[Jason]

January program rates have been posted.

[Jeremycloud]

I've asked my local dealer in Houston, TX to price a '19 M550i custom loaded ($93,325 MSRP) BMW. He gave me the usual line that all dealers get a very limited allocation of 1 - 2 a month and since most are customs, they command MSRP pricing. Because I've bought there before, he generously offered to cover the $995 destination charge.

Are these limited availability issues real? If so, do they really affect pricing or is this all BS? Is the deal I should be expecting still 6-10% below MSRP or $2,000 below invoice?

Thanks!

[Bimmertrashjr]

You are going to have to reach out to some other dealers. I believe it all depends on market. Mine didn't want to budge but were willing to price match. They received 3 m550's mid December and were gone in 2 weeks.

[gooselee]

Originally Posted by Bimmertrashjr

You are going to have to reach out to some other dealers. I believe it all depends on market. Mine didn't want to budge but were willing to price match. They received 3 m550's mid December and were gone in 2 weeks.

I received the same line at my dealership in Atlanta but still ended up with around 6% off.

FWIW, it did seem that their allocations were snapped up by custom builds almost immediately. The few times I've seen their order sheets, all the M550s were marked as customer sold.

Originally I was just looking for a test drive and it took two months before they had one on the lot that wasn't already sold - that one was a used one someone had traded in. When I brought it back after my test drive, two other people were waiting to drive it. And by the time I left the dealership a couple hours later, it had been marked as sold.

BUT...I still got 6% off my custom order.

[rudling]

Originally Posted by Jeremycloud

I've asked my local dealer in Houston, TX to price a '19 M550i custom loaded ($93,325 MSRP) BMW. He gave me the usual line that all dealers get a very limited allocation of 1 - 2 a month and since most are customs, they command MSRP pricing. Because I've bought there before, he generously offered to cover the $995 destination charge.

Are these limited availability issues real? If so, do they really affect pricing or is this all BS? Is the deal I should be expecting still 6-10% below MSRP or $2,000 below invoice?

Thanks!

Yes, the availability is limited, but yes, you can find good deals on spec'd M550s. For whatever reasons, the dealerships in Southern California are much more competitive than those up here in Northern California, where I live. So that's where I buy my cars, and generally I have no trouble finding dealers (typically via this or a similar forum) who'll do deals at or below invoice, even for high-demand spec orders. I'm one of those guys who paid $2K below invoice for the spec'd '19 M550 I picked up last month. The 400-mile drive home was an opportunity to get a head start on the break-in countdown, made pretty pleasant by the ACC, lanekeeping, and massaging seats ;-)

If there are no board sponsors near you, you might consider drafting an email that sets out the deal you want (and makes clear that you know how the back end works, by specifying things like the buy rate on the MF if you're leasing, or that you've included the current incentive programs, etc. etc.) and firing it off to the sales or fleet or "internet" managers at the closest 5-10 dealerships to you.

Good luck!

[Jeremycloud]

Originally Posted by Jeremycloud

I've asked my local dealer in Houston, TX to price a '19 M550i custom loaded ($93,325 MSRP) BMW. He gave me the usual line that all dealers get a very limited allocation of 1 - 2 a month and since most are customs, they command MSRP pricing. Because I've bought there before, he generously offered to cover the $995 destination charge.

Are these limited availability issues real? If so, do they really affect pricing or is this all BS? Is the deal I should be expecting still 6-10% below MSRP or $2,000 below invoice?

Thanks!

Thank you all for the advice! Here's what I got. After getting with 4 dealers, the best deal was 6% off MSRP, exclusive of the manufacturer discounts. I'll get back to that in a second. On a 36/10 they quoted 0.00228 and 60%. Now I was quoted 0.00222 a couple days before, but this dealer said the rate just went up. I'm not so sure. Any conflicting info?

Now on the the conflicting info about the manufacturer specials. All the dealers quoted 4k off on a purchase financed through BMW and 2k off on a lease. The difference is that the seller with 6% off said that while I'm not committed to the custom build until delivery, I'm also not guaranteed these manufacturer discounts - I only get the discounts offered at the time of delivery. This is totally contrary to what I hear elsewhere, which is that I get the discounts offered today and if they get better by delivery, I can take advantage of that. BMWUSA was of no help clearing up the issue - they referred me to the dealership's sales manager. When I asked the sales guy about it, he pointed to the offer and that it says it expires 1/31/19 and that I'm not entering into the lease/purchase until the car is delivered. … I find it kind of ridiculous that you could order a custom car only to find out that it's 4k more expensive when it's delivered. Do any of you have any information on this issue??

