Possibly getting an e91

[SwissCheeseHead]

There isn't much activity in the e9x forum (I know it's Super Bowl time). Can you guys give me some opinions? I'm going to test drive it tomorrow. Here's the original thread. TIA!

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1951729

[longwayhome23]

Don't know much about the E9x cars. However, I couldn't help but notice the payment calculator in the dealer's ad. The interest rates advertised seem outrageously high.

According to Bankrate.com, the average 48-month used car loan rate in this country is currently 2.96%. A shorter loan term gets you a lower rate. Dealer ad shows APR of 6.9%. :eek: So the best advice I can give is to avoid dealer financing, assuming you are not going to pay cash for the car.

Price seems OK to me, given KBB value, but dealers generally have a lot of "room" built into used car pricing, so I'd see how negotiable they are.

[mckchr67]

We had one for a loaner and my wife enjoyed driving it. After owning cars with HID's, I couldn't buy a newer car without them.

[Aradaiel]

You'll love it. E9x are the best 3ers made since the e30

Check for transmission leak (from transmission connector)
Oil filter housing gasket (you can see it just popping the hood, leaks between housing and head)
Make sure the ac blows cold (evaporators leak)
Make sure the blower motor doesn't squeak on low and if the car has an aftermarket windshield make sure the cowl panel was installed properly. (there should be a clip-on molding on the bottom of the windshield most aftermarket places don't replace. It then causes all of the water to drain into the blower motor and then onto the passenger footwell. Can be fixed with a proper windshield install)

[SwissCheeseHead]

I'm not worried about financing. We would go through our own bank and not the dealers. this car also only has halogens which is surprising to me. This isn't a deal breaker though.


You'll love it. E9x are the best 3ers made since the e30

Check for transmission leak (from transmission connector)
Oil filter housing gasket (you can see it just popping the hood, leaks between housing and head)
Make sure the ac blows cold (evaporators leak)
Make sure the blower motor doesn't squeak on low and if the car has an aftermarket windshield make sure the cowl panel was installed properly. (there should be a clip-on molding on the bottom of the windshield most aftermarket places don't replace. It then causes all of the water to drain into the blower motor and then onto the passenger footwell. Can be fixed with a proper windshield install)


Thank you sir! This is the kind of info I was looking for!

[Aradaiel]

Edit - just checked pics

The missing pixels in the radio requires replacement of the radio. It's an expensive radio and the car must be programmed (2 hrs at my dealer, dunno what others charge)

No xenons, seatheaters and tan interior is a dealbreaker for me.

[SwissCheeseHead]

I didn't even notice the missing pixels. Heated seats are nice in WI...maybe I should hold out? There aren't a lot of wagons available it seems though and I don't want to miss out.

[Aradaiel]

Most wagons I saw were cali cars. No xenons, no CWP and base options. Up to you. depends on what you need and when.

It's not a PZEV car, so that's a +100 in my book

[SwissCheeseHead]

I don't need anything right this second. I want to trade in our 2010 Outlander. It feels cheap and is under powered. We need to haul around 2 dogs and have a little one on the way. The other SUVs out there are either too pricey with poor mpg for the nicer ones or too under powered and cheap for something in our price range. I thought a wagon would fit our needs while being nice and not breaking the bank. I don't want to regret not getting this one but also don't want to regret not getting one with heated seats and HIDs. My wife says she doesn't care about either feature but I enjoy them both.

[Aradaiel]

I don't need anything right this second. I want to trade in our 2010 Outlander. It feels cheap and is under powered. We need to haul around 2 dogs and have a little one on the way. The other SUVs out there are either too pricey with poor mpg for the nicer ones or too under powered and cheap for something in our price range. I thought a wagon would fit our needs while being nice and not breaking the bank. I don't want to regret not getting this one but also don't want to regret not getting one with heated seats and HIDs. My wife says she doesn't care about either feature but I enjoy them both.


I just ran into the same thing you're going through. Since your budget is pretty good you've got a lot of options.

Wagon was the best place to go. It came down to subarus, volvos and BMWs.

The e91 is where I would be if I had a 20kish budget. It gets the best MPGs, it's a good car to drive and it's reliable. We decided to hang on to the wifes, fix what it needed and drive it until the f31 is available. Depending on what we think there we might get one or get an e91.

I've bought cars and had pretty heavy buyers remose. My e36 m3 lacked seat heaters and that drove me nuts the 5ish years I drove that car. On my wifes touring seat heaters was the only thing missing, I ended up just putting aftermarket ones in because I didn't want to go through what I did with the m3.

Personally, I'd wait for a white or silver e91 with black interior, premium sound, cold weather package and sport pack. Comfort access would be a plus. I'd also plan on looking for a while.

Just depends on what you want. The newer cars are near impossible to retrofit options to (IE xenons) so I'd get what I absolutely wanted.

[SwissCheeseHead]

That's great advice. Just looking at what's available across the country there are only about a dozen within a 200 mile radius of our location. Buyer's remorse is what I'm afraid of as well. The wife's outlander doesn't have heated seats or HIDs right now so it wouldn't be anything we would have to get used to. For the price and the mileage, I think it could be a good purchase. I've also looked at other wagons and there doesn't seem to be anything very appealing at all. I konw if I test drive it I'll want to go home with it haha.

bump! anyone?