here is the problem… I’m very specific with what I want and not very flexible with giving things up. I know going in on Dec 31st with $$$ will get me a good price. If I have them order me one, I’m sure my negotiation power will go out the window also. Any suggestions?
I’m looking for a 2008 or newer black on black 335xi coupe 6sp with cold weather package. I looked within 100 miles from me and finding a 6sp 335xi coupe is hard enough… let alone black on black.
I tried to special order a WRX over the summer, they wouldn’t negotiate AT ALL. They wanted like 27k for it. I ended up walking on the deal.
They want/need to move the cars on the lot, not special orders
if you are picky, you’re gonna have to pay. I tried getting out of red cars, but it seems whenever I find the right car, I show up and it is fucking red. ugghh, I feel your frustration with being picky, but you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Open up your search further. I got mine from Kentucky, well worth the ride FYI.
Use the BMW CPO car locator to find cars for sale, disregard the pricing on the BMW website, as most dealers are just being greedy when posting on there. Got my car for $5500 less than it was posted pricing on the bmw site.
Use it to find what your looking for then go to the dealer website/call to deal with them directly.
Also use www.Cars.com lots of dealers use that site instead of autotrader I noticed.
^+1
Jeller is right.
Going in on Dec 31st isn’t going to get you a better deal. Its going to get you shittier service. Everyone wants to go home.
Your best best is to go in on a Monday or Tuesday when people are ready and willing to work for you. 
Will there be an advantage to getting the car from the dealer I’d be taking it to? There is a dealership 3 miles from me.
Not with BMW, as long as you build a relationship over time… Classic down here loves me and I use them for nothing by warranty work, recalls and parts.
Our local dealer “technically” does not give you a loaner car if you did not buy from them. Being nice and acting as if you bought the car from there and bringing the service guys a couple boxes of doughnuts goes along ways too 
I wouldnt be soo hung up on WHEN to get a good deal, but more so finding someone that will be willing to deal with you. Lots of guys wont budge… or won’t entertain dealing with out of state/area dealers, finding someone that knows the value of serious internet/out of state buyers goes a long ways.
Yep… just go on cars.com and autotrader and find your car… get it shipped if you dont have the time to go get it
but go nationwide… that’s how i buy all my cars… a 1-2 day drive home in your new car is worth it for saving a bunch…
i saved like 6k on my m5 by driving home from NY
Finding a dealer with a good internet sales dept is key too…
i had mine send me a TON of pics of the car i was buying, and i had a local forum member go check it out, and they took care of him/me the whole way…
so i bought the car sight unseen…
Good advice. 
lol… I did a search on the BMW pre-owned page for the entire US and there are no 6sp black 335xi coupes lol. I’m in no rush, so I’ll just keep looking.
I did find an '07 from a place in NYC but it isn’t a BMW dealer… I’d want that 100k mile warranty.
100 miles isn’t that far when looking for a specific car like that.
Ok, found one I like… now what is the best bet for me to get a deal? I’ll be trading in a 06 STI. Any suggestions?
side note… do you guys have auto or 6sp?
how far away is it?
Inquiring over the internet is your best bet.
Here’s the caveat.
When you travel quite a distance to negotiate the price of the car, you actually lose the “upper hand”. They aren’t stupid. They realized that the reason you had to drive so far was because either;
A.) There are no other’s around
and/or
B.) Their price was the best, why should they lower it anymore?
and/or
C.) You don’t want to drive home in the shitbox that you came in.
Your best bet is over the internet, most of the time they will drop their pants right away in an effort to gain your business. What dealership, I might be able to help.
but, why an XI?
You are overlooking one huge element, how do they know you are not local? You could have moved there just recently and travel a lot for work so you can’t come in right away. Email and phone numbers don’t mean shit.
I bought my 335 out of town over the phone/email. I sent them pics of my car, and they met me half way between home and the dealership to meet. being at a remote location took away the ability for them to be a dick about the trade in or haggle on the price.
Keep one thing in mind, for $1000 you can almost travel halfway across the country to get the car. It’s worth it considering on the car you are describing you will see prices from under $30K to over $40K.
X…
I’m in Boston, MA… the car is about 160 miles away from me in Connecticut.
I like awd
I agree… this one isn’t even that far, so that’s good. I like that it’s black on black and the other is that it has every option I want(technology, cold weather and sport packages).
I just sent them an email, so we’ll start there
They know when they start negotiating where you live. :gotme:
because if you were even remotely local, even if almost constantly on the road, you would make the time to see the car in person at least once before buying it.
negotiating to buy a car sight unseen is a last resort option. it’s kind of obvious you’re not in the area if you want to to the whole negotiating process on the phone or on the internet.
No they don’t. You don’t have to tell them. Last car I told them work relocated me, and I don’t have a place yet.
Going to see a car is after you cut the deal helps you negotiate, you don’t get hooked by "ohh this is such a clean car, yada yada. It can be clean and perfect, etc. If the deal isn’t where I want I won’t buy it. Give me some good numbers on it to convince me to come look at your car.
My BMW was CPO, pretty much guaranteed to be a good car, so I felt comfortable buying CPO. My Z06 had 4000 miles on it when I bought it so I was fine on that one too.
X…