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

davidd3

I hope that you can find what you are looking for so as to beat the price increase.

But don't hesitate to order exactly what you want. Ability to order exactly what you want (and not have to settle) is a great thing about BMW. If you are leasing, the price increase will amount to peanuts. With a residual of about 60%, you'd only be paying for 40% of the $600 price increase = $240. Over the course of a 36 month lease, I figure you'd be looking at an extra $7 to $8 on a monthly payment that is going to be in the 600s (if you put no money down and capitalize the acquisition fee and sales tax). That's a small price to pay to get an expensive car exactly how you want it.

saigonboi21

Any car that's ordered after July 21st will have the increased price. ED invoice- 325 went from $25,645 to $26,195. 330 went from $30,720 to about $30,920 or so (less than $31,000). So there's only an increase of about $200 on the 330i.

I was in the same position you are about a week ago. I thought about ordering a 330 but then it would take about 3 months before i get it here. But if you use the invoice from edmunds for the car and packages/options, you dont really save that much going with ED. add in the cost of the trip- i figured i would save about $500. But that's not worth waiting 3 months for the car.

330i+ZPP +Steptronic= $38,768 ED( this is with $500 profit for dealer)
$40,796 (buy here)
so you save about $2000 - $1200 cost of trip (airfare + hotel for 4 nights) - $300 to spend for food and such. So you save about $500 or so. That's what i figured. Hope this helps.

selm

It is not always about money saved -- it is the experience! I would think most people that are purchasing a BMW probably take an annual vacation that costs some money. If you want to vacation in Bavaria and forgo Hawaii for this year, I think ED is a great deal. If you are just trying to save a few bucks, then I agree that it is not worth the 4-5 month total waiting time. My first ED experience is coming up in September and I cannot wait any longer!

saigonboi21

i agree with you 100%. It is the experience. Im just saying that for some ppl the experience is not worth the wait. You can go to Bavaria anytime you know? Some ppl want the car right away. If i have free time i WoulD DEFINITELY do ED. But i have school in October and i cant wait for 3 months. I hate waiting. I guess for me the opportunity cost of waiting is more than the experience.

adp3

what kind of deal does BMW give you on ED? I did a factory delivery for my Volvo, and loved it. It doesn't make (financial) sense on any model that you can get below MSRP at home, however.

cmd130

Hello,

On July 21, 2005 I placed an order for a new 2006 330i with Crevier BMW in Santa Ana with the following options:

Jet Black
Grey Leather
STEPTRONIC Automatic Trans
Premium Package
Sport Package
Heated Front Seats
Active Steering
On-Board Navigation w/iDrive
Active Cruise Control
Park Distance Control - Rear
Satellite Radio

Prior to my placing this order I had asked a friend of mine who has owned several BMWs what kind of deal I could get on a new 3 Series and his suggestion was to go through Costco. He had purchased his 2005 5 Series that way and according to him he saved substantially. I had imagined that they don't deal much on a premium car like this, but I really didn't know. I had no experience.

Anyway, I did what he suggested and Crevier ended up quoting me a Costco Discount price of $1,580 off MSRP or $47,385 plus fees. I argued at the time that a paltry $1,580 off the factory sticker price did not seem equitable, fair or reasonable. They, however, insisted this was indeed the Costco Discount price and explained there is very little “wiggle room” with BMWs.

Anyway the order was placed at that price, and I did sign a Special Order form which indicated an “Agreed Purchase Price” but no binding sales contract has been signed. But since my delivery date of September 20th is approaching, I thought I'd investigate further. I know this should have been done before hand.

What I discovered is, according to Consumer Reports Car Price Service, the Dealer Invoice for this vehicle is $42,020 including all options

My experience with purchasing automobiles, (but never a BMW, this is my first), is work up from dealer invoice. Never down from the sticker price. And I’ve always done very well using this, armed with the Consumer Reports Pricing info.

