(Long) Tale of woe: BMW was a mess :-(

Sorry. You didn't make that clear in your OP. You gave the impression that you were only concerned about the items you mentioned. As for the w/s, that's simply fixed. TBH I find it hard to believe the car required a complete respray. What was wrong with paint on the areas you didn't mention? No well used car 10 years old is going to have perfect paintwork, but ones that need a complete respray, would be uncommon indeed. Mike.

Sorry, but what did you expect from a high mileage, 10 year old 525?

Especially given the price.

Christ, I hate selling used cars, you get so many jokers turning up expecting 'bangers' to be as good as a shiny new one.

No - my last car, an E34.

I think you're over reacting. It's an old car with high miles and how many of these are truly immaculate? And the selling price was for an average example.

In article , SteveH writes

Memorably described by Clarkson as "sculptured ditchwater".

snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk (SteveH) wrote in news:1h0vqhl.mlhogc1jbbwryN% snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk:

There's no difference at all? I take it the 'synchro' version is the same as a Quattro?

"Tim S Kemp" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@karoo.co.uk:

Take it you don't approve of 4WD, then?

It's a stretched A4 platform with broadly the same engines and transmissions. So, yes, synchro is proper quattro with a different name.

"Mike G" wrote in news:42f4e151$0$91508$ snipped-for-privacy@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net:

It is if you brick it then ring the insurance ;-)

Well, being metallic, any sprayed paint would have to be blended into the adjoining panels, would it not?. Hence the bonnet would need painting in with the front wings, the rear door would need painting in with the front door, the rear bumper would need painting in with the bootlid etc. There wasn't any undamaged panel without a damaged one next to it, hence a complete respray seemed the only sensible course of action.

Alistair J Murray wrote in news:c6res2-n3n.ln1 @florin.fluffy:

The reviews I've read say that the V8s make the car slightly heavier at the front end. It also shows in the tech. data that the V8s are heavier by about 100kg. Where does the extra weight come from, then?

snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk (SteveH) wrote in news:1h0vv0j.1cl8b1r1ftqa4zN% snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk:

I've been told that well cared for examples exist at this age. The chip damage alone was proof that the vehicle had spent a massive amount of time at ludicrous speeds. I've seen plenty of cars with even higher miles and far less damage.

All I expected was what was described. I don't think that's too much to expect.

You have to take into account the age and mileage of the vehicle as well as the description. It's all relative - I'd say that although the description was a bit sketchy, the actual car matched with what you'd expect at that age / mileage / price.

I just *know* that if I ever tried that the damn brick would bounce off at an impossible angle and wreck the bonnet *and* smash a headlight :-(

I do, but I don't see the point of n-s engine and front drive. To be fair I'm pretty much converted to transverse engine...

It's partially (or even mainly) due to the Audi quattro drivetrain - effectively all mid and large platform Audis are designed as a quattro, with the prop and rear diff being ripped off to create the cheaper FWD versions.

I think there's also a benefit in terms of weight distribution (a longitudinal engine moves the weight of the lump backwards) and packaging (there's a perception of more working space in a longitudinal application.... not sure if this holds water or not, though).

BMW went through a spate of poor, not robust paintwork. Also it's more a sign of tailgating than of high speed - and since when was high speed a problem for a modern exec saloon?

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk:

The price was a reserve, which the other bidders (ISTR 8) obviously thought was too much. I can only assume that they went to see the car as I can't think of any other reason why it wouldn't make at least that amount. I did not see it and was relying on the seller's description, which was foolish of me.

Lol, just park it down my street with an old mobile phone on the centre console - they'll break every window on the way to the phone...

"Tim S Kemp" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@karoo.co.uk:

Must admit, I don't know the drivetrain layout of a N-S mounted 4WD (i.e. how the drive gets to the front wheels) works. So I've no idea which is best.