toddwalton wrote

they'll subsidize your last few payments

If so they are most likely reducing the discount off MSRP you could have gotten if not returning a lease with payments remaining. They are being paid for somewhere...

gohawks23 wrote

If so they are most likely reducing the discount off MSRP you could have gotten if not returning a lease with payments remaining. They are being paid for somewhere...

Yes, maybe a payment before but not 5, can't imagine me being ahead on that.

Why lease when the financing is almost free at 0.9% it's a much better deal

minus.spire wrote

Why lease when the financing is almost free at 0.9% it's a much better deal

Not true. You have to run the numbers! A lot of it comes down to the estimated future value...and i ran the numbers for 39 month lease (7.5K miles and 10 MSD) vs 0.9 ownership (using lease 58% RV as the EFV) and the total cost for finance vs lease was almost the same.

gohawks23 wrote

Not true. You have to run the numbers! A lot of it comes down to the estimated future value...and i ran the numbers for 39 month lease (7.5K miles and 10 MSD) vs 0.9 ownership (using lease 58% RV as the EFV) and the total cost for finance vs lease was almost the same.

100%, I did the same and with leasing if the car is wrecked, not totalled, you don't have to worry about depreciation plus you simply give it back with little or no effort. I just don't see the benefit of financing unless your timing is lucky (pre covid and lease was up during those times,made $) you drive a lot, over 15k, or keep a car for long periods. Then, since it's a BMW you have to factor in an extended warranty otherwise you could get hammered with a big dollar repair

The sky is blue.
The sun rises in the east.
Leasing a car is a bad financial move.

gohawks23 wrote

Not true. You have to run the numbers! A lot of it comes down to the estimated future value...and i ran the numbers for 39 month lease (7.5K miles and 10 MSD) vs 0.9 ownership (using lease 58% RV as the EFV) and the total cost for finance vs lease was almost the same.

And just what do you think you will need to do after 39 months? Why, lease another car of course!

minus.spire wrote

The sky is blue.
The sun rises in the east.
Leasing a car is a bad financial move.

LOL! Only for those who don't know the numbers or how leases calc out...dealers make their living off those people who are usually shopping payment.

minus.spire wrote

And just what do you think you will need to do after 39 months? Why, lease another car of course!

Sure owning one car for several years is always going to win. But a lot of people want to change quicker. Different strokes...

Artdnj wrote

My current x3 lease is up on Aug 12

It doesn't hurt to ask, and then you can have your brand new X3 this week (if buying off the lot) or before Summer (if ordering from the factory). Call your dealer and ask the question, you may be surprised!

minus.spire wrote

And just what do you think you will need to do after 39 months? Why, lease another car of course!

Having a brand new BMW every 3 years is one of the great gifts in life. I'm so fortunate as to have owned 12 BMW's since 2005. Had I kept to the "buy and hold" strategy that thrifty owners recommend, I'd have only owned 5.

First world problems? Maybe. But there is no greater way to demonstrate BMW enthusiasm than to never own an old BMW.

gohawks23 wrote

If so they are most likely reducing the discount off MSRP you could have gotten if not returning a lease with payments remaining. They are being paid for somewhere...

Certainly they are hiding some of the discount somewhere, a few extra dollars per month for sure, but in the end I just want to drive a new BMW and they just want to get a BMW sold and we work things out.

If the OP's lease expires in August and it takes 2 months to get one built and delivered, he's only got 2 payments he needs to get rid of and it wouldn't be unheard of for the dealer to eat them. They've done that for me. And they wind up with his car to turn around and CPO a couple of months early too, get to sell it in pre-summer June instead of the dullsville of early-fall September, often it's win-win.

toddwalton wrote

Certainly they are hiding some of the discount somewhere, a few extra dollars per month for sure, but in the end I just want to drive a new BMW and they just want to get a BMW sold and we work things out.

If the OP's lease expires in August and it takes 2 months to get one built and delivered, he's only got 2 payments he needs to get rid of and it wouldn't be unheard of for the dealer to eat them. They've done that for me. And they wind up with his car to turn around and CPO a couple of months early too, get to sell it in pre-summer June instead of the dullsville of early-fall September, often it's win-win.

Interesting, I never thought of it that way. Assuming I go with a 26 it might be worth a look. do you think deals will get better in a month or two or hold tight?

Also, would a broker be able to "broker" (sorry I had to) this exchange of turning in current and ordering new?

Artdnj wrote

Interesting, I never thought of it that way. Assuming I go with a 26 it might be worth a look. do you think deals will get better in a month or two or hold tight?

Also, would a broker be able to "broker" (sorry I had to) this exchange of turning in current and ordering new?

From my own experience, deals are hot right now in March and get worse and worse as the warm weather months approach. If you think about it, the average car owner gets go-fever in June or July, they want a new car when it's gorgeous out and not gloomy March. I'd say pre-Easter is one of the best times to lease here in the Northeast US. Lord knows what's going to happen with the economy or gas prices or component shipping or tariffs the rest of the year, so buying something now when prices are stable may also be a big advantage vs the fall.

No broker required. If you have an existing relationship with a BMW salesperson, send a text, explain your situation, ask if you can come in for a test drive and a talk. Go to the BMW configurator, build the X3 you want, and send him that build code.

I got my G45 quite unexpectedly in this exact manner. Took my X7 in for its service, got told of some expensive repairs in my near future. Texted my salesperson an X3 build code and he had 90% of the car I wanted on his lot. A little negotiating later and they took the X7 in trade and I was driving off in the new X3 the next day.

toddwalton wrote

Certainly they are hiding some of the discount somewhere, a few extra dollars per month for sure, but in the end I just want to drive a new BMW and they just want to get a BMW sold and we work things out.

