BMW

The company is offering special leases on 55 different models and styles (trimlines). All deals are for 2012 models, except for five 2011 models, which are exceptionally good deals.

The BMW lease deals are for 36 months except for two 2011 models with 33 month offers (see details below). All expire on February 29, 2012. Each requires a down payment, first month’s payment, and a usual $725 lease aquisition fee be paid at the time of lease signing.

All of the lease offers have been evaluated by LeaseGuide.com and generally rated as Excellent or Oustanding on a 5-level scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding.

Although most of the deals are based on full MSRP price (some have a $1500-$2500 “allowance” discount), they all have very high lease-end residual values (around 65%) and money factors in the .0005 range, which is equivalent to about 1.2% APR interest. These factors combine to create a low monthly payment for each vehicle, a payment that customers would not be able to negotiate for themselves.

Also don’t forget that BMW vehicles come with free factory recommended maintenance for 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. This only sweetens the special lease offers.

Following are examples of some of the current BMW lease deals:

2012 BMW 128i Coupe – $369/month, $2500 down payment (cap cost redution)

2012 BMW 135i Coupe – $439/month, $2500 down payment

2011 BMW 328i Sedan – $389/month, $2500 down payment, $2500 allowance (can be used as down payment)

2011 BMW 328i xDrive Sedan- $349/month, $2500 down payment, 33 months, $1500 allowance (can be used as down payment)

2011 BMW 335i Sedan – $449/month, $3000 down payment, $2500 allowance, $1305 option credit

2011 BMW 335i xDrive Sedan – $419/month, $3000 down payment, 33 months, $1500 allowance, $1840 option credit

2012 BMW 328i Coupe – $449/month, $2500 down payment

2012 BMW 328i Convertible – $489/month, $3200 down payment

2012 BMW 528i Sedan – $599/month, $1900 down payment

2012 BMW 550i Sedan – $769/month, $3000 down payment

2012 BMW 650i Coupe – $899/month, $5000 down payment

2012 BMW X3 xDrive28i – $459/month, $2750 down payment

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i – $519/month, $2500 down payment

Again, these BMW special lease deals for February 2012 are some of the best new-car lease values in the market at this time.

However, if you read the small print in these offers, they are only available to “qualified customers,” which means customers who have good credit scores. You should know your most recent credit score before you go to accept one of these deals. Fortunately, you can get your credit score online for free at services such as FreeCreditScore.com with a quick enrollment.

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Everywhere.

Nearly every car company is currently offering incentives of some kind. Deals are actually not hard to find if you know where to look.

Some of these deals are outstanding, some very good, and others only so-so.

Luxury Brands

High-end luxury car companies, such as Porsche, Audi, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Mercedes, don’t normally offer common incentives for fear of looking like a discount car brand. When they do, it’s in the form of “bonuses” or “allowances” but not “rebates.” Or it might be in the form of special leases, where the “discounting” is not so obvious.

For example, at the time of this writing, Mercedes is offering a number of very attractive lease deals across its model lines. They are also offering 1.9% APR loan deals but in these days of record-low finance rates, 1.9% is good but not really an outstanding deal, especially when it’s limited to 24-36 month loans. The lease deals are better.

Same for Infiniti, who is currently (January 2012) offering a number of very good lease deals (all $0 cash due at signing) on all 2012 models except hybrids, and 1.9% APR loans for up to 60 months (better than Mercedes). Depending on where you live, there may be deals on left-over 2011 models.

Audi currently has no incentives for January (at the time of this writing) but even those for December 2011 were not very interesting – a few mediocre lease deals in which they make the first month’s payment and waive the security deposit (who doesn’t). Not much to get excited about.

BMW actually has some outstanding lease deals going on at this time (see New BMW Lease Offers for January) and some factory-to-dealer cash on a few models that translate into purchase price discounts.

Acura offers good lease deals on one selected style within each of its model lines. These are of the $0-$0-$0 variety ($0 down, $0 first payment, $0 security deposit) and are genuinely good deals.

Lexus has no deals worth mentioning, except possibly on a few left-over last-year’s models, or certified used cars.

Land Rover has lease deals on the Ranger Rover Sport and LR4 that are only rated Good by LeaseGuide.com, as well as 1.9% APR loan rates for only 36 months. Nothing here to jump up and down about.

Non-Luxury Brands

The very best deals in 2012 will come from American car brands such as Ford, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, and Ram. They offered some of the best incentives in the business in 2011 and are expected to do the same or better in 2012.

The most recent deals from these American companies include generous rebates, 0% APR loans (and other low-interest loans), special lease deals (although usually not as good as foreign car brands), and factory-to-dealer cash that dealers use to discount prices. Cadillac is offering a number of good $0 down leases. Left-over 2011 models are especially good deals right now.

