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

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Comments

  • asi12asi12 Member Posts: 46
    I browsed many threads on this forum and it seems like people here are very intelligent and well financed at least by their purchase of BMW. I just can't understand why would you lease a car? I am sure you all know that dealers make most money off leases. You can always sell the car after 2 or 3 or 4 years and still get a better deal in terms of price.

    What most people here think of buying 2-3 years old cars? Most of the cars still work great, reliable and I assume you can have mechanic look at the car before you buy. Five or 10 years old cars can be tricky but I have not heard many horror stories of buying 2 or 3 years old cars. I am fan of buying outright and no loan outstanding and in this way I don't have to have insurance deductibles what dealers dictate? It is kind of self insurance and use insurance for higher things if some thing bad happens.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    I just can't understand why would you lease a car? I am sure you all know that dealers make most money off leases. You can always sell the car after 2 or 3 or 4 years and still get a better deal in terms of price.

    Do they? The M3 lease i mentioned above, had a finance charge of $355. That's total. Over the course of 3 years the M3's interest would be $355. 57% residual too.

    Well, you're saying it's on the residual they make it up. If they're selling me a 59.3k car for 52k and the residual is 33.8k, how much are they really getting from me? 18.2k + the lousy $355 interest charge or 18.5k.

    I also only pay tax on what I spend, so my tax is only on the 18.5k - sop $1433.

    Tell, me, if I bought the car what's the best finance rate? BMWFS isn't offering 2.9 on Ms. It's 5% through my credit union. First, I'll end up paying all tax on the purchase price - so off the bat the car's selling for 56k. That's a payment of 1070 a month.

    Over 36 months that's $38520 out the door. At the end of 3 years you owe ~24k on the loan and you might be able to get that back on if the residual is legit. Problem is, if the car is worth less than 57% of its MSRP then you've lost even more. To be nice we'll say by a miracle the residual was right and your M3 is worth 33829. If you sell the car and pay off your loan you're still down 9-10k more than if you had leased it.

    Remember, if the car is worth more than 57% on the lease at lease end, you can always buy it and sell it yourself or just walk away.

    Leasing can be an insane advantage. Right now the lease deals on M3s and 3 series cars of the 08 year are to the buyer's advantage if they're clever (MSDs, insisting on sub-invoice pricing).

    What most people here think of buying 2-3 years old cars? Most of the cars still work great, reliable and I assume you can have mechanic look at the car before you buy.

    Yes great deals on 2-3 year old cars. I've seen 2007 3 series cars listed for 22-23k. but after 3 BMW products though, I will admit I'm disinclined to believe they're good cars. I love driving them and don't mind all the warranty work as it's their dime but I fear the repair bill on used bimmers. Others have had better luck than I. And in the case of the current lease deals, it's hard to find another situation where you pay so little in interest.

    Five or 10 years old cars can be tricky but I have not heard many horror stories of buying 2 or 3 years old cars. I am fan of buying outright and no loan outstanding

    When you can get close to 0% on a loan - 1% and lower - it's hard to agree with investing cash into a car. I'd rather have 56k sitting in the bank collecting 3%-4% (or invested) than sitting in my garage depreciating.

    At 4% and up a case can be made for buying with cash and certainly buying used for full cash. Then again, 2006 3 series cars are going for 0.9% financing and two payments made by BMW. Why would you put your cash into the car when you make more with it sitting in the bank?

    and in this way I don't have to have insurance deductibles what dealers dictate?

    Not following. Nobody really dictates anything beyond $500 deductibles. I've leased two BMWs...they don't check and they don't press on deductibles. My 2003 330i was hit a few times (parked 2 of them and a girlfriend drove it into a pole another time) - BMW didn't blink when I returned the car.

    You are generally right about leasing. But on some occasions the deals are too good, the interest too low and the deal just right. Heck, people who leased 06 330is are now buying out their leases as CPO (warranty to 100k on powertrain) for 3-4k below the original lease residual. They're getting a crazy deal on a used car they already leased!
  • asi12asi12 Member Posts: 46
    Thanks Blue guy for detailed response.

    I guess I was thinking from the point of simplicity. What you are telling works for perfect world. Lets say if I miss one payment or lost job and can't pay lease payment, you do know what impact it will have on my credit report and not to mention you loose car as well. So far I am in ok financial condition so I just don't like to take loan unless absolute necessary.

