Any intelligent advice welcome.
I'm currently looking for a 2001 740i Sport model with under 30k mi in the South Florida/Boca Raton area. I'm keeping an eye on local dealers Braman/Vista but have struck out so far.

Anyone have experience with used car departments at these dealerships or have any advice on other places to look?

Thanks.

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e46m3/forum.php?postid=3445134&page=1

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e46m3/forum.php?postid=2490073&page=1

Talk to Bill aka "WiseGuy" in FL. He deals in previously owned fine automobiles.

Thank you Simeon :)

Yes, I do get them.. but not CPO cars as I'm an independent dealer. BMW FInancial runs once a Month at W Palm Auto Auction (Sale was actually today).

I can locate you a Lease return if interested.

I appreciate the offer and a lease return sounds ideal, but at this point I'm only considering CPOs.

Originally posted by jr87492
I appreciate the offer and a lease return sounds ideal, but at this point I'm only considering CPOs.

It you get it from an independent and the records are up to date you can go to a BMW dealer and pay for the CPO yourself. Just make sure you get a clean car. I PERSONALLY think the dealers pad the numbers on CPO'd cars and IMO the CPO is not worth the paper it is written unless it is a major repair. They always seem to wiggle their way out of a claim somehow.

Bill aka Wiseguy, this can be done in FL? It was just recently done for the woman who bought my old 325cic here in Colorado.

Interesting info Magnum. I'm keeping all options open.

I'd be surprised if a dealer lets you do that, I do know how the CPO program works quite well.. that's something of a no-no.

Originally posted by Wiseguy
I'd be surprised if a dealer lets you do that, I do know how the CPO program works quite well.. that's something of a no-no.

The local dealer that serviced my 325cic had no issues with doing this for the woman that bought mine, and the deal was not done through them at all.

I also used my usual broker to find my 7 (on a dealers lot) and the broker just gave the dealer a check for the CPO'd 7, then I paid the broker. I also saved a $1000 off the price but then had to pay $500 to my broker.

Apparently this whole thing isn't going to be as easy as I thought. It's also hard to believe how ignorant the used sales folks are at both Vista BMW and Braman in WPB. Can't figure out how they manage to sell anything. It's like they're doing me the favor. Whatever..........

The challenge intrigues me.

Wiseguy, it'd be tough, but you could probably find him one that is a cpo'd lease return or repo though via simulcast :D. I believe i saw a few come in through bay cities this past week at the BMW sale.

Who are you talking to at Vista? I have a pretty good relationship with Arthur Dicci, the sales manager. Ask for him, tell him Eric recomended that you talk to him and see what happens. I agree with Simeon. Have Bill get you the car. You can persuade any dealer to give you a CPO it just takes cash ($2500 or so) You can get a lot of good aftermarket warrantees for that kind of money. Good Luck. Let us you what you get. We'd be happy to have you a as a member of the Sunshine 7's.

Bah.. you know what I think of warranties :D

And Omied is right, on rare occasions you DO see CPO cars at auction. Well, you DO see 01s, but it's rare, most 01s out there are coming off of 30-42 month leases and most CPO cars are 00-98s.

yeah i personally think the cpo or any extended warranty is bs, it makes or breaks the deal sometimes though depending on the car- for me personally it wouldn't be a huge deal, but then again after reading some of the common notorious problems that e38's can have, it wouldn't be such a bad idea ;)

I dunno Omied...

I sold a friend of mine a '99 2 and a half years ago. He HAD to have a warranty, so we got him this one that covered everything on the car, up to 6yrs/100K.. etc....

Cost like $3,200 iirc. He's claimed about 1,500 on it. The car had 40K on it then, has nearly 85K now.

Was it worth it? I don't think so. But then he's lucky perhaps.

Yeah I see what you're saying, i guess it's all a "hit or miss" like Umnitza for example, i think he's used his CPO warranty a lot-he had to replace the entire engine, that itself woulda cost more than 7k at the stealer w/o a warranty .

ericw, thanks for the tip. I've met/spoken with some lady there (name escapes me) but it must've been her first week. She was USELESS! As ignorant as the day's long. So I'll definitely call your bud over there.
As for all the other info on CPO and warranties - I'm still reading and re-reading, trying to figure it all out.
Why wouldn't I want a CPO car? I understand I'd pay more for it but that's a given in my mind. To me it's worth it for peace of mind alone. No?

There MAY be some aftermarket extended warrentees with better coverage than a CPO plan. As I understand it CPO has a $50 deductable. I have an aftermarket plan I purchased from Vista that os 0 deductable. But it won't cover airbags or keyless entry. I don't know all of the answers. Jayadam has done a lot or research on the issue.

Latest from Vista BMW - -
Can't even get a call back from Arthur Dicci. Maybe they don't have any used cars to sell? Either that or he's decided it's not worth the time/effort to make a sale.
Back to square one.

here's his cell # 954 868-3687

FINALLY got call back from Vista. Dicci must've passed me off to his sales guy. At this point, I'll take any progress I can get -

More to come....

Update: Sales guy I've been dealing with has "left the company." Unreal. If it ain't one thing.....

Sorry, I don't personally know any of the used car guys. You might try Andrew in the new car department. Unlees he was the guy who left. We're having a Sunshine 7 dinner tonight, 7 PM at Schnellenbergers Original Steak House. Glades and the Turnpike, in case you want to come by and pick our (admittedly feeble) brains. My cell # is (561) 212-1000

Thanks, really appreciate the offer. I've got a software release to get out tomorrow and will probably be "sleeping" here this eve.
John York was the Vista guy who left. I called Arthur again and left message. That's all I can do.