Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

[zorro]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Macam politics debate....General Election coming soon hope the debate is of same quality level...

 

[kenntona]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Lets put all the car spec and actual selling price aside and starts to think simple economic theory. If you are a PI and import F10 yourself, will you be so honest to sell at much much lower price than PML? You know well that every dollar higher you sell means extra dollar into your pocket. On the other hand, if PI selling price is too close to PML price, who will buy from PI then? So, basic economic theory can predict that PI will speculate their selling price to be not too cheap and not too close to PML price.

Your economic theory is flawed. Selling prices are not purely dictated by demand, but valuation based on OMV and margin. The appeal of a PI car comes from either (1) lower OMVs, lower selling prices on similar if not same specs (2) ability to customise specs. Again, if you have done your research, some PI will still offer a good deal. If you look at it from a two-tier market standpoint, then there should be a different economic theory (in utility curve terms) for PI cars.

Also note that PML import car in massive shipment and thus economy of scale but PML will never pass that saving back to consumer but price competitively against Mercedes. For PI, there is no economy of scale and thus their cost is high but selling price cannot be too high. Its a tough profit squeeze position for PI and so dont expect PI to price too low. On a negative side of my thinking, I would expect PI to cut as much cost as possible to retain some profit such as importing a strip down super basic version of F10 to reduce their OMV figures to save some cost from registration tax. Maybe importing a super basic version of F10 without this and that features and then retrofit them in Singapore with after market solution. My F10 OMV from PML is very low at $39K+ but I have not seen any solid figure of PI's OMV. I have asked some PI for their F10 OMV but they said they don't know. So I cannot simply assume that PI OMV is higher then PML and complain that PML is making too much profit. If PI OMV is even lower than PML, PI might be making the same amount of profit as PML per car.

You forgot costs !!! A counter argument to your scale economy logic is the running costs of ADs.The ADs have a few showrooms to run, not to mention marketing campaigns and commercial efforts. Who paid for these? Charity organisations? No,you paid for it.

And the profit margin of the AD/PI is actually irrelevant to the buyer. What is relevant for comparison is the annual depreciation figures for both AD and PI car.

My command of English does not determine if I am worthy to drive a F10, especially when I am driving one now.

What does "especially when I am driving one now" mean?

If I am a wise PI, I would gracefully accept these market feedback as precious genuine market feedback for self improvement/correction, even if they may not sound sweet.

It looks like you should be writing to the press to complain about a specific case rather than to pose it as a generic trend. I will not dispute its "precious" and "genuine" nature, but I find it hard to accept that it is indicative of all parallel importers. One should be looking at PI sector as a whole vs PML for comparison, NOT PI X vs PML then PI Y vs PML.......

 

[kenntona]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Macam politics debate....

This is what a forum is about mah.....

I post racequeen photo, I kenna complained shallow.

 

[zorro]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Keep it coming....where the hell is your racequeen photo and WTF dare to complain? I will give him/her a stroke of my d**k unless he/she is the moderator...

 

[MW]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

All I care about is whether the sales person attending to me is a girl and whether she is chio. The rest is secondary.

 

[C3P0]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

 

[skip]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Much more convincing argument or proposition if you had gotten your car from PI and then advised against buying from PI. There is perhaps more merit if your argument is against PML.

It makes me wonder what's your agenda making a claim against PI in general, or a pro-authorised agent statement, without a basis, unless you've had a bad experience with a few PIs.

What did you get this information? Which PI told you so?

I bought from a PI, and this did not happen. I know a cluster of forumers here who has bought from PI, but I have not heard anyone paying initial fees. Is this a fact across the board, or just a hearsay? If such initial fee has been priced into the selling price, then it is irrelevant.

I think it is logically flawed to assume that seeking any quantum saved from a PI car tantamounts to tight financial status ("comfortable", "expensive", "correct commitment") or leveraged situation ("heavy financing") of the buyer. I bought my car from Vincar at 203K in 2007. PML model was doing $245-248K. I saved a huge sum and ploughed savings into my miniscule mod funds, a little at a time. After I spent on my mod funds, I realise I could have paid for a PML 335 coupe now !!!

