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Comments
Good luck.
Best Regards,
Shipo
someone else recently posted getting a good price at sussman bmw in ocean county, nj.
good luck!
the nice thing about the bmw unit is that they tuck it away on the side and put a false cover on it so you don't even see it. i don't want it hanging under the rear shelf at the top of the trunk.
I am in SF Bay Area, I ordered my car at East Bay BMW. Same as emilyk, I have pretty good experience with the people there. "So far," they are very nice and helpful. I got 3.5% off from MSRP with floor mats. I also do not recommend Peter Pan BMW.
What is the name of the dealership that you got that offer from? Do you have a web-site or a phone number? Is that 5.9% for a lease? can you e-mail me with the details? It would be greatly appreciated.
- Joel
dnaboy@thefragile.com
That was the link! i really appreciate this board... Now I'll have to think of something good to put on the plate.
Thanks again to all!
Thanks for ur info. I am not sure what is going on with my dealer; Have to find out on Monday, but something does not smell right. I was promised May production for June delivery (since the dealer claimed having 2 production slots at the time of deposit). If that has changed, I might be looking at July, but that is not good business ethics at all on their part. Well, we'll see.
Anybody else has any info on when you should get the Production # etc. from the dealer?
Thanks
Veekay1
After lots of phone calls, emails, and haggling with various dealers, I finally ordered my car with Richard Foard at Moss BMW in Lafayette, La. He gave me the best deal by far.
I ordered a 330 Ci coupe in Titanium Silver metallic with black leather, 5 speed, premium, sport, xenon, in dash cd. Also managed to order the power rear sunshade, which requires a call to the regional manager. Total MSRP is $40,610, invoice is $36,525, and I paid $38,475. For those who like to crunch the numbers, I paid 5.34% over invoice, $2135 under MSRP, and $1950 over invoice including floor mats. Richard would NOT go any lower on the deal, which surprised me a bit since several people have said he priced their car at $1500 over invoice.
Richard gave me the production number IMMEDIATELY. Knowing the production number does signify you've been alloted a car that will be produced at some point. However, I don't know how you could independently verify the actual scheduled production date(s) for a particular production number, since the BMW Owner's Circle on the website only says the car is "on order" until it is actually being built.
If the dealer cannot or will not provide you with the production number, then something is rotten in Denmark, so to speak.... Just my 2 cents.
What do people think of this deal? I should add that Richard will give me the 5.9% financing, rather than tacking on an extra 1% as John Roberts BMW here in Austin insists upon.
I just bought a alpine 6 disc changer for my 99 323i which runs off the factory deck. The changer was $250 and the alpine to BMW cd changer interface was $100, installation ran an extra $60. It's all digital, none of the fm modulated junk. I believe this should work for all E46s. I got the set at tweeter, they also have some very nice boston acoustic speaker sets for about $500 which I think sound equivalent if not a little more rich when compared to the HK system.
I know you must be psyched. I was looking at my old posts, and saw that I may have referred you to Richard. When I spoke to him, he told me that he received 1/2 dozen calls after my post. If he offers me anything (referral fee) I will split it with you.
Not sure why your deal was not the same as mine. His deal on the ci coupes must be different than on the 4dr sedans.
Glad to hear about the 5.9% financing too.
I read your post about the F.M. in Austin who told you he HAD to charge 6.9% b/c he needed to feed his family with the extra 1%! ...and had the nerve to tell you it didn't make a difference!!!
Obviously all those DELL employees getting laid off in Austin are lining up at John Roberts BMW with $$$ to burn (not), because that dealership sure didn't act like they wanted/needed your business!
You've got some guts ordering a 40K 330xi with a color combo you haven't seen! It wins my respect.
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The "red thing" under the mirror is affectionately known as the "clown nose." It serves two functions: 1) If you turn the red thing clockwise, it dims the mirror - Most domestics have the flip switch to dim the mirror, and 2) It blinks if you have the optional alarm.
