[Dave-ncl]

Just an update on the "used" 320d shadow I bought from Scotland back in mid June. I'll try not to turn it into war and peace.

On getting back and allowing the days of rain to stop, I noticed a number of cosmetic issues with the car. The front alloys had minor scrapes and light scratches on various places but heavily on the flat part of the boot.

During this time, I could hear a creaking from the back passenger side of the car as if panels where fitted correctly and then i noticed that every time i did a 3 point turn (auto box), i'd hear a thump under the car.

I called the garage with my list and said that I could take to a local branch to get a polish for the scratches. They weren't prepared to touch the alloys as it is a used car. There was also a crease on the bonnet but didn't mention this as i should have been more thorough in checking it in the pouring rain (I know it's no excuse). I was directed to BMW for an issues that would be covered under the manufactures warranty.

The car went in a 9am and i got it back at 3.30pm for a polish. As they made me late for school, i just jumped in. Later I discovered white powder in every groove, seam and even around the water flow in the boot. Shocking job!

It went to Lloyds BMW and i requested to go on the test drive. Within 10 seconds of driving, the technician said i already think i know what the issues are. I went over a speed bump and the whole car creaked. He explained that its the door seals. The seals on the car had been washed with a chemical that had firmed the rubber and caused this noise when going over bumps. A known fault that will be resolved with an updated set of seals.

After reversing and then driving forward and applying the brake, the clunk kicked in. He said it was also a known problems but didn't have a fix. He went on to talk about the performance caliper on a standard car and the size issue. He also explained that sometimes it happens when he car is new and goes away or starts off fine and comes at a later time. Basically, nothing wrong with the braking system so just live with the clunk... it might go away.

Is anyone with a 320d shadow experiencing this?

The car was left to assess the seals and on returning, the car was as it was and needed booking in a week later.

I had been using the DAB and flash drive to listen to music but one day i decided to play a CD. I placed the disc into the entry slot and waited... and waited. Nothing so i gave it a nudge. Still nothing. I tried the eject button and i could hear the motor but no action.

I lost my temper and called the garage. I found the guy i had purchased through as quite dismissive. He explained that the car was second hand and would shown signs of wear. He explained that they don't check every single thing and would never have came across the seal issue and the break clonk is a known issue with no fix. So he turned it to say the issues i'm having are cosmetic on a used car. (see where this is heading?). However, after explaining I had paid more than other cars inn the market place due to 2 previous positive experiences in the past (I mainly bough for more due t the colour and lower priced being at those lovely people at Evans Halshaw). He agreed to cover the cost of a smart repair on the bonnet and an independent exterior valet to get rid of the white powder on black. he set £60 as his limit on that.

The car went into Lloyds who replaced the seals and fixed the cd player. I think that was the 4th day in 2 weeks without the car. On returning it wasn't finished so they gave me a loan 218d which i returned the next morning.

The car went to a dent place in chester-le-steet (dent tek) I've used before and highly recommend. He had already discounted the job to £105 and on inspection realised the crease was due to an impact close by. He pointed out another minor dent about a foot away. I said is he had time to do all 3 and i'll pay the extra. He pulled all 3 and still invoiced me for £105. However he said that he'd spotted another problem. Its a difficult one as you want to know but when you find out, you'll see it every time. Someone has (probably in anger) sort of thumped the roof above the drivers door. This has obviously made a depression but also a raised area towards the centre of the roof. It's not stand out notice but if you look for it your can clearly see it. He priced the job at £230.

So, it hasn't been a good start when i compare it to the 12 plate luxury i had before. Throughout the AUC it only had a door window motor replaced.

To close the book with the seller, I need to get the outside done to remove the residue that is still on the wipers, mirrors etc. I've got a budget of £60 but am willing to add a bit myself to get the right treatment. Any suggestion what i can get for that sort of money in the Newcastle area.

I love the car. It looks fab, especially the front end but has some imperfections. £250 for the alloys and £230 for the roof would sort this car out which isn't a huge amount but an expensive I thought i wouldn't need to pay considering the used price. The car is now almost 20 months old and it seems like it wasn't cared for by the previous owner. Thankfully ,I still have that BMW warranty until October 2020.

