[Macheins]

Originally Posted by pluribus

I'm buying an M4 comp and I've been calling around to dealers, both in my state (FL) and outside. I've seen many accounts of forum members successfully ordering from out of state which is why I've been spreading my net wide in my search for someone selling @ MSRP and with a reasonable wait time (max 4-6 months).

Here are a couple counter arguments to ordering outside of your local area that I would love to have forum members confirm/deny:
1. A dealer has less incentive to sell to an out of state customer because they are missing out on future service business. Because of this...
2. Out of state dealers will almost certainly charge more than MSRP
3. If they do charge MSRP and you get on their waitlist, they will always favor local clients when the next allocation slot becomes available which means you will have a longer wait time.

Rant: FL dealers all seem to be charging over MSRP which is why I'm even looking out of state in the first place - but after thinking through shipping costs and other logistics, I'm starting to think it might be worth the premium just to go local especially if some of the above is true.

1) Not entirely true, others have touched on this.
2) Not true at all
3) Should not be true, but dealerships can do bad things.


I'm buying locally this time but I bought my F80 from the other side of the country. Some dealerships are more experienced in handling out of state purchases than others because it's not an uncommon thing for enthusiasts (especially on these forums) to purchase from out of state.

Pricing is entirely a supply/demand and current market issue. For the F80, it was expected that you got a decent % discount under MSRP and if your local dealers were asking for MSRP, you'd tell them to take a hike and look elsewhere. I'm fairly certain that was the case for quite a few years prior as well.

The current market is bumped the floor and ceiling for general pricing expectations it seems. Getting MSRP is akin to getting a few % under from years past. Ultimately, it all boils down to your own financial picture and what you're comfortable doing to purchase a new car from BMW.

Personally, I recommend to anyone looking at a new car to check all the local dealerships in their region and expand outward until they find the deal they want. If shipping costs are a concern and you can't justify doing a performance center delivery, I'd just factor that into the price point target when looking for deals/opportunities.

[NightWriter]

Originally Posted by pluribus

...after thinking through shipping costs and other logistics, I'm starting to think it might be worth the premium just to go local especially if some of the above is true.

You can do what I'm planning to do: Arrange for PC delivery, then the only logistics is getting yourself to Spartanburg and enjoying the drive home.

[The_Transporter]

Originally Posted by NightWriter

You can do what I'm planning to do: Arrange for PC delivery, then the only logistics is getting yourself to Spartanburg and enjoying the drive home.

This is a great option for out of state purchases! Only caveat is that I have been told this will add months to delivery time… That said I hear it is a great experience, so I am going back and forth on if I will end up doing it once an allocation comes available.

[merlin3008]

Originally Posted by The_Transporter

This is a great option for out of state purchases! Only caveat is that I have been told this will add months to delivery time… That said I hear it is a great experience, so I am going back and forth on if I will end up doing it once an allocation comes available.

I don't think it adds months. I did it in 2015 and it only added two weeks. Now I know that things today are very different in terms of logistics, but I haven't heard anybody on here waiting that long.

[NightWriter]

Originally Posted by The_Transporter

Only caveat is that I have been told this will add months to delivery time…

That's a BS excuse from a CA who doesn't feel like doing the legwork. It's actually faster compared to a West Coast delivery.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by The_Transporter

This is a great option for out of state purchases! Only caveat is that I have been told this will add months to delivery time… That said I hear it is a great experience, so I am going back and forth on if I will end up doing it once an allocation comes available.

It added about a monthish to mine. The PC has to have a slot open to fit you in plus the time for the car to get there and for them to prep it. It's well worth it for the experience if you live a reasonable distance from it.

[The_Transporter]

Originally Posted by NightWriter

That's a BS excuse from a CA who doesn't feel like doing the legwork. It's actually faster compared to a West Coast delivery.

I'm out of Atlanta so would be east coast either way for me lol. I don't have an allocation yet but one of the dealerships that I'm on the list for said months when I asked about it and I had seen few here post the same thing so figured he probably wasn't straight up lying to me but guess I need to ask the other dealers. Thanks for the insight! I would truly love to do it as long as it won't be at the expense of an additional month or more wait.

[The_Transporter]

Originally Posted by snareman

It added about a monthish to mine. The PC has to have a slot open to fit you in plus the time for the car to get there and for them to prep it. It's well worth it for the experience if you live a reasonable distance from it.

Got ya, thanks for the info. Yeah, I'm very close so that's not the issue, more of just not interested in tacking on a lot of additional time since it's looking like best case for me to get a car is right after summer since I'm still waiting on an allocation.

[NightWriter]

Originally Posted by The_Transporter

I'm out of Atlanta so would be east coast either way for me lol. I don't have an allocation yet but one of the dealerships that I'm on the list for said months when I asked about it and I had seen few here post the same thing so figured he probably wasn't straight up lying to me but guess I need to ask the other dealers. Thanks for the insight! I would truly love to do it as long as it won't be at the expense of an additional month or more wait.

PCD-destined cars still get shipped over the same way as all the other cars, and are sent for processing through the Brunswick, GA port (I believe). The only delay that I know of, compared to a traditional delivery, is that the car has to be processed and fit into the PC's schedule, so it might be another week or two, but certainly not months... unless they're extraordinarily backed up, but I hadn't heard that from anyone else. Given all the other delays with allocations and productions and QC, I think the PDC delay would be rather small, and well worth it.

Aside: My first PCD experience--an E39 530i 6MT--was when I was living in ATL 20 years ago. I purchased from Athens BMW, and they actually picked me up from my house and dropped me off at the Marriott in Greenville/Spartanburg. I offered to buy the driver a drink or dinner, and he politely declined and headed off. It was an awesome delivery experience, and I've been a big fan ever since.

[snareman]

Since they cancelled european delivery, PCD is now the way to go. We are actually planning on stopping in Atlanta on the way back to Ohio and doing a half day Porsche driving experience at their place since it's so close. It's amazing how smooth the whole BMW PCD experience there goes. A few months down the road that extra few weeks will have been insignificant.

[The_Transporter]

Originally Posted by NightWriter

PCD-destined cars still get shipped over the same way as all the other cars, and are sent for processing through the Brunswick, GA port (I believe). The only delay that I know of, compared to a traditional delivery, is that the car has to be processed and fit into the PC's schedule, so it might be another week or two, but certainly not months... unless they're extraordinarily backed up, but I hadn't heard that from anyone else. Given all the other delays with allocations and productions and QC, I think the PDC delay would be rather small, and well worth it.

Aside: My first PCD experience--an E39 530i 6MT--was when I was living in ATL 20 years ago. I purchased from Athens BMW, and they actually picked me up from my house and dropped me off at the Marriott in Greenville/Spartanburg. I offered to buy the driver a drink or dinner, and he politely declined and headed off. It was an awesome delivery experience, and I've been a big fan ever since.

Thanks for the insight! I will press my dealer when I end up getting an allocation as this seems like a great thing to do. Thanks again!

[The_Transporter]

Originally Posted by snareman

Since they cancelled european delivery, PCD is now the way to go. We are actually planning on stopping in Atlanta on the way back to Ohio and doing a half day Porsche driving experience at their place since it's so close. It's amazing how smooth the whole BMW PCD experience there goes. A few months down the road that extra few weeks will have been insignificant.

The more I think about it the more I agree and think I will try to do it! Thanks!

[merlin3008]

As an aside… also the best prepped car I've ever taken delivery of.