[cristo]

Was going to pay cash last December
on an F23 M240i, but the cash price
was several thousand more than if
financed, so put half down and chose
a 4-year loan term (no penalty for early
payoff, either). Still worked out cheaper
even if we take the full 4-years to pay
it off.

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by Wyldstyle

Rusnak is actually the CA dealership I mentioned in one of these threads as saying they'd have to hire a titling company because I am out of state & financing; here is the quote from their email: "Most of our out of state deals are cash deals. With financing we have to hire a titling company to handle the regisration which can take around 6 to 8 weeks."

I actually inquired after this one. The discount these guys offered was borderline insulting. I thought they must not have included the rebates in their price yet, but they had. Felt like a waste of time to press...

This is the MW/CR car that prompted this thread & poll! This car is awesome but a loaner. I have pretty much decided against a loaner, maybe unless it is some amazing deal - which this one most definitely is not. I tried to get the guy to throw in certification as that would make me more comfortable, but he wanted to charge me for it.

Do you know that SQ5 I mentioned a few pages back? I bought that from Rusnak Pasadena, got shipped to MN, financed (leased) by Audi. I don't know who is telling you that "out of state deals are cash deals"; they have no trouble financing or working with you if you are out so state. I nearly bought an M240i from them as well. Yes we were mid neg. and their managers had no issue explaining to me how they ship stuff out of state. I just found the color combo somewhere else.

Dealerships angle these things because they are not desperate to sell the meager M240i inventory left at the price you want; they say bullshit like this to run you down.

OP, if I were you, I would wait. You are looking for a performance car at the worst possible time. You have been profiled.

P.s. also there is no grand magic to talking to the Sales Manager. This isn't the 1950s. They all run a concerted strategy. (Realized posted in the wrong thread; point remains).

[4Hockey4]

You are wasting your time if you are calling dealerships out of state, getting next "up" on the phone. Manager knows and makes final numbers.

If you find one in Richmond you want, let me know on PM.

Not gonna "haggle" on nuances for this young lady, I spent too many years selling and wholesaling.

Cheers and good luck

[Wyldstyle]

Originally Posted by BimBimM2

Do you know that SQ5 I mentioned a few pages back? I bought that from Rusnak Pasadena, got shipped to MN, financed (leased) by Audi. I don't know who is telling you that "out of state deals are cash deals"; they have no trouble financing or working with you if you are out so state. I nearly bought an M240i from them as well. Yes we were mid neg. and their managers had no issue explaining to me how they ship stuff out of state. I just found the color combo somewhere else.

Dealerships angle these things because they are not desperate to sell the meager M240i inventory left at the price you want; they say bullshit like this to run you down.

OP, if I were you, I would wait. You are looking for a performance car at the worst possible time. You have been profiled.

P.s. also there is no grand magic to talking to the Sales Manager. This isn't the 1950s. They all run a concerted strategy. (Realized posted in the wrong thread; point remains).

That was actually from the salesperson's initial email to me after I submitted a quote request via their website. I hadn't haggled yet at all. He had my zip code from the form.

I do all of this via email & sometimes text, BTW. Some dealers are less helpful than others through this medium, but there are plenty of fish in the sea & it's the way I need to work. I don't have the time to do it on the phone, as I am in web/phone conferences most of the day.

Anyhow, at this point I will likely end up waiting... Hopefully the incentives stick around. I can wait indefinitely, if I can be patient. I am most likely working from home until there is a Covid vaccine... so even once my lease is up, I will not need a new car any time soon. I'd sure like one of these sooner rather than later, though!

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by Wyldstyle

That was actually from the salesperson's initial email to me after I submitted a quote request via their website. I hadn't haggled yet at all. He had my zip code from the form.

I do all of this via email & sometimes text, BTW. Some dealers are less helpful than others through this medium, but there are plenty of fish in the sea & it's the way I need to work. I don't have the time to do it on the phone, as I am in web/phone conferences most of the day.

Anyhow, at this point I will likely end up waiting... Hopefully the incentives stick around. I can wait indefinitely, if I can be patient. I am most likely working from home until there is a Covid vaccine... so even once my lease is up, I will not need a new car any time soon. I'd sure like one of these sooner rather than later, though!

