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BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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Comments

  • tennbergtennberg Member Posts: 45
    Hello everyone,

    I am currently in the 31st month of a 39 month lease on a Volvo S80 2.9. To make a long story short, I am not buying the car at the end of the lease. In order to have a car that is more fitting for someone my age, I have done a lot of web browsing and even attended the New England Auto Show a few weeks ago to narrow down my choices. I am currently down to the following - Audi A4 (1.8T or 3.0, maybe quattro), BMW 3 Series (325i or 325xi), and the Saab 9-3 (Linear or Arc).
    I would like to get people's opinions on these model choices. For some further info, I live in Boston, MA, and do mostly short city/highway drives. Although I do like the styling of the BMW, I am not sure if it is worth the extra $2-4,000 over the base prices of the Audi or Saab. In addition, I only want to pay $1000 or so over invoice, and have heard that this is impossible with the BMWs (as one must pay MSRP for the privilege of getting into a BMW). If there were a way to get a dealer down to slightly over invoice on a BMW, I would be in one in a hearbeat. If there are any dealers like this in Massachusetts, by all means let me know. Some other thoughts - I have always driven front-wheel drive cars so the move to rear-wheel or AWD might be a bit challenging (I am not sure). I would also need a car that can handle both the weather and crappy roads here in Boston. Would the 325i/325xi be too small for someone my height (I'm 6'2)? The car did not seem as roomy as the A4 or 9-3 when I sat in it at the auto show.
    Thanks for the help, and I look forward to reading the replies.
  • soverypoornowsoverypoornow Member Posts: 74
    Steelhosel: I've had my '02 330i for going on six months now and have had no problems other than, interestingly, loose weather stripping on the driver's door.

    Tennberg: I'll let the smart people address your other points, but speaking from a 6' 4" point of view, I'm able to find a suitable position fine in my car. I drove the A4 and it did feel like just a bit more room than the 330i, but not much. I don't think the A4 steering wheel telescopes, which the 3er does. That helps a bit for comfort, too.

    As final editorial note, it's been six months and I still look forward to driving my car every single day -- and always with a great big dorky smile.
  • nobeenobee Member Posts: 194
    Jeff, I bought my '02 325i w/ the STEPtronic only because of the wife. Never had second thoughts about it but if I had to do it all over again and I was single, I would of saved the money and put it towards upgrading the stereo system. The 325i w/ the STEP didn't seem to have the acceleration I felt with the manual on my many test drives. Having said that, the STEP is silky smooth and somehow "knows" when you need that extra boost to pass a semi or whatever..
    One last comment: You're buying a 330ix, right? So I'm assuming you're in an area where you're concerned with possible rough weather or something like that. Well, then I'd recommend the STEP, because a manual just become another chore when you're worrying about that black ice or the snowy hill ahead of you.

    -nobee
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    I am facing the same situation as I shop for a sport sedan. To help you decide, you might want to check these cars' reliabiity ratings at jdpower.com. These ratings, plus comments on the Audi town hall, give me concern about buying an Audi. Also, the ratings suggest that BMW has solved many of their quality/reliability problems.

    I have ruled out the Saab since it is now owned by GM. I parted company with GM early this year after bad experiences with two GMC trucks and even worse treatment by GM customer "service".
  • tennbergtennberg Member Posts: 45
    Hi everyone,

    I have ruled out the 330 and 330xi because the added cost over the 325i/325xi doesn't seem to justify any performance difference. I am concerned, however, about going in to a dealer with the car priced out through Edmunds and presenting them with an amount $1,000-$1500 or so over invoice. It seems that BMW makes you pay MSRP no matter what. Is there a way to get slightly over invoice or any dealers in New England that will do this for me?
    I must admit that the 3 Series is the most expensive of the bunch (A4, 3 series, 9-3) and with the notion of having to pay MSRP just makes it that much more expensive.
    Thanks.
  • chashoangchashoang Member Posts: 19
    Steelhosel,Sovareypoornow: i too had the driverside door stripping replaced on my 2002 330ci before i bought the car. the car had 7,000 miles on it and the drivers door wouldn't close without really giving it a push. needless to say the dealer fixed it without a problem but did mention that it was a common problem on coupes, i'm not quite sure about sedans?

    Ever since that ( it might just be my imagination), but it seem like there is more wind noise than in my previous 01 325 sedan. I've never noticed the problem on a 01 330ci i test drove before, but maybe i just didn't drive it long enough. It could just be the diff. set up between coupe vs. sedan window setup, but could anyone comment?

