[laidback93]

I hate to start another lease thread, but here it goes.

I have 9 months left on my 340i lease and BMW already hit me up for a pre-inspection. Seems a bit premature, but maybe they want my car since I can't find any others spec'd out like mine in their network. This is Chapman BMW in Phoenix.

I thought about taking them up on the pre-inspection to see what I could be potentially dinged on. I can tell you that two wheels have minor curb rash, the windshield was replaced with a non BMW branded windshield (long story) and I have some minor scratches on the front bumper due to a damn shredded tire on the freeway. Not too noticeable unless you really look for them.

My question is this, do I even waste my time getting the inspection done at this point in time? I'd like to know what they're going to ding me on, but I know they just want me to come in to get me into another lease. At least that's my thoughts.

Even if I was to get into another lease, which is a slim chance, it would be the M340i which won't be available until November.

I also wouldn't mind buying my current car outright at lease end, but judging from some threads I've read here, that probably won't work in my favor. Doesn't seem BMW likes to budge on the RV.

What to do, what to do...

[Dougie_Juice]

Originally Posted by laidback93

I hate to start another lease thread, but here it goes.

I have 9 months left on my 340i lease and BMW already hit me up for a pre-inspection. Seems a bit premature, but maybe they want my car since I can't find any others spec'd out like mine in their network. This is Chapman BMW in Phoenix.

I thought about taking them up on the pre-inspection to see what I could be potentially dinged on. I can tell you that two wheels have minor curb rash, the windshield was replaced with a non BMW branded windshield (long story) and I have some minor scratches on the front bumper due to a damn shredded tire on the freeway. Not too noticeable unless you really look for them.

My question is this, do I even waste my time getting the inspection done at this point in time? I'd like to know what they're going to ding me on, but I know they just want me to come in to get me into another lease. At least that's my thoughts.

Even if I was to get into another lease, which is a slim chance, it would be the M340i which won't be available until November.

I also wouldn't mind buying my current car outright at lease end, but judging from some threads I've read here, that probably won't work in my favor. Doesn't seem BMW likes to budge on the RV.

What to do, what to do...

Wait until lease end. You have no bargaining power and won't be able to negotiate a good deal as they'll hold your remaining payments over your head. Even if they waived same, you'd now be stuck with a non-negotiated monthly lease price on your new vehicle. Moreover, you know the car you would be interested is not available. But hey, as soon as the new 340's arrive, I'd be down there for a pre-inspection and test drive.

[TheBingoBalls]

I wouldn't bother. There is absolutely no incentive financially for you to even consider. At best they could do a pull-ahead but that would be only 4 payments so you would still need to cover 5 payments and if you're interested in the M340i, the initial rates and residual are going to be terrible. You mix in terrible rates/residual with your remaining payments, that's going to be one very expensive lease for a M340i.

[Gen13 F36]

Yup without getting a clean slate offer ....I won't bother either.

[laidback93]

Thanks guys and totally agree with you. I'm going to hold off until December and stop worrying for now.

And yes, the initial rates and lack of incentives on the M340i is going to be terrible.

Makes me wonder if I should extend my lease for a bit.

[BEM-S4]

Once you have 3 payments remaining they'll start giving you incentives to buy. I just bought my F31 and got $4k rebate from BMW.

[laidback93]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

Once you have 3 payments remaining they'll start giving you incentives to buy. I just bought my F31 and got $4k rebate from BMW.

Really? They gave you a 4K rebate to buy your F31 outright? That's great news.

I keep reading stories about BMW not budging at all on lease buyouts.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by laidback93

I hate to start another lease thread, but here it goes.

I have 9 months left on my 340i lease and BMW already hit me up for a pre-inspection. Seems a bit premature, but maybe they want my car since I can't find any others spec'd out like mine in their network. This is Chapman BMW in Phoenix.

I thought about taking them up on the pre-inspection to see what I could be potentially dinged on. I can tell you that two wheels have minor curb rash, the windshield was replaced with a non BMW branded windshield (long story) and I have some minor scratches on the front bumper due to a damn shredded tire on the freeway. Not too noticeable unless you really look for them.

My question is this, do I even waste my time getting the inspection done at this point in time? I'd like to know what they're going to ding me on, but I know they just want me to come in to get me into another lease. At least that's my thoughts.

Even if I was to get into another lease, which is a slim chance, it would be the M340i which won't be available until November.

I also wouldn't mind buying my current car outright at lease end, but judging from some threads I've read here, that probably won't work in my favor. Doesn't seem BMW likes to budge on the RV.

