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

cdnpinhead

Yeah, I was wondering about that myself.

gap4jason

major typo

2007.........

gap4jason

for the record

2007 328i 4 dr Sedan

having a long day here!!!

spyder52

I am looking at an used 2007 328i sedan with 6k miles, list is about $39K+, no used info yet because it's too new. A similarly equipped 2006 325i TMV for dealer retail is $31299. So how much is this 2007 car worth? Dealer is asking $35K.

letstalk

I'm a few days away from buying a 2004 BMW325ci. I know it's going to be a great car, but I do live in Massachusetts. It is said to have traction control and dual stability, all nice words, but what should I do about driving in winter? Or maybe it's ok. Perhaps given what the car is, it'll just be about getting good tires. Any advice for those NE winters which start in October and end in April (almost)? Thanks for anything you can tell me. (note, I heard this from the Volvo dealer I just said goodbye to. He warned me about BMWs in the winter)

stevecebu

I'm a few days away from buying a 2004 BMW325ci. I know it's going to be a great car, but I do live in Massachusetts. It is said to have traction control and dual stability, all nice words, but what should I do about driving in winter? Or maybe it's ok. Perhaps given what the car is, it'll just be about getting good tires. Any advice for those NE winters which start in October and end in April (almost)? Thanks for anything you can tell me. (note, I heard this from the Volvo dealer I just said goodbye to. He warned me about BMWs in the winter)

I had a lot of commutes into Boston and down Rt 128 and 93 and the South/Northeast expressways. Haven't been back in the US in a while but I drove a lot of years in Mass and NH and I remember the look on peoples faces when i drove my 1999 Miata in the winter even up in NH in fairly heavy snow. Oh sure the BMW has more power but it's heavier.
Boston snow isn't horrible it's only when it slicks up and that can happen North of Boston heading towards Brockton, or on some places on Rt 128.
North it can be really bad and up towards salem NH it can be very heavy.
I'd suggest you look very closely at Nokian tires. You can't buy them from Tire Rack tho.
Just buy some steel rims and throw a spare in the trunk.
You can call up Nokian and ask the questions directly. Best snow tire out there period! They make a bunch of different tires.
http://www.nokiantires.com/en/DEFAULT.ASPX

The ones I ran on the Miata were Nokian Hakka Q's which I don't think they make any more.
The new model tire is the Nokian Hakka RSi. The Q felt a bit squishy in the dry buy on snow and ice it was like a 4x4 jeep in the snow! I drove up to Canada to Quebec City, ran into a blizzard going up and was still ok but had to take it easy as it was very poor visibility. No trouble at all!
The problem is the tires are soft so they don't last much more than a season at east mine didn't. Like you said Oct to April. Summer tires are awful once the temps drop.
The Nokian WR's look good and might be OK for Boston but I was up in New hampshire a lot and I needed the better snow tire, no studs on RSi but it really grips.
I spoke with Nokian on their toll free # and then went to a local dealer and I was pretty happy. But shop around because these tires aren't cheap, but then again neither is stuffing your BMW into a pole.
Volvo isn't any better. The tires will make any car into a snowmobile if you get the right ones. The high performance tires compromise a lot. But you might get away with it in the city. They don't really plow Back Bay very well and don't get me started about Cambridge!

ssteel25

I drove a 2004 330ci in the greater Boston area for the last 3 winters. Make no mistake, you WILL need snow tires. The traction control does help, but it's still a very *interactive* driving experience in bad conditions. That said, I never had any real problems and I didn't feel like it handled much worse in the winter than my old Acura (FWD) with all season tires. Let me know if you're in the market for a set of rims and tires. They don't fit my new car...bummer.

Scott

circlew

I just drove a 335i for a day (loner during service) in light rain in central NJ 78 deg F. The added HP made the driving experience a whole new level than my 330xi. Very interactive! The traction control engaged many times in hard cornering. Tire were 17" Continental All-Weather RFT's. The 335 is much looser than the 330 xdrive and let me tell you, the added xdrive traction in the snow/ice and even rain with exact same tire setup in my car gives you huge traction gains.

Not as much fun in the drier weather, however. You really can not break the tail loose even with the all weather tires. I would love to have summer tires to see the other side of this suspension on track day!

Regards,
OW

jmcship

Just wanted some opinions:

2007 335i lease:

36 months / 15k annually
Cold Weather and Premium Packages

$2088 down
$588 a month
The car was a service loaner and has 6000 miles on it already.