It is about valuation, and how much savings you can derive from the deal. I bought used watches as well, but of course I have heard the argument that I should buy new when I can afford. I think that's crap. The valuation model in every buyer's mind is different. You wanna pay premium for peace of mind/insurance, be my guest. But it does not mean that those who can sniff out a better deal are doing so because of their presumed shallow pockets. It might make you feel good that you could "afford" a PML car, but it is simply fallacious from a discussion standpoint.

Do your homework, given the influx of PIs around. You do your homework, you will find your good deal. Else the PIs would not have grown in penetration. Your last sentence is indicative of your lack of research, hence landing on PML for a lazy sense of comfort.

That does not tantamount to a correct decision on a PML car, nor does it discredit a PI car.

PML service is an oxymoronic phrase. I cannot agree that PML is top-notch. This is my third BMW, but first PI. I did not have good experience with PML, and I believe if you have read this forum long enough, many have felt the same. Still, this should not a generalised opinion that PML's service is necessarily bad. But the reverse cannot be said to be true as well.

Your COE example is so flawed. Try to compare in timeline perspective - a PML car (example E92) in 2008, in 2009 and in 2010. It is so obvious that OMV has dropped drastically against rising prices. Why so? COE prices embedded? Is that necessarily a plus point on your COE availability issue? You could well be paying more to secure your COE, not a "service factor" from a distribution standpoint. You pay more, but ignoring the fact that these are priced in. You think you need these - COE securing, transportation/hotel stay in cases of breakdown, pay for it. I would not call you a sucker for choosing to do so. But if other could sniff a better deal from the PI market, perhaps from a no frill angle, do not black-label them too.

Disagree, unless you wanna sell your ride in 1-2 years time. You buy high, you try to sell high. I buy low, I can sell low. After 3 years, when the warranty lapses, what's the difference between a PML car and a PI car? I see many older PML car owners going to BVO, J4C and Boss for maintenance.

So if you could do the same instead of relying on PML, your security factor will last as long as only three years !!!

If your PML F10 has persistent issues within the 3 years, you will be hammering BMW instead of kissing the feet of PML.

Wrong, again !!! Over the years, I am amazed by the numbers of PI cars in this forum. It has grown so much I could not fathom. Statistics, if you have any, and intepreted you way, will probably show PML holding majority market share on BMWs. That's not the point. I bet my organ with you inch-for-inch that over the last 3-5 years, the PI BMWs have grown, if not exponentially, at the expense of PML. In the E46 days, hardly any M3 was under PI scheme. Now, the E92 M3, there are plenty. The 335 was another example.

I can assure you few years back, there are hardly any PI BMW here. Now, a handful of the active forumers are PI car owners. You will be surprised.

Well said Ken.

I think Mega's post was a baseless over-generalization and full of flaws.

I have been driving my PI F10 523i for the past 5 months and have never regretted the decision. I could have paid for PML's F10 highline version with full cash so I guess my pockets ain't that shallow after all. I did my homework before the purchase, ploughing through tonnes of posts in this forum, spent many days visiting PML and numerous PIs to understand the differences in the specs and the deal I am getting into.

The reasons I finally went with PI are as follows:
- higher specs, higher OMV and lower price
- annual depreciation of $16k vs $20k (now tell me who is gonna lose more money when we sell the car in the second-hand market)
- better trade-in value from PI even after taking PML's so-called overtrade into consideration
- extremely fast delivery in less than a week upon signing on the dotted line with the PI

Servicing wise, I send my car to BVO or Boss and I am happy with what i am getting so far. I can drive in any day without prior appointment and I will be greeted promptly by the friendly mechanic or the workshop owner. These people are knowledgeable and they have the necessary equipment to work on the bimmer. I can also hang around, if i choose to, to watch them working on the car, and chat with the mechanics to gain a better understanding of the car and get some maintenance tips.

