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

bernie3

Has anybody shopped for -- or bought -- a 2006 325i in the Dallas Ft. Worth area recently? Any recommendations or shared experiences would be appreciated. What kind of discount off MSRP is available and who is good to deal with?Looking to buy this week. Thanks!

rrsa

Hello car man or kydfx,

I am looking to lease a 330i with prem pkg, sport pkg, rear sunshade, and auto trans. The dealer gave me the following quote. Is this reasonable?

Price: 41,600 (invoice 39,800, msrp 43,420)
Term: 36 months
Mileage: 12,000 per year
MF: .0021
Residual: 64%
Down pay: 0
Security: 0 (since I am a bmw leasee now)

Total: $597.36 per month (including Ohio tax)

alibajalajaula

KY, I know this is not the post for M3 pricing , but the M3 forum appears less visited, so I figure maybe I could get some reasonable input here (the bimmerfest guys look rowdy).
I am in the market for a 06M3, 6 sp, ZCP, ZPP,HK,Xe,heated seats,alpine white. It comes up to $54,175 invoice /$59,170 MSRP from Edmunds. What will the crowd think if I make an offer 1500 over invoice + TTL? Whats the mood out there, not that production has stopped? Any suggestions of a reasonable offer? Im in H-town...yikes :confuse:

sdso

Hi,

I am in the market for a new 2006 330i in Orange County / LA (will go to other areas of So California too if I can get a better deal). Any ideas on what would be a good price?

I got a quote for a 330i with sport & premium packages for 40,400. Is this a good deal?

Also, any ideas on if the 2006 prices will considerably fall when the 2007s come out?

-Sa

sdso

where did you get this deal?

graphicguy

rrsa.....I don't know what part of OH you're in, but I'm looking at a similar deal around the Cincinnati area for a 330i. I've made an open offer at $2,500 off MSRP to both BMW dealerships I've contacted. They're letting me walk at that offer, so you must be close.

Pricing looks right. Don't know about the MF as I'm looking to purchase, not lease.

03accordman

Open Road BMW, Edison NJ. I think I am not allowed to give out the name here.

newcar45

Hi all,
I've posted this in the lease forums, but no one has responded so I'm gonna trying posting here.
I've done some more shopping and talked to a few more salesmen to learn some more about leases. They're really reluctant to give out any numbers. I live in the L.A. area and I guess they don't want me to just take whatever they're offering and comparison shop.
Anyways, I the salesman I talked to today told me that it doesn't make a difference whether I wait until September or October and try to negotiate a better selling price when I'm leasing. According to him, the money factors and residual values will adjust so that whatever savings I make from the selling cost will reduced to zero. Is this true? Basically he was saying that lease money factors will increase in September and October and residual values for 2006 vehicles will go down.
If it's true, that's too bad. I thought I could get the best possible deal by doing some research now before finally leasing the car in the Fall.

kyfdx

Unfortunately, your salesperson is probably correct in his estimation...

Once the new model comes out, the re-sale of the old model generally drops enough to make leasing problematic.. At that point, car companies generally shift the incentives to dealer cash or consumer rebates, rather than high residuals or low money factors..

So, if you are buying, you can wait and get a deal... but, if you are leasing, you just have to watch and grab your lease when everything looks to be best... waiting for lower prices is often offset by lower residuals..

Of course, all this speculation is general in nature, and there are always exceptions...

muchopablito

I paid $39,416 for a 330i sedan, premium package, sports package, electric rear sun visor and destination charge in the Tampa area. I had to order the car (already in production but was able to change a few options (interior trim and leather, for example). The dealership (Reeves) was very professional and easy to work with. Let me take the car on the road and didn't try to direct me to keep turning right on the test drive (although their standard test drive route is a narrow twisty road that really shows off the handling characteristics of the car - but we did pass two police cruisers who just 'happened' to be on the road but avoided a ticket somehow). I think with the 2007 models coming out it was not very hard to get 'Edmunds' pricing but the car will depreciate a bit faster since it is 'last year's' model. Not an issue for me, I plan to drive it for a while.

