Author: G

09 BMW 3-Series Lease Rates – April 2009

Published by G

logo_bmwMy Take: For the most part, the 3-series got hit with a lower residual value (1%-2%), while the money factors went up for some trims and down for others. The 328 and 335 coupes got a money factor reduction, while the sedans either stayed the same (328) or went up (335). The wagon’s money factor carried over from last month. Overall, the 3-series seem to have stayed around the same price range as last month. I’m not seeing much in terms of customer cash rebates, but low APR financing is still available, so buying seems to be the better option right now on the 3-series since you pay less in interest over the life of the loan. If you are still fixed on leasing and want to get into a coupe, the 1-series is a significantly better lease than the 3-series coupe right now. For those shopping for the M3, the sedan stayed the same as last month; the coupe and convertible experienced a drop in residual value, making the car that much more expensive to lease.

UPDATE: There is $1k dealer cash available on the 328iz for this month.

At Invoice At MSRP
Make/Model Invoice MSRP 24-month 36-month 24-month 36-month
09 BMW 328i Sedan $31,735 $34,425 $525 $426 $615 $505
09 BMW 328i Coupe $34,405 $37,325 $585 $438 $711 $523

NOTE: Estimates assuming the following conditions:

  • Inception fees (1st month payment, DMV, doc fee, bank fee, tire tax and possible security deposit) due at signing.
  • Local Taxes not included.
  • 24-month/15k and 36-month/15k terms.
  • All cars are stock, without any options.
  • No rebates/incentives applied

2009 BMW 3-Series

2009 BMW 328i Sedan
24-month | 15k miles | residual 62% | .00175 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00175 base money factor

2009 BMW 328xi Sedan
24-month | 15k miles | residual 62% | .00175 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00175 base money factor

2009 BMW 328i Coupe
24-month | 15k miles | residual 60% | .00150 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 58% | .00150 base money factor

2009 BMW 328xi Coupe
24-month | 15k miles | residual 61% | .00150 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 58% | .00150 base money factor

2009 BMW 328i Convertible
24-month | 15k miles | residual 62% | .00180 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 58% | .00180 base money factor

2009 BMW 328i Wagon
24-month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00215 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00215 base money factor

2009 BMW 328xi Wagon
24-month | 15k miles | residual 60% | .00215 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00215 base money factor

2009 BMW 335i Sedan
24-month | 15k miles | residual 61% | .00215 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00215 base money factor

2009 BMW 335xi Sedan
24-month | 15k miles | residual 60% | .00215 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00215 base money factor

2009 BMW 335d Sedan
24-month | 15k miles | residual 60% | .00215 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00215 base money factor

2009 BMW 335i Coupe
24-month | 15k miles | residual 60% | .00175 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00175 base money factor

2009 BMW 335xi Coupe
24-month | 15k miles | residual 61% | .00175 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00175 base money factor

2009 BMW 335i Convertible
24-month | 15k miles | residual 61% | .00180 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00180 base money factor

2009 BMW M3 Sedan
24-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00250 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 49% | .00250 base money factor

2009 BMW M3 Coupe
24-month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00250 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00250 base money factor

2009 BMW M3 Convertible
24-month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00250 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 47% | .00250 base money factor

09 BMW 1-Series Lease Rates – April 2009

Published by G

logo_bmwMy Take: Couple of significant improvements on the 1-series lease rates this month. The residual value seems to have carried over from March (good) and the money factor for the 128i coupe, 128i convertible and 135i coupe have dropped. For those who have been looking at the 1-series since last year and never pulled the trigger, now looks like a good time time to get into a 128i or 135i.

  At Invoice At MSRP
Make/Model Invoice MSRP 24-month 36-month 24-month 36-month
09 BMW 128i Coupe $27,875 $30,225 $413 $385 $516 $455

NOTE: Estimates assuming the following conditions:

  • Inception fees (1st month payment, DMV, doc fee, bank fee, tire tax and possible security deposit) will be paid at signing.
  • Local Taxes not included.
  • 24-month/15k and 36-month/15k terms.
  • All cars are stock, without any options.

2009 BMW 1-Series

2009 BMW 128i Coupe
24-month | 15k miles | residual 67% | .00200 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00200 base money factor

2009 BMW 128i Convertible
24-month | 15k miles | residual 68% | .00225 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00225 base money factor

2009 BMW 135i Coupe
24-month | 15k miles | residual 67% | .00220 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00220 base money factor

2009 BMW 135i Convertible
24-month | 15k miles | residual 67% | .00250 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00250 base money factor

Infiniti Owner Recommendation Program

Published by G

From Infiniti Website:

Infiniti owners who received an exclusive offer in the mail are able to recommend to a friend that they purchase or lease a new Infiniti vehicle. When the friend purchases or leases a new Infiniti vehicle, both owners will receive an American Express®-branded award card — worth $150 for the original owner and $500 for the new owner. Should the original owner, or members of their household, choose to purchase or lease a new Infiniti vehicle, they are eligible to receive both cards. After purchase or lease, either the original owner or the friend can enter the redemption code from the mailer and the requested information.

