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      03-23-2017, 02:29 PM   #1
SwolePatrol
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About to purchase a M235i !

Hey fellas,

I am about to purchase my first BMW! After a few dozen roses, some sweet talking, and a 2016 Tahoe LTZ... My wife agreed to let me have some fun and purchase a car that has "some" zip to it.

It is a Melbourne Red M235i which is fully loaded MINUS backup-camera and the driver's assistance package. The car is in beautiful condition and only has 2200 miles on it. Already has the blacked out kidney grills and a CF spoiler !

However, there is ONE thing that I am having a bit of an issue with. The dealer is insisting that it is a 2014 model (manufactured 07/2014), but when I type the VIN into any BMW VIN decoder it states that it is indeed a MY2015. Is there a sure-fire way to determine the MY? Thanks!

Last edited by SwolePatrol; 03-23-2017 at 02:53 PM..
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      03-23-2017, 02:53 PM   #2
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I'd guess the VIN decoder is correct. My 2016 MY was a 08/2015 build. I'm no expert, but pretty sure anything built after May or June roles over into the next MY. I am sure there are others on this forum that can give you the definitive answer. What does the title say the MY is?
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      03-23-2017, 03:02 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by p912guy View Post
I'd guess the VIN decoder is correct. My 2016 MY was a 08/2015 build. I'm no expert, but pretty sure anything built after May or June roles over into the next MY. I am sure there are others on this forum that can give you the definitive answer. What does the title say the MY is?
Thanks for shining some light! It's a German title, so it doesn't have the MY on it. It simply has the Make/Model/VIN. Either way I don't mind because I am most definitely buying this car, but I would just like to know for sure haha.
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      03-23-2017, 03:33 PM   #4
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Best advice I can give you. Give the VIN to another dealer, hopefully you're friendly with another one that isn't selling you the car. They can pull the full build sheet and get you a definitive answer. MORE IMPORTANTLY they can see if it has been flagged for anything that wouldn't show up on Carfax or whatever you guys use over there. I.e. If it came back with 2200 miles after some bullshit sensors not working replaced 10x going to be a nightmare for you. The records BMW keeps are much better than any third party service.

If you don't know another dealer call anyone and tell them you're about to buy a car, plan to have it serviced with them, so hoping they can do you a quick favor.
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      03-23-2017, 03:43 PM   #5
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Congrats, great choice and welcome. Good luck finding the correct model year.
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      03-24-2017, 12:57 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
Best advice I can give you. Give the VIN to another dealer, hopefully you're friendly with another one that isn't selling you the car. They can pull the full build sheet and get you a definitive answer. MORE IMPORTANTLY they can see if it has been flagged for anything that wouldn't show up on Carfax or whatever you guys use over there. I.e. If it came back with 2200 miles after some bullshit sensors not working replaced 10x going to be a nightmare for you. The records BMW keeps are much better than any third party service.

If you don't know another dealer call anyone and tell them you're about to buy a car, plan to have it serviced with them, so hoping they can do you a quick favor.
I hear what you're saying! But the thing is, I am buying this from the BMW Dealer, albeit I'm in Germany.. haha. The Carfax and title are both clean as well. I guess I could always just call BMW USA, give them the VIN and see what they say.
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      03-24-2017, 02:16 AM   #7
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I think that p912guy is correct, every car built after may or june is a "next year". This thing seems to be very common in the US, but generaly in europe year build = year model, that's why the dealer insists on 2014.

Anyway, great choice ! The M235i will give you a lot of smiles
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      03-24-2017, 04:48 AM   #8
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Yeah I figured it was an "European-ism". However, I just don't want to run into any issues when I bring it to the states and am trying to register it as it's reflected as a 2014 on my financing Haha.

EDIT:

Well I had my sales agent dig into it, since it is a US Spec, it's definitely a MY2015. However, since it was registered on the German system, they had to sell it as a 2014. Looks like I got even more of a bargain ! Can't wait to drive it again!

Last edited by SwolePatrol; 03-24-2017 at 05:03 AM..
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      03-24-2017, 05:49 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SwolePatrol
Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
Best advice I can give you. Give the VIN to another dealer, hopefully you're friendly with another one that isn't selling you the car. They can pull the full build sheet and get you a definitive answer. MORE IMPORTANTLY they can see if it has been flagged for anything that wouldn't show up on Carfax or whatever you guys use over there. I.e. If it came back with 2200 miles after some bullshit sensors not working replaced 10x going to be a nightmare for you. The records BMW keeps are much better than any third party service.