    Also, congrats climatecontrol, also please e-mail me your radio info. You might want to consider posting it since many people have requested this info.

    thanx all.
  • steelhoselsteelhosel Member Posts: 2
    I purchased my my 2002 325ci at Flynn BMW in Pittsfield MA at $1500 over invoice. I ordered on Dec. 31 2001 and took delivery in March 2002. There was no real haggling, I had a quote from a dealership in Greensboro NC (my family lives near there) and they matched without question. I did have to pay for mats (which I expected) but they didn't try any tricks or games. I found them to be an extremely excellent dealership. My local Springfield MA dealership essentially told me that if I can get it at that price in NC then go. MSRP or nothing. Plus, I felt, the Springfield dealer looked at me and my age and assumed that I could't afford one anyway - no way to treat someone.
  • soverypoornowsoverypoornow Member Posts: 74
    It's the rubber on the upper exterior of the driver's side door that's coming off a bit. Not any of the interior stripping. Right now, it's just cosmetic and annoys me when I wash the car and the rag catches on it.

    BTW everyone, soverypoorwife is off the MINI kick and now wants to wait for a 1-series. It's scheduled MY 2004 or 2005? Whatever, more time to save. Yay.
  • ipatty13ipatty13 Member Posts: 47
    You can definitely snag a new 3 series under MSRP. While I am not familiar w/ the Boston market, if you expand your search radius, I am confident you can get at least 1,500 over invoice--especially if you use the "Rizzo Method" (search the web for this)

    I am a very strong advocate of the European Delivery program for extra savings, but this is not for everyone.

    Just DON'T believe that you must pay MSRP.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    These are all good choices - you should drive all cars and see which one you like best. The 3-series is very spacious inside and also very ergonomic. It may be a little more expensive than the A4 but it also retains its value much better and it will come out costing the same or less after a few years. As far as dealers, stay away from Herb and Norwood. Peabody has reasonable prices, although some of the dealerships out West may have slightly better deals, I don't know. I got $1,300 off at Peabody on my '01 325i custom-ordered in March 2001. They also threw in mats, free paperwork, wheel locks, 4.9% financing, and a couple of other goodies. Be careful when people talk about "invoice" - some dealers charge a legitimate MACO fee, so when they say "invoice + $1,500", they may really mean "invoice + MACO (say, $500) + $1,500". Good luck.
  • sopecreeksopecreek Member Posts: 203
    If you purchased a 3-series under MSRP in Atlanta GA area dealer, please let me know. Thank you.
  • wannawrxwannawrx Member Posts: 22
    i am thinking about a 97 M3 sedan w/48k mi. Are there any issue's i should know about. there are two recalls for this MY but i would imagine they are taken care of. is this a good year. I like the power, 4dr and handling aspect. any info or direction would be greatly appreciated. I am also looking at the WRX
  • jbianjbian Member Posts: 10
    What is "a legitimate MACO fee"? Does it apply
    to ED? If it does, under what conditions? Is
    there anyway to avoid it? Thanks in advance.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    wannaWRX,

    before I bought my '95 M3 in May of this year, I test drove a new WRX once more.

    bought the M3. 'nuff said.

    -Colin
  • bmw323isbmw323is Member Posts: 410
    A couple of days ago, I started to have a problem with my ventilation fan. After the vehicle was running for a while, the fan just started to increase in speed until it was wide open. The light panel still showed like it should be running slow. I couldn't turn it down - only off. After I restart the car it works fine for a while and repeats the whole problem again after about 10 minutes. Does anyone know the name of the part that is not working? I have a service appointment for Friday and would like to tell the the exact problem - instead of them telling me that they could not reproduce the problem. I thought I read here that someone has had that problem.

    Thanks, Dave
  • candyman85233candyman85233 Member Posts: 43
    I am looking at buying a used 3 series convertible. Are there any years that had more problems than others that I should avoid or be aware of? I can't afford the new convertibles, but has anyone owned a convertible AND a coupe, and can anyone tell me what the difference is like. This hall is great!
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    I think everyone should relax about the BMW pricing concerns. Here in Houston at any of the 4 dealerships the best you will do on any 3 series is about $500 under MSRP. Does that matter? No. This is the cost of the vehicle. This is what almost everyone who buys one here in town pays. This is what the market in Houston is like. It may be artificial, but this is what the car sells for in Houston. The most important thing in buying a new car is that you do not pay alot more than the next guy -- and I can tell you that in Houston it is like no haggle pricing on BMWs. Take MSRP and subtract $500 and then expect to pay $125 for the floor mats. If you do not like it then buy a different car or search all over Texas (like Garlyn Shelton in Temple) and pay a little less. The disadvantage will be that you might not get a loaner car when it is serviced at a Houston dealership. If the relationship with a local dealer is important to you then pay the extra money and get one locally.

