BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

errickson

if I did the math right, looks like your offer is $1650 over invoice. seems like numerous people have posted deals at $1500 over.

maco fee: I was told that 1) the fee was non-negotiable, and 2) the fee is not paid by all dealers. it depends on if the dealership participates in the BMW advertising campaign. out-of-state dealers or dealers in small towns may not charge the fee.

others may have more / different info, but that is my experience. hope it helps.

susie701

I'm getting ready to order a 325xi. What are the DOC & MACO fees being talked about? I know my dealer is going to give us the floor mats and there is no processing fee. But what are these other extras that they seem to add up to a few extra hundred dollars? Thanks.

errickson

Took me a minute to find these posts, but this should clear it up....

The MACO is a regional advertising fee that is assessed on dealers in certain metropolitan areas. So even within the same state some dealers don't pay it. For example, dealers in S.Fla. pay the MACO fee of $500. The dealer in Gainesville where I purchased did not. The fee is sometimes termed "DAG" rather than MACO.

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#1336 of 1511 MACO by ceilidhbec Apr 05, 2001 (01:15 pm)
A DFW area dealer told me "MACO" stands for Manufacturer's Advertising Cooperative. He's charging me $250 for it, and says it's a mandatory fee the dealer has to pay. There's also a $160 training fee but it is included in the invoice price of the car.

lewparker1

Thank you, emilyk. I called a few other dealers in Maryland, and arranged a deal with the sales manager at one of them. The deal is as follows:
325i with cwp, pp, leather, xenons, cd player, metallic paint for $1,300 over invoice, plus $200 dealer advertising group fee, and free mats. I will go in on Saturday and finalize the deal, I believe.

I think I'm going to go with Steel Blue Metallic and gray leather. The 325i in the 3 series catalog has that color combo and looks stunning, in my opinion. At any rate, the dealer that I'm working with has one in stock, so I can check it out before ordering. Thanks for the help
Lewis Parker

tcn2k

Well, i got a 325i that is being completed as we speak in the production stage. It is being built in Munich Germany. Just lucked out i guess, but if i got a car from SA, it doesn't really matter. I truely beleive it is still of bmw quality. All major parts are made and assembled in germany, engine, trans, etc. They only assemble the car at SA, and that doesn't really matter either - it is a Bimmer!

tcn2k

I would be pissed if my new 30++ luxury car overheated. This is no excuse from BMW at all! Does not matter what it is, i would of gone in to the dealer and make a big fuss about it. Also try to get a new car! If not, have them check the whole engine: valve, cyclinder head, gasket, etc. This is a brand new vehicle, and overheating is no excuse for the price we are paying for these vehicle. Especially if an engine has not been broken in yet, very dangerous.

qpham11

I gave them my deposit last week. The car I ordered is a 330i steel gray/black leather, PP, SP, xenon, and cd player. The price I received was $40,200. This includes tax, tag everything. I worked it out and it's about 1500 over invoice. Now I have to wait till mid/late June

dcomeau

motorcity3,

If you are looking at the 325xi, the 4WD version, my salesman said today that the sports package is not available for the 4WD 325xi. (Maybe he's wrong, check it out.)

dcomeau

motorcity3 - the 325xi has a Sports Package option - I have the 2001 brochure right in front of me. Unlike the 325i's Sports Package option, the xi comes with 205/50-R/17 all-season tires. So yes, you can get the 17" tires on the xi model but these are not the high performance 225/45/17 summer tires that you get with the 325i's Sports Package.
I'm not sure what would be best for you - it all depend on how much snow you get where you live in Michigan and how comfortable you are driving in snow. I expect the snow traction would be horrible with the 325i's Sports Package, but even here in Boston, you only get to drive on snowy highways an average of - uhhh - maybe 6-7 days every winter. You may hit snow on back roads a lot more that 6-7 days a year but I do 95% of my driving on highways and those are usually maintained very well. So I'm planning on keeping my performance summer tires year-round, as I'll be getting much better handlilng out of them for the other 360 days of the year. We'll see how it goes - I love driving in snow - it's fun esp. with a rear-wheel-drive. We bought an A4 Quattro for my wife a couple of months ago, so if we have to drive someplace in a foot of snow, I won't be taking my BMW. If you decide to go with AWD, make sure to compare the X to the Quattro - my personal preference would be for the Quattro by a long shot.
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brave1heart

