Inspection checklist

Before you go

• Open recalls. Run the VIN through NHTSA or a BMW dealer and ask for proof every recall was done.
• History report. Check the title, accidents, owners and mileage record.
• Service records. Ask for them in advance, ideally from a BMW dealer or specialist.
• Independent inspection. Book a pre-purchase inspection with a shop that knows this engine.

Known problems on this car

• Rod bearing wear about $5,000 to fix

  Ask for receipts showing when the bearings were replaced and at what mileage. Without them, budget for the job, and listen for a knock.

• VANOS pump and solenoids about $4,000 to fix

  Look for VANOS work in the records, and check for warning lights and a rough idle.

• SMG hydraulic pump about $2,500 to fix

  On SMG cars, check that shifts are clean and ask about the pump and the clutch wear reading.

• Cooling system aging about $1,000 to fix

  Look for a cooling system refresh in the records, and check for coolant smell or dried residue around the hoses and tank.

• Throttle actuator failure about $900 to fix

  Check for an engine warning light or limp mode, and look for actuator work in the records.

At the viewing

Receipts for rod bearings with the date and mileage, rebuilt or replaced throttle actuators, VANOS pump and solenoid work, and on SMG cars the pump and clutch wear; a cold start with no knock or rattle; a complete service history; a VIN check that the 2012 battery cable recall on 2007 to 2010 cars (12V-126) was done; and, with an adult in the passenger seat, no restraint system or air bag warning. M6 owners report the passenger seat occupancy mat failing as it does on the E60 M5, which switches that air bag off, and BMW told one owner that its recall for the mat did not cover the car.