[Wills2]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Chap on Pistonheads managing to get £19k off a factory order X4MC which almost certainly equates to over 20% even with options; suggests there are still a few good deals around albeit not as common across the whole range as they were pre-pandemic?

I think the best deal I saw in Dec 2019 on the X4MC was £529 per month or about 25k off, my X3MC was around 23k off, plus they have raised the retails by about 1-2k since then (I think)

I certainly think that BMW decided to shift some of the units they had lying around with the deals in winter 2019/20.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by JD6

I had forgotten that you tried an M850i. Much as I would like a final V8 before they’re killed off (I have had 3 V8 BMWs so far) I think that will be out of reach for me unfortunately.

It’s certainly a feel-good car and a well-deserved reward for a GP after the year he must have had!

I keep seeing an M8 GC locally and it certainly catches the eye! One day maybe.....

[225]

Originally Posted by JNW1

The chap I mentioned on Pistonheads said similar deals were available on the X3MC to what he'd been offered on the X4 equivalent. The discounted price is obviously still higher than (say) an X3 M40i but apparently the superior residuals mean there's not a huge difference in monthly cost on a PCP if that's important to you? I'd imagine the X3M also comes better equipped as standard and therefore needs fewer of those options that tend to inflate the monthlies.....

After I was tempted by an x4m they are just a bit too hard core ride wise to cart the family and dog around.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by JNW1

I think the best deal I saw in Dec 2019 on the X4MC was £529 per month or about 25k off, my X3MC was around 23k off, plus they have raised the retails by about 1-2k since then (I think)

I certainly think that BMW decided to shift some of the units they had lying around with the deals in winter 2019/20.

Yes, the bloke on Pistonheads admits his deal isn't quite as a good as the ones from Q4 2019! Nevertheless, over 20% on a factory order seems decent in the current market; I get the impression the percentage discounts on cars like the M340i and X3 M40i are more like low to mid-teens at the moment?

[Sennen]

Originally Posted by JD6

I had forgotten that you tried an M850i. Much as I would like a final V8 before they’re killed off (I have had 3 V8 BMWs so far) I think that will be out of reach for me unfortunately.

It’s certainly a feel-good car and a well-deserved reward for a GP after the year he must have had!

The M850i is an amazing car but I think your 840i is the sweet spot

[JD6]

Originally Posted by Sennen

The M850i is an amazing car but I think your 840i is the sweet spot

It is about 200kg lighter than the M850i which must make it feel more nimble. I have never felt the 840i was lacking urgency - 500Nm and an excellent gearbox helps.

I do rather like the V8 growl though and the 50i engine does sound particularly good. You’re probably right, just a case of the grass looking greener...

[sahajesh]

Originally Posted by Sennen

Maybe get a transit and bung some deck chairs in it

Call it the X7 with the Captain's Chairs

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by JD6

It is about 200kg lighter than the M850i which must make it feel more nimble. I have never felt the 840i was lacking urgency - 500Nm and an excellent gearbox helps.

I do rather like the V8 growl though and the 50i engine does sound particularly good. You’re probably right, just a case of the grass looking greener...

I liked the V8 growl but not the mass of the car - so if they could shove it in a 3 series and keep it nimble that would be fab.

But I have to say the RS4 is definitely a great car, and I prefer it as an ownership proposition to the M5. Its most definitely not a better car, but it suits what I want better...

[Tengocity]

I listen to the Stephanomics podcast from Bloomberg, and this week they were reporting that container ships logistics is utterly screwed up and there's dozens of ships stuck waiting for berths at most of the largest container ports around the world. Many businesses are struggling to get space and the price has gone up as much as 5 fold the previous typical costs.

The knock on effects to supply chains are considerable by the sounds of it. My guess is car production is going to be lower for some time.

I think we will see inflation kick up pretty soon too.

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Yes, the bloke on Pistonheads admits his deal isn't quite as a good as the ones from Q4 2019! Nevertheless, over 20% on a factory order seems decent in the current market; I get the impression the percentage discounts on cars like the M340i and X3 M40i are more like low to mid-teens at the moment?

No not a bad deal at all, they gave them away in dec 2019 really.

[JD6]

Originally Posted by Goneinsixtyseconds

I keep seeing an M8 GC locally and it certainly catches the eye! One day maybe.....