motorcity3 - the 325xi has a Sports Package option - I have the 2001 brochure right in front of me. Unlike the 325i's Sports Package option, the xi comes with 205/50-R/17 all-season tires. So yes, you can get the 17" tires on the xi model but these are not the high performance 225/45/17 summer tires that you get with the 325i's Sports Package.
I'm not sure what would be best for you - it all depend on how much snow you get where you live in Michigan and how comfortable you are driving on snow. I expect the snow traction would be horrible with the 325i's Sports Package, but even here in Boston, you only get to drive on snowy highways an average of - uhhh - maybe 6-7 days every winter. You may hit snow on back roads a lot more that 6-7 days a year but I do 95% of my driving on highways and those are usually maintained very well. So I'm planning on keeping my performance summer tires year-round, as I'll be getting much better handlilng out of them for the other 360 days of the year. We'll see how it goes - I love driving in snow - it's fun esp. with a rear-wheel-drive. We bought an A4 Quattro for my wife a couple of months ago, so if we have to drive someplace in a foot of snow, I won't be taking my BMW. If you decide to go with AWD, make sure to compare the X to the Quattro - my personal preference would be for the Quattro by a long shot.
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brave1heart

Although the MACO fee is not negotiable, price over invoice should already include the MACO fee. It is an expense over invoice but it is also cost of doing business and should not be quoted to the buyer as a separate item. Make sure to differentiate between regional fees and national fees. From what I've heard, regional fees (ex.: BMW Chapter membership) should not be passed to the buyer at all. The national Training Fee is already included in the invoice price and should not be on the table for negotiation.
So here's a numbers example: with all options that I'd selected, the 325i that I ordered was 29.5K invoice, 32.8K MSRP, or a spread of 3.3K. I got $1,300 off MSRP, free mats, paperwork processing and 5.9% financing. I am paying $2,000 over invoice, which includes the MACO fee that the dealer is charged. When you negotiate, make sure to ask for a FIRM discount from MSRP or premium over invoice. The reason is that the prices may change, as it happened with the mid-year models, and you should still be getting the same price relative to MSRP or invoice. The fog lights, cruise control and auto climate are standard (no charge) on the mid-year 325i (ordered after 3/1/2001), and the HK stereo and two more options (I forgot) are standard on the 330 models. I hope this clarifies pricing at least a bit.
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mrpeltyn

Hello Everyone...I was just wondering if anyone knows what dealership will give the 5.9% financing in the Los Angeles area? It seems 6.9% is the best I can find so far for the 325i I'd like. Thanks...

unboringuy

To gr8st8 and all other interested persons:

I received my car back yesterday (after 7 days in the shop). The defective cooling fan and cracked radiator overflow reservoir were replaced. I still have concerns about the long term effects of the overheating. I have been offered the following alternatives:

1. Return car and reorder a new one.

2. Keep the existing car. They will give me an enhancement to the warranty that will cover major systems (including the engine) for an additional 2 years for up to 100,000 miles.

Any thoughts on which way I should go? I really don't want to wait another 2 months, but on the other hand, who knows how much damage may have been caused.

Your comments are appreciated.

gr8st8

As simple as it sounds, it all depends on you.

