A Euro Delivery Story...

uber_3er · Jan 23, 2004

Hi, it's Uber again...
I figure I'd move my story of Euro Delivery to a new post and make a mini diary for all to share...and learn...

Day 1, 1-22-04
After months of thinking about the idea, spending way too much time at BMW dealerships, on line and reading brochures, I decide to order a Sapphire Black 330i Coupe with ZHP, Alcantara, Xenon and Nav.

So I placed the order not knowing too much about the pricing structure except that a 'discounted price' of $2575 below US MSRP appears on all the literature. I had mentally accepted this price. So I came home all excited, joined this forum and did more research. Big Props to PaddyLV [thumb]

for pointing me to the Edmunds.com board on the topic. I was up till 330am reading 2 years of posts on how people had been negotiating the pricing even MORE!!! There is a different Invoice price for European Delivery car.

Day 2, 1-23-04
To to cut a long story short, I woke up today fueled with the anger that I had walked away without getting a better price [:(!]

, so I got two local dealers in a bidding war. What do you know, a couple of phone calls and all of 30 minutes later, (and thanks to all the advice and a little courage to re-negotiate a price that I had already agreed to), it paid off! I was offered a price of $1500 over ED invoice from both dealers. I decided to stop and just go with the one I had already been talking to, even though the other one was ready to drop a few more hundred $$, but I'm a man of principles...

Anyway that means I will be saving an ADDITIONAL $2205 from what I had agreed to (but not signed anything or paid the deposit) the night before!! making a total savings of $4780 off US MSRP. Enough to pay sales tax AND travel expenses etc. So I'm a happy camper. [:)]

The order has been faxed but I'm still a bit worried... as this is a ZHP coupe, for which there is no pricing info yet and production hasn't even started yet! The dealer assures me it wont be a problem... the saga continues...

Bryan330i · Jan 23, 2004

Hi Uber

Are you paying cash for the car, or loan or lease? It sounds like a real good deal and $4780.00 off sticker would be hard to beat. I think this is about the best I have seen anyone do on a BMW, but then again, yours is for Euro delivery.

I would make sure that you have a firm contract rate of interest because what one dealer is giving in price they may take back in financing.

jonnyz16 · Jan 23, 2004

hey uber , awesome man . I'm getting excited also just thinking about it . I work for one of the major airlines and get a " decent " discount on airfare and accomodations. [thumb]

Even though I just picked up my '02 its good to think ahead right. keep us posted man ..

bmwrocks · Jan 23, 2004

If it was anything but a BMW I would be worried about getting the first car off the line. Not to worry. You get what you pay for.

codex57 · Jan 23, 2004

Nice! I don't think you have anything to worry about. New cars tend to have problems, but yours isn't a new car really. First of all, other countries have had those options for a while now. Plus, the sedan version has been out for a year now so any engine changes would have been fixed by now (although I never heard any reports of engine problems anyways).

Kirby · Jan 23, 2004

Wow! That's the first I have heard of any dealers negotiating on ED price. I tried and got nowhere!

paddyLV · Jan 23, 2004

"The saga continues..."

[wave]

I was really lookin' forward to the E/D. Everyone I met on the Edmunds site had nothing
but praise for the entire delivery process. And I was the same way, uber, you couldn't
pry me off the Edmunds E/D site. I was [SO] restless going to sleep at night, all I'd do is
'toss & turn' and finally have to tell the wife, "I have to get on the computer and check out the
Euro Del. site."

Next thing you know, it's 4 am... I would hit the sack and within 5 minutes
I'd be dreamin' I was in the 'high speed' lane in my '04 330i 'ZHP' somewhere south of Munich on the Autobahn. [driving2]

Anyway, I was going to give you some direction, but you've certainly already done your
homework. [clap]

uber_3er · Jan 23, 2004

Thanks guys; my friends were proud of my negotiating skills!

Now for the kicker... I guess it helps that I was a car salesman for about 2 years (shhhh! I never told a soul at any of the dealers!!!!!) But sometimes salespeople are the worst buyers!!! I felt bad for my salesperson as I reminded myself of my "mooch" customers, the ones that would nickle and dime for the sake of it.... If I was my own salesman, I would have kicked myself out of the dealer a long time ago....

LATEST NEWS!!
My salesman called me this evening to confirm that the price of the ZHP on the Coupe will be the same ($3900), so there will be no change to my deal. Just awaiting confirmation of my requested pick up date now, April 2.

uber_3er · Jan 23, 2004

PS- as for financing, I'll be purchasing. I've got a 4.99% deal squared away with my credit union, as I get closer to 30 days before pick up (when payment is due), I'll ask the dealer to try beat the rate, or just go with what I have. I can get a 0.25% discount if I set up direct deposit and autopayment with my credit union. Boy the hoops one must jump!

woody · Jan 23, 2004

330ci ZHP

Getting ready to order the above tomorrow....so pricing is negotiable huh???

