[ha03274]

About to buy a BMW used approved M340i and the choice comes down to two (same year)...one is higher mileage by approximately 9000 miles compared to the other but has all options minus ACC whereas the one with lower mileage has no sunroof, parking assistant plus nor comfort plus that the other one comes with. Price is pretty similar though the lower mileage one is slightly more expensive.

Which would you go for (both one owner)?

[zlatko]

ACC is the only option I regret speccing. Comfort access and parking assistant I am using every day.

[ha03274]

Originally Posted by zlatko

ACC is the only option I regret speccing. Comfort access and parking assistant I am using every day.

So you think go for the one with the higher spec (which includes comfort plus, tech pack, sunroof, parking assistant plus, drive recorder, carbon trim and M sport seats) even though it has more mileage. The other one only has standard comfort, tech, carbon trim and M sport seats but has 9k less miles on the clock?

[zazzau]

ACC is required for extended traffic jam assist - so not sure why anyone would regret specc’ing ACC. I use it on the regular in stop-and-go traffic — makes a huge difference and reduces fatigue. If traffic is not a factor in your commute then by all means this feature is rather superfluous.

Parking Assistant Professional is also another feature you want to have. Without it you don’t get the 360 camera. Once you drive a car with one, you won’t go back. Super handy for a bird’s eye view when parking - you get to avoid curbing your wheel as well as those obnoxious parking blocks at the grocery.

[zlatko]

If you only decide by options - ACC for me is useless. I can not choose instead of you what is important - mileage? color? seat color? I am just saying that ACC is something I am not using at all. I am not sure if having radar also adds different set of features though.

[NGT2]

What does 9,000 miles mean to you? Is it a year of driving? 6 months? More or less? I think that matters. For me, that’s 6-9 months of driving. So if I pick a car because of 9,000 less miles but with less options, pretty soon I’ll put those miles on it and maybe wish I had the options.

Also, what does it mean for the warranty? How much factory warranty is left? A car with 9,000 more miles that is on the edge of going out of warranty because of miles might be less attractive because the other one affords you another year of warranty.

Also - which one do you like more?

Without some other reason to go along with the miles, like warranty status, I don’t think 9,000 miles is enough to be the primary decision maker for me, personally.

[ha03274]

Originally Posted by NGT2

What does 9,000 miles mean to you? Is it a year of driving? 6 months? More or less? I think that matters. For me, that’s 6-9 months of driving. So if I pick a car because of 9,000 less miles but with less options, pretty soon I’ll put those miles on it and maybe wish I had the options.

Also, what does it mean for the warranty? How much factory warranty is left? A car with 9,000 more miles that is on the edge of going out of warranty because of miles might be less attractive because the other one affords you another year of warranty.

Also - which one do you like more?

Without some other reason to go along with the miles, like warranty status, I don’t think 9,000 miles is enough to be the primary decision maker for me, personally.

I only do 6000 miles on average annually. The car with the higher mileage has 2 years left of the factory warranty, same as the one with lower mileage.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by ha03274

I only do 6000 miles on average annually. The car with the higher mileage has 2 years left of the factory warranty, same as the one with lower mileage.

How many miles does it have left until factory ends? Not sure if you’re in the US but here it’s four years and 50,000 miles.

So if you drive 6k miles per year and it has 45k miles already on it, then you won’t get those two years out of it. Alternatively, if it has 35k miles on it, you will.

If you drive 6k miles per year and you’re going to get the full two years left before you hit 50k miles, then I really wouldn’t let the higher mileage be a big factor.

You can have a car that’s been beat to hell that has 15k miles on it and you can have one that’s been meticulously maintained for 30k miles. Which would you rather have? Mileage isn’t everything.

[ha03274]

Originally Posted by NGT2

How many miles does it have left until factory ends? Not sure if you’re in the US but here it’s four years and 50,000 miles.

So if you drive 6k miles per year and it has 45k miles already on it, then you won’t get those two years out of it. Alternatively, if it has 35k miles on it, you will.

If you drive 6k miles per year and you’re going to get the full two years left before you hit 50k miles, then I really wouldn’t let the higher mileage be a big factor.

You can have a car that’s been beat to hell that has 15k miles on it and you can have one that’s been meticulously maintained for 30k miles. Which would you rather have? Mileage isn’t everything.

Thanks for the reply. The BMW with the higher mileage has been used by the BMW dealership's manager so I hope it has been reasonably well looked after. In the UK, the warranty is 3 years and unlimited mileage I believe.

[LostInSpace]

i really enjoy driving with the roof open. if i couldn't have that, i wouldn't buy the car.

[ha03274]

Originally Posted by LostInSpace

i really enjoy driving with the roof open. if i couldn't have that, i wouldn't buy the car.

Same, which is why I spent so much time searching for one with the “right spec” within my budget…both of the cars have the sunroof.

NGT2 the one with the better spec has 19k miles and the one that’s less well specced is 10k miles.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by ha03274

Same, which is why I spent so much time searching for one with the “right spec” within my budget…both of the cars have the sunroof.

NGT2 the one with the better spec has 19k miles and the one that’s less well specced is 10k miles.

Honestly, I’d get the one you like best and disregard the miles. Assuming they’re both relatively well looked after, it shouldn’t make a difference. My wife’s X7 is spec’d lighter but only had like 15k miles when we got it. In retrospect, I wish I’d gotten her a better spec’d model at a slightly higher mileage. Some of that was careless ignorance. It has HiFi sound, which I didn’t even know was possible on an X7. I assumed HK was the base. I think I finally figured out it doesn’t have premium package which would’ve included HK and HUD. But she doesn’t care and I don’t drive it much, so water under the bridge.

Personally, I’d take the one with better specs. I like options.

The B58 is a pretty reliable and tough engine. As long as the oil was changed at least once on the one with 19k miles, I’m sure it’s fine. I don’t even think BMW claims a break in period for non M cars (true M cars, not M lite).

[M3FortiIZay]

Originally Posted by zlatko

ACC is the only option I regret speccing. Comfort access and parking assistant I am using every day.

Same, I could not live without parking assistant and comfort access. Even now, I’m a little upset I didn’t get ACC but at least your comment made me feel better lol. I say get all of the options or save up a bit more and get one with lower miles w/ features. It’s a hassle trading in if you decide later you want those features.