on the phone today and he seemed legit. Yelp Reviews also corroborate my impression.

Also, has anyone here been mislead or screwed by Stevens Creek BMW?

I've worked as a SA for about 3 years in the past and so have some amount of knowledge/experience, but nevertheless buying a vehicle without checking it out myself is a little nervewracking.

Anyone else buy remotely, and learn something I should watch out for?

[P6]

I don't have an opinion on the shop you are considering but I just purchased a 2011 X5M sight unseen from a dealer 600 miles away. Sounds like you have a due diligence plan. If after you've completed your investigation your spidey sense is still tingling, then walk away. Is flying out to pick up the vehicle and driving it back an option? That's what I did. Was cheaper than shipping the car and that quality time on the drive back can be revealing. I had the salesman pick me up at the airport so I could test drive it back to the dealer.

Here's what I did:

1. Carfax
2. Decode the VIN to ensure it has all the options quoted
3. Get a full service history from BMW
4. Ask for more pictures of any areas not very visible in original set
5. Get them to confirm that their visual inspection did not reveal any prior body damage. It can take several months for records to appear on carfax. If at all. Carfax only reports what has been reported to them. Handle an accident quietly and it will never appear anywhere. I had my sales rep walk around the entire vehicle and measure paint thickness while I was on the phone.
6. Ask for measurements of rotor thickness and pad thickness. A complete brake job is pricey. As well as tread depth for each tire. And confirmation there are no nails or cuts in rubber.
7. Get an independent PPI. And instruct the agent not to reveal any of their findings to the dealer. My PPI rep gushed over how great the truck was and I lost a little leverage and likely some additional discount.
8. Make sure you can unwind the deal if the dealer lied about any of their disclosures.
9. Contact prior owner(s). You can usually get their name and contact info off the service history. I did that with an earlier X5M I was looking at. Dealer said the car had a good service history and no damage. PPI revealed otherwise. And the owner told me to run. That he had all sort of problems. So I did.

But you should also be prepared that a used car will not be perfect. It will have some wear and tear. If you're OK with that you will have less buyers remorse.

Good Luck.

[P6]

BTW, which vehicle are you looking at? I probably considered it. I was willing to drive a long way home to Dallas.

[jacobpdx]

Originally Posted by P6

I don't have an opinion on the shop you are considering but I just purchased a 2011 X5M sight unseen from a dealer 600 miles away. Sounds like you have a due diligence plan. If after you've completed your investigation your spidey sense is still tingling, then walk away. Is flying out to pick up the vehicle and driving it back an option? That's what I did. Was cheaper than shipping the car and that quality time on the drive back can be revealing. I had the salesman pick me up at the airport so I could test drive it back to the dealer.

Here's what I did:

1. Carfax
2. Decode the VIN to ensure it has all the options quoted
3. Get a full service history from BMW
4. Ask for more pictures of any areas not very visible in original set
5. Get them to confirm that their visual inspection did not reveal any prior body damage. It can take several months for records to appear on carfax. If at all. Carfax only reports what has been reported to them. Handle an accident quietly and it will never appear anywhere. I had my sales rep walk around the entire vehicle and measure paint thickness while I was on the phone.
6. Ask for measurements of rotor thickness and pad thickness. A complete brake job is pricey. As well as tread depth for each tire. And confirmation there are no nails or cuts in rubber.
7. Get an independent PPI. And instruct the agent not to reveal any of their findings to the dealer. My PPI rep gushed over how great the truck was and I lost a little leverage and likely some additional discount.
8. Make sure you can unwind the deal if the dealer lied about any of their disclosures.
9. Contact prior owner(s). You can usually get their name and contact info off the service history. I did that with an earlier X5M I was looking at. Dealer said the car had a good service history and no damage. PPI revealed otherwise. And the owner told me to run. That he had all sort of problems. So I did.

But you should also be prepared that a used car will not be perfect. It will have some wear and tear. If you're OK with that you will have less buyers remorse.

Good Luck.

Thanks for the details. That really helps me a lot. Most of what you mention I have done or will do, but there are some good suggestions I hadn't thought of yet that I will certainly implement and be better off for it.

I wish I could fly in to pick it up like you did and drive home, but the vehicle is located in California and apparently they have cracked down on taxes, and so if the vehicle isn't shipped out of state with a bill of laden tax must be paid, so the only way to avoid it is by shipping. Due to previous travel plans I wouldn't be able to get out to CA for almost two weeks anyway,which is what has necessitated all the remote legwork.

I've gotten copies of all the records on the car from the dealer, including BMW NA docs like options lists, repair history, warranty in-service dates, eligible service contracts and costs ect, along with a copy of the used car inspection repair order and CPO inspection worksheet.

Really great point on asking my PPI provider to only report findings to me, I hadn't considered that, but that will definitely help with negotiations.

I'm certainly prepared for some wear and tear, just trying to minimize anything unexpected because I have zero confidence anything not taken care of prior to signatures and shipment would get done afterwards.

Originally Posted by P6

BTW, which vehicle are you looking at? I probably considered it. I was willing to drive a long way home to Dallas.

Haha, don't want to say just yet, feel like I might Jinx the deal! I was looking forward to the long drive home myself! Damn California Taxes.

[P6]

I understand your superstition. The day before I flew out to get the X5M my wife's tahoe died. I have a code reader and learned it was a common Throttle position sensor issue that Chevy had a service bulletin on that extended the warranty. Got fixed that day for free. For about 8 hours I was sure the auto gods were giving me a sign. But so far so good on the new purchase. And in Texas I can't avoid the tax. Didn't have to pay it at dealer but will when I register in here.

[jacobpdx]

Wow, yeah exactly my superstition haha. I hope your experience with your X5M continues to be trouble free. Amazing vehicle.