2013 and earlier BMW 3-Series Prices Paid and Buying Experience

blueguydotcom

They claimed because it was ED and i was only paying a dealer markup of 2 points on the MF that they wouldn't accept MSDs. Very lame. AFAIK MSDs aren't something a dealer can pull off the table.

Hopefully, kfydx knows for certain. I honestly didn't know a dealer could refuse to do MSDs on a lease.

blueguydotcom

He's probably screwing you over in more than one way. Did you get a production number on your car? you should have been able to log into owner's circle and track the production of the car.

Ask for it right now. Demand it, actually.

My money is on this unsavory scenario:

1. The dealer didn't provide you with a production number.
2. You got a fairly good deal on the car.
3. Someone else came in requesting a car like yours - including your color and that joker wanted to pay msrp right now - no haggling.
4. a salesman looked up cars being delivered and saw yours.
5. The salesman talked to his manager/your salesguy and they devised their clever plan: take the higher profit now, offer the other guy (you) a different color and/or make him wait for a new car.

Not a plesant scenario but I know an Audi dealer did this to my sister.

From the get-go your production number will let you see exactly what you ordered and its production status.

jd202

Here's what I just paid for this 325xi:
2006 BMW 3 Series
325xi 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
Optional Equipment
Titanium Silver Metallic Paint
ZCW Cold Weather Package
693 Satellite Radio Preparation

MSRP: $34,895
Invoice: $32,000
Edmunds' What others are paying near Boston: $33,571

My lease:
Cap Cost: 32,665
$0 down
Residual: 63% or 21983.85
MF: 0.0025
36 months, 12K miles
$433/mo +tax
=455/month
Amount due at signing: 1st month, $500 security, title reg, license, $198 doc fee, $825 acquisition fee totaling:
$2139.25

The price I paid was close to the invoice number they showed me, which included a MACO (advertising) charge and a dealer prep charge. I suspect some padding there and possibly in the acquisition fee and doc fee.

Also, it seems that there is some play with the money factor. I spoke to two dealers and they both came down on the money factor (one from 0.0029 to 0.0027, the other from 0.00275 to 0.0025). I found on a previous post that the BMW Finance money factor is 0.0025.

Also a suggestion about the What Others Are Paying number--most readers of this site are likely interested in some idea of the distribution--what are the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of what people are paying?

Hope this helps and thanks for the previous posts.

treknj

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is MSD and how is it applicable to a lease?

bartalk3

Where's the best place to buy a 330i in Chicagoland?

blueguydotcom

Multiple security deposit. Each one knocks 0.00007 off our MF. Right now you can buy 7 of them, which equals a 0.00049 reduction.

Say you get an MF of 0.00255, then seven MSDs would lower your MF to 0.00206.

The cost of an MSD is based on your payment rounded to the nearest fifty. So if your payment is 465, then each MSD would cost you $450.

At the end of your lease, BMW returns the MSDs to you.

Eassentially, you get to make 10% of more, tax-free, on your investment. In may case, the MSDs would have lowered my payments to about $395 a month, a savings over over $700 on payments. In other words, I would have made about 10-11% a year on that tax-free investment.

kyfdx

Really.. I've got no idea why they wouldn't do it..

The only thing I can surmise? Maybe the MSDs have to be "locked in" when you lock in the original rate...

IOW, if the original rate is .00225, then maybe you have to commit to the MSDs, and actually lock-in the reduction for an actual rate of .00176

I don't know if that is accurate, but it is the only thing that makes sense.... other than the dealer possibly not being happy with the deal that was agreed to.. and just being obstinate about helping you out (I wouldn't bet against this).

I think a whole lot got lost along with your CA getting sick.. Bad luck, I think..

Your lease payment is still dirt cheap, though.. You'll just have to depend on karma to take care of the dealer..

regards,
kyfdx

deathstar

A friend of mine is about to order a 330 convertible loaded in the Washington DC metro area. Is there any leverage in getting the price down from MSRP when ordering what you want or is sticker about the best you can expect? Also, if there is some room to haggle, when should it be done? When ordering or when the car comes in? Thanks

kyfdx

1) Dealers tend to hold a bigger profit margin on convertibles.. They generally won't go for the $500 over invoice deals.. That said, they should still be coming off MSRP.. A 330Ci convertible has about a $4500 spread between MSRP and invoice.. You should be able to negotiate $1500-$2000 off MSRP without too much trouble..

2) You definitely have to negotiate the price before ordering.. Get them to commit to a number ($2000 under MSRP?), then sit down and hash out the exact options you want..

regards,
kyfdx
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gafferdy

Hi Everyone,

Here is my situation. Last year I leased a 2005 325i, in San Diego CA. I was 21 years old (female) and didn't have anyone to go with me to the dealership.

