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Originally Posted by m5huang
1- Does it matter which dealership I purchase the m5 for ED?
2- Assuming I'm OK with traveling to that dealership to pickup the car after ED in Germany, what benefits does a local dealership have over let's say I bu y one from NJ? Does it change the service warranty or....? I realize that I'll need to ship the car back over, but if I can save thousands in the car price, it may be worth it.
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For the most part, no it does not matter. The only difference is what you noted in question #2. Once the car arrives in the US, it has to be delivered to either the selling dealership or the Performance Center in SC. So if you want to have the car in CA you will need to pay the extra cost to have it shipped. The warranty and maitenance plan are with BMW, so it is unaffected by the choice of dealer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by m5huang
3- I read in the forums that some dealerships are willing to make deals at a little above ED invoice. Is that still the case?
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Yes, all ED M5 orders currently come out of the dealer's allocation. While I have no facts regarding this change, it is my guess that the pool of cars allocated to the ED pool out of the first production batch have all been sold. Therefore the only production slots available in the first production batch are those allocated to specific dealers. I would expect (although I have no facts on which to base this assumption) that when the second production batch is allocated, the ED pool will again receive a certain allocation of cars.
I have no idea when BMW will plan/allocate the next production batch. However, my dealership only received 2 US allocations out of the first batch, both of which have been sold. So my CA has said to me that he tells his other customers waiting for an M5 allocation to expect delivery no earlier than late Ocotber or November. I do not think he has any hard facts on future timing of M5 production, but is making an educated guess after having sold BMWs for the past 20 years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by m5huang
4- Any other tips or experience in the buying process would be much appreciated!!
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Based on comments I've seen on this board and other M5 dedicated websites I can share a few general observations on selling prices/negotiating with dealers. First, it seems CA dealers are much more aggressive in charging full MSRP and in some cases a premium over MSRP. Second, members generally seem to get good deals from smaller dealerships or dealerships in smaller markets due to the lower demand for M5s from those markets. Third, you seem to be following the best strategy for negotiating:
1. Determine the exact build you want, and price it out on bmwconfig.com or edmunds.com.
2. Contact the dealer and show them the car you want. Offer a fair price over their cost that you are willing to pay.
3. If they decline, thank the salesman for his time and provide your contact information. Tell him you have a few other dealers you plan to talk to, and he should call if they change their mind about your offer.
4. Move on to the next dealer and repeat. If you call multiple dealers and get no positive responses, you either have to increase your price or wait out the intial "new model" demand until the market gets into a more normal supply/demand balance.
I hope this information is helpful. Good luck with your search!