[izzi]

Been out of the BMW game for a hot second, considering maybe getting an M3 now that the EV credit looks dead. Looking for MSRP at most, yes I know times are tough but that's what I'm looking for if this is to happen. How do I begin a search, I've only bought Teslas in the past 4 years and a bunch of the legacy manufacturer aggregators seem worse now like TrueCar (no longer showing prices upfront, just a lead generator now) — do I start contacting dealers? I loathe that process, in the past there were dealers/brokers you could work with online, is there such a thing? I have PenFed, is that any good for this? I can pay cash if needed, would of course prefer a low finance rate instead. Main thing is to find a car, tho not in any big rush, I can wait 2-5 months, would like to leverage this to get a decent price. I'm in TX, saw a recent post by someone they found an allocation in this state @ MSRP so doesn't seem so outlandish.

Q: do we think the manual will become semi-rare in the US? I'm split, prior to no transmission (tesla) I only drove manuals, however my wife doesn't like to drive them (she can just doesn't feel as in control as she'd like, and I don't want to put her in that position; she DDs a Tesla and I understand it feels like going back to the stone ages if you're not an enthusiast). Is it easier to get the car in manual or auto, or doesn't matter?

[gohawks23]

Originally Posted by izzi

Been out of the BMW game for a hot second, considering maybe getting an M3 now that the EV credit looks dead. Looking for MSRP at most, yes I know times are tough but that's what I'm looking for if this is to happen. How do I begin a search, I've only bought Teslas in the past 4 years and a bunch of the legacy manufacturer aggregators seem worse now like TrueCar (no longer showing prices upfront, just a lead generator now) — do I start contacting dealers? I loathe that process, in the past there were dealers/brokers you could work with online, is there such a thing? I have PenFed, is that any good for this? I can pay cash if needed, would of course prefer a low finance rate instead. Main thing is to find a car, tho not in any big rush, I can wait 2-5 months, would like to leverage this to get a decent price. I'm in TX, saw a recent post by someone they found an allocation in this state @ MSRP so doesn't seem so outlandish.

Q: do we think the manual will become semi-rare in the US? I'm split, prior to no transmission (tesla) I only drove manuals, however my wife doesn't like to drive them (she can just doesn't feel as in control as she'd like, and I don't want to put her in that position; she DDs a Tesla and I understand it feels like going back to the stone ages if you're not an enthusiast). Is it easier to get the car in manual or auto, or doesn't matter?

It's all grunt work...email all dealers within whatever distance you can handle. Be prepared to get added to dealer lists of multiple people with no real idea of when allocation can be yours.

Manuals are always less common and Ive always had an easy time reselling for good prices in the past.

[bese60]

Can anyone explain cons of the balloon. I currently have an M340i.... but am tempted by M3. Ideally if I could be around $800 a month I think I'd be motivated. Believe in a few years I can afford a 30k or so payout or sell the car based off current market?

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by bese60

Can anyone explain cons of the balloon. I currently have an M340i.... but am tempted by M3. Ideally if I could be around $800 a month I think I'd be motivated. Believe in a few years I can afford a 30k or so payout or sell the car based off current market?

You can request the annual balloon payoff from the dealer you are working with. The $30K you are quoting (it will actually be closer to $28K) is applicable after the 5 year term. Not 3 years. The 3 year payoff will be substantially higher.

You can be at literally whatever payment you want. A lot of folks say to put no money down since the 'buy' rate or whatever it's called is 0.9% so it's free money. I preferred to put money down to get under $1,000 monthly

[banshee350]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

You can request the annual balloon payoff from the dealer you are working with. The $30K you are quoting (it will actually be closer to $28K) is applicable after the 5 year term. Not 3 years. The 3 year payoff will be substantially higher.

You can be at literally whatever payment you want. A lot of folks say to put no money down since the 'buy' rate or whatever it's called is 0.9% so it's free money. I preferred to put money down to get under $1,000 monthly

Originally Posted by Tyga11

You can request the annual balloon payoff from the dealer you are working with. The $30K you are quoting (it will actually be closer to $28K) is applicable after the 5 year term. Not 3 years. The 3 year payoff will be substantially higher.

You can be at literally whatever payment you want. A lot of folks say to put no money down since the 'buy' rate or whatever it's called is 0.9% so it's free money. I preferred to put money down to get under $1,000 monthly

Anyone know any dealer the tri state that's willing todo .9%? Was at BMW Manhattan and they said they can only do 1.9%….

[modat]

Originally Posted by banshee350

Anyone know any dealer the tri state that's willing todo .9%? Was at BMW Manhattan and they said they can only do 1.9%….

