Anyone in (West) Houston willing to help with a PPI of a '14 640i? Will Pay

Bavariane31 · 09-07-2023, 04:57 PM

I found a '14 640i I'm interested in but I'm not too familiar with the 640i platform. I'm coming from a E39. I'm asking for the help of a 6 series enthusiast because the dealership the vehicle is located at refuses to send the car out offsite due to what they claim to be liability issues. I called multiple independent mechanics and they understandably cannot send employees offsite for the same reasons. So the PPI must be done at the dealership.

I considered a mobile PPI option like Lemon Squad, but they all don't specialize in BMWs and I know these are complex cars. They will probably miss out testing the HUD, soft close doors, sun shades and all that. They probably won't be familiar with the most common issues these cars have. Hence my request to the community for help.

I test drove and inspected the car already but there are a few "sketchy" things that make me believe that the car may be a lemon. Here are the top 10 that come to mind:

1. All 4 tires need to be replaced
2. Front bumper damage (probably from parking block)
3. Very cracked front windshield
4. Side Sun Shades keep getting caught on the cover flap when coming down. They deploy ok though. Is this a common problem?
5. Rear sunshade needs replacement or adjustment (deploys a little sideways, doesn't look good. It retracts fine)
6. Slight vibration at any speed (feels like to me to be balancing tire issues)
7. Front passenger tire was completely flat when I arrived (despite calling 1hr earlier). Salesman said the car has been sitting... Uh huh. You really expect me to believe the tires are fine?
8. Fog lights appear to be super dirty almost like from the inside. Could be an indication of a flood car?
9. When I lift off the accelerator, the car slows drastically. It doesn't coast. In fact it feels like there's some sort of engine braking or brake regeneration? Is this normal? Almost one pedal driving....
10. There's a slight transmission slippage I thought I felt during the beginning of the test drive
Bonus 11: Refusing to send the car out to another shop for a PPI....

Obviously the dealership is doing the least possible work to flip this car. They told me the windshield would be $500 to replace. Which is very suspect since E39 glass is like $1000. I would expect a F06 with HUD glass to be around $3k....

I'm in need of a person that knows these cars well and can pull codes and can point out things that I miss. I don't do suspension or things like that. I looked at the trunk and floormats for flood damage but unless it's obvious I may have missed some issues with the car. The dealership can offer their lift for our use.

I can meet whoever is willing to help me out at the dealership and we can discuss payment as well (cash, beers, conversation, whatever you want!). If anyone knows someone, please refer them to me! Just let me know and thanks for the help!

Opie55 · 09-07-2023, 06:45 PM

How much are they asking for this car? Seems like it was not cared for very well. I don’t think you will get anybody here to do the detailed inspection you are asking for, but based on all the issues you pointed out yourself, I would stay far away from that car unless it was nearly free.

Bavariane31 · 09-07-2023, 08:44 PM

Yeah I guess the community isn't nearly as numerous as other platforms.

$20k at 80k miles. So not cheap. The sunshade problem is exactly the same like in this old thread: https://www.6post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1627536

Common problem? Seems like you just have to replace everything which would be so expensive doing all 3 shades.
Does the 6 do a lot of engine braking? Read that the torque converter locks up when tire pressure is not ideal or after cold starts or something. I don't know much about these new BMWs.
EDIT: Seems like when the battery is low it'll convert kinetic into electrical energy (BMW Efficient Dynamics? http://content.bmwusa.com/microsite/...eneration.html)

See? I'm clueless about these things. I need to know whether these are normal or problems!

Bavariane31 · 09-11-2023, 03:38 PM

Eh, car got sold before I could do a LemonSquad inspection. I hope one of you guys picked it up if it was in good condition. I just couldn't tell and the dealer was giving me really bad vibes. Was a super rare car.

Opie55 · 09-11-2023, 08:18 PM

What was rare about it?

TGrits10 · 09-12-2023, 08:12 AM

This is totally unsolicitied advice, so take it for what it's worth, but...

Unless you're specifically looking to pick up a rough example and restore it, this car screams "Run, don't walk, the hell away immediately." It's already an aging German luxury car with some miles on it, and THEN both the car itself and the seller are tossing up red flags left and right.

