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

bdr127

That deal is amazing considering: 1) You're special-ordering a car; 2) The new 3-Series are selling like hotcakes and most dealers are only discount around 2%-3%; 3) BMW doesn't have any holdback or anything, so they aren't making any profit on your deal (aside from fees).

bon_bon

Could you post your dealer name and city. Thanks

vsaxena

BMW does not have a traditional holdback. However the dealers get upto 5% of the MSRP each car sold based on a variety of things. 2.5% seems to based on having a dealership which provides some basic sevices which we expect from a BMW dealership; the other 2.5% is based on the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) score. I think if the CSI falls below 76% they start losing money.

There is a reason why most dealers will especially request you to give them an all 5 on the evaluation. There is a lot of money riding on the CSI!

bdr127

.....but pretty much all manufacturers have dealer "awards" for performance, meeting goals, and CSI. It's not something exclusive to BMW, by any means. It is also certainly not something that you can automatically factor into a deal since it is not guaranteed money.

cece3

We are looking at the 325ci convertible and because it is a 2005 the dealer said he could knock about 3,000 off of the list price because it is fall and they want to push out the convertibles here in the northeast.
The list price is $46,400. The options it has are the sport package, automatic steptronic transmission, and the xenon headlights. I could be wrong but I don't think I'm getting a deal on a leftover 2005.
We wanted to finance but he is pushing for a lease which makes me think we are getting screwed even more, I just don't know. Any feedback or advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, we would love to move up to the 330ci convert. but that is at 49,000 reduced to 46,000 for a 2005. What should I be expecting for these two cars? Thanks for your help.

kyfdx

It is hard to say if that is a good price.. I noticed that Car_man said there was a $1500 incentive this month on that model...

Given that, $4000 off MSRP would seem to be a better price (lower is better, go figure. )..

If you really want to finance, forget the lease... Unless they are forthcoming on all the terms, they could use that to complicate and obfuscate the real price you are paying..

Not only that.. BMW convertibles have fantastic resale.. Although that makes for decent lease prices, I would take my chances on selling it myself when I was finished with it...

Get some outside financing lined up first.. then see if the BMW dealer can beat it... Just tell the salesman that you aren't interested in leasing.. It really is up to you, not him..

regards,
kyfdx
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petesamprs

Can anyone give me October's residual and MF for a 2006 330i, 12k miles/yr

kyfdx

Ask your lease questions here:

BMW 3-Series: Lease Questions

regards,
kyfdx
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chitownguy1

2001 325I 4DR SEDAN....RED (NOT MY COLOR OF CHOICE) WITH AROUND 36K MILES.....OR A 2002 325I 4DR SEDAN...STEEL BLUE WITH NAVI WITH AROUND 25K MILES.
.............2001 IS PRICED AT $19,999 FROM A HONDA DEALER AND THE 2002 IS AT 23,995 FROM AN INFINITI DEALER....ANY SUGGESTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS? THANKS FOR ANY INPUT :confuse:

bdr127

The 2005 convertible lease has a great residual right now, particularly since it is the end of its model year. In fact, the 05 has the same 36 month residual and a lower money factor than the 06, which is impressive. Combined with the discount you could get on an 05, leasing might look pretty attractive.

Of course, leasing is great for some people and not as good for others. You need to figure out if it's for you. Generally speaking, if you stay within "normal" mileage (10k-15k miles per year), you tend to frequently trade in your cars and want a new car every few years, and you hate haggling for trade in values, then leasing might be good for you in the long run. Check out the leasing forum that kyfdx linked to....

pras

I paid 36,800 MSRP

for 325i with
premiem package
heated seats
metallic paint
leather interior
nav with i-drive
automatic

in Maryland.

P~

bon_bon

Can you name your dealer and city please.

Thanks,

--Bon Bon

pras

VOB Rockville

ultimate_008

Hi Everyone,
I am interested in buying or leasing a 2006 325i in the coming weeks. I would like to get some opinions on a good dealer in Los Angeles.

Also, I already contacted a dealer who accepted an offer of $1230 over invoice for a 330i. Would I be able to get a better deal for the 325i since it is a cheaper car? I am trying to keep the price reasonabe so here are the specs I am looking for:

2006 325i sedan
Jet Black or Arctic Metallic
Automatic Transmission
Xenon Lights

Since I have never owned a BMW before, I would like to know what is the typical BMW silver paint color name. Is it the Arctic metallic or another one?