    What I have seen, brand new 2009 328xi are going close to 40K and in case of lease you are kind of renting it for 3 years at the cost close to 18K for that time period. But when I can get 07 328xi for 22-23K and I own it outright, that's why I am not very much fan of lease. Other thing is I am really not into getting latest model every few years. I have bought brand new car (camry) and it was due to price difference between used and new was only 3 or 4 thousands plus at that time most used cars just did not have safety features like side curtain airbags, I guess most people just buy what come standard.

    Regarding insurance (I should have been more clear), I like to have $1000 and I with loan/lease I think you are supposed to have $500 deductible.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    your M3 is worth 33829. If you sell the car and pay off your loan you're still down 9-10k more than if you had leased it.

    First I'd like to tell blueguy that you made some excellent points.

    Also, I'm not sure what your (asi12) work schedule is like, but selling a car isn't all that easy. All you need is one person, but you've got to sift through a lot of BS getting to THE ONE. Especially when you're talking about collecting Close to $34,000 from a private party. How do you know the certified bank check they give you isn't phony? Then you say, OK, I'll trade the car in and the dealer gives you a couple of lines of BS and tells you the best he can do is $25K.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Contrary to your experience with BMWs, my family's has been stellar as far as reliability goes. I was at the dealer yesterday (towed with my Dad's '07 X5 3.0si, due to a piece of wood that he drove over and punctured his radiator) and while I was waiting I checked out the showroom. They had a loaded to the gills '08 335i SP (MSRP was north of $49K), Black on Black... Damn thing was a slushbox!

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • asi12asi12 Member Posts: 46
    nycarguy:

    I agree selling in the car is pain in neck esp. when you deal with 20-30k valued car. But I was not suggesting to sell a car every 2 or 3 years either. Perhaps I am not just not lease kind of person.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    I guess I was thinking from the point of simplicity. What you are telling works for perfect world. Lets say if I miss one payment or lost job and can't pay lease payment, you do know what impact it will have on my credit report and not to mention you loose car as well.

    1. Someone was claiming the ability to buy a car for cash, so therefore, the cash is still available.

    2. You can get rid of a leased car easily through Swapalease.com But when I can get 07 328xi for 22-23K and I own it outright, that's why I am not very much fan of lease.

    You can get an 06 with 0.9% financing and save even more, the car is CPO and you keep your cash in the bank, protecting you on the off chance of losing a job.

    Regarding insurance (I should have been more clear), I like to have $1000 and I with loan/lease I think you are supposed to have $500 deductible.

    There's not much difference in insurance rates, so I still don't get this...sorry but no loan or lease demands to see a copy of your insurance paperwork.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Near impossible to find a manual. The M3 i lost out on was a manual with only a few features... only one for 1000 miles under 60k msrp. :(
  • asi12asi12 Member Posts: 46
    I understand what you are saying but what I am saying is from a very pessimistic point of view. We all saw financial tsunami last year and we are not out of woods yet. Lets say you money is with kind of Lehman brothers, what can you do? Regarding FDIC insured, it looks good on paper, when a bank fails sometimes it takes months to get your money back from FDIC insurance program in case of bank failure and you don't get interest during that waiting time either.

    From the convenience point of view, smell of new leather, no hustle to deal with individual buyers lease make sense but I just don't buy a car with a intention of keeping just for 2 or 3 years.

    I decreased my car insurance rate little over $100 per year from going $500 to $1000 deductible.
  • asi12asi12 Member Posts: 46
    I really appreciate that your explained to me how lease worked. I did not know little interest payment is on lease these days. I keep that in mind when I buy my new car.
  • banker2banker2 Member Posts: 15
    Look at leasing this way..........it's a free 3-year put option on a car..........during the three years, you can decide if you like the car, if it is reliable, and see if it has held its value. If, at the end of the lease term, the car is worth more than your residual value, then buy it (you can then turn around and sell it yourself if you want). If the car is worth less than the stated residual value at the end of the lease term, then you can just turn the car back in to the leasing co.- they take the loss, not you. At the end of the day, I think you buy things that appreciate in value, and you rent things that depreciate.
  • asi12asi12 Member Posts: 46
    Can you lease a 2-3 years old car as well? If yes then what are typical terms like 24 or 36 months and who provide warranty on it? Does any one has any experience doing that?
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    Thanks, but my '01 330i still looks & runs like new. I'm at least a year away from even thinking about replacing it.