Bryan330i · Jan 24, 2004

Kirby said:

I was thinking the Euro delivery was a fixed price. I was thinking they may be taking the discount back on the end.

Kirby, does BMW not set the ED price? That is what I thought but I could be wrong, but dealers like to play games and the price vs. contracted price after cost of money is a favorite.

paddyLV · Jan 25, 2004

Eurobuyers.com will get you to the European Delivery [wholesale] price sheet on a Munich

delivery BMW. When I was looking into the E/D, I was told that between $1300-$1500 [over]

that wholesale price was what you wanted to negotiate as the selling price through your

dealer. If I recall, I was going to save approx. 12% off the US MSRP by taking a E/D.

My dealer in Vegas did not want to be bothered with the E/D process for me. They only

handled [maybe] one a month and wouldn't give me the savings, as stated above...

I found a dealer in So. CA that worked several [E/D's] a month and we agreed on $1200 over

the E/D wholesale price sheet.

My 'plan-of-action' was to apply the savings toward a trip to Germany and tour the BMW

assembly plant. If you have the time & don't mind the 2 month waiting period while the

vehicle's in transit, than it's a great way to see Europe...

paddyLV · Jan 25, 2004

... by the way, you only negotiate the BASE price of the car when dealing with the

European Delivery (E/D). The added option(s) are at the US MSRP prices...

suntigen · Jan 25, 2004

paddyLV said:

I've got to say Desert BMW of Las Vegas (and Henderson) are the most pathetic excuse of a car dealer I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with.

I've never left a dealership feeling quite as slimy.

It seems to be SOP that the general attitude there is "we're doing you the favor selling you a BMW".

Word of warning to fellow Las Vegans... go buy your car in SoCal... it's really not worth it here.

- matthewk

salvo · Jan 25, 2004

Quick Question:[???1]

When you pick it up in Germany...you still have to break it in...Thus, it must hurt to go 1200 miles before you can "open it up" on the autobahn!! [bigcry]

I guess you could just drive 24/7! [thumb]

Kirby · Jan 26, 2004

Bryan330i said:

BMW does set the ED price, and my dealer told me it wasn't negotiable. However, you still pay the dealer for the purchase, so I guess they *could* negotiate if they want to? But they do make less profit on an ED, and they do have more paperwork to do, so I guess most of them just stick to the fixed price.

Yes, it is difficult and painful!! It equates to about 105 mph at 3000 RPM. That is the break in RPM I was told to observe, but some others have said it was recently changed to 4000 RPM.

105 mph sounds fast, but after an hour or so of cruising it seems like 60 mph. At 100, you are in the top 25% on the open Autobahn (i.e. not around cities), but certainly not the fastest. Then you want to try 125 mph but can't (or shouldn't!). [burnout]

Bryan330i · Jan 26, 2004

suntigen said:

I hate BMW of Henderson/Las Vegas and will never buy there. I found that you buy what and the way they want you to or get out. Funny thing is they sell very few cars and have an average inventory of 40-60 cars. Irvine stocks that many M3's.

I got mine from Riverside and the experience was so much better than Henderson was. I made such a big deal of the shitty service at Henderson that I attracted a lot of attention from BMW and Autonation but I don't think it did any good. One BMW rep told me that Las Vegas is a tough market for BMW, it is a very weak product in Las Vegas. Okay, I can believe that , other professional towns are better markets for BMW but how does crappy dealership service help sales. [???1]

uber_3er · Jan 30, 2004

A couple of things today...

This is true, but I made the dealer add the US INVOICE prices of the options, not the MSRP. Should save a few hundred more $$

Second-

I'm beginning to get a bit freaked out as the dealer has not called me back regarding locking down a pickup date. I think I will get on the blower as soon as I'm done writing this and get the low down.

Third-
I'm beginning to get a bit freaked out after seeing the LA Auto show featured the 330Ci ZHP with the amber lights back and front instead of the clear ones that come with the sport package usually. I went as far as calling BMW but they couldn't provide me with any info.

I hope someone at BMW realizes that if a customer forgoes the Sport Package for a ZHP, then they still want the clear lights. Otherwise the car looks like a base model and that would defy the object of the excersise. Shame on BMW for even displaying the car at the show that way...

Anyone have further insight on this issue?

paddyLV · Jan 30, 2004

"The European look..."

uber_3er said:

uber,

I don't think the 'clear lights ~ front, back & side' are legal in the American market.

They are available at Bavarian Autosports (website) for a few hundred $$$.

I think the website specificially states that that products use is for 'off-road' only...

uber_3er · Jan 31, 2004

Hey Paddy- the clear lenses are already found on the 3-series coupes with sports package. The orange reflector is in the bumper.

I just got this reply from BMW...

and it's made me so mad, I've started a new thread on the issue... "A light matter..."

let's hope BMW doesn't have to endure my wrath... the wrath of a consumer POSSESSED!!!! [}:)]

A Euro Delivery Story...

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