If the OP's lease expires in August and it takes 2 months to get one built and delivered, he's only got 2 payments he needs to get rid of and it wouldn't be unheard of for the dealer to eat them. They've done that for me. And they wind up with his car to turn around and CPO a couple of months early too, get to sell it in pre-summer June instead of the dullsville of early-fall September, often it's win-win.

Point is they eat it for you but it comes out of the discount off MSRP they give you. You are making those payments either way!

Regardless don't ask the dealer for anything...put together a target deal yourself and make offers...let them say no, control the process.

For example ask for the 2 payments to be paid for (if car has no equity) and ask for your 10-12% off MSRP on top of it...otherwise they will just take a couple % off the discount to make the payments.

gohawks23 wrote

Point is they eat it for you but it comes out of the discount off MSRP they give you. You are making those payments either way!

Let’s say he has to eat two more $599 payments on his old X3. That’s $29 a month over the next 39 months. The cost of two #1’s with cheese at Burger King to get into a new G45 by the weekend. It’s not like this is a lot of money worth discussion to men of means like ourselves.

toddwalton wrote

Let’s say he has to eat two more $599 payments on his old X3. That’s $29 a month over the next 39 months. The cost of two #1’s with cheese at Burger King to get into a new G45 by the weekend. It’s not like this is a lot of money worth discussion to men of means like ourselves.

LOL! I'm an engineer and numbers guy and could write a check for a couple Bugattis right now...but I'm also a decent negotiator from my profession...so I like the absolute best deal to the penny...and know how it calculates exactly...but yeah, dealers like people like you leaving a few grand on table because it covers skinny deals like mine!

PS, I almost like the dealing better than the actual car...haha!

regardless, i am def in no rush in fact I have three veh's that I have to drive a few miles each week because they don't get driven. I'm retired and the other two are my kids BMW's,(moved to a city). The X3 is my wife's so I am debating 2026 vs 2027 and 30i vs m50. Our current x3 doesn't even see sport mode. Also. not rich, far from poor fortunately

Artdnj wrote

regardless, i am def in no rush in fact I have three veh's that I have to drive a few miles each week because they don't get driven. I'm retired and the other two are my kids BMW's,(moved to a city). The X3 is my wife's so I am debating 2026 vs 2027 and 30i vs m50. Our current x3 doesn't even see sport mode. Also. not rich, far from poor fortunately

Why would you even consider M50 then? The regular X3 is plenty quick for 99% of anything you will need it for. If you aren't a HP/torque enthusiast it will all be wasted on you. There is a huge glut of 30s on lots and should be able to get 12% or so off with not much problem. In fact I'd start off asking for 15% and saying I'll buy right now to get them moving...10% off is decent deal for an M50 but I'd hold out for 11 or 12.

gohawks23 wrote

Why would you even consider M50 then? The regular X3 is plenty quick for 99% of anything you will need it for. If you aren't a HP/torque enthusiast it will all be wasted on you. There is a huge glut of 30s on lots and should be able to get 12% or so off with not much problem. In fact I'd start off asking for 15% and saying I'll buy right now to get them moving...10% off is decent deal for an M50 but I'd hold out for 11 or 12.

I considered a 50 but for 15k more is was not worth it for me. In my driving environment the 30 is quick enough and returns excellent FE.

gohawks23 wrote

LOL! I'm also a decent negotiator from my profession...so I like the absolute best deal to the penny...and know how it calculates exactly...but yeah, dealers like people like you leaving a few grand on table because it covers skinny deals like mine!

PS, I almost like the dealing better than the actual car...haha!

I get it! I too am a great negotiator- in my work life. In my private life, I don't want the hassles or the drama in something that is supposed to be joyous. I don't want to stare down and get angry and shop 10 different dealerships to save McNuggets money.

Hey, if I were building a house I'd too be rolling up the sleeves and manipulating every last nickel. But this is a leased car. It's a $500 monthly payment. It's a utility no different than your cellphone bill or your electric bill, you need a car, it costs a certain amount each month, you pay it, and you don't think about it again.

I've leased 11 of my 12 BMW's and never needed a single repair, never went over the mileage limit. My financial advisor insists we lease because it's a flat and predictable expense and so far he's right. The money that a purchase would have cost all those 36 month cycles was far better served in his hands as our portfolio has been incredible the last 15 years.

Like I said, BMW enthusiasm is a big hobby of mine. A joyous and happy moment in a life filled with typical executive effort and anxiety. Leasing without much negotiating is easy. And that's how I like it.

Artdnj wrote

regardless, i am def in no rush in fact I have three veh's that I have to drive a few miles each week because they don't get driven. I'm retired and the other two are my kids BMW's,(moved to a city). The X3 is my wife's so I am debating 2026 vs 2027 and 30i vs m50. Our current x3 doesn't even see sport mode. Also. not rich, far from poor fortunately

gohawks23 said it best- you don't need an M50.

Take the 30 M Sport and get the benefits of lower monthly payment, fantastic gas mileage, and a sharp trade-in deal that you can cut right now (or August if you insist on waiting). The 4 cylinder turbo + mild hybrid is very punchy and the base M Sport suspension handles like a dream. The G45 is my wife's car and I am having so much fun driving it these last few months it's hard to go back to my G26, it's a tremendous vehicle.