What to do, what to do...

The purpose of the pre-inspection is to get you at the dealer so you can use them to fix all the little problems with the car that they find so they can make money. BMW will send you a kit where you can do all the measurements to see if you need to fix anything. But even then, on the day you return the car, if you get another car, most likely the dealer will let things slide.

Additionally, yes, they will try and get you to do a pull ahead and lease a new car.

You can do a lease extension, which I have done, if you want to wait on the M340i. You can get 2 months no questions asked. You will get some additional miles and your payment will be the same as it is now. However, you will have to pay for the registration, but iirc part of that is refundable upon completion of the lease extension, my memory is fuzzy, call to check.

To get an additional 3 months, you will have to have a new BMW on order and a PO#.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by laidback93

Really? They gave you a 4K rebate to buy your F31 outright? That's great news.

I keep reading stories about BMW not budging at all on lease buyouts.

Well dealers used to buy then do a pass through deal and sell to you for less than residual. Then BMW banned that and nothing was happening. Now they're doing the rebates.

My F31 yes the buyout was residual less the $4k free money. My F23 for example is due in June and the rebate is only $900 now. Will see what happens once I'm closer to end, seems it varies quite a bit car to car and month to month.

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by laidback93

I hate to start another lease thread, but here it goes.

I have 9 months left on my 340i lease and BMW already hit me up for a pre-inspection. Seems a bit premature, but maybe they want my car since I can't find any others spec'd out like mine in their network. This is Chapman BMW in Phoenix.

I thought about taking them up on the pre-inspection to see what I could be potentially dinged on. I can tell you that two wheels have minor curb rash, the windshield was replaced with a non BMW branded windshield (long story) and I have some minor scratches on the front bumper due to a damn shredded tire on the freeway. Not too noticeable unless you really look for them.

My question is this, do I even waste my time getting the inspection done at this point in time? I'd like to know what they're going to ding me on, but I know they just want me to come in to get me into another lease. At least that's my thoughts.

Even if I was to get into another lease, which is a slim chance, it would be the M340i which won't be available until November.

I also wouldn't mind buying my current car outright at lease end, but judging from some threads I've read here, that probably won't work in my favor. Doesn't seem BMW likes to budge on the RV.

What to do, what to do...

Read the letter carefully. BMWFS does not send you out a letter for pre-inspection 9 months out.

However, unlike other responses, I see no downside to finding out lease turn in issues in advance.

[laidback93]

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

Read the letter carefully. BMWFS does not send you out a letter for pre-inspection 9 months out.

However, unlike other responses, I see no downside to finding out lease turn in issues in advance.

The letter came from my local BMW dealer, not BMWFS. Which leads me to believe they want to relieve me of my 340i and put me into an X3.

The SA sure tried a few months ago. UGH

[328iX]

A lease is a lease, nobody is forcing you to do anything, if you don't want too, you don't have too. Why is this even a discussion.

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by laidback93

The letter came from my local BMW dealer, not BMWFS. Which leads me to believe they want to relieve me of my 340i and put me into an X3.

The SA sure tried a few months ago. UGH

Your OP stated it came from BMW as opposed to the Dealer, which is why I suggested it was not from BMW.

[laidback93]

Originally Posted by 328dX

A lease is a lease, nobody is forcing you to do anything, if you don't want too, you don't have too. Why is this even a discussion.

So helpful...

I received some good advice here.

If you don't like it, move on the the next thread.

[quikM2]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

Well dealers used to buy then do a pass through deal and sell to you for less than residual. Then BMW banned that and nothing was happening. Now they're doing the rebates.

My F31 yes the buyout was residual less the $4k free money. My F23 for example is due in June and the rebate is only $900 now. Will see what happens once I'm closer to end, seems it varies quite a bit car to car and month to month.

Here is my question and BMW Canada might be different but with the market value likely to drop fairly quick on 17's and 18's when there 3-4 lease ends as new model year and the heavily discounted 18's on lots still into 2019 when a lease ends if RV and real world value differ by a lot what is to prevent you 'handing' the car back to dealer. they turn around and cpo it or whatever and list it on their lot for what market value they can get which is lower than RV and then you go buy it with the CPO financing. my point is if there is a high RV but market is much less nobody will buy out the car and they will take a loss on the resale so where is the middle ground?