    If you want $9000 off MSRP then buy a Ford Expedition or something and be happy.

    I loved dealing with BMW North here in town. I have about 10 reasons why they are the best --trust me I went to all 4 and met some good people at each one, but the management at the North location is by FAR the best in town. A little hint: Take the Hardy Toll Road north and exit 1960 -- You can get there in 20 minutes or even less (at 110mph on the Hardy) and the drive is fun. Above all else do not go to Momentum. (BTW Momentum and the 2 Advantage dealerships have the same owner--i.e. they are the same dealership)

    Email me with Houston questions: [email protected].

    Auto vs Manual: A manual in the BMW is more reliable and costs $1300 less than a steptronic. Save the money, have more fun, and enjoy the shifting. I drive in traffic and talk on the cell phone and drink coffee like everyone else. The manual can be even more fun in traffic--when stuck on the interstate in a jam and traffic is going and stopping, picking the right gear can help smooth out the accelerating and the stopping -- I put it in 2nd and drive and when I see brake lights I let off the gas and the car almost stops itself--by the time it slows down, the traffic is usually going again and I just give it the gas and keep it in 2nd -- I usually do not have to stop. This is just an example. The manual can be more fun in traffic than an auto --it keeps your foot off the brake. Above all save the money and get a better, faster, more reliable car. It will also save gas money down the road and can lower emissions slightly for those who are environmentally minded. Not only that, it is good for the dorsiflexors of the left leg and will keep you from getting a blood clot on a long trip--It could save your life!

    Above all, get what you want.
  • tennbergtennberg Member Posts: 45
    Hi everyone,

    Thanks for all the info so far.
    brave1heart, what is a MACO fee? Please explain.
    leenelsonmd, let me explain. I am not looking to pay several thousand below MSRP on a BMW, because that makes no sense. What I am saying is that when I price out an Audi A4, BMW 325i, and Saab 9-3, the invoice prices are close to each other and so are the MSRP prices (to an extent). However, I know that I can get below MSRP on the Audi and Saab without much trouble. Yet, I know it can be a hassle getting a BMW dealer to go below MSRP. All I want to do is go in to a BMW dealer with a car all priced out, and make an offer to them that is invoice plus 3 or 4%. I think the consumer has a right to pay a fair price for a car and not be lured into paying MSRP when other equivalent makers are going below MSRP. I just want to know how one can go about this with a BMW dealer.
    Thanks in advance.
  • ipatty13ipatty13 Member Posts: 47
    someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that the MACO fee is the pass-on advertising fees (newspaper, radio, etc) from the BMW dealership to the buyer.

    Whatever it is, there is NO MACO for ED. I did not pay MACO for my ED. If your dealer tries to pull this one on you, walk away.
  • climatecontrolclimatecontrol Member Posts: 15
    Hello room.
    Long time no post...I know. Hey Nerd, I will give you the info when I get to my office in the morning. I have it on my computer at the office. I'll tell you exactly what she paid for the 5. I know it was a good deal. Let me write myself a not while it's on my mind.

