Re: Worth buying new F10 523 from PI?
megatron said:
I have just got my F10 from PML 3weeks ago. My advise is never to buy from any 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.
megatron said:
1) In case you need PML support after buying from PI, you will need to pay S$30K initial fees to PML before they will ever start talking to you and give you some difficulties here and there.
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.
megatron said:
2) The final effective selling price of F10 between PI and PML is at most S$20K different. If you are still looking so hard at this S$20K money, I think F10 may not be your comfortable target. Driving BMW, especially F10 and above, is all about throwing money into the drain for that extra lifestyle. Its very expensive every month and stingy me is still coming to term if I have made the correct commitment. So, if you do not have a deep pocket, better stay on dry land. Expensive BMW will give you that extra lifestyle comfort but the heavy financing could make your undies feel cold and wet if you do not have that kind of pocket.
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.
megatron said:
3) F10 from PI and PML is different product. For PI, I heard there are UK spec (for four sessions) and Hong Kong Spec (for asia hot climate). I asked PI if there will be Park Assist feature, they replied they will never bring in any of these complicated/advance features. For the Hong Kong Spec, I asked PI if it comes with keyless entery and they NO! I must say the keyless entery feature is very high value to me and perhape also to many other potiential buyers. From this point onward, I seriously started to doubt the car spec of PI and need not ask any further.
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.
megatron said:
4) Different service. Take note that you are not simply buying a physical car. You are actually buying a Driving Experience. The physical car is just 50% of the total experience. There other 50% will comes from the total service such as the sales service (PML never worry about getting COE or whats the COE price....I think they get the COE supply first before selling their cars). You will have alot of issues with PI for COE alone. How about the after sales service? Have you read about that BMW mobile service...in case your new car breakdown in Malaysia....PML will arrange/pay for your transportation to continue your jorney, hotel stay if they cannot repair your car in 4hours...etc? Please read from PML website as I am not their staff.
O yes, if you talk to a PI salesman about F10 service support, they will surely say no problem, very good.....etc and you will have to put your guards down to trust him. Well, if something is real and factual, there is no need to trust in the first place.
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.
megatron said:
5) Resales value. In case you were to sell your BMW in the future, potiential buyer will surely ask PI or PML? Don't you think so?
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.
megatron said:
6) Statistic. There are always good reasons for something to be extreamly popular. How many BMW did PI sold vs PML? Do you think there are many PI BMW cars on the road?
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.