Another eBay Hack: the 22k mile 535

[Kalevera]

I was bedazzled to check a low mileage (claimed 22k) E34 535 on ebay. If you know me, I'm not one to leave something suspect like that laying out in the breeze like your dirty laundry.

Check this out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Beautiful-1989-BMW-535-Manual-5-Speed-Super-Low-Miles_W0QQitemZ130006321558QQihZ003QQcategoryZ6008 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Pictures look okay but you know something's creeping when you see cracked leather and that typical sun faded metallic silver. Then there's that bumper issue. That's the preliminary look. What do I uncover but that this car had around 140k in 1999. Once again, a dealership changed the cluster and didn't take the time to program the chip.

...Which brings us to an interesting point. The carfax is legit from what I can tell, but for whatever reason (data recording standards?), it doesn't know that this car had the mileage that it had on it. Whoever buys this car thinking that they're smashing a 22k virgin might end up having a legitimate claim against Carfax's buyback guarantee.

One.

[saj3n]

I was bedazzled to check a low mileage (claimed 22k) E34 535 on ebay. If you know me, I'm not one to leave something suspect like that laying out in the breeze like your dirty laundry.

Check this out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Beautiful-1989-BMW-535-Manual-5-Speed-Super-Low-Miles_W0QQitemZ130006321558QQihZ003QQcategoryZ6008 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Pictures look okay but you know something's creeping when you see cracked leather and that typical sun faded metallic silver. Then there's that bumper issue. That's the preliminary look. What do I uncover but that this car had around 140k in 1999. Once again, a dealership changed the cluster and didn't take the time to program the chip.

...Which brings us to an interesting point. The carfax is legit from what I can tell, but for whatever reason (data recording standards?), it doesn't know that this car had the mileage that it had on it. Whoever buys this car thinking that they're smashing a 22k virgin might end up having a legitimate claim against Carfax's buyback guarantee.

One.


Tempts me to buy it! :-D Just for the buy back garuntee... :-D

What's funny is that in the carfax report picture on the auction, shows first recorded date sometime in 2003... at 15K miles! So this car supposedly sat around for 4 years.

[SharkmanBMW]

Should we buy it and make a claim on behalf of all of us?
We could chip in $1 each!

[Gayle]

Hey Whit

Where ya been? Haven't seen you post in a long time.

[chris_e34]

shoot, il drop 100 on it. 50 of that should go twoards getting proffesional airbrushed bimmer.info logos on the sides. i beleive we just found a bimmer.info mascott/rep car. :)

lol

[Evan]

We were emailed information on this vehicle that, according to BMW North America, was in for warranty service with mileage exceeding 140,000 miles. We do not have a service record for this and the previous owner signed the title as being actual mileage. We also have a carfax report that was done on this vehicle stating the mileage as not being turned back. But we feel that this information should be passed on to potential and previous bidders. We will understand if previous bidders want to retract the bid they have already placed. We are sorry if the information that we have received is not correct. Thank you for bidding!

[Rigmaster]

Holy crap!! Someone on Ebay did the right thing!!!!!!!!!!!



:)


Bret

[Evan]

thats hardly the right thing... its a half-assed attempt to protect themselves against fraud claims...

[DanDombrowski]

I'm at work and can't see the auction. Any resembelance to the 535 of last winter in Ft. Lauderdale that ended up getting re-listed after they got caught?

[califblue]

Dom, this one is NewYork... I would never buy anything from there except a plan ticket out!

[Rigmaster]

thats hardly the right thing... its a half-assed attempt to protect themselves against fraud claims...


Meh, what else would you have them do??


It looks to me like they were made aware of the discrepancy, and they were completely honest in posting that info in the auction listing.



Bret.

[brosher]

I had seen that car and was suspicious as well. The scratched paint was ok but the pics of the motor do not look like one with 22k on it. I was glad to see the seller posted up the facts. Not sure what kind of dealer buys that car w/o knowing its a scam?