Thanks a lot for your input.

calif65gm

The e90 silver is TiAg or Titanium Silver.

The Arctic metallic is a different color that changes under different lighting conditions. Some say blue, but I mostly see green in the Arctic.

caa

Hi,
I have a couple questions regarding the M3 and being new to BMW I hope you guys can help. My local dealer in Atlanta is asking 59 - 61K for 2005 M3's. The options I'm looking for are: Black metalic, gray leather, premium pkg, xenon, and premium sound system. At this point the dealers are not coming off the price much at all. I've looked at BMW's site and an 06 configured like this is 54K.
Are dealers commanding and getting 60K for 05 M3's?
I was expecting to get under the MSRP (maybe low 50's) considering it's an 05 but that doesn't seem feasible. Would 55K be a deal if dealers are not really negotiating?

I have heard there is a new M3 in development. Does anyone know when this car will be released and how this would effect resale value of an 05.
Any information will be greatly appreciated. I'll be purchasing, not leasing.
Would the new model be worth waiting for??
Thanks,
Chris

blueguydotcom

Myself and several others received a coupon for 2500 off 05 M3s.

bdr127

Would I be able to get a better deal for the 325i since it is a cheaper car?

Generally speaking, the cheaper the car, the less markup it has. (At least within the same make family..... Percent markup varies between different manufacturers.) As a result, it would be more difficult to get the same type of discount on a less expensive car.

vsaxena

Unlike other manufacturers the amount paid out by BMW USA is quite high (5% of MSRP) so it does get into the realm of holdback. Stuff like incentives, dealer awards etc. do not carry as much dollars.

nyccarguy

If they aren't cxoming off MSRP or charging over MSRP, then I'd find another place to buy an M3. Great car! Wish I had the cash to pick one up, then I'd put my $2500 coupon to good use. This isn't '01 when the M3 first came out and was commanding over sticker prices. Shop around. Good luck!

bdr127

Not sure I follow you..... BMW dealers don't get any guaranteed money for "holdback" like other manufacturers have. (http://www.edmunds.com/advice/incentives/holdback/) That "2.5% here and there" is not guaranteed. That is stuff that individual dealers have to work toward. Not everyone gets all that....

dfosher

My dealer said they aren't included and wants to charge me $203 (All weather and carped mats). I noticed they aren’t listed under accessories on the BMW web site when building a 325xi or a 330xi. They are listed for the 325i and 330i. Has anyone taken delivery of a xi? Did it include floor mats?

bdr127

The 3-series and X3 do not include floormats. Carpet mats are about $125 and rubber mats are about $75, so your dealer's price is right on..... A lot of dealers will throw in mats as a gesture of goodwill, but some make you pay. FYI, 5, 6, 7 Series, and X5 all include floormats in their price.

selm

If you do ED, you get mats but they are not marked with any propaganda ie (325, BMW, etc.)

chipzar

Guys/Gals,
Need some help in decision making. I am in Southern CA and looking at the following two options at the dealership.

*** 2005 325i
-prem. pkg
-sports pkg
-cold weather pkg (dont really need this in sunny ca..:)
-xenon
-harmon/kardon
-auto trans.
-silver ext. / black int.
-10,000 miles
-100K miles warranty
-Price: $35,000 (already negotiated down from $38k)

*** 2006 325i
-prem pkg
-xenon
-navigation
-fold down seats
-auto trans.
-silver ext./gray int.
MSRP: $39,900 (Have not discussed the price yet).

Few questions:
1) Is the 2005 a good deal?
2) Usually how much low the dealer would come down from the MSRP for a 2006?
3) If the price difference b/w the 2005 and 2006 is around $2K-$3K - should I go with the 2006 then? it being a newer vesion and all.
4) Any other pinters/ideas/comments?

Many Thanks,
Chipzar

bdr127

The 05 is certified, right? (Judging from "100k warranty"?) If you're planning on keeping the car as long as the 6yr/100k warranty, then that's something to consider. If you're planning to keep the 06 longer than the 4yr/50k, then the 05 might have more value to you..... You need to know yourself, how you drive, and how often you trade in cars.

dom1

Black Sapphire Metallic
Terra Leather
Premium Pack
Sport Pack
Automatic
Heated Seats
Nav Sys. w/Idrive
Style 162 wheels

Paid $45399 ($2000 under msrp) in the Nashua, NH area. Is that an OK deal?

chipzar

Thanx for the quick response.

Yes the '05 is certified and I do keep the cars more then 7 years - have done it with two cars already.