Waiting is the best approach Wyldstyle! Everything is NOT awesome right now. [yes, we adore LEGO and the Lego Movie as well here in this household!]

Fortune favors the patient. I swear I wish you had joined the party when I bought mine. I can't stop bragging about the deal haha

[Wyldstyle]

Originally Posted by BimBimM2

Waiting is the best approach Wyldstyle! Everything is NOT awesome right now. [yes, we adore LEGO and the Lego Movie as well here in this household!]

Fortune favors the patient. I swear I wish you had joined the party when I bought mine. I can't stop bragging about the deal haha

Yes that deal sounds amazing. Brag away.

Best deal I have gotten was on my very first BMW lease when I barely knew what I was doing, but I happened to walk in at the end of January looking to trade in my V6+5spd Mazda6s for a 328 because Car & Driver told me something like it was "the best driver's car" (sedan)... Instead, I ended up with a nearly fully loaded 335xi (none of their 328s had some option or other that I required) for the same monthly payment I had set as my upper limit for a 328.

It was a 2014, and this went down in the last few days of January 2015. I never bothered to validate, but I heard at some point that BMWFS lease support ends for the prior MY at end-Jan, which would explain their motivation.

Better to be lucky than good...!

[Wyldstyle]

On the matter of tires....... based on my googling, I am starting to doubt that there are any tire places in the StL area that offer off-season tire storage. Surely there are (???), but we do not appear to have Discount Tire here.

Today I intend to find a time to call my local BMW service center to ask whether they offer that service, although I know it would cost more. I'll also call around to a couple tire places that don't mention such a service on their website, to double check.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Wyldstyle

On the matter of tires....... based on my googling, I am starting to doubt that there are any tire places in the StL area that offer off-season tire storage. Surely there are (???), but we do not appear to have Discount Tire here.

Today I intend to find a time to call my local BMW service center to ask whether they offer that service, although I know it would cost more. I'll also call around to a couple tire places that don't mention such a service on their website, to double check.

I entered a random St. Louis zip code on the tirerack.com site and found the general list to ask. This becomes very easy, as the tires are shipped to the one you pick waiting for you when you arrive.

https://www.tirerack.com/installer/I...?zipCode=63130

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by Wyldstyle

Yes that deal sounds amazing. Brag away.

Best deal I have gotten was on my very first BMW lease when I barely knew what I was doing, but I happened to walk in at the end of January looking to trade in my V6+5spd Mazda6s for a 328 because Car & Driver told me something like it was "the best driver's car" (sedan)... Instead, I ended up with a nearly fully loaded 335xi (none of their 328s had some option or other that I required) for the same monthly payment I had set as my upper limit for a 328.

It was a 2014, and this went down in the last few days of January 2015. I never bothered to validate, but I heard at some point that BMWFS lease support ends for the prior MY at end-Jan, which would explain their motivation.

Better to be lucky than good...!

Wyldstyle it is just the absolute bad timing. For instance the Z4 M40i were not selling and they were aggressively being pushed out of the dealerships. However ever since the start of corona days, unsurprisingly, dealerships have become adamant about their price strategy on Z4. They know anyone who is looking for Z4 in a world of near-recession has more money than patience haha

[Wyldstyle]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

I entered a random St. Louis zip code on the tirerack.com site and found the general list to ask. This becomes very easy, as the tires are shipped to the one you pick waiting for you when you arrive.

https://www.tirerack.com/installer/I...?zipCode=63130

I'm confused. That's only for buying new tires, right?

Or are you saying the installer I choose would ship my tire sets back & forth twice a year for storage at a Tire Rack location??

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by Wyldstyle

I'm confused. That's only for buying new tires, right?

Or are you saying the installer I choose would ship my tire sets back & forth twice a year for storage at a Tire Rack location??

