BMW approved used M2 Comp would you still get AA check?

[Driver Rider]

Dear all,

I am about to buy what for me is a dream car. My first BMW and M car. I am coming from a 2006 MKV Golf GTI, so as you can imagine I'm so excited, however I'm trying to remain pragmatic.

I am looking at a 2020 M2 Comp car with 2 owner and coming up to 11K miles from a BMW dealer. Is it worth getting an AA check or am I being unnecessarily fussy? The car has full service history and in video sent to me it looked tidy. The running service was done just over 1K miles and has had two further services.

Is there anything else I should look out for? Also how much room do you think there is negotiation on price?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts and also to posting my experiences of my car.

[bridggar1]

AUC doesn't mean it's not a lemon (but does hive you some mechanical backup). I just purchased an AUC M4 CP. Looked at three before settling on the one I chose. 2 from Sytner I saw had lots of paintwork (not evident from pictures or video) and another seemed way more sluggish than the others. Seems like an opportune time to buy right now, but I suspect the market is awakening. FWIW - this was the first time I've ever paid sticker price for a car - but it was keenly priced already and I got 2nd year warranty extension together with something called GAP insurance.

[Driver Rider]

bridggar1 said:

AUC doesn't mean it's not a lemon (but does hive you some mechanical backup). I just purchased an AUC M4 CP. Looked at three before settling on the one I chose. 2 from Sytner I saw had lots of paintwork (not evident from pictures or video) and another seemed way more sluggish than the others. Seems like an opportune time to buy right now, but I suspect the market is awakening. FWIW - this was the first time I've ever paid sticker price for a car - but it was keenly priced already and I got 2nd year warranty extension together with something called GAP insurance.

Thank you for this helpful post. The car does only have 11K miles but it's over 200 miles from me. I think I'll talk to the dealer about an AA inspection.

[SaintsPaul]

Pop onto M3cutters and give the car details to Smuler. He is the Daddy when it comes to car info.

[lemonslap]

Just be careful its a proper AUC car so you get the BMW warranty. When looking for at X5M’s sytner BMW have their select program and these cars have 3rd party warranties instead of BMW.

[Driver Rider]

SaintsPaul said:

Pop onto M3cutters and give the car details to Smuler. He is the Daddy when it comes to car info.

Thank you, I will join the forum and message him.

[Driver Rider]

lemonslap said:

Just be careful its a proper AUC car so you get the BMW warranty. When looking for at X5M’s sytner BMW have their select program and these cars have 3rd party warranties instead of BMW.

wow. So did not know this, how would I know they are a proper AUC?

[Harry Rule]

Driver Rider said:

lemonslap said:

Just be careful its a proper AUC car so you get the BMW warranty. When looking for at X5M’s sytner BMW have their select program and these cars have 3rd party warranties instead of BMW.

wow. So did not know this, how would I know they are a proper AUC?

Do a used car search on the BMW website, if it's listed on there then it'll be a proper AUC car with all the benefits including the BMW warranty.. The Sytner select cars will only be listed on their own website.

[Trevor555]

One thing I always do when buying an expensive used car from a dealer is to drive it straight to my local tyre centre and pay them to stick the car on ramp, inspect the tyres for damage, spin the wheels to check for damage/cracks on alloys (inside edges that cant be seen) and buckled alloys.

I wouldnt trust an "approved used check"

I've seen too many missed faults.

[darreni]

AUC cars aren’t always perfect, but you do have some comeback and a great warranty if things do go wrong.

[twokcc]

Only got experience of RAC tests but it does include a report on the bodywork with paintwork depth measures so picks up on any work that's been done Peace of mind for me if not happy can always walk away or negotiate. Report also give tyre depth disc wear etc so again can decide if t negotiate or walk away. BMW AUC used t be a minimum of 4mm for tyre but believe is now 3mm so may need replaceing shortly after purchase. I'd get it done

[SteBrown91]

One thing to watch if its low miles is to make sure its not an ex track experience car. Places like Silverstone/thruxton etc have/had loads of M2 comps which are all leased from BMW and find there way back into the AUC network as low mileage approved used.

If the numberplate begins with Y theres a good chance its an Ex BMW UK registered car. This can mean its been a senior employee's car, a rental, track experience car or leased so an organisation so always check carefully.

[BMWM2Black]

If you havent already join the M2 owners page on Facebook. Lots of cars have been sold lately so the old owner might be on there.

Great choice, I have a Stage 2 OG. They are great cars.

