AUC buying help please

[a4cabrio]

Ok, tomorrow morning I am going to see a E90 330d M sport at a BMW showroom, i have never bought direct from a main dealer showroom before and am looking for a bit of advice please.

It's a 2006 56 reg so I don't know how much, if any, bargaining power I will have, but I would like to know how much I could expect to get off a 12k car?? Also, is there anything else I could try and get thrown in??? The salesman told me on the phone they have replaced the rear tyres, MOT'd the car and serviced it ready for sale. He also said they have just knocked a grand of the price, he made quite a point of telling me that, which made me think the asking price was non negotiable. He wanted to agree a deal over the phone and me to leave a deposit, but i didn't want to do that before I seen the car. He did give me a price on my trade in, which was slightly lower than I wanted, but more than I expected them to offer.

The one thing i wanted on the car was rear privacy glass, do you think I could ask for that to be done to help the deal along??

Looking for quick advice, any help appreciated.

[eastsider]

They probably won't move much on price, whether the £1k reduction is true or not (did you see it advertised higher?)

Its both month and quarter end, so if you believe they will be keen to hit targets its a great day to try and do a deal, unless they are already past quota! Push the salesman until he has to go and check with the sales manager. If he doesn't like your offer then ask to speak direct to the sales manager. If you are going up the line you are getting close to their best price.

Asking for something like privacy glass (you mean a tint right, they won't retrofit actual glass would cost a fortune) is a good thing to negotiate on, prob value £250-300 if you get it done yourself, it will cost them less than that in the trade.

Inspect car very carefully. Lots of stories on here about tyres on/below legal limit, mixed brands of tyres, non-runflats (which you might want but isn't BMW spec) mixed with runflats, etc.

If your trade in is something regular/saleable consider getting rid yourself, they prob don't want it and you might get more. I sold a 330ci on here for £6k dealer offered me £3.3k You might be able to negotiate harder without the tradein. Might. If its funny colours/dodgy history/starship mileage/whatever then chop it in.

Personally for me to buy from a main dealer car would have to be mint everywhere, history, tyres, bodywork interior etc, you are paying a premium even if small.

[a4cabrio]

eastsider said:

They probably won't move much on price, whether the £1k reduction is true or not (did you see it advertised higher?)

Its both month and quarter end, so if you believe they will be keen to hit targets its a great day to try and do a deal, unless they are already past quota! Push the salesman until he has to go and check with the sales manager. If he doesn't like your offer then ask to speak direct to the sales manager. If you are going up the line you are getting close to their best price.

Asking for something like privacy glass (you mean a tint right, they won't retrofit actual glass would cost a fortune) is a good thing to negotiate on, prob value £250-300 if you get it done yourself, it will cost them less than that in the trade.

Inspect car very carefully. Lots of stories on here about tyres on/below legal limit, mixed brands of tyres, non-runflats (which you might want but isn't BMW spec) mixed with runflats, etc.

If your trade in is something regular/saleable consider getting rid yourself, they prob don't want it and you might get more. I sold a 330ci on here for £6k dealer offered me £3.3k You might be able to negotiate harder without the tradein. Might. If its funny colours/dodgy history/starship mileage/whatever then chop it in.

Personally for me to buy from a main dealer car would have to be mint everywhere, history, tyres, bodywork interior etc, you are paying a premium even if small.

Thanks eastsider, I think I have seen it advertised at the 1k higher price, but took no notice of it as it was above my budget, not 100% sure though.

He made a point of telling me about the 1k price drop and also how they are shifting 70 used bmw's a month, maybe gamesmanship on his part telling me that.

When I say privacy glass, not getting the actual glass changed, just getting the tint film put over the rear windows, finishes off the car nicely in my opinion.

My tradein is a 2006 golf Gti, they have offered me £5900 for it, wasn't expecting it to be that high but would have liked it a tad higher. It's got 88000 miles with a full vw history and full leather with monza 2 wheels and a few other bits and pieces. It's the agggro that comes with selling privately which is swaying me to trade in.