[SuhaibD98]

Originally Posted by Dave-ncl

Just an update on the "used" 320d shadow I bought from Scotland back in mid June. I'll try not to turn it into war and peace.

On getting back and allowing the days of rain to stop, I noticed a number of cosmetic issues with the car. The front alloys had minor scrapes and light scratches on various places but heavily on the flat part of the boot.

During this time, I could hear a creaking from the back passenger side of the car as if panels where fitted correctly and then i noticed that every time i did a 3 point turn (auto box), i'd hear a thump under the car.

I called the garage with my list and said that I could take to a local branch to get a polish for the scratches. They weren't prepared to touch the alloys as it is a used car. There was also a crease on the bonnet but didn't mention this as i should have been more thorough in checking it in the pouring rain (I know it's no excuse). I was directed to BMW for an issues that would be covered under the manufactures warranty.

The car went in a 9am and i got it back at 3.30pm for a polish. As they made me late for school, i just jumped in. Later I discovered white powder in every groove, seam and even around the water flow in the boot. Shocking job!

It went to Lloyds BMW and i requested to go on the test drive. Within 10 seconds of driving, the technician said i already think i know what the issues are. I went over a speed bump and the whole car creaked. He explained that its the door seals. The seals on the car had been washed with a chemical that had firmed the rubber and caused this noise when going over bumps. A known fault that will be resolved with an updated set of seals.

After reversing and then driving forward and applying the brake, the clunk kicked in. He said it was also a known problems but didn't have a fix. He went on to talk about the performance caliper on a standard car and the size issue. He also explained that sometimes it happens when he car is new and goes away or starts off fine and comes at a later time. Basically, nothing wrong with the braking system so just live with the clunk... it might go away.

Is anyone with a 320d shadow experiencing this?

The car was left to assess the seals and on returning, the car was as it was and needed booking in a week later.

I had been using the DAB and flash drive to listen to music but one day i decided to play a CD. I placed the disc into the entry slot and waited... and waited. Nothing so i gave it a nudge. Still nothing. I tried the eject button and i could hear the motor but no action.

I lost my temper and called the garage. I found the guy i had purchased through as quite dismissive. He explained that the car was second hand and would shown signs of wear. He explained that they don't check every single thing and would never have came across the seal issue and the break clonk is a known issue with no fix. So he turned it to say the issues i'm having are cosmetic on a used car. (see where this is heading?). However, after explaining I had paid more than other cars inn the market place due to 2 previous positive experiences in the past (I mainly bough for more due t the colour and lower priced being at those lovely people at Evans Halshaw). He agreed to cover the cost of a smart repair on the bonnet and an independent exterior valet to get rid of the white powder on black. he set £60 as his limit on that.

The car went into Lloyds who replaced the seals and fixed the cd player. I think that was the 4th day in 2 weeks without the car. On returning it wasn't finished so they gave me a loan 218d which i returned the next morning.

The car went to a dent place in chester-le-steet (dent tek) I've used before and highly recommend. He had already discounted the job to £105 and on inspection realised the crease was due to an impact close by. He pointed out another minor dent about a foot away. I said is he had time to do all 3 and i'll pay the extra. He pulled all 3 and still invoiced me for £105. However he said that he'd spotted another problem. Its a difficult one as you want to know but when you find out, you'll see it every time. Someone has (probably in anger) sory of thumped the roof about the drivers door. This has obviously made a depression but also a raised area towards the centre of the roof. It's not stand out notice but if you look for it your can clearly see it. He priced the job at £230.

So, it hasn't been a good start when i compare it to the 12 plate luxury i had before. Throughout the AUC it only had a door window motor replaced.

To close the book with the seller, I need to get the outside done to remove the residue that is still on the wipers, mirrors etc. I've got a budget of £60 but am willing to add a bit myself to get the right treatment. Any suggestion what i can get for that sort of money in the Newcastle area.

