BMW 523i E39...

I'd be very, very, worried about why a car of this age had no MOT...

I do like the way you've given no indication *whatsoever* about it's mechanical condition - other than that it has no history and no MOT !

Does it even run ?

One has to assume if it would pass the MOT, it would have one, as its only £20 and it adds much more value to the car.

Really? i'd assume the opposite. The OP knows that the car would sell *much* easier if it was MOT'd for 12 months.

I'd assume it's a money pit unless proved wrong :o)

Mason

Ummm, surely thats assuming the same thing as me ? I'm assuming it wouldn't pass an MOT without work, which appears to be what you're assuming? I've re-read my post about 10 times and thats definately what it says :)

We do indeed appear to agree :o)

That what you get for posting and talking on the phone to some-one at A*L at the same time ;o)

Mason

Assuming it all comes off, I'm going to take it for an MOT later in the week.

Price will then, obviously reflect. ;-)

*sigh*

It was just a 'feeler' post, to gauge interest in it, and obviously would go into a much more indepth description to anyone who expressed interest in it, once I'd got it home and given it a thorough test and inspection...

Yup... but I've not seen it in a while - assuming all goes to plan, I will be picking it up tomorrow night, and getting an MOT on it by the end of the week - price will then reflect the fact it has an MOT and the cost of any work needed to get it through one.

One can assume an MOT costs over twice that, and that if it gets one (as I am now going to submit it for one), I'll be looking for more than £2k - I am honestly in the dark on this one, just wanted to gauge interest on it, that was all!

If it's an MOT money pit beyond my current finances, I'll be showing any perspective buyers the fail sheet.

I have nothing to hide, and nor will the car have, once I've submitted it for an MOT. :-)

I thought it already did ;)

Richard

Ah - right. I'd assumed no one would sell a car of this age without one, since it depresses the value so much, and that it had, indeed, failed on something major. Like perhaps the cats. There aren't really any weak spots on these cars that would cause an MOT failure - or at least expensive ones.

Indeed. My point.

It could because he hasn't yet had a good look and/or drive of it yet?

-- Peter

Get Circumcised to e-mail me

Heh, believe me, I'd like to keep this one... but having just bought the Golf (which is proving to be quite a nice motor, bar a surprisingly uncomfortable drivers seat), I can't really justify its existence in the line up - I'm actively working towards starting my own firm up later this year, and need to start banking all the money I can, to get this off the ground.

(I'm on a kinda 'now or never, shit or bust' mission, with regards to this - fed up with working hard to line others pockets!)

A shame, cos it are very plush and comfy inside, or at least it was the last time I went in it.

Indeed.

Personally, having looked at the prices of others, £2k is pretty keen even without an MOT; at least even if I end up with a fail sheet, whoever buys it will know exactly what they're getting for their money.

Oh, and apparently the tyres were all replaced recently, so even if budget specials, being 18s, they must have cost a fair bit.

I'm tempted to try and source a cheap set of standards for it, and have the

18s refurbed before shifting them on, as they must be worth quite a lot in their own right... and no idea yet which ones they are exactly, just know they looked pretty expensive, the last time I saw it.

The refurb is needed more due to salt getting at them, rather than dings and dents, although not essential.

*shudder*

Fingers crossed, anyway - will report back once I know the final score, so to speak.

Well I'm not greedy, even if it does get an MOT before it goes... ;-)

Except it's a 523 and it's got 'accident damage'. Doesn't matter why it's been painted, you're up against punters looking at the door and muttering darkly to themselves about it. That, and the smacked rear bumper.

If I want an E39, I want >2 as that middle digit.

'96 is now 9 years old. It's past 'respectable', even though BMWs hold that for a while longer amongst the chav class. It's not got much further to fall though - in a year or two it'll be a £1,500 'posh' chavmobile for another 5 years as it gets passed from Burberry cap to Burberry cap.

Hell, even the MA70 Supras are holding their value surprisingly well - it's the dogs that are cheap, the good ones are still £2K for as long as the Mk IV refuses to drop below £3-4K.

Of course, the new one will sort that out. Hopefully by then the MA70s will be in the hands of people who want classics and will look after them - the Monza deserved that fate and missed out.

Richard

10 points to you sir !

Fairy snuff.

I'm of the opinion that feeler-posts should contain as much info as you can give. The more info available, then the more likely you are to attract interest...