1M Production - Question: Will Military Sales offer it?

[fuzzy_dunlop]

Pentagon here says they won't know for some time if they can offer the car. They have heard no official word and still say it is dependent on production figures. So who knows. Still can't get my hopes up.

[Rikx1M]

I sent BMW an email via www.m-power.com about the chance to order a 1M with military sales....and they responded forwarding to BMW military sales who asked for my APO...which I gave. Then they responded and said Pentagon Car Sales would be in contact with me...That's a positive sign.

Read below....


-----Original Message-----
From: Team Military Sales
Sent: Dec 22, 2010 9:25 AM
To: rbumgardner@earthlink.net
Subject: AW: Customer service inquiry from www.bmw.com

Dear Mr. Bumgardner,

Thank you for your e-mail.

Please be so kind as to supply your APO number to enable us to forward your request to your local BMW Military Sales dealer.

Kind Regards,

BMW Military Sales

----------------------------------------------------------------

Von: BMW Customer Service [mailto:Customer.Service@bmw.com]
Gesendet: Dienstag, 21. Dezember 2010 11:31
An: TeamMilitarySales
Betreff: Fwd: Customer service inquiry from www.bmw.com (english)

From: "customer.service@bmw.com" <customer.service@bmw.com>
To: Customer.Service <Customer.Service@bmw.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:08:18 +0100
Subject: Customer service inquiry from www.bmw.com (english)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Questions or comments: I am a US citizen, living in Germany and authorized to use the BMW Military Car Salers program. I would like to order a 1M...can I do that using the BMW Miltiary Car sales program?

[fuzzy_dunlop]

Yeah, seems to be the generic message they send. I don't know if it goes anywhere.

I am loosing faith in e-mail as a communication tool. I send e-mails to all kinds of people all day at work and I am lucky if I get 1 out of 10 returned.

[sho-one]

I just put a deposit down for a 1m through military sales, they will refund my deposit if doesn't become available.

[Rikx1M]

This is an email I just got: But the tough decision...what do i do with my 2011 135?

per an email today....We have just been told we can start to take preorders on the upcoming 1M.

It will require $1,000 down and at the moment the price will be estimated at $10,000 over the 135i price. Another purchase will be done once the firm pricing is released from BMW Military Sales.

Would you like to join the queue?

[ND40oz]

Hmmm, hopefully they're erroring on the high side for pricing, wonder when they'll have actual pricing.

[sho-one]

Originally Posted by Rikx135

This is an email I just got: But the tough decision...what do i do with my 2011 135?

per an email today....We have just been told we can start to take preorders on the upcoming 1M.

It will require $1,000 down and at the moment the price will be estimated at $10,000 over the 135i price. Another purchase will be done once the firm pricing is released from BMW Military Sales.

Would you like to join the queue?

That's just the estimated price, im sure it will be lower. I've sent in all my paperwork and deposit back before Christmas and have in writting if it costs more than the est. 43k, I can get our money back. The service agent is very friendly and has been keeping me updated. It's the only thing keeping my mind occupied during this deployment.

[Dackelone]

UPDATE: just got word from my salesman at MCS. Not the news we are looking for though...

"I just received an e-mail from BMW Military Sales ca. one hour ago with news that our military program would not get any 1M coupe allocations before November despite a request for allocations in March. In the unlikely event that the situation changes, then we will be informed.

With production due to start in March and end in December, it looks like they are telling us that we would only get some allocations if there were still some left over near the end of production."

Dackel

[RPMjunkie]

Just got the same bummer e-mail

Dear ET1 Barkowski,

Pentagon Car Sales has just received the news that even though the Military Sales Program applied for March production slots for the all new 1 Series M Coupe, we will not receive any quotas before November of this year.



Should you still be interested in this specific model, I’d be happy to keep you updated on further developments. However, should you require information on our other BMW models please don’t hesitate contacting me and I will provide you with the requested material.



Kind regards,

Katharina.

[Drillslinger]

I think we need to email someone on this. It feels like a slap in the face. Kind of a... "Sorry you're stationed overseas but if there are any left overs, we'd be happy to let you have some." This is the kind of "2nd class customer" treatment that could drive me right back to Audi

[ND40oz]

Originally Posted by Drillslinger

I think we need to email someone on this. It feels like a slap in the face. Kind of a... "Sorry you're stationed overseas but if there are any left overs, we'd be happy to let you have some." This is the kind of "2nd class customer" treatment that could drive me right back to Audi

Try to buy an Audi through autoexchange and see what type of pricing they come back to you with...