Personally, I would be really extremely furious if my long-awaited brand new $40K car broke down on the first day I got it. I don't know if this is reasonable, but I'd return it and reorder and ask them for a loaner car while waiting for the new one. My reasoning is exactly what you stated, who knows how much damage had been done? Even though they extend the warranty for another 2 years, if some other undetected damages occured, would you be content of going to the dealer to fix your car every once in a while? If you plan to own an E46 for a long time, another 2 months of waiting, in my opinion, should be worth it to get the really "perfect" car that you want.

Now, having said that, in my opinion you should try out the car for at least a week. I don't know how long their offer (of reordering a new one) is good for, but if they give you some time to think about it, I think you should do just that.

Again, as a soon-to-be-owner of a bimmer, I'm truly sorry to hear what you had to go through. I think it's a really unfortunate situation and heaven forbid I hope it won't happen to me when I pick up my car on Tuesday or Wednesday next week.
I'll let you guys know how it goes.

unboringuy

I was on the fence on this one, but as I drove in to work today, there was an annoying rattle coming from somewhere in the dash. Now this could be something very innocuous and easy to fix. On the other hand, a new, fine European luxury/sport vehicle, should not have rattles out of the box. It's bad enough when they develop later. So I think I'll return it and await a new one. It's getting nice here, and I can just drive my convertible for the time being!

Good luck to you.

bornagain

I have a 328i with the fold down seats. I'm sure your trunk is pretty close to mine. Good luck! I can BARELY fit 2 set of clubs in mine without the seats folded down. I have to take the drivers out of the bags and place them separately to do this. Even with the seats folded down you will be lucky to fit 2 sets of clubs AND two pull carts unless you actually place something IN the back seat. Let me know though...i've been known to be wrong!

emilyk

I am in Northern California and was also unable to find a dealer to offer me 5.9%. The lowest rate I found was 6.9%. One dealer told me that this is the California rate, as these promotions vary by region, so I was told.

emilyk

I ordered an automatic 330i. I'm curious if anyone else has an automatic 330 and could enlighten me on the performance of the car? Also, how do you like the steptronic feature? Is it in any way comparable to a real manual shift? I'm just afraid that I'm spending all this money for this awesome machine and won't be able to benefit from the hp or torque. Any information is appreciated.

smarties139

I am planning to become a first time BOW owner and was wondering if the maintenance cost is high. Could somebody please give me an idea of the maintenance cost? (g. how much will it cost for a 10000 miles service) Thanks!

dcomeau

emilyk,

Automatic. I'm looking at buying an automatic 330xi. I test drove both automatic and standard 330i's. I find that the 330i has lots of power in automatic and shifts much easier using the steptronic than by my sometimes clumsy attempts at shifting. I have about 10 years experience with a manual shifter, so I'm not a new comer, but I like the smoothness of this type of transmission. My current Acura TL has a similar feature.

Another way of looking at it, and I hope that I right about this, is that the transmission type only really matters when shifting gears. If you use the steptronic to stay in a lower gear, you'll have lots of power under your control. Unless you can manually shift quickly, the steptronic is great. I like the control of playing with the gears with a simple flick of the wrist. In the end, the major difference (for the average driver) between the two transmission types should just be the gear ratios. But I would think that, for example, 5th gear would be about the same in both. Yesterday's test drive revealed that there's lots of power/torque in 5th. Great engine!

With the auto, you'll never have to worry about doing the parking brake and clutch manuveour on a steep hill -- or in some parking gargages.

One final thing, I noticed that the steptronic would let you start the car in 2nd gear. If you try to start in a higher gear, it quickly sets it back to 2nd. I could see this being handy for regular city driving -- especially when the road is slippery.

dcomeau

In Canada, maintanence is free for the first 3 years or 60,000km (~36,000 miles). It must be similar in the US.

