[WWONG]

Okay so today, I spent 2 hours at BMW of Houston North in Spring, TX trying to make a deal. I was intent on special ordering a 2011 BMW 328i Coupe with Space Gray/ZVP/ZSP with Paddles/HmKd/Nav/Anti-Theft. The dealer threw in floor mats + tint free and gave a 1.3k discount.

His offer with TT&L included was $45,168. I was approved for financing and everything was set. I then told him I would agree to purchase the car if he threw in a 1/18 and 1/43 Space Gray Diecast model from their gift shop for free (if you went in to my room, I have over 20 1/18 Kyosho BMW diecasts-- I'm a collector). He said no so I shook his hand, thanked him, then walked out. This was a 75-minute drive round-trip in pouring rain wasted.

Do you think I got a good deal or was the dealer being greedy?


UPDATE: I got a new 2010 335i Coupe at Advantage BMW Midtown here in Houston on Monday 5/17.... so stop calling me cheap/childish lol. And no, I didn't ask for a diecast car that time!

[FLA 335]

why do you think it was him being cheap? maybe that is something he couldnt thrown in... you bother asking??

im surprised you would go THAT far drive+process to be shy'd away... maybe you were looking for a reason not to get it ??

45k OTD is kinda high for a 328 though no? how about getting a CPO or a lease so you arent tied to the HUGE number ?!!?

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by FLA 335

why do you think it was him being cheap? maybe that is something he couldnt thrown in... you bother asking??

I think he was being cheap because the *retail* price of those model cars is less than $100 combined. That's about 0.22% (<a quarter of 1%) of the car's price. His reason was that he already threw in floor mats and free tinting.

im surprised you would go THAT far drive+process to be shy'd away... maybe you were looking for a reason not to get it ??

45k OTD is kinda high for a 328 though no? how about getting a CPO or a lease so you arent tied to the HUGE number ?!!?

I did want to get it. I had my checkbook and everything. I took the extra far drive to Spring, TX (which is almost the middle of nowhere) to get the 6.25% tax rate as opposed to Houston's 8.25% tax rate. I don't want a CPO because I'm very picky about the features I need and I just don't feel right in a used car. Also, as I said in my previous post, I don't believe in leases. Paying a boat load of money and not having anything to show for it after the lease is up is a big scam in my mind.

[BMW Fanatic]

[WWONG]

[dunit]

Originally Posted by WWONG

I think he was being cheap because the *retail* price of those model cars is less than $100 combined. That's about 0.22% (<a quarter of 1%) of the car's price. His reason was that he already threw in floor mats and free tinting.



I did want to get it. I had my checkbook and everything. I took the extra far drive to Spring, TX (which is almost the middle of nowhere) to get the 6.25% tax rate as opposed to Houston's 8.25% tax rate. I don't want a CPO because I'm very picky about the features I need and I just don't feel right in a used car. Also, as I said in my previous post, I don't believe in leases. Paying a boat load of money and not having anything to show for it after the lease is up is a big scam in my mind.

I've had some experience with the three Houston dealers.
The tax rate is the same in Houston. They don't charge the extra city tax on cars. Almost three years ago I walked out of that dealership. They didn't seem real interested in selling me a car. I ordered a car from Advantage in Clear Lake,but never took delivery. The trim was scratched and there was a knick on the door. I finally bought from Momentum on 59 South . No problems.