BTW, the dealer is asking $38,405 for the '06.... which is $3442 more then the '05 price.

Hmmmm... another way to look is... I can get a newer generation BMW for ~$3k more.

life is full of choices and decisions.... :confuse:

kyfdx

I think the new one is clearly the better deal...

$35K is a lot of money for an '05 325i that listed for around $39,500 to start with.. A year old, 10K miles, and the old body style... Around March or April of this year, you might have been able to buy that same car for right around $36K, brand new, as they had dealer incentives attached...

I might consider it at $33K or below... It does have a nice option package, though..

regards,
kyfdx
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chipzar

Good suggestion.

I'm going to the dealer tomorrow. we'll check out both the cars side by side and will make a call at that time.

I'll let you guys know by tomorrow PM.

Thanx,
Chipzar.

bdr127

Yeah, I agree that the $35k is high... kyfdx is right on with $33k or less.

As for options, what car do you prefer? What are your priorities? The 05 has the sports pkg and cold weather pkg (which you note that you don't need) and Harmon Kardon that the 06 doesn't have. The 06 has nav, though.... What's important to you?

bdr127

If you end up getting the new 06, and since you keep your cars for a long time.... consider the extended full maintenence. It's around $1100-$1200 and you'll get BMW full maintenence for 6yr/100k. If you figure having to do full brakes/rotors around 60k, that would run you $800-$900 alone. Oil changes would cost around $90 (only ~15k mile intervals). If you keep your car that long, that extended maintenence is definitely a deal... plus you can finance it with the rest of the car, rather than pony up the cash when you have to get the work done.

vsaxena

Though I agree that extended maintenance is a good deal, you need to be aware of the following:

1. You can buy it as long as the original maintenance program has not expired. So you can wait for 4yrs/50K miles since then you would know whether you need it or not. Also you do not pay finance charges for 4 years.

2. I am not aware of the rules but what happens to the Extended Maintenance or Warranty if the car gets stolen/totalled before that period?

3. Another thing to keep in mind is that the scheduled inspections (Inspection II at 60K miles) will uncover stuff which will not be covered by the maintenance. At that point you will be a the dealer's mercy on what they want to charge to fix the problem. That is why most people recommend buying the extended maintenance AND the extended warranty. Otherwise you would have just delivered your car for the dealer to find problems with. If you refuse to fix it they may not honor the warranty for the maintenance they did. The problem with the BMW Extended warranty is that it just offers 2yrs more. And BMW charges consumers more than twice of what they charge the dealer when they CPO the car! You could go with a good after market warranty though to supplement the extended maintenance. I personally would just find a good idependent shop and use them for the scheduled maintenance. If I want peace of mind, I will get a 4yr/100K warranty from a reliable third party to go with that.

chipzar

Ok folks!!!

So we got the 2006 yesterday. I was not able to see all your msgs. until today - but even then I ended up getting the 6yr/100K maint. from the dealer for $1000/-. Paid cash for that so no concerns about paying interest - (it was a good point though).

All great minds think alike...:)

We ended up paying $38.2K for the car that has,
-nav
-prem. pkg.
-auto trans
-fold-down seats
-xenon
-new car smell... :shades:

The dealer was very good - no complaints.

My kids love the nav system and I love the fact that my TREO 650 can hook up seamlessly to make calls.

I'll keep you guys posted about the likes/dislikes.

Many Thanx

tturedraider

or as a friend says, "great minds think alike....and so do ours."

strider6

Black Sapphire Metallic
Premium package
Cold weather package
Nav system

$44900 New York

You got a much better deal than I did (sniff!) Should have checked with this forum first!

flagatorfan

I was quoted from Global Imports-Atlanta, GA for my '06 BMW 325i:

MSRP : $34,825..........That includes: Premium Pkg, Auto, Sirius Satellite, Gray Leather, Black Sapphire Metallic

Is that a good deal? If not, where do you recommond in the Florida area or GA area for a price that is better if this is not a good deal??

s_forn

Hi;

I am new to this forum. I am planning to buy a 2002 - 2003 bmw 325I. I have very little idea about this car's pricing. I am very confused as some places 2002 car with 25K+ miles is offered for 24K$ and the same car at another place with same miles is priced above 35K. Can anybody please help me out with some basic rules for buying the BMW.

My budget is 25K. I dont know how much taxes and other stuff would come out to be, but i dont want everything to cross more than 28K. So in a way my complete range is 28K. Any kind of help with mileage and etc.. and what to look for before buying tips will be highly appreciated.

