low miles on trade-in?

[imported_werke]

Hi. I had a quick question. My current lease (2006 BMW 325i) has low miles since I live so close to work. I want to trade it in for a 1-series when the lease is up in about a year. Can I expect a much better trade-in value for my car because of this? Or do dealers pretty much ignore low miles? Thanks for any info.

[larryn]

You have to be under the lease milage. The amount doesn't matter, though the dealer will obviously make a few extra dollars selling your car if it's really low mileage.

Really the only thing you could do, if feasible, would be to exercise your option to purchase the car at lease end, then resell it yourself if you have that few miles.

[imported_werke]

I appreciate your response. My mileage limit is 10,000 per year and I am putting on only about 7,000. I didn't think the dealer would cut me much of a break on a trade-in, so I may look into the purchase option. Thanks again.

[Fast Kiwi]

+1.. we cant make any consession on miles when it comes to a lease return, there is a catch when you purchase more then 15,000 miles per year (addictional to your contract) then BMW will cut you a check for the diff. I agree with above.. the only thing to do is to look into buying the car at lease end. good luck.

[imported_werke]

Thanks for the chiming in, Kiwi. I guess I was hoping for some slack on my trade-in. But it's one of the things you tend to lose when you lease a car.

[Fast Kiwi]

I always tell me customers to go one step lower when looking at miles (as you buy them at only a penny more per mile anyways) but in your case it wouldnt help as 10,000 miles is the min you can do. buying it out is a good option but remember that BMW's lease so well beacuse of there high residual so it may or may not make sense depending on what your buy out is. Plus there are really good "owner loyalty" options now depending on the car you get into next. (in the form of money factor reductions etc..) if you want to know what cars apply or the rate reductions just ask. happy to help.

[imported_werke]

Cool, you are spoiling me. :biggrin:

I have leased/loaned my past three cars through BMW of Dallas, so I am hoping for some customer loyalty advantage. I wanted to get either an alpine white 128i or 135i.

EDIT: I remember reading about a BMW club on Bimmerfest. You get a magazine subscription and I think a discount on future cars. I'm not sure the discount would apply in my case, but I will look into it.

[Fast Kiwi]

your talking bout the "rebate" from BMW for joinning the BMW club. the money back comes from BMW from $500-$1000+ (you have to be a member for 1 year first) but the discount im talking about is the new owner loyalty program for currnet bmw owners. how ever on both counts im unsure what they will do if anything for the 1er. Im heard there would be no "rebate" at all from BMW and right now the incentive is on X3's 5's 6's and 7's oh and 3 wagons. so not even on the 3 sedan/coupe.. gotta think then i may not apply to the 1er but who knows what BMW is cooking up?

[larryn]

Originally Posted by werke

EDIT: I remember reading about a BMW club on Bimmerfest. You get a magazine subscription and I think a discount on future cars. I'm not sure the discount would apply in my case, but I will look into it.

It's called the BMW CCA. If you're not a member, you should join. there's all kinds of cool things you can do with your local chapter, both driving events and social events, plus you get access to Roundel, which is a top-notch publication.

Just take a peek at the National BMW CCA Website. You'll be able to find your local chapter (there are a few in TX). Plus you get to see all the benefits. Too bad you did not know about this sooner, or you could have saved thousands by now (being a repeat BMW customer). they have a membership rewards program that you cna find out more about here, where they pay you for your loyalty. What the reward will be for the 1er is still undecided, but I think it will be the $500, since the pricing is similar to the 3 series.

If you join, can you use my member number as a referral (#281334). I'm an active volunteer with my local Boston Chapter, and chair the autox events. Believe me, you'll have a blast at the events and meet lots of cool people with similar interests.

[larryn]

Originally Posted by Fast kiwi

your talking bout the "rebate" from BMW for joinning the BMW club. the money back comes from BMW from $500-$1000+ (you have to be a member for 1 year first) but the discount im talking about is the new owner loyalty program for currnet bmw owners. how ever on both counts im unsure what they will do if anything for the 1er. Im heard there would be no "rebate" at all from BMW and right now the incentive is on X3's 5's 6's and 7's oh and 3 wagons. so not even on the 3 sedan/coupe.. gotta think then i may not apply to the 1er but who knows what BMW is cooking up?

Kiwi, just so you know, I checked with a friend who works for the National Chapter BMW CCA. He's the liason between BMW USA and the CCA. He told me that they commonly do not decide what the reward will be for new model, until just before they come out. He checked with BMW USA and was told that he should check back in Jan-Feb, because nothing will be decided until then. Same thing happened with the X3 and X5 models when they were coming out...

[Fast Kiwi]

Thanks Larryn.. that was helpful.. +1 you deff need to join.. the beni's are fantastic and you can even meet alot of like minded people, from track time to just doing the meets and meeting a bunch of cool Bimmer fans.. plus the magazine is super infromative.
I hope they do put the money on the 1er, i imagine if they do $500 is right.

Thanks again.

[bimmernet]

Originally Posted by larryn

Kiwi, just so you know, I checked with a friend who works for the National Chapter BMW CCA. He's the liason between BMW USA and the CCA. He told me that they commonly do not decide what the reward will be for new model, until just before they come out. He checked with BMW USA and was told that he should check back in Jan-Feb, because nothing will be decided until then. Same thing happened with the X3 and X5 models when they were coming out...

On those BMW CCA Club Member Rebates; keep in mind the check doesn't come automatically because you take delivery and you are a member in good standing for at least a year. You need to complete a request form (available online) that your selling dealer validates to get your rebate check and they allow you 90 days from the date of the new car delivery or you are SOL. I was so busy selling cars that I missed getting (remembering) my form submission by 2 days and it cost me $1000 on my '05 M3. And they do not cut you any slack for tardiness! I had been a member for 18 years and it was still "sorry mate, but"...hate when that happens.

Bimmernet

[imported_werke]

Thanks to everybody who contributed to this thread. And thanks to larryn for giving me his referral number.

[MikeT]

I can't imagine that you'll come out ahead by buying out the 325i if your intention is to turn around and sell it (or trade it in). Run the numbers carefully before taking that option. The buy-out price may be more than you can realistically sell it for at this point.