# BMW Pull Ahead Program Sucks



## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

We have a 2006 X3 on a 39 month lease, three payments of $373 each left (the good old days of inflated residuals, european delivery, $1k over invoice etc).

I am ready to lease a 2009 328xi with $1,500 X3 loyalty cash, $1,000 lease cash, $1,840 option credit and $1,000 over invoice on an in stock vehicle.

I presently have 39,000 miles on the X3, with allowed mileage of 48,750, so I am almost 10,000 miles under. Additionally, X3 is in perfect condition.

BMWFS is telling dealer the X3 is $3,500 underwater, i.e. payoff offered by BMWFS is $3,500 more than market value.

Dealer now wants me to roll in $1,200 in payments which will increase my monthly payment by $30.

Dealer also tells me pull ahead isn't working for me because I'm so far under on miles, this doesn't make any sense and seems backwards, if anything the market value should be closer to payoff, not further.

I know and fully understand how BMW pull ahead works, its discretionary between dealer and BMWFS. But this is BS, don't offer a pull ahead and then leave me to fight with the dealer. This shouldn't be the customer's problem....but it is....now I have wasted a ton of my time researching, locating the perfect car, negotiating a deal, filling out a credit app, etc.

I can't justify eating $1,200 in this market, when there are so many other competitive deals...I can get Nissan/Infiniti employee discount (5% below dealer cost), Mercedes is begging me to get a C-Class and WILL make my last 3 payments....

Sorry, had to vent. This is a bad way to do business, you either qualify for a pull ahead or you don't, BMWFS shouldn't force the customer to fight with the dealer.


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## Tucsonbmw (Jan 13, 2007)

I hear ya...if I was you I would tell the dealer the bottomline deal you will accept and if they don't want to take it go to another make. Also, you could just wait 3 months, drop of your X3 and tell the dealer to go [email protected]#$ himself.:thumbup: In this market they need you more than we need them.


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## philippek (Jul 31, 2003)

I certainly hope BMW sees your post and uses this feedback. From a dealership's perspective it's equally frustrating to have a customer feel like he was drawn in under false pretenses, and it is a waste of time for all involved. Although BMW may argue that at least getting the opportunity to sell a customer is better than not.


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## Schmed (Jan 6, 2006)

Tucsonbmw said:


> Also, you could just wait 3 months, drop of your X3 and tell the dealer to go [email protected]#$ himself.:thumbup:


I'm about to do that, and it's going to feel DARN good to do just that.

I'm very close to losing interest in the marque given the high prices for options that are standard on a base Acura or Infiniti. Not only that, their lease rates and fees are over the top.

Sorry, BMW. I'm about 3 days away from giving up and moving on. And I'm a "worship at the Roundel altar" type of guy.


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## bmwKbiker (Nov 5, 2006)

pilotman said:


> 2009 328xi with $1,500 X3 loyalty cash, $1,000 lease cash, $1,840 option credit and $1,000 over invoice on an in stock vehicle.


And they won't eat your last three lease payments what is the world coming to?:dunno:


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

bmwKbiker said:


> And they won't eat your last three lease payments what is the world coming to?:dunno:


You are missing my point. I'm grateful for all the incentives. I'm not being greedy. The dealer shouldn't have to 
eat my last three payments.

BMWFS is the one who extended ME this offer. Lease or buy a new BMW and we will make your last 3 payments. Well I show up and
BMWFS says no way. If I don't qualify being 10000 miles under lease then who does?

BMWFS was begging me to turn in my x3 early and I tried but they wouldn't deal.

Please don't act like BMW is doing me a big favor by offering incentives, they are doing it to compete, plain and simple.

So my dealer is bending over backwards and paying $600 towards my last $1200 of payments and I am paying other $600 so 
now it's a $400 over invoice deal.

I'm still pissed because I think my dealer (and my local salesperson, who needs to put food on his table) should be making
$1000 over invoice instead of having to make up what BMWFS should have paid. I wanted my $1,000 over invoice profit to go to the dealer, not be eaten up by BMWFS' misleading pull ahead.

At the end of the day, I'm very happy with my dealer, and not so much with BMWFS. They wound up taking $600 profit from my dealer, and $600 from me.

I give credit to Doug Budai at Bavarian BMW, Shelby Township Michigan (Metro Detroit area) for working with me to close this deal. I highly recommend him, he is prompt, courteous and great to work with.


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## woolyman (May 24, 2009)

I had a similar experience with the pull ahead program last month. I agree that BMWFS should fund this program and not shift part or all the costs onto the dealer. 

After several email exchanges with my local dealer, I finally got them to admit that they were unwilling to offer me a deal with full pull ahead credit. While I would have preferred to do business with them, having part of the cost of the pull ahead program buried somewhere in their lease quote was a deal breaker for me. I finally found an out of town dealer willing to honor the program in full and ended up leasing a new 3 series.

PM if you want details.


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## tturedraider (Nov 11, 2005)

Schmed said:


> I'm about to do that, and it's going to feel DARN good to do just that.
> 
> I'm very close to losing interest in the marque given the high prices for options that are standard on a base *Acura or Infiniti*. Not only that, their lease rates and fees are over the top.
> 
> *Sorry, BMW. I'm about 3 days away from giving up and moving on. And I'm a "worship at the Roundel altar" type of guy.*


The odds are high you'll be back. Maybe a little less high since we're talking about an SUV, but I predict you'll really miss the BMW driving dynamics/experience.


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## Rubber Ducky (Feb 27, 2004)

Hey, I thought a pull-ahead option was purely a BMWFS deal, no cost/penalty to dealer. If this is wrong, somebody say so pls. 