Bavariane31 · 09-24-2023, 08:15 PM

Ended up picking it up at a $3k discount. Honestly if it wasn't for the options list I would have never considered it because I know I won't find another car like it. The dealership was shady and I fully expect to be correcting a lot of things in the future. Already found out a lot of additional little things that need to be corrected. Coming from the E39 platform that constantly had things go wrong I think I will feel at home.

But basically when I was shopping I wanted an 640i (N55 is just more reliable and easier to work on). Moonstone with Opal White / Amaro Brown interior and sport package. Rare because most Individual cars are M6s or 650is. Pretty much the only reason why I went for the car. It is really unfortunate that it wasn't cared for properly. Plus it was local made it just that much easier.

Opie55 · 09-25-2023, 12:09 AM

That’s definitely a rare car. Maybe one of a kind. Post some pics.

Suck9o · 09-25-2023, 02:40 AM

Seems like you just have to replace everything which would be so expensive doing all 3 shades.

Bavariane31 · 09-25-2023, 08:41 AM

Yeah all 3 shades is a problem. The car has tint so I’ll probably end up not using them. I’ll try to see what’s wrong and fix them though. Is a replacement really the only option?! Seems like a known problem with this platform.

Several buttons need replacing (start/stop, parking brake, trunk lid release) and the top trunklid seal is peeling away. Seems like all common problems though. I’ll post a picture a bit later once more things are squared away; Needs an interior detailing. Right now I have too many house projects to complete.

If there’s a link to common problems with the 640i let me know! I’m probably going to add a metal charge pipe at least….