So far that's all the details I got from the dealer. Good deal? Anyone know if there's a way I can pay only my first month's payment at signing? Dealer had the car at a selling price of $40,995 and an MSRP of $44,595. Reasonable for a loaner car?? And is the residual 64% on this?

kyfdx

It sure looks like you are going to need some more details.

The residual will definitely not be 64%. The residual for 3yr/45K is 61%, and then there will be a reduction for the 6000 miles already on it. The residual will likely be 61% of MSRP minus $900-$1200.

I have no idea what a good selling price for a demo would be. I think your best bet would be to get lease pricing on a new model, so you can compare it to the demo.

As far as money down? Assuming your credit is good, they can always structure the lease any way you want it. If you want $1500 less out of pocket, that will probably raise the lease payment around $45/mo.

regards,
kyfdx

jtla

First off, you should negotiate a lower price. Assuming this is a sedan, you can get a brand new 335i for $2k to 3k off MSRP, depending on your region. Your dealer is offering $3600 discount on a demo car with 6000 miles on it. Personally, I would not take it for the $1000 or so price difference. In leasing, you are talking about less than $400 over the 3 years.

Another important factor is that the 6000 miles already on the odometer will bump your car to 51,000 miles at end of the 3 yr/15k miles lease. You are taking a gamble on the last 3000 miles without the included maintenance and, most importantly, warranty.

Even using $40,995 as selling price, with $2,088 down, I don't see how the monthly payment can be $588 without some serious markup on money factor. In SoCal, you can get a brand new for less, and that's including sales tax.

As kyfdx suggested, you really should get quotes for a brand new one, and ask yourself if the difference justifies.

kyfdx

One correction... The warranty and maintenance are good until 50K.. Just 1K out of warranty... Still a risk, though smaller..

jtla

My bad. Thanks.

kt3655

Hi, I was just wondering what everyone thought about the below deal from BMW of NYC...

07 335I
metallic paint
auto
cold weather
premium

568/ mo including taxes...no cap cost reduction...only 1st mos payment and bank fee due at signing

I think this is about 600 over invoice...

jmcship

Thanks kyfdx and jtla for the input. At least I'm asking the right questions now. I did take into consideration that I'd be out of warranty for the last 1000. Just trying to find the best deal I can. So far on a new one, in the Philadelphia area, it's been $2000 down, $622 a month on a 36 month / 15k a year lease.

gap4jason

2007 328i Sedan
Alpine White/Beige Leather
Steptronic
Premium
iPod/USB adapter

MSRP $38,100
Total Cap Cost / Selling Price $36,180

Lease 3yrs/10,000 miles
MF 1.6
Res Factor 64%
Res Value $24,384
Total Depr $11,796
Cap Reduction $0.00
Monthly Depr $327.67
Monthly Rent $96.90

Monthly Pymt $424.57 + Tax

License $304.75
Bank Fee $825
Doc Fee $45
1st Pmt $455.35
Security Deposit $0.00

Drive Off $1693.18 (due at signing)

Help!

shoechicky

Hi everyone,
I just test drove a 2007 328i at a local dealership in Orange County, California and the salesman suggested I order the car I want because I want very few and specific options. For example, I insist on leatherette (because I am a vegan) but I also want bluetooth and navigation. He ran the price and along with Xenon headlights and the iPod adapter, the total comes to $36,945, which is only $900 over invoice. If I lease it, I can drive off paying ~$1700 (nothing down, just the first payment, tax, etc.) and $522 per month (tax included) on a 36 month lease (15k miles per year). I am in the process of getting more quotes from other dealers, but I thought this was fair. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance.

jfsant1

I just placed an order for a 2007 328i Coupe in Orange County CA. Please provide your comments on the deal:

Silver Metallic, Sport Package, Auto Trans, Floor Mats
36 months, 10k miles per year

38,825 MSRP
37,560 Selling Price
1.7 Money Factor
61% Residual Factor
4,030 Drive off
474 Monthly

dustycoop

I am thinking about leasing a 2007 328i. Here is the information I received from the dealer in Texas. Is this a good deal?

2007 328i Sparkling Graphite
Gray Leather Interior (no premium package, just leather)
Sports Package
Automatic

Residual is 61% of MSRP
15,000 miles per year
MF = .00190
36 months
MSRP is $ 37975
Selling Price is 37124
Total with TTL is $ 39708.72
Monthly Payments $ 499
Down Payment $ 3750
Rate 5.5%

This is a Buyer's Choice plan that works like a lease. After 3 years, we can just turn it in or purchase it with a balloon payment.