On the deal that started this thread, sounds to me like dealer was pushing to sweeten the pot for himself and was misrepresenting the pull-ahead numbers - would guess the last-3 payments would have shown in the sale-price column as an add. BMWFS would forgive the last 3 payments, but customer would pay them anyway, in the $1200 rolled into the new contract. Sleazy if true.


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

Rubber Ducky said:


> Hey, I thought a pull-ahead option was purely a BMWFS deal, no cost/penalty to dealer. If this is wrong, somebody say so pls.
> 
> On the deal that started this thread, sounds to me like dealer was pushing to sweeten the pot for himself and was misrepresenting the pull-ahead numbers - would guess the last-3 payments would have shown in the sale-price column as an add. BMWFS would forgive the last 3 payments, but customer would pay them anyway, in the $1200 rolled into the new contract. Sleazy if true.


I don't think this is what's happening in my case.

I do know that BMWFS gives the dealer a payoff, and the dealer must purchase the vehicle AT THAT PAYOFF in order for BMWFS to make the last three payments.

Here, my dealer said BMWFS' payoff was $3,500 higher than the market value, and there was no way the dealer could justify buying my car for $3,500 over its "market value".

Problem is, I don't know what the market value is, and I don't know what BMWFS' payoff figure was (didn't ask). Maybe I should, but I'm tired of negotiating, I am happy with $1,500 loyalty cash, $1,000 lease cash, $1,840 option credit...

Does anyone know how I can independently verify the payoff and market value? Is the payoff simply the number they give me when I call, or is there a "special" payoff for the dealer only?

Just be forewarned, you are NOT automatically entitled to take advantage of the pull ahead just because you have a qualifying lease, rather, BMWFS and your dealer must also agree on the value of your existing car.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.


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## ckm1515 (Feb 10, 2006)

pilotman said:


> We have a 2006 X3 on a 39 month lease, three payments of $373 each left (the good old days of inflated residuals, european delivery, $1k over invoice etc).
> 
> I am ready to lease a 2009 328xi with $1,500 X3 loyalty cash, $1,000 lease cash, $1,840 option credit and $1,000 over invoice on an in stock vehicle.
> 
> ...


Had similar situation when I ended my 2006 E90 330xi lease last July. BMWFS stated that the quoted buyout was not what the market was bearing. I was not aware that that dealer has the OPTION of engaging in the pull ahead program. Advertising materials make it seem like a no brainer. After much back and forth, my dealer purchased the car at the presribed B.O. amount and waived final three payments to get me into the X5. I had originated my two prior leases with them and they gave in on those grounds, or so I was told. My mileage was close to allowance but car was immaculate.


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## jenX3 (May 13, 2009)

Wow, I had no problem with the pull ahead. I too had an 06 X3, 39 month lease with exactly three payments left. I only had 17,000 miles on the car! ( lease was for 10,000 per year.) It was actually the smoothest deal.


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## ckm1515 (Feb 10, 2006)

jenX3 said:


> Wow, I had no problem with the pull ahead. I too had an 06 X3, 39 month lease with exactly three payments left. I only had 17,000 miles on the car! ( lease was for 10,000 per year.) It was actually the smoothest deal.


Probably because your car was worth more than FMV and dealer knew he could get uplift on resale.


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

jenX3 said:


> Wow, I had no problem with the pull ahead. I too had an 06 X3, 39 month lease with exactly three payments left. I only had 17,000 miles on the car! ( lease was for 10,000 per year.) It was actually the smoothest deal.


curious as to when you closed your deal? Market conditions can change. My vehicle is 38,900 miles, of 48,750 allowed.

Yours was definitely worth more than mine due to much lower mileage, perhaps this explains the difference.


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## jenX3 (May 13, 2009)

pilotman said:


> curious as to when you closed your deal? Market conditions can change. My vehicle is 38,900 miles, of 48,750 allowed.
> 
> Yours was definitely worth more than mine due to much lower mileage, perhaps this explains the difference.


May 29th.


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## Alpine300ZHP (Jan 31, 2007)

pilotman said:


> We have a 2006 X3 on a 39 month lease, three payments of $373 each left (the good old days of inflated residuals, european delivery, $1k over invoice etc).
> 
> I am ready to lease a 2009 328xi with $1,500 X3 loyalty cash, $1,000 lease cash, $1,840 option credit and $1,000 over invoice on an in stock vehicle.
> 
> ...


Hey Pilot I understand how you feel and agree the program is really not well designed at all. However, I have to tell you this....I thought about getting a C350 myself and I just did not like it. It is an improvement over the old C280, but still subpar with the 3 series IMHO. I am not sure what you are looking for in a car, but maybe, just maybe your best bet would be to lease the 328xi now and just drive the x3 till the lease terminates. You have plenty of mileage left and this way you lock in the great lease deals on the 328 and get the car you really want? So what if you have 3 cars for a while....give your E46 a break for 3 months and use up what is left, mileage-wise, on your x3 and give the wife the 328xi. :dunno: Seems to me this might be the best way to solve your problem.


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## dima123 (Jul 7, 2005)

My lease on the x3 is up next month..does anyone know if the pull ahead program is still around??


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## HG132 (Feb 26, 2007)

Yeah, you are singing my song from my first X3...I only had 22k on my vehicle and lost 23K in lease miles.

It was worth negotiating the last 3 months to get out of my lease and move into a new lease--I got an early itch and the overall deal was just too good. 

Be careful when you get a bit too greedy, it can bite you in the "trunk." A BMW is a machine. Are you looking to another car out of spite? I drove the C-class, it's junk compared to the 3...and my father has the CL and S...and they are always in for service. Remember, to look at the big picture.


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