In August and again last month, I saw an ad in the Roundel Cars For Sale section of the classifieds for a 1973 318i with a VIN of 2250548. This VIN is very close to the VIN of my 1972 3.0 CS, so I looked up this VIN in the E9 registry and lo and behold, this VIN appears as a 1973 3.0 CS.
So, I sent off a note to the seller, who noticed this too. The seller informs me that he identified his car correctly as a 1973 3.0 CS, but that BMWCCA changed the ad he submitted to state that the car was a 318i.
I’m guessing many of you know where this is going.
Someone at BMWCCA ran this 7 digit VIN through a modern VIN system and found that this VIN corresponds to a 1988 European 318i. They then correct the classified ad accordingly.
I recognized his problem, of course, because I’ve discussed this with several BMW parts representatives, including a couple at BMW Classic Certified facilities. They often insist that the part I am seeking will not fit on a European 1987 318i, to which I respond that my car is not a 1987 318i. Apparently, BMWCCA has trouble with this too.
BMWCCA told the seller that they will correct the ad, but the seller has a check in hand for his car, so he’s not concerned.
I wrote a Letter to the Editor to Satch about this, but I doubt they will publish it. (If they didn’t publish the picture I sent them of the two Glas 1700 convertibles at Lime Rock in response to their article on the GLAS 1600 convertible, they probably won’t publish an obscure classic car VIN letter).
But if any of you seek to sell your car through Roundel, beware.
So, I sent off a note to the seller, who noticed this too. The seller informs me that he identified his car correctly as a 1973 3.0 CS, but that BMWCCA changed the ad he submitted to state that the car was a 318i.
I’m guessing many of you know where this is going.
Someone at BMWCCA ran this 7 digit VIN through a modern VIN system and found that this VIN corresponds to a 1988 European 318i. They then correct the classified ad accordingly.
I recognized his problem, of course, because I’ve discussed this with several BMW parts representatives, including a couple at BMW Classic Certified facilities. They often insist that the part I am seeking will not fit on a European 1987 318i, to which I respond that my car is not a 1987 318i. Apparently, BMWCCA has trouble with this too.
BMWCCA told the seller that they will correct the ad, but the seller has a check in hand for his car, so he’s not concerned.
I wrote a Letter to the Editor to Satch about this, but I doubt they will publish it. (If they didn’t publish the picture I sent them of the two Glas 1700 convertibles at Lime Rock in response to their article on the GLAS 1600 convertible, they probably won’t publish an obscure classic car VIN letter).
But if any of you seek to sell your car through Roundel, beware.
