My BMW i4 lease ends June 3rd. I’m in Northern California (SF Bay Area) and looking to use a broker to transition into a gas SUV (Lexus NX/RX, BMW X3, or Audi Q5).
I confirmed negative equity on the i4 (CarMax offer is below buyout), so I’ll be doing a standard lease return, and I’d like to sign the new lease by late May to potentially catch Memorial Day programs.
Questions:
Is it too early to reach out to brokers now for a late-May signing?
Beyond browsing the Marketplace, is there a preferred way to initiate a “broker search” for specific models in NorCal?
I’m in a similar boat (well, a car technically) and brokers want to hear from you when you’re ready to move. Their inventory is based on the programs available for the current month, so you’d either want to wait to reach out or, if you see the thread I posted earlier today, just start the new lease and have 2 cars for a few weeks. But if you’re hoping for better programs next month you probably don’t want to do that.
And in my experience, the best you can do is filter by make and browse either the posts from brokers, or some of them will have a link to a spreadsheet that gets updated with inventory. Just got a check it periodically, or just reach out when you’re actually ready to sign.
Thanks, Carson! I just saw your post. It definitely answers my timing questions. I think I’ll wait until the May programs drop and then reach out to the brokers. I appreciate the insight!
Depending on how specific your requirements are (color, trim, equipment), throughout a given month (often nearer to month-end) there are one-off deals posted that have a strong enough additional discount to justify moving early.
Beyond the posts you’ll see in Marketplace, a number of brokers have WhatsApp groups, social media accounts, etc., that announce these as well. Best deals often require immediate commitment and action.
Also in the same boat. I’m currently in an i4 coming off of lease in October and would like to lease another one. What would the timing look like if you wanted something specific and were probably going to want to order the car? Is that even possible with brokers?
And in terms of immediate action for what they have in stock, how does that work with your lease ending? Do you either just double-up for some amount of time or go without a car for a bit after your turn-in?
