I’m weighing-up if it’s better for me to lease an i3 (at a smoking deal - I’m hoping for $250/month) or buy using all their new inventives.
BMW are offering $10k off a new purchase for PG&E customers http://www.bmwofsanrafael.com/BMW-i3-rebates I would qualify for the CA rebate too but isn’t that the case with leases and the federal rebate?
What do you guys think?
Yes, you would qualify for the CA rebate and the Federal tax credit. I would lease because the current i3 is going to depreciate quite a bit. Unless you plan to drive this car for many many years.
Thanks - I don’t plan on driving it into the ground no 
So I guess I need to hunt for the best deal I can find. Do $250/month deals exist (i.e $9k over 3 years) or does that factor in the rebates?
With 5K down probably, unless you find a stripper model
Do you qualify for USAA or the new Costco program (both another 10k off [sale only])? I ran the math as I qualify for USAA, even if it depreciates down to $18,000 (30% a year +/-) after 36 months, I was still looking at a net monthly cost of around $215 for an MSRP of around $54,000. That also assumes 10.25% Santa Monica sales tax, and 1.95% APR. In effect I had $10,000 USAA, $10,000 SoCal gas, $7,500 federal, $2,500 state, $2,000 loyalty, or $32,000 off. That $215 number also ignores any pre-incentive MSRP discount…
Lease deals are so good on the i3 it would be hard to beat it with a purchase+later resale. I’m doubtful you could do it even if you kept the car 10 years vs $200/mo leases for the same time.
You don’t really want an out of warranty i3. It may be only a small chance you’ll have a problem, but if you do it could be a 5-digit gamble that you lose!
Not stackable on the 10K
I think BMW is over estimating those residual values for the i3. Brand new ones can be purchase for about 47k, you then minus the $7500 federal rebate, $2000 CVRP, $500 from SCE/PG&E/etc…you practically paying 27k. Why in the world would someone pay close to $30k for a used 3 year old car?
They wouldn’t. You can buy a used i3 for as little as $15k, which is an amazing deal. BMW has drastically and purposefully overestimated residuals on the i3 since they went on sale.
Lease. This car depreciates like a rocket.