I have actually never seen one. I have only seen I think two or three 8GCs of any variety in the wild (not on a dealer’s forecourt). Admittedly I haven’t driven as far as usual over the last year, but still around 10k miles

[Sennen]

Originally Posted by JD6

It is about 200kg lighter than the M850i which must make it feel more nimble. I have never felt the 840i was lacking urgency - 500Nm and an excellent gearbox helps.

I do rather like the V8 growl though and the 50i engine does sound particularly good. You’re probably right, just a case of the grass looking greener...

From memory JD6 I think the RRP of the M850i is just over 100k and whilst I have never driven the 840i i find it hard to believe the M850i is worth another 30k.

I think the 840i is also RWD which in my book is always preferable to 4WD on the fun scale.

[JD6]

Originally Posted by Sennen

From memory JD6 I think the RRP of the M850i is just over 100k and whilst I have never driven the 840i i find it hard to believe the M850i is worth another 30k.

I think the 840i is also RWD which in my book is always preferable to 4WD on the fun scale.

You’re right - £74.5k and £101.5k - a difference of £27k! Seems pretty crazy for an identical looking car with the same interior, 2 extra cylinders and xDrive. Presumably it has a few more toys, but very hard to justify the price difference.

I like RWD too although right now it’s a bit of a handful on summer tyres! I only switch the Mini to winters.

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

I think we will see inflation kick up pretty soon too.

It does feel that way, things certainly aren't getting cheaper, the issue ofcourse is if inflation starts going up so well interest rates and that's when the debt burden for the whole country will be felt. It has to happen some time, cheap credit/quantative easing means money is already becoming more worthless every day, thats before any of the normal factors associated with inflation.

The problem is than who is going to buy £100k cars if cheap finance isn't there?

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by gangzoom

It does feel that way, things certainly aren't getting cheaper, the issue ofcourse is if inflation starts going up so well interest rates and that's when the debt burden for the whole country will be felt. It has to happen some time, cheap credit/quantative easing means money is already becoming more worthless every day, thats before any of the normal factors associated with inflation.

The problem is than who is going to buy £100k cars if cheap finance isn't there?

Whilst many are worse off because of the lockdowns there are plenty of folk with money to spend having inadvertently been saving the past year, and a lot of pent up demand to go with it. Despite government support there will be plenty of capacity lost in the supply side of the economy, certainly over the shorter term.

If inflation does take off, it's not clear that governments would rush to quell it given how much they and the consumer needs low interest rates to keep the music going.

We have asset price bubbles all over the place, and eventually they'll have to pop. It's been a great party, but everything comes to an end eventually.

And you're absolutely right, those high margin expensive cars that the manufacturers want to sell... hardly anyone is buying them without credit.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

I listen to the Stephanomics podcast from Bloomberg, and this week they were reporting that container ships logistics is utterly screwed up and there's dozens of ships stuck waiting for berths at most of the largest container ports around the world. Many businesses are struggling to get space and the price has gone up as much as 5 fold the previous typical costs.

The knock on effects to supply chains are considerable by the sounds of it. My guess is car production is going to be lower for some time.

I think we will see inflation kick up pretty soon too.

Up from 9.3 to 0.6% I thought already

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by JD6

I have actually never seen one. I have only seen I think two or three 8GCs of any variety in the wild (not on a dealer’s forecourt). Admittedly I haven’t driven as far as usual over the last year, but still around 10k miles

I was surprised when I saw it. They must be pretty rare things. Seen it 3 or 4 times now, and as the only time I’m out is for a couple of miles of walking near my house, it must be based pretty local.

I’ll try and grab a pic next time I see it. Looks much better in the flesh than it does in pics. And it looks like a lot of money, unlike some other expensive cars.

[Sennen]

The 8 imo is the best looking car in the BMW range by some margin and at circa 54k it is one heck of a lot of car for the money.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by Sennen

The 8 imo is the best looking car in the BMW range by some margin and at circa 54k it is one heck of a lot of car for the money.

You could buy 2, cash from under the mattress....

Think you should, bout time we had another new BMW to look at on here!

[Sennen]

Originally Posted by Goneinsixtyseconds

You could buy 2, cash from under the mattress....

Think you should, bout time we had another new BMW to look at on here!

It is far too big for my needs nowadays, it is what I call a 'Status' car much like the FFRR and I am really not into that thing nowadays. Fabulous car though and I would certainly say it is worth the little extra outlay over M440i Coupe but I quite like that too.