[bfung]

Understand this is a North America centric forum but I remember some members live in Hong Kong so just wanted to get your thoughts:

Looking for a base G80 M3 (manual), the dealer actually has a few in stock but the color combos are just strange (bi-color rims for light exterior and black rims for dark exterior) so I've decided to just factory order mine (my ideal specs are SPY/YMB extended, carbon bucket seats, shadownline extended, black rims)

Initially they said there are no allocations for MY23 atm but after I insisted they said they found a Nov allocation and I would expect delivery next Apr/May.

This works out fine for me as my current car mortgage ends next Apr so I won't have to mortgage both at the same time

But when I asked about the need of a deposit the SA was like "yes 10% and non-refundable" I just backed out

Over here car tax is 132% so the MSRP is HK$1.4M so we're talking about US$180k, a 10% deposit is US$18k

I did check afterwards and that seems to be the standard they ask for deposit (there's only 1 BMW dealer in HK even tho they have 3 locations) but I just don't like the idea of paying such an amount (basically the downpayment) 9 months before delivery and NON-REFUNDABLE

I mean I love the G80 but I rmb in Canada even tho prices were slightly higher, deposit was still very low (used to be $3k I rmb and just like in the US you can always back out which is why you can sometimes be lucky to take someone's allocation?)

Thoughts?

[M3PGH]

to us here in N. America seems outrageous but that does not matter
you have to follow the norm/traditions in the country you live in and your best answer to that is ask the local people" friends, neighbors etc ".
doubt that the dealer is treating you different than other people .

[Habber]

If it's truly the car you want then just do it since you'll be paying anyways once you get the car.

[bfung]

Originally Posted by M3PGH

to us here in N. America seems outrageous but that does not matter
you have to follow the norm/traditions in the country you live in and your best answer to that is ask the local people" friends, neighbors etc ".
doubt that the dealer is treating you different than other people .

agree that the dealer is not probably not treating me differently

and parking/storage fee here is also outrageous so that might explain the non-refundable deposit (huge cost to store an ordered car if the initial buyer backs out)

most ppl here don't drive coz driving is a luxury not a necessity

car owners are 7-8% of total population so you're considered decent to even own any private vehicles

even some of my friends who are fairly well off would still buy pre-owned cars that are at least 3 yrs old so as to avoid the initial depreciation

and logically no car lease plans like those in North America, leasing in HK just means your monthly payments are lower but you'll just have to pay a huge sum of $ to buy off the car at the end of the lease unlike in North America where you can just walk out of it after 3 years

normally a 10% downpayment + 60x monthly instalments is the standard way to finance a car here

[bfung]

Originally Posted by Habber

If it's truly the car you want then just do it since you'll be paying anyways once you get the car.

brain says it's crazy to pay more than double the price of fellow North Americans and I should get one when I move back to North America for my eventual retirement

but heart says there might not be a petrol stick M3 by then and even if there's still one I might be too old to perform heel and toe

[yami sukehiro]

I wouldn't pay a 10% deposit on a ready to go allocation bruh

[bfung]

Originally Posted by yami sukehiro

I wouldn't pay a 10% deposit on a ready to go allocation bruh

ya I mean I'll still end up paying the same amount, but 10% is more like downpayment when you pick up the car, not 9 months before that

like I said I'm not in a rush to get one at all so best case scenario is if the dealer ends up ordering one that's exactly my spec and will arrive in around 9 months so I don't have to pay 9 months in advance

doubt that would happen tho as the specs they order are quite basic and no chance of people backing out their allocations as they're non-refundable

[Seanhfx]

Originally Posted by bfung

Understand this is a North America centric forum but I remember some members live in Hong Kong so just wanted to get your thoughts:

Looking for a base G80 M3 (manual), the dealer actually has a few in stock but the color combos are just strange (bi-color rims for light exterior and black rims for dark exterior) so I've decided to just factory order mine (my ideal specs are SPY/YMB extended, carbon bucket seats, shadownline extended, black rims)

Initially they said there are no allocations for MY23 atm but after I insisted they said they found a Nov allocation and I would expect delivery next Apr/May.

