I think I'm extending the MINI lease...

[SARAFIL]

It's up 5/30, but BMWFS will extend it up to 6 months.

There are too many things pointing in that direction for me right now:

• I just paid to renew my registration for 2 years, and it would seem like a waste to only use 6 months worth
• I need to put tires on it, so I could at least get some use out of them for the next year
• I did a 2.5 year lease, so no worries about running out of free maintenance or warranty
• I would enjoy having a very cheap payment for 6 more months (can't beat $284 a month with tax... there's NOTHING that I'm looking at right now that is that cheap.)
• There's nothing that really excites me at the moment to do something NOW, and there might be a few more options available to me near the end of the year... perhaps some deals on the 1M, or too-good-to-pass-up deals for the end of model year on E90/E92, or maybe something else new for 2012 might catch my eye

Plus, despite the fact that I'd just like to get something new, I really like driving this car. I'm still amazed at how well it handles and how effortlessly it accelerates on the highway.

[ZBB]

Don't you get a credit on the registration if you replace the car? Thats the way it works in AZ. When I got the Boxster, I had just paid for the annual registration and tax on the CTS less than a month earlier - and the unused portion (it was pro-rated) was credited against the tax due on the Boxster...

But then again, I guess you're dealing with the Byzantine system in MA...

[SARAFIL]

Originally Posted by ZBB

Don't you get a credit on the registration if you replace the car? Thats the way it works in AZ. When I got the Boxster, I had just paid for the annual registration and tax on the CTS less than a month earlier - and the unused portion (it was pro-rated) was credited against the tax due on the Boxster...

But then again, I guess you're dealing with the Byzantine system in MA...

The plates are technically mine, but they are currently registered to BMWFS. If I lease another BMW/MINI, then I could transfer them. If I get another type of car or buy a car that would be registered in my name, I would have to cancel the current registration and then technically BMWFS could get a refund for what I paid and give it back to me, but leasing companies usually don't go through the process of requesting registration refunds.

My "problem" is that my MINI is registered in RI, I carried over the plates that I had from my BMW since I was still in RI when I got the car. I never changed my registration to MA. This summer I am moving again, so I will need to finally give up my RI plates when I get my next car. It's just a matter of whether I use them for 6 months or stretch it out to 12 months.

[bren]

How does lease extension work? I've heard of extending when you have a car on order, but never "just because".

Do you simply call BMW FS and request x-months extra time?

[lemming]

Originally Posted by SARAFIL

The plates are technically mine, but they are currently registered to BMWFS. If I lease another BMW/MINI, then I could transfer them. If I get another type of car or buy a car that would be registered in my name, I would have to cancel the current registration and then technically BMWFS could get a refund for what I paid and give it back to me, but leasing companies usually don't go through the process of requesting registration refunds.

My "problem" is that my MINI is registered in RI, I carried over the plates that I had from my BMW since I was still in RI when I got the car. I never changed my registration to MA. This summer I am moving again, so I will need to finally give up my RI plates when I get my next car. It's just a matter of whether I use them for 6 months or stretch it out to 12 months.

you're stuck in the bad part of BMW's product cycle(s), so i'd do the same if i had the choice to extend the terms, also.

[SARAFIL]

Originally Posted by bren

How does lease extension work? I've heard of extending when you have a car on order, but never "just because".

Do you simply call BMW FS and request x-months extra time?

You have a few options:

1) extend the lease under your current terms -- max of 6 months

2) extend the lease for a longer term -- requires calculating new lease payments


Under option 1, they typically only do it for 2-3 months and require a production number for a new car to go out to 6 months. However, the rep I talked to today indicated that they are currently doing up to the full 6 months without requiring a new production number. Not sure how long they'll be doing this, but when the time comes I'll probably try and get the 6 months without a production number if I can.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by SARAFIL

but leasing companies usually don't go through the process of requesting registration refunds.

Oh, so you let them steal your money? If it's not worth going after them for it, why is it a consideration in extending your lease?

[SARAFIL]

Originally Posted by clyde

Oh, so you let them steal your money? If it's not worth going after them for it, why is it a consideration in extending your lease?

You need to get a refund form from the DMV, send it to BMWFS and get them to fill it out and submit it to the DMV, then wait weeks for the DMV to process it and send it to BMWFS, and then get BMWFS to process it and send it to you. In reality, it doesn't happen. It's also a small amount, but since I'm adding things up I figured I'd throw it in there.

[equ]

Originally Posted by lemming

you're stuck in the bad part of BMW's product cycle(s), so i'd do the same if i had the choice to extend the terms, also.

This. The bmw offerings are indeed slim these days.

[SARAFIL]

Originally Posted by lemming

you're stuck in the bad part of BMW's product cycle(s), so i'd do the same if i had the choice to extend the terms, also.

Originally Posted by equ

This. The bmw offerings are indeed slim these days.

By the end of the year, hopefully I'll have a few more options available. The official introduction of the F30 should also happen later in the year, which would give me a chance to see if it is something that I'd be interested in. While that won't be here until mid-2012, at least I would be able to decide if it is worth waiting for.