At this time, Honda and Toyota are offering a few good deals, especially on leases, but you’ll have to wait until they’ve fully recovered from last years disasters in Japan before you see the best deals. Honda continues to offer their popular “$0 due at signing“ leases. These are genuinely good lease deals — much better than customers could negoitate for themselves.

Hyundai is coming on strong with some great deals on selected models. Their award-winning Elantra model is now being offered with a special lease deal (see Car of the Year for Only $179).

Nissan has 0% APR loan rates — for up to 60 months — on nearly every model, including 2012 and left-over 2011 models.

Subaru’s current incentives include 42-month lease deals on one style of each of its models or 1.9% APR loan rates. However, we don’t recommend 42-month leases on vehicles that only have 36-month warranties. You’re exposed for 6 months to paying for expensive out-of-warranty repairs near the end of the lease.

Mazda currently has a whole variety of new incentives including a number of moderately attractive 36 month leases with relatively low down payment requirements, a few 1.9% APR loan deals for up to 60 months, and a number of 0.0% APR loan deals that are combined with up to $1000 customer cash (rebate).

Mitsubishi is offering outstanding 24-month leases on its 2012 Lancer ES and SE ($189/month) and Lancer Sportback ES ($196/month). There are also 0% APR loan deals for up to 36 months on 2012 models and up to 60 months on 2011 models. Also available are rebates of up to $3500 on 2011 models and customer loyalty bonuses of $500. All in all, a nice set of deals from Mitsubishi.

Volkswagen usually has a nice selection of special lease deals across its model line. These are nearly always good deals and are better than customers could negotiate for themselves. They also offer a number of 0% APR loans for up to 72 months, which is a bit unusual.

Saab, the car company, has filed bankruptcy but dealers still have left-over vehicles at low, low prices.

Fiat has announced new $0 down leases its 500 and 500c models.

Deals Can Change

As you probably already know, car deals and incentives can (and usually do) change month-to-month, and sometimes week-to-week. Deals can vary depending on the region of the country you live in and can differ by dealer.

One of the best ways to know exactly what deals are best in your area is to use an online service such as TrueCar that not only shows you what local people are paying for specific car makes and models, but also the lowest price you should expect to pay, factoring in all current incentives. It’s free and they give you a guaranteed price quote that will be honored at local dealers.

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BMW

There are 55 different BMW models with special promotional lease deals this month. Five of those are 2011 models, which are the best of all the excellent deals, and the remainder are 2012 models.

All the 2011 model lease deals listed below have been rated Outstanding by LeaseGuide.com on a 5-category scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding.

All the 2012 model lease deals listed below have been rated Excellent. This high rating also applies to nearly all the other BMW leases that we haven’t listed.

All deals are for 36 months (except where noted) and 30K miles allowance (except where noted). This translates to only 833 miles per month. If you drive more miles than the allowance, you’ll pay at the rate of $0.20-$0.25 per mile. Before you apply for one of these leases, make sure you can live with the relatively low mileage allowance. These deals expire on January 31, 2012.

With each deal, at lease signing, you’ll pay a down payment, the first monthly payment, and a $750 lease acquisition fee (a standard non-negotiable fee with all car leases). In some cases, the down payment is offset by an allowance or credit (aka, rebate) that totally or partially covers the down payment.

The 2011 BMW models with special leases are as follows:

2011 BMW 328i Sedan – $389/month, $3614 due at signing before $2500 allowance

2011 BMW 328i xDrive – $349/month (33 months), 27.5K miles, $3574 due at signing before $1500 allowance

2011 BMW 335i Sedan – $449/month, $4174 due at signing before $1500 option credit and $2500 allowance

2011 BMW 335i xDrive Sedan – $419/month 933 months), 27.5K miles, $4144 due at signing before $1840 option credit and $1500 allowance

2011 BMW 335d Sedan – $459/month, $3684 due at signing before $3500 ECO credit and $1500 allowance

Make no mistake, the above 2011 model lease deals are truly outstanding deals.

A few examples of the 50 other special lease deals on 2012 models from BMW in January are the following:

2012 BMW 128i Coupe – $369/month, $3594 due at signing

2012 BMW 328i Coupe – $449/month, $3674 due at signing

2012 BMW 335i Coupe – $499/month, $4224 due at signing

2012 BMW 528i Sedan – $599/month, $3224 due at signing

2012 BMW 535i Sedan – $679/month, $3504 due at signing

2012 BMW 550i Sedan – $769/month, $4494 due at signing

2012 BMW 650i Coupe – $899/month, $6624 due at signing

2012 BMW 750i Sedan – $929/month, $5654 due at signing

No other car maker is offering the value and scope of excellent car leases on 2012 models as BMW is offering for January 2012. Also remember that BMW provides 4 years or 50,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance. If you’re even halfway thinking of leasing a BMW, now is a good time to act on it.

