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You're doing okay (more) (archive)
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Posted by DaveZ on May 07, 2000 at 15:29:33:

In Reply to: Price on a Z3 2.3 posted by Evancich on May 07, 2000 at 10:18:19:

: The BMW dealer I'm looking at says his price is $1600 over the dealer's invoice. The other dealers in my area won't quote a price over the phone.

: Consumer Reports (and a few other places on the net {carpoint...}) state that you should NEVER pay more then $200 over the dealer's invoice.

You will never get such a low margin over invoice on any BMW or other "high-end" car. Consider yourself blessed if you get somewhere between 3-5% above invoice. It is now prime convertible season and I believe the dealer incentives that were in effect up through March are now gone, so you're doing pretty well.

: I've also read on the net that certain car dealers don't haggle (BMW, Mer., Por...).

This is true to a certain extent, it depends on the season, the current demand for the car, current dealer incentives, and where you're located. I do know that both MB and BMW have narrowed the margins significantly between invoice and MSRP. This means that the dealers have much less wiggle room and are much more inclined to forgo the hassle of haggling, especially on popular models. You will also notice that these makers are much more oriented to selling custom factory orders than your average American/Japanese brand.

: 5) Any advice for a car buying virgin?

- Make sure you have complete invoice and MSRP printouts for the car and all options before entering the dealership. Saves alot of time and hassle when you know that your numbers exactly match what the dealer is saying.

- Forgo any dealer "environmental prep" or "sealant" packages. This is always a big ripoff. The car comes from the factory with a gorgeous finish and you don't want to be paying $$$ for the dealer's monkeys to screw it up. Most likely, you'll be washing and waxing your new baby with much more care and attention than they ever can.

- Make sure you get the infamous "window blanket" (search the archives for more threads than I can even hope to describe)

- In lieu of lower price, see if you can get the dealer to throw some accessories into the package. It's worth a shot: trunk organizer, floor mats, etc.

- Forgo the factory remote alarm, its useless and big $$$. Check the archives for some good alternatives.

- And of course, the most important: ENJOY your new ride!!!!

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