[MXNSITH]

Originally Posted by Jeremycloud

Thank you all for the advice! Here's what I got. After getting with 4 dealers, the best deal was 6% off MSRP, exclusive of the manufacturer discounts. I'll get back to that in a second. On a 36/10 they quoted 0.00228 and 60%. Now I was quoted 0.00222 a couple days before, but this dealer said the rate just went up. I'm not so sure. Any conflicting info?

Now on the the conflicting info about the manufacturer specials. All the dealers quoted 4k off on a purchase financed through BMW and 2k off on a lease. The difference is that the seller with 6% off said that while I'm not committed to the custom build until delivery, I'm also not guaranteed these manufacturer discounts - I only get the discounts offered at the time of delivery. This is totally contrary to what I hear elsewhere, which is that I get the discounts offered today and if they get better by delivery, I can take advantage of that. BMWUSA was of no help clearing up the issue - they referred me to the dealership's sales manager. When I asked the sales guy about it, he pointed to the offer and that it says it expires 1/31/19 and that I'm not entering into the lease/purchase until the car is delivered. … I find it kind of ridiculous that you could order a custom car only to find out that it's 4k more expensive when it's delivered. Do any of you have any information on this issue??

Not an M550 but when I placed my order for mine in November, the dealer and I agreed on price and financials, both signed copies and when the car arrived they took a look to see if any incentives got better. The only thing we didn't agree on before were extended warranties and whatnot but that didn't matter to me.

I would never order unless I had a guaranteed price on delivery. This was my second BMW order and I experienced the same both times. Based out of CA.

[gooselee]

My dealer kept telling me about a "lock" they could put in that would secure financing incentives (in my case, APR and rebates since I was purchasing; I assume it would be MF and rebates for a lease), but that the lock would only last 30 or 60 days. I forget which.

Because I had an individ order, we knew up front that it would be well more than 60 days before I took delivery, so they were very open up front that they would try to do better, but if everything just got worse they might only be able to offer the best incentives from the 60 days leading up to delivery.

By the time I did my paperwork, I think both APR and rebates had gotten worse. They ended up honoring the original rebates but had to float my APR up to the current best promo rate - it was like 0.25% difference so not too worried. I don't know whether they added their own discount to cover the rebate difference or if they had some way of collecting on that from BMW, but the final number I walked out with was what I'd expected from day 1, so I don't really care where that extra $1k came from as long as it wasn't my pocket.

TL;DR - I think the dealers can only hold incentives for so long, but mine was at least pretty transparent about it and kept me informed, which I appreciated. I didn't walk out of there feeling like I was getting duped.

Of course, their own discounts and sale price prior to BMW incentives were 100% locked in, written down, and signed off on from the moment I placed my order.

[///M-er-gized]

What is Money Factor right now?

[spectrumphoto]

You should be able to get a 90 day rate/incentive lock especially if you plan to Purchase/Lease via BMWFS.
M550's are in limited supply at dealerships but allocations do not seem to be too challenging to get. I was able to also secure $2k under invoice on an ordered '19 M550 in SoCal as well. Picked her up right around Black Friday in hopes of added incentives (which never came to be)

[Jeremycloud]

Hey Guys! I wanted to update everyone on the deal I ended up going with. The MSRP was $91,375. The discount received was 6% + $500. If you've read the earlier post, I went with the dealer who guaranteed the in place specials ($2,000 purchase + $2,000 loyalty) and upside between now and delivery if they got better (obviously). Adjusted Price: $81.932. This is probably just an average deal but in all honesty, I hate to negotiate on cars, so average is a win for me lol.

2019 BMW 550i xDrive
Carbon Black Metallic
Tartufo Full Merino Leather

Options and Packages
Driving Assistance Plus
29X 20" M Style 668M run flat Package
Dynamic Handling Package
Luxury Seating Package
Parking Assistance
Premium Package
Executive Package
Ceramic Controls
Individual Piano Finish Black Trim
Heated Front Seats

[gooselee]

Originally Posted by Jeremycloud

Hey Guys! I wanted to update everyone on the deal I ended up going with. The MSRP was $91,375. The discount received was 6% + $500. If you've read the earlier post, I went with the dealer who guaranteed the in place specials ($2,000 purchase + $2,000 loyalty) and upside between now and delivery if they got better (obviously). Adjusted Price: $81.932. This is probably just an average deal but in all honesty, I hate to negotiate on cars, so average is a win for me lol.

2019 BMW 550i xDrive
Carbon Black Metallic
Tartufo Full Merino Leather

Options and Packages
Driving Assistance Plus
29X 20" M Style 668M run flat Package
Dynamic Handling Package
Luxury Seating Package
Parking Assistance
Premium Package
Executive Package
Ceramic Controls
Individual Piano Finish Black Trim
Heated Front Seats

If you're happy with the deal, it's a win. Looks like an awesome build!