One of the “catches” to getting one of these great lease deals is that the deals are only available to “qualified” customers. What this means is that customers must have a good credit score to qualify. Be sure you know your most recent credit score before you set foot in your dealer’s showroom to avoid being surprised with what he knows about you that you don’t know about yourself. It’s easy enough to get your current credit score online and free at web sites such as FreeCreditScore.com. All it takes is a simple sign-on and you can see your score instantly.

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Fortunately, a number of car makers announced deals at the beginning of November that are good through December 2011. At the time of this writing, we expect to know about deals from all the car companies during the first week of December.

General Motors (Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, GMC) in particular has a number of good $0-down lease deals on selected models good until 1/3/2012. Actually, it’s even better; it’s zero cash due at lease signing — sign and drive — which means no down payment, no security deposit, and no first month’s payment — on most but not all of the lease deals. There are also a few 0% APR loan deals.

Of the companies who have already announced new-car incentives that we’ve previously discussed on this web site are:

BMW (http://best-car-deals.buyerreports.org/bmw-offers-outstanding-leases-november-and-december)

Chevrolet (http://best-car-deals.buyerreports.org/new-chevrolet-deals-for-november-and-december-2011)

Honda (http://best-car-deals.buyerreports.org/special-honda-leases-for-november-and-december)

Other December car deals are available as follows:

2012 Buick Regal w/LEA – Special lease: $313/month, 39 months, 39K miles, $0 due at lease signing

2012 Buick Regal w/LHU – Special lease: $337/month, 39 months, 39K miles, $0 due at lease signing

2012 Buick Lacrosse - Special lease: $331/month, 39 months, 39K miles, $0 due at lease signing

2012 Buick Enclave – 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months

2011 Buick Lucerne – 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months

2012 Cadillac CTS Coupe – Special lease: $419/month, 36 months, 30K miles, 0$ due at lease signing

2012 Cadillac CTS Coupe – 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months

2012 Cadillac Escalade – Special lease: $749/month, 36 months, 30K miles, $0 due at signing

2012 Cadillac Escalade – 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months

2012 Cadillac SRX – Special lease: $479/month, 36 months, 30K miles, $0 due at signing

2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe – Special lease: $288/month, 39 months, 39K miles, $0 due at lease signing

2012 Chevrolet Corvette – Special lease: $559/month, 39 months, 39K miles

2012 Chevrolet Cruze – Special lease: $199/month, 39 months, 39k miles

2012 Chevrolet Impala – Special lease: $299/month, 39 months, 39K miles

2012 Chevrolet Impala – 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months

2012 Chevrolet Malibu – Special lease: $229/month, 39 months, 39K miles, $0 due at lease signing

2012 Chevrolet Malibu – 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months

Similar deals are also available on selected 2012 GMC models. Toyota and Volkswagen have a few current 0% APR loans deals on selected models that are good through December, but we expect more incentives to be announced in the first week of December.

As we always remind our readers, car deals and incentives sometimes vary from region to region.

We also remind that special lease deals and zero-percent loan rates are only available to “qualified” customers, which means customers who have a good credit score. It’s always a good idea to know your current credit score before you visit a dealer to get any special deal. Fortunately, you can get your most recent credit score online at web sites such as FreeCreditScore.comwhere you can see your score immediately with a simple sign on.

Stay tuned as we announce more new-car incentives later.

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BMW

They’ve just announced some of the best leases we’ve seen this year that are good during November and through the end of 2011.

Deals are especially good on 2011 3-Series models. Here are some examples, all for 36 months, 30,000 miles:

2011 BMW 328i Sedan – $349/month, $3574 cash due at signing, plus $1500 allowance

2011 BMW 328i xDrive Sedan – $369/month, $3594 cash due at signing, plus $1500 allowance

2011 BMW 335i Sedan – $409/month, $4134 cash due at signing,  plus $1500 allowance and $1305 option credit

2011 BMW 335i xDrive Sedan – $429/month, $4154 cash due at signing, plus $1500 allowance and $1840 option credit

2011 BMW 335d Sedan – $429/month, $3654 cash due at signing, plus $1500 allowance and $3500 ECO credit

There are similar good lease deals on 50 different 2012 BMW models, in every model line from the 1-Series to the Z4. Depending on the Series, there are credit allowances that range from $500 to $2500, in addition to option credits for most models of up to $3500.

