# Good deal on a 325i or scam?



## CRIMSON STORM (Jul 5, 2004)

I live in Texas and there is a BMW dealer in Fort Worth offering 5500 off all 2004 325i's in stock and 2.9APR for 60 months. I dont live in Fort Worth so I emailed and confirmed that it was not just certain styles but all styles. I cant afford a top of the line 325 so I am looking at two lower end ones. I am new to BMW and need some help. One stickers at 28795 minus 5500 for a sale price of 23295. It is a manual with 16" wheels, no power seats or mirrors, no sunroof and I noticed the invoice says the seats are vinyl. Is this something worth buying? The other 325i is priced at 34670 minus 5500 for a sale price of 29170. It is a semi automatic, with leather seats, no power seats and no moonroof. Is this a good deal? Two questions abouth these cars. Are the vinyl seats in a BMW very good and do they look like leather? Also what is the difference between semi-automatic and a regular automatic? Thanks so muchh for any help.


----------



## joeydosh (Jul 19, 2004)

CRIMSON STORM said:


> I live in Texas and there is a BMW dealer in Fort Worth offering 5500 off all 2004 325i's in stock and 2.9APR for 60 months. I dont live in Fort Worth so I emailed and confirmed that it was not just certain styles but all styles. I cant afford a top of the line 325 so I am looking at two lower end ones. I am new to BMW and need some help. One stickers at 28795 minus 5500 for a sale price of 23295. It is a manual with 16" wheels, no power seats or mirrors, no sunroof and I noticed the invoice says the seats are vinyl. Is this something worth buying? The other 325i is priced at 34670 minus 5500 for a sale price of 29170. It is a semi automatic, with leather seats, no power seats and no moonroof. Is this a good deal? Two questions abouth these cars. Are the vinyl seats in a BMW very good and do they look like leather? Also what is the difference between semi-automatic and a regular automatic? Thanks so muchh for any help.


Sounds like you are looking at MSRP .. not invoice. Check out edmunds.com and compare msrp and invoice then look at the price. Keep in mind the current 1.9% offer. 1200 dealer rebate. You're probably in the ballpark with the above figures.
vinly??? You mean leatherette? :rofl:


----------



## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

CRIMSON STORM said:


> Two questions abouth these cars. Are the vinyl seats in a BMW very good and do they look like leather?


:hi: and welcome to the 'fest!

Yes, BMW OEM Leatherette is excellent, and is hard wearing and very difficult to tell the difference between it and leather.

However, the 'ette only comes in Sand or Black IIRC; if you wanted grey you'd have to get leather.

Re: the deals, as joey said go to www.edmunds.com and check invoice price. Search the forums for "bmw dealer cash" and see if any money is being rebated to the dealers these days...One would have thought dealers were trying to move cars near the end of the model year...

Good luck...


----------



## JamesSpot (Mar 4, 2003)

*325i Stripper and one with Auto and Leather*

The lower cost car you mentioned is your basic 325i. It's a great car at a good price. Your hard corps enthusiast board members will tell you that the two options you really want are the sports package and xenon lights. The first makes a difference in how the car feels when you drive it, with different seats, tighter suspension, 17" wheels, and a 3 vice 4 spoke steering wheel. The xenon option makes a difference on how you see at night. The basic 325i will have decent halogen lights and a long throw suspension that will tend to be more comfortable versus more buttoned down. Leatherette (vinyl) vs. leather is a long discussion. Suffice to say, the leatherette is fine and looks so much like leather that you have to ask unless you know the difference. The leather does take more care and shows it age more quickly.

The second car you mentioned is one in the "standard" American configuration with steptronic (an automatic transmission with the ability to manually select and hold gears) and leather, but minus the moonroof that most leather and automatics come with. That seems odd to me - some dealer web sites do not show "packages" - so it may have the premium package which includes a moonroof, wood trim, a trip computer, and powered seats - which wouldn't show as individual options. Steptronic and leather are add on options for the 325i, where the 330i has leather as part of the premium package.

