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

tootsie1

I have taken delivery of lots of new cars from various brands, like Ford, VW, Lincoln etc..and always the checklist was rushed through, with the emphasis being an assurance on my part that I would give the highest marks (which I always did, because not only does it affect their bonus it also affects the delaer allotment of the more desireable cars). I have to say though my BMW experience was the only car company that earned the high marks from me.. with all the high tech features in the car, he spent at least an half hour showing me the features making sure I knew how everything worked, and what button did what. I am sorry you did not have the "5" experience most of us did, and even more sorry that you received such an hostile letter from the salesman -- if that doesn't show why you felt less than confortable giving him a perfect rating, nothing else does. No one should be bullied like that..the bad thing is this guy has access to all your personal information, and I would tell BMW even moreso that you except something to be done about it. I work as an F&I manager in an affluent area, and I can tell you the privacy act is paramont, and that this stupid salesman, a hired representative of BMW invaded your privacy like that is inexcusable and threatening imho..

davidd3

I'm encouraged by that. This car has only been out for 2 months. I was afraid that dealers would demand much closer to sticker than to invoice for a long while, at least until they sell off the leftover 2005s. I am much relieved to know that such is not the case.

Do you think that the internet price would generally be lower than the face to face negotiated price?

upandown

You're getting ripped.
Make some calls around the state.
First offers from most dealers begin at +$1000.
I just ordered at +500.
Try Marin.

kennynmd

Never purchased through the net but I've heard that the deal is better. I too was surprised at almost 2k off when I saw the email, even the dealer where I bought a previous 325ci gave me $1500 off which I thoyught was good. Now I'm itching to buy but I know I'll regret it when the comfort access is available.

frisconick

Marin has good car dealers for some reason.

batman702

I have been shopping around for a 325i, being it new or used. I would like a 2005 or earlier, but noone seems to have them. Any ideas? Anyone with an experience in Vegas? The salespeople so far just mostly ignore me, and if they help me it's because I have been in the showroom for a half an hour. I know I look young and all, but are they just selling to the older people of the world? If anyone has a good salespersons name let me know. How much should I be paying ballpark for a new 2005 325i basic model? I saw a nice 2003 325i sport pkg, 11,000 miles, but the dealer wanted 30,991? Any ideas or comments on this?

davidd3

Tell me about comfort access. None of the dealers mentioned that to me yet. Could it be because they want to sell me a car NOW? What is it, what will it cost, and when will it be available?

Thanks, and good luck to you with your purchase or lease.

Kirstie_H

This conversation belongs in our topic dedicated to this subject:
Dealer bribes and satisfaction surveys

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Host, Future Vehicles & Smart Shopper discussions

sender1

Hi, we are looking at the 330xi, (NY, lots of snow) there are not many 2005 330xi's near me and what we have found they are asking around $38,900. This is with just the premium package. They are willing to come down only $500 off that price and act like they are doing us a huge favor on a used car with 10,000 miles on it. The 2006 xi is redesigned and slightly larger but production isn't starting until the fall. Has anyone ordered a 2006 xi 330 and what did you pay? Thanks in advance for all your input.

wco81

Sounds good on surface but a lot of the links on this site appear to be broken so it's hard to get details without calling them.

www.generalcar.com

Got the URL in a classified ad in the local paper. I think it's like $1000 or $1500 at lease inception to get that $339/mo for the 325i.

skobola

It appears that they only deal with people in California, which makes their web site not applicable to anyone else. However, they do not say that until the very end, which makes the form as well as the whole web site stupid. I lost about 15 minutes of my time for nothing.

kennynmd

Comfort access sort of eliminates the key. When you start the car, all you have to do is push on the brake and press the Start button. You don't have to insert or turn the key. Didn't know about it before and found out about it here thanks to all the other members. . Most liely the dealer is trying so sell you the cae now! I heard from another member here it is supposed to be $500 for the option.