ds2k1

I, too, struggled with getting the manual or the automatic. I've always driven a manual transmission and love the joy of throwing it through the gears myself. So I was a bit skeptical when test driving the Steptronic. However, I happen to live in an area with a pretty vicious stop-and-go commute, and near a a city with very steep hills (San Francisco), so I figured I should at least give the Step a shot and see how it worked. I found that when in sport mode, the auto trans is awesome. Power's always there, and it shifts wonderfully. I'm not a big fan of the Steptronic mode, finding the shifting to be a bit delayed. But if you have a bad commute like I do, I'd recommend the Step and leave it in sport mode. You absolutely won't be disappointed.

emilyk

dcomeau,

Thanks for your input. I'm glad to hear that you've had a positive experience with the automatic. This makes me feel more confident about my choice. I drive a manual now and I love the power but I hate the work and as you mentioned, the uphill brake maneuver. I don't know anything about the gear ratios and I didn't have a chance to put the car in 5th when I test drove it. Nonetheless, I think that I'll be using the steptronic function pretty often to get my manual shift fix.

emilyk

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I too have a stop and go commute (I'm from SF Bay Area too!) and would like the ease of an automatic trans. I found the shift in Steptronic mode to be slow to respond as well. I think I made the right decision to order the automatic trans. My car won't be ready until late June so I guess I'll just have to wait and see : ).

Thanks!!!

geoweb

Most dealers ask for a $600-$700 destination fee. Is it a must charge? Could somebody give me a clue on this charge? I need to order a 325i. Thanks much.

nasturtium

sounds like you guys are quite happy w/ the step on 330, but how about the one on 325. anybody test drove it?

btw, i am from the sf bay area as well, and i've just ordered my first ever bmw. However, i had some terrible experience w/ victor hung @ peter pan bmw. he wants mark-up on the bimmer i ordered and he doesn't even want to tell me how much he is going to mark it up until the car comes in... he is the most unethnical salesman i've ever deal w/. so i went to another dealership and just barely get it under msrp.

just curious, for the people who get their bimmer in the bay area. any luck in negotiating the price?

emilyk

Peter Pan BMW does not negotiate too much. I have friends who know the owner and could have gotten a pretty good deal there but decided against them because I heard too many negative things about them. I got my quote from East Bay BMW in Pleasanton and they were really helpful and willing to make a deal. I dealt with their internet sales staff (all of them are named Michael), since I submitted my order request through Autobytel.com. My car hasn't come in yet but my experience with them so far has been positive. We'll see if they try anything funny when the car comes in, but my feeling is that they're pretty straight forward and trustworthy.

ds2k1

The destination fee is a fixed, no-profit item from the manufacturer on all cars. BMW charges it's dealers $645 per 3-series, which is shown on the window sticker. Your price and the dealer's price are the same regarding this charge. It is non-negotiable.

goody4

The destination fee is a fixed, no-profit item on all cars. BMW charges it's dealers $645 per 3-series, which is shown on the window sticker. Your price and the dealer's price are the same regarding this charge. It is non-negotiable.

goblue01

I can't even begin to count the ways in which the manual is better than the auto.
1. Let me start with acceleration: while the diff off the start between auto and manual on the 330 is only 6/10 of a second to 60 mph, the difference on the 325i is a full second! You pay $1,300 extra to get a car that goes a full second slower! With acceleration of 8.1 sec 0 to 60 you'll have yourself beat by any Neon R/T or Honda Civic RS out there. I don't know about you but that'd be very embarrassing in a 35K Ultimate Driving Machine. You can look at it another way: the 325 manual is on par with the 330 auto in spite of the big displacement, horsepower, and price difference...
2. The auto is over 100 lbs. heavier - not a big difference but why put up with it?
3. The manual when properly driven is still much smoother than the auto.
4. The manual allows better control on all surfaces, esp. in snow.
5. The manual gets about 2 mph better fuel economy to the gallon. Not a big difference but again, why put up with it.
6. Downshifting is slower on the auto in any gear. Even more so with manumatic.
7. The manual has more HP (yes, that's right) because the torque converter on the auto sucks away horsepower at the wheel. This is HP at the wheel I'm talking about, not the regularly-rated HP.
8. Handling: the auto will never handle as well as the manual because the flywheel on the manual is directly connected to the wheels and allows for better control.
9. Most important: manual SOUNDS and FEELS better. You'll never get the same exhilaration out of an auto.

