[JP30]

Currently lease '21 X3M Comp and it will be up in 2 months. I am about to hit my miles (36k) and starting to debate about what to do next. I love this car - its a blast to drive, always gets looks and can't imagine going elsewhere from BMW. I recently bought a home and expecting my first child in the next 2 weeks so priorities are shifting and looking to get a lower car payment.

My buyout is ~$45k + $3k tax - values seem to be dropping and I am thinking the car is worth ~$49-50k. So I don't have a ton of equity from what I can tell.

A few other things to note - I have not had brake pads replaced even under ultimate care+ plan my dealer has refused since the "sensor hasnt gone off". If I do buy out the car I would push to get them replaced. Car desperately needs new tires - currently running Michelin PS AS. I do have my summer stocks in storage I could throw on if I do return the lease.

I was trying to get my monthly payment down a bit compared to this car but something like an M40i is literally more expensive then my current X3M lease. I am a bit concerned about maintenance on the X3M and things starting to need to be replaced, etc......

Options:
1 - Buy out the X3M, get a loan and keep for another 1-2 years ($2k for new tires + maintenance)
2 - Extend lease by ~2 months into June and keep looking/wait for better incentives (but will have to potentially owe hundreds in excess mileage)
3 - Get out of the car now and into a new lease (M40i, SQ5, MYP?)

Thoughts?

[Jnat]

Originally Posted by JP30

Currently lease '21 X3M Comp and it will be up in 2 months. I am about to hit my miles (36k) and starting to debate about what to do next. I love this car - its a blast to drive, always gets looks and can't imagine going elsewhere from BMW. I recently bought a home and expecting my first child in the next 2 weeks so priorities are shifting and looking to get a lower car payment.

My buyout is ~$45k + $3k tax - values seem to be dropping and I am thinking the car is worth ~$49-50k. So I don't have a ton of equity from what I can tell.

A few other things to note - I have not had brake pads replaced even under ultimate care+ plan my dealer has refused since the "sensor hasnt gone off". If I do buy out the car I would push to get them replaced. Car desperately needs new tires - currently running Michelin PS AS. I do have my summer stocks in storage I could throw on if I do return the lease.

I was trying to get my monthly payment down a bit compared to this car but something like an M40i is literally more expensive then my current X3M lease. I am a bit concerned about maintenance on the X3M and things starting to need to be replaced, etc......

Options:
1 - Buy out the X3M, get a loan and keep for another 1-2 years ($2k for new tires + maintenance)
2 - Extend lease by ~2 months into June and keep looking/wait for better incentives (but will have to potentially owe hundreds in excess mileage)
3 - Get out of the car now and into a new lease (M40i, SQ5, MYP?)

Thoughts?

That is the question we all deal with at one time or another, sometimes we get it right and sometimes wrong, tough situation... I think it comes down to where you're at in your life and what those priorities are. Some have the type of portfolio / income that these decisions are not as critical and some (myself) have to analyze scenarios and what if's! I ultimately have stated that this vehicle is different then anything i've personally owned and i would expect that most "real" M's probably fit that description one way or another. For you to get the performance you're getting out of this SUV for 48k isn't going to happen easily so if that's worth something to you, i'd say but it. If that doesn't mean much move on and downgrade slightly... GLWD...

[thestimp]

Get an M550 and never look back...

[04detroitls]

Interest rates are crap right now, no sign of significantly dropping any time soon, FED meets quarterly so 1-2 months isn't going to help that much (next meeting mid March iirc)

[thestimp]

Originally Posted by 04detroitls

Interest rates are crap right now, no sign of significantly dropping any time soon, FED meets quarterly so 1-2 months isn't going to help that much (next meeting mid March iirc)

plus potential government shut down thanks to the almighty smart politicians.

[JP30]

Originally Posted by Jnat

That is the question we all deal with at one time or another, sometimes we get it right and sometimes wrong, tough situation... I think it comes down to where you're at in your life and what those priorities are. Some have the type of portfolio / income that these decisions are not as critical and some (myself) have to analyze scenarios and what if's! I ultimately have stated that this vehicle is different then anything i've personally owned and i would expect that most "real" M's probably fit that description one way or another. For you to get the performance you're getting out of this SUV for 48k isn't going to happen easily so if that's worth something to you, i'd say but it. If that doesn't mean much move on and downgrade slightly... GLWD...

