bmw na exec cars

[madsman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: BMW NA Exec cars??

I recently bought a certified 1995 525 from a dealer who told me it 
was bought and serviced locally (Seattle).  After a bit of digging, I 
learned it was bought from a So. Carolina dealer and titled to BMW 
Financial Services in Ohio.   So must have been a BMW exec car??  
Need I worry?  Do they generally take care of their cars and have all 
proper maintenance completed?  I had a few problems with the car 
initially but I'm covered by warranty for next 3 years (1-factory, 2-
extended) so easy, no-cost fix so far. I did a Carfax search and no 
problems. Any other advice and since the dealer has already lied to 
me once?  Thx!

The dealer didn't lie to you..that's not an exec, but an off-lease car.  ( Of course, it could 
have been an exec car, before it was leased...no way to tell now, without getting the dealer to 
run the car's history). A NA exec car usually will be sold when no more than 6 mos old, and have 
no more than 6-8000 miles. 

BMW Financial Services is the captive finance arm of BMW NA, just as GMAC is for GM, FMCC for 
Ford, etc. "Certified" is a creation to assist BMWFS in disposing of all those leased BMW's 
after their lessees turn 'em in for new ones, and to allow the dealer to make $ as well...if 
there's no dealer  retail outlet, the cars end up at auction for wholesale #'s, which leads to 
lower residual values being set , which leads to higher lease prices.

BMW is sorta new to this..Jaguar was one of the early big players in this field; a friend of 
mine worked for a Jag dealer, one of the largest in the country, and they'd do 15 new and 35 off 
lease a month...got so they'd go to auction to buy used Jags!

Regards,

Mike Capaldo
CCA # 114323
'97 528i 5 speed, with every option known to man
'96 454 Suburban ( 390 ft lbs of torque - same as the new M5!)
'98 Chrysler Sebring Convert - STILL waiting for them to send me my three pointed star, now that 
the merger's reality

oh yeah,  survivor of 12 years in the auto leasing biz - four of 'em with BMW

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