I live in a major city and I do hit a lot of traffic every day. I've never ever regretted having a manual, not even in the heaviest traffic. I'm sorry but driving an auto in the Ultimate Driving Machine is like going to the Ritz for brunch and ordering a Lazy Breakfast. Your Camry office buddies may still be impressed with the auto and so might be your Saturday night date. But no sports enthusiast will ever take you seriously.
+++

brave1heart

I can't even begin to count the ways in which the manual is better than then auto.
1. Let me start with acceleration off the start: while the diff between auto and manual on the 330 is only 6/10 of a second to 60 mph, the difference on the 325i is a full second! You pay $1,200 extra to get a car that goes a full second slower! With acceleration of 8.1 sec 0 to 60 you'll have yourself beat by any Neon R/T or Honda Civic RS out there. I don't know about you but that'd be very embarrassing in a 35K Ultimate Driving Machine. You can look at it another way: the 325 manual is on par with the 330 auto in spite of the big displacement and horsepower difference...
2. The auto is over 100 lbs. heavier - not a big difference but why put up with it?
3. The manual when properly driven is still much smoother than the auto.
4. The manual allows better control on all surfaces, esp. in snow.
5. The manual gets about 2 mph better fuel economy to the gallon. Not a big difference but again, why put up with it.
6. Downshifting is slower on the auto in any gear. More so with manumatic.
7. The manual has more HP (yes, that's right) because the torque converter on the auto sucks away horsepower at the wheel. This is HP at the wheel I'm talking about, not the regularly-rated HP.
8. Handling: the auto will never handle as well as the manual because the flywheel on the manual is directly connected to the wheels and allows for better control.
9. Most important: manual SOUNDS and FEELS better. You'll never get the same exhilaration out of an auto.

I live in a major city and I do hit a lot if traffic every day. I've never ever regretted driving a manual, not even in the heaviest traffic. I'm sorry but driving an auto in the Ultimate Driving Machine is like going to the Ritz for brunch and ordering a Lazy Breakfast.
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micga

Hi - How is the interior lighting different in a 325 with the premium package as opposed to without??

brave1heart

I called BMW America to find out more details about my car's delivery schedule. Among other things, they mentioned that the car was being shipped from Germany. They said that they look at the 7-th letter on the VIN but BACKWARDS starting from the last letter to determine where the car is built. 'F' is Munich and 'Z' is South Africa. They mentioned that other letters are used occasionally but 'F' and 'Z' are most common.
I hope this clarifies the build location issue that we've been discussing in the past. To me personally it makes no difference where the car was assembled because I am confident that BMW QA is the same everywhere.
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alpine325i

What model did you order? 325 or 330?. Also, thanks for the info about the vin# being read backwards, interesting, now i'm going to take a look at mine. BTW, The 19" wheels and tires are working out fine, the ride is just as smooth as the 16's, but you can feel that they are big because they are 1" wider, but the funny thing is that they are only 1/4 inch taller than the factory wheels!, more wheel, less tire. They really grip the road. The car feels a little slower, but I don't drive fast anyway. They look awesome! they fill out the wheel well perfect, like they were made for the car. I'll send some pictures soon, happy easter.

wmh

Without a doubt - Turn it in for a new one! A wait of another 2 months will once and for all end the "what else could have been damaged" thoughts that will always be in your mind if you keep it.

wmh

Ditto on the experience I had at the dealer in San Mateo.
I think me and ds2k1 talked to the same salesperson. They said to me the only way to get Heated Leather Seats was to order both the Cold Weather and Premium Packages. PLEASE.
My only regret was not looking back over my shoulder to see the look on their face as I said nothing, turned around, and walked out shaking my head.

