535ix - Lease Demo or Wait For My Order?

[bschack]

On order:

2010 535ix, Carbon Black Metallic, Black Dakota Leather, Anthracite Trim, M Sport, Premium, Value, Nav, Sirius

Car is awaiting transport in Germany (and has been for almost 2 weeks).

Dealer offered me the demo that he drives - identical car +Park Distance Control - for about $30 less per month.

Demo has about 5,000 miles. I am currently driving an '07 328xi reaching the end of its lease, but I am over my allotted miles and the car is out of warranty, so I don't want to drive it much more, especially on the 800 mile round trip I'm taking next week.

The only reason I can think of to wait for the car I ordered is for the satisfaction of taking of a brand new car - but thats not worth $30/month for the next 3 years!!!!

Any reasons to wait for the car I ordered and NOT take the demo???

[bbal]

Yeah...when I drive a demo it's not a pretty sight. Many people doing a demo do it like I do. See what the car can do. Lots of hard acceleration to near redline and hard stops. Not exactly the way to break in a car with a lot of technological wizardry that is already somewhat prone to fuel supply issues. Now imagine at worst case scenario this being done for a good part of the 5K miles. Just my 2 cents.

[rhnorb]

If the demo is a 2009, the 2010 you have on order has a very much improved iDrive/Nav system.

[Corgidog]

$30 a month comes out to about 1k over the life of the lease savings. Big sport that dealer is taking a 1K depreciation hit for a yr old model wise car with 5k miles when the real depreciation is in the thousands when a car leaves the lot. Kind of an insulting offer if you ask me-stick with your new 2010.

[nv6425]

$30 a month comes out to about 1k over the life of the lease savings. Big sport that dealer is taking a 1K depreciation hit for a yr old model wise car with 5k miles when the real depreciation is in the thousands when a car leaves the lot. Kind of an insulting offer if you ask me-stick with your new 2010.

Agreed; tell the dealer to knock off $150/month and you'll have a good deal.

[bschack]

Appreciate the feedback, but to clear a few things up:

- The demo is a 2010, not an '09

- The 'demo' is not really a demo....it is the car the sales manager drives personally as part of his compensation package - I've been told its never been used for test drives or as a loaner. I believe this because his golf clubs are in the trunk, his ipod is sitting in the center console and the owner of the dealership is a friend of mine who I trust.

- I was previously getting the car on order at $500 over invoice (like I said, owner is a neighbor and friend of mine and I felt that was fair); with the 'demo' I am getting the car for a little more than $1,000 under invoice (this demo has park distance warning and split rear seats, neither of which the car I ordered had, so the sticker is higher to begin with.)

Assuming its true that the car was only used by the sales manager as a personal vehicle, mostly highway miles, I figured its worth the $30/month savings and the couple of extra options. The thing that clinched it for me was them agreeing to throw brand new tires on the car - that closed the deal, and I am picking up the car this afternoon......gonna be tough getting through 6 hours of work!!!!! :bigpimp:

[doug_999]

Let's just hope you are not a BMW CCA member....

Cause if you are... you just took a demo with 5,000 miles and lost out on your $1,000 cash back from BMW (dealer demos do not qualify)

If you aren't, then consider joining - cause in the future, you won't take a demo with 5,000 miles unless they made it worth your while (and no, $360 per year does not make it worth your while).

[schnell525]

wait for the ordered car. demos are beat.

[3Series]

Demos are not necessarily beat. Top sales staff and other dealer personnel get short term leases as part of their compensation package.

However, I'd wait for the ordered car. $30/month is not enough of a savings.

[Vitacura]

Congrats! So where are the pics?

[doug_999]

I took dealer demo one time (officially classified as a demo even though one of the top sales people drove it). Had 800 miles on it.

On day of pickup, I discover a nice door ding above the rear wheel well. They promise to fix it and make an appointment for me. The day of the appointment comes and the ding guy says "I can't fix that, the entire rear quarter has to be repainted, you sure you want that?".

Lived with a ding for the next 39 months. Annoyed the crap out of me every day.

No more "lightly abused" cars for me unless there is serious cash on the table.

[quattro guy]

My vote would be to stay with your order. I guarantee the demo will have some minor rock chips/light damage from 5000 miles of use. I would want a larger savings than $30/month to bother. My m-sport 535sw has been at Bremerhaven for a ridiculous 2 weeks awaiting transport as well. I don't know how it missed the 7/9 boat, but there is another one leaving on the 18th and arriving in NJ on the 30th. My guess is that our cars will be on that one. Hang in there!

[Jack Stefano]

On order:

2010 535ix, Carbon Black Metallic, Black Dakota Leather, Anthracite Trim, M Sport, Premium, Value, Nav, Sirius

Car is awaiting transport in Germany (and has been for almost 2 weeks).

Dealer offered me the demo that he drives - identical car +Park Distance Control - for about $30 less per month.

Demo has about 5,000 miles. I am currently driving an '07 328xi reaching the end of its lease, but I am over my allotted miles and the car is out of warranty, so I don't want to drive it much more, especially on the 800 mile round trip I'm taking next week.

The only reason I can think of to wait for the car I ordered is for the satisfaction of taking of a brand new car - but thats not worth $30/month for the next 3 years!!!!

Any reasons to wait for the car I ordered and NOT take the demo???
I know it's fashionable on these boards to bash someone for getting a bad deal -- but dude that is an awful deal. Awful. I have purchased 2 executive demos (exactly like you describe, both belonging to the sales manager and both with 5,000 miles). On the last one I saved $13k off the sticker (granted it was a slightly more expensive car, but still). Bottom line is that if you're happy with the car, and aren't worried about the money, then all is well I suppose. I just hate for people to leave money like that on the table.