Highly recommend Reeves - this is my second car from the dealership and they do a nice job in the service department, they only sell high-end cars so they do not seem to have a lot of interest in being pushy or in playing a lot of games. I also visited Ferman - they were helpful and professional but neglected to contact me after my visit with a price or with a time to visit and order a car (I left a business card, my cell number and a list of the options I wanted in my car). This was a bit puzzling. I currently drive a Mercedes Benz and I stopped by after leaving the office. They evidently sized me up as someone just looking for a joy ride in the car. I would have thought they would have understood that I actually was in the market for a car. However, I tend to be a bit picky and eliminated the dealership (despite it being a little closer to my neighborhood) because I worry that they may not be very responsive in other areas (such as service).

Based upon my experience, I would say that the inventory of 2006 models is dwindling and if you have any unusual needs (I wanted a manual) then you might not get exactly what you want unless you order a 2007. Also, they are adding another model to the lineup (a 3.0 turbo model) that might be interesting if you want a really fast car. The 2006 with 255hp was more than enough for me. I don't know when that one will be on sale - probably when the last of the 2006 lineup is gone I suspect. Not an issue for me - I don't really want a turbo and the 330i is nearly perfect in terms of power and handling. Overall, the entire transaction took about an hour (including the test drive). Not sure if there will be any other issues since I won't get the car until September but if there are I will report them on this forum. Never ordered a car before so I don't know what to expect.

brianm4

I just leased a 325ci in San Diego. I shopped every BMW from San Diego to LA, via phone, e-mail or in person.

I actually started with Costco.com, got the price then shopped it around. I found out my original dealer (Brect)was marking up the money factor and bank fee, when I told them other dealers had better numbers, they kept the reduced price ($950 over invoice on the convertible, I think just $450 over invoice on the i) and reduced the money factor.

I posted the specifics about my purchase in an earlier post if you are interested.

kjh78

Currently, I have an '03 330xi (premium, nav, auto, heated seats, xenon, 37,000 miles) My lease is coming to an end and I was going to buy-out my car. The buyout price is $27,000. If I include extended warranty & maintenance, it brings the total to $31,000 excluding tax etc. PLease advise on the following:
1. Is the extended warranty/maintenance ($4,000)worth it? (I cannot do any maintenance myself)
2. I will have to finance it for 3 more years (8%) What is expected additional costs should I keep it.
3. At $31,000 for a 3 year old car, should I just buy a new '06 A4 w/ same options for $5,000 more? I went to Audi dealer today and will get it $600 below INVOICE if I decide by end of week due to some kind of dealer incentive.

I cant decide what to do. I LOVE my car but $31,000 seems like a lot for a 3 yr old car. I know Im not comparing apples to apples, obviously bmw is better (drives better, smoother, looks better etc), but its older and I feel like I should take advantage of the A4 deal. At the same time I dont really know how reliable A4 is. Basically, I want the least amount of problems (reliablity very impt.)HELP ME!

kyfdx

From a strictly financial standpoint, The new Audi A4 would probably be a better deal. Have you looked into leasing a new 3-series? That would probably be a better deal than dropping $31K on a used 330Xi, and you would have 3 more years of free maintenance (something you don't get with the Audi).

One other possibility.. There is a very good chance that the price your dealer would pay for your car, if you were turning it in, is much less than your buyout of $27K.. Ask your dealer if they can buy your car, CPO it, add the extended maintenance extension, and sell it back to you for less than the $31K.. They might be able to knock off another $1K-$2K off of that $31K..

But, IMO, even that would still be a lot of money for an '03 330Xi.. I'd rather lease a new BMW or Audi...

regards,
kyfdx

kjh78

Thanks for responding. Ive been going back and forth in my head forever. Actually, the audi does come w/ 4r maintenance&warranty or 50000 miles, but obviously it not comparable to 330xi (even though old). 330xi=v6, audi is 4. I would have to look to purchase a 325xi to be comparable to A4. I will take your suggestion to talk to dealer about making it CPO. For some reason in my head I really want to purchase whatever car I decide on. I guess I would like to have it worth something.

newcar45

Thanks for the quick response kyfdx!

Sorry to response to a quick answer with another quick question, but a colleague told me that someone in my position would be better suited to finance the car (even though it would require higher monthly payments) and keep it for a minimum of 3-years.

