m3

Lancia Integrale EvoII "Perlato" Ltd Ed.

Stick like **** to a blanket don't they!!!!!
What colour?

edited for language, please observe forum guidelines.

Edited by Rhys

I almost bought an M3 evo from them a few months ago. Unfortunately when I got there the car which supposedly had just over 30k miles on it and one owner from new, suddenly had loads of little bits and pieces going wrong. Didnt seem right to me and the service book had a blatant non BMW stamp on the inspection 2 which someone had attempted to rub off and put a BMW dealer stamp on top!

I just walked away.

 

Go and see them, talk over the cars with them (they are obviuosly experienced).  Try an SMG back to back with a manual etc etc.  At the end of the day you are the only person who can decide whether to buy from them or not.  Just becuase you have paid them a visit doesn't mean you are obliged to buy from them.  The condition of the car and the docs with it, as ever should be the deciding factor.

There are a lot of used car sellers out there, we have all dealt with good and bad and as Judge states, the bad ones don't usually keep trading.

I will be spending a Sunday there in the next few weeks, just to get an idea of what specs I want and whether the missus will be happy sitting in the passenger seat.

 

Their history with BMW Car Club is relevant in that they advertise in their regularly, and have done for a number of years, therefore they must have at least a few customers that are club members (and in reality, there are probably quite a few) and they also offer discounts on servicing/parts etc to BMW car club members. I think thats fairly reasonable grounds to say you have a history with the club.

I've defended them in the past, not becuase I think they are the best car dealers on the planet, more because they are one of the few, if not only, M Power specialists in the UK, that will have a stock of 30 to 40 cars at any one time. If you want to see what a Techno Voilet, Avus Blue, Dakar Yellow car look like all lined up - then there aren't many places in the country that you can do it.

They offer choice. They have probably sold some dodgy motors in the past, but I still think, that given the number of cars that they sell on a year in year out basis - AND the fact they are still trading happily after so many years, would mean that I would seriously look at buying again from them.

I agree with Darren's comments in that you should ALWAYS get an independant inspection and cut-out any warranty etc. in order to get the price as low as possible, but with that in mind, I'd go there all day long as you won't see a better selection of M cars   anywhere else in the South of England (and probably the UK).

There was a post here a while ago from an E36 M3 owner. They had a meet, and several other E36 M3 owners all got chatting and they realised ALL there cars had come from IMC. All nice cars - all happy owners.

You need to be careful - but don't dismiss them and look at their cars with you eyes wide open and you will get a great car at a sensible price - much less of a lottery than buying privately IMHO.

hope this helps.


PS - I've had 3 different cars off them in the past - Lancia Integrale, E30 M3 and Porsche 911 Turbo - all great motors motors, that held their prices and I even made a little on the Porsche!

cheers,

dave (JudgeBaxter)

Hmm, you will get mixed replies.
I have had a good experience with them. My first E30 M3 was a great car bought from IMC back in Feb 2000 which I kept for nearly 4.5 years.........BUT I have heard some bad stories.
If I saw a car there that I really wanted and it all checked out fine (after an independent expert check), I would buy it. But I wouldn`t care for any aftersales service or the warranty so would try to get close to a private sale price.

Hopefully this will not get deleted by the moderators because I do have my doubts about some of the folowing:
Going back to around 2000 now, I heard from a VERY reliable source that they had been known to accept customers cars in for work. They never touched the cars for whatever reason (too busy to fix most likely or forgot), customers nagged for their car back, IMC gave car back and charged them for labour even though they hadn`t even touched them. Obviously for some faults this would not be possible but for intermittant problems and othe rthings.....

Also there was talk of swapping of body panels between cars sold but awaiting pickup and cars for sale. This was NOT from what I recall a reliable source. I think we all spot faults a few days after buying a car that maybe we should of seen on the day so it could be just this. Or maybe they like many others use bodywork coloured polish to hide chips which soon gets washed away.

And then there was the timing chain talk back in 2000. IMC told two E30 M3 purchasers that the chains had been changed but when the buyers of the cars got them serviced a few months later (no doubt by Munich Legends - who seem keen to get people replacing chains) they were told the chains needed replacing. Personally, I think if they were foolish enough to accept just someones word instead of documented evidence that the workd had been done, well I consider that their fault. Who here out of the E30 guys would NOT keep the proof of a timing chain change? Erm, nobody as it`s an expensive job. What is the chance that both cars needed the chains replaced anywya, straight after being bought? So mayeb these guys were sucked in by a garage exaggereating the timing chain issue to make a few bob......

Anyway, time has moved on now. I have met the guys there on a few occassions and I have had a good experience. But I would be careful, just like I would dealing with any other garage though. Go along and check out their cars, keep an open mind but be careful and inspect closely baring these ponts in mind and get it independly checked, jus tlike you should anyway.

I have said the above stuff privately before when other similar threads cropped up and as this is based on information given back in 2000-2001 I hope this gets left on the forum for people to consider.





Edited by Darren M

I would use the search facility on this subject, try IMC. There has been much said. I can't believe he has said the company has a history with BMWCC.

My opinion, first hand experience, STEER CLEAR!!!!!!!! (loud enough for you)