eric2005

I am getting the following quote from a southern California dealer.
Am i ripped off badly?
325i / automatic / metallic paint / sat. prep
msrp: 32820
acq. fee: 825
MF: 0.00295
residual: 61% (36months/15k)
Monthly pmt with tax: 540
$1000 down includes first pmt, reg. fee and doc. fee.
I know the base MF should be 0.0025,
but all the dealers I have quotes from give me 0.0029 at least
I can get it this Friday,
so don't know if that's the going price i have to pay in s. cal. now?
thanks.

blueguydotcom

Negotiate your price - this will lower your payments. ask the dealer to give you 27 for the mf - ie, meet you the in the middle.

as you're in so cal, expect at least 1000-1500 off msrp.

davidd3

Thanks. I was able to find a blurb about this in the brochure, but your information is even better. It is annoying that certain colors and options are not available until September for a car that was launched in May.

kyfdx

Nothing special about your deal.. They are discounting the car about $1200, which is okay, considering it has almost no options..

But, they are bumping the money factor by .0003 and by another .00015 for the security deposit waiver.. Also, they are marking up the acq.fee by $200...

If you take their selling price.. $31,585 is my best guess.. Add $625 for the acq.fee to the cap cost, make a security deposit ($550), ask for the base MF of .0025...

Then your payment should be about $508/mo. including 8.25% tax (my assumption).. Your upfront money will rise to $1550 including the deposit, which you'll get back at the end of the lease...

This still leaves the dealer about $2000 over the invoice, so not an unreasonable deal, at all...

regards,
kyfdx

151ranch

how much off of MSRP could I expect? $1000? I am wanting a MT with prem and sport pkgs + heated seats. Dallas area.

Thanks

wolf1

The comfort access option isnt available until September production which means your looking at November delivery.

batman702

I have been looking at 2005 and older 325i's and my dealer comes up with this 2004 330i coupe, metallic paint, sport pkg, about 17,000 miles, and a $34,000 price for me to take outside the door. Any ideas if this is a good deal? What is the going price if anyone has one of these? I would be interested to know. Thanks

frisconick

I like that deal batman!!!, 17k miles is nothing! :P

davidd3

I live in NY and I am interested in leasing a 2006 BMW 325i or 330i for 3 years with 15,000 miles per year.

For these models could someone please let me know BMWFS' current (July) base money factor, residual percentage, and base acquisition fee for a NY lease? I would also appreciate a rundown on how much dealers are allowed to markup the money factor and acquisition fee. If the dealer does markup one or the other, I suppose that it is discretionary and therefore negotiable. Please confirm. Are dealer markups common or uncommon? For dealers that do markups, is it realistic to get them to drop it or should I be seeking a reduction instead? Is there a base document fee with a BMWFS lease or is that a discretionary dealer add on? If there is a document fee, should I be seeking a waiver or a reduction?

Is the current leasing program better on one or the other model, the 325 or the 330? A little extra help on the 330 would be nice to make it more affordable.

Do I understand correctly that the MF would be increased if I request a waiver of the security deposit? If so, how much of an increase would it be and is this another place where the dealer is allowed to take a discretionary mark up? Is it basically a wash (interest I'd earn on the waived security deposit = the extra money I'd have to pay on my lease on account of the higher MF), or would I be better off to make the security deposit in order to keep the base MF?

Is the NY acquistion fee waivable, and if so, at what cost? A higher MF? If so, how much higher and can the dealer mark it up even more? Would it be better to capitalize the acquisition fee at the base MF rather than have it waived for a higher MF?

Does BMWFS allow for multiple security deposits as a way to reduce the MF, and if so, how much of an decrease would there be and would it be a wise investment (better than money in the bank - a risk free way of lowering the monthly payment on a lease)?

If I need more than 15,000 miles per year (say 20,000), how does it work? Do they work off of their 36/45 program? Is there a certain base charge per mile that gets added to the capitalized cost? How much does the residual drop? Is this another area where the dealer can profit?