I've asked if the mirror can be replaced with an automatic dimming mirror but the response from BMW is that there isn't one available to fit the 323i. Plus, the wiring isn't there to support the dimming feature plus it might be cost prohibitive. Also, there isn't wiring (as far as I know) supporting upgrading interior lighting like the 328s - look under the dash and there should be two hatches on both sides of the dashes which should accommodate light bulbs but don't.
Concerning the alarm, I have read many posts from bimmer.org that the dealer can set the clown nose to blink even though you don't have the factory alarm. This would be a cheaper way to fool thieves. Also, the thing hanging on the headliner is also part of the alarm. It's a interior motion detector. Once you set your alarm, after 30-45 seconds, if someone moves inside your car, the alarm goes off.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the good tip! I'm quite happy with everything so far. Now the interminable wait....
BTW, does anybody know what ports the cars are shipped into when they're destined for Texas or Lousisiana?
I definitely cannot recommend John Roberts BMW to anybody.... They act like they would be doing you a monumental favor should they decide to allow you to purchase one of their precious automobiles. Thank goodness for competition.
I live in Cicinnati, and bought the car in Dayton (about 60 miles away). Driving it back home from the dealership, I was stuck in "snails pace" traffic on the interstate for 2 hours due to construction. The rest of the trip home was at highway speeds. I did not notice anyting peculiar about the temp gauge, but really wasn't looking at it. After a few minutes at home, I went back out, and when I got to the bottom of the driveway, I noticed that the temp gauge was in the red zone (a red warning light comes on as well). I shut off the engine, and about 10 seconds later steam poured out from under the hood and antifreeze spilled out on the driveway.
It was towed back to Dayton, and the dealer thought that it was a defective radiator overflow reservoir that cracked and leaked antifreeze, resulting in overheating. Of course, thanks to your help and because it overheated BEFORE the antifreeze leak, I knew it was likely a defective cooling fan.
I really don't know how long the engine was running hot, but I really don't want to take any chances, so I'm taking the dealer up on their offer to take back the car and order me another one. Having driven the car now for 3 days, the wait will be even more difficult than the original wait, but I'll manage.
BTW, I understand that BMW has known about the cooling fan problem and is supposed to be issuing a service bulletin.
anyway, I'm new to this board, and I'm seriously thinking about getting a 325i or 325xi with sports package. Does anyone know how the sports package is going to perform on snow?
brave1heart, I hear you, I'm in Mass. too, only silvers and blacks up here... I really like the topaz blue (the one shown in the catalog) with black interior. Do you have any recommendations which dealer is good in the boston area? Herb?
The subject lines are AWOL right now... I've no idea why...
Thanks,
L8_Apex
Host
Sedans Message Board
Also, the best deal I've found is at the BMW dealership in Temple.......they'll take $1,500 off. Your deal in La. is better but does that mean you have to get there and drive back or can it be delivered cheaply?
Thanks for any help you can give me.
I agree with you completely about John Roberts. Just as you said, the salesman here told me I would not get any of the prime service slots or a loaner car unless I bought the car from them. I will have no choice but to take the car there for service, since they're the only BMW dealer in town. I can assure you that if they don't provide reasonable service I'll be a thorn in their side.
I will most likely go pick up the car in Lafayette. It's about a 6 hour drive, I believe. It's worth that to save $2135 and get the 5.9% financing John Roberts refuses to offer.
The dealer in Temple is very friendly and certainly offers a better discount than John Roberts, so if the distance to Lafayette is too much for you, I would make the drive to Temple.
Hope this helps. All I can say is, with John Roberts' attitude there will be a lot of Austin BMWs purchased out of town.
i skipped the premium pkg so i'll get the aluminum trim as well (again, which i've never seen). can't wait!
Thanks for your advice..Funny name "clown nose"
J.
