AC_S5

Come on, cars are luxury goods. If you are really concern about things like resale value and depreciation, I would suggest you get a pre-owned one and let those people take the hit on resale. I personally just look at the car, if I like it and is within budget I would get it, unless I know a facelift will come out like next month maybe I will hold.

Next time before buying any car, I would search the web for forums like this one as I am sure people on forums are more informed and honest than the sales guy at the dealer who only care about commission

TC.

I completely agree - at the end of the day you will always loose out it - the only variable is how much!!! I have learnt alot by using these types of forums; case inpoint is e60.net - I started looking for forums as soon as became interested in the car and it was on here that I picked up about the potential facelift which in turn helped me 'manage' the dealer to the point whereby I am now going to be one of the first in the UK to have an LCI car..........it wouldn't have happened without a forum.......and not just any forum of course!

Uk525i

Of course BMW are not alone in this, a couple of years ago I tested a Volvo S60 ( dont laugh ! ). I enguired about any forthcoming facelift. Dealer said he hadn't heard of one. A month later, facelifted model on the forecourt!.
They either know nothing about the product, or are purely interested in selling boxes. I suspect the latter.

bargamon

I asked my dealer and they had no idea. Unless they troll around they don't know a thing until the official word is out and they are given information directly. Is this right? Well, yeah.

What we "presumed" to be true was really speculation and unofficial words.

I don't know how long I have known there was a change coming, but I suppose it was logical. Especially once the 3 series got its new motors. ANd since that was in the works and speculated about for a while, I'd have to say its been at least 6 months that any model change was forth coming and talked about.

Getting on line AFTER the fact is kinda just bitching.

Now, here in the U.S. the lease incentives have been excellent and it kinda compensates for any loss of the new and cool factor. I like leasing for a variety of reasons.

I could have waited. IN fact, I won't get my 530i for another month. I think the price will go up.

I am perfectly happy with what I am getting. The changes are not that radical and it won't diminish my car. It won't be anything less than what I signed up for.

Really, in this day and age of information, it really must fall on the consumer to be knowlegable about some things regarding out health and finances. Spending 50k or more and know understanding these things is nobodys fault but the buyer. And if really pisses you off, then really it should have been investigated prior.

Beating up your salesman is really not fair. His job is to sell cars, not consult with you and make sure your not going to have hurt feelings.

If you have a salesman that have had multiple sales from over the years, then perhaps a heads up should be in order. That I can agree with.

colejl

The information was embargoed until 5th January. The facelift/update has been rumoured on these forums for at least 6 months.

It's annoying but at least the 520d has been least affected.

Ant 550

We can agree to disagree. I asked a question to then point blank Nov 14th no update that THEY knew about I don't believe it because this was the last 550 on the lot and they wanted to move it before the first snow. Yes you are right to a degree on finding things on your own but this is not the first car I purchased from them. As a matteer of fact I just spent 1 hour on the phone with BMWUS they said they were not aware of the issues that I'm having with software and they will look into it. To me I just find that difficult to swallow.

doug_999

You are joking right? Cause the resale on the 5 is tops in its class - nothing better.

Dealers tend to be clueless -there are maybe two on this board (they are EXCELLENT from what I have heard). Personally if I were a BMW dealer I would be all over these boards. I assure you that my sales guy (who I won't deal with again) still doesn't know the 5 is being refreshed and coming out in March/April.

My personal take on the 08 is that it has some nice things - but you would need to wait until June production to get the new auto and I personally don't want to be one of the first ones to have that transmission - so figure later in the year and then you also get the better money factors. So
Choice a) - get your car now
Choice b) - wait until late 07 for the refresh with trans bugs worked out (and I'm still betting that most of us will not be able to tell an 08 from an 07 from a distance), pay a higher cost, higher Money Factor and have the newer car.

I think bargamon got a good deal on a great car - and would not have wanted to wait another 12 months.

Raighne

For fun, I called sales at two Irish BMW dealers today to ask them when they would have info and pricing on the facelift (a.k.a. Life-Cycle-Impulse).

Surprise, surprise. They had not even heard it had been announced and said with quite a smug tone that no info or pictures were available. I mentioned that I had seen photographs online and with quite a somewhat snide tone they inquired what website, perchance, I had seen them on. When I told them it was all over bmw.com there was a hint of embarrassed silence.

Most car salespeople aren't really interested in cars or serving the customer. There primary interest is in making money and meeting their sales targets. What each of them doesn't realise is their lack of product knowledge and customer focus umtilmately might lose them their commission.

aybeesea

Until September 2007.

Just in case anyone gets to ordeing one in July/August.

ABC

colejl

...the 4-pot gets updated to be really peaky - nice