New Z4 buyer, looking for buying advice

[HenryHank]

Hello Everyone!

I'm new to the Z4 scene, but not new to BMWs. (I have an E39 M5 and used to have a E36 325i).

I'm in the market for a E89 Z4 (used), and have a couple of quick questions.

I've found a perfect Z4, but it has the wood trim on the console and dash -- how hard (and expensive) is it to swap that out for brushed metal or CF?

Also, in the used market from BMW dealers, how much do you think they'll negotiate down for a cash buyer at the end of the year? For instance, I'm looking at one 2011 Z4 for $46,500 and another '09 for $41,700. My trade-in (a 2005 Merc SLK350 LOADED) is worth about $20k in trade (according to KBB). Do you think I can go into the first dealer with my '05 SLK and a $25k bank check to make a deal on the '11, or a $20k bank check on the second?

I basically want to walk in with my trade-in and a check, and drive away with the Z4 and very little negotiations in under an hour. Possible?

Thanks, and I look forward to joining the gang here when I get a Z4.

-Hank

[STOOF]

If KBB trade-in is 20k, youll prob get more like 15k.

Dont be in such a rush to walk in and make a deal and leave.

Go in, negotiate the price of the car and negotiate the value of your trade-in, then go get a check.

[ChuckB]

The interior trim is easy to replace, pretty much pops in and out.

[Jayda]

I had been looking for a slightly used Z4 for a couple of months and located one off cars.com (CPO, 2009 35i with 4,500 miles). I have always read negotiate the price of the car without the trade. However, I was trading in a 2011 BMW 1 series and I knew I would be losing money but it was a question of how much. If I could not get a "decent" trade in, I really would have waited awhile on the Z4 (decent is in quotes because you really never win trading in a car, especially a fairly new one). Anyway, I already had a loan set up. I negotiated via email and then over the phone since it was an out of state purchase. I told the dealer what I would be willing to pay for the car and what I wanted for the trade. I emailed and indicated my "deal" for the Z4 and the trade. First phone call from them was "sorry" the car is "competively priced". I said "fine, let me know if it sits awhile, I am interested but you know what I will pay". Second call from them "OK well give you the Z4 for the price you want but we can't get to your price on the trade". I said, "again let me know if the car sits and your willing to deal on the trade, I am interested but you know what I will pay". Third call from them "congratualtions we have a deal"! All this in about 40 minutes. Bottom line is I feel like I got a good deal but I didn't totally low ball them (had done my homework on what the Z4's are going for around here) and I knew relistically they wouldn't give KKB on my car even though it was virtually new. I also had a loan set up (prior to starting to deal and they knew this) and it was the end of the month. I think if you are clearly ready to buy most dealers will deal. I wanted a Z4 when I bought my 1 series but tried to be practical. I love the Z4 because you see so few them and it is just plain old fun to drive. I do not regret selling the 1 series (yet). Hopefully the Z4 will prove to be a great choice in the long run.

PS- Also, all my paperwork was prepared when I got to the dealer. I was into and out of the dealer in under two hours and on my way home with a gorgeous AW car. I am a female and I will never NOT have done alot of homework before buying a car, they really take advantage of the gender I think (sorry ladies).

[xnav]

I wouldn't be too quick to replace the trim. Top down, the sun reflection off the wood can be annoying, off the brushed metal can be blinding!

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by xnav

I wouldn't be too quick to replace the trim. Top down, the sun reflection off the wood can be annoying, off the brushed metal can be blinding!

I personally have never experienced glare from the brushed aluminum trim (probably because it's 'matted' and not smooth metallic). However, the fake? metal parts on the steering wheel (where the buttons are: non M steering wheel model) have glare when the sun shines in a specific angle (luckily rarely, still): you'd think that the German engineers would be smart enough not to put anything reflective in the cockpit.

[marcw]

Rushing on a used car isn't a good idea. You will seem way too eager to get THIS car. Don't let them know that only this one will do cause it has all the options, low mileage, etc etc that you are looking for. The dealer is to believe that you are doing him a favor taking it off the lot not the other way around. Otherwise you'll never get a good deal. This is different than buying new where the dealer knows he has to compete with every other dealer.

Dealer trades by nature are a complete ripoff. If you have the cash just buy the car and sell the Mercedes privately and get a lot more money for it than you'll ever get from a dealer.

