Portsmouth Main Dealer Cost price event - any good?

[Air Support]

My local BMW main dealer has a cost price event on starting later this week (this is not a plug for them BTW).

They've held them before but I was thinking of going this year as we're currently looking for a new car for the OH.

Just wanted to know of anyone's experience of these events or this particular dealer's one?
Are there generally good prices on offer or is it just a way of getting more footfall into the dealer?

I'd appreciate any views.

Thanks

[moffat]

It's just a marketing event, you will get the same deals going in at anytime, I get these invites all the time.

You would probably be better going in at another time e.g. quieter period / end of quarter when they really need to hit their numbers.

Having said that, pop in, get some quotes then ring around - that will show if the deals are good or not.

They may have some used stock that has been sat there for 60-90 days that they are trying to shift.

[Dannbodge]

I had a look at their deals and they weren't that great. Most were just ex demo cars with about 30% knocked off.

[rosejem]

COOPER'S BMW had an event last summer , & the sales manager told me the deals will not be as good as a PRE REG car.

[breadvan]

moffat said:

You would probably be better going in at another time e.g. quieter period / end of quarter when they really need to hit their numbers.

This.

Wait 1 month from now (ie 7 days before end of March), go in, select an available stock car and bash their feet to the floor for an immediate delivery price.

You might need to find a dealer needing to shift the extra unit but it shouldn't be too hard.

[Air Support]

Cheers chaps
Really helpful comments - at least we can go in forewarned.

I'll bear in mind the end of quarter point for when we are certain what we want to get.

Thanks again

[Riggie]

The worst dealer I've ever had the misfortune to deal with. Had to threaten small claims before they rectified faults. Wouldn't buy a wheelbarrow from them.

[Air Support]

So saw the dealer this afternoon and have been offered 16% of the full list price of a high end spec 320d for delivery before the end of March. This is starting to sound like an attractive deal or should I expect this anyway as a typical main dealer discount at any time?

Any views on this sort of discount please?
Thanks

[smashy]

Air Support said:

So saw the dealer this afternoon and have been offered 16% of the full list price of a high end spec 320d for delivery before the end of March. This is starting to sound like an attractive deal or should I expect this anyway as a typical main dealer discount at any time?

Any views on this sort of discount please?
Thanks

Air ,I would ask if this car has the N47 Engine in it,if it has you will have an old Engine in a New car ( the latest 2 ltr diesels going in are B47s ) which is the reason I pulled out of a new 225d.The B47 is seeping through all ranges and will soon be in or is in the 3 I should think.

[smashy]

......and re my post above its(B47) deffo in the 4 series from march.I personallyy wouldnt want an old engine in my new car,but salesman are cute arent they,

[Air Support]

Fair point to which I don't know the answer.
The car is a Jan 2015 build date and I have a VIN number and engine number but no easy way of checking this as I can't get the BMW technical parts catalogue to recognise the number. The power output is supposed to be the 184hp version if that helps to distinguish which it is.
I'll ask the dealer tomorrow.

Are you concerned about the N47 timing chain problem - surely this has been sorted out in the later N47 engines or is it still an issue?

[smashy]

Hi Air

That is the N47 engine the B47 is 190bhp ,good question re timing Chain.....Bill the Service Manager at a main Dealer said to me that only now(sep 2014 )would he be happy to buy a car with an N47 engine.Even up to 2013 they were having noisy chain issues.So wouldnt worry about that as now been modified to the Nth degree

[Air Support]

So other than not the very latest engine, no reliability issues to worry about then with the N47?

[smashy]

Seems not,infact its been worked on so often its probably bullet proof(unlike my old one)GGRRRRR !!!


On a tangent the guy was great to talk to and pretty open,when I challenged him about crazy mileage between service based oil changes ,he said you can never have enough oil changes ,so my new car will get an oil change between BMWs services

[oop north]

See http://www.halliwelljones.co.uk/bmw-offers/details... for some big discounts on stock cars

[cgauk]

oop north said:

See http://www.halliwelljones.co.uk/bmw-offers/details... for some big discounts on stock cars

Not sure the discounts are that great - take the 640d gc - price on that list £51,980 - previous price £48,450 (http://leaflets.ebcentre2.net/Leaflet.aspx?culture=en-GB&manufacturer=4&carids=604787945&centre_id=3497189&use_margins=0&groupTypeID=1&pdf=1&downLoad=0&as=1) - seems a bit scammy

[oop north]

Someone asked about the 3 series so the not quite as good as elsewhere 640 discount is irrelevant

There's always here: http://www.petervardybmw.co.uk/current-offers/excl...

[Air Support]

Thanks guy - useful comments to date

I'm going to do some more online checking before deciding..

[335d]

Air Support said:

So saw the dealer this afternoon and have been offered 16% of the full list price of a high end spec 320d for delivery before the end of March. This is starting to sound like an attractive deal or should I expect this anyway as a typical main dealer discount at any time?

Any views on this sort of discount please?
Thanks

The discount should be 20-25% for that sort of car I would have thought. Coast to Coast are offering just over 20% for the example (320d M Sport prof media) I looked at

http://www.coast2coastcars.co.uk/car-quote/?manufa...

I would try Riaz at Spire Watford http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=... , who has gone beyond 25% on a few higher spec cars recently.

A further point worth considering. From June 2015 build all 3 series will be the facelift model, so I would go for higher discount now, or hang on a bit for the facelift.

[moffat]

With regards the 16% discount the easiest thing you can do is just ring or email another deal and ask for their best offer. Takes away the time consuming face to face element and it's easier to haggle with no emotion of someone standing opposite you.

N47 engine versus B47 engine is an intereting one... do you go for proven reliability with potentially larger savings citing the 'old' engine as reason for additional discount or go with the new and relatively unproven B47? New is not always better and this was the case with the N54 3.0 TT versus the newer N55 3.0 single turbo petrol engines. Yes the N55 had slightly better mpg but overall the N54 was superior.