If, after 3-years, I decide to sell it (even though it's not fully paid off), I can sell the car and have the new buyer pay off the remainder or just simply continue making the monthly payments. Either way, it'll be cheaper than leasing it.

It sounded like a pretty crazy idea at first, but then it began to make a little sense. Everyone knows leasing a car is the most expensive method of purchasing a car. Actually, you're not even purchasing it, just renting it.

Anyways, sorry about asking so immediately before doing some more research on my own, but it's just been on my mind.

jjdow

go read my previous post within the last 20 or so.

thats the one problem with this forum.... if people would read back 50 posts or so, the sames questions you are asking have been asked and answered in the last 2-4 weeks.

Overall, very good info though and helped me quite a bit !!

kyfdx

Depending on the mileage you drive, buying a car can certainly be cheaper than leasing it... Especially for a BMW... If you drive less than 12,500 miles/yr., then you can keep the car for four years, all under warranty and included maintenance.. All you pay for is tires, if needed.

BMW does offer pretty good lease deals, generally, so that makes the decision a little harder..

The only quibble I have with your plan.. When you sell your car, the loan must be paid off. As the car is collateral for the loan, you can't just keep paying on the loan after the car has been sold. Also, there is no guarantee that the car will sell for more than the amount that you owe on it. That is a problem that you don't encounter at the end of a lease.

Whether you buy or lease, you still end up paying for the use of the car...The longer you keep it, and the more mileage you drive, the more it costs.. the two are not as different as they seem.. Leases can be good deals, but they aren't for everyone.

regards,
kyfdx

saddletramp

Great site with the best info.

We are expecting our first child this Fall and need to get into a new vehicle. I have narrowed my search to a BMW 330i.

My question is to Lease or Buy? I have a friend who is a GM at a BMW dealer so I know I will get the best deal, invoice for buy and best MF/residual for a lease.

We are trading in a 2002 F-150 with 12K equity. Not sure if it makes more sense to lease and invest/bank the equity or buy with a big down payment.

Also am starting to see used 330i's and CPO models coming on the market. Just need some advice for what makes the most sense for the BMW. Thank you for your help!

jared1000

Hi, I was wondering if there would be a 2007 model for the 330 or 325 sedan? I know that the 2006 is the new redesign and there would be no significant changes but would BMW release a model labeled 2007?

Thanks

blueguydotcom

2007 3 series sedans will be the 328 and 335 -

http://bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156993

jared1000

wow thanks for the info -- any idea on when they will be released? It could help in bargaining for a 2006

saabski

Hello all,

I have 2002 325iT Sportswagon with 58,995 miles. I have just recently completed Inspection II at local BMW dealership. However, they did tell me that my belts are cracking and needs to be replaced ($250) and the boots/bushings need to be replaced as well ($450). I have already set up an appointment to fix the busings and replace the belts, then got suspicious as my boss's 330Ci had to FIX THE EXACT SAME ISSUES when he had done his 60K Inspection done a month ago. Do the belts and bushings need to be replace at 60K? Or does this seem like a gimmick? I am strongly considering taking the car to an independent BMW mechanic for an estimate. However, I am afraid that going to independent mechanic will devoid my CPO extended warranty. Is my local BMW center pulling my leg? I know this is a fine luxury car, but maintenance cost is way above my head.

Any advice would be appreciated.

msavius

I need some advice on leasing a BMW. First off i am not sure if i want to lease or buy a car currently. So i decided to take the car on lease for 24 months or 36 months term and then buy it then if i still want to keep it. Would i be losing much money taking this route if i decide to buy after my lease term ??

Thanks for any response
msavius

kyfdx

With a 3-series lease, you should just about break even..

Extra costs:
Acquisition fee ($625)

Savings:
Lower finance charges.. The current money factor equates to an APR of about 4.8%, which would be hard to get on a car loan..

Other issues:
Depending on your state, the tax treatment of the lease could mean some extra money, as you'll have to pay sales tax again, when you purchase the car off-lease.

Interest rates could be higher when it is time to finance the car, once the lease has expired..

