[Paigey]

Hi, I am making a new BMW 335i purchase. I negotiated the price with the dealer. However, after much complications and the Internet sales manager withholding information from me after doing the credit check, I did some research and finally asked him when my production week will be. The car is to be signed for after the holiday credit is available, so we are not 100% final on it, but he provided me the price and agreed to apply the holiday credit. After brushing it aside, he finally disclosed that the production week is requested for November and sent me the dealerspeed page confirming the car was ordered. However, he says we are waiting for an allocation slot, which we don't have any available right now. I asked him how many allocated slots they have monthly and when one might be available he replied that they don't know. He is not accepting a deposit for $1000 right now until an allocation slot is confirmed, and I is not providing any papers to sign. All I have right now is his e-mail confirmation of the price and break down ( tax, license, etc). Is this normal and should I be concerned.

[chiefneil]

Originally Posted by Paigey

Hi, I am making a new BMW 335i purchase. I negotiated the price with the dealer. However, after much complications and the Internet sales manager withholding information from me after doing the credit check, I did some research and finally asked him when my production week will be. The car is to be signed for after the holiday credit is available, so we are not 100% final on it, but he provided me the price and agreed to apply the holiday credit. After brushing it aside, he finally disclosed that the production week is requested for November and sent me the dealerspeed page confirming the car was ordered. However, he says we are waiting for an allocation slot, which we don't have any available right now. I asked him how many allocated slots they have monthly and when one might be available he replied that they don't know. He is not accepting a deposit for $1000 right now until an allocation slot is confirmed, and I is not providing any papers to sign. All I have right now is his e-mail confirmation of the price and break down ( tax, license, etc). Is this normal and should I be concerned.

That's a little odd. I did my negotiating over the phone and once we agreed to terms, my SA immediately emailed me a bunch of paperwork to sign. Offhand there was paperwork for: credit check, deposit, purchase agreement, build sheet (Vehicle Inquiry Report), and privacy notice. The purchase agreement had an explicit, "invoice + $500" written on it.

IMHO without a production number (in the VIR) you have no deal (yet).

[SteveGiant]

This sounds exactly like my situation and I've been a little concerned about this as well.

OP private message me so we can compare notes off-line.

[beto_L.A.]

I've been dealing with the same BMW dealer for the last 7 years and 3 the cars I've ordered from them, once the agreed price and monthly payment was set I DID NOT sign any papers or gave any money down.
All of the negotiation is done through E/mails and a few phone calls but that's about it.
Once the car arrives I go see it and if I like it, all it takes is about 20 minutes for the transaction to happen.

[Pauleebe]

I didn't sign anything other than an authorization to have my credit checked. I gave them a deposit, but this isn't required, and depending on your history with BMW/the dealer and your credit, a deposit may not be deemed necessary.

Don't worry..

[ffejk]

yup same as beto.

I go in, agree on a price, they order the car, car arrives, I sign the paperwork.

[BMRGUY]

Same here as beto.... Once the car arrives technically you can back out... The bad part is they can also ask for more money but that would just lose a customer.

I suspect they are concerned whether or not the incentives will carry forward. All incentives, residuals, money factor, etc. only last 60 days from the day they order your car. If the car is not pick up within 60 days from order then the incentive is gone and all factors change. They are probably affraid that they will not get a slot in time. Of course from a residual or MF perspective you can ask to have your payment improved when the car comes in (if your leasing)

[Paigey]

Thank you guys for responses so far, I really appreciate them.

This will be finance, not lease.

I'm glad to hear most operate the same way. But I don't know if the lease vs finance makes the difference.

I would think that since the car is on the lot while the holiday incentive is running, there shouldn't be any problems applying it no? Whether it's treated as a lot purchase or custom order purchase seems the same to me.

My biggest concern is the idea that they don't know how many allocations they have available? I was under the impression that they could let you know exactly what production slot you would get. He claimed requested week 52 so maybe they are waiting for the incentive to show before handing me the paperwork.

[tturedraider]

Without an allocation, an order number, and a Vehicle Inquiry Report you have no deal, nada, squat.

As far as price goes you need to be concerned about the invoice price plus profit less the better of current incentives, locked in at the time an ACTUAL order is placed, or the incentives in force at the time the car is delivered.

Dealers have no advance notice of what incentives BMWNA and/or BMWFS will offer from month to month. They find out on the first day of the new month, excepting those months when incentives are announced from the beginning that they will cover more than one month.

[Paigey]

I do have the vehicle inquiry report. It states:

Order status: 047 - spec released-no
Priority: 1 - Customer Sold

He placed the order, gave me the Vehicle Inquiry Report, but told me no allocation as of yet. He agreed to the price relative to invoice, gave me the est tax, fees, etc. and agreed to subtract the Holiday incentive when it is available, although the amount is unknown as of right now. But this was all through written e-mail, is it good enough?

[BavarianFanatic]

For starters, email is a legal document so that's not an issue.

He's not having you sign anything or provide a deposit since he technically doesn't have anything to actual enter into a contract for without an allocation slot. Dealers don't know when they'll get slots. Since he already entered the "order" for a specific production week he's reserved a spot so that it'll go through once he does receive allocation. You don't have anything to worry about with the exception that the allocation doesn't become an issue. If they happen to have numerous orders like yours they could potentially be oversold and not receive enough allocation units to fill them all. It's always a challenge ordering right at or near the model year change.

[PaulBailey@ltbmw]

I AM an Internet Sales Manager for BMW and regardless of what all of these guys are saying... I find it weird you didn't have to do any paperwork.
I take a couple orders a week for various cars and with every order we agree upon the build and price... then the client fills out a complete credit application and privacy policy form along with giving me a copy of their drivers license and insurance card.
I submit the deal to BMWFS at the time of the order to confirm they will get approved and qualify for the deal structure we agreed upon.
I also submit them in order to lock in the programs going on at the deal of the order.
Should a residual percentage drop or interest rate go up by the time the car arrives we're safe with the numbers we agreed on when the order was placed.
I'm not that all the dealers that these guys are working with are doing it wrong...
I just think it's wise to lock everything in at the time of the order because things can change any month.

[Labeef]

The paper work is not important at this point. The car is pre-purchased, but really is like regular inventory. So even if you choose not to purchase, the dealer will sell the car as regular inventory.

All I did when I ordered my car was pre-qualify with BMW NA.

So I wouldn't worry about it. It would careless for the dealer not to order the car and drop the ball. I am pretty sure they want to sell you the car, it's their job.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Originally Posted by beto_L.A.

I've been dealing with the same BMW dealer for the last 7 years and 3 the cars I've ordered from them, once the agreed price and monthly payment was set I DID NOT sign any papers or gave any money down.
All of the negotiation is done through E/mails and a few phone calls but that's about it.
Once the car arrives I go see it and if I like it, all it takes is about 20 minutes for the transaction to happen.

Same here. Live in NC bought the car from a dealer in OR.