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Comments
From my recent experiences, I would definitely advise gathering up your data and preparing your bid(s), then calling straight in to the internet manager. From what I have seen, these are the guys (kinda like fleet managers) who are prepared for the well-prepared, and will just sell without expending much time or too much hassle. Therefore, less time equals less money spent, and the profit margin can be smaller on a unit if it means total units go up because of the enlarged marketplace the dealer can now reach.
In consideration of the above, I would also respectfully submit that you have good numbers, don't try to lowball, as they will know it, and don't plan to waste too much of their time haggling. I agree-you should do well, and I think you are getting good offers in return!
Interestingly, my last car was a Camry, like yours. What a leap!
Best of luck
The Camry is my third and a very reliable car as you know. When my wife got a new 2002 Maxima last year, it was so much nicer, faster, had leather... & was not that much different in price from the Camry's. I started thinking then that I NEED a new car...lol I also started seeing more & more OLDER people (I'll turn 49 in Dec) driving them. I don't want to drive a grandpa car!
530i
stick shift
premium package
sports package
xenon
premium sound
I paid $41,800 for the car ($45,700 out the door). The dealer also agreed to install Sirius satellite radio at cost (a surprisingly high $470).
I bought the car at Allison BMW in Mountain View: good service, no hassle, no problems. Like sawxray, I had an awful experience at two other Bay Area dealerships (not SF BMW as in sawxray's case). I made an offer on a car on Dealer A's lot which he declined. I went to Dealer B, which had nothing on the lot (stick shifts are hard to find) but agreed to sell me the car on Dealer A's lot at the same price which the first dealer declined, assuring me there would be "no problem" in getting the car. Needless to say, Dealer B called five days later to tell me that he couldn't get the car. My problem with Dealer A: apparently he refused to trade the car to the other dealer, figuring that I would go back to him and offer a higher price. Also, I could never get him to give me a price: how do you expect to sell something when you don't quote a price? My problem with Dealer B: he took five days to tell me that I couldn't get the car, and then he tried to switch-pitch me to what he had on the lot.
BTW, I love the car -- my old car is a 1991 525i which I bought new twelve years ago and paid $32,600 for. Twelve years later and only $9000 more will get you a car immeasurably better than my 5251 (which I still love -- can't sell it, it's part of the family now).
(1)I metioned in prior posts that I was receiving quotes back from "fax attack" to the dealers. Man does thing work! I have had even more responses and better pricing! I have a couple of quotes now down to $1,000 profit! (i.e. of the $4000 incentive, they will give me $3000).
(2) I have my own financing set up ahead of time (with AAA @ 3.79% for 60 months). One dealer said they would even give me their "buy rate" of 3.49%!
(3) I even have some of them giving me prices on my "potential" trade if I don't sell it. Since the trade will save me about $1000 in sales tax, I figure I may trade it if I get a reasonalbe offer on it.
I can't recommend enough the fightingchance.com program to anyone buying ANY car. This is really a fun way to buy a car (if there is such a thing!)
Lease Questions: Ask Here
Hope this helps!
I am in the middle of a lease negotiation on a 330i. I am being told that as of July 7th, BMW increased it's lease acquisition fee from $500 to $1,000. Ouch! Is this valid? For what it's worth, I am in New York State.
If anyone here knows the answer, I would greatly appreciate your help.
Best regards!
Jack
Happy motoring,
Jack
The reason I ask is that I have narrowed my decision down to 2 vehicles. 530i/X5 3.0(one child and one on the way brought this machine into the formula) My side of the debate is there is plenty of room in the 530i, etc, etc. Besides I am anti SUV type to boot but if I have to have one then I am sticking with BMW due to personal experience. I mean how hard could the parking lot be on one?(laughs out loud) I hope when the tests drive are done she'll like the 530i enough but you never know. I ask the age old above because if you buy a 03' now and the 04's are coming stacked up....will the 03's not drop faster in value when you factor in they are trying to move them out? I would buy the 03' but not at October 02' price. You lose a MY year without ever driving plus day one onset of depreciation? The deal has to be very right for me and 1k under invoice isn't enough considering there is good money in the trunk on these cars. Would it be wise to wait on the 04's IF you like the look well enough. I am in a quandry myself at this point. Won't go wrong with either in my opinon but could get hammered on the deal this late? Add to this the mkt last year and October is just around the corner and that has been historically rough on the economy. What hadn't. I just think there are and will be plenty of cars to go around out there? I don't monitor this as a living but it looks to be a buyers mkt and with the 04's waiting to hit the ground? Will there be incentives to buy those too?
