Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

dino001

So for 14400 (10k miles a year ) you can get a tsx for 3 years.

Then drive to your friend's house, show it to them, then go to the park, snap a few pictures in a nice scenery, then you park it in your garage and take a bus to work.

I rest my case.

sweendogy

Well said, I have a 07 g35x which I bought new and has 30k miles - have some good fun snapping pixs in a car I own- and the 3 year lease at 10k a year would have fit me well. So what's your point ? You can Taylor a lease to meet your millage needs, most of these cars have excellent residual values after 3 years I'm sure the extra 2k miles won't cost that much per month. You rest your case- ok great. Point is may people who can't throw down 20-30-50k for a car can actually get the car they want. Sure they pay for depeshiation - but so do hey people who buy cars as well. Can't wait for flightnurse response - "leader adds, I got a BMW with m sport for 10k under sticker, lease would of cost me 15k more over 4 years, experimental dealer sale, blabble."

flightnurse

Sweeny please do not put words in my mouth. For the record I like leases and for only certain people. I'll give you an example, my sister doesn't drive much, she wants a new car every few years, she can afford the payments. She leased a new CTS last year, got a great deal. $800 out of pocket and $499/m for 3 years, she gets 10K a year for mileage, however she doesn't drive much, about 8K year, so a lease was perfect for her.

A lease is not good for someone young because 1) the mileage restriction on leases (however you can negotiate increase mileage into lease payments.) 2) leasing its for everybody.

flightnurse

Sweeny you have a real problem, my BMW was not a ad leader, most ad leaders are stripped down cars, just like the G37 that is advertised this past weekend in Phoenix, two infiniti dealers (btw owned by the same company) had a G37 Journey for $34K or $299/m with $4500 down and 10K/yr mileage.

sweendogy

I love when you say leader add, or ad leader it's great.- all the examples I Have used on leases are from company websites- no where else, not dealers or anything from a local news paper, no local dealers, the actual companies deals. Let's end the leader add agrument as we have proved you are really keen on pointing out. No one said your BMW 328 m package or your 535 that your partner just ordered is a leader ad, but some here have questioned your experimental dealer story you told, I Have not mentioned it was a leader ad situation, so I don't see my problem. I have questioned why you and Dino are quick to shut down leases - when infact the company you bought a car from leases 50% of those same cars.
Again your sisters story, while long, is a great example of a lease that worked for the user- and I was pointing out to the new poster this might be a way to go. It's a situational thing, some people cant afford to buy a new car every 3 years but can afford to lease those same cars.

tlong

Leases allow you to get more far with the least amt of money Per MONTH. Leases in the long run tend to be more expensive. For those who can deduct (business owners) or those who want new wheels every 3 years, leases MIGHT make sense. For those who keep their wheels a bit longer or want the lowest overall cost, leases make no sense at all.

nyccarguy

Flightnurse hit the nail right on the head. Too many people use leasing as a way to get a cheap payment on a more expensive vehicle. So many people DO NOT understand leasing, but do it using a big capitalized cost reduction & paying the taxes up front (both big no-nos) in order to get a less expensive car payment. Notice I didn't say cheap.

Leasing is more expensive in the long run absolutely. Some lease for business purposes. I can tell you 1st hand that my accountant said it is easier to "write off" a monthly lease payment than it is to depreciate the value of a vehicle on a yearly basis.

Pretty much all of the ELLPS leases I see advertised in the paper are for 10K per year. There's even a Mercedes Dealer that if you read the fine print gives a whopping 7500 miles per year. A lot of people do take these 10K per year leases & go over, but there are people who like to lease a nice new car every 3 years to drive back & forth to the train station.

Kyfdx once perfectly said "leasing should be looked at as an alternate way of financing.". So true. If you can afford to pay cash or the 60 month car payment on whatever ELLPS you like, but an inflated residual or super cheap money factor that makes your payment a lot less expensive and you can live within the mileage limitations, than go for it.

flightnurse

Sweeny, first off for the car to be "considered" a leader car it has to be advertise, my 328 was not advertised. Second, we haven't ordered our 535, again not a leader car, not too sure how a car that hasn't been built is a leader? Explain that one....

BTW, Audi has a great lease on a A8, $8500 down and payment of $1199/m I didn't catch the mileage restriction, figured you like to know that.

sweendogy

I'm out on this conversation - here is what I learned- a lease is not for everyone, but could fit some, but be smart about it. No one understands leader adds more then flightnurse, in fact I think he might have created the ter along with "experimental car sale." guy asks for options about how he can get into the ELLlps- and we get off track. Do you think we will ever hear from that cat again?

oac4

I have a question to post for help and apologies that its not an entry lux sedan... On the dedicated MB forum, its pretty dead whereas this is a very active forum... Hence my posting it here. Will appreciate all comments regardless

I have a 25K budget and wants a used SLK55. For that budget, what I can find are high mileage non-CPOs (70K+ miles) but fuly loaded, of course, as most SLK55s are. I am about to pull the trigger on an '05 model. Clean, drives perfect, but from a private seller, so need an MB mech check out before I sign.

What should I worry about this car? Always wanted one and now very excited to have found one at my price and hoping it is "the one"....

fedlawman

"What should I worry about this car?"

The cost of maintenance.

I hope you have deep pockets and a good mechanic...

flightnurse

Have VERY deep pockets and ask these questions in the MB forum, there you will have people who have more knowledge of that car, or do a search on the net for a dedicated MB forum.

graphicguy

oac....ypu're on absolutely the right track. New, that SLK55 was expensive. You're buying a used one. Good call on having a MB tech look at it.
Let us kniw if it works out, along with the deal details.