Good luck - $5500 off MSRP for an '04 in the summer is close to fair. Edmunds.com will list the invoice price. Subtract $700 ($1200 total incentive leaving a delaer profit of $500 right now) from invoice, add destination, and TTL and you have a fair deal. Email the dealer on a specific car with that price, demand the 1.9% buy rate for financing or arrange your own with a credit union, and tell them you will be in next Saturday to pick your car up IF THEY CAN MEET YOUR PRICE. Make a $1k deposit on your credit card, sign some papers, call your insurance company, bring your digital camera, and enjoy your car!


----------



## xspeedy (Apr 10, 2003)

Go to the BMW website and pick the options you really want. If I had to keep a 325i really inexpensive, I'd stick to the sport package and moonroof. It adds a lot of "sport" to the car, but keeps the price down. The car looks much nicer with the bigger wheels and settled ride height. Xenons are nice, but the standard halogens are also very good, so the benefit is not as great as compared to some other cars with poor halogens. I'd drive both at night before you make the decision.

The standard vinyl interior is very good, and many people on these boards that buy expensive 330i's prefer the vinyl over the leather since the leather is known to wear pretty fast. Don't feel like you are cheaping out by getting the vinyl.

A BMW is not about having lots of toys, it is about the driving experience.


----------



## robj213 (Nov 2, 2002)

Hey I am in Ft Worth for the summer and I have seen those $5500 off MSRP deal on the billboards around town. Don't know if you know that they have a website. The ad also says the $5500 off is for any '04 325i's in stock.

http://www.shopautobahn.com/Flash/325iSale.html

Don't know if this is a July only sale..  better check to make sure, July is running out!!

I got a '03 325i with just Xenon and Sports Pkge, its two options you can't skip out!


----------



## bedi (Jul 31, 2004)

CRIMSON STORM said:


> I live in Texas and there is a BMW dealer in Fort Worth offering 5500 off all 2004 325i's in stock and 2.9APR for 60 months. I dont live in Fort Worth so I emailed and confirmed that it was not just certain styles but all styles. I cant afford a top of the line 325 so I am looking at two lower end ones. I am new to BMW and need some help. One stickers at 28795 minus 5500 for a sale price of 23295. It is a manual with 16" wheels, no power seats or mirrors, no sunroof and I noticed the invoice says the seats are vinyl. Is this something worth buying? The other 325i is priced at 34670 minus 5500 for a sale price of 29170. It is a semi automatic, with leather seats, no power seats and no moonroof. Is this a good deal? Two questions abouth these cars. Are the vinyl seats in a BMW very good and do they look like leather? Also what is the difference between semi-automatic and a regular automatic? Thanks so muchh for any help.


----------



## Patrick330i (Sep 30, 2002)

Hey, I am pretty sure I responded to this topic, but my post is nowhere to be found. I am sure I responded to it before yesterday as well. WTH is going on? Did you delete your old thread and start a new one with the same intro? I am confused. :dunno: If I am wrong, I apologize. If I am right, then you wasted my time and that sucks! :thumbdwn:


----------



## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

Patrick330i said:


> Hey, I am pretty sure I responded to this topic, but my post is nowhere to be found. I am sure I responded to it before yesterday as well. WTH is going on? Did you delete your old thread and start a new one with the same intro? I am confused. :dunno: If I am wrong, I apologize. If I am right, then you wasted my time and that sucks! :thumbdwn:


http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67697

:rofl:


----------



## Patrick330i (Sep 30, 2002)

Ok, I get it. So he posted it in two different forums. :banghead: 

Obviously, I am one of those people who clicks the "new posts" button all the time. :angel:


----------



## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

Patrick330i said:


> Ok, I get it. So he posted it in two different forums. :banghead:
> 
> Obviously, I am one of those people who clicks the "new posts" button all the time. :angel:


:stupid:


----------



## Nbtstatic (Oct 9, 2002)

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61440&highlight=nice


----------



## robj213 (Nov 2, 2002)

Nbtstatic said:


> http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61440&highlight=nice


I guess you picked up a new 325i after all!


----------



## moneydumper (Oct 31, 2003)

semi auto = :bang:


----------



## alpinewhite325i (Jan 20, 2002)

moneydumper said:


> semi auto = :bang:


???


----------