    I have to tell you all about this weekend. Friday, I went to my doctor. We're good friends and he loves cars as much as I do. Well, in his office wing, one of the fellow doctors on staff basically moved on the fly of the moment with his new girfriend(half is age). He left his wife with the house, cars, boat, etc...and the divorce settlement. To be honest, the marriage was over a long time ago. Well, my doctor friend asked me if I would be interested in buying a car. He said he didn't have a use for it. He told me it was a 3 series, 97 or 98 model, but he wasn't sure. The ex wife wanted to get rid of it. I told him that I just purchased a 325 about a week and half ago, but it wouldn't hurt to look at the car. He gave me her number and I called her Friday afternoon. Sat I drove to her house. She told me she wanted to sell the house, boat, a car, and a few other items. As we walked to the garage, I noticed the 3. In fact, it was a M3 1998 model. She was only interested in keeping her S500 Benz and ML430 Benz. She said she didn't like the BMW. It was too small for her taste, ugly, and she couldn't drive a 5 speed, plus the fact that it was her husbands car as well. He didn't want the car. He kept the 911, the motorbikes,a house in CO, and the new girfriend with a new boob job(ex wife's words). So, everything else was left to her. She wanted to get rid of the BMW as soon as possible. I asked her how much did she want for it. She said she was not trying to make anything off of it, but just wanted to get rid of it before she moved back to Florida. She said it's worth $ 27,000 plus from a friend she spoke to, but she told me if I could buy it asap, she would sell it for $ 15,000. She had all of the records, all serviced by Classic BMW in Dallas. I had a chance to drive the car and have the car checked out. Friends, I purchased a 1998, M3,flawless, 34K miles, for $ 15,000. No Joke. I couldn't pass up such a great deal. In less than 2 weeks, two new cars. With the money I saved with the low interst rate on the 325ci last week, everything balanced out.
    I wish all of you a wonderful thanksgiving and to be mindful of those who are not as well off as some of us. I'm making turkey dinners this year on thanksgiving day at a local homeless center.

    Ben
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    tennberg: What you say about audi/bmw/saab is true. The prices at the invoice level are similar. Audi and Saab will deal more because they have to. The Houston BMW dealerships almost never go below $500 off MSRP. They still sell alot of BMWs. Why go lower if people pay that much? I am not saying it is right, but the free market is the free market. What if they were charging $1000 over MSRP? They can do that too if the market would allow it. The fact that the majority of BMW dealerships do not sell much under MSRP has a huge impact on resale value and this helps all BMW owners (of course they had to pay more up front). I wish I could have gotten my car for 3-4% over invoice (all of my previous cars that I have purchased new were from 1-3% above invoice). Unfortunately I could not find someone in town to sell the car for that so I had to decide if I was willing to pay MSRP for my car and if it was worth that much to me. I do not regret the purchase at all, but that is a personal decision. All that I am trying to say is that these numbers invoice/msrp are reference numbers only. In a free market system people can charge what they want and if the market tolerates the price, then that is the price. All that really matters to most people is that they are not paying alot more than someone else who walks in 5 minutes later. If BMW profits more than Audi and Saab, it is because they have a better product and a better corporate strategy. Good for them--they will be able to keep making great cars.

    climatecontrol: Unbelievable deal. I love it. We should meet in Centerville and go driving some time. Those E36 M3s are beautiful.
  • ipatty13ipatty13 Member Posts: 47
    my oh my, when it rains, it pours!

    I can't believe you snagged an M3 for that price! I thought I was reading an Ann Landers column or something... I'm still laughing ;-)

    Maybe you'll find another cheap one in Germany to buy when you're here in a few weeks!
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    BTW tennberg, if you look carefully there are some dealearships that will make some better deals -- many of them have been discussed above. Your best bet for a BMW is to go with ED. This will maximize your savings. Another way to save money is to join BMWCCA and they will give you a minimum $500 rebate on any new BMW or CPO car if you have been a member for a year.
  • vkwheelsvkwheels Member Posts: 218
    What a deal on the m3! The story almost sounded like one of those old jokes. I wonder if the doctor will like his new 'unbearable lightness of being'. But that's OT. Now you have 2 cars--Verrucht and Ausgezeichnet! (That's German for crazy & outstanding) :-)
  • abcnycabcnyc Member Posts: 101
    I am planning to switch to winter tires and I was wondering if there was anything special that is required to store my summer tires. Should I over inflate a little ? I have the same question when I store my winter tires next fall.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    <<< Not only that, it is good for the dorsiflexors of the left leg and will keep you from getting a blood clot on a long trip--It could save your life! >>>