If the situation may still be such that BMWFS lease programs for the new 3s are totally unsupported by BMW, would I be well advised to explore thrid party bank leasing? If I got a better deal from a third party, might BMWFS be inclined to match it or are they rigid about sticking to their current programs? Do BMW dealers deal exclusively with BMWFS or do they also deal directly with third party banks for situations where BMWFS numbers are too high? Might I be able to get my BMW dealer to quote leasing numbers from third party banks for me to compare against BMWFS?

Sorry for so many questions, but any useful information and helpful guidance would be highly appreciated.

batman702

I agree 17K is nothing, but the price seems a bit high. There is nothing special about the car, and it seems they are just trying to shove it out the door to anyone. Any ideas about a 2004 330? For 34K I could buy a brand new 2006 325. Anyone heard of any problems with a 330 from 2004? It is certified, but I really don't want a 500.00 a month car payment. Thanks

kyfdx

1) Dealers have the July numbers, but they aren't posted on the internet, yet... Probably by the end of the week..

2) You are almost always better off making the security deposit... The waiver is a .00015 bump to the MF.

3) The base acquisition fee in NY is $900.. Not negotiable.. it goes directly to the bank... Dealers may mark it up by $200, and many do... that part is negotiable. I'm not sure about a waiver in NY.. For the rest of the country that is a .0003 bump in the MF.. and generally isn't worth it..

4) BMWFS changed their MSD program a couple of years ago.. It is only a .00005 reduction for each deposit, up to a maximum of five deposits.. Almost not worth the trouble.

5) Not sure exactly how the extra miles works at BMWFS... but, it does start with a 36mo/45K lease... Most deals I've heard.. they encourage you to wait until about 9 months before lease end, then buy the miles at $0.16/each... vs. the $0.20/ea. that you'll pay at lease end.. This also gives you the advantage of a mileage history, so that you only pay for what you need. Also, that will leave the dealer out of it...

6) The leases may be unsupported, but no one else will match the BMWFS residuals... Most BMW dealers don't deal with the 3rd party leases, unless it is an unusual structure, because most just aren't competitive.. Sometimes BMWFS' 36mo. leases are supported and the 48mo. aren't... In those cases, some other banks will beat the 48mo. lease price, if you are so inclined (I wouldn't be).

regards,
kyfdx

ddas

Hi:
I am looking at a 02 325i, auto, premium, heated seats with 47K miles in it... The car has a built in ipod dock and a CPO warranty of 2 yr 50K miles over and above the new car warranty. The asking price from a private party is $19.990 and I am trying to negotiate for a flat 19K. Is this is good price, should I be flexible and move my price up a little in case the seller does not budge..I like the car especially the warranty and it's in mint condition.....Let me know what you guys think should be a good price for it....

Thanx,
DD

kyfdx

If he is asking $19,990.. he'll come down to $19K, unless he has a line out the door looking to buy it (doubtful). Make sure the car has the official BMW CPO warranty.. It makes me wonder, because the guy is coming up on 50K miles, and is looking to sell...

You can take the VIN to the local BMW dealer and find out the in-service date and warranty expiration dates, plus any service history.. I'd do that before buying it...

Plus, if the in-service date is July of '02, you have three years of warranty left, but if it is October of '01, just a little over 2 years..

The price looks okay... what color is it? Leather?

regards,
kyfdx

ddas

He specifically told me that it was a BMW CPO warranty. He is a colleague of mine from work who is swithing jobs, he bought the car 4 months ago from the local BMW dealer but has to sell it since he is moving. The color is silver with tan leather interior ( not the best combination) but I guess I, it being a used car, I can live with it...

I will make it point to get the VIN # and check the service history..

kyfdx

Yeah.. when you check the service history, the warranty expiration is right on the printout.. If it is sand interior, it could be leatherette, instead of leather.. but, not a big deal..

Silver with sand is not my favorite, either... but, it doesn't look as bad as it sounds...

It sounds like a nice car for the money... Especially at $19K with the warranty.. No free service, though... that is only for the first 3yr/36K on the '02 models..

regards,
kyfdx

davidd3

Thanks kyfdx.

Many thanks for your helpful reply.