Does this make sense? What is a reasonable price I should expect to pay for this machine? Am I legally bound by the price on the “Special Order” sheet I signed? If I've made a mistake can I recover?

I’m perfectly fine with Crevier making a fair profit on the sale of this automobile, but I’m not willing to lay down and let them charge me what appears to be 11% over their cost. Thanks for your advice.

davidd3

I believe that the dealer invoice on this car is 44,850, not 42,020. Check it out at edmunds.com - new car prices. So there's "only" about 4,000 of play between invoice and MSRP, not 7,000. Is 1,580 off of MSRP a fair price for this car? Yes. Is 1,580 off of MSRP the dealer's best price for this car? Probably not. That's the way it usually is with no haggle prices through affiliations such as Costco, AAA, etc. You'll get a decent discount, but not nearly the best price.

I'm in the NY metro area. Around here you could buy that car in the range of 1,000 to 1,500 over invoice. I don't know what the market is where you are.

Didn't you give a deposit when you signed the order form? Maybe 1,000? If so, I believe that you would be at risk of losing your deposit if you cancel the order. Maybe it makes sense to solicit some lower quotes from other dealers and then try to renegotiate your deal with the dealer you ordered the car from.

blueguydotcom

hat's the way it usually is with no haggle prices through affiliations such as Costco, AAA, etc. You'll get a decent discount, but not nearly the best price.

In may of 03 i paid $400 over invoice for a 330i using costco. There were no rebates or dealer incentives on the car. Sometimes Costco can be a good deal. If I head a dealer say anything approaching 500 or more over invoice on a car, I'd laugh right out the door.

davidd3

I'd say that the awesome deal you got is the exception and that the deal the original poster got is the general rule. I would think that almost all of the time a person that does his/her homework and haggles is going to do better (in many cases a lot better) than the dealer's no haggle price for Costco members, AAA members, etc. I'm a Costco/AAA member and I have looked into this before and never ended up going that route.

blueguydotcom

I agree. It worked at that dealership for a few cars - in fact when the incentives kicked in we'd figure prices by $400 over invoice and then subtract incentives. Made buying bimmers easy.

Most of the time I've been dismayed by the results of costco/aaa pricing.

kyfdx

NY state, right?

Cap cost of $33,245 with the $900 acq.fee rolled in..

I get $527/mo. with the taxes rolled in..

And... if interested... Only about $545/mo.tax included to lease for 24mo/30K..

regards,
kyfdx

bimmerluver

the invoice price is 42005. If the new invoice prices are in effect then maybe 300 more. There are plenty of dealers willing to do this for 1000 - 1500 over invoice if not less.
Goodluck and btw nice choice.

Active steering rocks.

nyccarguy

I'd rather pay the $900 acq. fee upfront.

What do you get w/o the acq. fee rolled in?

For those interested, the reason NY has such a high acq fee compared to other states is this extremely ridiculous (not to mention anceint) vicarious liability law. It holds the owner of the vehicle (read, leasing companies and banks with deep pockets) liable for the actions of its driver. The law was instated in the 1920's for chauffers who got into accidents, the car's owner was held liable. In our wonderful modern day letigious society, people are using this law to sue leasing companies in cases of severe injury and or death by an auto accident. NY is the only state in the entire US to still have this law. Supposedly the President is signing a bill in a week or 2 that will nullify the vicarious liability law in NY.

nyccarguy

I drove the car this afternoon. Using the base mf and residuals, he came up with $499 per month for 36mo/15K per year lease.

ak501

I am looking to buy a '06 330i with Automatic Transmission, Premium Pkg, and Nav. It looks like I might have to order it since I'm told the Nav system and lack of Sport Pkg makes it an odd configuration to find. I've been to a couple dealers around Houston (Momentum) and Dallas (the one affiliated with Autonation), and no one seems to have more than a few new 3-series on hand, and they are not willing to deal more than 1K off MSRP, if that. Is it just me or is anyone else running into this?

