Personally i believe this is the end of it, the arse will fall out of it in the new year and all these people will end up with egg on their face, the market will not sustain these prices when cash for bangers and VAT rises!!

 

Actually, the effect of currency is something I'd overlooked.

IIRC, in the early '90s, something similar happened, because former Eastern-blockers were suddenly buying any decent S/H Golfs, etc they could find, instead of the shit they'd been forced to drive around in.

It was one of the reasons I bought a new MX-5 and why it held its value so very well.

 

Rich

What sort of deals were they offering?

I can't see the point of a used 1-series, given what they sell for (and they do sell) versus the new price (less scrappage)

PM me if you prefer, but I'd just like to know what they were putting on the table

I have told them I am open to anything - pcp, cash, business, private, scrappage, no scrappage, cash, finance, or any combination of those - it all comes down to the deal on offer

But there are also prices out there for a new one - how about £24.5K for a 118D in a dodgy colour

 

Agreed, I've been looking at these too. Pretty much in the same position as Gad.

The ex demonstrators look relatively good value, in the loosest term of the word value!

Sytner

May go and have a nosey around this in the morning though

120d SE

 

the linked car isn't the worst priced one I've seen - a fair few miles for a two year old though

no doubt the only reason for the price

I got the full treatment from sales, ranging from:

"we have cars we need to shift, so they are very keenly priced"

translation - "they are all at list price, but come with a confusing number of 'packs' and model designations, and we don't think you'll check that"

to:

"there's no way these cars and prices will last, especially with VAT going up"

translation - "people fall for this crap all the time, it even works for DFS"

so at the moment, I am seeing some nice cars - but at list prices less scrappage

I am still trying to identify what else is on offer, after the scrappage allowance is deducted

I've given them plenty to play with (see my earlier post) but I am cursed by being in an area where I'm sure many (old, especially) people just pay the list price without complaint

I was thinking that the price between new and used was so small that new made more sense

but if you take that linked car at £13K - it would have been sold for about £20K and bought back in at about £10K and £10K for two years is a lot more than a 1-series is worth to me

 

I agree - but hats off to BMW who can clearly get away with it.

 

Exactly my thoughts on depreciation, that's why the linked car interested me slightly. However, I do about 25000 miles per year and would probably use it for 2 years. With 90k on the clock it's going to be worth about 2 buttons and a piece of fluff when I'd come to get rid.

 

We are the opposite - I doubt the car will do more than 8,000 miles pa, but may be kept for five years

118D has enough performance and car tax is £35 pa!!!

 

Every member of staff at BMW gets a fleet/demonstrator to drive round in for 6 months or 6k miles.
Once that time is up the cars go for a full detail, kerbed wheels are replaced, seats are spruced up (or replaced!) and the car comes out looking brand new and is dropped into the used car market in dealerships.
This means there’s always a good supply of excellent looking single owner, 6 month old BMWs which are being sold at close to list price.
This makes it look like BMWs don’t depreciate as much as other cars.

But of course, a privately owned BMW will depreciate more than a staff owned one that is refurbed before sale.

There’s some cunning accounting involved from BMW’s side that means the people in the fleet cars aren’t nailed by company car tax and the whole load of depreciation can be written off against tax loss… or something like that.

 

Every member of staff?

I'd be surprised, but who knows.

In any event, ownership history will show up.

How exactly do you 'spruce up' a seat?

And I'd be absolutely staggered if a 20,000 mile BMW needed it - let alone replacement

My beemer has over 100k on the clock now and its seats look close to new.

The reality is that some BMWs do not depreciate as much as many other cars.

The proof is what they sell for - contrast that with something like a Ford or Vauxhall