I am intrigued by the flexible mileage arrangement you described in your #5. I have not heard of such a program before. Apparently the customer takes the standard 36mo/45K lease and sees how it goes. Then early in the last year of the lease the customer will have an opportunity to buy additional miles at a favorable rate as compared to paying the excess mileage penalty at the end of the lease. 2+ years into a 3 year lease I would be in a better position than I am in now to make an informed decision about extra miles. If I were to buy extra miles up front and my circumstances change such that I won't actually put on 20,000 miles per year, I would nevertheless be stuck with a monthly payment that includes all those extra miles. But on the other hand, I'd feel no pain to have the cost of the extra miles spread out over 36 payments, while it would hurt to have to pay perhaps $2,400 in a lumpsum at some point late in the lease. On balance, I like the flexible approach and think that I will go that way.

Let me ask you something else. I expect to put on 60,000 miles over the course of the 3 year lease, while BMW's warranty is only 50,000 miles. I will likely be out of warranty and therefore at risk during the last few months of my lease. Is there a way to reasonably alleviate this concern? I suppose that a 2 year lease would be prohibitively expensive. And if I purchased an extended warranty to 100,000 miles, it would be not only be very costly, but it would likely benefit the next owner much more so than me. Ultimately, when I think about the free maintanance for the first 50,000 miles, I think that I can jusstify taking the risk on the warranty. While Infiniti has a 60,000 mile warranty, I had to pay for all my maintenance for the G35 I am now leasing. The BMW might not cost me anything at all, and if I suddenly have to pay for something in the last few months of my lease, I would likely still come out ahead of the game as compared to leasing another car with a longer warranty but no free maintenance.

David D

kyfdx

That is definitely a risk.. Not worth buying an extended warranty for just 10K miles of coverage, though...

That makes it a tough choice.. The included maintenance is important.. 50K worth of maintenance on an Infiniti would probably be $1000 at the dealer... though you would know the actual cost..

regards,
kyfdx

ddas

Thanks a lot, I will keep in mind all the things you said. I hope the deal goes through, it looks pretty good to me with the warranty and stuff....

davidd3

Thanks for confirming my thoughts, kyfdx.

dorisel

I am using the fax method to obtain offers on a 2006 325i (base except for the automatic transmission). I first contacted the dealerships and spoke directly to the sales managers and let them know that the fax was coming. Unfortunately, after sending 12 faxes, I only received 3 bids. The lowest bid I have received is 31,900. I was hoping to get a little closer to invoice. I live in Tennessee, so I faxed the bid requests to TN, MS, AL and AR. Do you think I can get a better offer going into a dealership?

rroyce10

........ $19,900 ..? ... seems a little on the cheap side for a "clean" 02 325i with 47k .... just make sure you have a quality service and body man take a real close look before you sign that check .. most dealers would be dropping the $18's in it - if it's an auto with warranty ........

Terry.

bmwccc

KYFDX, Blueguydotcom & others..................

Finally decided on the car today after checking it out for the third time and an hour test drive. Man, what a nice car!

So here is the question, wanted to find out about leasing info. Not sure if I am going to lease or finance and the dealer said the rates were not that great for leasing.

Here is my setup:
2006 330i
Steptronic
Sport Package
Premium Package
Cold Weather Package
MSRP comes in at $43,545 and invoice comes in at $39,915 (based on
Edmunds figures).
Looking to finalize deal at $1,500 over invoice ($2,130 off msrp).

Could you guys let me know what the current MF rates are for July?

Could you lay out for me the whole leasing $ amount as if I was a 10 year old. (never leased a car, thanks) Base it on 3yr, 45k miles with as little money down as possible. That much at least I know. I live in California so tax rate is .08. There will be no trade in and just the minimum $ amount to put down. Base the car at $41,500 for round numbers.

Thanks in advance for the help and tutoring lesson! :P

bmwccc

kyfdx

$43,545 MSRP
$41,500 Selling price
$42,125 Cap cost (selling price + acq.fee)
3yr/45K lease
Residual 59%
MF .0025
Payment $626/mo.+ tax.. $676/mo. with 8% tax included..