So, I was wondering if any of you have gotten a deal close to invoice on any new 3-series at any of the Houston/Austin/Dallas dealers, or if you can recommend any dealers in these areas.

babydoc

Anyone out there looking at one of these?
We are thinking about leasing one through work, and we're being quoted the MSRP for now (in Missouri). Getting the premium package and seat heaters is all. Anyone know of any good deals on these 330Xis?
Also- the reason we want an Xi is because of the snowy winters we sometimes get. Anyone else have trouble with rear-wheel drive BMWs in snow? If not, we may consider the other 3 series cars.
Thanks for any input.

bububug

Thanks for the info Chatkat. They fax me the production # along with the list of equipment and price. Is that safe enough? I am buying it base + leather interior that's it, nothing more, so you think I am ok with that worksheet? The fleet manager sounded ok....

chatkat

I can only share m own experience. I did not go back the 2nd tine,

kyfdx

$900 / 36 mo. = $25/mo... It might be a little more than that, because if you pay it upfront, you don't pay finance charges on it... but, you will still pay tax on it..

On the 24 month lease... $900 / 24 mo. = $37.50/mo. As you can see.. the 24 mo. payment is almost exactly the same as the 36 mo. payment... The only increase is due to amortizing the acquisition fee over 24 months vs. 36 months.

So, without the acq.fee rolled in, his numbers look the same as mine...

Personally, I always roll it in... I see no difference between the acq.fee and a cap cost reduction.. It gives you a truer picture of the monthly cost of leasing the car.. Of course, sometimes you don't want to really know the true cost..

regards,
kyfdx

kyfdx

I can't help you with Texas dealers.. but...

You would have a lot better chance of a deal, if you give up the NAV... You could probably find a car on the lot that would suit your needs, and possibly have a little more bargaining leverage..

NAV is not that popular of an option on 3-series... It doesn't function as well as the Japanese brand NAVs.. (See Acura/Honda), and most people would rather spend the $1800 on other options, such as upgraded audio, or sport package..

When there is a car on the lot that you can drive off in that day, and you show the willingness to do that, if a deal is struck... you'll find prices may come down a little lower.. That advice goes for every make of car, not just BMW..

regards,
kyfdx

kyfdx

I'd spend my money on a good set of winter tires/wheels... and swap out.. The only real expense is the wheels, as any wear on the winter tires will be less wear on your originals...

You'll save on fuel, have better handling, and have better winter handling than with an Xi on all-season tires..

The Xis haven't even made it to the dealers yet.. Plus, the '05 models have been virtually out of stock for 3-4 months, so there is some pent-up demand... Deals aren't likely to be out there for a few more months..

regards,
kyfdx

saigonboi21

im tryin to choose between Premium Package or Sport Package+BMW assist w/bluetooth for a 330i. I was wondering if the leatherette is durable and which package i should go with. Please let me know your opinion. THanks

atlanta3

I'm trying to buy a 2006 325i in Atlanta with the following: Sparkling Graphite metallic paint, premium package, and Steptronic automatic. According to the Consumer Reports New & Used Car Price Service, the invoice price, with options, is $32,730. Nalley BMW has quoted me $34,495 (including everything but tax), which comes to $37,377.58 with tax. United BMW has told me they'll beat any other price I get by $300.

Does anyone have any experience with the Atlanta dealers? Does anyone have an opinion as to whether this is a good deal?

Thanks for any thoughts you might have!

carnaught

I looked them over at the dealership, thinking of a "3" as my daily ride for a (business related) lease. It's really hard to tell the leatherette from leather and if a past Mercedes experience with tek is any indication, it may actually wear better than leather with less chance(s) for discoloration. On the flip side, it feels grainy and is not aromatic like the leather. I came to the conclusion that despite the price, I'd get leather. That's just me though and individual opinions obviously will vary.

adp3

My onlyu modificaiton to your advise is that you consider NOT buying wheels, but simply buying tires and then having them swapped out for the snowy months. Given how expensive wheels are, and ow cheap it is to have the tires swapped on and off, and how much harder it is to store wheels than just tires, I went the route of tires only.

