I'm scared to buy cars due to places like this! Doesn't help I'm still looking at the E46 330ci but it applies to most cars.
I didn't get a crazy long test drive in the car I bought from a small independant, was a blast down a stretch of NSL road and even got to overtake a few cars. Car was sat quite honestly, matching tyres with fronts a little low, discs were worn at the back but they sorted that out.
I did pay sticker but in the end they got the gearbox rebuilt a month later with no hassle to me. I didn't buy from another place as I didn't get the same feel from the guy and the front end was too good for a 83k car with patchy SH. To his credit he did just give me and a mate the keys and suggest a route we take.
My car also has 88k on it now vs a mates 40k in the basic same car, he's already replaced control arms whereas mine still feels nice and tight.....