BTW, IF it were solely up to me...I would get a 1995 525 and let the kids puke in that but the wife will be driving this one mainly. There not getting in mine. ;-)
Sorry to be so long but I think 03' vs 04' values have to be considered this late in the game.
When it's the 4 of us, 90%+ of the time we take the X5 because of the room. BTW, the X5, IMHO, has a nicer interior than the 530i. Just seems to be a notch higher. It feels more luxurious.
Happy motoring,
Jack
I know we won't miss with either a 530/X5 so I will be comfortable with the decision......and besides I won't have to listen to the trunk SLAM! on the 530 if she really wanted the X5. ;-)
Thanks again for your insight.
Or should I hold out for lower?
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Sorry for any confusion or inconvenience! Any questions can be emailed to me.
Thanks!
Bottom line...you are getting hosed, dude! I am looking at almost the same car and I have several dealers $3,000 BELOW invoice. Keep trying. Check my other "informative" posts for details...lol
"BEEP, BEEP...Honk, Honk" (that's me tootin' my own horn)
Thank you!
Thank you!
Good deal?
I have done extensive research on the BMW's and just bought last Saturday. My quick invoice number is; Original Inv.= $41,320 less dealer incentive $4,000 = $37,320. You are below that by almost a grand. That is great. I don't know how they are doing it. How did you get your pricing? Method...
I had been advising by what I have seen here and in other places, that if you get it for $3,000 below invoice, you would doing very well. You just rewrote the book. I bow to your buying skills. I am not worthy of giving future advise on this car. You da man (or woman to be PC)!
So I waited, waited and I step out to take my friend home since he had some obligations. On the way back to the dealer the salesman tells me that he got the car. So went there and waited for over an hour to finally see the paperwork. He does not go over the paperwork with me so I tried to find the main information which is drive off, monthly payment, mileage and term. To my surprise the term was for 48 months so I told him that there was an error. Then the salesman said I guess I must have heard it wrong, it is not going to work out for 36 months. Very upset but keeping my composure I talked to the manager David Xiao who listened to my complains and reply with an apology. I asked him for him to follow on my complaint but he did not want to answer saying that it was an internal matter and was not going to be disclosed. So I got his business card and left. I spent about half of my day for them to go "oops" sorry. There must be something that I can do about it. I will not be able to get a good deal tomorrow because the residuals and MF will change and on top of that it is not the end of the month when dealers want to meet their sales quotas. I will be complaining to BMW customer service so what else can I do?????
BTW, you can apply on-line.
Jack
Bottom line is I was offered ANY 5 series $2500 under invoice with no negotiation. I bought mine on 7/30 (end of the month), although I honestly believe I could do the deal at any time. There are hundreds of 5s still available. Allison has a storage lot on El Camino at Highway 85 (old Emporium parking lot) that has hundreds of 2003 5s. Probably half 525, and the balance split between 530 and 540. The point is...all these dealers share inventory to swap. I believe the $4000 rebate from BMW will stay until the inventory is gone. I was told the new 5 series will hit our area in October/November. I would imagine the best possible deal would be the last day of October/November on the 2003s, if your favorite color and options are in stock.
If you want a color that is not plentiful or a hard to find option (navigation severely limits your alternatives) scoop it up now using the $2500 under invoice as a starting point.
As a final point, I had a very positive experience with Stevens Creek BMW. Professional through the whole organization. Once I shared my knowledge, gleaned here, of the $4000 rebate, the deal was done, paperwork signed, and I was driving home in a little more than one hour.
On the other hand, I was treated very poorly at one of the other dealers mentioned above. When I mentioned the $4000, he cringed like King Arthur confronting the Knights-who-say-NEE in the Holy Grail.