09-07-2023, 04:57 PM	#1
Bavariane31 Enlisted Member 9 Rep 39 Posts Drives: ‘03 530iA Sport Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (0)	Anyone in (West) Houston willing to help with a PPI of a '14 640i? Will Pay I found a '14 640i I'm interested in but I'm not too familiar with the 640i platform. I'm coming from a E39. I'm asking for the help of a 6 series enthusiast because the dealership the vehicle is located at refuses to send the car out offsite due to what they claim to be liability issues. I called multiple independent mechanics and they understandably cannot send employees offsite for the same reasons. So the PPI must be done at the dealership. I considered a mobile PPI option like Lemon Squad, but they all don't specialize in BMWs and I know these are complex cars. They will probably miss out testing the HUD, soft close doors, sun shades and all that. They probably won't be familiar with the most common issues these cars have. Hence my request to the community for help. I test drove and inspected the car already but there are a few "sketchy" things that make me believe that the car may be a lemon. Here are the top 10 that come to mind: 1. All 4 tires need to be replaced 2. Front bumper damage (probably from parking block) 3. Very cracked front windshield 4. Side Sun Shades keep getting caught on the cover flap when coming down. They deploy ok though. Is this a common problem? 5. Rear sunshade needs replacement or adjustment (deploys a little sideways, doesn't look good. It retracts fine) 6. Slight vibration at any speed (feels like to me to be balancing tire issues) 7. Front passenger tire was completely flat when I arrived (despite calling 1hr earlier). Salesman said the car has been sitting... Uh huh. You really expect me to believe the tires are fine? 8. Fog lights appear to be super dirty almost like from the inside. Could be an indication of a flood car? 9. When I lift off the accelerator, the car slows drastically. It doesn't coast. In fact it feels like there's some sort of engine braking or brake regeneration? Is this normal? Almost one pedal driving.... 10. There's a slight transmission slippage I thought I felt during the beginning of the test drive Bonus 11: Refusing to send the car out to another shop for a PPI.... Obviously the dealership is doing the least possible work to flip this car. They told me the windshield would be $500 to replace. Which is very suspect since E39 glass is like $1000. I would expect a F06 with HUD glass to be around $3k.... I'm in need of a person that knows these cars well and can pull codes and can point out things that I miss. I don't do suspension or things like that. I looked at the trunk and floormats for flood damage but unless it's obvious I may have missed some issues with the car. The dealership can offer their lift for our use. I can meet whoever is willing to help me out at the dealership and we can discuss payment as well (cash, beers, conversation, whatever you want!). If anyone knows someone, please refer them to me! Just let me know and thanks for the help! Last edited by Bavariane31; 09-07-2023 at 05:14 PM..
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09-07-2023, 06:45 PM	#2
Opie55 Colonel 1195 Rep 2,907 Posts Drives: '15 650i Convertible Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: US iTrader: (0)	How much are they asking for this car? Seems like it was not cared for very well. I don’t think you will get anybody here to do the detailed inspection you are asking for, but based on all the issues you pointed out yourself, I would stay far away from that car unless it was nearly free.
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09-07-2023, 08:44 PM	#3
Bavariane31 Enlisted Member 9 Rep 39 Posts Drives: ‘03 530iA Sport Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (0)	Yeah I guess the community isn't nearly as numerous as other platforms. $20k at 80k miles. So not cheap. The sunshade problem is exactly the same like in this old thread: https://www.6post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1627536 Common problem? Seems like you just have to replace everything which would be so expensive doing all 3 shades. Does the 6 do a lot of engine braking? Read that the torque converter locks up when tire pressure is not ideal or after cold starts or something. I don't know much about these new BMWs. EDIT: Seems like when the battery is low it'll convert kinetic into electrical energy (BMW Efficient Dynamics? http://content.bmwusa.com/microsite/...eneration.html) See? I'm clueless about these things. I need to know whether these are normal or problems! Last edited by Bavariane31; 09-07-2023 at 08:52 PM..
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09-11-2023, 03:38 PM	#4
Bavariane31 Enlisted Member 9 Rep 39 Posts Drives: ‘03 530iA Sport Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (0)	Eh, car got sold before I could do a LemonSquad inspection. I hope one of you guys picked it up if it was in good condition. I just couldn't tell and the dealer was giving me really bad vibes. Was a super rare car.
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09-11-2023, 08:18 PM	#5
Opie55 Colonel 1195 Rep 2,907 Posts Drives: '15 650i Convertible Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: US iTrader: (0)	What was rare about it?
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09-12-2023, 08:12 AM	#6
TGrits10 Private First Class 17 Rep 104 Posts Drives: 2015 650i GC Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Jupiter FL iTrader: (0)	This is totally unsolicitied advice, so take it for what it's worth, but... Unless you're specifically looking to pick up a rough example and restore it, this car screams "Run, don't walk, the hell away immediately." It's already an aging German luxury car with some miles on it, and THEN both the car itself and the seller are tossing up red flags left and right.
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09-24-2023, 08:15 PM	#7
Bavariane31 Enlisted Member 9 Rep 39 Posts Drives: ‘03 530iA Sport Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (0)	Ended up picking it up at a $3k discount. Honestly if it wasn't for the options list I would have never considered it because I know I won't find another car like it. The dealership was shady and I fully expect to be correcting a lot of things in the future. Already found out a lot of additional little things that need to be corrected. Coming from the E39 platform that constantly had things go wrong I think I will feel at home. But basically when I was shopping I wanted an 640i (N55 is just more reliable and easier to work on). Moonstone with Opal White / Amaro Brown interior and sport package. Rare because most Individual cars are M6s or 650is. Pretty much the only reason why I went for the car. It is really unfortunate that it wasn't cared for properly. Plus it was local made it just that much easier.
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09-25-2023, 12:09 AM	#8
Opie55 Colonel 1195 Rep 2,907 Posts Drives: '15 650i Convertible Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: US iTrader: (0)	That’s definitely a rare car. Maybe one of a kind. Post some pics.
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09-25-2023, 02:40 AM	#9
Suck9o New Member 0 Rep 10 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: UK London iTrader: (0)	Seems like you just have to replace everything which would be so expensive doing all 3 shades.
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09-25-2023, 08:41 AM	#10
Bavariane31 Enlisted Member 9 Rep 39 Posts Drives: ‘03 530iA Sport Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (0)	Yeah all 3 shades is a problem. The car has tint so I’ll probably end up not using them. I’ll try to see what’s wrong and fix them though. Is a replacement really the only option?! Seems like a known problem with this platform. Several buttons need replacing (start/stop, parking brake, trunk lid release) and the top trunklid seal is peeling away. Seems like all common problems though. I’ll post a picture a bit later once more things are squared away; Needs an interior detailing. Right now I have too many house projects to complete. If there’s a link to common problems with the 640i let me know! I’m probably going to add a metal charge pipe at least….
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