# Looking for i8 to buy.



## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

I'm looking for an i8 in just about any color except white. I'd pay about $10k over msrp.
I'm in TX, but can go pretty much anywhere in the US.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## Houston Bimmer (Apr 29, 2008)

I don't blame you! I saw my first one on the street today coming to work in Downtown Houston. Sharp car! Good luck as I think these have been long sold out


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

Yeah, I'm just hoping someone backs out and opens a slot for me or something. There's got to be a way without paying an arm & a leg.


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## Carbon Fiver (Aug 5, 2013)

nealrap said:


> I'm looking for an i8 in just about any color except white. I'd pay about $10k over msrp.
> I'm in TX, but can go pretty much anywhere in the US.
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.


When I was in for service this week I asked my SA if they've sold any i8's yet, and he asked me to guess how much they sold for. Turned out to be $250k. He said they get allocated 2 a year.


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

I heard the first one sold for over $600k. But I think that stuff is over now. I saw one listed now and not necessarily selling immediately for $50k over MSRP, but I don't want to pay that much either.


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## zetabetatau (Dec 9, 2009)

Ha... I'll go $15k...... Do I here 20?

:roundel:


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## Ninong (May 20, 2014)

nealrap said:


> Yeah, I'm just hoping someone backs out and opens a slot for me or something. There's got to be a way without paying an arm & a leg.


Yes, there is a way. It's called patience. It's a limited supply vehicle and the demand exceeds the supply. Not only that, many of the potential customers are willing and able to pay extraordinary markups just to be one of the first kids on the block to have one.

It will eventually cool off after the novelty wears off but whether that takes 6 months or 18 months is anybody's guess. A lot depends on supply. Also, many of those same customers who are willing to pay $50,000 or more over MSRP may change their plans once they find out BMW intends to release a new, and much more powerful, i9 in 2016. That will be the new halo car.

Good luck!


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## Ninong (May 20, 2014)

nealrap said:


> I heard the first one sold for over $600k. But I think that stuff is over now. I saw one listed now and not necessarily selling immediately for $50k over MSRP, but I don't want to pay that much either.


You're probably thinking of that special Concours d'Elegance Edition i8 that was auctioned off for $825,000 but that was a special situation. All of the proceeds of that sale went to the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, a charitable organization.


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## [email protected] BMW (Aug 2, 2010)

The odds of you finding any i8 at MSRP anytime in the next year are virtually zero. My dealer is one the biggest volume dealers on the west coast we are getting three in next year. The allocation parameters are based on the region that sells the most Audi r8's and Porsche Carrera's...dealer in that area will get the most cars. Some dealers are getting 9! Huge demand marginal supply forget getting a deal... Just be happy if you can get one. 15,000 over MSRP in California will probably put you in the middle of the list. There are some major $ ballers out here 100,000 over MSRP will be easy to get. Keep in mind this is just my own personal opinion.


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## chrischeung (Sep 1, 2002)

This may be a silly question. Why is supply so limited? Is it artificial? Or is there a specific component that is supply constrained? Are they losing so much money on each car that they don't want to lose a lot?

The body shell isn't that special - similar tech to the i3, McLaren, and other cars. The engine is shared with other cars. And batteries aren't exactly a limiting factor.

If there is a supply constraint on a specific item, and that is overcome, wouldn't production volume jump?


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

Still looking, no luck


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## [email protected] BMW (Aug 2, 2010)

may be a while for 10K...............


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## Ninong (May 20, 2014)

chrischeung said:


> This may be a silly question. Why is supply so limited?


They are building exactly as many as they planned to build this year. Production will pick up next year. All of the reports I read claim that the car is virtually sold out in both the US and the UK for the next 10 months. Production is expected to pick up next year but I would be surprised if they build more than 6,000 next year. By the way, the starting MSRP in China is $323,000.

One of the very first i8 cars sold in the UK was resold as a used car one month later for exactly 150% of what the first guy paid for it. I think a lot of those high rollers will now wait for the i9, which will be released in 2016 using the same 6-cyl gasoline engine that will be introduced in the new 2016 7-er. The i9 will also have a more powerful electric motor to go with its new 6-cyl. I wonder what the MSRP will be on that one?



> Are they losing so much money on each car that they don't want to lose a lot?


They can't possibly lose money on the i8 because that's not how they look at it. They spent $22 million on advertising the i8 in the first half of this year alone and it didn't come out in Europe until June. Now they're using the i8 to advertise virtually their entire lineup.



> If there is a supply constraint on a specific item, and that is overcome, wouldn't production volume jump?


Production is moving along according to their plan. Volume will increase next year but I think BMW probably likes the fact that demand exceeds supply and won't be in any hurry to change that. Demand will almost certainly exceed the supply of the new i9 model, too.


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## Bryce @ BMW of Silver Spring (Sep 5, 2014)

We sold both of ours for $40k over MSRP without hesitation, could've gotten a lot more. Another dealer near us sold their only one for Sticker and are regretting it badly.

