Why would the dealer want to buy my X5?

[JCL]

Take it with a grain of salt, but dealer offers can be worthwhile sometimes.

When I was buying the 535, and after I told my regular sales advisor that I was selling the X5 privately, he asked if they could get a shot at buying it. They needed X5s, they knew the condition of mine, and it was no obligation. They offered more as a trade than I could get on the street, and the $4000 or so I gained as reduced sales tax on the purchase was a further bonus. I came out about $5000 ahead over selling it privately. They told me they couldn't always do that well, but they needed X5s at that time. I am pretty sure they had a buyer waiting.

Another time they gave me a letter with a coupon for a detail in their spa. No, they don't use recycled water or Turtle Wax. It was worth a few hundred. To use it, they wanted me to book in the spa treatment and take a new 7 for an extended 2 day test drive. I haven't seen any high pressure, just very targeted marketing.

[1stE53]

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

Yep, nothing says quality detail like running the car through a recycled water car wash for 60 seconds followed by a nice thick coat of Turtle Wax.

I have to ask them not to wash my car!!! Have you seen the dirty sand paper, I mean, rags they use to clean and dry the car This was true at both the BMW and Mercedes dealerships.
After spending almost 6 hours on the the BMW's skin last weekend, I will be doing all my own car washes. P21s baby.

[Penguin]

The best free dealer promo I've gotten was a free set of $180 Bose headphones just for test driving a Maserati.

[Dani]

I once got a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses when my husband test drove a BMW. Ironic how we ended up with an X5 and no sunglass holder.

[chilliwilli]

Reminds me of the "free thorough inspection" invite i recently received from the dealer i dislike most in NYC

[X5 Meister]

My thoughts EXACTLY. (BTW, what dealer?)

Originally Posted by chilliwilli

Reminds me of the "free thorough inspection" invite i recently received from the dealer i dislike most in NYC

[X5 Meister]

Yep, I totally agree. What cracks me up about people saying they got a "free" detail worth $180 or $1800 is that they think 15 people spent 10 hours meticulously sterilizing their car, but whenever the topic of Inspection comes up they immediately claim that for the $500 fee the mechanics are just going to leave it in the parking lot and do nothing. I guess the take away message is that detail guys are honest and mechanics are crooks.

Originally Posted by 1stE53

I have to ask them not to wash my car!!! Have you seen the dirty sand paper, I mean, rags they use to clean and dry the car This was true at both the BMW and Mercedes dealerships.
After spending almost 6 hours on the the BMW's skin last weekend, I will be doing all my own car washes. P21s baby.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

What cracks me up about people saying they got a "free" detail worth $180 or $1800 is that they think 15 people spent 10 hours meticulously sterilizing their car, but whenever the topic of Inspection comes up they immediately claim that for the $500 fee the mechanics are just going to leave it in the parking lot and do nothing. I guess the take away message is that detail guys are honest and mechanics are crooks.

Well, for most people the end result of a detail is much easier to see than the end result of an inspection, even if both might take the same time, e.g., it's a lot easier to see if the vehicle is shiny, the glass clean, the carpets vacuumed, and the dust taken away around the buttons than to see that the CV boots were carefully checked, the drive belts inspected, and the brake pads and rotor inspected.

The mechanical stuff requires a bit more faith and trust than the detailing.

[X5 Meister]

I agree with part of that statement, but not all of it. I don't know a single person that can distinguish a wash / was job done by running through the car wash and a coat of turtle wax compared to a hand wash with Swiss Vax or Zymol.

Most detail work I've seen (and even posted on this board) is on relatively new cars that don't require a lot of elbow grease, paint correction, etc. and are fairly easy to clean.

Anyway, I think I still made the point. Rock on.

Originally Posted by Penguin

Well, for most people the end result of a detail is much easier to see than the end result of an inspection, even if both might take the same time, e.g., it's a lot easier to see if the vehicle is shiny, the glass clean, the carpets vacuumed, and the dust taken away around the buttons than to see that the CV boots were carefully checked, the drive belts inspected, and the brake pads and rotor inspected.

The mechanical stuff requires a bit more faith and trust than the detailing.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

Anyway, I think I still made the point. Rock on.

Not arguing that the phenomenon doesn't exist, just suggesting that there is a somewhat logical explanation for it, other than people thinking mechanics are crooks. Sorta like people paying a lot for acne medicine and not complaining (since they can see results), but being very upset about the cost of medicine for high blood pressure or cholesterol reduction where the benefits aren't readily apparent...