Due at signing.. 1st payment, security deposit ($700), and title/license fees..

regards,
kyfdx

reellaw

What are the new color combinations coming up in the 2006 325's that are not now available?

Thanks

marcpotash

BMW does not have a holdback so "invoice" is not going to happen unless there is a rebate. $1500 above invoice is a good price.

mevande

Re: Leasing. I have read in many places (Money Mag, Fortune ect..) that leasing for other than business use (where one can write off expenses) is not cost effective. Anyone with any ideas contrary? I ask for there seems to be allot of leasing in this area .. BMW prices paid. Thanks!

longhorn4

For those of us who failed math in high school, can you please explain how you got to the $626 monthly payment? Thanks much.

virtualbmw

I didn't think that you could offer cars for sale here.

baekho

Hi Kyfdx,

Just wanted to thank you for your help in determining my lease deal on 2005 330 coupe!

I ordered the car from dealership, it is being customized in germany, so called "mod"

Only problem is that I have to wait about 3 months before I get the car.

My question is about the European delivery. I did some research and it seems like a cool way to get a trip out of the discount from the car. I was wondering How I can determine how much more i can save if I did the european delivery? Is it even worth it, or just a bunch of hype....I got the car for:

MSRP 46,695 and discounted price $43895

If i do the european delivery can i save even more money? I am leasing the car 3 year/15K

thanks

Kirstie_H

You can't, and it's gone

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Host, Future Vehicles & Smart Shopper discussions

ddas

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. When I drove the car i noticed that it does not have a driver/front passenger armrest in the center. Does the 02, 325i not come with an armrest standard.
Also, when i opened the hood to take a peek inside, it seemed there there was a large gap at thetop left left corner, almost seemed as if a part or something was missing... Is this normal..?

Thanks a lot in advance,
ddas

adp3

What do you guys think? I have a chance to buy a 2004 BMW 325ci convertible for aroujnd $38K. Should I do it, or should I wait and buy the new Volvo next summer with an OSD deal? (I found the 325 a bit hard to steer at parking speeds - I need to research if there are different steering packages on the car, as I'm not sure I like it.) Oh, and the Beemer is a buddy's car - it has 10k miles on it and is in mint condition. His wife was driving it but preferred more of a people hauler, so he's selling it.
Thoughts?

(p.s. I don't need much a back seat - just enough to haul to smallish kids around on short jaunts)

bmw3434

Well, I believe the armrest came in the premium package in 2002. Sounds like a base car in form, are you sure it's a premium package?
And, as far as the gap goes, it's supposed to be like that. Did you notice there's no battery under the hood? It's basically the space left over from where the battery would be.
The battery is in the trunk.

nyccarguy

kyfdx

Do you have the July residuals and base money factors on an '06 325i for 3 year/15K year leases? Thank-you.

0audilicious0

I'm in negotiations for Euro Delivery in November for a 325 touring and have come to the following with my dealer. I'm a little thrown off by the ED process, so I wanted to get some consensus to make sure this pricing makes sense for both myself and the dealer (the sales guy is a good guy and he should make some $ too).

Price = $1500 over ED invoice + all options at retail msrp.

Thanks.

adp3

more detail re the used 325 cic:

auto trans.
power everything
heated seats
harmon kardon audio
upgraded wheels

but I don't know how to tell if it has the sport package or any other package (which has an impact on the value, eh?)...can't seem to find the details on the net. argh.

nyccarguy

question:

36mo 15K year...61% .00250 325i

rhmass

I was in the dealers' to check out the 06 models as my older car 's transmission is gone. While talking to the salesman, he mentioned they still have one 05 330i demo with only 20 miles. I test drove it and it seems to be fine. Is this possible to have a "demo" with so few miles in so late the model year? Anyway the MRSP on this car is $42,045 . The invoice is $38,545 and he is offering the car for $36,500. He told me the BMW incentive is no longer available to dealers now. Do you think it is a reasonable discount for an 05 at this point. I haven't given him any counter offer yet. Any advice and suggestion? When it is called "demo", does this mean it is already registered and is thus considered a used car?
Thanks.