Purchase or lease must be made at an Infiniti Retailer between March 23, 2009 and June 30, 2009. Once the form is completed and verified, American Express®-branded award cards will be mailed within 6 to 8 weeks. You will both be notified by mail if redemption information cannot be verified. If you have not received the card in 8 weeks, please call (800) 426-4283, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CST. Limit one redemption per VIN. Card is issued in the name submitted on the redemption form. Offer must be redeemed before July 31, 2009. Must be 21 or older and have valid driver’s license. This offer is also not valid to Infiniti employees, affiliates or retailers. Void where prohibited by law.

Infiniti Rewards Program Website

The fine print…

Customer must purchase or lease a new Infiniti vehicle from dealer stock at an Infiniti Retailer in the U.S. between March 23, 2009 and June 30, 2009. Offer must be redeemed before July 31, 2009. Limit one redemption per VIN. Owner redemption code can only be used once. This is a private offer and is nontransferable except within household. All American Express®-branded award cards valued at $150 will be mailed to address where this offer was received. Must be 21 or older and have a valid U.S. driver’s license. This offer is also not valid to Infiniti employees, affiliates or retailers. Offer not valid on nonregistered vehicles, company vehicles and retail demos. Void where prohibited by law. Offer good while supplies last. Infiniti reserves the right to substitute another premium of equal value. Owner redemption code has no cash value. Offer may not be purchased, bartered, traded or sold. Offer may be combined with other public, national offers, but may not be combined with any other private offers that Infiniti may extend from time to time. At any time, Infiniti reserves the right to modify or discontinue this program for any reason. American Express®-branded award card is valid for 6 months; unused balances expire, subject to applicable law. Usage restrictions and guidelines apply. Card cannot be redeemed for cash and is nontransferable. The card is point-based, with 1 point = $1 in purchasing power. Card terms and conditions apply. Card can be used virtually anywhere American Express® Cards are accepted in the U.S.A. and Canada. Card is not for use at taxis, water taxis, limousines and ATMs. †Your personal information is used for Infiniti and its retailers’ communication purposes. Providing your phone number allows Infiniti and its retailers to contact you with marketing information about our products and services. By providing your phone number, you consent that we may call you and may use computer-assisted dialing and a prerecorded message. This permission exempts registration on any government Do Not Call list. Always wear your seat belt, and please don’t drink and drive.

My ThoughtsI never actually got a mailer, so I will not be able to reap the benefits of this program by referring you all of you to it. The good news is that if you did get it, you may want to get together with other future owners and see if you can help each other get the gift cards.

April 2009 Announcements

Published by G

Lease Rates
They are coming…Typically, lease rates start popping up around the 2nd week of the month until some time through the last week of the month. I generally don’t recommend leasing or buying during the early days of the month anyway, so just hang in a little bit longer. I’m rather hopeful for this month’s leases since last month was a bit of a disappointment. I really hope things pick up though, many dealerships are going out of business, while other have been making salary cuts just to hang in there. What’s sad is that things look like they will get worse before they get better.

GM, Chrysler & Ford
If you have been following the latest news from Detroit, things aren’t looking exactly pretty. The good news is that the government has begun providing tax incentives for car buyers on top of the discounts provided by US automakers. Remember, you will get most out of these incentives if you BUY rather than lease. There are a some solid American cars out there,  so don’t forget to give them a look.

For Sale & Lease Assumption Forum
I decided to do away from the “solicitations” forum and made it into the “For Sale & Lease Assumption” forum since BouncewithB is trying to sell/trade off his wife’s ’07 VW Jetta lease. For those interested, check it out. You can also see Mrs B’s Jetta over at the Wall. If you are currently on a lease and want to see if anyone is interested in assuming it (or if you want to find a buyer), go ahead and post your ride/lease info there. I’ll also try to make a blog post about it for maximum exposure.

Dealerplace
I’m getting absolutely no takers on this. For those who are eagerly anticipating it, you are going to have to wait a while longer. Sooner or later, I will get a dealer to participate. I haven’t exactly been running around from dealer to dealer promoting it either, which explains why little progress has been made.

Last words…
I got a lot of non-RIDEwithG related things going on right now, so if I don’t respond to questions, emails or posts within a day or so, please be patient/understanding. The economy is hitting everyone hard right now, I’m no exception.

Ford and GM Step It Up, Hyundai Style.

Published by G

In an effort to bring back some customers in this recession, GM is introduction the “Total Confidence” program for the next 30 days.  Essentially, GM will pay up to nine payments (of $500 each) for customers that lose their jobs.  In order to qualify for the program, you must be eligible for state unemployment. The program begin April 1st, 2009 and will run through the end of April.

In similar fashion, Ford will make payments of up to $700 per month for up to a year on all Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicles. This program will run through June 1st, 2009.

Compared to the Hyundai Assurance+ program, the American manufacturers’ program run much longer, with Ford’s program being the better of the three.