I have heard that I should shoot for $ 1000 above invoice. Invoice on this car per Edmunds is $ 35,000, so I think the $ 37,124 is a bit high. Included in the selling price is $ 510 for paint sealant and $ 135 for floormats that the salesman says we need. I understand about floormats being extra, but has anyone heard that they have to purchase paint sealant? He added this on at the last moment saying it is an Addendum. Thoughts?

Thanks for any information you have! It will help greatly!

circlew

Paint Sealant means rip off to me. Always was, unless there is something special with BMW paint!

Regards,
OW

gap4jason

kyfdx....or anybody....any thoughts on this deal? Is there anything here that I can still negotiate?

Is a 64% Residual good? Should I be looking at a high % or a low % residual?
Is the Bank Fee negotiable or is that pretty standard?

This is on a 07 328i, 4 dr, Premium, Auto, NAV
36 Months 10,000/year
Money Factor 1.6
Residual Factor 64%
Total Capitalized Cost $37,725.00
Residual Value $25,472.00
Total Depreciation $12,253.00
Capital Reduction $0.00
Monthly Depreciation $340.36
Monthly Rent $101.12
Monthly Payment $441.48
Tax (7.25%) $32.01
Monthly Payment + Tax $473.48
License & Registration $314.75
Bank Fee $825.00
Documentation Fee $45.00
First Payment $473.48
Security Deposit $0.00
Drive Off $1,721.31
Due at Signing $1,721.31

Please let me know your thoughts....I appreciate all the help.

kyfdx

MSRP = $39,800?

Selling price looks good...

No security deposit? Because you are a returning customer? Or, in exchange for money factor bump? I'll assume you are a returning customer.

You can't negotiate the residual.. higher is better, as that means less depreciation, resulting in a lower payment.

The money factor is bumped from the base .0014 to .0016.. This is negotiable, with .0014 being the least and .0018 the most.

The acquisition fee is bumped from $625 to $825. This is negotiable, with $625 being the least and $825 the most.

If you get those two items knocked back to the base rate, then you'd have $200 less to pay upfront, and your after-tax payment would drop to $460 even.. Saving you around $670 total.

Your deal is good... $670 less would be great.. You won't get hurt either way..

regards,
kyfdx

gap4jason

kyfdx - thanks for the reply....

Yes MSRP is $39,800

I'm not a returning customer, and I did notice that I was not charge a Security Deposit. If they charge me a Security Deposit, what's the Amount that I should expect? Would I be better off paying a Sec Deposit and lower the MF or forego the Sec Deposit and increase the MF?

I'll see if I can negotiate in lowering the residual and lowering the acq fee.

Will the MF change in August?

jason :shades:

kyfdx

If you aren't a current customer, then the security deposit is the payment rounded up to the next $50 increment.. ($500, in this case).

Adding the security deposit will drop the money factor by .00015, which will bring it to .00145.. and knock about $10/mo. off the payment.. You should definitely do that, as you get the $500 back at the end of the lease.

You can't negotiate the residual... it is fixed.

If you can lower the money factor by making the deposit, then certainly do that... If the .0016 MF they quoted, accounts for the security deposit waiver, then the deal is a little better than I thought.. Try to get them to drop the acquisition fee to $625, make a sec.deposit, and get your car!!

regards,
kyfdx

gap4jason

Thanks so much kyfdx.....I will keep you posted!

jason

dustycoop

I am thinking about leasing a 2007 328i Sedan. Here is the information I received from the dealer in Texas. Is this a good deal?

2007 328i Sedan
Sparkling Graphite Metallic
Gray Leather Interior (no premium package, just leather)
Sports Package
Automatic
Need to order, since it is not on the lot

Residual is 61% of MSRP
15,000 miles per year
MF = .00190
36 months
MSRP is $ 37975
Selling Price is 37124
Total with TTL is $ 39708.72
Monthly Payments $ 499
Down Payment $ 3750

I have heard that I should shoot for $ 1000 above invoice. Invoice on this car per Edmunds is $ 35,000, so I think the $ 37,124 is a bit high. Included in the selling price is $ 510 for paint sealant and $ 135 for floormats that the salesman says we need. I understand about floormats being extra, but has anyone heard that they have to purchase paint sealant? He added this on at the last moment saying it is an Addendum. Thoughts?

Thanks for any information you have on if this is a good deal for price of car and monthly payments.

It will help greatly!

kyfdx

For starters... $510 for paint sealant? Just say no..

This dealer is doing you no favors.. I'm not sure if your $3750 is amount due at signing, or an actual down-payment.. and, I don't know what state you are in, or your tax rate, so I'll just start from scratch.