    Spoken like a true MD!!! I feel the same way about driving a manual in traffic.
  • tenet1tenet1 Member Posts: 354
    No, not photoshopped. The new 5 is really going to be that ugly!!
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    Ipatty, I paid the MACO on an ED. In Houston, I don't think there is any way around it. I know Shipo paid it on his ED too. As long as the dealer is advertising, they are going to pass the cost on. In small markets, they probably don't advertise outside of the newspaper. Like leenelsonmd said, anything less than MSRP is good. I manage to get more than $500 off MSRP but it was real slick. If my wife determines that she wants a BMW in the next 18 months, we will probably go to Temple. We have enough vehicles at the house that a loaner will not make a difference. At Momentum, you don't get a loaner after your car flips 50K miles anyway. When purchasing a BMW, there are really two things to look at: 1)Do you want to pay the best price? or 2) do you want the best service? Personally, I have read some horror stories about individuals that took their Bimmers in for service to the local center. They would then get questioned on why they purchased out of the city, etc... I've only had one bad experience with Momentum and that was my first service advisor. Guess what, I no longer use him.
    In TX, there are a ton of fees that they add. On an ED, do not pay the Inventory Fee. If you can convince your dealer not to pay MACO, good. Otherwise, just cough it up. ED is a bargain by any standard. I don't think there is a way to get a BMW cheaper. I think we pay the cheapest prices in the world for a BMW 325/330.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    BMW pricing varies by region. My hunch is that Houston has a lot of well-paid professionals from all the tech and oil companies down there and that the BMW network of dealers is tightly controlled. Here in Boston, there is too much competition between dealers and pricing is more competitive. If you are having trouble getting at least $1,300 off, shoot me an e-mail and I will get you that price from Peabody. There have been at least two or more people that bought a car at that price from Peabody based on my referral.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    ... stands for marketing and advertising co-op or overhead or something... I forgot. It varies by region and possibly even by dealership. It is the only legitimate fee that dealers should charge and I would request to see it on the invoice before I pay it. You are not supposed to pay MACO on ED cars but I remember shipo and a few other posters ended up paying it. It's one more thing to negotiate with your dealer before you sign the deal.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    that's unbelieveable, climatecontrol!

    enjoy.

    -Colin
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    It won't hurt to inflate a little, although I don't see how it could help either, as long as they are removed form the vehicle. Make sure to mark the tires, so they'll go back to their original wheel well in the spring. I am planning on putting on my snow this Sunday if I get the time. I will be driving from Albany to Boston with my summer tires in the snow that's forecast for tomorrow - it should be fun :o)
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    I planned on putting mine on this weekend, too. We almost never get snow around here until mid-DEC but they're calling for 6" tonight. Maybe I'll just telecommute tomorrow.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    Watch the speed limit during your telecommute. We've had snow on the ground 3 times here in Albany already but this snow storm forecast for tomorrow looks a lot worse.
  • tgravo2tgravo2 Member Posts: 70
    Hey congrats on your 2 new cars. Would you mind posting some pics if possible of both of them in the photo gallery? I would love to see them.
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    Congrats on the M3! Is it a coupe or sedan? The M3 sedan was my dream car not too long ago.
  • hgeyerhgeyer Member Posts: 188
    I asked this a few weeks ago, with no response :(

    What is the recommended psi for LM-22s on a 16" wheel (2002 330i)?

    I'm inclined to go with 35 psi all around, but am unsure whether I should follow the 33f/38r that work for my all-seasons.
  • climatecontrolclimatecontrol Member Posts: 15
    Hi Guys,
    I thought I would sneak in while I'm on my extra long lunch break today.
    I'm still trying to get over the situation myself.(She kept calling the younger lady "boob girl",too funny) I just wished I knew about it before I bought the 325ci. The story is so funny. I could tell that this lady had plenty of money. Most "rich" people tend to stay loyal to M-Benz, but she was so serious. She couldn't stand the car. Plus she made the car sound "low budget" to her standards. It may as well have been an economy car in her eyes.
    We finalized everything today. I had 2nd thoughts about the car at first, but I realized I couldn't pass up such a deal. With the 325ci,my payment is half as much as I budged for and the payment for the M3 is cheap as well. I put the extra money I had set aside for the 325ci on the M3, and financed the rest for 2 years. I told my doctor buddy that I'm staying out of his office for a while. Every time I come to see him it's costing me extra money HAHA...
    I have 3 cars now. I'm going to sell the Olds Intrigue. A young man down the street that I know is looking for his first car. Father told me that he is very responsible and a good kid. I'll sell it to him for cheap.
    Centerville is a good idea. I'd love to come race haha!
    Oh yea, I'm going to see if I can get some pictures over the holidays. I need to break down and buy a digital cam.
    The M3 is silver,5 speed, 34K miles, extended warranty to 100K,. I haven't really driven the car much yet, but I've been told that it's a lot of fun. I'll give a report this evening.
    Nerd, if you have an email address, please send it to me.
    I hope you all with have a great rest of the work day.
    P.S....I haven't told my sister about the car yet.
    Ben
  • tenet1tenet1 Member Posts: 354
    You lucky dog you!!! That is like a dream come true. I would have done the exact same thing even if I had to turn around and sell it for book value. But I would never do that:-)

