The Greatest BMW Restoration Shop In The World: EAG (Enthusiast Auto Group)

[eddiehaug]

[BMWCCA1]

If you can call buying BMWs with the lowest mileage possible and turning them around to sell at four-times what you paid Restoration? More power to them. The Bit Coin of used-car dealers.

[328dabi]

This is a used car dealership that built its reputation flipping low mileage rare spec BMW’s (mostly M models). More power to them as they have had and continue to offer very nice product (despite their insane prices, but like I said….more power to them as it’s obviously working very well for them). That said, it’s hardly the “greatest restoration shop” in the world.

[tcphoto]

I remember buying my first BMW, an E46 325Cic back in '09 and reading about them on the E46fanatics forum. They reconditioned mainly M cars and ZHP's and were at the top of the price range. Their inventory is impressive but they didn't make a great first impression.

[Efthreeoh]

Wait, at 21:50 the guy said "Beamer Forums". Really?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

If you can call buying BMWs with the lowest mileage possible and turning them around to sell at four-times what you paid Restoration? More power to them. The Bit Coin of used-car dealers.

Agree.

Late last year for about 9 or 10 months they had a 1989 E30 325is with 34,000 miles (IIRC). Super clean. Had been out and back a few times through EAG. They started at $60K for the price. I followed it from January until June when I think it sold. I think I saw it in the video. The last price I saw it for on their Website was $50K.

I strongly considered it. I did the math on inflation and the $50K price was about in line with what someone may have paid for a used '89 E30 325is in, say 1992 with 34,000 miles on the clock. The inflation price (2024) was a bit high for a used E30 in 1992. EAG plays on the emotion of the buyer and kinda sells timecapsule cars (even if they refurbished them). If one wants to travel back in time it costs money.

I decided not to buy it because I was afraid I'd remember thinking the E30 drove better than it actually did. I had my non-is E30 for 18 years and it co-lived with my now ragged out E90 for some 5 months. I gave the E30 up for the E90 in 2006. I have to keep remembering why. Parting with $50K now to go back in time was just too tall an order. All in all it was still a 35-year old car. The E90 is a great driving car and better than the E30. If not just slightly.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Agree.

Late last year for about 9 or 10 months they had a 1989 E30 325is with 34,000 miles (IIRC). Super clean. Had been out and back a few times through EAG. They started at $60K for the price. I followed it from January until June when I think it sold. I think I saw it in the video. The last price I saw it for on their Website was $50K.

I strongly considered it. I did the math on inflation and the $50K price was about in line with what someone may have paid for a used '89 E30 325is in, say 1992 with 34,000 miles on the clock. The inflation price (2024) was a bit high for a used E30 in 1992. EAG plays on the emotion of the buyer and kinda sells timecapsule cars (even if they refurbished them). If one wants to travel back in time it costs money.

I decided not to buy it because I was afraid I'd remember thinking the E30 drove better than it actually did. I had my non-is E30 for 18 years and it co-lived with my now ragged out E90 for some 5 months. I gave the E30 up for the E90 in 2006. I have to keep remembering why. Parting with $50K now to go back in time was just too tall an order. All in all it was still a 35-year old car. The E90 is a great driving car and better than the E30. If not just slightly.

Nostalgia can be a hell of a thing.

[Efthreeoh]

Maybe I'm wrong but seems unusual some internet influencer buys into the company, then publishes an in-depth video on the workings of EAG. Maybe they are over-charging for the hardware and sales are down?

[IcewaterPete]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Maybe I'm wrong but seems unusual some internet influencer buys into the company, then publishes an in-depth video on the workings of EAG. Maybe they are over-charging for the hardware and sales are down?

Ye ole pump and dump.

[David70]

I laugh at the criticism for EAG, they buy nice cars and sell them to people that want to buy them for as much money as they can get.

Note to everyone here, it's capitalism, I have worked in manufacturing my whole life, we continue to try to get as much as we can for everything we build. I personally try to get as much as I can for everything I sell, if this upsets you so be it.

Laughing at the idea a place upsets people because they charge too much. Market will sort it out, are they doing anything to deceive anyone or just people but*heart over the prices some are willing to pay or the product they sell?

I'm sure with any used car dealership there are reports of people not being 100% satisfied, but any real trend or facts on them selling cars that aren't what they seem?

[celsdogg]

Originally Posted by David70

I'm sure with any used car dealership there are reports of people not being 100% satisfied, but any real trend or facts on them selling cars that aren't what they seem?

No, I have never seen any complaints. I loath things like EAG and BAT (as someone who is more of a buyer than a seller) but everyone has always been happy with the product they get from EAG. I've watched before as really clean cars are about to go to private buyers only to suddenly disappear and end up at EAG a couple months later. They have a good eye, a meticulous hand with prices to match.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by celsdogg

No, I have never seen any complaints. I loath things like EAG and BAT (as someone who is more of a buyer than a seller) but everyone has always been happy with the product they get from EAG. I've watched before as really clean cars are about to go to private buyers only to suddenly disappear and end up at EAG a couple months later. They have a good eye, a meticulous hand with prices to match.

There's been a few nice E30's on BaT this week. But, I have to be suspect of some of the cars. A Bronzit '89 sold for $18,750 yesterday. 57,000 reported miles. The bidding went like this:

$5,000 - 1st day
$10,000 - 2nd day (one single $5K jump - minimum bid increment was $250 - why?)
$10,500 - 3rd day
$12,000 - 5th day
$12,500 - 5th day
$13,000 - 6th day at 3 PM
$18,000 - 6th day at 11 PM (another single $5K jump - day before closing)*
$18,500 - 7th day in the morning
$18,750 - two minutes before auction close.