Another factor in my analysis was that Volvo discourages anything other than stock rims, because of the ABS, etc. systems, blah blah blah. I could have gotten a good deal on a second set of the wheels I already had, but that's no fun....so.....one set of wheels, two sets of tires.

amigos

Automatic
Navigation
Sports Package
Heated Seats
Metallic paint
Leather interior
Price Negotiated $45,595

available in October......can't wait. :shades:

babydoc

Thanks all for answering the xi vs other 3 series questions.
Now I can think maybe about other cars.
Amigos- could you post the name of the dealership you worked with? Also, in which city do you live?

timny

Final price came it at $42,800 including all the various fees that normally seem to appear at the last minute on the invoice ... I sort of got swept up in the moment, since I swore I wouldn't go over $42,500. Now I am having buyer's regret ... a little. Should I have just forgotten BMW altogether and just gone with the Acura TL???

timny

I understand your angst and have been through it myself. Other cars seem to lend themselves easier to deal-making. The supply-to-demand ratio for the BMW and the fact you are buying a newly designed car in advance of the model year are factors weighing against anyone in this market.

When I configure the car you describe on the BMW site, the car comes out at $48,965 before taxes and fees. Edmunds, meanwhile, indicates a True Market Value of $47,996:
Base: $36,155
Jet Black: n/c
Grey Leather: n/c
STEPTRONIC Automatic Trans: $1262
Premium Package: $2160
Sport Package: $1571
Heated Front Seats: $491
Active Steering: $1228
On-Board Navigation w/iDrive: $1964
Active Cruise Control: $2160
Park Distance Control - Rear: $344
Satellite Radio: $584 + $74 (prep)

So you probably did alright! If you pitted a couple of dealers against each other, you may have done better but then you have to ask yourself what's the value of your time and effort. I pitted three dealers against each other. At the end of the day, I "saved" a little less than $8000 on the acquistion of a 330i and a X3 (i.e., the difference in price between the first of dealer X and the final agreed-upon price of dealer Y). But it took several days and not a small amount of frustration.

In one case, I also had a deposit down -- $500 -- but it was refundable. In your case, it probably is as well; check the fine print. By national law, you should have at least 72 hours to change your mind on any contract.

If you aren't comfortable with what you paid, back out or you'll be second-guessing yourself and that may cause you to not enjoy your swish new ride!

timny

Final: $42,800, including all fees.

timny

btw - misread when you extablished the contract (so forget my 72 hr comment). You can probably still back out of the agreement.

davidd3

I think that you did very well.

Now stop thinking about that TL. Sure, you could have saved about 10 grand by going with the TL. And sure, it is fast, comfortable, luxurious and reliable. But it is FWD and the handling is not close to the RWD 3. You get what you pay for, and if you are looking for a true sports sedan rather than a luxury car with some kick, the 330 is a superior car (though arguably not to the extent that the price gap would suggest). You will have no regrets once you get behind the wheel of your own 330i. My wait is nearing the end. I take delivery on Sep. 2. I could have leased another G35 (for a heck of lot less!), but no regrets.

timny

Thanks. It was a hard decision. The TL's a sweet ride (and living in NY, a FWD can be handy in the snow). The benefits of the 3 are off-set somewhat by the fact (ugh!) I've had to order it as an AT, since my wife can't/won't drive a stick.

But the new 3 is hot even as an AT, and I've always wanted -- once in my life -- to own a truly new car! I just hope the problems that usually surface with a redesigned car don't plague the new 3.

BTW - my buddy has the G35 and loves it. Did you not like yours?

davidd3

I'm in the same boat with the AT for my wife. Same goes for the satellite radio and the heated seats.