All of the current BMW lease deals have been evaluated by LeaseGuide.com using its unique Lease Value Calculator that scores and rates any car lease as Poor / Average / Good / Excellent / Outstanding when compared to average leases. Generally, all the current 2011 BMW lease deals rate Outstanding —  as good as it gets. Nearly all of the 2012 BMW lease deals rate Excellent. All of the deals are well worth considering and are much better than a customer could negotiate for himself.

Folks, if you have been thinking about leasing a BMW, now is a good time to do it. It just doesn’t get any better. Also know that BMW provides free scheduled maintenance on these vehicles for 4 years or 50,000 miles, along with free roadside assistance. 

Of course these special deals are available only to “qualified” customers, which means customers having a good credit score. If you are interested in taking advantage of one these deals, it’s a good idea to know your latest credit score before you visit your dealer. You credit score is available online at services such as FreeCreditScore.com. You can see your most current score immediately.

For information and details about finding $0 zero down car leases, visit LeaseGuide.com.

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General Motors  announced incentives in July that are good through August 2011. The company’s brands, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC,   have deals on most of their vehicles, many on new 2012 models. However, the best deals are on 2011 models. All GM incentives expire on September 6, 2011. 

Here are some of the best GM car deals on 2011 models: 

Buick Lucerne – $2500 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Buick Enclave – $2000 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Buick LaCrosse – $1500 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Cadillac DTS and STS – $7000 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Cadillac Escalade – $3500 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Cadillac CTS – $2000 rebate or 0% APR financing

 

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 – $4000-$4500 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Chevrolet Avalance – $4000 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Chevrolet HHR (selected styles) – $3500 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD/3500HD – $3000 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe – $3000 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Chevrolet Impala (selected styles) – $3000 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Chevrolet Malibu – $2500 rebate or 0% APR financing 

GMC Sierra 1500 – $4000-$4500 rebate or 0% APR financing 

GMC Sierra 2500/3500HD – $3000 rebate or 0% APR financing 

GMC Yukon – $3000 rebate or 0% APR financing 

Furthermore, there are good factory-to-dealer cash incentives available on a few 2011 GM vehicles for August 2011: 

Buick Regal – $1000 

Chevrolet HHR and Impala – up to $4000 

Chevrolet Corvette – $3000 

Chevrolet Aveo – up to $1500 

Chevrolet Malibu – up to $1000 

Honda, Acura, Volkswagen, Audi, and Volvo are other companies whose July incentives extend through August. 

Honda (most models) and Acura (selected models) are offering low-interest loan rates (0.9%-1.9% APR) on both 2012 and 2011 models.  Volkswagen offers 0% APR loan rate on the 2012 CC and Eos, 0% APR on the 2011 Eos, Routan, CC, and Tiguan, and low interest rates (1.9%-4.9%) on other 2011 models. Audi offers low interest rates (0.9%-3.5% APR) on 2012 models and 0.9%-2.9% on 2011 models. Volvo offers low interest rates on the 2012 S60 (0.9%-1.9%) and 0.9%-2.49% on all 2011 models. 

Other incentives worth considering in August are as follows:

BMW is offering lower interest rates on most its 2011 models, including 0.9% APR on the Z4 and 1.9% APR on the 3-Series and M3.

Ford and Lincoln have 0% APR loan deals on nearly every 2011 and 2012 model. Other models have very low interest rates. The company also offers rebates on most models as well, ranging from $500-$3000. Of course you much select either the rebate or the low interest loan, not both.

Kia has good rebate offers and low interest loans on most models, including $3000 rebate on the 2011 Kia Sedona and $2500 on the 2012 model.

Jaguar offers 0% APR loans on the 2011 Jaguar XF, XJ, and XK.

Mitsubishi stands out with 0% APR loans or nice large rebates on all models, including a $4500 rebate on the 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor and $3500 on the 2011 Galant.

Nissan comes on strong in August with 0% APR loan deals on nearly every model including 2012 versions of the Altima and Sentra. Alternatively you can select from some very attractive rebates on most models including up to $5250 on the 2011 Titan, up to $4000 for the 2011 Altima Hybrid, $3500 on the 2011 Armada, and up to $3000 on the 2011 Frontier and Maxima.

Suzuki  also has 0% ARP loans or rebates starting at $1000 up to $2000 on the 2011 Equator.

Toyota has 0% APR loan deals on the 2011 Tundra, Camry, Avalon, Highlander, Sienna, Venza, and Corolla.

You can get free price quotes on any of the above vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

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These have slightly higher monthly payments than the same deals with a down payment.  Whether you make a down payment or not doesn’t change the value of the deal. A good deal is still a good deal with or without a down payment.

The car companies with the $0 down lease deals are Honda, Acura, BMW on selected models/styles, and Volvo (only on C70 model). The deals are offered both with a down payment and without.