Thanks again for the advice, much appreciated

[Zachlain]

Hi Mate,

Have a read of this thread about the pitfalls of the BMW AUC scheme.
http://www.bmwland.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&...

I was going to buy a E46 320d at a premium price from the scheme last month, but after the reading the above thread I steered clear. I then privately bought a mint 320d for 3k less than AUC scheme.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[a4cabrio]

Zachlain said:

Hi Mate,

Have a read of this thread about the pitfalls of the BMW AUC scheme.
http://www.bmwland.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&...

I was going to buy a E46 320d at a premium price from the scheme last month, but after the reading the above thread I steered clear. I then privately bought a mint 320d for 3k less than AUC scheme.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Some interesting stuff on that thread, it hasn't totally put me off, just opened my eyes a bit more to check the car thoroughly.

[a4cabrio]

Well it didn't go according to plan, had a great test drive, lasted 30 mins which I was pleased about, wasn't hurried at all. Great car, was really impressed. Back to showroom to talk figures, agreed on 6000 for my golf as trade in, managed to get them up from 5500. I offered 11300 for the BMW, which was turned down. Then offered 11500 + a tank of diesel and rear windows tinted like privacy glass, again this was turned down and was told best price is 11750 with nothing else thrown in. I turned it down and walked, feel quite gutted and am home now wondering if i done the right thing.

May call them later or in the morningand again offer the 11500 and see where we go from there.

[Heathwood]

There will be many variable as to whether you can get a discount, however, in my experience dealers have quite a margin to play with. I've managed to get circa £1,500 off a £15k AUC car on a couple of occasions without trying very hard at all.

edit: sorry A4cab, I see it didn't go to plan.

Edited by Heathwood on Saturday 31st March 15:26

[TX1]

If you are going to offer that amount be prepared to offer the extra £250 they want, hardly worth losing a car you like for that amount.
You might regret it if you like the car that much.

[Sticks.]

Perhaps one way of thinking about it is that being AUC you'll get 12 months warranty. £250 is a relatively small amount in that light.

[E30M3SE]

a4cabrio said:

Well it didn't go according to plan, had a great test drive, lasted 30 mins which I was pleased about, wasn't hurried at all. Great car, was really impressed. Back to showroom to talk figures, agreed on 6000 for my golf as trade in, managed to get them up from 5500. I offered 11300 for the BMW, which was turned down. Then offered 11500 + a tank of diesel and rear windows tinted like privacy glass, again this was turned down and was told best price is 11750 with nothing else thrown in. I turned it down and walked, feel quite gutted and am home now wondering if i done the right thing.

May call them later or in the morningand again offer the 11500 and see where we go from there.

I wouldn't phone them tomorrow or monday, I'd let them phone you if they wish to reopen negotiations, if they have already lowered the price of the car by £1K then it is probably 'aged stock' which they want shot of.

If they've still got the car in a weeks time then phone then and re offer what they turned down today as a starting point.

Hold your nerve.


What happened to the car you were looking at at the iNdependent trader?

[a4cabrio]

E30M3SE said:

I wouldn't phone them tomorrow or monday, I'd let them phone you if they wish to reopen negotiations, if they have already lowered the price of the car by £1K then it is probably 'aged stock' which they want shot of.

If they've still got the car in a weeks time then phone then and re offer what they turned down today as a starting point.

Hold your nerve.


What happened to the car you were looking at at the iNdependent trader?

The car I was looking at from an independent was nearly 200 miles away, couldn't view it til Friday, phoned Thursday to arrange a time to view and someone had beat me to it. They only had the car 4 days.

I am defo not going to phone BMW today about the car I viewed this morning, I will try to resist til early in the week, will offer 11500 again and see how it goes down with them.

[a4cabrio]

TX1 said:

If you are going to offer that amount be prepared to offer the extra £250 they want, hardly worth losing a car you like for that amount.
You might regret it if you like the car that much.