He is saying that it is likely that any of those installers may be able to store for you. Using tire rack is a good way to reach out to potential tire installers offering storage service

Edit: actually that's how I found mine when we moved to Minneapolis.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by BimBimM2

He is saying that it is likely that any of those installers may be able to store for you. Using tire rack is a good way to reach out to potential tire installers offering storage service

Yes, that is correct. Sorry I was not more clear. You buy the tires and wheels on the tirerack.com website. They ship to the local installer, already mounted and balanced on wheels with TPMS (tire pressure sensors) already inside. By calling these shops, you may find where storage services are offered. This is about the easiest and highest quality process I have found for new tires.

[Yak]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

I switched to summer tires when I moved to the southwest. In New Hampshire, how do you deal with the "shoulder" seasons....no snow on the ground in late Fall and early Spring, but too cold (below 45F) for summer tires? In Michigan, where I moved from, ultra-high performance all seasons such as Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ were a common 3-season solution instead of summers and before putting on the Blizzak WS tires.

Apologies for the delayed response. I need to get a set of wheels with AS3+. I have an x3(manual, sports package & upgraded lower control arms) with AS3+ tires for winter driving. If I didn’t have the x3 I would run dedicated summers and Alpin PA4s which was my set up when I had one car.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

I entered a random St. Louis zip code on the tirerack.com site and found the general list to ask. This becomes very easy, as the tires are shipped to the one you pick waiting for you when you arrive.

https://www.tirerack.com/installer/I...?zipCode=63130

I wouldn't rely on that list when it comes to finding shops that you'd actually end up liking to do business with. The shop recommended on the list that was closest to me when I lived in New Hampshire is one I wouldn't let touch any motor vehicle I've owned, much less a modern BMW.

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by dradernh

I wouldn't rely on that list when it comes to finding shops that you'd actually end up liking to do business with. The shop recommended on the list that was closest to me when I lived in New Hampshire is one I wouldn't let touch any motor vehicle I've owned, much less a modern BMW.

It is just a list of tire places; some good, most bad. The trick is to call, read reviews, get options from other drivers etc. otherwise you are left Googling "tire storage places near me"

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by BimBimM2

It is just a list of tire places; some good, most bad. The trick is to call, read reviews, get options from other drivers etc. otherwise you are left Googling "tire storage places near me"

I've assumed Tire Rack's list is comprised of outfits that have paid the Rack to be placed on the list. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but if true it's antithetical to what the Rack has always stood for: service and quality.

[morphomeman]

drahernh: do you have any evidence for your assumption about TR being paid to list installers? And even if they did, why should that be antithetical to their principles? What if they accept payment from installers that meet their independently established criteria? That is how most franchises work: you pay the franchiser but must meet certain standards, which are monitored. The cost of the monitoring is built into the franchise payments.
I am not saying that these installers are TR franchisees, only that, if they do pay, there may be nothing wrong with it ethically, morally, or whatever. We do still live in a capitalist society.

[Sportstick]

I am surprised that anyone else is surprised to find variation in quality of service among widely dispersed and independent shops that work with Tire Rack as installers. Is this not our experience across multiple segments of businesses we encounter, including BMW dealers, chain restaurants, etc.? It doesn't undermine the essential purpose of the list in this case...those who directly receive and install orders from tirerack.com, and may also offer storage. One just has to do a bit of homework to find the best suited store for their needs. The list just helps narrow down the population a bit and provides a more organized starting place. There may be some of lesser quality. But, as the great, departed philosopher, Michael Jackson, once sang..."One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch, girl".

[Wyldstyle]

At this point I am becoming increasingly convinced that no one offers off-season tire storage in the STL area. Was at my local BMW service center today and they do not offer it any more. I asked my service advisor whether he knows if anyone in the area does, and he said no. Neither of the two larger tire/auto places I have contacted offer it either.

I have a call into another BMW center & I plan to inquire at a few more tire places, but I'm not holding my breath. The lack of this service offering speaks to a lack of demand, and this aligns with the predominance of xDrive vehicles at local dealers here. Out of curiosity, I just did a search on Autotrader for new 3 series within 50 miles. There are 43 of them (330 + M340), and all 43 are xDrive, including all of the M340s.

There has been talk of "shoulder seasons" in this thread; St. Louis is something of a shoulder climate. We get just enough snow & ice to cause death and destruction on the roads a few times each winter, and not enough for most people to bother with the hassle & expense of maintaining a separate set of winter tires. Seems most people find it much more practical to get the AWD + all-season tires; they are not ideal on those days it snows, but they're sufficient.

