Thoughts on the CAT d CSL

[gingernuts]

Hi gents,

Just wanted to know what people think about the CAT D CSL the Nick Johnson Has at the minute.

To me, if it passes a BMW inspection it could be a very cheap route to a low mileage CSL. And given the fact that the number of CSL's is going to fall as they are written off/broken for parts, it should still go up in value (granted proportionally not as much but it should still rise).

Is there more to the story that people may be aware of?

The other thing i noticed is if you look carefully at the photos, it sits lower on one side than the other at the back.....cracked springs? subframe? uneven ground?

http://www.nickjohnsonmotorco.co.uk/used-cars/bmw-m3-m3-2dr-abingdon-201227477365128

Apologies if this has been covered before or is in the wrong section!

[Steve B]

I was considering the same car back in September, but I decided to leave it due to the resale value when I come to sell.

Not alot of help really but just my insight into them.


Cheers
Steve

[Bounce]

Hi gents,

Just wanted to know what people think about the CAT D CSL the Nick Johnson Has at the minute.

To me, if it passes a BMW inspection it could be a very cheap route to a low mileage CSL. And given the fact that the number of CSL's is going to fall as they are written off/broken for parts, it should still go up in value (granted proportionally not as much but it should still rise).

Is there more to the story that people may be aware of?

The other thing i noticed is if you look carefully at the photos, it sits lower on one side than the other at the back.....cracked springs? subframe? uneven ground?

http://www.nickjohnsonmotorco.co.uk/used-cars/bmw-m3-m3-2dr-abingdon-201227477365128

Apologies if this has been covered before or is in the wrong section!Id rather have a higher mileage one that wasn't a cat D,but that's only my opinion:wink:

[CraigMillwardCroft]

Id rather have a higher mileage one that wasn't a cat D,but that's only my opinion:wink:
If the car was a keeper then maybe, but the best ones to keep are the straight ones, Cat D will always be a knocking point when up for sale :-D

[cslsuperfan]

Without repeating the good people on here, a keeper, possibly but for resale you will be lumbered. NJ has had this car for some time now and previous cat d's on PH have taken an age to sell unless heavily discounted.
Spend an extra 5K and get a straight cesil with BMWSH. Spring 2013 will be the time as 12 month ownerships will be coming to an end.;)

[s.mac]

seems a bit steep for a cat d?? would be OK if you were going to cage it up, strip it etc and then sell caged up, but always a stumbling block for resale
IMO

[gingernuts]

Just confirming my doubts really gents. For me it would be a cheaper (would be making an offer not taking it at asking price) way into a CSL. But I wanted to gauge opinion on it as at the end of the day its guys like you that will buy it, and if you wouldn't then it'll be a hard sell and isn't for me!

[CraigMillwardCroft]

Just confirming my doubts really gents. For me it would be a cheaper (would be making an offer not taking it at asking price) way into a CSL. But I wanted to gauge opinion on it as at the end of the day its guys like you that will buy it, and if you wouldn't then it'll be a hard sell and isn't for me!
You certainly would not be able to sell it quick enough to fund a house purchase, and it would not be an investment :whistle:

[Neil M]

Just confirming my doubts really gents. For me it would be a cheaper (would be making an offer not taking it at asking price) way into a CSL. But I wanted to gauge opinion on it as at the end of the day its guys like you that will buy it, and if you wouldn't then it'll be a hard sell and isn't for me!

This car has been about for quite some time now 18 months:
My notes when looking for one:
"PH, CSL, Plate: M3 XCL (04), colour: Silver Grey, mileage: 35,500, number of owners: 5, price: £20,500, seller: Nick Johnson, location: Abingdon NOTE: Cat D (price reduced was £23,500)

For this car to sell it needs to be 18K realistically and needs a buyer that is either; going to keep it, until the wheels drop off, or someone who will use it purely as a track car.
You wouldn't buy it as a daily driver or as an investment, no matter how good it is or who checks it over, the Cat D is indelibly impressed on the V5 which also has the effect of making it almost impossible to insure.

Bottom line stay well away, no matter how tempted.
Just for info NJ is also a register member :whistle:

[gingernuts]

Cheers guys, glad I asked now, some helpful input.

SO on a side note, anyone know why its lower on one side at the back?

[Ramsden15]

Perhaps it makes more sense as a export where the cat d become largely irrelevant.

[Neil M]

Cheers guys, glad I asked now, some helpful input.

SO on a side note, anyone know why its lower on one side at the back?

Curiosity killed the cat :hahaha: Why don't you just nip down and see if you've a spare 12+hrs, make it a romantic weekend away, special treat just as a sweetener, Abingdon is a nice place particularly down by the river.:thumbs:

[Neil M]

Perhaps it makes more sense as a export where the cat d become largely irrelevant.

I was wondering if you would turn up :hahaha: that Cat D will travel with it wherever it goes within the EU beyond that who knows, probably end up as a 12K mls. motor somewhere in the East.:thumbs:

[Steve B]

probably end up as a 12K mls. motor somewhere in the East.:thumbs:


Now theres an idea..... where's my passport lol:whistle:

[phoenixcsl]

I would buy a CAT-D car if the price was right, as you could potentially pick up a bargain.

However at nearly £21k, I think that car is over priced, but then it is at a dealer, so you get more options to you than a private sale.

I've seen a couple of Cat D CSL's go for £18k ish, depending on condition and the work (if any) that was needed to get them straight again.

More and more people are aware of the different categories in todays day and age, so I don't think re-sale would be a problem, having said that, it depends how much you can get it for as a CAT-D car will always be worth a lot less than a straight car, that car is certainly not an investment car imho.