So, unless you live in Texas or Illinois (sales tax issues), then it shouldn't be much more to go that route.. But, it is hard to buy a car off lease, when you can go lease another new one for the same payment...

regards,
kyfdx

newcar45

It's pretty clear that you should never purchase a car at lease end. You're really better off just financing it in that case.

amy_tanu

Hi all. i am getting a 325i, automatic, heated seats, arctic mettalic with navigation. the dealer asks for $33,560 with mats.also he says it would take 5 weeks for the vehicle to come and wants me to pay $1000 down for book it. i wanted to get the car asap.let me know if i should go ahead with this deal or not.thanks a lot

amy_tanu

Hi all. i am getting a 325i, automatic, heated seats, arctic mettalic with navigation. the dealer asks for $33,560 with mats.also he says it would take 5 weeks for the vehicle to come and wants me to pay $1000 down for book it. i wanted to get the car asap.let me know if i should go ahead with this deal or not.thanks a lot

amy_tanu

Hi kyfdx. i am getting a 325i, automatic, heated seats, arctic mettalic with navigation. the dealer asks for $33,560 with mats.also he says it would take 5 weeks for the vehicle to come and wants me to pay $1000 down for book it. i wanted to get the car asap.let me know if i should go ahead with this deal or not.thanks a lot

muchopablito

That sounds like a pretty good deal - lower than the Edmunds price in my area. For a little more you can get the sports package which I think looks much better side by side, though. Might want to compare.

newcar45

Wow, I thought I was the only one who liked Artic Metallic. Don't see a lot of those around. Same goes for Metallic Green and Red.

Does anyone know if certain - unpopular - colors are discounted more when negotiating the selling price?

msavius

thanks jyfdx & newcar45 for responses. decided to buy the car. I am looking for 325i with automatic,prem package and i am quoted a price of $33,645(lowest from 3 dealers i requested). I live in SoCal area. Let me know if this is a good deal.

msavius

sgrab

Hi,

Can I get the details of how close to a "best deal" this offer is?

325i, Automatic,Sport Pkg,Power seats, Sat radio prep, 12k miles per year.

Dealer says $35540 list, $33035 invoice, Sell for $33535
Residual .63, MF=.00285, $825 Acq fee
No money down.

$871.47 due at signing incl first month payment

Payment with tax = $535.01 (Northern California 8.25%)

Thanks!

stanford06

My local dealer has a 330i that's the exact specs I want however, I think the pricing isn't so great. I'd appreciate if you guys could tell me what you think.

The car is a black metallic 330i with the terra leather and includes:
premium
sport
heated seats
i-drive
steptronic
metallic paint
bmw assist
MSRP is $45,420

I was at the dealership (Weatherford BMW in Berkleley, CA) for a long time this afternoon and the best terms I could get were:

3 years / 15K per yr
Cap Cost: 43,800 (About $500 more than Edmunds TMV)
Money Factor: .00235
Residual: 62%
Driveoff was ~$1900 (includes security deposit)

The resulting payment (with 8.25% tax, I think) is $653/mo.
The salesperson said that they NEVER sell cars at the BMW buy rate, which is .00195.

I really like this car, but I want to get a decent price and this deal seems less than great.

This is my first lease (as well as my first real car) and I'd appreciate some advice.

Anyone know where to go in the SF Bay Area where I can get a decent deal?

Thanks!

stanford06

Today I spoke with a BMW salesperson about the upcoming 328i and 335i coupes.

He said that for the coupe's nav system, BMW is going to include real-time traffic updates.

The updated system is causing a delay in all coupes equipped with iDrive. He said coupes sans iDrive would be in dealerships in late September/early October, but iDrive equipped coupes would not be available until late November/early December!

I called another dealership, whose salesperson couldn't confirm this, but mentioned that he had heard something about a delay on the real-time traffic feature on the 6 Series cars. Yet another dealer confirmed that all the coupes he had available in his first shipment would be without iDrive.

It's unfortunate bceause I love the new coupe but I really really want factory navigation.

kyfdx

The selling price is good... but, they are making it up in the lease numbers...

The base money factor without a security deposit is .00265, so that is marked up... and the base acquisition fee is $625, so that is bumped up the maximum..