This works out fine for me as my current car mortgage ends next Apr so I won't have to mortgage both at the same time

But when I asked about the need of a deposit the SA was like "yes 10% and non-refundable" I just backed out

Over here car tax is 132% so the MSRP is HK$1.4M so we're talking about US$180k, a 10% deposit is US$18k

I did check afterwards and that seems to be the standard they ask for deposit (there's only 1 BMW dealer in HK even tho they have 3 locations) but I just don't like the idea of paying such an amount (basically the downpayment) 9 months before delivery and NON-REFUNDABLE

I mean I love the G80 but I rmb in Canada even tho prices were slightly higher, deposit was still very low (used to be $3k I rmb and just like in the US you can always back out which is why you can sometimes be lucky to take someone's allocation?)

Thoughts?

You're going to get a flat NO on that because as you said, this is mostly a NA forum. What is typical in HK is certainly different than US and CANADA for that matter.

I can't imagine anyone leaving a 10% non-refundable deposit in NA.

[Draper]

Did you send them your build details prior to them asking for a deposit?

When I ordered my F80, I switched from Mineral Gray to Sakhir Orange - dealer said they could make the switch, but the deposit would no longer be refundable.

Just wondering if speccing a combo like SPY + YMB is causing them to ask for more, knowing it would be harder to sell than something safe like Skyscraper + Black if you do back out.

Personally, I think SPY/YMB is a solid combo, but dealers don't like getting stuck with cars like this.

[BMW1983]

I would (and did) pay a non-refundable deposit once I had an allocation and a production number. So, yes, if it had an allocation and production number I would pay a 10% non-runnable deposit.

I would not and did not pay a deposit just to have place on a waiting list with no guarantee of an order date.

[bfung]

Originally Posted by Draper

Did you send them your build details prior to them asking for a deposit?

When I ordered my F80, I switched from Mineral Gray to Sakhir Orange - dealer said they could make the switch, but the deposit would no longer be refundable.

Just wondering if speccing a combo like SPY + YMB is causing them to ask for more, knowing it would be harder to sell than something safe like Skyscraper + Black if you do back out.

Personally, I think SPY/YMB is a solid combo, but dealers don't like getting stuck with cars like this.

no I haven't, they even have a SPY/YMB in stock, just that it's with 825 bicolour rims, no extended high-gloss shadowline, and not full leather... I would've considered getting it if they gave me a 10% discount (they're offering 10% off for a 2021 model that's currently a display in the showroom which is a Toronto Red exterior)

I think the deposit is non-refundable because they can't afford having too much stock as parking storage is costly here (I'm paying HK$5k ~US$640 a month to rent a parking space at where I live) so they really can't afford anyone backing out their orders

They currently have 3x M3 manual in stock but like I said I prefer color contrast between the exterior and the rims but they ordered cars the opposite way, same thing with the extended high gloss shadownline - they order that only very dark colours which is a bit pointless to tbh

[Habber]

Originally Posted by bfung

brain says it's crazy to pay more than double the price of fellow North Americans and I should get one when I move back to North America for my eventual retirement

but heart says there might not be a petrol stick M3 by then and even if there's still one I might be too old to perform heel and toe

I've travelled the world and you can't bring our North American culture with us when we visit these countries.

Unfortunately, you'll need to bow down to their ways and pay the 10%

[s58]

Originally Posted by bfung

no I haven't, they even have a SPY/YMB in stock, just that it's with 825 bicolour rims, no extended high-gloss shadowline, and not full leather... I would've considered getting it if they gave me a 10% discount (they're offering 10% off for a 2021 model that's currently a display in the showroom which is a Toronto Red exterior)

I think the deposit is non-refundable because they can't afford having too much stock as parking storage is costly here (I'm paying HK$5k ~US$640 a month to rent a parking space at where I live) so they really can't afford anyone backing out their orders

They currently have 3x M3 manual in stock but like I said I prefer color contrast between the exterior and the rims but they ordered cars the opposite way, same thing with the extended high gloss shadownline - they order that only very dark colours which is a bit pointless to tbh

Changing rims is pretty inexpensive, if any of their options would be made to your liking with a wheel purchase.