A friend of mine has a CAT D csl and I have to say it's one of the cleanest CSL's i've ever seen, has BMW warranty etc, looking at his car and knowing the history behind it, it certainly wouldn't put me off buying one, but again the price has to be right.

E46 M3 / CSL's etc can sit 10mm lower on one side, I believe it's to do with the fuel tank and how it's situated, though I stand corrected if that's incorrect.

[Levente]

you buy it if you are a csl fanatic. thats that. :supz:

[Steve B]

How about.....

http://www.cslregister.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9422

[cslsuperfan]

i know some will say i've got a commission coming to me upon the sale of M500 CSL, but steve b's linky to this car is bang on.
it's the best csl on the register for sale @ the mo..
:-D
please all the guy's seriously looking for cesil's , look no further.
great price,great spec,it's an 04 so subframe will be covered and it's modded with all you need .:-D

[Ramsden15]

i know some will say i've got a commission coming to me upon the sale of M500 CSL, but steve b's linky to this car is bang on.
it's the best csl on the register for sale @ the mo..
:-D
please all the guy's seriously looking for cesil's , look no further.
great price,great spec,it's an 04 so subframe will be covered and it's modded with all you need .:-D

I am sure this may very well be true against the other openly advertised cars and I am sure all serious buyers have contacted EVLXGE already, but until he returns to the UK next year it is difficult for anybody to buy it.

There are so few quality cars for sale at the moment I am sure EVLXGE could have it sold before he gets out of the airport.

[gingernuts]

That does look a cracking car, and will contact about it. Was ideally looking for a 2004 for better warranty options, but its hard to pass on a car as nice on that at that price!

[0836whimper]

Was ideally looking for a 2004 for better warranty options

How does that work ?

[Bounce]

How does that work ?12year corrosion warranty on cars registered after Jan 04, instead of 6 years for us 03 ers:(

[Neil M]

12year corrosion warranty on cars registered after Jan 04, instead of 6 years for us 03 ers:(

I still don't understand this, it's ridiculous as they all came of the production line in 03, what difference can there possible be to when it's registered.

That effectively penalises and discriminates against those people who actually were at the front of the queue when it came to stumping up their £58K :bigcry: as opposed to those that couldn't make up their minds for 6 months.:119:

Is the written in stone somewhere? or is it another self perpetuating myth like NJ's magnesium's. I don't think it would stand up to a legal challenge :supz:

[O'Neill]

I still don't understand this, it's ridiculous as they all came of the production line in 03, what difference can there possible be to when it's registered.

That effectively penalises and discriminates against those people who actually were at the front of the queue when it came to stumping up their £58K :bigcry: as opposed to those that couldn't make up their minds for 6 months.:119:

Is the written in stone somewhere? or is it another self perpetuating myth like NJ's magnesium's. I don't think it would stand up to a legal challenge :supz:

There was a lot of acid rain late 2003;)

[Bounce]

I still don't understand this, it's ridiculous as they all came of the production line in 03, what difference can there possible be to when it's registered.

That effectively penalises and discriminates against those people who actually were at the front of the queue when it came to stumping up their £58K :bigcry: as opposed to those that couldn't make up their minds for 6 months.:119:

Is the written in stone somewhere? or is it another self perpetuating myth like NJ's magnesium's. I don't think it would stand up to a legal challenge :supz:Its not just CSLs,it was just when BMW changed their policy from 6years to 12years on their new cars.The cut off point had to be somewhere and it was Jan 04.It may have been fairer to have changed it on a model change or facelift even.

[Neil M]

Its not just CSLs,it was just when BMW changed their policy from 6years to 12years on their new cars.The cut off point had to be somewhere and it was Jan 04.It may have been fairer to have changed it on a model change or facelift even.

They surely can't do that with a limited production vehicle like the CSL six months into the sales, as I said "it wouldn't stand up in court"

Policies are like socks they can be changed at will, but they're not always legal, the Yanks proved that. :supz:

[Pip1968]

Personally I do not see Cat D as a massive problem provided it is refelcted in the price. As these cars get older the supply will be limited and so things like warranty and servicing schedules will be less important ie the infamous 1200 run in and the 'every two years' if under the servicing mileage. I think someone else has already alluded to these points on another post. Probably the 1200 mile run in service discussion.

As a keeper (again dependant on price) it is definately not a problem in my eyes. As a short term investment obviously there may be problems selling it. Long term you will be fine especially if it were to have 'low' mileage in a few years (2023) .

To highlight this I shall mention my e39 M5 which I recently sold more from an economic point than any real wish to. I owned it for eight glorious years and never got any checks done on purchase apart from HPI. Anyway the buyer is a car sprayer and so touched it up once he got it and then found that it had had the rear quarter previously damaged. This did not come up on the HPI that I or he did. It may even have been a Cat D, who knows. Either way it was and is a fabulous car that I had the pleasure of owning.

Lastly I think a CSL and by definition OCD forum is probably the last place to find someone to support a Cat D purchase. You may as well ask if Continental tyres or polished 19" M3 wheels are good on CSLs.

It depends what you want I suppose.

Pip

[0836whimper]

12year corrosion warranty on cars registered after Jan 04, instead of 6 years for us 03 ers:(

Uh, ok.

Does it cover the exhaust bracket ?

If not, got to be pretty low down the list given the cars are all 10 years old and generally don't have a rust problem (hence the extension). I didn't even think about that when I bought mine.

[0836whimper]

Lastly I think a CSL and by definition OCD forum is probably the last place to find someone to support a Cat D purchase. You may as well ask if Continental tyres or polished 19" M3 wheels are good on CSLs.
Pip

Ha - don't mention the OCD ! We are al normal on here...

I've got tiny nick in one alloy and I can't stop noticing that.
Being a Cat D would tip me over the edge !

It's not rational at all.