    A friend of mine is driving a 2009 xDrive 328i coupe loaner while his 535 wagon is in the shop, waiting for a part to come in from Germany. He's let me borrow it for an extended test drive. I have nothing bad to say about the car - it's more than fast enough for around here (NYC suburb) & it's better in the handling department than the 330xi I drove a couple of years ago - but it's no more entertaining to drive than my 8-year-old car is. At the end of the drive, I didn't feel even the slightest urge to swap my car for it - although I did like the heated steering wheel.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    At the end of the day, I think you buy things that appreciate in value, and you rent things that depreciate.

    Funny thing -- the version of this advice that I was taught many years ago was "Finance only that which appreciates & pay cash for everything else".
  • banker2banker2 Member Posts: 15
    Funny thing -- the version of this advice that I was taught many years ago was "Finance only that which appreciates & pay cash for everything else

    sage advice indeed. when you say finance, I assume you mean to purchase with help of a loan (not lease). One other thing.........in my opinion, only cars that retain their value well are good candidates for leasing. If you like a car that happens to have horrible resale, then I say you just buy and enjoy what you like. But for cars that have a record of holding their value (honda, bmw), leasing is a great option and is often less expensive than if you had purchased (either with cash or with a loan)
  • sammybmwsammybmw Member Posts: 19
    I would keep your 330i too, Forget the ix or now xDrive as a replacement. I kept my '94 325i which is hard to beat as far as road feel. It has an 189 hp 2.5 liter that takes a few thousand rpm to get it moving. I decided to get the 2008 335i for its increased safety, the 94's had the killer overpowered airbags - the ones that the stupid gov't had overpowered for unbelted dummies at the expense of crushing smaller people that wore seatbelts if they came in close contact with it. The new car has the head protection and the side airbags, and the dynamic stability control, that my 94 doesn't have. They had just started the dynamic stability control that year but my car didn't have it, it had the limited slip. The new car has the engine that goes from low rpm to high so you don't have to wait for the car to get going. The new car has the sports package whereas the 94 didn't. We love those sport seats. they are nice and snug and give me some more leg support. I really don't care about a lot of luxo stuff but I like the bluetooth phone connection on this car. Although this car is new, I'm still determining if I like the road feel of this car versus the 94 325 which was an E36, so far, i think it feels a little bit more disconnected but i need more time. I'm all for purchasing versus renting a Great Car and keeping it a long time, so i may not be looking for another until say around 2015. long time. I also like to voice my opinion on this forum to get people in the North East to not suffer the disadvantages of the ix or xDrive cars just because it snows in their area. It is not a requirement for winter driving. I live in area that gets over 100 inches of snow.
  • sammybmwsammybmw Member Posts: 19
    Another strategy, the one i use is to purchase car like a bmw that's reliable and really enjoyable and keep it well maintained both engine and appearance. I have a 94 325i that i paid 31 grand plus tax for it, so the monthly cost excluding maintenance and repairs (repairs have been few) and finance charges has been $168 a month. I also calculated there is still at least $5000 value left in it. I just got a new one which I hope to keep for a long time too. The loan rate on the new one is only .9 so the money is practically free. I do like the idea of leasing if you want to get a new car every few years but only if you can be relatively sure that the amount of depreciation you pay in lease payments is much lower than the actual depreciation on the car. Then you are getting a car where the manufacturer pays a good portion of the depreciation. There have been fantastic lease deals the past few years and the manufactures paid a good portion of the depreciation on a car. For this reason and others, some manufacturers like BMW want to get away from leasing or or "renting" their cars. If the lease is the other way around and you pay say $10000 in depreciation in lease or rent payments, and the car only goes down in value by $7000, then you need to be able to purchase the car or you just threw away 3 grand. Now if you could only predict the future, this would be easy. I wonder with the great recession, that car values including my brand new 335i got to be falling as fast as the stock market, i suspect that residual values might be really low so you may have some real big lease payments. A lot of people that lease cars need to understand a lot more about it. The dealers can trick a whole lot of people with the leasing game.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Yes, car values are sinking like a stone. A loaded 2008 335i (50k) can be had for about 42.5k right now. I've seen loaded 07 335s for under 29k.
  • asi12asi12 Member Posts: 46
    Have you guys notices any performance difference with the addition of AWD on 328i? Or is it better to get 335ix if you want AWD?
  • sluurrpeesluurrpee Member Posts: 20
    Looking for some feedback on an offer.