Anyway I'm not saying that buying from PI instead of PML is the wisest decision one can make. I believe the buyer should do his/her homework diligently and go with whichever he/she is more comfortable with.

Be it PML F10 or PI F10, we are all one big bimmer family here, so we should not be making such broad statements here to discredit the PIs or the owners of PI Bimmers.

 

[chershen]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Kenn, u can be Prime. I dun mind being yr sidekick. ( :

 

[MW]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

One good thing about PI is I can take 100% loan and they will manipulate the selling/buying price to get the highest loan possible for me. At ADs, if you so much as ask them can take 100% loan, they will smile while signalling their colleague at the recep to call police.

 

[zorro]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

On second thought not really la..went with my friend to buy a 7series 3 years ago and when the lady SE asked "Sir how much loan do you need for your car? My friend with rusty face replied swiftly " No dear, I"ll be paying cash after you deduct the trade in price of my E60"

Guess what, I can see from her face that she just lost the big chunk of her earning and she says " For Cash payment I need to check with my mgmt whether I can extend the promotional price to you.......and the rest is history...

 

[megatron]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

I surrender. You guys have your own opinion and its part of human rights.
Megatron retreats.

 

[wt_know]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

no take loan of coz face black black la ...
if you take their promotion pay $300 to drive 3-series or $500 to drive 5-series maybe give 1/2 ball ... haha ... just kidding no offense

On second thought not really la..went with my friend to buy a 7series 3 years ago and when the lady SE asked "Sir how much loan do you need for your car? My friend with rusty face replied swiftly " No dear, I"ll be paying cash after you deduct the trade in price of my E60"

Guess what, I can see from her face that she just lost the big chunk of her earning and she says " For Cash payment I need to check with my mgmt whether I can extend the promotional price to you.......and the rest is history...

 

[zorro]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Heard some insurance agent offer more than half ball if u sign up multi-million policy..

no take loan of coz face black black la ...
if you take their promotion pay $300 to drive 3-series or $500 to drive 5-series maybe give 1/2 ball ... haha ... just kidding no offense

 

[MW]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Heard some insurance agent offer more than half ball if u sign up multi-million policy..

Please PM me her contact. Thanks

 

[zorro]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

You beri fast......

Please PM me her contact. Thanks

 

[chershen]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Heard some insurance agent offer more than half ball if u sign up multi-million policy..

pm me too. have been looking for such lobangs for the longest time - since i really need the policy and can get extra perks, why not?

( :

 

[zorro]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Gentleman, you guys are diverting too far from the orig topic..I dont mind discussing "Worth buying new 523 from PI Chio Bu? Caution: Make sure your other half not a member of BMWSG...

 

[Vaudevillian]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

Somehow or rather, it seems that he is suggesting those who went thru the PI route are ppl who cant afford beemer...

what a douche bag...

 

[Solidgold]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

I owned a PML E70 and prefer NOT to send it in to PML for servicing even though it is still under warranty. The ridiculous long wait to get an appointment for simple car servicing and the service quality of some of the service staff/mechanics make me boil. I don't see the real benefits of getting PML services. But again, this is my experience. End of day to each his own.

I bought my E89 from a PI and driven it for a year now. Totally ZERO regrets. No point paying heaps of $$ funding the flashy showroom at Alexandra. I have also learnt that there are lots of very competent workshops out there offering very competitively rates for servicing, MODS, upgrades, etc. Better still there is no worry about doing MODs and then worry if PML will honor warranty etc.

 

[Rocky99]

Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?

I think for sedans esp base models, PML is very competitive in their pricing against PIs and also other marques. The little savings may not justify the PI route, esp for those on regular promotions in the papers.

But for lifestyle and higher-end models (2 doors), PML markup the prices much higher. Huge savings from PI should cover any repairs even without warranty.

PI that engage reputable workshops to service their warranty should be able to handle most repairs works. For turbo and cabrio (esp hardtops), I'm still more confident with PML workshops for the volume of such models they handle.