This is how the deal should look:

$37975 MSRP
$36400 Selling price (reasonable)
$625 Acquisition fee
$37025 CAP cost (selling price + acq.fee)
61% Residual (3yr/45K)
.0014 MF (base rate)
Payment = $469/mo.+tax
Due at signing: 1st payment, security deposit, title/license fees ($1300 total?)

A lot depends on the tax.. In Texas or Illinois, that is a huge amount.. In other states, it could be as little as $30/mo. on the payment.

Depending on where you live, the deal given you might not be terrible (in TX for instance), but a lot of that depends on whether the $3750 is the whole amount due at signing, or if it is a down-payment, and then you have another $1600 in start-up fees on top of that.

Details!

regards,
kyfdx

manufan

I am thinking about buying a 2007 328i with the following options

Montego Blue
Auto transmission
Premium Package
Comfort Access

Can you provide me some price base line for negotiation with the dealer?

The price I quote on line is $38,675 before tax. Any advise of which dealer is good in the S.F. Bay Area.

Best regards!!

guy1974

I have just leased a similar 328i (sedan) and paid $1000 over invoice which seems fair. You will hear some people say they got $200 over invoice but that is very hard to do.

gap4jason

kyfdx and all......

Sanity check please! I think I did okay......the original quote had a MF of 1.6 and Acq Fee of $825 with no need for a Security Deposit. I followed your advise to add the security deposit to lower the MF.....and this is what I got. Let me know what you think before I sign the App for BMWFS.....thanks a million!!!

07 328i - 4 door sedan
Auto, Premium, NAV

MF 1.4
Acq Fee $685 (as opposed to $625, hey better than $825 right?)
Plus, the dealer will throw in Floor Mats

MSRP $39,800
Total Capitalized Cost $37,725.00
3 yrs /10K miles
Residual Factor 64%
Residual Value $25,472.00
Total Depreciation $12,253.00
Capital Reduction $0.00
Monthly Depreciation $340.36
Monthly Rent $88.48
Monthly Payment $428.84
Tax (7.25%) $31.09
Monthly Payment + Tax $459.93
License & Registration $314.75
Bank Fee $685.00
Documentation Fee $45.00
First Payment $459.93
Security Deposit $500.00
Drive Off $2,057.60

jason

kyfdx

That is a good deal... I see no reason not to grab it..

Good luck,
kyfdx

bmrfan

$500 over invoice from Tito at Fremont, use me as your referral. Good Luck! Emran

manufan

Thanks Emran.

Did you buy one that have the similar spec. I listed? I am just trying to compare apples to apples.

I will try them see what they can offer me!!

Thanks a lot!!

gap4jason

kyfdx -

Placed the order on Friday, got the VIN, the car is now En Route, and will be at the Port on Aug 1. I'm from Southern California and I dealt directly with Bob Smith BMW in Calabasas. No trouble. They were very easy to deal with.

jason

dwon618

328xi metallic paint with the following options:

- Leather
- Power front seats
- Navigation
- Cold weather
- Xenon
- Automatic transmission

MSRP: $43,400

Sell price: $41,000

Money factor: .0019

Residual: 63% for 12k miles (39month lease)

Monthly payment: $485(excluding taxes, paid upfront)

What do ya think!~?

This is in NYC AREA...thanks!

beathard

MSRP 40,695
Price 39,695
Trade Allowance 18,000
Cash 3,618
Term 36
Mileage 15,000
Residual 24,824
Payment 500

Is this a reasonable deal?

oceana143

Hello: I keep vehicles for at least five years and am looking to purchase my first BMW.
1)Anyone go the certified pre-owned route?
2)What were the pros/cons compared to new, excepting the $$$ involved?
Also, for a new 328i I am going for an automatic.

1)What other options do you feel are "must-have"? Only thing I didn't like was moving seat back and forth manually but not a huge deal.
2)Also, any suggestion on dealers in Southeastern Michigan? Bavarian BMW is close by.

Thank you!

ursrob

Just came back from the dealer and this is the deal they quoted for sport pkg, prem pkg, cold weather pkg and 6 speed manual.

36 month
10k/year
msrp 39900
selling price 38100
mf 1.9%
residual 64%
trade in upside down 3000
615/month with 1429 total due at signing,tax included.