I love the car. It looks fab, especially the front end but has some imperfections. £250 for the alloys and £230 for the roof would sort this car out which isn't a huge amount but an expensive I thought i wouldn't need to pay considering the used price. The car is now almost 20 months old and it seems like it wasn't cared for by the previous owner. Thankfully ,I still have that BMW warranty until October 2020.

Go through after sales, you've been sold a can of worms

[hybris]

What's the model and mileage on this car?

[Dave-ncl]

Originally Posted by SuhaibD98

Go through after sales, you've been sold a can of worms

This is a point I've raised that I'm fearful of what might turn up next. BMW gave it a health check and said everything was as it should. It's got lots of mile before any servicing needs doing and it drives well. The warranty items have been resolved. Cosmetically the car was poor when I expect pristine.

It might have been a company car or even worse a hire car. I guess I'll wait see what happens between now and the warranty end check and decide if it's a long term car.

Originally Posted by hybris

What's the model and mileage on this car?

It's 320d shadow edition 67 plate and had 15k when bought.

[speedski]

Originally Posted by Dave-ncl

It's 320d shadow edition 67 plate and had 15k when bought.

Sounds like it might have been a courtesy or shuttle car with that sort of mileage on.

Who's the first owner? The dealer?

[robbiep]

Does the numberplate begins with a 'Y' ? and who was the the previous owner (not sure if that's still listed on the V5 or not these days) ?

[Dave-ncl]

The log book no longer shows the owner. Data protection laws I think.

What you'll sometimes see on auto trader adds is a disclaimer saying this vehicle was previously owned by a business and may have had multiple users (or something to that effect)

Reg starts LG - seems it was registered in Wimbledon but a couple of address in the navigation were for Manchester or Leeds area.

I've had a read I up on the brake clonk. Turns out it's "normal" for these blue calipers. I find it quite annoying but...

In the thread it focuses on all the negativity. There are huge amount if plusses.

The auto box is great. The acceleration is smooth and a a bit quicker than the older F30 manual I had. No niggles from my painful clutch knee.
The design speaks for itself. Headlights are up there with the best looking.
The H&K is showing it's quality and sounds decent even if the mp3 is below the 192kbs old cd standard.
The voice input for navigation is a nice feature and even understands my geordie accent most of the time.
I'm sure there's more but brain freeze at 9am..

A little disappointed with:

No folding back seats.
Poorer mpg on a long run but less so locally. The last car was a camel on a long run. Newcastle to London return on less than 40L.
Stop start. Still gets me every time . The manual would sit in gear with dipped clutch and stay alive. Every little stop this thing cuts out unless I remember to disable

[doncarlyon]

Whats your current MPG sitting at?

Start/Stop - put it in sport mode and it wont kick in, plus the gear changes are better in sport mode. Keeps itself a gear lower than comfort would which seems a bit more normal to me.

[Jeff123]

In terms of the stop/start - just stop it! I never use it, it's a complete pain in the backside.

Many of the 1-2 year old cars on the market are ex-rental. Not necessarily bad as long as the car can be brought back to a good standard of cleanliness and state of repair. Modern BMW's are capable of a very high level of performance, so what may appear hard driving to some, should be well within their capabilities (IMO).

I have bough a couple of ex-rental in the past (by mistake) and they are sometimes poorly presented - but you can rectify that. One was a BMW AUC.

You can expect the alloys to get damaged on any car. You are very lucky if you don't damage them yourself.

The door seals seem to be an issue. I just put oil/grease on the felt at the top of the door and that cures it.

If it was me, I would get the dents sorted out, clean it up to your standard, then forget about it for a while. You can become paranoid with a change of car. I recently has some work done on mine and was quite proud of the car - that lasted for half a day, when somebody reversed into me in Sainsburys than drove off. It's sods law.

[Dave-ncl]

Originally Posted by doncarlyon

Whats your current MPG sitting at?

Start/Stop - put it in sport mode and it wont kick in, plus the gear changes are better in sport mode. Keeps itself a gear lower than comfort would which seems a bit more normal to me.