I wanted to trade in my Lexus. I owed 2K on it at the time. It wasn't running very well and I really really wanted a beemer.

To make this long story short. I paid MSRP. I'm paying $575 per month for a $34,500 car. It was a horrible experience dealing with the sales people since I was an uneducated nieve buyer.

Is there anything I can do now? Would selling this car and paying off the difference smart? I don't even understand my contract. Can someone help me?

Firebird_EOU

Not much you can do now, hopefully it's not a long lease.
BMW does cover gap insurance when your car is totalled or stolen. Next time use on-line leasing firm to help you with the lease...

dl7265

What month did you purchase ? There were $2500 insentives as the E46 you purchased was being phased out. Either way whats done is done at this point . And the resale on a standard E46 is probably going to be horrible. Your best bet will be to ride the lease out. Unless KD has a better option to suggest.

DL

blueguydotcom

I honestly believe that's why he wouldn't let me get the MSDs. Far too many BMW managers simply don't understand MSDs. I called the biggest bimmer dealer in san diego and got the run-around regarding MSDs today. Eventually it came down to the salesman saying, "My manager said nobody does MSDs because it's a ripoff for the buyer. you can find better places to put your money." Wow. I really think BMW needs to educate their salespeople and managers.

Just to be clear, my using MSDs should not hurt the dealership in anyway, right? If that's so, then either obstinance or ignorance is to blame for the negative attitude my current dealer has.

Oh well...thanks again. And yeah, the deal is so good I really shouldn't be fretting about it.

dl7265

MSD's are certainly not advertised. But, if your leasing with BMW financial services surely someone can give a definitive answer why they are refusing to honor the program. Paying the MSD's up front I also don't see how the dealer is loosing out.

DL

jhin82

I live in Dallas area. I talked to Classic BMW in Richardson, they are basically offering me $1500 off MSRP if I get one from the lost. If I place an order, best they can do is $500 off MSRP. Is $1500 off consider to be good?

bdr127

He's probably screwing you over in more than one way. Did you get a production number on your car? you should have been able to log into owner's circle and track the production of the car.

Why the conspiracy theories?.... Any chance that they just screwed up? I'm not saying that they definitely did, but don't you think that someone could have just made a simple mistake? FYI: Not every dealer and salesperson is out to screw people....

blueguydotcom

If the salesguy can produce the production order with this guy's name on it and the error, I'll believe he didn't get yanked over. I have a copy of my production order and I've been able to watch the progress of my car (including its options) online during the whole process. Right now my car's on its way to the delivery center.

bdr127

Right, but why do you just assume that he's screwing the guy? The original poster didn't say anything about a production number in their first post, so why do you just assume he didn't get one?

blueguydotcom

I assume if he had been given a production number he would have looked up his car the entire time. I also assume because it's a dealership and his entire purchase just got royally screwed that the dealer pulled something underhanded. That's what dealers tend to do. If they're not watched closely, many will take advantage of buyers.

In this guy's case it seems quite possible that he negotiated a deal, had his car on order and someone with more dough right now was given the car by the dealership. That's not unheard of - especially in regard to ordered cars.

dl7265

I purchased from Classic, Mainly because their new dealership is going to be a few miles from me. Either way comes out of their allocation. I don't know why the price would be different ?

DL

jb77

I'm thinking of getting a 2006 BMW 325i. But, should I just wait a few months till the 2007 BMW 325 comes out and get that instead? It seems that the resale value of the car depends a lot on the year of the car.

The car I have right now runs fine and has not given me any trouble. Once I buy a new car, I'll be keeping it for another six years. I'm also considering Lexus IS250.

jhin82

BMW of Dallas is also offering $1500 off MSRP. I am just wondering $1500 off MSRP is good enough of deal.

dl7265

FWIW, that's the best price Ive seen in the DFW area. I don't think we will ever see the $500 over deals in NJ and Cali. What is the MSRP and Inv on the vehicle your wanting ? Id rather go up from Invoice than a straight amount off.

Also I had a bad experience with Auto nation aka BMW of Dallas..

DL

rroyce10

... **That's what dealers tend to do. If they're not watched closely, many will take advantage of buyers.**



We could also say: That's what customers tend to do. If they're not watched closely, many will take advantage of dealer .... like that doesn't happen every second of everyday ....