So I will probably stick with an xi. I am fortunate in that I have flexibility to work from home whenever needed, and AWD + AS tires would give me better peace of mind in case I do get caught out in something that wasn't forecast, as has happened before. (Also, I have learned in this thread that running summer tires all year is a bad idea due to temp constraints - that was news to me.) If I lived somewhere that the use of winter tires were a given, and there were therefore better support for it, it would make more sense to maximize each season with dedicated sets.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Wyldstyle

Seems most people find it much more practical to get the AWD + all-season tires; they are not ideal on those days it snows, but they're sufficient.

I understand your predicament...unfortunate lack of service in your area. However, keep in mind that what most people do is based on not understanding AWD and imbuing it with more capability that it actually has. It may be sufficient to help them get moving but will be equally insufficient as RWD/all season with no additional benefit for stopping/turning on snow/ice...the attributes that matter most. You are fortunate to be able to work from home on days with snow/ice on the road. With all-season tires, that is the prudent move.

[Wyldstyle]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

I understand your predicament...unfortunate lack of service in your area. However, keep in mind that what most people do is based on not understanding AWD and imbuing it with more capability that it actually has. It may be sufficient to help them get moving but will be equally insufficient as RWD/all season with no additional benefit for stopping/turning on snow/ice...the attributes that matter most. You are fortunate to be able to work from home on days with snow/ice on the road. With all-season tires, that is the prudent move.

Thanks, Sportstick. You have taught me a lot in this thread! While I totally agree that stopping/maneuvering is most important, getting started does become significant in rush hour / congested situations; I shudder to imagine getting stuck and blocking a lane on the interstate, or even an intersection due to a red light, during a storm.

One other consideration with regard to starting power is that my driveway has a fairly steep incline where one enters it from the road, and it is narrow with retaining walls, so the AWD may be more capable of driving up it at a very low speed; there is no opportunity to build momentum ahead of entering the driveway, particularly during slick conditions. Not helping matters is that I have a neighbor who always parks on the opposite side of the street directly at the bottom of my driveway...

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by Wyldstyle

At this point I am becoming increasingly convinced that no one offers off-season tire storage in the STL area. Was at my local BMW service center today and they do not offer it any more. I asked my service advisor whether he knows if anyone in the area does, and he said no. Neither of the two larger tire/auto places I have contacted offer it either.

I have a call into another BMW center & I plan to inquire at a few more tire places, but I'm not holding my breath. The lack of this service offering speaks to a lack of demand, and this aligns with the predominance of xDrive vehicles at local dealers here. Out of curiosity, I just did a search on Autotrader for new 3 series within 50 miles. There are 43 of them (330 + M340), and all 43 are xDrive, including all of the M340s.

There has been talk of "shoulder seasons" in this thread; St. Louis is something of a shoulder climate. We get just enough snow & ice to cause death and destruction on the roads a few times each winter, and not enough for most people to bother with the hassle & expense of maintaining a separate set of winter tires. Seems most people find it much more practical to get the AWD + all-season tires; they are not ideal on those days it snows, but they're sufficient.

So I will probably stick with an xi. I am fortunate in that I have flexibility to work from home whenever needed, and AWD + AS tires would give me better peace of mind in case I do get caught out in something that wasn't forecast, as has happened before. (Also, I have learned in this thread that running summer tires all year is a bad idea due to temp constraints - that was news to me.) If I lived somewhere that the use of winter tires were a given, and there were therefore better support for it, it would make more sense to maximize each season with dedicated sets.

I am not surprised. I don't really have a high opinion of STL haha. Perhaps it is my ignorance

I visited STL once for a client. They had me staying in a hotel room downtown (I think?). I hated the downtown so much that I didn't even stay the night; booked a flight back to Boston right after meetings ended.

Anyway, good call. A/S tires with an XDrive are the way to go. And, besides, if you wanted RWD then you must get the M2C! Getting a RWD M240i (or worse yet a 230i) at that point is like an exercise in pointlessness haha