Using the base MF and acquisition fee, the payment would drop by about $19/mo.

Making a security deposit of $550 (refundable at end of lease), would drop the payment another $9/mo.

regards,
kyfdx

kyfdx

Your selling price isn't that great... especially with the maximum money factor bump...

Just getting the base MF would drop your payments around $31/mo..

If you can get another $500 off the selling price, the payment would drop another $16/mo..

I think that would be a fair deal.. Somewhere between $595-$610 per month...

regards,
kyfdx

graphicguy

Just made a deal on a 330i identical to the one you're looking at (right down to the colors). Can't comment on the lease details since I purchased, but my selling price was $42,800 + TTL (doc fee was $50) and they threw in mats ($125 list), wood shifter ($145 list) and a wood parking brake ($145 list) at no charge.

This is in OH.

kyfdx knows more about lease factors and residuals than I could ever hope to.

msavius

I am looking for 325i with automatic,prem package and i am quoted a price of $33,645(lowest from 3 dealers i requested). MSRP is 35,870. I live in SoCal area. Let me know if this is a good deal.

blueguydotcom

Get him to knock the mf down to a two point boost of the base mf. Their profit is decent then considering they're being jackals on the price. Also, ask for MSDs and you can shave that payment even more.

For more on Multiple Security Deposits, do a search.

hi2ux4

Hi all, just wondering if $14,999+ttl is a good price for a 2004 BMW 325i, red, manual, 30K miles, 60/40 split rear seats, very good condition.

blueguydotcom

Check edmunds used car info on that vehicle. Put in the features. Seems to me that price is too good to be true. i'm guessing it's a salvage title and you're getting taken for a ride.

kyfdx

An incredibly low price.. even if it is a base car..

Better have it looked over... If accurate, sounds like a salvage vehicle...

$24,999 maybe?

blueguydotcom

lol...two people saying it's a salvage title. Five bucks says if he runs the VIN this BMW is from an area that gets flooding.

argen4444

Thanks for the information on Tampa.

argen4444

Not sure if anyone replied to you, but he is basically offering you MSRP. That is very high. I have heard you should target $1,000 over invoice, but based on other deals posted here, people seem to be getting more like $2,000 over invoice. Invoice on the car you mentioned is 36,940.

hi2ux4

Well, you guys were wrong! No salvage title or wreak...completely clean, one owner car.
05/12/2004 US Customs Vehicle exported from
Germany
and imported to
Newark, NJ
05/27/2004 New York
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Latham, NY Registration issued or renewed
First owner reported
Registered as
personal vehicle
Passed safety inspection
12/01/2004 8,068 Service Facility Vehicle serviced
05/18/2006 Dealer Inventory Vehicle offered for sale

So now should I go for it? The car is in a different state, and I would go pick it up....seems like a solid deal, no?

kyfdx

So... a dealer has it for sale?

If you have to go a long way to see it, you might first take that VIN number to your friendly local BMW dealer service department, and ask them to run a vehicle history report.. That would have every service performed on the vehicle since new..

That price is a big red flag... A good $7K-$10K lower than what the typical BMW dealer would ask for it..

regards,
kyfdx

hi2ux4

Yes, a dealership has the car. I have to travel something like 200 miles to get the car, so seeing it beforehand isn't really an option. I have got a couple of very good prices ...this being one of them, and I found an brand new 2005 Acura TSX 28 miles, A spec, manual... for 20425. Very much lower then what I could find around my area for sure. I may have to take your suggestion and have a BMW dealer run the VIN...carfax is completely clean. I saw 30 pics of the car...it looks immaculate.

tcn2k

Guys,
I am in a market for a 2006 325i with xenon, premium pck. and auto. MSRP is about 36k. What is a reasonable monthly lease for this?

I saw on bmw website that they are having specials on 06's and msrp of 33k 3 series monthly is about $383.00 with only 10k a year in mileage.

rick11

I'm considering buying a 330i. If I'm going to keep the car for over 3 years, is there any reason to consider leasing it instead? Everything I've read so far says that leasing is for people who want to turn the car over in 3 years or less.

Thanks.