PM me

[banshee350]

Originally Posted by modat

PM me

Pmed

[teamtj]

2022 M3 AWD - MSRP is $88500.

No discount
Dealer is offering 2 lease options for 12K/3yrs,
$1400/month + $2500 cash down
$1250/month + $7500 cash down
Both options includes all IL taxes/fees
I think they have added some markup to MF

Is this a good deal ? If lease deals are too expensive, I might finance the car(assuming I can get .9%). Thoughts ?

Anyone knows the December MF and Residual ?

['Cane]

Originally Posted by teamtj

2022 M3 AWD - MSRP is $88500.

No discount
Dealer is offering 2 lease options for 12K/3yrs,
$1400/month + $2500 cash down
$1250/month + $7500 cash down
Both options includes all IL taxes/fees
I think they have added some markup to MF

Is this a good deal ? If lease deals are too expensive, I might finance the car(assuming I can get .9%). Thoughts ?

Anyone knows the December MF and Residual ?

A. No
B. Hell no

$2500 down with 0.9% 60 month financing would be around $1400/month. A lot of people have done BMW Select with 0.9% 60/months and on that hike with $2500 down you'd be around $1000/month (with about a $32k balloon in 5 years). But both of those leases are not good.

[teamtj]

Originally Posted by 'Cane

A. No
B. Hell no

$2500 down with 0.9% 60 month financing would be around $1400/month. A lot of people have done BMW Select with 0.9% 60/months and on that hike with $2500 down you'd be around $1000/month (with about a $32k balloon in 5 years). But both of those leases are not good.

Thanks for your inputs.

You are right, I will be better off with financing.

I am not sure if BMW Select is available in Illinois. Let me find out.

[bgexpress]

Originally Posted by soulcrft

Assuming Elite credit, has anyone in Florida been able to get .9% APR on Select?
I know it's regional, but BMW is showing .9% for my region.

Last dealer told me marking up the APR to 1.9% is the only way they will be able to make money.

Bought my car with 0.9% select at Braman Jupiter

[teamtj]

Originally Posted by teamtj

Thanks for your inputs.

You are right, I will be better off with financing.

I am not sure if BMW Select is available in Illinois. Let me find out.

BMW select is not available in certain states. Unfortunately, IL is one of the states.

I will see if dealer can offer me any discount on msrp(unlikely). Used an online calculator, with .9% 60 months, payment is coming to $1580 with $2500 down(inclusive of all taxes/fees).

Given the crazy lease rates, financing(with .9%) seems to be a better decision

[canigetaxm]

i was able to pre qualify for .9 on select ,and i believe if a dealer is selling at MSRP they are making money ,also the 999 dealer fee , straight profit

[LimeRock]

Just read through the last 4 months of posts to get caught up. Quick question — why all the negative comments about the current lease environment?

Historical / precedent aside, isn't the lease vs buy argument just a matter of (1) MF vs loan APR (2) selling optionality and (3) tax treatment?

High residuals are great w/r/t monthly payments, but a car is still a (shitty) asset. A less favorable lease today is more favorable down the road, no? If "low" residuals lead us to having "equity" in the car at the end of the lease, can't you just buy it and resell to capture that?

Apart from being conditioned to think an M3 should lease out for under $1,000 a month, I don't see why a $1200ish payment is so egregious for an $85k car. From my perspective, the only factors that matter here are the three listed above. And, to that end, an argument could be made that the incremental interest expense of a lease is potentially offset by the lower overall financial exposure on a (shitty) $85k asset — particularly for those of us in big cities surrounded by terrible drivers / theft etc.

Regarding lever #2, I'll concede that the 3rd party buyout dynamic is a hit to leasing. It's the one item I struggle with, as it's challenging to recapture the inflated market price when at the mercy of what a dealer will offer. I could only hope that market dynamics will force dealers to compete within their own ecosystem, and a fair price will emerge.

Topping this all off and like others have mentioned, I don't see the economic environment changing. Inflation is not transitory, and will likely remain even with QE going away. Chip shortages will last through 2022, potentially beyond given escalating tensions in Taiwan. Manufacturers will charge more, and we're already seeing it with the January M3/M4 price hike.

Feel free to disagree, would love to hear why I'm wrong. But I can't keep waiting for historical deals to re-emerge in this radically new global / economic environment that has fundamentally changed. Or, I guess you could wait, but just not while driving the best sport sedan on the market!

[Gfit]

Originally Posted by LimeRock

Just read through the last 4 months of posts to get caught up. Quick question — why all the negative comments about the current lease environment?