I'm also in NY. I'm strongly considering doing the snow tires thing with my 330i. Never done it before. But I'm guessing that RWD with snow tires would be as good as and maybe even better than FWD with all-seasons. I've read that no all-season tire is really that good in the snow, though they are surely better than performance tires.

I was one of the first people to have the G35. Got it in the Spring of '03 on a 39 month lease. I love it! Only reason I'm not getting another one is the same reason I got a G35 in the first place. I want something new and exciting. The new 3 fits that description for me very nicely this time around. I lease my cars and like to take the opportunity to change every 3 years. I was also considering the new IS, but the timing was not right for me (Oct. 1 launch date).

davidd3

Oh, yeah. I missed one point. I share your reliability concern. I had no trouble whatsoever with my first year G35. But that's par for the course with most Japanese cars. I'm hoping for the best with the first year 3. This will be my first German car.

timny

By all accounts, you will have to get a set of winter tires, if your 3 has the sport package. I've been advised to check Tire Rack (www.tiretrack.com). You see their ads in R&T, C&D, etc all the time. Their web-site has a novel feature whereby you can view your selected wheels on the car itself (ironically, the model car they show for the 2006 330 is in my selected color!). I had great expereince with Michelin Pilots (HX MXM 225 45R17s) on a FWD 6-speed -- handle suprisingly well in all conditions, and they have LASTED! 40% tread on 49,000 miles! But I think I will get true winter tires in this case -- one dealership recommended Dunlop Winter Sport M3 on 17"s. (Remember: the new 330 comes with no spare -- and no room for a spare -- so winter run-flats may be necessary, and the M3s are just that).

Oh ... and heated seats and SIRIUS were also wife-requirements for me (my wife's os, of all things, a Howard Stern fan ... one reason she wanted BMW over Acura was the latter only offered XM Sat.radio, not SIRIUS!).

The G35 is a great car. My friend got his in August of '03 -- fully loaded -- for $31K, including taxes and fees since a family friend owns an Infiniti dealership. I would have been able to leverage the same sort of deal but my wife thought having the same cars as our friends was silly. The things we do for our wives! hahaha!

timny

Fingers crossed. Infiniti, Acura and Lexus are fast closing in on the Germans in the sports sedan market -- if they don't improve reliability, they are going to have real issues in the years ahead. With that in mind, let's trust BMW engineers did their homework before sending out this new model.

davidd3

I didn't get the Sport Package, so my car is coming with all-season 17s. I could possibly have a go at winter with them (especially this coming winter when the tires won't have many miles on them), but I suspect that it will prove to be difficult, as has been the case with my G35. So I'm inclined to get a set of snows for my 3. I'm familiar with Tire Rack. I bought tires from them before. My preliminary research also suggests that the Dunlap Winter Sport M3 would be a good choice for the new 3. And yes, we are as a practical matter limited to run-flat snows. There doesn't seem to be much to choose from right now, but we may have more choice in the fall. I'm hoping that by getting snows I can avoid having to replace my all-seasons due to wear. Whatever miles I put on the snows will be less miles on the all-seasons. So maybe the snows won't really cost me anything, except whatever the charge is to change the tires twice per year. Do you use snows for 4 months in NY, Dec - Mar?

Go figure, my wife is also a Howard Stern fan.

G35s are now selling for about invoice, and the money factor is way less than that applicable to the new 3.