BTW, what kind of deals did you get?

wmh

I've recently driven both the steptronic and the manual 325. I was pleasantly surprised with the shifting ability of the steptronic in manual mode. While I agree with brave1heart that if you really want to get the most out of the car you should go with the manual, the steptronic, if shifted properly, is fun to use and quite effective, esp. on upshifts. The trick is to lift your foot off the throttle for just an instant as you move the stick in manual mode to upshift. The shifts seem, at least to me, to be quicker that way, as opposed to leaving the throttle floored, which results in more of a delay between upshifts. You can go all the way to redline as well.

I also found the clutch to be a little tricky to use on the manual. It seems to engage all at once after you let it about one third to halfway up. The clutch in the current manual I'm driving has a more progressive, linear uptake. I suppose this is something one would easily adjust to after driving it long enough.

Unless you are a true sports car purist, and especially if you do a lot of stop and go driving in urban areas, in my opinion the steptronic in manual mode will give you a close approximation to the manual with the convenience of an automatic. But also remember the auto is well over a thousand dollars more! Personally, I would still go with the manual, for most of the reasons brave1heart mentioned, but the steptronic ain't a bad second.

unboringuy

I spoke with the sales manager on Friday, and he said he understood my decision to return the car and reorder a new one. He told me to keep the car over the weekend because the general manager of the dealership would be in on Monday and would know the proper procedures to reverse the transaction and refund the purchase price.

The car is a blast to drive...fast, comfortable, and tight. I'll miss not driving it over the next couple of months, but since I have a convertible backup vehicle, it's not all bad.

Caution to those of you purchasing 330xi with a manual transmission...make sure your dealer checks out the cooling fan because these apparently are defective, and I understand BMW is about to issue a service bulletin on them.

And regarding the manual, I'm used to driving one, so I don't find it grueling at all in city driving. And, contrary to what others report, I found the clutch to be very intuitive and easy to use. So far I haven't stalled it, even on hills.

For those of you waiting and wondering, the wait is worth it...particularly if you don't have to wait TWICE!

camnellum1

Some weeks ago you posted (I believe it was you) a link to purchase the Euro style front tags.

Could you please post the link again?...I can't seem to find it in the previous posts.

micga

Camnellum1 - I believe this is what you are looking for.

http://www.driversfound.com/gak/

Take Care

alpine325i

Ok, Here's the link for the tags www.driversfound.com/gak/ The authentic German plate that is seen on the current BMW 3 series catalog is the German European Union plate which is the one I have and looks awesome. It reads [M RE 2001], thats what I had it made to read. Now here's the deal, make sure that you buy a genuine BMW EURO PLATE FRAME. This can be found at any BMW dealer and is around $12 to $15. This frame is made perfect for the 3 series. It snaps right in with out any modifications. If you use any other frame other than the genuine BMW, you will have to drill holes in the front of your car, and you don't want that! I purchased my frame from Circle BMW. The frame part # is "#14 Group 51, Trim parts, Front Bumper. You will also need 4 of the #22 screws to attach the plate to the frame. Make sure you don't buy the GAK frame I wasted $10.

veekay1

I have ordered (paid deposit $500) on a 2001 325xi, about 8 days ago. I still dont have a production # from the dealer (was supposed to get it yesterday, but was told BMW main office is closed etc. for Good Friday/Easter etc.) How long is the average wait (after placing the order) before you know the details like production #, prod. week, VIN # etc. ( I mean, how long before u get that printout?)
Any comments would be highly appreciated!

brave1heart

I ordered a 325i manual in Orient Blue/Black leatherette with the following options: sport package, moonroof, heated seats, xenon lights, trip computer, CD player and a Harman Kardon audio system. If I were to follow your naming standards, my user name should be orient325i, right?
I'm trying to picture the 325i with 19" wheels but it's hard - I hope you can send me pictures.
Happy Easter to you too - is it just me or do Easter eggs always taste better than regular eggs.
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gr8st8

What exactly happened to cause the overheat? Was the car idle when it happened, or did it happen after you drove it six hours straight?