However, these deals are a little different in how they are implemented.

For example, Volvo, Honda and Acura offer their special leases as $0-$0-$0 ($0 down, $0 first month’s payment, and $0 security deposit). This means that you owe nothing at lease signing except the usual official tag and registration fees specific to your home location. Not having to pay the customary first month’s payment means you only make 35 payments on a 36 month lease.

BMW’s $0 down leases simply means you pay no down payment (cap cost reduction) but you still pay the first month’s payment, plus possible security deposit, plus any official tag and registration fees at the time of lease signing.

What’s the catch with these special limited-time leases? Nothing except that not all models and styles are offered with the special deals. If you like the models being offered, fine. If not, you’ll have to settle for a non-promotional normal lease deal.

All of the special lease deals being offered by Honda, Acura, BMW, and Volvo have been rated “Good” or “Excellent” by LeaseGuide.com.

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Because of shortages of both vehicles and parts created by the recent Japanese earthquake, automakers are not offering nearly the number of great incentives in June that we were seeing in the first months of 2011.

However lets take a look at where you can still find some good deals. Most of the deals expire on June 30, 2011. A few expire on July 5, 2011.

BMW is offering low APR interest rates (1.9%-3.9%) on the 2012 1-Series, 7-Series, X5, and X6 models. The company is also offering 0.9%-3.9% APR loan rates on 2011 models of the 3-Series, X5, Z4 7-Series, M3, 5-Series, 1-Series M, and X3. There is also a $3500 “Eco Credit” on some diesel models including the 2011 335d sedan, as well as special “Option Credits” available on many models (BMW doesn’t like to call them “rebates” — it sounds too cheap). Up to $2000 in factory-to-dealer cash is available on selected 7-Series models. Additionally, BMW is offering many excellent promotional lease deals in nearly every model line.

Chrysler has announced a few rebates and a number of low-interest loans, including 0% APR rates, across its 2011 model lines. These deals expire on August 1, 2011. Up to $1500 rebate or 0% APR loan is available on the Chrysler 200, 300, and Town & Country. 0% APR is also available on the Dodge Grand Caravan, Nitro, Avenger, Caliber, Journey, Dakota, Jeep Liberty, Compass, Patriot, and Ram trucks. Jeep Liberty has a $3000 rebate offer. Up to $3000 is also available on the Dodge Grand Caravan, Nitro, Avenger, Caliber, and Journey. There is a nice $4500 factory-to-dealer rebate on the Dodge Dakota.

Ford also has a number of 0% APR loan rates — on the 2011 Ford Ranger, Super Duty trucks, E-Series, Fiesta, Flex, Focus, Mustang, Fusion, and Taurus. Lincoln has 0% APR rate offers on the Lincoln Town Car, Navigator, MKS, MKZ, and MKT. Rebates up to $3000 are offered on the F-150 and Lincoln Town Car. Smaller rebates are offered on many other models. Large factory-to-dealer rebates are offered on the Mercury Grand Marquis ($5500), as well as the Mariner, and Milan (up to $3500).

Honda, which was seriously affected by the earthquakes in Japan is only offering a few low interest rate loans on some 2011 Acura and Honda models. The company is also offering a number of special lease deals on certain models and styles, such as the Honda Crosstour, Accord Sedan, CR-V, Odyssey, and Pilot. As you may know from reading this web site in the past, Honda lease deals are always great deals, if you like the model and style being offered. The 2011 Acura ZDX gets $2000 in factory-to-dealer cash. 

Hyundai/Kia is also in the 0% APR loan rate game with zero-percent deals on nearly every model, including both 2011 and 2010 models. In addition, there are a number of attractive rebates — $1000 on the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe and $2500 on the 2010 Hyundai Sonata. Smaller rebates are available on other models.

Jaguar has 0% APR loan deals on the 2011 Jaguar XF, XJ, and XK.

Mitsubishi has 0% APR rates on nearly every model, including the 2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse and Eclipse Spider.

Saab is offering 0% APR rates on the 2010 and 2011 Saab 9-3 and 9-5. In addition, the 2011 9-3 and 9-5 get $3000-$4000 factory-to-dealer cash.

Toyota, also hit hard by the Japanese earthquakes, has 0% APR deals on the 2011 Toyota Camry, Tundra, Corolla, Venza, Avalon, Highlander, and Sienna. A $2500 rebate is offered on the Toyota Tundra truck, as well as up to $2500 in factory-to-dealer cash.

Volkswagen/Audi has low-interest rate deals, including a few 0% APR rates, on nearly every 2011 Audi and Volkswagen model, and the 2012 Audi A7, Volkswagen CC, and Eos.  Leftover Audi 2010 models get some very large factory-to-dealer cash, up to $9500 but averaging about $4000-$5000.