    2009 328xi Coupe auto, nav, prem pkg & some more. Basically fully loaded.
    MSRP $47,995
    Selling price: $1,000 over invoice..not yet disclosed, but I think around $44,250
    Less $1,500 rebate for a cap cost of $500 below invoice

    I am pushing for closer to $500 over invoice before rebate.

    What do you guys think? This is in SoCal.

    Anyone heard if the rebates will be extended through Feb?
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Either way it's a very different feeling from a RWD BMW. My sister has a 328xi...it feels like 3800 lbs it's rated at.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    There's a 1260 rebate for any 2008 with automatic. Additionally, there's a $1500 rebate for anyone who chooses BMWFS. So consider a 2008 if you can find it...

    Also, there's a dealer who works through bimmerfest members and he's out of LA. He hooks people up left and right on that site.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    But for cars that have a record of holding their value (honda, bmw), leasing is a great option and is often less expensive than if you had purchased (either with cash or with a loan)

    Makes sense if you're comparing a 3-year lease to buying a new car & then trading it in for another new car 3 years later. But I'd rather buy something I like & keep it for 8 to 10 years. This approach yields the lowest cost per mile.

    If you buy a new car & then get rid of it before its 8th birthday, you're missing out on the financial "sweet spot" of car ownership, which begins when the car is 4 years old. By that time, you should have paid off any car loan, which means that your interest expense is zero, & the steepest part of the depreciation curve is behind you. Although your car is no longer under warranty, your repair costs should be a small fraction of what depreciation would cost you if you bought or leased a new car. (As a car ages, rising repair costs are offset by falling depreciation costs.)

    A well cared-for 4 to 8 year old car that you own free & clear is just about the best transportation bargain available.

    I wouldn't keep a car much longer than 10 or 11 years. I kept one of our cars for over 13 years, & the last 2 years killed me. (At the time, work & family issues kept me too busy to shop for a replacement, so I just kept fixing it.)
  • sammybmwsammybmw Member Posts: 19
    I try to emphasize the point, it is not a requirement to have an awd to drive in the winter. Check out the Wheels and Tires Discussion.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    why do you need an Xi (AWD) coupe in so cal?

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • sluurrpeesluurrpee Member Posts: 20
    Moving to Colorado this summer and my current lease is up in 3 weeks so I can't hold out until I get there. It is very hard to find this car here though.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    I couldn't keep a car that long. I'd go crazy with boredom. Like food, jobs movies and well everything else, 2-3 years is about as long as I can put up with anything.

    I just did a spreadsheet today comparing a 2006 3 series with .9% financing to a 2008 328i lease. The lease, assuming my conservative repair/maintenance estimates are decent, came out 2k cheaper over the 3 year period.

    Yes if I were willing to buy a 2006 and keep it for 7-8 years it'd return cash like crazy. But I can't see holding onto a car that long.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    Like food, jobs movies and well everything else, 2-3 years is about as long as I can put up with anything.

    Are you married? (Sorry - I couldn't resist.)

    As I said in an earlier post, I drove a new 328xi coupe last week & came away from it completely satisfied with my nearly 8-year-old 330i sedan. While the coupe had some neat features that weren't available on the 3 in 2001, it wasn't in any way a more entertaining ride than what I have now. If I bought it, I wouldn't have any more fun than I'm having now.

    In fairness to the coupe, it was an automatic, & I have a bone-deep prejudice against 3s with slushboxes.
  • clriufs3clriufs3 Member Posts: 4
    Hi,

    We are looking at a base 2009 328i 4-door.

    The costco price quoted from dealer is $1,200 over cost. With cost being the invoice price of the vehicle + destination charge of $825 + MACO of $200 + Training & Service fee of $180.

    The dealer will pass on the $1,500 rebate from BMW if we purchase before that offer expires.

    Does this sound a fair price? Or we could negotiate on our own to get a better deal? We are in Oregon with few BMW dealers, and the dealer is pretty nice which makes our not-good neogitating skills even less effective.

    Thanks.

    clriufs3
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    I've kept my 3 Series for almost 14 years, my jeep 7, my X3 4, and my Speed Triple 5. I've only had my 1975 2002 for 3 months. The only car I've been ready to pitch after less than 2 years of ownership is my Mazdaspeed 3. 14 months after I took delivery I was more than ready to get rid of it. I still have it, unfortunately.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • NeworUsedNeworUsed Member Posts: 6
  • NeworUsedNeworUsed Member Posts: 6
    I have been reading the last few pages in this thread, and you posters have a lot of experience and knowledge on the BMW 3-series as well as buying them so I feel comfortable asking a question here.

