BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario

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Sun 6 May 2018 09:56
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - tambotaylor
Hi all, I am hoping you can offer some sound advice for me. Three weeks ago I bought a used BMW X3 for £3750 privately. It was from someone who is a friend of a friend and so I felt secure that I’d bought a well maintained (but high mileage car 96500 miles). Since owning it the car has failed to start on three occasions and on Friday the turbo went. Knowing that I’d bought I lemon I have decided to sell the car. However, to keep my conscience clear I went down the Webuyanycar path. This is where it gets worse because they offered me £3000 but then did a HPI check and it has a marker on it for a number plate transfer in 2010 that was stolen/cloned. As such Webuyanycar won’t buy this one until the HPI check is clear. So, I can’t sell it to them, don’t want to sell it privately with the issues it has to some poor individual and as a result I have no idea how to now sell this car. I know I’ve been naive in all of this but your help would be appreciated as it’s causing me some stress!
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Sun 6 May 2018 10:49
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - gordonbennet

A good make specialist indy should be able to replace (or send the present one for reconditioning) the turbocharger and sort out why there have been starting problems.

Nothing wrong with selling it privately so long as you disclose the issues on the advert, presumably you disclosed the turbo problem to WBAC at the time.

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Sun 6 May 2018 12:32
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - tambotaylor
Yes of course. With regards to the turbo I’ve read they cost £1500 plus which is a lot to spend on a car that is garbage. Any ideas for how to sell?
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Sun 6 May 2018 12:57
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - Galaxy

Put it into an auction.

That's the usual way of getting rid of a car with problems and there's no come-back afterwards.

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Sun 6 May 2018 13:42
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - Trilogy.

Wonder how much you'll lose selling it? And there are no guarantees that whatever you replace it with will be reliable.

Edited by Trilogy. on 06/05/2018 at 13:49

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Sun 6 May 2018 14:13
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - badbusdriver

You are right about the guarantee, but if you do a little homework and buy something made in Japan or Korea preferably with a petrol engine and definitely no automated manual gearboxes, you should be fine for years to come.

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Sun 6 May 2018 18:59
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - dieselnut

Reconditioned turbo's available on eBay at reasonable prices.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Turbocharger-for-BMW-120d-320d-...Z

Depends how accessible it is as to the labour cost.

When you say the turbo has gone, do you mean it has just stopped boosting or did you have a burning oil smokescreen behind the car.

Lack of boost likely to be something other than the actual turbo itself.

You will need to get a diagnostic to see what is wrong with the engine.

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Sun 6 May 2018 15:58
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - SLO76
These were never good cars even when new. Send it to auction, there’s always someone naive/daft enough to buy a complex turbo diesel SUV like this at this age and mileage. Take whatever you get and buy something petrol and straightforward like a Honda Civic or Mazda 3 which is what your budget will reliably grant you. At auction there’s no comeback.
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Sun 6 May 2018 23:46
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - argybargy

You have to do the sums. Compare getting the turbo fixed and keeping it, running it into the ground and meantime potentially having to deal with further expensive problems, against getting rid and probably losing most of your money, but at least giving yourself a clean slate to start again.

I had a problem car and managed to shift it, albeit that meant dealing with a bunch of sharks. The bank balance suffered, but the sense of relief is still palpable 3 months later. .

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Thu 10 May 2018 20:05
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - tambotaylor
Thanks for all of your advice. I was able to sell it through auction in the end which was a relief but at least I am shot of it!
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Fri 11 May 2018 14:06
BMW X3 - BMW doomsday scenario - ninjag

A good alternative is the Honda CRV 2.0 EX Petrol Auto. No turbos to go wrong, ultra reliable and very refined. Ideally the 4th Gen is best, but the 3rd gen is still good.

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