When I use a lease calculator based on these numbers I get 570/mnth.Can anyone explain this to me? IS this a good deal or is the dealer full of BS?Thanks

dhanley

Well, i purchased my bmw cpo, and while i love the car, i wish i'd at least considered euro-delivering a new car. CPO cars are pricey, and in some cases, if you get a fantastic deal on a new one, you are not paying a vast amoung more, and getting more free service, warranty, etc.

oceana143

I will look at Euro delivery on the website. For me, the difference between CPO and new is probably around $34-26 or $8K. It's still a chunk of change but as I keep cars a long time, the difference might be worth it for me to pay in terms of later model, features, etc.

letstalk

I am no expert yet because my preowned 325xi is being shipped. But I will say that you may want to think about the all wheel drive if your winters are challenging. I had originally bought the ci model, but was told by too many people that I'd regret that in the winter.

I'm also taking a different buying route. By buying from a dealer on Ebay (Northcoast Auto, who had a 100% approval rating from everyone who's dealt with them), I am saving about $8000 from what I'd pay around here (Boston). The carfax report said the only problem ever was a broken tail light and gave it a great review. I was supposed to fly out to drive it back, but had to cancel last minute. If it's a good car, (and hopefully the car fax affirmed that), it's a great way to avoid the dealerships and save lots of money. Good luck, and I'll let you know (gulp) after it arrives and hopefully starts

oceana143

Thank you letstalk. I'll look at their website. Do you or anyone else know about Luxury Motors, Inc. based out of Illinois? They run full page ads in Car & Driver and seem to run a lot of inventory through their operation.

328ibuyer

Hi, I just ordered a 328i

msrp of 37845

state: florida
36 mo
10k / year
1000 total $$
510.85 tax in

also I am a returning lease customer. sorry don't have more details (mf,residual, etc..)

tia.

Karen_S

Go to our new Dealer Rater to post your sales or service review!

grantchstr

The gas door on my 2005 xi has "popped" open and will not fully close. You can only close it by holding it in the closed position when locking the car.......but when you unlock and/or drive the car the door pops into the "ajar" position again. Very annoying.
Is this a common problem; is it an easy fix? :sick:

dustycoop

kyfdx,

Thanks so much for the information!

dustycoop

Hi Again,

Let me give you a bit more detail. This is a Buyer's Choice purchase which is very similar to a lease. (the payments are the same, but since we live in Texas, the taxes are much more favorable) There is no acquisition fee with the Buyer's Choice. Are you familiar with it? It is used in just a few states.

I have been told the rate is 5.5%. There is no Acquistion fee.

Given this information, can you figure what the monthly payments would be for the following down payments? (live in Texas)

$ 1000 down
$ 2500 down
$ 3750 down

$ 37975 MSRP
$ 36700 selling price
61% residual (3 year / 45K)

Thanks!

Also,

330blast

There are several facts in your decision:
1. Style - the body style (exterior and interior) of 2004 and 2007 3 series is different, not sure if you have any
2. Drive train - 328 has significant more power and 6 speed transmission. Make sure you test drive both to determine whether you can live with the e46 325.
3. Money - the best way to evaluate a situation like that is to prepare a spreadsheet and list all the applicable cost of ownership in the next 5 years (or whatever years you plan to keep you car). A few examples are depreciation (you can estimate by looking at BB or Edmunds value in 5 years for both cars), insurance cost (the new one will cost more), maintenance (new has free, but you may purchase the extended maintenance for the 2004 for less than $1000), wear/repain cost (the CPO may cost slightly more with the CPO, and significantly more after warranty expires, and you may consider purchasing ext. warranty for the new one).

IMHO, CPO is not a bad choice at all IF you find a great deal. I know the asking price for some CPO cars makes no sense and the car may not even in a prestine condidion (BMW CPO almost all latest model cars now), but they are just ASKING price. If search long enough (part of the fun for me), I am sure you can find something several thousands below the market price and in very good condition (low miles).

Good luck.

330blast

Just give an example. I was looking at a 2003 330i, CPO (from a private seller, but CPO follows the car, so the warranty is still there even if the owner changes). Premium and sports package, 77K mile (a little high), in decent condition, for a merely $17,000. Excellent deal. The guy eventually sold the car at $18,500 I believe, but I could have got it for $17,000 or even $16,500 if I decided to buy it on the spot.

So if you decide to go with CPO, look not only on the dealer lot, but also private sellers' list. If you are willing to pay $25 or more, you should be able to grab a 2004 330i (not 325). And sometimes, BMW finance has low APR and even pay for the 1st two payment. In case of that, I think CPO is a better deal than the new one.

330blast

I also bought my last car from Fremont about a year ago (fromt he same sales person). They seems to be fairly competitive in price (by looking at their asking price for used cars also).

However, there are many factors in the price and any dealer is willing do sell at a low price if they have to make a sell for whatever reason.

so the best way is to request price quote from all bay area dealers (within 75 miles, maybe) and just let them compete.

Good luck.