I also have the same question as you. More specifically I would like to get some input from people that have the Sports package to see if it really makes that much of a difference and if it is worth it. I believe that it is worth it, but I have not had a chance to drive a 325i with the Sports Package. The dealerships usually do not have them in the Sports Package. They always have the Premium package available (of course).
Aside from my question, I do have some information about the Sports Package. Just last night I was reading an article in Car And Driver (May 2001 issue, Page 24) about high performance tires and how they perform in winter. The article discussed tires with a 45 aspect ratio (just like the tires that come with the 325i sports package (225/45)). According to the article the tires are pretty bad in snow. According to the author you definitely need snow/winter tires if you get the sports package.
I have the same concerns as you do about the sports package because I live in Michigan (North of Detroit). As a matter of fact I moved from New ton, MA about 13 months ago.
If you would like to see how much snow tires will cost you you can go to tirerack.com. Also, if you get the sports package and get snow tires you will need 16'' tires and wheels to go with them. You can's use your 17'' wheels that come with the sports package.
However after saying all that, I still think that the sports package would be worth it. The handling and the look of the car will make you be glad you got it. Plus, if you have winter tires for six months of the year and performance tires for the other six months the tires will last you longer. Winter tires on average last about three winters.
I hope all this information helps. I hope we get more input from some sports package owners.
-motorcity3
thanks for the scoop.
I'll let you know how mine goes when I pick it up.
Also, does anyone know any good bmw dealerships in the greater boston? Herb Chambers? Peabody? Norwood?
Thanks.
You will DEFINITELY need snow tires if you get the i with sports package. The z-rated tires will be horrible in the snow and you will be at high risk for damage to your rims. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't get the sport package if you like it, just be prepared to switch tires in the winter (which I imagine almost everyone on this board with the i sport package does). Please note, this doesn't apply to the xi sport package, as this comes with all-season tires, and not low-profile tires.
The drive to Louisiana is not bad. WHen I bought my Honda S2000 I flew to Jackson, MS and drove it back the 13 hours to Austin. Don't know it there are any flights to Shreveport.....might be difficult to get a friend to take me all that way.
I drove the 330 and 325 in Temple (and could have driven the M3!). Great cars but the wind noise through the windshield was quite disappointing. That's what turned me off to the Volvo S60. I guess the only car in this class that's actually free of such irritations is the Mercedes C class.
I wish I could compbine features from all three into one great car. THe BMW is still tops on my list though.
Last comment.....should I order one and it takes 6 to 8 weeks to come in, then now we're at the point that if I waited another few weeks, I could get a 2002 model instead. As you can see, I'm totally confused as to what to do.
There are 5: Herb Chambers, Peabody, Norwood, Norwell and Foreign Motors West. There's Wagner in Worcester (< 1 hr away) too.
Here's my experience:
Herb - I did not negotiate for a BMW there. We looked at Saabs before we bought an A4 for my wife 2 months ago and I didn't like this dealership. It's like a busy train station... Hard to get a salesperson to talk to, too noisy, too unprofessional. Besides, it's closest to Boston so I assume it'd be very hard to get a good deal there.
- Norwood: Avoid this dealership at any cost. I dealt with two salespeople in my two attempts to negotiate a deal there. The first one didn't want to hear anything less than $700 and the second one was an outright liar. He didn't tell me that the fog lights and cruise control were standard on the mid-year model (you see, he knew about the auto climate, though!) and was going to charge me for those. I was thinking I was getting $1,500 off while in fact I was getting ripped off.
- Norwell: nice dealership but I didn't feel like I had a lot of bargaining power there.
- I bought my car in Peabody (Marry Galvin). This is what I call a noble dealership. It's peaceful, relaxed, very professional, they even have a Z8 in stock. They offered $700 off, I said $1,800 off, they went to $800. I told her to meet me half-way at $1,300 and I pulled my wallet out. She talked to the manager for < 1 minute, came back, and said "You've got a deal". She also offered free mats, no paperwork processing fee and 5.9% interest. I had to ask for the 5.9% actually, they offered 6.9% initially. Peabody is very involved with the BMW Chapter and they really care about their reputation. I'm picking up my car in two weeks or so and the buying experience at Peabody has been 10 out of 10 so far.
