2011 BMW 5-Series sold out

Left Lane - 2011 BMW 5-Series sold out

BMW’s new 2011 5-Series sedan has just begun to roll into dealer showrooms across the globe, but the Mercedes-Benz E-Class competitor is already sold out in all markets. BMW sales head Ian Robertson made the announcement earlier today at an event in Spain.

According to Robertson, the 2011 5-Series is sold out in all global markets. Customers wanting BMW’s new mid-level luxury sedan will have to wait at least three months to take delivery.

“A lot of markets are performing well,” Robertson said. “Overall we’re seeing good progress.” The 2011 535i lists from $49,600, while the V8-powered 550i carries a starting price of $59,700.

BMW has yet to release its second quarter results, but Robertson indicated the final figures will be on par with the 14 percent increase the company’s BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand saw during the first quarter. Through May, BMW’s sales were up 13 percent.

This doesn't seem to be the case in Chicago area. Dealers have 3-4 cars.

That does seem strange because I ordered a 2011 528i on June 7th and it went into production on the 9th and was completed on the 19th which at least to me seems that the production line is not heavily overloaded. Not sure when that article was released.

jwrtiger when do you expect have it?
I am thinking of ordering 535i and was put off by a thought that it's going to take 2 months.
But this seems to be pretty quick for you.

Original source from Bloomberg. http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?...d=amGjAQUwOfnU

Originally Posted by Ivo Andric

jwrtiger when do you expect have it?
I am thinking of ordering 535i and was put off by a thought that it's going to take 2 months.
But this seems to be pretty quick for you.

Yes I was surprised that it took only about 10 days from order to completion. I had been told it would take much longer. My understanding is that it will be leaving the Bremerhaven port may be as early as tomorrow. My sales person said he would let me know when it ships. I live on the west coast and I have again been told it will take 21 to 30 days to be delivered to Port Hueneme in California. I live about an 1.5 hours from there. I then was told it would be at the entry yard for 5 to 7 days and then I guess a day to be delivered to the dealership. So it still looks like at least 29 more days… rats.

I could imagine - it's annoying to know that it's built, and still to wait a month

Originally Posted by Ivo Andric

This doesn't seem to be the case in Chicago area. Dealers have 3-4 cars.

If you start shopping for a 535i you will quickly discover what I did. That the car you want isn't in stock. The car has been ordered by dealers in 1 of 3 ways. In terms of content, low, medium and high. The low is about 55-58. The med 60-63k. high, 67-70k. Most people shoot for the med. It presents the best amount of content and value. The low is missing some key features, sport package and the seats. The high has too much content and is expensive. The med (goldilocks model) all sold. So you are basically left with the base model, which most people aren't gonna wanna settle for. Or the high model which is starting to bump into 7 series territory. This then forces people to either wait, or order a car.
550i's are a different story. For obvious reasons, they're a little easier to find.

No matter how accurate, this is good news for BMW.

TJPark01n - I agree with you
I will have to order it probably

jwrtiger - how much of a discount did you get if it's not confidential?

I asked for quotes from two local (30 mile area) dealerships. The MSRP with options/packages was $57,050.00. Invoice pricing was $52,445.00 and I could get it with a few extra services for either $950 or $1400 over invoice. I went with the $1400 because of the service department history, a couple of extras, and that it is 3-miles from my home.

many thanks for the numbers

Come up to Canada. We have lots.

I always order my cars from the factory and expect a wait of around 3 months. I was told that the first orders from my dealer for the 550i xDrive will be accepted by BMW in late July for production beginning Sept. 1st and delivered the first week in October. By ordering the car you can get a better price because the dealer doesn't have to borrow the money from the bank to first buy the car and then pay interest on the money until he can sell it. Also, I want my car to be exactly the car I want including all options and colors. I gave my dealer a deposit in February to be the first in line for the 550i xDrive.

How much is expected as a deposit for ordering from factory?

Originally Posted by jeff328xi

How much is expected as a deposit for ordering from factory?

That is up to your dealer. This is the third car I have bought from my dealer so he trusts me and pretty much just takes what I give him. I gave him $1000 for my 650i. Actually, I gave him the deposit for an M6 a year before it went into production. When I decided I didn't want the M6 six months later he just allowed me to change the order for the 650i. Neither one had yet been ordered from BMW because they were still not in production.

I gave him $1000 to be first in line for the 550i xDrive. He won't actually place the order with BMW until July, the first date that BMW will be taking orders.

Originally Posted by richschneid

That is up to your dealer. This is the third car I have bought from my dealer so he trusts me and pretty much just takes what I give him. I gave him $1000 for my 650i. Actually, I gave him the deposit for an M6 a year before it went into production. When I decided I didn't want the M6 six months later he just allowed me to change the order for the 650i. Neither one had yet been ordered from BMW because they were still not in production.

I gave him $1000 to be first in line for the 550i xDrive. He won't actually place the order with BMW until July, the first date that BMW will be taking orders.

I've heard $500 and $1000 as the two numbers used most often.

It is my understanding that manufacturers, BMW included, count cars sent to distributors (such as BMW NA) as "sold." Not necessarily into private hands.

Originally Posted by bmw5151

It is my understanding that manufacturers, BMW included, count cars sent to distributors (such as BMW NA) as "sold." Not necessarily into private hands.

Come on dude, think about that for a second.

Originally Posted by TJPark01

Come on dude, think about that for a second.

He's trying to explain how they're obviously NOT sold out everywhere... not sure what this Ian Robertson guy is smoking.

Originally Posted by bmw5151

It is my understanding that manufacturers, BMW included, count cars sent to distributors (such as BMW NA) as "sold." Not necessarily into private hands.

I've heard the same thing, from my dealer, if memory serves.

Originally Posted by XZLR8

I've heard the same thing, from my dealer, if memory serves.

I've also heard the same thing. He could also mean that all of the produciton slots have been filled (either by priority 1 customer order or by a general dealer order for their lot).

In the USA, sales are counted when a customer signs the contract - not the dealer taking factory delivery. Otherwise manufacturers would be incentivized to build stock. A lot of manufacturers do, but it's not to boost sales numbers, it's to keep factories employed. Hence the figure for inventory turn days.

This is why you never read about the lag between sales and actual deliveries - since they are one and the same. For example - when BMWNA talks about December sales, they don't say that these will be for deliveries in February-March. Another indicator - sales figures are always adjusted for selling days - not production days, as it would if it was based on factory deliveries.

I'm often surprised when I hear of such and such Broadway show being sold out for years - yet when I attend, I see quite a few vacant seats. I think this is one of them - a stretch of the definition for "sold out".

I ordered a 528i on July 26 and was told to expect delivery in October.

Originally Posted by bmw5151

It is my understanding that manufacturers, BMW included, count cars sent to distributors (such as BMW NA) as "sold." Not necessarily into private hands.

Thats's right plus the dealer can change the order right up to the end right before the car goes into 150 status.