Good luck at 10k over. It may be a few years.


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## chrischeung (Sep 1, 2002)

bswarm said:


> Another dealer near us sold their only one for Sticker and are regretting it badly.


But they may feel good morally . I'm a believer in market forces, but I'm sure overall they are fine. A dealership isn't made on i8 markups.


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

Thanks all. I finally found one. Paid more than I wanted, but I'll get it next week.


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## [email protected] BMW (Aug 2, 2010)

how much over MSRP?


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

30k


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## [email protected] (Jun 28, 2012)

nealrap said:


> 30k


:thumbup:

Now you should turn around and sell it for 100K over ...pocket a nice lump sum


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

haha Justin, maybe if I get bored of it in a few months, but probably not, I usually keep cars for a while.


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

My local dealer only charges msrp too, but has a 30+ waiting list, so I was willing to pay more to get it now.
I'm still on his list too, so if magic happens and I get to the top, maybe I can sell my spot for the extra I paid.


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## [email protected] (Jan 27, 2014)

Found an open i8. Shoot me a note for information. 


Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

Hi David,
I got one. should be arriving within the hour.


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## LivinSD (Dec 10, 2007)

I sat in one at the UDE a couple weeks back in LA. As TTUrederaider said, it is tough to get in and out of, but once in it, it's really cool. One thing I didn't expect on it was the very limited range... isn't it like 35 miles or something? And 0-60 is like mid 4's.


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## chrischeung (Sep 1, 2002)

nealrap said:


> I got one. should be arriving within the hour.


If you don't post pics, it didn't happen.


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

coming off the truck In a minute.

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


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## Lionnutz (Jul 24, 2014)

LivinSD said:


> I sat in one at the UDE a couple weeks back in LA. As TTUrederaider said, it is tough to get in and out of, but once in it, it's really cool. And 0-60 is like mid 4's.


+1. Just sat in one at the event in NYC. Really awkward getting in and out. Awesome looking car though but I found getting. In and out quite annoying. U can see shoe marks on the console when people kick it on the way out

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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

In my garage.
If I get in butt first, it's not bad. But I'm not too tall or anything.

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


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## Ninong (May 20, 2014)

Congrats! It looks great in your garage.


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## chrischeung (Sep 1, 2002)

Gorgeous.


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## DslDwg (Apr 29, 2012)

Just saw a black one at a Houston dealer today. Beautiful car for sure - door sills look crazy high. No way to get in and out gracefully (Not what it's about I guess). 

Dealer said they should get 8 this year and have a huge waiting list of people throwing money at them to get one. 

He said 500 total this year worldwide and all sold out.


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## Motorboat411 (Jul 23, 2012)

I had an interesting experience regarding i8. I saw one online at a FL BMW dealership and decided to inquire about it. Started a chat with dealership's internet sales dept and told her that I was interested in i8. First thing she asked was where I was from, told her Cali, She said flat out that they don't sell _this car_ out of state and that it's a dealership policy.

Can't wrap my head around this, if they have one available and they have it listed on Cars.com, why wouldn't they want to sell it. :dunno:


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

Motorboat411 said:


> I had an interesting experience regarding i8. I saw one online at a FL BMW dealership and decided to inquire about it. Started a chat with dealership's internet sales dept and told her that I was interested in i8. First thing she asked was where I was from, told her Cali, She said flat out that they don't sell _this car_ out of state and that it's a dealership policy.
> 
> Can't wrap my head around this, if they have one available and they have it listed on Cars.com, why wouldn't they want to sell it. :dunno:


was it the dealer in Pensacola? That's where I got mine from.


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## Motorboat411 (Jul 23, 2012)

nealrap said:


> was it the dealer in Pensacola? That's where I got mine from.


I'm not sure if it's ok to disclose the name of the dealership, but it wasn't Pensacola.


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## Vitacura (Jul 22, 2005)

I saw one at Fields BMW in Lakeland a few months ago, sure was nice!


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## 3ismagic# (Mar 17, 2011)

The i8 strikes me as a very douchey car.

The Prius for millionaire techsters who 'you know, like care about the environment and stuff'


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## Bruce128iC (Feb 16, 2003)

chrischeung said:


> I just thought of this.
> 
> Great license plate for an i8 (or similar electric exotic) - *EBALLER*
> 
> *EBALLA *is available in TX now.


First thing I saw in the plate was Texas Ebola.:rofl::rofl::rofl:


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## nealrap (Sep 25, 2014)

3ismagic# said:


> The i8 strikes me as a very douchey car.
> 
> The Prius for millionaire techsters who 'you know, like care about the environment and stuff'
> 
> Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


For you, I'll get this plate:


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## ckm1515 (Feb 10, 2006)

3ismagic# said:


> The i8 strikes me as a very douchey car.
> 
> The Prius for millionaire techsters who 'you know, like care about the environment and stuff'
> 
> Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


What this guy said


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## Bryce @ BMW of Silver Spring (Sep 5, 2014)

All better,

I currently have an i8 available if anyone is interested.


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