Are you aware that the transportation bill, which Prez Bush is scheduled to sign into law on Wednesday, contains a provision which makes it such that lessors of autos can no longer be held vicariously liable for damages caused by the people who lease cars from them in NY? Therefore, it should soon be the case that us NYers will be charged the regular acquistion fee ($625) rather than the jacked up acquisition fee ($900). I raised this issue with my salesperson. He said that I will be charged the reduced fee if the fee is reduced prior to my delivery date. You might want to flag this issue for your salesperson, if you are leasing.

cmd130

Thank you for your response, it is much appreciated. I'm going to work them down to $45,500, that's a price that will make me feel good. They'll still be making over an 8% profit.

adp3

check the Nokian website - I believe it is a much better tire than the Dunlop- they ahve an all-season with the mountain/snowflake symbol - the only tire like that, I think. I have them on my Volvo xc90, but I'd guess they make one that fits your bmw.

meangene3

2006 330i
selling price+37900 with prem pkg and heated seats
leasing the car for 574 including CT taxes
1200 down inclusive of 1st month payment.

meangene3

just ordered my 330i, w/o sport package. I thought the low pro's would be a huge hassle in the NE winter. am I really sacrificing alot by not getting this car equiped with this option?

atlanta6

I've been quoted $1,500 off MSRP by Global Imports in Atlanta for a 325i with metallic paint, premium package, and automatic. Good?

nyccarguy

Go for the Sport Package. You'll absolutely love it in the fall/summer/spring months. Get a set of snow tires on different wheels for the winter months. You'll be able to get much more enjoyment out of the car that way. YOu'll be safer in the winter too by having a set of dedicated winter tires as opposed to the all season tires on the standard 330i.

davidd3

Thanks for your suggestion. I will check it out.

jose1lm

car was sitting on a port, salesman swapped another car for this one and it will soon be here (1 - 2 weeks?) California
330i, titanium silver metallic, gray leather, (zcw) cold weather pkg, (zpp) premium pkg, auto transmission, (pdc) park distance control, satellite radio prep. Also will throw in the floor mats

total suggested price $42,370.00

negotiated to $39,740.

total out the door price $43,402.15

When talking to another dealer closer to me, I asked if he could do better, if not, at least match it (that way I won't have to drive an extra 20mins). He stated that he couldn't even come close and said that the other guy is only making about $560 over invoice (not sure how true this is).

JLM

kyfdx

The dealer is making more than $560, but that is a very good price..

kyfdx

Without details.. (MSRP, term/mileage of lease, etc..), no one can give you a definitive answer to your question..

But, off the top of my head.. it looks like a decent deal on a 3 year lease..

kyfdx

While I really like the sport package... a lot of it depends on the way you drive, and if you like the sport seats..

Also, some people just don't want to hassle with changing out for winter tires...

For 90% of people, it won't matter at all... I would sit in a car with sport, and drive it before making a decision, though..

You'll still have a great car without it..

regards,
kyfdx

timny

That's how I am rationalizing the cost of an additional set of tires (and, in my case, wheels!): less wear-and-tear on the summer tires. Buying a BMW in general seems to be an exercise of rationalizing. Of course 250hp is necessary; of course I need Bluetooth so I can talk to my car; of course I need mirrors that fold themselves back, etc., etc.

I think I mentioned getting great performance out of the W speed rated Michelin all-season performance tires I had on my current car (VW GLI, 6-speed, FWD). Their performance in the snow was astonishing. My buddy with the G35 had a terrible time this past winter, and often would get stuck in the snow in the city, too. I've not used dedicated snow tires for years, but definitely am doing so this year. And I am ordering them sooner rather than later, since the supply of run-flats doesn't seem ideal.

Was your experience with Tire Rack a good one?

Stern: you'd think women would hate him, right?

This is one peice of Bush legislation I think I agree with. I know of a few cases (e.g., Chase) were the lessor was hit with a huge settlement for a drunk driving fatality with a leased vehicle. It's sort of like suing the farmer who grew the hops that were used by the brewer to make the beer that was over-served to the drunk-driver. Where's personal responsibility???

I actually had one dealer try to charge me $1025 bank fee. We had agreed on some really low prices for two cars, and then I found them sneaking these exaggerated fees in through the back door. While I of course got them to reverse the fees, it left a bad taste in my mouth - it was one reason I swung away from Acura.