[rmorin49]

I recently purchased a 335d to add to my stable. I had a very nice 2008 VW R32 as a trade. I was the original owner, it had just under 50K miles, a little above average for a 2008. I got on Autotrader and had several dealers interested in buying it. I shopped it to the 2 highest offers and then used that as a negotiating tool at the BMW dealer. Took about 30 minutes but after getting their best price on a no-trade deal, I asked about trading the R32. It took about another 20 minutes to get the used car manager to give me an amount equal to the highest offer through Autotrader. I think it helped that the BMW dealer also had a VW dealership next door owned by the same company. At any rate, trading a car is usually not the best way to go financially but finding a cash buyer for a used car in this economy is not easy unless you have a very desirable, rare car.

The E89 Z4 is a very nice car and much nicer than the Benz SLK. Good luck.

[09cbb]

Originally Posted by rmorin49

I recently purchased a 335d to add to my stable. I had a very nice 2008 VW R32 as a trade. I was the original owner, it had just under 50K miles, a little above average for a 2008. I got on Autotrader and had several dealers interested in buying it. I shopped it to the 2 highest offers and then used that as a negotiating tool at the BMW dealer. Took about 30 minutes but after getting their best price on a no-trade deal, I asked about trading the R32. It took about another 20 minutes to get the used car manager to give me an amount equal to the highest offer through Autotrader. I think it helped that the BMW dealer also had a VW dealership next door owned by the same company. At any rate, trading a car is usually not the best way to go financially but finding a cash buyer for a used car in this economy is not easy unless you have a very desirable, rare car.

The E89 Z4 is a very nice car and much nicer than the Benz SLK. Good luck.

I agree. I paid cash outright for my Z4. There quite a few people in other forums who told me that they got a better deal for theirs. After some probing, it turned out that they traded in cars. So while the price of the new car seems lower, so will the price for the trade-in.

When I bought my Audi A7 I paid cash as well and then sold my 08 TT 3.2 on cars.com for about $32,000. The dealer's final offer was $27,000 - and that was higher than the previous dealer. He didn't like it when I paid cash without a trade-in. It makes the price very transparent and comparable.

For your trade-in, they will buy it for whatever they think they can get for it at an auction as last resort if they cannot sell it otherwise.

[rmorin49]

Originally Posted by 09cbb

I agree. I paid cash outright for my Z4. There quite a few people in other forums who told me that they got a better deal for theirs. After some probing, it turned out that they traded in cars. So while the price of the new car seems lower, so will the price for the trade-in.

When I bought my Audi A7 I paid cash as well and then sold my 08 TT 3.2 on cars.com for about $32,000. The dealer's final offer was $27,000 - and that was higher than the previous dealer. He didn't like it when I paid cash without a trade-in. It makes the price very transparent and comparable.

For your trade-in, they will buy it for whatever they think they can get for it at an auction as last resort if they cannot sell it otherwise.

Exactly. Most dealers now use the latest auction prices as their guide on trades instead of the traditional NADA or other used car pricing guides. In my area there are about 15 different auction houses including Mannheim so it is very competitive. Sometimes you will luck out and end up at a dealer who thinks they have a potential buyer for the car you are trading and they will give a better trade price because they feel they can turn it around quickly at retail. I had this happen once when I traded a MINI Cooper S convertible. They actually asked me to wait at the dealer while they called someone who came to look at it and they offered me cash on the spot that was about mid-way between wholesale(auction) value and retail.

[HenryHank]

Originally Posted by STOOF

If KBB trade-in is 20k, youll prob get more like 15k.

Two BMW dealers already told me "we can't really give you a trade-in value sight-unseen, but check out what KBB gives you for trade-in value, and we'll be close to that."

KBB "trade-in" value is $19,500 for the Mercedes. It's fully loaded and even has a third-party bumper-to-bumper warranty from GE for a few more months, so I think $20k for trade-in is a fair value.


Thanks for the rest of your comments. I'll hold off on taking a check in and wait for them to come back to me to make a fair deal.

Glad to hear the trim is replaceable... I don't care about sun glare.

I'll keep you posted on what happens.