    Maybe I should get friendly with some middle-aged rich ladies in my neihborhood and see what they have parked in their garage :-)
  • bimmer3ibimmer3i Member Posts: 48
    I'm a little bit confused on what I read about the summer tires on this thread. Tonight here in North Jersey, we have a forecast of about 2" of snow. With this amount of snow, do you think the summer tires could still handle it? What if the weather is just freezing cold but no snow on the road, could I still drive using the summer tires?
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    I am not aware of any difference in psi between snow and summer/all-season tires. That said, the BMW-recommended tire pressure is just that - a recommendation. The car has enough understeer as it is - 33F/38F will only magnify the understeer issue.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    You'll be MUCH safer with snow tires even in 1/2" of snow. If there is no snow on the ground, you will be OK with summer tires even in freezing temperatures but the tires will be very hard and will not handle as well.
  • bimmer3ibimmer3i Member Posts: 48
    Thanks for your response. I guess I have a clearer picture of what the summer tires tends to be during winter.
  • tennbergtennberg Member Posts: 45
    Hi,

    I'd like to stay in touch with you on here to see what kind of price I may eventually get on a 3 Series. I am about 8 months away from actually getting a car, so I have some time.
    Thanks.
  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    A reporter is looking for consumers who have bought an entry-luxury car - under $30k (e.g. BMW 3, Mercedes c-coupe, Jag X-type, Audi a4, etc) in the last year. Ideally buyers who were new to the luxury brands, to talk about how they like their cars and why they bought them.

    The $30k isn't a hard and fast rule, though it
    would be nice.

    Please contact [email protected] if interested.

    Thanks!
  • newtobostonnewtoboston Member Posts: 31
    If you're not buying for another 8 months then I would definitely go with the ED.

    And if there's any debate on manual vs auto, I can tell you I live and work in Boston and even though the traffic is hell sometimes, I will never regret the decision to go with manual.

    And by the way, no matter what car you choose the bum-warmers are definitely worth the extra $.
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    still unbelievable about the M3. I cannot believe you got a warranty too. That is a once in a lifetime deal.

    I am ready to meet you halfway and do some driving.

    Houstonians:
    On my M3 I paid MSRP and they threw in the floor mats for free. I did not pay one penny more for anything. Just MSRP, tax title and license. No MACO fee -- I would have gone nuts with this because I had already had to explain alot to my wife to make the jump from the 330 to the M3. She would have gone crazy if I told her about one more random fee.

    BTW: I sold my '95 325i for $9500 tonight. I was asking 10500, which I think was fair, but the guy seemed nice and I think it was stretching his budget a little. I think $9500 is a steal for him, but it is worth it to me if he walks away with that BMW smile. (He is moving up from a 318 that he recently totalled).

    tennberg: once again, if you are going to wait 8 months, then you should wait 12 months and get a 2004 model and join BMWCCA tonight (www.bmwcca.org) and get $500 rebate after the purchase.
  • mg330cimg330ci Member Posts: 162
    MACO fee
    MSRP
    Floor mats

    Everything is fair game if you let them get away with it.

    How about Electricity fee, Gas fee, Landscape fee, dealers poodle "Fifi" grooming fee (Hey, wasn't Fifi in the TV commercial too!)
    You just need to fight for it.

    Perhaps, you rather pay whatever, get your car and enjoy. And that's fine too.

    To me, car dealers are not charitable institutions, so I have always fought till the end

    Also, remind them about the great competition out there (G35, Audi, Saab, MB) you just can't go wrong this days.

    Its your money (and your stomach ulcer) It's your call if its worth fighting for (I did).

    By conviction, I have NEVER and will NEVER pay MSRP (or above of course).

    (The M3 is a specialty car and not a mass market item, so rules of offer and demand applies do to its limited production numbers)
  • ultrarunnerultrarunner Member Posts: 64
    Growing up around the automobile business it has been my experience that the informed, rational and patient buyer always gets the best deal.

    Remember that each Dealer operates on their own in house rules and that new cars are easier to buy than used because that "other dealership" across town usually has similar inventory.

    My suggestion is to write down what you want and how much you are willing to spend before you shop. Be polite and direct. Present your deal to the sales manager. The worst that can happen is that you are turned down to shop another day.

    If you feel comfortable with the dealership you can leave your number and ask them to call you if they change their mind.

    My 2 cents
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