[narcolept]

Originally Posted by quikM2

Here is my question and BMW Canada might be different but with the market value likely to drop fairly quick on 17's and 18's when there 3-4 lease ends as new model year and the heavily discounted 18's on lots still into 2019 when a lease ends if RV and real world value differ by a lot what is to prevent you 'handing' the car back to dealer. they turn around and cpo it or whatever and list it on their lot for what market value they can get which is lower than RV and then you go buy it with the CPO financing. my point is if there is a high RV but market is much less nobody will buy out the car and they will take a loss on the resale so where is the middle ground?

There's a financial penalty to the dealer from BMWNA for doing this - I believe if the car is registered to the previous owner or same address after being sold as CPO, they get hit with a 'fine'

[quikM2]

Originally Posted by narcolept

There's a financial penalty to the dealer from BMWNA for doing this - I believe if the car is registered to the previous owner or same address after being sold as CPO, they get hit with a 'fine'

Must be a work around on that though if you get your wife etc. to buy it and register to a business address or if you moved it would be a new address. Either way seems petty by BMW as what reasonable person would expect someone to buy out the car at a RV that far exceeds current market... It would be fair as in the example above that they would offer you an incentive to buy the car out to discount it to reflect market.

[chiefneil]

Agree with others that it’s not worth a trip to the dealer at this point. When you’re a month or two out, then maybe it’ll be worthwhile but only if there’s stuff you’re on the fence about fixing. When we turned in my daughter’s Mini the dealer let a couple minor scratches and a little curb rash go since we were leasing a 230i as a replacement, so you have some leeway if you plan to get another BMW.

[BEM-S4]

If you do end up turning the car in BE SURE to have your dealer do an inspection and get a written copy of the report. If you don't do that, it will get inspected at auction and you'll get slammed for every little thing.

[luckstr]

Originally Posted by quikM2

Must be a work around on that though if you get your wife etc. to buy it and register to a business address or if you moved it would be a new address. Either way seems petty by BMW as what reasonable person would expect someone to buy out the car at a RV that far exceeds current market... It would be fair as in the example above that they would offer you an incentive to buy the car out to discount it to reflect market.

I agree with you 100% about this, but on the other hand we (leasees) sign a contract with the RV known when we get car, so rather than bitch about it, while it would be fair and customer orientated for BMW to reduce RV to close to market value at time of turn-in (I certainly would love this) I knew what I would pay for this car when I turned it in; I signed the paperwork voluntarily. As I said I would love BMW to let me buy out at market value, and would think BMW is really great to work with, but I am not going to be mad because they may hold me to what I and they agreed to 2 1/2 years ago.

[quikM2]

Originally Posted by luckstr

I agree with you 100% about this, but on the other hand we (leasees) sign a contract with the RV known when we get car, so rather than bitch about it, while it would be fair and customer orientated for BMW to reduce RV to close to market value at time of turn-in (I certainly would love this) I knew what I would pay for this car when I turned it in; I signed the paperwork voluntarily. As I said I would love BMW to let me buy out at market value, and would think BMW is really great to work with, but I am not going to be mad because they may hold me to what I and they agreed to 2 1/2 years ago.

I think most if not all on here are well aware of how a lease works in terms of RV and what signing a contract means but thank you... I also don't think anyone was 'bitching' about it at all. We were discussing the business aspect and what would be more on an incentive in these situations - hence the point of a forum for discussion. There is also the flip side where the RV is lower than market. I had that happen when I went to return my 12 S4 and my intention was to buy it out and sell it. Audi offered me $5k to give it back to them at the end of my lease instead.

[agentorange]

I'll never forget my one and only lease experience. It was with Toyota on a minivan for my first wife. The BS they tried on the residual value was laughable. The van had been superseded by a new model, but they were still after over 60% of the purchase cost after four years. I flat out laughed at the person on the phone.

As the lease drew to a close the weirdness really kicked up. First, Toyota told me NOT to return the vehicle to the dealership it came from. Turns out some of the dealerships in that chain had been "losing" lease return vehicles. I thought the term was stealing, but I'm not in the motor trade and they often describe things oddly.

Just before the last payment, the RV plummeted by 33%. I was fit to be tied because I'd already had to go out and buy my wife a replacement vehicle at MSRP. Sis-in-law ended up taking it at the new price, but the short version is that Toyota cost me $14k. I would burst my bladder rather than take a whizz on a Toyota lease person on fire.

TL;DR version: If I was the OP I'd ignore the letters from the dealer and wait for the RV to drop. If it doesn't try reminding BMW that his vehicle is now a superseded model.