monacobmw

Hi,
I have not been here in a while. Well, my 3 year lease is up in May. I have a 2007 530i (see below for description). I want to do another 3 year lease. Actually, as you can see below, I actually want to do a 2 year lease, but the residual is horrible, so I am stuck with 3 years.

I really wanted to wait until the newly designed 5-series will be out, but now I am stuck. If I do a 3-year lease, I will get stuck with an old design car for a couple of years. I hate driving around with a car that is an older design when the new models come out.
I understand that the new 5-series design will be out in about 12-15 months.

When I first got my 530i, I never put on all of the mods.
Now, if I go with a 5-series, I can get the Aero Kit and all of the other goodies.
What is the advice on model? 535i or 550i?
I hate the fact that the 550i gets such poor gas mileage. It is not a money issue. It is more of an issue of having to fill my tank all of the time.
If money is not really an issue (but "value" is an issue), is it worth getting the 550i with Aero kit? Is this a good idea considering the change of design by next year? Would you go with the 535i with Aero Kit (I have my #166 wheels from my existing car)?
Would any of you consider other kinds of cars such as Mercedes or Lexus to fill in the gap until the new 5-series design comes out?
What is the good advice here in light of my timing? Thanks in advance for the recommendations.
Best regards,
Richard

swajames

Waiting for a car you've yet to see or drive is a kind of fruitless exercise. There's no reason to doubt that the F10 will be a good car, but it more likely than not that the design is going to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary and much of the technology (engine and in-car) that will feature in the F10 is basically with us already. The F10 will not be the quantum leap from the E60 that the E60 was to the E39.

If I were you, I'd do one of three things:

a) See if you can negotiate a discount on the lease end residual value for your current 530, buy it and keep it. It'll hold you in good stead for as long as you need to think about a replacement.
b) Get a CPO LCI 550 M-Sport. Discounts are stellar with the soft market conditions. Gas mileage is not as bad as you make out.
c) Take a look at the Jag XF, Cadillac CTS, Audi A6 and MB E-Class. I'd personally take the Jag.

ObD

If your lease is with BMWFS you can extend it up to a year.

craigm1841

I had been in a 550 a year back, i was sure i was going to lease a 550. the salesman convinced me to drive the 535 and i was sold. i drove it home the next day for under $600 a month/2500 down. If you really want speed, put the JB3 on the 535 and you will be keeping up with M5s to about 100 MPH and still get good gas milage. if you want to lease, look for what BMW calls an MSO. it is a manufacturer demo, massive savings $$$

luigi524td

If you're a BMWCCA Member I don't think the club rebate includes MSO's:
Ineligible Vehicles

monacobmw

So what is the BMWCCA benefit?

The dealer is offering me a $2500 rebate and a 3.45% interest rate under an owner loyalty program.
The 3-year residual on a 2009 535i is 59%, 60% on the 550i.
Someone said that the full Aero package with 19" #172 wheels is now available on the 535i. Any truth to this? I see that I can get some type of Aero package on the website, but not with the wheels (which I can buy myself anyway).

If it is only an engine size issue, I would be sold on the 535i for fuel purposes.

Thanks for all of your comments. I appreciate any additional opinions.
After sitting here for a couple of years wishing I had originally went with a lot of mods, it is fun to think that I can get a really nice car this time around.
Yesterday, I saw a 550i (carbon black metallic) with Aero Package and tinted windows. It was beautiful.

BigMike

Wow, Mercedes-Benz offered me an S350 with half of the amount at 1.x% interest. Soon I think all
the dealers will have to give better offers seeing that interest rates are so low....

craigm1841

Sticker on my car was 59K, i got it for 47K. that is a pretty sweet discount. my residual was .57

britus05

I am in the exact same situation but a bit worse, my lease expires in October. I also have the same thinking, I love my 5, hate that I will be in old model for two years after new 5 comes out, but yet can't really imagine driving anything else. Mine is also an 2007 530i silver grey which I love, but my dilemea is new color as I have to have something to make me feel like it is a new car as nothing really has changed on the new vehicles. How do you like your blue? Does it scratch as bad as black does? I have pretty much decided to go with another three year lease, this time on the 535i, and let the bugs get worked out of the F10. By time my lease expires there will be room to deal again as the vehicle has been in service for two years, and hopefully it will make a nice transition from the e60. You could always bump up to the new 7, but boy I am not sold on that styling as of yet. FYI I rode in the new Jag XF a couple of weeks ago and must admit it is pretty sharp, but I can't imagine it drives like a BMW.

Best of luck.

luigi524td

BMWCCA Program ... for newbees or uninformed consumers, this is separate from dealer discounts or BMWNA Program Discounts or Special Purchase/lease Program options.

If you're intending to rent (aka lease) or buy a new or pre-owned BMW you really should know about the BMWCCA and its benefits.

http://stage.bmwcca.org/index.php?pa...ership_rewards