Historical / precedent aside, isn't the lease vs buy argument just a matter of (1) MF vs loan APR (2) selling optionality and (3) tax treatment?

High residuals are great w/r/t monthly payments, but a car is still a (shitty) asset. A less favorable lease today is more favorable down the road, no? If "low" residuals lead us to having "equity" in the car at the end of the lease, can't you just buy it and resell to capture that?

Apart from being conditioned to think an M3 should lease out for under $1,000 a month, I don't see why a $1200ish payment is so egregious for an $85k car. From my perspective, the only factors that matter here are the three listed above. And, to that end, an argument could be made that the incremental interest expense of a lease is potentially offset by the lower overall financial exposure on a (shitty) $85k asset — particularly for those of us in big cities surrounded by terrible drivers / theft etc.

Regarding lever #2, I'll concede that the 3rd party buyout dynamic is a hit to leasing. It's the one item I struggle with, as it's challenging to recapture the inflated market price when at the mercy of what a dealer will offer. I could only hope that market dynamics will force dealers to compete within their own ecosystem, and a fair price will emerge.

Topping this all off and like others have mentioned, I don't see the economic environment changing. Inflation is not transitory, and will likely remain even with QE going away. Chip shortages will last through 2022, potentially beyond given escalating tensions in Taiwan. Manufacturers will charge more, and we're already seeing it with the January M3/M4 price hike.

Feel free to disagree, would love to hear why I'm wrong. But I can't keep waiting for historical deals to re-emerge in this radically new global / economic environment that has fundamentally changed. Or, I guess you could wait, but just not while driving the best sport sedan on the market!

I certainly can't argue with you because you did a better job than me explaining why I lease cars, especially BMWs. As far as 3rd party buyouts, if it's worth a lot more I'll just buy it out myself and resell. Little more work and have to eat some taxes but I've done it before just fine.

[M3PGH]

Originally Posted by LimeRock

Just read through the last 4 months of posts to get caught up. Quick question — why all the negative comments about the current lease environment?

Historical / precedent aside, isn't the lease vs buy argument just a matter of (1) MF vs loan APR (2) selling optionality and (3) tax treatment?

High residuals are great w/r/t monthly payments, but a car is still a (shitty) asset. A less favorable lease today is more favorable down the road, no? If "low" residuals lead us to having "equity" in the car at the end of the lease, can't you just buy it and resell to capture that?

Apart from being conditioned to think an M3 should lease out for under $1,000 a month, I don't see why a $1200ish payment is so egregious for an $85k car. From my perspective, the only factors that matter here are the three listed above. And, to that end, an argument could be made that the incremental interest expense of a lease is potentially offset by the lower overall financial exposure on a (shitty) $85k asset — particularly for those of us in big cities surrounded by terrible drivers / theft etc.

Regarding lever #2, I'll concede that the 3rd party buyout dynamic is a hit to leasing. It's the one item I struggle with, as it's challenging to recapture the inflated market price when at the mercy of what a dealer will offer. I could only hope that market dynamics will force dealers to compete within their own ecosystem, and a fair price will emerge.

Topping this all off and like others have mentioned, I don't see the economic environment changing. Inflation is not transitory, and will likely remain even with QE going away. Chip shortages will last through 2022, potentially beyond given escalating tensions in Taiwan. Manufacturers will charge more, and we're already seeing it with the January M3/M4 price hike.

Feel free to disagree, would love to hear why I'm wrong. But I can't keep waiting for historical deals to re-emerge in this radically new global / economic environment that has fundamentally changed. Or, I guess you could wait, but just not while driving the best sport sedan on the market!

I agree overall , but I will add that in a couple of years BMW will open back third party buyouts as in normal times , they had hard time getting rid of lease returns and had to give customers or their dealers big incentives to accept these cars ..

[LimeRock]

Can someone confirm the loyalty is $1000 and applicable in all states?

[jmr0311]

Is this an okay numbers

Sales Price: $104K
BMW Select 60 Mo.
Payment: $1135

[LimeRock]

Originally Posted by LimeRock

Can someone confirm the loyalty is $1000 and applicable in all states?

I checked with the moderators at Edmunds and can confirm it's $500, not $1000 for the M3s.

[dantm3]

I'm in Texas and dealer is telling me my only option is owners choice/lease/finance. Select is not available for some reason.. what is the difference between select and owners choice (which no one has mentioned in this thread really)

[TrevorM3]

Originally Posted by jmr0311

Is this an okay numbers

Sales Price: $104K
BMW Select 60 Mo.
Payment: $1135

whats the balloon?

['Cane]

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

whats the balloon?

Probably $37k-ish