[CollinsE90]

let me get this correct, you drove 75 minutes round trip and didnt buy the car because of $100 model cars...wow

............................................______ __
....................................,.-‘”...................``~.,
.............................,.-”...................................“-.,
.........................,/...............................................”:,
.....................,?........................... ...........................\,
.................../.................................................. .........,}
................./.................................................. ....,:`^`..}
.............../.................................................. .,:”........./
..............?.....__............................ .............:`.........../
............./__.(.....“~-,_..............................,:`........../
.........../(_....”~,_........“~,_....................,:`..... ..._/
..........{.._$;_......”=,_.......“-,_.......,.-~-,},.~”;/....}
...........((.....*~_.......”=-._......“;,,./`..../”............../
...,,,___.\`~,......“~.,....................`..... }............../
............(....`=-,,.......`........................(......;_,,-”
............/.`~,......`-...............................\....../\
.............\`~.*-,.....................................|,./.....\,__
,,_..........}.>-._\...................................|........... ...`=~-,
.....`=~-,_\_......`\,.................................\
...................`=~-,,.\,...............................\
................................`:,,.............. .............`\..............__
.....................................`=-,...................,%`>--==``
........................................_\........ ..._,-%.......`\
...................................,<`.._|_,-&``................`\

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by dunit

I've had some experience with the three Houston dealers.
The tax rate is the same in Houston. They don't charge the extra city tax on cars. Almost three years ago I walked out of that dealership. They didn't seem real interested in selling me a car. I ordered a car from Advantage in Clear Lake,but never took delivery. The trim was scratched and there was a knick on the door. I finally bought from Momentum on 59 South . No problems.

Yeah, I've been to Advantage Midtown, Momentum SW, and Momentum West on Katy and they were all nice and approached me to ask if I needed help. I've been to BMW of Houston North 3 times and no one seems to care. They literally only had 2 coupes in stock. The SA didn't even care when I was ready to put down my money. Strangely though, next door at Mercedes of Houston North-- they offered good deals and were very kind but the cars were too rich for my blood

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

let me get this correct, you drove 75 minutes round trip and didnt buy the car because of $100 model cars...wow

This is correct. Also, I went there yesterday too so it's 2x 75-minute drives... on the tollway which has 3 tolls per direction. Thanks for that image. Gonna go watch Star Trek: The Next Generation on DVD now.

[BigDog]

Originally Posted by WWONG

This is correct. Also, I went there yesterday too so it's 2x 75-minute drives... on the tollway which has 3 tolls per direction. Thanks for that image. Gonna go watch Star Trek: The Next Generation on DVD now.

nerd

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by BigDog

nerd

Did I also mention I have Star Trek figures? Oh, and Picard gives his regards.

[tldoxmf87]

If you liked the diecast so much why didn't you just pay $100 extra to get it?????? Logically it doesn't make any sense..

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by tldoxmf87

If you liked the diecast so much why didn't you just pay $100 extra to get it?????? Logically it doesn't make any sense..

It's more of principle for me than anything. If he had agreed and said he would pay out-of-pocket, I would've just bought the car and let him keep the potential diecast money. It's the fact that they can't give me something so cheap to get me to buy something so expensive that put me off. There's always tomorrow with a different dealer, though.

[Jlomb436]

Originally Posted by WWONG

Okay so today, I spent 2 hours at BMW of Houston North in Spring, TX trying to make a deal. I was intent on special ordering a 2011 BMW 328i Coupe with Space Gray/ZVP/ZSP with Paddles/HmKd/Nav/Anti-Theft. The dealer threw in floor mats + tint free and gave a 1.3k discount.

His offer with TT&L included was $45,168. I was approved for financing and everything was set. I then told him I would agree to purchase the car if he threw in a 1/18 and 1/43 Space Gray Diecast model from their gift shop for free (if you went in to my room, I have over 20 1/18 Kyosho BMW diecasts-- I'm a collector). He said no so I shook his hand, thanked him, then walked out. This was a 75-minute drive round-trip in pouring rain wasted.

Do you think I got a good deal or was the dealer being greedy?

Seeing how I paid less then that for my new loaded 335i (new 09'), I couldn't justify it. But by you asking us I'm assuming you didn't think the deal was so hot? I literally HUNT for the deals.

But to be honest, I understand you somewhat on the cars. Your in control, you wanted what you wanted, and you we're ready to walk away. Least you didn't let them sucker you in, I've seen a lot pf people overpay before.

