# Purchasing/leasing a 230i



## kilgore (Jan 4, 2021)

New to the forum, in fact I don't yet own a BMW, but want to test drive a 230i as I am very much interested in getting one. That said, is it normal to just not have this model available at the dealer to drive? I live in San Antonio and there are three dealers between San Antonio and Austin and none of them have the model on hand. Also, is it normal for BMW sales people to just not really put much effort at finding a car for you? I've bought many cars throughout my life and when I wanted to drive a car the dealer didn't have on hand they have always bent over backwards to find me a car to drive and buy. The salespeople with BMW seem pretty blase about the whole thing. Is it just normal to have to wait for a new BMW to drive and make a deal?


----------



## Autoputzer (Mar 16, 2014)

There's been a shortage of new BMW's. BMW of Bubbaville only had about a fourth of their normal inventory back in the fall. They were so short on the less expensive BMW's that they had to pull an $80k X7 out of inventory and put it in their loaner fleet. 

There are a lot of looky-loos who go test drive BMW's with no intention or ability to buy one. That leaves BMW salesmen jaded, and sometimes reluctant to offer a new car for a test drive.

I do all my BMW test driving at various BMW events and from loaner when mine are in for service. When I finally hit the showroom, I Blitzkrieg them and I'm only there about 30 minutes to make a deal.

The F22/23 (230i, M240i) and F87 (M2C) will go out of production in mid-2021. Except for the new M3's and M4's (~$80k), these cars will be your last chance to get a manual transmission in a BMW. Everybody knows that and that might cause the remaining F22/F23/F85 production to be sold out long before production ends.

BMW's eventually going to hold an event at COTA in Austin. Surf around on the Interwebs and see if you can sign up to be notified after final plans are made for that event.


----------



## kilgore (Jan 4, 2021)

Autoputzer said:


> There's been a shortage of new BMW's. BMW of Bubbaville only had about a fourth of their normal inventory back in the fall. They were so short on the less expensive BMW's that they had to pull an $80k X7 out of inventory and put it in their loaner fleet.
> 
> There are a lot of looky-loos who go test drive BMW's with no intention or ability to buy one. That leaves BMW salesmen jaded, and sometimes reluctant to offer a new car for a test drive.
> 
> ...


Thanks


----------