- Foreign Motors West - never made it there but it's probably worth a shot, same as Wagner.
Good luck, let us know how you make out. I probably see the sport package on 1 out of 50 3-series around here. Every time I see it, I like it so much I feel like turning around and chasing that BMW just to peak at it again... The topaz is a nice sporty color - it's a great choice! I like the sedan better than the coupe but there are some beautiful styling cues on the coupe that you don't get on the 325 sedan: the rear lower reflector lights and the wider front grill vents. I've been known to be biased and opinionated, so do your own research. I hope that sharing my experience will help you, though. Again, good luck!
+++
I like the sedan better as well, the back half of the coupe looks like it was somehow cut off from the sedan or sth... just my opinion. I'm pretty sure I'll go with the sedan.
I felt the sedan was more spacious than the coupe for some reason and these was more driver headroom. In addition, you have to reach WAY back there for the seatbelt - it's really far back in the coupe. For me, the sedan was mandatory, as I may have to strap a baby seat in the rear seat some time soon.
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WAIT Time: I ordered on 1/27/01, produced on 3/15/01, and took delivery on 4/11/01 (Missouri). 74 days is a long time but well worth it. The car is made for YOU to meet YOUR specifications. That helps the waiting period. Along with boards such as this to see others are in the same boat.
Color: Topaz Blue with Black Leather. I ordered it sight unseen with the exception of some pictures sent from T Kominsky - (THANKS again). It is an awesome color combination in my opinion. Also, for the 325, Topaz has only been available since 3/1/01 so you can get the 'new' color.
Sports Package: It is available for the 325xi and the wheels look great on it. I definitely recommend the SP for that and the fog lights and seats.
Steptronic: I have the stepronic but because I did NOT want manual. Call me lazy... I do love the options of auto, sport, and its manual version though. Very smooth.
I'm almost thru the first tank of gas and truly love this car. I have driven Grand Prix's in the past and there is NO comparison. Its drive is amazing. I have a feeling my first speeding ticket in 24 years is just around the corner...
Again thanks to T Kominsky for the emails and pics to help with the long wait.
Cheers.
You posted a quote you got earlier for a 325i, 1200 over invoice. What dealership gave you that quote? Do you still have all of the quote details? Can you send me the info via e-mail?
dnaboy@thefragile.com
It would help me out a ton! Thanks for all the info thus far
1) What is the pros and cons for the sport package?
2) I live in Washington, D.C area. Should I opt for AWD? pros and cons?
3) Know any good dealer in this area?
4) Have you tried price.com to buy a bimmer?
I know this is a long list. But I canot wait to have your input.
Yes, John Roberts will go lower than $500 off, but the best I got was about $1200 off, which was nowhere near the deal Richard at Moss Motors offered me. They also want to charge extra on the financing.
Actually, Lafayette is nowhere near Shreveport. It's in the southwestern part of the state, and you can fly there on Continental via Houston. I think it's about a 6 hour drive from Austin, maybe a little more.
I'm not sure what to do as far as the wait. It's true that if your car is produced in May, you could probably wait another month and get a 2002 model. I don't know when the cutoff is, but I'm sure somebody here does. But it may be harder to get a great deal on a 2002 at the beginning of the model year.
Also, I don't know what changes will be made for the new year or whether the MSRP will increase.
I would suggest at least calling Richard in Lafayette to see what he can do for you. What exactly are you looking for?
also, got a question, does anyone know how do the standard 16" alloy wheels look like for 325ci? anybody got a picture of that? I ordered mine w/ the premium pack'g but w/o the sport package... i wonder whether i should get both.
thanks
I looked at but did not test-drive a C-class MB before test-driving & then ordering a 330i. One of my set-in-cement requirements is an honest-to-God manual transmission, & it bothered me that DaimlerChrysler offers a stick only with the smaller of its 2 engine offerings. If you want the 3.2 liter engine in the C, you've gotta go automatic. That tells me that the sporting driver is a 2nd-class citizen as far as DC is concerned. I was also underwhelmed by the C's interior - particularly the instrument panel, which seemed vaguely Korean to me for reasons that I couldn't possibly explain.