Good luck!

oac4

The car is in an MB shop for a top-to-bottom inspection (per-sales) today. Keeping fingers crossed on what they find. If everything checks out then it's a go for me. I really want a roadster to add to the stable. I know it won't come cheap to fix, but what the heck... you only have time to enjoy life and all of your hard work... so just do it...

sweendogy

enjoy brother-- good luck--

sweendogy

today in the parking lot i saw a manual 328xi sports wagon with the M sport package-- pretty cool looking rig for a wagon -

flightnurse

How does it look differently then a regular wagon?

sweendogy

Now I didnot see the front end - but the bar has the cool sports dam underneath the trunk- it also had a body colored rear spoiler - M badge on steering wheel and stick- plus the black was a dark- wonder if was the standard black or the 800 dollar option- i had no idea the wagon could come with the m pack and awd

flightnurse

You can get it in a 6 spd manual too.

sweendogy

I mentioned that above- I think that's pretty cool.

nkeen

I drove an F30 328i last weekend - a Sportline with 8 speed auto. My current car is a 2006 E90 325i with sport suspension and 6 speed manual. Thoughts:
1) The steering is lighter but also feels oddly disconnected on the new car -- it has lost that firm directness I like on the E90.
2) The N20 four banger is powerful but has some lag. Not as sweet as the less powerful unboosted six.
3) The sports seats in my car can seem like instruments of torture at times. The new ones are no better -- two pointy things jutting into my kidneys. Why can't BMW get this right? VW does in the GTI.
4) Although the base pricing is not much more higher than the E90, getting the options I want means buying a lot of superfluous stuff that I don't (for instance a $3,600 package to get HID headlights), so the car ends up being a lot more expensive.
I drove a Camaro SS manual with Hurst shifter and FE4 suspension and a Subaru WRX on the same day as the F30. Both, in their respective ways, were much more fun to drive -- the WRX was a thrill to toss around and had real character. I'm afraid that BMW might be losing the plot for the sake of the see-and-be-seen audience in the US and anticipated sales volume in China.

nyccarguy

We see it is very easy to push the price of an F30 328i to $45,000 +. The enthusiast in all of us needs to consider that for the same $45K, you can find yourself a CPO (or just plain used) 2008 M3 Sedan.

nkeen

There was a 328i Modern Line on the floor listing for over $50K.

nyccarguy

Thanks for your F30 328i write up. How many miles have you racked up on your E90 325i? Have you had any problems with it? How come you are looking at the F30?

nkeen

Low mileage -- 48,000. One problem -- the thermostat failed around 20K -- I guess causing it to run cold, but no symptoms -- found during inspection at the dealership. I also had the dealer replace the driver's seat under warranty as a crease in the leatherette was starting to show fabric webbing. The first round of run-flats were a bit brick like, but the technology seems to have improved a lot with the newer tires (Bridgestone RE050As).

Whatever its faults, I've owned the 325i far longer than any other car I've had. It's a beautifully built car, and really still looks close to new. It feels as though it were made to be driven fast safely, which it was. I like the original E90 better than its mid-cycle refresh, which seemed to complicate and compromise the lines a bit. Its predecessors were an Acura TL and a GTI. I started to dislike the TL almost as soon as I had it -- good engine, but clearly not engineered by people who really understood handling and feel. Horrible clutch and steering. I liked the Brazilian built GTI to drive, but it just fell apart piece by piece (transmission, trim, you name it) -- perceived rather than real quality.

dino001

I have one, including the stick shift. :P Slightly different in options: 328i (no "x", it is RWD) and it doesn't have M-pack (regular sports pkg for RWD already has sporst suspension and staggered tires, just like M, the difference is in wheels (17" vs 18") and some aesthetic treats, like no badging and front grille). It also has the rear spoiler. The long sunroof is the coolest.

Most people are surprised how sporty it looks. Deep see blue, just like the one on the photo (or is that one Le Mans blue, which is available only on M-packs?). I smile every time open the door and sit inside...

flightnurse

The HID headlights are a standalone options for $900. Take look at BMW's web site. The steering can be fixed with the M steering option, however if you wait until July when the M sport package is available that will solve the problems. Before flying out to New York my partner and I stopped off at Chandler BMW, they have two F30's a fully loaded Sportline 335i 57K and a Modern for 48K. Before I give judgement I want to drive one with the M sport package, since my 2011 has that package. Of course the big push the salesman kept telling us was, you have more power and better fuel economy with the new engine.

dino001

All of this confirms to me never buy a "all-new" model in its first or even second year. Dealers will act like they're doing you a favor, manufacturers act like it's a such a breakthrough that it overshadows Moon landing, you have teething issues and the list goes on. Couple of years from now and silly options/packages either disapear or get more reasonable pricing. Base model usually costs about the same, or even more by a couple of hundreds, but more popular/valuable options get bundled in much more attractive packages. No more expensive wheels forced down your throat if you want a certain color. Certain thing also become standard of no cost options. This way you can get a $50K+ MSRP down by a few thousands. Best deals are usually mid-life "refreshed" models. Bugs worked out, aesthetics, improved and couple of things made standard.

sweendogy

i agree- just hearing 57k for a loaded 335 is unreal- the 335xi will be 60k- for a ELLPS- thats a joke- its a great car, dont get me wrong but at that cost you can buy a street in detroit these days.

nyccarguy

Ive tried to "build my own" 328i on BMW's website. It will not allow you to choose the Xenon headlight option without checking off the $3600 Premium Package.

If you drive the F30 328i M Sport & love it, you'd consider trading in your way cool M Sport Equipped '11 328i (6 Speed Stick) already?