    I am in the market for a 3-series, unfortunately I can't afford to buy a new one however I can afford a used vehicle. I was looking around the 2001-04 models which I have the cash now to buy out right but they have no warranty and who knows what repairs I might have to make in the future. So I went to check out a lease instead, low down payment, reasonable monthly payments, plus the free maintenance makes it pretty tempting. I went to two dealers, one give me an offer for a 09(I believe it was 09 as I went early January) 328i Xdrive, real leather, powerseats(basically the cold weather package) for 550/month, 2331 due on signing while another one afford basically the standard package 09' 328ix for 497/month, 3646.86 due upfront with a residual value at 22,390.50(the car's worth now is about36-38k).

    Now, the only reason I wanted a AWD was because I live in CT and we have had our share of bad snow storms over the years(especially this winter) but I have a Honda Pilot which is great in the snow however I not a big fan of SUVs. Maybe I should instead look at the RWD.

    So my question is do I buy a used 2001-04 BMW 3-series which I can afford to buy out right but doesn't have a warranty and is in the 50-80k miles or do I lease one with a warranty, 0$ maintenance fee but obviously I end up paying more in the end. Maybe i should look in the middle and finance a certified used from one of the dealers. What would be the best move?

    I have never owned a BMW and the main reason why I want one is for the aesthetics and reputation of the company. I'm not really into fancy luxury features, I just want to feel comfortable in the car(leg room, my butt not feeling sore after a long ride) and I want to feel confident about the car, that it won't let me down over the years of due to use. Hope you guys can help me.
  • banker2banker2 Member Posts: 15
    With the exception of 2 cars (a 1996 Saab 9000 CS and a 1998 Suburban), I generally have leased and kept the cars for 2-3 years. The Saab was a great car, kept it for 10 years - pretty reliable, roomy, and unique. Also had a great local Saab mechanic when needed. Alas, GM's insular culture seems to have ruined Saab over the last several years. The Suburban was also a mainstay for 10 years, and although it made frequent (and expensive) trips to the service dept, it was an invaluable family hauler - whoever owns it next will probably find an entire buffet stuck between the three rows of seats! Beyond 10 years (and 100,000 miles), I generally find the cost and hassle of keeping the car maintained to be unacceptable. When I lease, I like to keep the lease term shorter or equal to the warranty period. I have leased acura, honda, audi, and most recently Infiniti M35. Infiniti was a great car - enough to make me consider buying it at end of 3 year lease terrm. However, real value was 6-7K less than stated residual in contract, and they wouldn't negotiate. So, I turned it in.........would like to find a good lease deal on a 3-series, but local dealer appears unwilling to negotiate much, and January BMWFS residuals went down and their money factors went UP. May have to wait until fall to get a good deal on a purchase.
  • moneyballmoneyball Member Posts: 15
    I leased a 2006 325ci / graphite / sports + premium / xenon / HK and the lease is up at the end of March. A rep from BMW called me the other day to ask if I would be interested in buying the car for $21k - $3500 + plus I could finance at .9%. My monthly payments would be $338 if financed over 5 years. In other words, the cost of the car would be $19,783 (includes the sales tax).

    I don't mind the car. Its been well taken care of and all that jazz, but I did have my heart set on either a new 2009 Audi or a CPO 330ci with or w/o ZHP.

    So my question is....is this deal good enough to jump on or should I shop around for another CPO or buy / lease a new car.

    FYI - not a huge fan of the newer BMW body styles. Loathe the interior.
  • sammybmwsammybmw Member Posts: 19
    if you only keep a car for a few years, and you get favorable lease terms (although its hard to predict the future). leasing would be preferable to buy new and trade but maybe not buy a used one. I am a subscriber of the belief that some cars are truly special and simply cannot be replaced by a newer model. You can find quite a few BMW's that simply can't be replaced. I have a E36 BMW which I believe to be just one of the greatest. I bought another 3 series, with the truly remarkeable 300 HP twin turbo engine which I think would be another one of the milestones in BMW history. I find it hard to part with things that work really well. I usually make good choices, but once I had an Ford Expedition with a 4.6 V8 to tow my camping trailer, I couldn't wait to get rid of it. I got that out of my stable in 3 years. Try to pick a car that you you full in love with over the years. It's cheaper than constantly making car payments your whole life. My '94 is still admired by many. It has aged gracefully. Sounds like a wife doesn't it.
  • goralgoral Member Posts: 145
    How about this for a deal?
    link title

