Out the gate they want $5000 down and $470/mo on a 36mo/10k lease. That’s with what they claim is $7,000 in rebates. That still seems like a LOT to pay. As you said, that price could prob get you a Tesla 3 or Y, which personally I’d prefer.
I feel kind of bad telling them they’re crazy to think anyone would pay that if you’re saying its a good deal. It seems bonkers to me, though.
Do you have loyalty from BMW? That should be another 3k. Also what money factor are they using there?
I would recommend looking at a 24 month lease, the difference in money factor is significant enough that it ends up being less a month than a 36. Something to consider.
That sounds like MSRP, possibly with an inflated money factor. These cars are overpriced to lease relative to the rest of the market without loyalty.
Normally you could probably get $5,000 in dealer discount but with the current market, a build like that, and end of production for the i3 it’s unlikely to get more than a $1,000 discount unless they still have it in a few months.
I would personally recommend 36-month depending on how much you like the car. If you can get it I’d maximize time with it. 24 months goes by too quickly.
I suppose $60K MSRP makes any lease payment I’m willing to pay unobtainable. I’d be willing to pay $300ish/mo for it. Seems like you guys have a higher threshold. But why not get a Tesla or eTron at that price?
I just can’t believe BMW thinks a $60k i3 could compete against other manufacturers. No wonder this car is discontinued. And I work for Harley-Davidson so I know a bit about premium prices.
Normally you would be getting at least invoice pricing. Better yet add in a 10% dealer discount and the $3000 loyalty credit and you wouldn’t be too far off from your target goal.
They don’t. That’s why they have incentives such as an $11k corporate affiliate rebate. If you were financing one you’d be looking at $20k in rebates and incentives. I love the i3 concept and would have enjoyed having a BEV with ~ 300 miles of range if they gave it one final battery upgrade before discontinuing it.
I said the same thing , who in their right mind would pay that kind of money for an i3. Even with a range extender it isn’t worth it.
Yes 60k is over the top but as some mentioned they always leased or sold way below advertised value. I have had two I3 and my current one has a payment of 145/month (roughly 220 effective) - one can call the I3 a leasehacking friendly vehicle.
They are discontinued because they have been out since 2013. I think this car was really ahead of its time and aged well despite the range limitations. Still a head turner in 2021 and very fun to drive.
OP, nice deal. I got one of these deals as well very recently (similar deal as yours but 36 months, MSDs and they didn’t jack up the MF). Not as crazy of a deal as they used to be but still very good in the current market. Enjoy.
I’d venture to say it’s even more worth it now that they’ve significantly improved the range and handling compared to earlier models. $349-$399/month with MSD’s for a car like this is still a bargain.
Definitely agreed. It is a fantastic lease for the price for a BEV with 160ish mile range. The perfect commuter car or grocery getter.
The 21’ i3 now added the fake electric noise (like the Porsche/Audi electric car alien humming noise) which is an interesting change…funny to see people reacting when you’re approaching/passing. The 19’ definitely doesn’t have that.
Edit: I’m at around 198 monthly base payment + drive off and that is with all incentives, discounts, and MSDs. 300+ would be hard to justify for an i3 (in my opinion).
I’m already getting prepared to tell people that it comes stock with the car. It’s a unique sound for sure, while definitely being refined and appealing. Maybe slightly loud, but I felt the i3 was too quiet in certain scenarios without blasting music. Pedestrian protection is a plus.
Absolutely. I had to creep up very slowly with the 19’ in many situations. That added sound is a welcomed “annoyance” in my books.
My factory order on an i3s REx is looking like it’s to come in at around $349/month with MSD’s. 6.55% off is the best discount I could get in this market. I felt that maybe I acted slightly impulsively since I wanted a BEV with Harman/Kardon at ~ 10% off, but with BMW discontinuing the i3 I know I made the right decision.
Ah, i3s Rex…that’s a different story. That price sounds more reasonable on that. I thought it was another base BEV. Yup 6% with 0.00093 mf is around what I was seeing without spending too much time on the deal. Unfortunately no penfed or bmw cca on the i3.
In a vacuum that’s still a great deal on that car. It is mostly base as far as options to go, with just a metallic color and blue seatbelts.
It wasn’t necessarily a cost-saving measure since I felt that the Deka World interior fit the i3s particularly well. Active cruise control disengaged frequently on my 2015 i3 and was mostly useless so leaving the tech package out was an easy decision despite the smaller display. Side note: BMW committed to making collision avoidance standard across its line for 2021, I guess the i3 doesn’t count.
My only disappointment is that they pulled the Harman/Kardon system. I tested a base stereo and I was still impressed by the bass response so I’ll make it work. I keep going back and forth on whether I made a mistake by not getting the moonroof, but it replaces the carbon fiber roof with aluminum and adds 200 pounds which may slightly affect the efficiency and performance. I figured if the 300-pound range extender motor negatively impacts those figures by ~ 10% then the moonroof may also have an effect.
I’m incredibly lucky to be taking delivery of one of the final i3’s, and possibly the final i3s REx on the East Coast, to ever be produced for the North American market.
It’s a pretty bare bones car as it is but I am enjoying it with minimal options. The active cruise control has been hard to trust for me.
It’s had a good run overall (still doesn’t look old IMO especially considering it has been out for well over 5 years). Reliable with very very minimal issues (if any) for me and great efficiency. Only issue is that the tires are way too tiny…
Let’s just hope there will be some good deals on the i4/iX 3 years later…lol.
The i3s does have slightly wider tires. My priority was the s model regardless of options. Handling should be noticeably improved. I quite like the design as well.
Yes, the active cruise control is surprisingly unreliable. It seemed to want to hard brake at the last second on my 2015 which may have been a calibration issue but I digress.
I’d say be prepared for leasing to normalize at current 3/4 Series levels on the i4 at least. I would definitely consider the iX at a slightly higher payment.
I had no issue with the MSRP of the i4 until I realized Tesla Model 3 Performance is roughly the same price. Then of course the iX is competing with Model X, which there likely is no real comparison. They’re both slightly boring compared to their concepts, Tesla, and even the i3 but I’ll reserve judgement until they’re on the market.
Search if you qualify for BMW fleet discount. They offer $11,000 off on a purchase.
We recently got our 2020 i3 REX, finance not lease:
MSRP $55k
Final price including tax and fees, minus tax credit : $30k
60 mo 0.9% APR through BMWFS
I can confirm that 2020 also has the humming noise at <25mph
Amazing. I’d seriously consider buying mine if I could stack that many incentives, and if it had the HK.