Not a bad time to jump into a Ford. Factor in all the great incentives PLUS government assistance for domestic auto purchases, the time to buy is NOW. Or should I say, April 1st!

09 Subaru Forester, Tribeca Lease Rates – March 2009

Published by G

logo_subbyMy Take: Much like the MINIs, the Subary Forester has a very low base price, but when you start adding the options, the price starts to skyrocket. What’s great about most Subarus is that the residual values are pretty high, which makes them solid leases. This months rates, which should carry over into the 1st week of April has a sweet spot of 36-months. If you are careful with the options you want, you can have yourself a nice Subaru Forester in the $300s per month range with just inception fees upfront.

The Tribeca, on the other hand, probably needs to be avoided on a lease. The residual value can only get worse and the money factors are just “average” on the 36-month term. I usually recommend leasing-to-own when cars have low residuals and ultra-low money factors (we are talking .00009 or less), so the Tribeca doesn’t quite fit the bill this month. I would suggest passing on the Tribeca if you plan on leasing. Now, if you plan to buy, go right ahead!

At Invoice At MSRP
Make/Model Invoice MSRP 24-month 36-month 24-month 36-month
2009 Subaru Forester X $20,698 $21,890 $333 $286 $386 $321

NOTE: Estimates assuming the following conditions:

  • Inception fees (1st month payment, DMV, doc fee, bank fee, tire tax and possible security deposit) due at signing.
  • Local Taxes not included.
  • 24-month/15k and 36-month/15k terms.
  • All cars are stock, without any options.
  • No rebates/incentives applied

2009 Subaru Forester X

2009 Subaru Forester X
24-month | 15k miles | residual 69% | .00280 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00175 base money factor
48-month | 15k miles | residual 47% | .00255 base money factor
60-month | 15k miles | residual 39% | .00290 base money factor

2009 Subaru Tribeca

2009 Subaru Tribeca
24-month | 15k miles | residual 46% | .00350 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 45% | .00150 base money factor
48-month | 15k miles | residual 35% | .00325 base money factor
60-month | 15k miles | residual 29% | .00345 base money factor

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe Lease Rates – March 2009

Published by G

logo_hyundaiMy Take: The long-awaited Hyundai Genesis Coupe is here and doesn’t seem to disappoint. The sweet-spot on this lease is the 36-month term. The car has been getting fairly good reviews and dealers seem to be able to sell them, even in this economy. Now, those of you who read about my post on the “LA Auto Show” know I’m not thrilled about the fact that Hyundai pretty much got the Genesis styling by cloning the G37. However, I can’t deny the that the car looks promising performance-wise and it also goes easy on the pocketbook. Not a bad time to jump into the coupe if that’s what you are looking for. The question is, can you get over the “Hyundai” logo on your steering wheel? I think a few laps around the block during your test drive should answer that question.

At Invoice At MSRP
Make/Model Invoice MSRP 24-month 36-month 24-month 36-month
2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 $25,645 $27,250 $467 $358 $539 $405

NOTE: Estimates assuming the following conditions:

  • Inception fees (1st month payment, DMV, doc fee, bank fee, tire tax and possible security deposit) due at signing.
  • Local Taxes not included.
  • 24-month/15k and 36-month/15k terms.
  • All cars are stock, without any options.
  • No rebates/incentives applied

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T
24-month | 15k miles | residual 67% | .00340 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00170 base money factor
48-month | 15k miles | residual 46% | .00340 base money factor
60-month | 15k miles | residual 37% | .00340 base money factor

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T
24-month | 15k miles | residual 68% | .00340 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00170 base money factor
48-month | 15k miles | residual 46% | .00340 base money factor
60-month | 15k miles | residual 37% | .00340 base money factor

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8
24-month | 15k miles | residual 66% | .00340 base money factor
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00170 base money factor
48-month | 15k miles | residual 45% | .00340 base money factor
60-month | 15k miles | residual 36% | .00340 base money factor

09 Infiniti M Lease Rates – March 2009

Published by G

logo_infinitiMy Take: Mike, this one is for you…Since we’ve been discussing alternatives to the 3-series, 5-series, C-Class and E-Class, I proposed a couple of choices such as the Acura TL, Audi A6 and Infiniti G37 sedans. However, if those are not to your liking, here are some rates for the M35 I came across, which seems to be getting some decent discounts. It might be worth looking into since Infiniti is offering $2000 loyalty cash on both the 08 and 09 models, plus another $1500 on the 08 model. It’s about the same size as a E-Class and the crash test results came out to be “good” on the government’s IIHS website.

2009 Infiniti M35

2009 Infiniti M35 Base
36-month | 15k miles | residual 45% | .00033 base money factor

2009 Infiniti M45

2009 Infiniti M45 Base
36-month | 15k miles | residual 45% | .00129 base money factor
39-month | 15k miles | residual 44% | .00169 base money factor
42-month | 15k miles | residual 40% | .00193 base money factor

2008 Infiniti M35

2008 Infiniti M35 Base
36-month | 15k miles | residual 39% | .00001 base money factor