[ksoze]

Originally Posted by Jeremycloud

Hey Guys! I wanted to update everyone on the deal I ended up going with. The MSRP was $91,375. The discount received was 6% + $500. If you've read the earlier post, I went with the dealer who guaranteed the in place specials ($2,000 purchase + $2,000 loyalty) and upside between now and delivery if they got better (obviously). Adjusted Price: $81.932. This is probably just an average deal but in all honesty, I hate to negotiate on cars, so average is a win for me lol.

2019 BMW 550i xDrive
Carbon Black Metallic
Tartufo Full Merino Leather

Options and Packages
Driving Assistance Plus
29X 20" M Style 668M run flat Package
Dynamic Handling Package
Luxury Seating Package
Parking Assistance
Premium Package
Executive Package
Ceramic Controls
Individual Piano Finish Black Trim
Heated Front Seats

Looks nice, but on a $90K+ build, I would add the B&O stereo and also bag the RFT's for the non-RFT's 668M's.

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by Jeremycloud

I've asked my local dealer in Houston, TX to price a '19 M550i custom loaded ($93,325 MSRP) BMW. He gave me the usual line that all dealers get a very limited allocation of 1 - 2 a month and since most are customs, they command MSRP pricing. Because I've bought there before, he generously offered to cover the $995 destination charge.

Are these limited availability issues real? If so, do they really affect pricing or is this all BS? Is the deal I should be expecting still 6-10% below MSRP or $2,000 below invoice?

Thanks!

I got $8,400 off MSRP on Monday for my 2019 M550ix. I do know the sales manager since I am repeat customer though. They didn't hurt.

They do have allocation issues sometimes. Momentum BMW had to borrow an allocation from BMW of Austin for mine because they didn't have any left when i ordered my vehicle.

You'll love the color. That's what I got too.

[Jeremycloud]

Originally Posted by ksoze

Looks nice, but on a $90K+ build, I would add the B&O stereo and also bag the RFT's for the non-RFT's 668M's.

I've heard that a few times. The only reason I went with the rfts is that I get frequent flats due to all the construction and potholes where I live. Being able to drive it somewhere to get the tire changed is a lifesaver. From what I hear, the ride is much worse though.

[clee1982]

I don't have any comparison but the ride on my run flat feels pretty good, I remember reading somewhere they have decrease the range of run flat (to something still pretty significant, like 60 miles?), to make it softer

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by clee1982

I don't have any comparison but the ride on my run flat feels pretty good, I remember reading somewhere they have decrease the range of run flat (to something still pretty significant, like 60 miles?), to make it softer

As a club motorcycle racer, I can tell you that the softer the tire the better the grip. A lot less miles on them though. That's the trade-off with performance tires.

[saporitj]

Originally Posted by Jeremycloud

I've heard that a few times. The only reason I went with the rfts is that I get frequent flats due to all the construction and potholes where I live. Being able to drive it somewhere to get the tire changed is a lifesaver. From what I hear, the ride is much worse though.

First your going to LOVE the Tartufo Merino leather and leather dash. The dash has coordinated stitching to match seats. I have it and it's beautiful. I got the all-season rft square setup because we get snow but I also added the space saving spare option for $150. A bargain for BMW. Spare, jack, cargo cubbies and it's all removable. That way you can use rft or not afterwards. Maybe non rft snow tires.

[Bymep]

I really wanted to get the individual leather, but hated that this meant you also have to get heating/cooling seats that IMO ruined the leather by perforating it. I also dont have any need for heating/cooling seats (have on our other car and never use).

Anyway, I'm happy with my mocha nappa, which has no holes in it!

[gooselee]

Originally Posted by Bymep

I really wanted to get the individual leather, but hated that this meant you also have to get heating/cooling seats that IMO ruined the leather by perforating it. I also dont have any need for heating/cooling seats (have on our other car and never use).

Anyway, I'm happy with my mocha nappa, which has no holes in it!

I waffled on the luxury seating pkg (also nappa mocha) and am very glad I ended up getting it. The perforations aren't really noticeable IMO - I think they look worse in pictures, and also they are much less apparent on darker leather like the mocha.

I've been running the seat warmers like crazy with how cold it's been where I live. Have also already found a reason to run warmer and ventilation at the same time when I had to run through a cold rain from the store earlier this week.

Understand it's not for everyone, of course!

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by gooselee

I waffled on the luxury seating pkg (also nappa mocha) and am very glad I ended up getting it. The perforations aren't really noticeable IMO - I think they look worse in pictures, and also they are much less apparent on darker leather like the mocha.

I've been running the seat warmers like crazy with how cold it's been where I live. Have also already found a reason to run warmer and ventilation at the same time when I had to run through a cold rain from the store earlier this week.

Understand it's not for everyone, of course!

It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

[usmabmass]

Originally Posted by VirtualGuitars

It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

These are luxury automobiles, literally everything about them are wants and not needs