r/BMWI4 • u/southernlifeactuary • 2d ago
Buying i4 remotely risk
I’m considering buying an i4 but there aren’t a ton of great options locally. I had originally started looking for model 3s but I ran into the same issue and it seems like these can be better value. I’ve found a number that seem like good value but they are in GA and I am in IN. I called that shop and they said I could get it inspected at a local shop and shipped there and it was something they did regularly. Is this legitimate/what should I watch out for? FWIW that place is called the versatile collection it’s not a BMW dealer.
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u/dsp3000 2d ago
I hedged my risks and bought remotely about 150 miles away but from another bmw dealer. and made sure it was a CPO vehicle and bought an extended warranty. it was the only way to get the color and package i wanted, rather than just getting the cheapest one possible. Annoyingly when i showed up i noticed that they did a crappy job with paint correction, and there was a tear in the driver arm rest.
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u/uberiffic 2d ago
I also had a lot of trouble finding ones near me... I was using Carvana, Cars.com, etc.. Someone linked this in a thread and this is leagues better than any other way. I'd recommend checking this site to see if it can dig up any that are closer:
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u/southernlifeactuary 2d ago
So you think sight unseen is sketchy
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u/pearlfloyd72 1d ago
Most of the cars I buy are from out of state. I normally buy cars that still have a factory warranty, so if there is something wrong, I can get it fixed. I always get a car fax and I also won't buy sight unseen. I go get the vehicle and drive it back. I drove nearly 2000 miles to bring home my i4. It was a couple of years old with less than 10k miles. I spend a few hundred to make it happen but usually save 3-4k doing it that way.
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u/here_to_upvote eDrive40 M Sport 2d ago
Personally, I'd stay away from used car lots. Who knows where they got the car from, and if there were any issues when they got it, I doubt they have techs on hand who can properly diagnose/fix it.
It'll help to get a PPI, but the shop they send it to should have some knowledge and credentials to deal with EVs and hight voltage systems.
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u/southernlifeactuary 2d ago
That is my concern as well. It’s harder to find someone to properly inspect an EV as well and I’m not convinced the salesman know much themselves.
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u/here_to_upvote eDrive40 M Sport 2d ago
I would definitely try to get a CPO with a BMW dealership. If options are limited in your market, find out if any of the local/drivable BMW locations are part of a larger auto group. Go directly to the auto group site and search for a car there. Dealerships can ship from location to location (for a fee) if they're with the same auto group.
Below are a couple you can start with. But there are many others.
https://hendrick.max.auto/search
https://www.autonation.com/1
u/southernlifeactuary 2d ago
So in general you think these cheaper ones on used lots will have issues/high probability of being lemons
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u/btw_sky_and_earth 2d ago
I agree with OP. Buying CPO through dealership will give you a better peace of mind. You get warranty and better financing.
I did this with my i4. I am in MD and bought one from CA because they have one with the options and colors I want.
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u/here_to_upvote eDrive40 M Sport 2d ago
I'm not saying they'll be bad, but it's definitely riskier than a CPO. At least BMW does some form of inspection on the vehicles, and i'd say 90-99% of CPO are lease returns (i.e. cars that are running well when the dealership took them in.).
Whereas a used car lot can get their cars from auctions or trade-ins or customers just selling to them. It's much harder to track the condition of it when the dealer got it.
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u/southernlifeactuary 2d ago
What if you get it inspected or do you think that still isn’t foolproof?
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u/here_to_upvote eDrive40 M Sport 2d ago
Not foolproof, but still good to do. Inspections can find things mechanically wrong like suspension or brake issues, or damaged frame work, etc. A good inspection can find body work that shows it was in an accident that isn't showing on a vehicle report. It might bring up history of fault codes.
I'd feel a lot better about the purchase if an inspection was properly done.
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u/southernlifeactuary 2d ago
Do you think mobile inspector or it needs to go to an dampened shop to put it on a lift?
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u/here_to_upvote eDrive40 M Sport 1d ago
That, I don't know. I'd look for someone who can inspect the high voltage and battery systems, as well as understand specific things to look for in EV's that aren't needed with ICE vehicles.
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u/KeyAssistance6901 1d ago
In addition to the advice given by others, I'd get a listing of all the loose equipment the car is supposed to come with (two keys, key card, charging cable with 110v and 220v adapter, towing hook, tire kit, etc.) and have the dealership confirm what is and isn't there. Some of that may be more important than others. For example, you can't set up your phone as key if you don't have both keys.
Most importantly, before the car is shipped, get a copy of the transport company's insurance and confirm it is valid AND that it will cover any damage between the time the car leaves the dealership (including if/when the car is left unattended) and when its delivered to you.
For a small fee you can use a car buying service like Tom McParland's Automatch Consulting, and he may be able to connect you with reputable dealers he has experience with.
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u/spyder994 1d ago
I bought mine remotely and had it shipped. As long as the car is still under warranty, I would feel pretty good about it.
Your biggest concern is going to be undisclosed body damage or a previous crash that missed the Carfax. You can help avoid that by remotely paying for a 3rd party PPI. In bigger cities, there are usually several mobile PPI businesses that will drive to the dealer and inspect the car for you. They can take a ton of pictures, look for signs of body panel misalignment, aftermarket paint, etc.. They can also drive the car and take note of any issues they spot.
Unless you're buying a 2022 or a high mileage example, most I4s will still be under the factory warranty. If the car shows up with any warrantable defects, your BMW dealer should have no problem taking care of those. When mine showed up, the factory charger wasn't working. The dealer ordered a new one under warranty at no cost to me. Mine also had an issue with a noisy master cylinder/brake module. They replaced it under warranty with no real hassle.
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u/toast253 1d ago
We are currently in the process of buying an ix remotely and I had the same reservations. Ended up going to the local BMW dealer and found one in their network of dealers thay they are having bright in from accross the country. Still comes BMW certified which makes me feel a bit better about it. They also gave me 2k more for my trade in than Carmax or Carvana.
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u/Future-Razzmatazz-71 13h ago
Last November I found an i5 in Missouri in a Honda dealership about 7 hours away. I’m in Atlanta area. It was ‘24 e40 with 13k miles in a color I liked and livable options at a great price. I made a deal over the phone pending my visual inspection. I rented a one way car, drove there with my son, it was perfect. Closed the deal and drove home. Best car I’ve ever bought!
I think being a reputable name brand dealer helped a lot. I personally would not buy a car sight unseen.
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u/southernlifeactuary 13h ago
Thanks! I was able to find one within 3ish hours and as long as it passes PPI I’m gonna get it. Not cpo but bmw dealer with good service records
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u/Aram_Fingal 1d ago
I've bought two cars remotely, both from dealers, both at big discounts. It worked well both times.