Worst case, call him up in the next few days if they don't, and restate your offer and see if they give. Sometimes, you just have to be prepared to walk away or be a prick when buying a car.

[tldoxmf87]

Originally Posted by WWONG

It's more of principle for me than anything. If he had agreed and said he would pay out-of-pocket, I would've just bought the car and let him keep the potential diecast money. It's the fact that they can't give me something so cheap to get me to buy something so expensive that put me off. There's always tomorrow with a different dealer, though.

I can see where your coming from..
oh well, it's your time and money..

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by Jlomb436

Seeing how I paid less then that for my new loaded 335i (new 09'), I couldn't justify it. But by you asking us I'm assuming you didn't think the deal was so hot? I literally HUNT for the deals.

But to be honest, I understand you somewhat on the cars. Your in control, you wanted what you wanted, and you we're ready to walk away. Least you didn't let them sucker you in, I've seen a lot pf people overpay before.

Worst case, call him up in the next few days if they don't, and restate your offer and see if they give. Sometimes, you just have to be prepared to walk away or be a prick when buying a car.

How'd you such a good deal on a new 335i? Was it not as optioned-out as the one I wanted?

[TurboSpecC]

With the gas/toll money you wasted driving you coulda just bought those diecast models...

It's good to stick to your principals, but you go to a BMW dealership to buy a BMW, not little models. They had nothing to do with the car so I'm gonna include a :facepalm:

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by TurboSpecC

With the gas/toll money you wasted driving you coulda just bought those diecast models...

It's good to stick to your principals, but you go to a BMW dealership to buy a BMW, not little models. They had nothing to do with the car so I'm gonna include a :facepalm:

Yes, with the toll and gas, I'm looking at like $50 just to check out the cars but I'm in no hurry to deliver a company $45k. Since it's a custom build, it's not like it's one-of-a-kind nor is it going to be more expensive in the near future.

[VTECaddict]

I suspect they would have given you the models if you were buying off the lot though. But since you're ordering, they probably just don't want to lose that much on a 2011 yet when they still have 2010s burning holes in their lot.

Or maybe it has to do with how you blind sided them at the very end? You "agreed" to the negotiated price, but you didn't really since you had it set in your mind to get those models thrown in. Maybe they were thinking if he's pulling something like this now, what's to say he won't pull something else at delivery and back out of the purchase, leaving the dealer with a custom ordered car they have to sell?

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by sf_loft

Hmm... not sure if this is true everywhere, but they will charge you sales tax based on your city/county/state of residence and not where you buy the car. So you may have driven 75 miles out for nothing.

I think that might vary by state or something. When I was there, he showed me on paper that the tax rate was 6.25% for me and was like $2700. I pulled out my phone and used the calculator... 8.25 would've been around 3.5k

[phistyle]

Originally Posted by sf_loft

Hmm... not sure if this is true everywhere, but they will charge you sales tax based on your city/county/state of residence and not where you buy the car. So you may have driven 75 miles out for nothing.

that's what I thought too...when I bought my car they charged my residence's tax rate... and seriously...they threw in some floor mats and free tint and you're calling them cheap? the long drive and all that time you wasted, did you think it was worth those small toys?

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

I suspect they would have given you the models if you were buying off the lot though. But since you're ordering, they probably just don't want to lose that much on a 2011 yet when they still have 2010s burning holes in their lot.

Or maybe it has to do with how you blind sided them at the very end? You "agreed" to the negotiated price, but you didn't really since you had it set in your mind to get those models thrown in. Maybe they were thinking if he's pulling something like this now, what's to say he won't pull something else at delivery and back out of the purchase, leaving the dealer with a custom ordered car they have to sell?

They only had one 2010 coupe on the lot and a lot of convertibles. And even if I did pull that stunt on them (which I wouldn't have), I would've been out of the $1000 deposit to get the custom model...