I will be prepared to pay the extra, looking back at it, I wish I already had, but £250 off the asking price hardly seems enough, but at the same time the car doesn't need for anything for a long time, just a tax disc and that's it. The guy made a point of telling me of the 1k price drop but when I looked in the boot, the price board that he put into the boot just before the test drive was showing 12490, so not exactly a 1k price drop, unless that was a forecourt price as it up for 1190 on the net

[TX1]

Like Sticks said the AUC warranty is very important and the plus of it is in a years time you can renew it for piece of mind.
If the independent one has not been extended you cannot renew it with BMW but would have to go with someone else.
When I got mine a couple of things arose like a new battery was needed and the outside chrome door trim had to be changed.
Doubt an independent would have been so obliging once the money had changed hands.

[E30M3SE]

TX1 said:

Like Sticks said the AUC warranty is very important and the plus of it is in a years time you can renew it for piece of mind.
If the independent one has not been extended you cannot renew it with BMW but would have to go with someone else.
When I got mine a couple of things arose like a new battery was needed and the outside chrome door trim had to be changed.
Doubt an independent would have been so obliging once the money had changed hands.

That is incorrect!

[TX1]

I thought if the warranty was not extended after it expired you could not renew it, am I wrong ?

[E30M3SE]

[Rabbo]

TX1 said:

I thought if the warranty was not extended after it expired you could not renew it, am I wrong ?

As long as the car has a FBMWSH, you can take out any warranty if the car is below 100k miles. Above 100k you are limited to the Driveline warranty.

I bought my 2006 130i in June last year. I got £1000 off the screen price of £11995 without much negotiation, plus over the course of a week's email correspondence, got a year's tax (£260?) and an iPod/iPhone ofiicial BMW retrofit (dealer would have charged c.£400). All discs and pads were changed, wheels refurbished and front and rear bumpers painted. I also asked them to paint the calipers and hubs and the car had the oil changed and an inspection service which were due within the next few thousand miles. The tyres were all 5mm+ Goodyears. I may have paid slightly above what was on offer elsewhere, but the knowledge that all the work was done with OEM parts and the bulletproof warranty made it a good deal to me.

On a car like a 330d which is more in demand than the 130i, which to be honest is more of an enthusiast's car and so much less in demand, I'd expect them to bargain harder. You should nonetheless push for the retrofit options to get some value thrown in as it's cost price to them, whereas money off and tax come straight off the margin.

[TX1]

My mistake, makes sense if it has full FBMWSH.

[E30M3SE]

Doesn't even need FBMWSH, just FSH carried out using BMW gen parts, within time mileage parameters and correct lubricants and obviously invoice and evidenced.

BMW dealers will sell cars as AUC cars which have been serviced outside the network, with BMW comprehensive warranties..

[a4cabrio]

Rabbo said:

As long as the car has a FBMWSH, you can take out any warranty if the car is below 100k miles. Above 100k you are limited to the Driveline warranty.

I bought my 2006 130i in June last year. I got £1000 off the screen price of £11995 without much negotiation, plus over the course of a week's email correspondence, got a year's tax (£260?) and an iPod/iPhone ofiicial BMW retrofit (dealer would have charged c.£400). All discs and pads were changed, wheels refurbished and front and rear bumpers painted. I also asked them to paint the calipers and hubs and the car had the oil changed and an inspection service which were due within the next few thousand miles. The tyres were all 5mm+ Goodyears. I may have paid slightly above what was on offer elsewhere, but the knowledge that all the work was done with OEM parts and the bulletproof warranty made it a good deal to me.

On a car like a 330d which is more in demand than the 130i, which to be honest is more of an enthusiast's car and so much less in demand, I'd expect them to bargain harder. You should nonetheless push for the retrofit options to get some value thrown in as it's cost price to them, whereas money off and tax come straight off the margin.

Could try and get them to retrofit Bluetooth, can it be retro fitted??

Any idea what else I could ask for??

Might as well play them at their own game if I am gonna pay a little more than I want