    I'm quite tempted, but can't get myself to get rid of my '02 330i manual...
    By far, the best car I've owned! After purchasing it 4 years ago (as a CPO w/ 40K miles), I've managed to put 75K of absolutely trouble-free miles on it! In this timeframe, the only thing that I actually had to do to it is change the oil and air filter (by myself) every 15K miles and replace couple bulbs...
  • NeworUsedNeworUsed Member Posts: 6
    So if I were to buy a used 3-series, is there anything i should look for? Sort of a bug-a-boo that some 3-series are cursed with.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    So if I were to buy a used 3-series, is there anything i should look for? Sort of a bug-a-boo that some 3-series are cursed with.

    The 2001-2004 3ers have a pretty decent reliability record. At @60,000 miles you'll probably need a water pump, but that is no big deal. Older cars had problems with window regulators but the newer cars(and replacement regulators) have an improved design. The real key is to find a car that has been maintained by the book, as BMW's do not tolerate neglect. Find a decent dealer and/or a good indie BMW tech and you'll be good to go. I'd say that maintenance and repairs for a 3er of that vintage should amount to no more than $900 per year.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • chungchung Member Posts: 7
    I called today but they said the program ended yesterday. I was so ready to grab that deal.. oh well I guess I will have to wait for another one..
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Be patient...
  • Scorpio77Scorpio77 Member Posts: 7
    I just got a new lease for '08 335i and am trying to figure out how to work the STEPTRONIC on that. As far as I understand its the DS mode and you use it manually change the gears with higher numbers like M5/ M6 used for faster speed. So on the highway I swtich from D to DS and then accelerate and switch up till I reach M6 and drive on that (over 65-70 mph). On slowing or exiting the highway I just shift back to D - is this the right way to use it or am i missing something?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,199
    D is for drive... You can put it there and drive it like any automatic..

    When you push the lever to the left.. you are in Sport mode... That is still fully automatic, but with more aggressive shift points (higher revs before shifting, quicker downshifts when slowing down).

    Once you are in Sport mode, you can then shift manually by tipping the lever forward and backward to upshift or downshift...

    Nothing you are doing is going to hurt the transmission, but it's totally unnecessary, especially on the freeway. In fact, by shifting over to Sport mode, you are probably going to use way more fuel than just leaving it in D (which is where it belongs for highway use).

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • Scorpio77Scorpio77 Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for the message. I did like the feel off the sports mode and manually changing the gears on the highway - i think its more responsive than just on '"D". But I see your point on leaving it on D if not overtaking or making a move. Does anyone else use this ? I think its a very cool think considering the pickup and response you get from the engine - what i am unsure off is when do use it ? for taking overtaking, for driving fast, or when exiting from the highway or in the city? any thoughts ?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,199
    Everyone plays with it, when they first get it... I find that Sport mode is a lot more fun around town, even in fully automatic mode... But, you'll find that it makes a big difference in fuel consumption... After a few weeks/months, you'll probably tire of it...

    Out on the highway, if you need maximum power, just floor it... There is no difference with your foot on the floor.. :)

    Also.. once you are in manual mode, you have to move the lever back to "D" to get back in automatic... If you then want the Sport mode in automatic, just push it back to the left..

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  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    - what i am unsure off is when do use it ? -

    For psychological reasons. It's there to massage the psyche.
  • mattress2mattress2 Member Posts: 7
    Did BMWFS make the offer, or the dealer? I called BMFS to try to negotiate the unrealistically high end of lease (April) purchase price on my 2006 330i, and they wouldn't give me the time of day...
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,199
    It's too early... Wait for them to call you... probably around 30 days before the end..

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  • goralgoral Member Posts: 145
    That's bull!!! I think I got the email the same day I posted the message!
  • banker2banker2 Member Posts: 15
    Can anyone tell me if BMW has announced new incentives for the 3-series for February?
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    they have. they're horrible right now.

    In essence: 0.9% for 60 months and first two payments made by bmw. That's for anyone.

    On leases there's no rebate (beyond auto trans rebates on 08s) for normal buyers. If you currently have a lease or loan with BMW FS or ended one in the last 6 months, you can get 1k off a lease and a reduction on the money factor.

    BMW apparently wants to encourage purchasing of their cars instead of leasing. Hopefully they'll modify their offers by the end of the month (like the end of January).
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