ex-DE car (#60027) For Sale on EBay

[bwall]

Another one up for sale?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-BMW-Z8-Z8-2dr-Roadster-WELL-KEPT-EXPORT-WELCOME_W0QQitemZ190354355830QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item2c5200f676

[thegunguy]

Worst color combo.

[JoshB]

Nah topaz with red, there's an ugly combo.(and they actually built eight of these!) I kind of like the black and red.
Joshb
2002 silver /red/black(the best color combo BTW)Lets see if that gets some feedback LOL

[macfly]

Yes, I can confirm that is a DE car, and of course there is no disclosure in the ad, and of course any dealer will know that was in it's history.

[candersoh]

sorry, but what is a DE car and what would give it away?
thanks!

[RRZ8]

Is there a problem with this car? Not converted correctly?

[Cabrio330]

sorry, but what is a DE car and what would give it away?
thanks!

DE = Driving Experience car, meaning they were oftern driven pretty hard and sometimes even abused. So, buyer beware!

[RRZ8]

OK! I thought it was a German (DE) import and there was something wrong...:D

[candersoh]

is there something in the VIN that would indicate a DE car?

[macfly]

The first 31 cars (60001-60031) were press, show, and then Driving Experience cars. You can see a story on the DE here (http://www.bmwz8.us/vbb/showthread.php?t=144&referrerid=2), and some more pictures here (http://www.bmwz8.us/htmlL/test1.php?GalleryID=42).

[candersoh]

fascinating...i seem to be learning something new each time i log in here. had no idea about the DE cars. that's one event i wouldn't have missed!
i share the opinion that these cars should have full disclosure. i'd be interested only if the price was "right."

[thegunguy]

The "Auto Check" score/report should at the very least flag that the cars were used in "driver education".

[candersoh]

i'm going to call bmw of houston tomorrow. this info should be part of the description. could it be that even the dealer doesn't know what a DE car is?

[bwall]

It seems like on all the ex-DE cars that the photos of the VIN stickers seem to show that pieces of the sticker is missing; it looks almost as if someone attempted to peel them off unsuccessfully. Anybody else notice this? Any idea why this could be?

[macfly]

bwall, I think it may just be careless drivers slamming the seat belts in the doors. The VIN is stickered all over the car, and stamped on the chassis, so I don't think that is a part of this rather sad fraud.

candersoh, any dealership with access to BMW NA's database will know this was a Performance Center car, it is written there plain as day in the cars history, so it is not BMW NA who are perpetrating this omission of the truth, it is the seller of the car. It is possible that they also don't know, but they'd have to be pretty incompetent not to do their due diligence on a vehicle they are taking in on trade/selling on commission or whatever.

[candersoh]

fyi, spoke to the seller, Nicolae of BMW of Houston North, he doesn't know what a DE car is...

[bwall]

mac,

that does make sense. I couldn't imagine anyone being dumb enough to try and peel off the VIN, but I couldn't imagine how else does a sticker get damaged? I've seen beaters with vin stickers in better condition!

Not surprised that the seller 'doesn't know'. .. . . . sad.

[hayvenhurstkid]

The VIN stickers get damaged when the door is shut while the metal part of the seatbelt is not fully retracted and in the door jamb. I know, I did it once. Some cars have perfect VIN stickers, but most every Z8 you see will have some damage caused by the seatbelt.

[redz8]

Adding to the problem, all the Z8s that I've had, suffer from a lazy seatbelt rewind.

[Norcal]

Me too (seat belts)

[thegunguy]

I figured it was from sporty driving or potholes - one of the two.

[hayvenhurstkid]

Are you a lawyer for BMW?:)

[thegunguy]

Yes, and we're sending someone to collect your 1 of 12 car for wearing shirts that are too tight. We have standards for who we let drive our finest modern creation. :p

[Norcal]

So, how did they let you get one? Ha!

[macfly]

Wow, 16 bids to $75,000 and it still is not sold, but must be close to its reserve by now. Looks like some poor chap is going to get a terrible shock when he learns what a beater he has bought.

[bvhbmw]

I sent a detailed question to the seller asking if this was a DE car and the only reply I got was "nice car". Really.
Scum.

[candersoh]

i spoke with the seller and he was very defensive when i brought up that it was a DE car. he's reply was "don't you have anything better to do with your time?" guess the "golden rule" doesn't apply to him!

[macfly]

As a post script, this car it didn't sell on EBay at $75,000, the seller wanted $79,995, but the car sold off EBay for an undisclosed amount. The sad thing is that the buyer obviously had no idea what he was buying.