Exactly - I can't touch the performance of this car with a new one at the payment I currently have (~$900/month). Even a loan would be ~$950/month putting $0 down. I think I would miss all the dynamics of this car

[JP30]

Originally Posted by 04detroitls

Interest rates are crap right now, no sign of significantly dropping any time soon, FED meets quarterly so 1-2 months isn't going to help that much (next meeting mid March iirc)

waiting was more to kick the can down the road to decide. not expecting rates to improve, maybe lease incentives as they typically improve over the year esp with 2025 models being produced but again I'm not getting a car of this caliber for the payment I currently have.

[04detroitls]

The other issue is FINDING a 24 x3m, most seem to be loaded and have red or orange interiors for some reason, build allocations serm to be thinner this year. Right now there's 1500 in loyalty (max I've seen this year was 2k) and Ms generally don't get much more then loyalty.
M40i was getting 2.99 in December w 2k and they seem to be easier to find. Iirc they're leasing for mid 7s - high 8s rn
Hope some of this helps

[Gfit]

Sure interest rates are higher but the spread between what you get on your cash and borrowing cost is about the same after taxes so it all evens out.

[LuckyBrand]

Originally Posted by JP30

Exactly - I can't touch the performance of this car with a new one at the payment I currently have (~$900/month). Even a loan would be ~$950/month putting $0 down. I think I would miss all the dynamics of this car

Yeah I think at least on BMW site it's lease for $1029 with a base price of like $76 grandish. So yeah your basically stealing it compared with today's prices lol. Leasing used to be so much cheaper.

[Bimma360]

I have never leased a car so I may get this wrong, but if the buy out is $48k and say you have $4k in equity, that means you would be financing $44k right? $44k @72 months is about $800 per month depending on your rate. If you can put anymore down, you should be able to move that monthly payment even lower. Yes, you do have maintenance to worry about but 36k miles is still pretty low in my book.

On the pads. I think they are covered by warranty and maintenance, right? If you really wanted to roll the dice, I say you cook the crap out of them. Do a bunch of all out 60 - 5mph stops consecutively until you get them good and hot and smoking. After that pull over and just sit there with the brakes pressed while they bake. You'll either warp the rotors, or adhere enough pad material on there to make the whole car shake under braking. Take it back in for those symptoms haha.

[JP30]

Originally Posted by LuckyBrand

Yeah I think at least on BMW site it's lease for $1029 with a base price of like $76 grandish. So yeah your basically stealing it compared with today's prices lol. Leasing used to be so much cheaper.

Back in 2021 there were $4k in incentives on this car + corp discount + 10% discount off MSRP. Incentives are not as strong now + higher money factor on leases = worse deals across the board........A new M40 lease is higher then my X3M payment

[JP30]

Originally Posted by Bimma360

I have never leased a car so I may get this wrong, but if the buy out is $48k and say you have $4k in equity, that means you would be financing $44k right? $44k @72 months is about $800 per month depending on your rate. If you can put anymore down, you should be able to move that monthly payment even lower. Yes, you do have maintenance to worry about but 36k miles is still pretty low in my book.

On the pads. I think they are covered by warranty and maintenance, right? If you really wanted to roll the dice, I say you cook the crap out of them. Do a bunch of all out 60 - 5mph stops consecutively until you get them good and hot and smoking. After that pull over and just sit there with the brakes pressed while they bake. You'll either warp the rotors, or adhere enough pad material on there to make the whole car shake under braking. Take it back in for those symptoms haha.

You are outright buying the car for whatever the residual is on the lease paperwork + tax. So I would be financing $48k. Maintenance is my #1 concern on an M car past 40k miles

LOL don't think Im going to exactly do that but I definitely have been trying to hammer on the brakes a bit just in case

[LuckyBrand]

Originally Posted by JP30

Back in 2021 there were $4k in incentives on this car + corp discount + 10% discount off MSRP. Incentives are not as strong now + higher money factor on leases = worse deals across the board........A new M40 lease is higher then my X3M payment

Thats just nuts and depressing lol since I'm looking at them possibly. Oh well. What can you do? Either pay up or find something else less fun.

[04detroitls]

Originally Posted by LuckyBrand

Thats just nuts and depressing lol since I'm looking at them possibly. Oh well. What can you do? Either pay up or find something else less fun.

