I want to know how to estimate the likely SoCal private-party sales price of my existing vehicle (a low-miles 04 330i). This estimate is key to my decision of whether to do an ED buy of an E90 Xi or not. When I bought the 330i I really wanted an Xi, but those are as rare as hen's teeth in SoCal. I want the new car, but I certainly don't *need* it.

I bought the 04 330i last October (an ad car at a $7k+ discount) after having no success in finding a good value on a <2-yr old used 3-series in SoCal. I searched for used cars for 2 months. The only private-party cars I found had salvage VINs. Dealer prices were more than I paid for the new 04 330i! This experience led me to believe there isn't much of a market for $30k+ PP vehicles here.

I've seen many postings from SoCal EDers. Does anyone care to share their experience in buying or selling a newer BMW private-party? Specifically:

* How did your price compare to KBB, Edmunds, etc.?
* How did the buyer & seller meet (forum, CraigsList, AutoTrader, newspaper, other)?
* How long did it take?
* Would KBB-like sources be more unreliable or discontinuous than normal because the E90 just came out?

Thanks - Michael