BMW Buyer's Guide (Paperback)

~ (Author) "A smallish two-door sedan, the 1600-2 (later renamed 1602), first appeared with a 96-brake horsepower inline 4-cylinder engine and modest trimmings..." (more)
Key Phrases: service interval system, adaptive knock control, power steering filter, Engine Type, Transmission Manual, Front Pads (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

From the exotic M1 and 850Csi to the popular 3-, 5- and 7-Series sports luxury tourers, this all-color Buyer's Guide points the way through the full history of the BMW marque, and offers valuable specifications, production numbers, investment advice, and more. Take the "ultimate driving machine" out for a test drive before you buy!

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks; First edition (November 14, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760310998
• ISBN-13: 978-0760310991
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #313,693 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #37 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Buyers' Guides
  #57 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Buying & Leasing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More a picture book than a buyer's guide, August 8, 2003

By	Idoru69 (NY United States) - See all my reviews

This is fine as an illustrated guide to the different models, as there is a large photo and usually a few smaller detail photos for each model, along with some technical statistics following the photos, and snippets of owner commentary. The introductory "Buyer's Guide" chapter is a good 5-6 page guide on what to look for when evaluating a used BMW, or other brand for that matter. The rest of the guidance comes in the form of a 1-2 page intro to each model in which the changes to and quirks of the particular year or model are discussed, and then notes on the photos with arrows pointing to the problem areas on the car.

I guess I was expecting a bit more detail on what makes one BMW a better buy than another, comparisons of the different models, series, etc. Instead, I found the actual buying advice, while valuable, a bit skimpy.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read if you are shopping for a used BMW, October 28, 2002

By	An unhappy Trance Fan (VA United States) - See all my reviews

This actually is a pretty good book. There are a number of color photos for each car (it covers 2002's-e46 BMWs, even M models and the 8 series!) with text captions for problems to look for for each car. It lists the specifications for each model and provides a handy summary of repair costs and parts costs for items such as bumpers, fuel pumps, oil filters etc. I don't remember seeing a pricing guide for each car, but such information can easily be found in a bluebook or a website like edmunds.com.

This isn't a repair manual, but definatly gives a prospective buyer a number of things to think about and look for when shopping for a used BMW.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buying an used BMW? Read "BMW Buyer's Guide"., June 28, 2003

By	B. Yanaky (Toronto, Ontario, CANADA) - See all my reviews

Fred Larimer's "BMW Buyer's Guide" is not only a truly
informative book for anyone contemplating buying an
used BMW but, in addition, it is a treasure for anyone
interested in the BMW in general. Specifically, it
provides beautiful pictures of various BMWs with a
comprehensive outline of potential problem areas prone
to the models illustrated. More importantly, it
provides an useful and meticulous outline of the steps
to be followed in testing an used BMW prior to the
actual purchase of an used BMW and, by extension, any
used vehicle.