I managed 7% off msrp,almost base MF and 2k incentive (was avail when I ordered and carried over to delivery 1500 currently avail)
The issue is the MF being significantly higher drives your payment way up, but ya our 31 was 9% off more incentive cash and a lower mf, payment on a similar MSRP from 21 (8xx tax incl) is now over 40% higher on the 24

[LuckyBrand]

Originally Posted by 04detroitls

I managed 7% off msrp,almost base MF and 2k incentive (was avail when I ordered and carried over to delivery 1500 currently avail)
The issue is the MF being significantly higher drives your payment way up, but ya our 31 was 9% off more incentive cash and a lower mf, payment on a similar MSRP from 21 (8xx tax incl) is now over 40% higher on the 24

Yeah seeing what was available then from this thread makes me want to just hold off and wait to buy anything right now. I just don't think we're going to see any significant changes though from BMW this year and since the FED changes will happen slow if any the days of old may be a thing of the past?

Just like the OP dilemma what do you do? It's hard to cough up the extra funds when you know what you currently have.

[04detroitls]

Originally Posted by LuckyBrand

Just like the OP dilemma what do you do? It's hard to cough up the extra funds when you know what you currently have.

Everybody's situation is a bit different....

We had ordered my wife a 24x3mc, it arrived a few weeks ago. We just bit the bullet and leased because all our cars are leases, availability seemed to be scarce, and no full M next year.

I ended up selling the Camaro (had some equity in it), we're going to buy out the 21 for me to DD when the lease is up in May - LUCKILY we had paid off the remaining lease payments early, so we still only have the one.

But yes.... comparing at the the 2 payments for essentially the same cars SUCKED lol

[RFGuy_KCCO]

Originally Posted by Bimma360

I have never leased a car so I may get this wrong, but if the buy out is $48k and say you have $4k in equity, that means you would be financing $44k right? $44k @72 months is about $800 per month depending on your rate. If you can put anymore down, you should be able to move that monthly payment even lower. Yes, you do have maintenance to worry about but 36k miles is still pretty low in my book.

On the pads. I think they are covered by warranty and maintenance, right? If you really wanted to roll the dice, I say you cook the crap out of them. Do a bunch of all out 60 - 5mph stops consecutively until you get them good and hot and smoking. After that pull over and just sit there with the brakes pressed while they bake. You'll either warp the rotors, or adhere enough pad material on there to make the whole car shake under braking. Take it back in for those symptoms haha.

Originally Posted by JP30

You are outright buying the car for whatever the residual is on the lease paperwork + tax. So I would be financing $48k. Maintenance is my #1 concern on an M car past 40k miles

LOL don't think Im going to exactly do that but I definitely have been trying to hammer on the brakes a bit just in case

Beware that brake pads and rotors are no longer covered by the maintenance plan.

https://www.bmwusa.com/explore/bmw-v...mate-care.html

[Bimma360]

Originally Posted by RFGuy_KCCO

Beware that brake pads and rotors are no longer covered by the maintenance plan.

https://www.bmwusa.com/explore/bmw-v...mate-care.html

Haha funny you mention that. Not sure if this would apply to my 2020, but my brakes won’t be covered under warranty in my situation anyway. Car is at the dealer now to get a bunch of small things taken care of before the warranty expires this month. Front brakes are at 4mm, but one of the front rotors are backordered so the repair can’t happen until after warranty.

Oh well, I am in the same boat now. I’ll have to pony up for the rotors and pads. I service my own cars anyway so at least I won’t have to pay for labor.

[Edgar_FriendlyX3M]

I'm surprised given the current suv craze and every manufacturer pushing to make them that the X3M used isn't holding it's value too well. At least from what I see. Few year old M3s are still crazy expensive by comparison and while I understand it is a beloved M3, I'm still a bit puzzled by the rapid drop in used pricing.

[x3manthony]

I'll be in the same boat in 12 months. I plan on buying my 22 X3MC. No better value for all that performance.

[JP30]

Originally Posted by Edgar_FriendlyX3M

I'm surprised given the current suv craze and every manufacturer pushing to make them that the X3M used isn't holding it's value too well. At least from what I see. Few year old M3s are still crazy expensive by comparison and while I understand it is a beloved M3, I'm still a bit puzzled by the rapid drop in used pricing.

It is surprising to me as well - I think these are just niche vehicles, almost sleepers to a certain extent and aren't as appealing to many as M3's. Most people are happy with an M40. I would have thought the car was worth more at this point and probably were last year, but with used car prices declining they haven't held.