[Collectingbrass]

SteBrown91 said:

One thing to watch if its low miles is to make sure its not an ex track experience car. Places like Silverstone/thruxton etc have/had loads of M2 comps which are all leased from BMW and find there way back into the AUC network as low mileage approved used.

If the numberplate begins with Y theres a good chance its an Ex BMW UK registered car. This can mean its been a senior employee's car, a rental, track experience car or leased so an organisation so always check carefully.

Not always true, one of my car reg's starts with an prefix F* and suffix W** and featured quite prominently in the Instagram stream of the BMW Driver Experience at Goodwood and was a loaner car that at least one vlogger took to Scotland and back. I'm not overly worried and touch wood it's been ok since, but if I ever get accused of ragging it by BMWs warranty dept I'll be suggesting it's more likely during their care than mine.

I'd google the reg and check the images page, that's how I found the pictures.

[BMWM2Black]

Collectingbrass said:

Not always true, one of my car reg's starts with an prefix F* and suffix W** and featured quite prominently in the Instagram stream of the BMW Driver Experience at Goodwood and was a loaner car that at least one vlogger took to Scotland and back. I'm not overly worried and touch wood it's been ok since, but if I ever get accused of ragging it by BMWs warranty dept I'll be suggesting it's more likely during their care than mine.

I'd google the reg and check the images page, that's how I found the pictures.

Thats a good shout, I did that after I had taken delivery of mine and found out it had been a prize on one of the car giveaway sites. I also found another a advert for it at a dealer in NI

Luckily its been fine.

[nickfrog]

Why has it had 2 services ? It should have had one. It is possible that the first owner was very facetious but it may also mean it was an experience car that has required mileage based services due to the way it was driven.
Or it is a Jan car and one of the services is the 3 year first brake fluid actually.

Either way check the SH is all green and no ambers at all in the idrive.

Edited by nickfrog on Thursday 26th January 16:06

[jm doc]

SteBrown91 said:

One thing to watch if its low miles is to make sure its not an ex track experience car. Places like Silverstone/thruxton etc have/had loads of M2 comps which are all leased from BMW and find there way back into the AUC network as low mileage approved used.

If the numberplate begins with Y theres a good chance its an Ex BMW UK registered car. This can mean its been a senior employee's car, a rental, track experience car or leased so an organisation so always check carefully.

This, absolutely! Especially with a Y plate, also 2 owners and only 11k miles would make me suspicious that it's original owner was BMW. Don't touch it if there's any suspicion about this.

[Smuler]

To the OP,

I'm guessing, but when you say c11k miles and when you say over 200 miles from you (going by your location here), assuming it is an Approved Used car, it's the one ending WDD ?

That would fit with your comment it's had RIS and "two further services"

That's because WDD was built in July 2019; so first oil service by July 2021 and brake fluid by July 2022

It wasn't registered for over a year and by the short first ownership, I'd guess, maybe a pre-reg ? When the RIS was done should prove that, or otherwise.

Last V5 was October 2020 , so one owner for two years until it was traded in November.

The fact it has sat, perhaps a better chance of a deal? It's not moved in price, since 25 Nov. if that's any guide.

Also why was there a MOT on 29/11/2022? Maybe a sale fell through? It's early (due later 2023)

BMW AUC dealers do a MOT @ point of sale, that's why I say maybe a sale fell through.

• *

Of course I may have guessed wrong

[nickfrog]

SteBrown91 said:

It will have had its running in service being an M engine, then 2nd service at 2 years old.

It's had 2 services since the RIS. But perhaps one of them is the brake fluid at 3 years.

[AliMc99]

Whilst it is true BMW UK's own cars generally have a "Y" prefix (for Yorkshire as they are prepped at the import centre in Thorne near Doncaster) bear in mind Yorkshire is a large region so there will also be lots of other cars (such as mine from Stratstone Harrogate) that will also come with "Y" reg plates. ASAIF most of the experience cars will be Alpine White (arguably one of the rarer M2C colours?) so perhaps that is the combo to be wary of rather than Y plate cars in isolation.

My experience of BMW main dealers (especially during the recent stock shortage) is that many are poorly prepped (e.g scuffed paintwork and wheels) so I'd always advise going to view the car rather than buying it remotely. In that regard good independents may well have the cars in better cosmetic condition. The main benefit of buying from a main dealer is the warranty and they should generally be pretty good if you have any come back- although if the car is under 3 years old you will of course have the benefit of the balance of the new car warranty which can then be extended reasonably cheaply as long as there is no break in warranty period.