[bfung]

Originally Posted by BMW1983

I would (and did) pay a non-refundable deposit once I had an allocation and a production number. So, yes, if it had an allocation and production number I would pay a 10% non-runnable deposit.

I would not and did not pay a deposit just to have place on a waiting list with no guarantee of an order date.

I think it's a real allocation as they have a production date (Nov 2022) and an estimated delivery date (Apr/May 2023) but I'm not 100% sure after reading what everyone has experienced here... obviously it's still at a stage where I can configure as production is 3 months away

They also mentioned that in cases where they can't even estimate a production/delivery date they would offer refundable deposit e.g. people are actually giving then 10% deposits to be on the waitlist for the iX50 but since they don't even have an estimation on how long the wait is the deposit is refundable

So I guess the fact that it's non-refundable means it's a real allocation? Is asking for a production number the best way to confirm? (but I thought production number aren't created until you configure the car?)

[bfung]

Originally Posted by Habber

I've travelled the world and you can't bring our North American culture with us when we visit these countries.

Unfortunately, you'll need to bow down to their ways and pay the 10%

true... I was actually born and raised here just that I've never factory ordered a car here so I was a bit shocked

no wonder most here just get a pre-owned when they go for an expensive car... in fact if you buy a rare pre-owned sometimes you might not even lose much when you sell it

[bfung]

Originally Posted by s58_MT

Changing rims is pretty inexpensive, if any of their options would be made to your liking with a wheel purchase.

that's what they said, they even offered to find an aftermarket place for me to paint the rims/spoilers black but I'm the kinda guy that wants everything stock, plus there's no way to get the full extended leather aftermarket

[Rush914]

By the time you receive your car, you will see the 2024s come out. Same as this year, people received 2023s before some people with allocations for 2022s for months and that's just buzzard

[astroricardo]

If you're sure you want it, you're just paying a portion early. For here it's crazy, but you know... you're there. Doesn't seem like you will have much choice unless you choose from what they have at the moment.

[bfung]

Originally Posted by Rush914

By the time you receive your car, you will see the 2024s come out. Same as this year, people received 2023s before some people with allocations for 2022s for months and that's just buzzard

yup a friend of mine just reminded me that pre-owned car prices depend on manufacture year rather than model year here so even tho it'll be a 2023 model year the fact that the it's Nov 22 production means it's a 2022 manufacture year and it'll retain it's value less than a Jan 23 production

and by the time it arrives, the new M2 will also be available for order so I just don't like the fact that it's non-refundable

[bfung]

Originally Posted by astroricardo

If you're sure you want it, you're just paying a portion early. For here it's crazy, but you know... you're there. Doesn't seem like you will have much choice unless you choose from what they have at the moment.

I just looked up the US website, and the price I'm paying for a base M3 here is more than the price of a M4 CSL in the US!

[Aalfred]

Originally Posted by bfung

I just looked up the US website, and the price I'm paying for a base M3 here is more than the price of a M4 CSL in the US!

Why not order it from Canada and ship it oversees. Or maybe Canada does European delivery and so you can pick it in Germany and ship it to Hong Kong. Either ways you will pay less than the dealers as technically it will become a used car

[vj123]

Originally Posted by Aalfred

Why not order it from Canada and ship it oversees. Or maybe Canada does European delivery and so you can pick it in Germany and ship it to Hong Kong. Either ways you will pay less than the dealers as technically it will become a used car

He is going to end up paying the same money as tax while importing it as he has not owned the vehicle long enough. The process might be much more tedious as he has to take care of it personally.