Volvo has 0% APR deals on the 2012 S60 and most 2011 models except the XC70 and XC-90 (which have 2.9% rates).

You can get free price quotes on any of the above vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

Factory-to-dealer cash, sometimes called “marketing support”, is a form of cash rebate from car companies to dealers to help promote the sale of certain vehicles. Dealers can use the cash in almost any way they like — TV advertising, tent sales, mailings — but most, if not all of the money usually is given back to customers in the form of price discounts.

Factory-to-dealer cash incentives are offered on a month-to-month basis, as needed, and expire at the end of the month. A particular vehicle model might have an incentive one month but not the next.

The largest factory-to-dealer cash incentives are offered on slow-selling vehicles, leftover previous year’s models, models with large inventory, or models that will soon be eliminated or replaced.

Here are some of the best factory-to-dealer incentives being offered for May 2011, ending on May 31:

2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 – $2000

2011 Dodge Dakota – $4500

2011 Mercury Grand Marquis – $5500

2011 Cadillac DTS, STS – $7000

2011 Chevrolet Corvette, HHR, Impala (selected styles) – $4000

2011 Land Rover Range Rover – $2000

2010 Mercedes CL, S-Class (selected styles) – $10,000

2010 Mercedes C-Class, CLS, R-Class, SLK (selected styles) – $5000

2011 Infiniti FX50 – $3000

2011 Saab 9-3, 9-5 – $3000 – $4000

2010 Audi A6, A8, Q7, S6, TT, TTS (selected styles) – $9700

These incentives can be combined with any available customer rebates, low interest rates, and additional dealer contribution (dealer-provided price discount).

You can get free price quotes on any of the above cars from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

BMW

All the BMW leases listed below are special promotional lease deals that end on May 31, 2011. All are for 10,000 miles/year and are for 36 months.

Notice than many of the deals require no down payment (zero cap cost reduction). However, you’ll still have to pay your first month’s payment and official fees at the time of signing.

These deals are based on a combination of price discount (lease cap cost), low interest rate (lease money factor), and higher-than-average lease-end residual values. All of the deals are rated Good or Excellent by LeaseGuide.com and are considerably better that you could negotiate for yourself.

If you don’t understand how car leasing works or don’t know if you are a good candidate for leasing, we suggest you visit LeaseGuide.com before you make your decision to lease.

Here are the current BMW lease deals on 2012 models:

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BMW

Nearly every model in the entire BMW lineup is currently being offered with low-interest loan rates — typically 1.9% APR for 24-36 months, 2.9% APR for 37-60 months, and 3.9% APR for 61-72 months.

However, the best deals are the new promotional lease deals on nearly every BMW model for the month of March (ends on March 31, 2011). These deals are constructed by discounting prices (in a non-obvious way), reducing finance charges (lease money factor), and boosting lease-end residual values — all of which create a low monthly payment that is better than any deal you could negotiate on your own.

Depending on the model, the BMW lease deals are for either 27 months or 36 months, and all require a modest down payment, no security deposit, up-front payment of an acquisition fee and the first month’s payment. If there is a “catch” to these deals, it’s that mileage allowances are a bit low — 22,500 miles for the 27 month leases, and 30,000 miles for the 36 month leases — which equates to 1000 miles per month.

Here are examples of some of new BMW leases:

BMW 328i Sedan – $339/month

BMW 328i Coupe – $329/month

BMW 135i Coupe – $399/month

BMW 135i Convertible – $449/month

BMW 335i Sedan – $409/month

BMW 335d Sedan – $439/month

BMW 335i Coupe – $429/month

BMW 335i Convertible – $539/month 

BMW 535i Sedan – $579/month

BMW 740i Sedan – $799/month

BMW 740 Li Sedan – $849/month

BMW X3 xDrive35i – $515/month

BMW X5 xDrive35i – $599/month

BMW X6 xDrive35i – $689/month

BMW Z4 sDrive35i – $519/month

All of the current BMW lease deals are rated “Excellent” by LeaseGuide.com. If you want to know more about how car leasing works or how to determine if leasing is right for you, visit LeaseGuide.com for a free Car Leasing Guide.

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BMW

All incentives expire on February 28, 2011. Most incentives are in the form of very low interest loan rates and special zero-down leases. However, there are a number of rebates as well, and a huge factory-to-dealer cash incentive on the 2010 6-Series and M6.

Following is a summary of the current BMW new-car deals and incentives:

Low-interest loan rates – 1.9% APR for 36 months, 2.9% APR for up to 60 months, and 3.9% APR for up to 72 months. These rates apply to various models of the BMW 1-Series, 3-Series, 5-Series, 7-Series, X5, X6, Z4, M3, X5 M, and X6 M.