[Drillslinger]

Yeah, but at least I know that if Audi sells it in North America, it'll be available. I don't care if Military Sales gets a discount on the 1M, but this "Will they or won't they offer it" BS is starting to frustrate me. I'm a customer ready to write a check... and BMW doesn't appear to care.

[fuzzy_dunlop]

Yeah, this is frustrating. I wonder how many people have put down deposits through military sales.

I figure it is a money issue. Otherwise, what is the difference of someone buying the car in the states vs through military sales. A car sold is a car sold.

I don't doubt they will fulfill all the orders for people who have put down deposits. Just sucks to wait that long to get it. I've been pretty obsessive about this car and its going to be rough thinking about it that much longer.

[muwarrior07]

Hmm this is what I got a couple days ago. I have had a 3k deposit down for some time now.


Good Morning XXX,


We have been notified that the first months production for the 1 Series M Coupe will be March 2011. It has not been confirmed however if when BMW MSP will have any production slots. With all new models the first production is for Demonstrator Vehicles for the markets that will get the production allocation, and this will be in order of production release. It looks like we are going to have production in the BMW MSP about April/May 2011. Let me know your thoughts.


Rgds
XXXX

[Drillslinger]

Well, I guess this helps reinforce comments made about the 1M not being Limited Production... they don't have to worry about having enough production slots of they're not going to offer the car to everyone

[ND40oz]

Originally Posted by Drillslinger

Yeah, but at least I know that if Audi sells it in North America, it'll be available. I don't care if Military Sales gets a discount on the 1M, but this "Will they or won't they offer it" BS is starting to frustrate me. I'm a customer ready to write a check... and BMW doesn't appear to care.

Put down a deposit with a dealer in the states and ship it back to yourself, you don't have to buy it through military sales if you're not worried about a discount.

[Drillslinger]

Sure thing, between taxes, shipping and customs duties it'll only cost me an extra 7-10k

[ND40oz]

Originally Posted by Drillslinger

Sure thing, between taxes, shipping and customs duties it'll only cost me an extra 7-10k

Shouldn't have to pay taxes, you're not tagging it in the state you're buying it in. Customs is next to nothing under SOFA. I've shipped vehicles on my own dime, just get the paperwork from base and pick it up at port. Shipping runs between $800-$1400 depending on the size of the vehicle and the ports, my MDX was $1200 Baltimore to Liverpool including all the U.S. paperwork.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Drillslinger

Sure thing, between taxes, shipping and customs duties it'll only cost me an extra 7-10k

You will only have to pay for local state taxes & registration fees.

No customs when shipping it over here to your APO. Any shipping company over here knows how to do this. The German customs/Zoll has nothing to do with the car. (as long as you register the car thru USAEUR). Cars get shipped to Bremerhafen - and you can either pick up the car there or have it shipped to a US Base within DE.

Paying state tax you will have to do sooner or later.

I wonder how ED works IF you never drop the car back to BMW after taking delivery? You might look into that.

Dackel

[Drillslinger]

Last time I checked (admittedly this was in 03-04) you couldn't ship a POV without it being registered and if it's registered at least temporarily, most states want you to pay sales tax on it. But it IS an idea that I'll make a few calls on this week (Then I just need to find a US dealer with production slots, lol)

[ND40oz]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I wonder how ED works IF you never drop the car back to BMW after taking delivery? You might look into that.

I asked about doing an ED and just keeping the car and was told it's not possible, has something to do with the registration I believe. Under the contract you have to register it in the U.S. first or something like that.

[ND40oz]

Originally Posted by Drillslinger

Last time I checked (admittedly this was in 03-04) you couldn't ship a POV without it being registered and if it's registered at least temporarily, most states want you to pay sales tax on it. But it IS an idea that I'll make a few calls on this week (Then I just need to find a US dealer with production slots, lol)

See if there are any dealers in Delaware with a production slot, no sales tax there, not sure about registering it first though. Then you can ship it out of NJ or Baltimore though.