[CklSpeciale]

Thanks everyone who replied to this post. I cancelled my order and secured an allocation with build week 10 at another dealer, and they gave me the production number the day I place the order. So if you ever end up in the same situation as me, walk away ASAP.

[M3AWD]

Originally Posted by CklSpeciale

Thanks everyone who replied to this post. I cancelled my order and secured an allocation with build week 10 at another dealer, and they gave me the production number the day I place the order. So if you ever end up in the same situation as me, walk away ASAP.

You did the right thing!

[xlover]

Originally Posted by CklSpeciale

Thanks everyone who replied to this post. I cancelled my order and secured an allocation with build week 10 at another dealer, and they gave me the production number the day I place the order. So if you ever end up in the same situation as me, walk away ASAP.

Curious did they even fight for your business... they let a sold car walk over a production number?

[BMdoubleUTIFUL]

Sounds like they let a sold car walk because they were lying about having an available allocation just to try and keep some business

[CklSpeciale]

Originally Posted by xlover

Curious did they even fight for your business... they let a sold car walk over a production number?

The SA is actually a good guy. He said he will reach out to his skip manager and get the number for me in 10 minute, but I don't feel like I can trust them so I refused that. I also doubt if they really have the production number for me either.

[jailonacs99]

I want to avoid a similar situation, and having never ordered a factory built M4, I'd appreciate a better sense of the timing I should expect.

Unfortunately where I am on the east coast, all nearby dealers are offering AWD M4 orders at MSRP. The actual ordering sheets aren't available yet at my closest dealer, expected mid-April.

He wants $1K down to save an allocation, and then $4K down once the build is completed. I asked if that comes with a production number, but he seemed to say that once the build is finalized THEN they place the order and THEN the production number comes.

Is that normal? At what stage do I actually know they have a reserved slot with BMW and I'm getting a firm construction date? I also looked up the laws in PA, and getting a deposit back isn't always a given.

[CklSpeciale]

Originally Posted by jailonacs99

I want to avoid a similar situation, and having never ordered a factory built M4, I'd appreciate a better sense of the timing I should expect.

Unfortunately where I am on the east coast, all nearby dealers are offering AWD M4 orders at MSRP. The actual ordering sheets aren't available yet at my closest dealer, expected mid-April.

He wants $1K down to save an allocation, and then $4K down once the build is completed. I asked if that comes with a production number, but he seemed to say that once the build is finalized THEN they place the order and THEN the production number comes.

Is that normal? At what stage do I actually know they have a reserved slot with BMW and I'm getting a firm construction date? I also looked up the laws in PA, and getting a deposit back isn't always a given.

Having some experience myself, IMO the 5k deposit in total is insane especially when the state law doesn't guarantee you full refund before delivery. 1k is most common and it can go up to 3k I guess. Meanwhile, I think it is reasonable that a production number will be available only after you submit a build and they place the order for you, but you can always change your build before your car hitting the assembly line, which is about 2 weeks before your build week. A build week is tied to an allocation so don't forget to ask the dealer about it. Having said that, you should be able to get the prod number right after they place the order for you, given that they indeed have an allocation.

[jailonacs99]

Originally Posted by CklSpeciale

Having some experience myself, IMO the 5k deposit in total is insane especially when the state law doesn't guarantee you full refund before delivery. 1k is most common and it can go up to 3k I guess. Meanwhile, I think it is reasonable that a production number will be available only after you submit a build and they place the order for you, but you can always change your build before your car hitting the assembly line, which is about 2 weeks before your build week. A build week is tied to an allocation so don't forget to ask the dealer about it. Having said that, you should be able to get the prod number right after they place the order for you, given that they indeed have an allocation.

Ya, seems like a lot to me too. In principle I think it's BS, but also a reflection of the fact that they don't know me (just moved to the area) and apparently they haven't had a problem moving these as they come in. I'm set on this order and this is exactly what I was planning to put down anyway, so from a practical perspective it's a wash.

What I will do is ask for a written guarantee that I get a production number immediately after the order is submitted, so I don't see a situation like OPs where they may just be putting me in line until an allocation actually opens up. I'll also charge my deposits on my CC so I have that avenue in case there's a dispute.

[chicagofan00]

I did the credit app, put down a $2,500 deposit, and submitted my build with the dealership. Had an allocation within the week (took them longer than initially anticipated for new allocations to open up). I've bought 3 other vehicles from this dealership so I didn't have any concerns about the deposit.

In other instances we have put down up to $5k to secure a vehicle in transit to a dealership when my wife was looking for a car. I would never do any more than $5k though.