I live in Chicago and am planning to buy a bmw asap.

thanks in advance.

Adi

magmir

That's not too much off of MSRP, is it? Do they have the car on the lot? Have you tried Nally BMW on Church St. in Decatur?

bdr127

Are you shopping for pre-owned 325's at dealers or through individuals? One advantage of purchasing through a dealer is you can take advantage of a Certified car.... Not only will you get the remainder of the factory warranty and maintenence, but you'll get an additional 2 years/100k miles of warranty when it expires. BMW CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) offers much lower interest rates on used cars than most banks. For example, right now BMW Financial Services is offering 3.9% on 2002 3-Series, which is an amazing rate considering the Wall Street Journal Prime Rate is 6.75%.

Differences in prices you see are a combination of different options on the car, dealer markup, and perhaps there's a convertible in there. (?) For a 02-03 325i sedan, there is no way you should pay in the $30k's

s_forn

Yeah, I am looking for Certified Pre Owned only. What do you say about how many miles shoudl a 02-03 325 have? I mean i am thinking of going for one with <45K miles in it. Is it a good deal?

s_forn

model: 325XI
Year: 2003
Color: Black
Miles : 20,245
Price: $23,722

Carfax report has been checked and there has been no problems found. Each and every check is perfect and no problems have been listed. There is remaining warantee on this car. Please provide me with some comments whether or not should I go for this car or not. I will be going to drive it tomorrow. Can you please tell me some tips to look for while driving and also while negotiating with the dealer for the price?

thanks

bdr127

Certified? Either way, that is an amazing price for that car.... Obviously if you can get it for less, more power to you, but I think that price is way below what they could/should be asking. (I'd guess more like $29k-$30k) Most 03 325i's (not xi) with 20k go for around $26k-$28k.

flagatorfan

The price is $1,500 off of MSRP and dealer is telling me he is throwing in Sirius Satellite ($595 item). The car is not on the lot at this time.

I will try calling Nally BMW tomorrow. I live in Jax., FL and there is only (1) BMW dealer in town and they only drop approx $300 off MSRP. I felt going with a dealer that has some competition around, could get me a better deal - and so far, it has worked. Thank you for recommending Nally!

tturedraider

I just built the car you describe on www.bmwusa.com. The MSRP for that car is $36,840 including destination (and Sirius radio).

So, $34,825 is more that a "little bit" off MSRP and is a pretty good price. $2000 under MSRP is about as well as most seem to be getting right now.

climbhigh6

Man, have I been waiting for this car! Even decided to wait over here in Germany to take direct delivery on it (it helps that I work over here). So here it goes:

2006 BMW 325xi
Sparkling Graphite w/ black leather interior & aluminum trim option
Premium Package
Sport Package
Cold Weather Package
Sirius Radio
6-Disc Changer
Park Distance Control
Navigation System
6-Speed Automatic

I think the only thing I didn't order was the Active Cruise Control System.

Out the door for $37,400. (Also helps being in a tax-free location.)

flagatorfan

Thank you - I feel then I am getting a good deal! Now, I have to now find out what
October's lease rates are - time to toggle over to the other message board and learn that side of negotiating!

s_forn

Hi bdr127;

Thanks for all the help. But in way your reply has made me a bit worried. I mean since you are saying that the price of the car is too less, would there be a problem in it? I have very little idea about the cars and I wont be able to know if there is any blemish. The carfax report is saying no problems in the car.

How do I know if there is a problem in the car? I am sorry for troubliing you so much with my questions. Should I drop out on this deal?

inva

Hi all-

I'm new to this site but have been reading all of your posts for a while now. I am in the market for a 330i and I have found one with the options that I like (sport, premium, cold weather, sat radio)

2 questions:

The car is located in another state (I am in VA and the car is in Boston, MA). What precautions should I take should I choose to lease the car?

MSRP is $43,600-what can I reasonably ask for as a final selling price? The dealer is telling me to "make an offer."

Thanks!

bdr127

It's hard to know if something is wrong.... You might consider taking the car to a trusted shop to be checked out before you buy. If the seller won't let you have the car checked out, then you probably don't want that car. As far as CarFax is concerned, just because there's nothing on CarFax doesn't mean there isn't anything at all. I told a story in one of these forums about my wife's car that had extensive frame damage (but wasn't totalled) and there is no mention of it on the CarFax report.