The reason I ask is that when I pick up my car, I would like to simulate what you went trough to see if it will overheat.

Also, I have to admit this whole defective cooling fan thing has gotten too far in my head that I placed a special request today to my dealer to thoroughly, specifically, and microscopicly check the cooling fan and to replace it at the single slightest sign of being a defective part when my car arrives.

lewparker

I ordered my 325i today, cwp, pp, cd, xenons, leather, steel blue/gray. I made the deal over the phone with the sales manager at Tate BMW in Annapolis, MD. The deal took about 15 minutes to negotiate, and when I went in to place the order, we spoke for another 20 minutes or so. Pretty hassle free experience. I recommend Tate to anybody in MD or DC looking for a Bimmer.

The sales manager showed me his current production schedule. The Bimmer I ordered will be built in the third week of May and will be ready for pickup by the first week in July. On his schedule was a "Model Code" that indicated whether the car was to be built in Germany or South Africa. If the code is "0144" the car will be built in Germany. If the code is "0145" the car will be built in South Africa. This information is according to the sales manager at Tate, and I pass it along in case any of you are still concerned about where your car will be built.

The production number was on the schedule, so it should be readily available. Call back and ask to speak to the sales manager. He should have a copy of the dealer's latest production schedule.

I'm really excited about this car. I decided to go with steel blue, but I was also really impressed with a brand new silver 325i that was on the dealers lot. I really liked how the black trim contrasted with the light silver. I also liked the steel grey, but I thought it was a bit dark. In the end, I wanted a lighter color and decided to go with the steel blue, if only because its not going to be just one more of the billions of silver Bimmers already out there.

It's going to be a tough wait until July...
Lewis Parker.

ds2k1

Braveheart - you certainly do have very strongly held opinions. I agree with you that the manual transmission will allow you to optimize the acceleration of your BMW. However, my 330i (even hindered with the offending automatic transmission) flat-out hauls [non-permissible content removed]. I'm not racing it on weekends, or racing it anywhere for that matter, and the power I have underfoot is pretty damn impressive. Unless you're really into racing your car around, I'm not sure the manual is necessary. I, too, have driven cars with manual transmission almost exclusively for nearly 20 years now, and I can honestly say that I don't miss it with this car. It's a VERY good automatic transmission and the Steptronic allows you the thrills of manual shifting when you want them. If you're not overly concerned about losing a few tenths on the dragstrip (and I know I'm not), it's much more convenient and an excellent alternative. And, lastly, I'm not really too concerned about how "sports enthusiasts" think of me.

mrpeltyn

Hello Everyone...I have a question. I am close to agreeing to a price with a dealer in California, but I live in Nevada. The dealer tells me that I must have the car trucked to Nevada at a cost of $250 to me. I thought that I could just pay the tax when I register the car in Nevada???? The dealer says if I drive it off the lot I would be subject to California sales tax. If not, I'd be breaking the law according to him. I think he may be wanting to make a profit on the shipping. Anyone know the rule??? Thanks!

mrpeltyn

Someone please tell me if I'm mistaken, but I think I've got a great deal in the works. 2001 325i for $1,200 over invoice and 5.9%. Couldn't get the mats though...What does everyone think? Thanks!

emilyk

Really, I thought the finance rate was set. Hmmm... I'll bring that up to the dealer that I have my order in through and see what he has to say. They did tell me that they could lock in the rate for 60 days so I'll need to submit a credit app at the end of the month (June 17-23 delivery). As for my deal, I got my 330i for $1200 over invoice PLUS $305 DAG fee and free mats. Did you have to pay a DAG fee with the Mountain View dealership?

emilyk

Sounds like a great deal! The mats aren't a big deal. Congrats!