[HenryHank]

Originally Posted by marcw

Dealer trades by nature are a complete ripoff. If you have the cash just buy the car and sell the Mercedes privately and get a lot more money for it than you'll ever get from a dealer.

I've been trying to sell the Mercedes on Cars.com and Globalautosports.com for two years now. It's a hard car to sell in this market.

I know it's an obvious money loosing proposition to trade in the car to a dealer, but I really don't want to own two BMWs and the Merc. I only have so many parking spots. There's also a little sales tax savings by trading in the Merc.

[Jayda]

Originally Posted by HenryHank

I've been trying to sell the Mercedes on Cars.com and Globalautosports.com for two years now. It's a hard car to sell in this market.

I know it's an obvious money loosing proposition to trade in the car to a dealer, but I really don't want to own two BMWs and the Merc. I only have so many parking spots. There's also a little sales tax savings by trading in the Merc.

I also tried to sell my 1 series myself (auto trader and cars.com) but had only one call in a month and a half. I decided to trade it in, fully aware I was losing money. I had put $20,000 into the car so I wasn't in the hole at all and still had a chunk to put into the Z4. I would have made out better selling it on my own, but I was surprised at the total lack of interest in the 1 series. One non BMW dealer offered me 22,000 for a 2011 128i (premium package) with 11,000 miles (I would never give the car away like that)! I ended up trading it for $3,000 less than I bought it for on the z4. It was a loss but an acceptable loss for me.

[09cbb]

Originally Posted by Jayda

I also tried to sell my 1 series myself (auto trader and cars.com) but had only one call in a month and a half. I decided to trade it in, fully aware I was losing money. I had put $20,000 into the car so I wasn't in the hole at all and still had a chunk to put into the Z4. I would have made out better selling it on my own, but I was surprised at the total lack of interest in the 1 series. One non BMW dealer offered me 22,000 for a 2011 128i (premium package) with 11,000 miles (I would never give the car away like that)! I ended up trading it for $3,000 less than I bought it for on the z4. It was a loss but an acceptable loss for me.

I was lucky with my 08 TT 3.2. I bought it in Oct 2008 and the beginning of the financial crisis for $36,000. It had 6,000 miles on it and had every option you could order. In April 2011 I sold it for $32,000 with 23,000 miles. The buyer wanted exactly that car and so it was gone within 1 week.

How about ebay? You can set a reserve price and Buy Now with Best Offer. I think this gives you the best picture of where the market sees your car.

[HenryHank]

I don't like ebay.. I've checked "completed" auctions, and only a very few actually close, for prices WAY below market value. I find ebay to be a last-ditch effort to sell a car with no reserve.

[timwhayden]

I have sold my last 2 cars (Lotus Esprit V8 and '70 Chevelle) on Ebay. One was actually through the auction (rare) and the other was a private transaction that was because of the Ebay exposure. Many dealers (probably most) and private sellers use Ebay as cheap advertisement with lots of pictures and exposure for very little money and then the car is sold after the auction officially ends after phone or email negotiation with someone who saw it on Ebay. So I see no downside to using Ebay and may just sell it faster than just Cars.com,Autotrader.com etc (which I also used on those 2 cars).

[fisherman]

I also had very good luck on Ebay- sold a classic Mercedes SL at a very good price. Luckily, I had several bidders who all wanted the car, and i got more than I had expected.
I was very honest in the ad, and pointed out some very minor flaws, but I got feedback from bidders that they appreciated the candor and the amount of detail included.

[HerrK]

Originally Posted by ChuckB

The interior trim is easy to replace, pretty much pops in and out.

HenryHank,

It will cost you about $1200 for all the brushed alum trim, which really does not reflect as much as the gloss coated wood or CF due to it satin and brushed finish.

[HenryHank]

great, thanks. A little more than I thought, but I really dislike the wood trim look.

[09cbb]

Originally Posted by HenryHank

great, thanks. A little more than I thought, but I really dislike the wood trim look.

Is the car one of the ubiquitous black on red? When I was looking for mine, they were everywhere (must have been a release vehicle setup). I also disliked the wood trim. It completely clashes with the red interior - I couldn't even look at it.

[HenryHank]

nope.. I'm looking for red or blue exterior.

[Jayda]

Originally Posted by HenryHank

nope.. I'm looking for red or blue exterior.

What exterior color. I like red interiors on white, gray and black.