I got no idea but know I do less miles than before on £20 or 30 quid. The mpg gauge near the speedo sits into the red more often whereas the manual would sometimes be sitting near to 80 mpg when crawling along a flat road at 30. No big deal. I don't have many London excursions these days. I try to give it a vpower treat one per week.

I used to drive everywhere in sport, but when I got this car I realised comfort was enough for urban driving and sport was a sort I f boost to get out of a situation. I find sport in traffic feels like the car is itching to go some. I've even been known to use eco recently and it wasn't to save the planet.

Yeah the stop/start is disabled in sport. I'll just have to remember when starting the car up. After all, the buttons are next to each other.

Another negative.... Bridgestone RFT and the tyres look a lot pricier than the 18s on the previous. I'll have a look in Costco closer to the time.

[Jeff123]

If you are sticking with runflats, I replaced all four of mine at Kwik Fit recently for £675. Goodyear Efficient Grip on 18's. I don't think that's too bad for a premium runflat tyre.

I paid £440, 10 years ago for a full set of (crap) non-runflat Falkens for my E90.

[ian332isport]

You can have the stop/start coded to either remember the last setting, or off by default.

[doncarlyon]

Try sport for a week or two, you will soon get used to it. All it does is increase the response of the pedal, doesn't increase power as far as I can tell.

Comfort feels really laggy now, but its just down to how far you have to push the pedal.

[KCH1984]

Which Scottish dealership did you use if you don't mind me asking?

I had a handful of issues with my AUC F30 when I bought it - including unreported accident damage - and was fobbed off with the "used car" line until I took my case through BMW CS and eventually escalations.

Drop me a PM if you like.

[simnew]

Firstly sounds like you have the odd niggle, but:

Sqeaking seals is very easy to fix. Some silicone spray from Halfords on the inside painted section of the door jamb and you won't get that sound anymore. In the past, when cars flexed even more, you used to get it from the windows seals, but because cars have such huge seals on the doors these days, you can get it from there.

As for the 'clunk' - it is not clear exactly what you are referring to, but if you drive a car (and not just a BMW) forwards. Then stop and then reserve and brake, when you drive forward again, you will often get a small click / clunk from the brakes and it is the pad moving slightly in the calliper and is quite normal. I have had that in all the cars I have ever owned - say more than 10 ?

Hope this helps

[Dave-ncl]

Thanks Chaps.

There is a lot of sense in the comments. I guess there is a degree of paranoia as it been a bit of a bad start. Obviously we can see the pre sale prep has been poor. The bonnet is done. I need to get the roof done after the kids school holidays and the alloys will all get scraped at some point so best let me get a bit more before getting them cut as I think they can only be done twice.

The wheels are 19s. Efficient grip are the only RF I've had that were OK. Then I found the conventional efficient grip an excellent tyre. I ready about mitchelins in costco coming in at about 544 for a set of 4 with a recent discount (£100 off I think). I'll keep an eye for something along those lines but I really want "normal" tyres.

I know the stop start can be coded out but my technical skill are zero at best. However I did manage to put a front and back dash cam in and managed to hide all the wires I was really proud of myself.

Sorry to hear Jeff. Its the way things sometimes workout. Typical huh! I always park as far away from the others cars as possible with 10 spaces either side and I'll come back after 10 minutes and the car park is still empty... But someone parked NEXT to me. Boils my water

The seals have been replaced under warranty and they were fine. Upgraded seals I was told but I'm not 100% but might have slightly heard them again yesterday. Maybe lubrication is the way forward.

I think ill progress to sport once comfort has become mundane. A lot of my time is in traffic so a lower setting is fine. If I see a gap I want to make, sport gives me that instant extra and it feels quick as I'm not in it constantly.

Finally. I've read up on the brake clunk. This is my 3rd bmw and the 1st clunker. Its there and as bmw have said its how it is, then northing I can do about it. I may get used to it or try to avoid pressing the brake at low speed after changing direction.

Just need some recommendations of a decent valet place in the Newcastle area.

Thanks again