Terry.

blueguydotcom

That's hilarious. The buyer is at the mercy of the seller in a new car transaction. Yes he can negotiate but in the end the buyer still must find his way through document fees, points on loans, trade-in tricks, fake fees (double-charging MACO by pretending it's not part of the invoice listing), sales pitches related to fake/useless marked-up products (alarms, undercoating, lojack, sealants, clear bras, etc), the myriad of voices (salesman, his buddy salesmen, the manager, the finance person). What of all the psychological pressures and extortion that goes on during a car buying process: "Look how cool you look in this car." "I have a family to feed, you're killing me." "I had to go to bat for you with management but..." "We can't keep the lights on if we give the cars away." "If you don't give us all 5s, we suffer and I won't get a bonus." "I just want you to be happy."

This poor guy plunked down for a convertible. The dealership obviously didn't give him a production number so he could track his car. why would they do that? Perhaps it was an accident. I don't think so. Salespeople are savvy. Like home buying, those involved in selling cars like to treat buyers like a mushroom garden. It's to the benefit of the dealership that people can't see through the muck. The buyer's only leverage is the ability to walk.

bdr127

This poor guy plunked down for a convertible. The dealership obviously didn't give him a production number so he could track his car. why would they do that?

Has the original poster replied yet in response to you asking about a production number? Since he hasn't given any indication one way or the other, you should probably refrain from making cutting generalizations about salespeople.....

blueguydotcom

That's the problem, you don't like me voicing what the rest of the world tends to believe?

Not all people in prison are guilty, but the majority certainly aren't innocent.

kyfdx

Unless we have specific information about a 3-series buying experience, let's move on...

Plenty of forums here on Edmunds to gripe about salespeople and customers... (not my forums, fortunately).

thanks,
kyfdx
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stevedc34

I am looking to purchase 2006 325Xi...auto (1200), premium package(2900), cold weather package(850), sat prep(75), D&H (not sure what that is, 675)...I live in Pa.
MSRP 38500
She offered 37190

The car isn't on the lot so taking salesman's word that the MSRP is correct...any help would be greatly appreciated...thanks

mattr82

Hi Steve,
You might want to broaden your search to include New Jersey dealers (I ended up purchasing from Denville BMW for $488 over invoice). I don't know where in PA you are located, but all the dealers I e-mailed around Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley were not too negotiable. I did your car in Edmunds and came out to MSRP $38,595 Invoice $35,420. I would shoot for 36k for this car. Once you find out exactly how much the dealership charges for Doc Fee and how much you pay for Motor Vehicle charges, you can figure an out the door price. The $675 should be $695, and is the destination charge on all BMWS, pretty much an unnegotiable figure. You may also consider just getting the satellite radio outright, rather than paying 75 for the preparation. I have heard many skipping the preparation for the real deal,which should probably be cheaper in the end. Let me know if you have any more questions or concerns. Good luck,
Matt

Firebird_EOU

Try email a few internet mgrs in your nearby dealer for $1000 above invoice for out of the door price (include tax).

kmovva

2006 330i 4dr Sdn RWD
205 Automatic
ZPP Premium
ZCW Cold Weather
322 Comfort Access
4AD Aluminum Trim
417 Pwr Rear Sunshade
507 Rear PDC
609 Nav system
693 Sat Radio Prep
Titanium Silver Metallic
Gray leather

Dealer quoted $42519 (includes 180$ training fee, 400$ MACO) excl tax & lic. Invoice comes to $41920. So this is $599 over invoice.
Question 1: Good Deal?
Question 2: And my biggest confusion - I am open to Euro delivery for the better price, but should I wait for 2007 model as Euro delivery takes a while anyway.

mattr82

Prestige ended up matching by best price, $488 over invoice, but since they are an extra hour away from my house, and did not want to throw in wheel locks/all season mats, I ended up purchasing at Denville BMW. To give you an idea, I ended up getting my 330xi for 3137 off MSRP. Your price is 2625 off msrp. You should have 300-500 worth of play in the price you were given. I would advice getting the quote in writing, then forwarding it to other dealerships asking them to beat it. You can keep doing this until you have an unbeatable figure. I got my best responses from Difeo, Prestige, Hunterdon, and Denville. I ordered the car on Feb 18th and did all my contacts through e-mail. Let me know if you have any more questions. Good luck.
Matt

mattr82

I don't know the California market, you may have 200-300 worth of play in the price they gave you, but that looks to be pretty good. If they are unmovable on price, try to get them to throw in some accessories. I don't know how different the 07 model would be. Apparently a 335i is coming out soon, so it might be worth waiting. It also might be a considerable amount more expensive.

jabrolta

That is a good deal!!!! I paid about $44k out the door (VOB BMW in Rockville, MD) when I ordered my 2006 330i (Jet black, Premium, sport, and cold packages) in April 2005. What dealership did you order you car from? I might want to order a car from them. Thanks.

bmag65

I am looking to lease the following car:
2006 BMW 325i (Titanium Silver)
Automatic
Leather (Grey)
Sport Package
Premium Package
Heated Seats
Navigation
Satellite Radio Prep

The Terms I need are 3 years and 20K a year miles.