The car had some questionable issues, like one (1) Carfax damage report with no details, a replaced right fender, chipped edges on the door pillar stickers, peeled DOT VIN body panel stickers, the Seller said he had no history of the car from the previous owner (2018) because the PO "lost the paperwork in a house move" - LOL. The Carfax report showed a huge gap of time (10 years) when the car accumulated nearly no mileage.

It was incredibly clean. Interior immaculate. Paint nearly perfect. Door dings/paint chips on the driver's door right on the beltline edge (not repairable by PDR). Lots of new parts (reportedly).

* the BS with a $5K bid bump the day before closing... riiigghhtt. The bidder then doesn't come back to buy it at $18,750 or $19,000? Sure.

I guess with EAG you avoid such BaT auction BS, but you pay for it in return for a professional refurb and clean history report; I guess...

[mjj]

Originally Posted by David70

I laugh at the criticism for EAG, they buy nice cars and sell them to people that want to buy them for as much money as they can get.

Note to everyone here, it's capitalism, I have worked in manufacturing my whole life, we continue to try to get as much as we can for everything we build. I personally try to get as much as I can for everything I sell, if this upsets you so be it.

Laughing at the idea a place upsets people because they charge too much. Market will sort it out, are they doing anything to deceive anyone or just people but*heart over the prices some are willing to pay or the product they sell?

I'm sure with any used car dealership there are reports of people not being 100% satisfied, but any real trend or facts on them selling cars that aren't what they seem?

I assume you must know the owners being that your location is listed as Cincy.

[David70]

Originally Posted by mjj

I assume you must know the owners being that your location is listed as Cincy.

No, lots of BMW places in Cincinnati where I don't know the owners. EAG isn't a magical location for BMW owners in Cincinnati, just another independent repair shop where some get their BMW's worked on & unless you are looking to buy a used BMW & buy the type of car they sell, there isn't much reason to go there. I haven't been there in probably 6 years & this was because I was close and decided to see what they had on their lot. I had some basic maintenance done there years ago, mostly DIY after that, no issue with them.

Unlikely I would buy a BMW from EAG as it isn't my kind of place, you end up with less risk/hassle & you can get some of the best cars in the country but you will pay a lot. If I ran a used car lot this is what I would strive for, a place known for having good/great cars, long history in business & people are willing to pay top dollar to get their cars from them. I find it bizarre that people get upset with their business model.

[BMWCCA1]

The argument is not with the condition of EAG's cars, but the portrayal of them as a restoration shop.

Which they are not.

[BeEmVe]

I have seen some of their vehicles for sale. As said, they are not restoration shop but a used car dealer and indy service center. A very niche used car dealer and indy service center. I can see the appeal of buying from and getting service from such a dealer.

As for what they do with with a vehicle, their website discusses rejuvenating a vehicle. I think that is accurate. Whoever did the video is not.

[KevinC]

Virtually all of the heat I've seen thrown at EAG over the years is from people who have never done business with them. Now that Eric is gone (RIP!) and even his brother has now sold out, I have no idea how they will be moving forward under new ownership. But back when Eric was running the show, I did business with them twice and wouldn't hesitate to again. Yes, you pay a premium, but for a premium, fully-sorted car. I bought an E39 M5 from Eric back when they were still pretty affordable ($31,900 for an '02 with 59k miles in 2015) and was 100% satisified with my purchase and what I paid. Eventually sold it back to him and it was a fair deal for both of us.

Try to find someone who has been a customer who had a bad experience or was otherwise unhappy with the car they bought - I think I've seen ONE in my 18 years of various BMW ownership and forum participation.

[David70]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

If you can call buying BMWs with the lowest mileage possible and turning them around to sell at four-times what you paid Restoration? More power to them. The Bit Coin of used-car dealers.

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

The argument is not with the condition of EAG's cars, but the portrayal of them as a restoration shop.

Which they are not.

You're the one that called them the "bitcoin of used cars", what you really mean is you have no issue with the condition of EAG's cars they just aren't a restoration shop. Got it.

[Hadden14]

I have used EAG numerous times throughout the years for maintenance and paint work, never had an issue with the service provided or the people I dealt with. They have carved a niche into the BMW market and it seems to have served them well.

The cars on their lot and in their "vault" are certainly impressive, I am just not an EAG buyer and I am fine with that. I hope that the new ownership/staff can keep it going, I appreciate having something nationally (globally?) known related to M cars being local.

[///MPhatic]

Restoration, that's comical.

I do appreciate their ability to buy, and offer the rarest of BMW's though, and if I ever need an E36 LW they'll be the first place I call.

[Pauly Wauly]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

There's been a few nice E30's on BaT

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1989-bmw-325i-189/

One owner, and it looks in really good condition.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Pauly Wauly

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1989-bmw-325i-189/

One owner, and it looks in really good condition.

Yeah, I was looking at that one. Seemed like a lot of rust for an E30 that "spent the majority of its time" in the state of North Carolina. I owned a 1989 E30 from new for 18 years and 256,000 miles, so I have a lot of familiarity with the model. My car spent nearly 3 years being daily driven in Manhattan/Yonkers and daily driven the rest of the time in Maryland/Virginia, which gets a lot more snow than Charlotte, North Carolina. That E30's front control arms and diff had significant rust on them. And I have a 1997 Z3 Roadster also bought new, which is basically an E30/E36 underneath, daily driven in Maryland between the burbs north of Washington DC to Aberdeen, Maryland, it has nowhere near that level of corrosion.

And typical of BaT, someone half an hour before bid closing jumps the price by $3,500 from $11,500 to $15,000 but then doesn't bid afterwards to when the bidding when from $15,000 to $15,750 in $250 increments? If you can jump the price $3,500 well in advance of the closing time, you can certainly go another $1,000 to win the car. Again, BaT bidding BS.