Rebates (called “Option Credit” or “Eco Credit”) – 335i Sedan, Coupe, and Convertible ($1305), 335i xDrive Sedan and Coupe ($1840), 335d Sedan ($3500), 335is Coupe ($1495), 740i/740Li Sedan ($3185), 750i/750Li/750 xDrive ($3460), 750i/750Li ActiveHybrid ($7500), X5 xDrive 35d ($3500), X6 ActiveHybrid ($4500).

Special lease deals – Special leases are being offered on every model line. These leases require $0 down payment, although the first month’s payment and official fees are due at signing. All leases are for 36 months, 10K miles per year. The leases are all rated ‘Good’ to ‘Excellent’ by the Lease Evaluator in the LeaseGuide.com Lease Kit. Some of the lowest monthly payments are on the BMW 1-Series ($449-$569/month), and 3-Series ($479-$769/month). BMW Z4 leases are available for $609-$839/month. 

Factory-to-Dealer cash – BMW currently is offering dealers huge factory-to-dealer rebates on the 2010 BMW 6-Series and M6 ($15,000-$17,500). Most if not all of this money is being given to customers as price discounts on these models.

Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

You can get free price quotes on any of the above BMW vehicles from

Therefore, it is very useful to know which makes and models currently receive marketing support from the manufacturer. Prices on those vehicles will be lower than normal without having to do hard negotiating. If the dealer also adds his own discount, the deals can be even sweeter.

Actually, getting this kind of discount from a dealer is preferable to getting a direct-to-customer rebate. A rebate is not the same as a price discount. Sales tax on a new car is calculated on the selling price, after discounts are subtracted, but before rebates are deducted. A discount is a real price reduction, while a rebate is more like down payment money coming from the manufacturer’s pocket, not yours.

For example, if you buy a $12,000 car with a $2000 rebate, you pay sales tax on $12,000, although you only pay $10,000 of your own money for the car. On the other hand, if you buy a $12,000 car and you receive a $2000 discount, you only pay sales tax on $10,000.

Here are some of the best current (December 2010) factory-to-dealer rebates, all ending on January 3, 2011:

• 2010 BMW 6 Series, M6 – $10,000-$12,500
• 2010 Chrysler 300, PT Cruiser, Sebring – $1000
• 2010 Dodge Avenger – $1000
• 2010 Ford Flex, Taurus – $2000-$3000 (ends December 31, 2010)
• 2011 Cadillac CTS, DTS, STS, Escalade, Escalade ESV - $2000-$5000
• 2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT – $3000
• 2010 Acura RL, TL – $2500-$4000
• 2010 Acura MDX, RDX, TSX, ZDX – $750-$2500
• 2010 Honda Civic – $1500-$2500
• 2010 Honda Insight, Ridgeline – $1500
• 2010 Honda Accord, Crosstour – $1200
• 2010 Honda CR-V, Odyssey – $1000
• 2010 Land Rover LR2, Range rover – $2000-$4000
• 2011 Infiniti FX35, FX50, G37 – $3000
• 2011 Toyota Tundra – $2500
• 2011 Toyota Camry – $1500
• 2011 Toyota RAV4 – $1000
• 2011 Toyota Highlander – $500
• 2011 Volvo C30, C70, C80 – $500

You can get free price quotes on any of the above vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

However, there is one kind of incentive that is not advertised, at least not directly. We often call it a “hidden rebate” or “secret rebate.” In the auto industry it’s called marketing support or factory-to-dealer cash.

The rebate is “hidden” because it flows directly from the car company to dealers. It is provided to dealers as a way of helping them sell or lease cars. The rebate is not a constant and is not offered on all makes and models. It’s offered on a month by month basis, the same as direct customer rebates. It might be offered one month, and not another. The amount of the “hidden” rebate can vary widely, depending on how badly the manufacturer wants to help sell a particular model vehicle.

Dealers can use marketing support money almost any way they want if it helps sell cars. They could use it to pay for advertising, tent sales, or special promotions. However, most if not all of the money is given to customers as a price discount. When a dealer kicks in his own discount, added to the marketing support discount, customers can walk away with a terrific deal. This is how dealers can sell cars at “below invoice price.”

At the time of this writing, the following manufacturers are providing “hidden rebates” to dealers. These rebates may not apply to all models or styles and often require that the customer finance their purchase or lease through the manufacturer’s finance company (example: Ford Motor Credit).