In my eyes, the gap between the C-class & the E-class - a car that I've driven on several occasions & very much like - is markedly greater than the gap between the 3-series & the 5-series.
I called Richard in Lafayette this afternoon and he sounded like a really decent person to do business with. He also steered me away from a couple of colors that he said are difficult to sell (such as Sienna Red). He can do the same for me as he did for you regarding a 330 Ci (about $2,100 off MSRP). Oddly though, he can only come $1,200 off of a 325 Ci. If I went the 325 route, then the Dealer in Temple is better at $1,500 off.
The deals between Temple and Lafayette get closer when you consider the cost of getting to and fro from Austin. I can't imagine you can get there for much less than $300.......am I wrong? I checked the mileage and its about 365 miles on the drive back. Not bad.
Lastly, I spoke to my guy at John Roberts tonight just before closing and he was non-commital on a price.....wants me to come in and put it in paper and he'll see what he can do. Typical high-pressure crap. he reiterrated that there will be no loaner cars and non-Roberts cars will get lowest priority on service.
I'd really like to cut a deal locally if for no other reason than to get that loaner car. Awfully hard to urn down several hundred dollars in savings though.
I appreciate all your info and I'mm let you know just as soon as my head stops spinning. Bmw or Mercedes or Volvo or Lexus, back and forth, back and forth.
To Nasturdium.......i drove the C240 MB and couldn't disagree with you more and the quality of the interior. The the materials are all top quality and the dash really comes alive when you turn on the engine. The BMW has more performance and is more fun to drive but the quality of the MB is unsurpassed. ZERO windnoise. The 3-series Bimmers don't come close in this regard. Still, I'm thinking the Bimmer is the one that will be in my garage.
I wonder if the service departments at these dealers whose salespeople indicate that no loaners will go to those who purchased elsewhere would give the same story. Based on the "cost" of providing this service and the profitability of the service department, it doesn't make sense that such a policy would exist, but of course a dealer certainly is permitted to do so.
I can't imagine BMW standing for dealers giving second class service to those who purchased cars elsewhere. If a dealer did that to me, not only would they lose my business but I'd also complain to BMW.
In my case, my car came (an the new one is coming)from a dealer in Dayton, although I live in Cincinnati. We have 2 local BMW dealers. One of the two acted very pissy when I told the salesman that I was getting a much better deal in Dayton and that I would allow him to match the price. The other dealer said that there was no way that they could match the price, and the salesman told me that he would take the deal in Dayton if he were I. He also said that they'd love to have my service business, and because they are less convenient to my home or my office than the other dealer, they would be happy to drop off the loaner and take my car whenever I need service. Guess which one I'll go with?
I can't believe the stuff that dealership in Austin is telling you and texasdoc! I wonder also if they have any idea how much bad press they are getting out here on the info superhighway!
As far as loaners and bad service...I have read several posts stating the sales department is TOTALLY separate from the service department, and they are each their own profit center, etc. I get the feeling if you walk into the service dept at John Roberts, they might sing a different song than their yahoo salespeople. I think the "no loaner" line is scraping the bottom of the barrell when it comes to reasons not to buy elsewhere.
I looked at the MB C320, and thought it was a beautiful machine. It just seemed a little pricey for us. FYI, the April 2001 Road&Track compares the 330i, Lexus IS300, MB C320, and the Volvo S60 T5.
I too spoke with Richard at MossMotors, and I live in Houston. Very helpful and straight shooter...I know he does NOT charge the advertising/DAG/MACO fee that the Houston dealer charges ($565). Not sure if they have that in Temple or not.