If you don't know another dealer call anyone and tell them you're about to buy a car, plan to have it serviced with them, so hoping they can do you a quick favor.
I hear what you're saying! But the thing is, I am buying this from the BMW Dealer, albeit I'm in Germany.. haha. The Carfax and title are both clean as well. I guess I could always just call BMW USA, give them the VIN and see what they say.
Suit yourself , but the fact that you're buying from a BMW dealer makes zero difference. They want to sell the car. They're not going to disclose anything the don't have to.
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      03-24-2017, 06:53 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
Suit yourself , but the fact that you're buying from a BMW dealer makes zero difference. They want to sell the car. They're not going to disclose anything the don't have to.
Wouldn't hurt to look it up. I'll definitely give it a try!
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      03-24-2017, 10:41 AM   #11
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Weren't the M badges removed from the front fenders after the MY2014? Should be an easy tell.
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      03-25-2017, 05:54 AM   #12
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The M235i I am purchasing doesn't have M badges on the front fenders, but the dealer did confirm it is a US SPEC MY 2015. I am just in the process of getting all of the historical data from BMW.
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      03-25-2017, 08:24 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SwolePatrol View Post
The M235i I am purchasing doesn't have M badges on the front fenders, but the dealer did confirm it is a US SPEC MY 2015. I am just in the process of getting all of the historical data from BMW.
Applaud you for doing your due diligence. I've been an owner since September and it's a wonderful experience so far.
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      03-25-2017, 11:12 AM   #14
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When I picked up my car with ED, I got one of the first 2016 models off of the assembly line after their July shut down. They had stopped making 2015 models at the beginning of July then they closed down the plant in Leipzig for a few weeks. My 2016 model was built July 20 something. I believe that this is their regular schedule, so May and June cars would be the older year model, and a July car would be the newer year model.
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      03-25-2017, 11:21 AM   #15
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I'm gong to be a schmo and chime in with this. The parking sensors and rear view camera are my favorite option in my 235 - pretty sure it helped me protect my lower front air-dam portion of the bumper, and makes backing up a little easier - this a car as a daily driver.
If the car were a weekend and strictly for the drives then the camera/sensor option may not be as important.
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      03-25-2017, 11:58 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SwolePatrol View Post
However, there is ONE thing that I am having a bit of an issue with. The dealer is insisting that it is a 2014 model (manufactured 07/2014), but when I type the VIN into any BMW VIN decoder it states that it is indeed a MY2015. Is there a sure-fire way to determine the MY? Thanks!
I purchased my 2014 228 through the BMW dealer in Graf before I retired. It also had roughly the same mileage on it, 2700. In Europe, especially Germany, they are straight forward with model year designation, unlike the US where it's confusing. In Germany it will be a 2014, once you get back to the US it will be a 2015 model as the VIN decoders state. This is due to a couple of reasons that I found out when bringing my car back here after I retired. First, the US insurance and registration systems will know it's a 2015MY car because that's the way it's set up, hence why the VIN decoders are telling you that info. They think you are in the US because it comes up as a US Spec car. In Germany however, they don't care about how it's configured in the US even if it's a US Spec car. Hope this helps a little.

Prost!!!
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      03-25-2017, 03:16 PM   #17
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Model Year

Hi, As many have stated, the production year and the model year are not always the same. I was just out looking under the hood of my M235 and noticed that there is an Emissions Control sticker near the top center of the hood. It states the model year on it. Mine clearly states 2016 even though it was produced in 2015.The one on the door pillar has the production date. Hope this helps.
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      03-26-2017, 05:02 AM   #18
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Thanks everyone for the replies! Yes I absolutely love the parking sensors and backup camera, it just so happens this car did not have those options. I think I'll look into purchasing the front/back camera options that bimmerpost offers.

I am so excited to get back in the drivers seat of this car I almost cannot contain myself! Test drive was awesome since I took it on the autobahn and drove it like I stole it haha. I also intend to do some coding to get a few of the idrive features unlocked, mainly the digital speedo.

Lastly, after looking into the vehicle, all seems to be in good working order. I have yet to find any derogatory marks either from BMW, Carfax or the VIN. So I think I seriously just got lucky and hit a gold mine.

The back story of the car is pretty simple, a US Soldier bought the car, however due to deployments etc, he had to sell it back to the dealer. I am now just waiting on a "letter of release" from the German title office and then once my car is ready for pickup I can register it on post. Another thing that is holding it up is that they have to change the rear turn signals from amber to red (German to US spec).

I am so excited to have my own vehicle and not share with the wife haha.
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