MSRP: $40,345
Invoice: $37,005

What can I expect for a monthly payment? I have access to $3-4K to put down. I live in California and the sales tax is 7.75%. The car will be leased by my company so the money is not out of my pocket. I have good contacts with the owner of the dealer so I am hoping I can get a purchase price somewhere between $500-$1000 over invoice.

Thank you in advance for any help.

treknj

Thanks a lot for your help! I asked my dealer about MSDs - he did not have an immediate answer but it all got worked out the next day without a single problem. It is a great deal, no question about it!

One thing though - he claims security deposit is calculated by rounding up to the the next fifty - not rounding to the nearest fifty. According to your algorithm, security deposit for $459 should be $450 and according to his it's $500. Not a big deal but would be nice to straighten it out if possible. Is there any published reference I could use?

Thanks once again!

dl7265

I wish I could complain about $500 over :sick:

DL

kyfdx

The dealer is correct... the security deposit is always rounded up to the next $50 increment..

However, if you are making the extra 7 MSDs, resulting in the lower money factor, then your payment may drop below the next lowest $50 increment... dropping the amount of each of your deposits.

kmovva

It was Weatherford BMW.

moneyball

Can someone please post the lease rates for March on a 2006 325ci and 2006 330ci. I am looking for a 2 or 3 year lease. Thanks.

kyfdx - thanks for your information last time.

blueguydotcom

Ky got your answer. Glad you hooked into a nice deal.

BMW NA didn't bother responding to my email about MSDs...that's so not cool.

bmag65

kyfdx -

Can you tell me how you would structure a lease deal on the following car?

2006 BMW 325i (Titanium Silver)
Automatic
Leather
Sport Package
Premium Package
Heated Seats
Navigation
Satellite Radio Prep

The Terms I need are 36 months 20K a year miles.

MSRP: $40,345
Invoice: $37,005

What can I expect for a monthly payment? I have access to $3-4K to put down. I live in California and the sales tax is 7.75%. The car will be leased by my company so the money is not out of my pocket. I have good contacts with the owner of the dealer so I am hoping I can get a purchase price somewhere between $500-$1000 over invoice.

Thank you in advance for any help.

kyfdx

First... a 60K lease is going to be very expensive.. The extra miles are $0.15/each..

I'll figure a 3yr/45K lease, then try to estimate the difference with the extra miles..

$40,345 MSRP
$38,000 Selling price (might be a stretch)
$38,625 Cap cost (selling price + $625 acquisition fee)
3yr/45K lease
.0025 money factor
62% residual
Payment = $538/mo.+tax = $580/mo.tax included.
Due at signing = 1st pymt, security deposit, title/license fees (approx. $1600 total)

With 20K mi./yr? A rough estimate is $640-$650/mo. including tax.. Keep in mind that you will be out of warranty for the last 10K miles.

In the first example, with 45K miles? You can use the MSD program and make 7 extra security deposits.. This will lower the money factor to .00201.. and lower the payment to $545/mo. including tax.. Of course, your security deposit will be $4400, instead of $600.. and your total due at signing would be about $5400.. The $4400 deposit is refundable at lease end.. With the MSD program, maybe $610-$615/mo. with the extra miles..

Of course, if the company is paying for it, it may not matter, but if I were driving that much, I'd just go ahead and buy the car..

regards,
kyfdx

tetnix

I am looking to buy a 2006 325i
with premium package, xenon headlight and auto. Invoice is 34075. I got a price quote of 34075+MACO(280)+500.
The dealer can give me free floor mat.
Is it a good deal?

kyfdx

That sounds great.. What is the MSRP?

regards,
kyfdx

tetnix

It is $37120.

tetnix

Actually I also got one from another with invoice+MACO+300. But I need to order the car and wait 8 weeks. So this is already good enough? I will go buy it then.

kyfdx

Yeah.. I really don't see how you can do much better...

Once you get that low, you are just picking up crumbs after that...

Ask for a full price, including all taxes and fees.. Just to make sure they aren't throwing in anything extra or bogus..

regards,
kyfdx
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phollie

With the support on leases, is it even worth it to by a used 325i? There is good interest rate of 3.9 making a payment around $470 for 60 months, but I'm starting to think I should consider a short term lease for the same or close money...what say you?