• 2010 BMW M6, 6-Series, X3 – $4000-$$12,500
• 2010 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Sebring – $1000
• 2010 Jeep Wrangler – $750
• 2011 Cadillac CTS, DTS, STS – $3500
• 2011 Cadillac Escalade – $2000
• 2011 Chevrolet Aveo, Corvette, HHR, Impala – up to $4000
• 2010 Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt, HHR, Impala – up to $5000
• 2010 Pontiac Vibe – $3000
• 2010 Acura RL, TL, ZDX – $2000-$4000
• 2010 Honda Odyssey, Ridgeline, Civic Hybrid – $1500
• 2010 Honda Accord, Crosstour, Civic, Insight – up to $1200
• 2011 Mazda Tribute – $1500
• 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata, RX-8, Tribute – $3000-$3500
• 2010 Mazda CX-7, CX-9, Mazda5, Mazda6 – $1500-$2000
• 2010 Mercedes CL, CLS, R-Class, S-Class, SLK – up to $10,000
• 2010 Mercedes C-Class, E-Class, GL, GLK, M-Class – $1500-$5000
• 2010 Saab 9-5 – $2000
• 2010 Subaru Impreza – $1000
• 2011 Toyota Camry – $1500
• 2010 Toyota Tundra – $4000
• 2010 Toyota Avalon, Camry – $2000
• 2010 Toyota Corolla, Highlander, RAV4 – $1500
• 2010 Volvo  C70, S80, V70, XC70, XC90 – $1000-$5500
• 2010 Volvo C30, S40, V50, XC60 – $1000-$1500

Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

You can get free price quotes on any of the above cars from

BMW

The low-interest loans are structured a little odd but are nevertheless interesting and worth considering. For example, on the BMW 335i xDrive, you can get 0.9% APR for 24 months or 2.9% APR for 72 months – or 1.9% APR for 72 months if you have owned/leased a BMW vehicle in the last 12 months. Similar low-interest rates are available on many other models and styles.

Many 2010 BMW models get special lease deals. These include the 1-Series, 3-Series, 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, X3, X5, X6, and Z4. Note that there are no special leases being offered on new 2011 models. However, you can negotiate your own lease deal — if you understand how leasing works. If not, we recommend you visit LeaseGuide.com.

The BMW special car leases are genuinely good deals. The company has reduced the price (capitalized cost) on which the lease is based, has reduced the interest rate (money factor), and boosted the lease-end residual value. When combined, these factors create a low monthly lease payment for that vehicle. You would not be able to negotiate the same terms on your own.

BMW is also offering “Owner Loyalty Bonus Cash” on selected models, for customers who have previously leased a BMW and now want to lease again. The amount is typically $1500.

Finally, BMW the manufacturer, is providing dealers a form of factory-to-dealer rebate that they call “Build-Out Cash” on many models and styles. This money can be used by dealers to promote sales or provide price discounts to customers — which is typically what happens. When you accept one of those nice lease deals, for example, one of the reasons for the low monthly payment is that the lease price has been reduced by the “build-out cash.” Or if you are buying and it looks like the dealer is giving you the shirt off his back, he’s only passing along his “build-out cash” to you. 

Build-out cash can be very significant, especially on higher priced BMW models. For example, the 2010 BMW Z4 gets $3500. The 2010 BMW 5-Series gets $6000.  And the 2010 BMW 6-Series gets a whopping $10,000! That’s a nice price discount on a nice car.

You can get free price quotes on any of the above BMW vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

However, in these times of slow sales for all, BMW manages to slip in some pretty good deals without being too obvious. The current deals — good for March and April 2010 — include various combinations of  ”Spring Drive Credit” (wouldn’t want to call it a rebate, would we), owner loyalty cash credits,  low-interest loans, and special lease deals.

In some cases, BMW makes it a little complicated with some models that have “secret” factory-to-dealer cash (they call it Build Out Dealer Cash) that can’t be combined with some special financing and lease deals. Furthermore, some deals are only available in selected regions of the country.

Here are some examples of current BMW new-car deals:

BMW 128I coupe – $1500 credit and 0.9% APR loan for 24 months (2.9% for 60 months), or $339 a month special lease

BMW 135i couple – $1500 credit and 0.9% APR loan for 24 months (2.9% for 60 months), or $399 a month special lease

BMW 335i sedan – $2500 credit and 0.9 APR loan for 24 months (3.9% for 60 months), or $419 a month special lease

BMW 335i coupe – $2500 credit and 0.9 APR loan for 24 months (3.9% for 60 months), or $439 a month special lease

BMW 550i sedan – $1500 owner loyalty cash, 2.9% APR loan for up to 60 months, $6000 factory-to-dealer cash, or $809 a month special lease

BMW 650i coupe –  2.9% APR loan rate for up to 60 months, $10,000 factory-to-dealer cash, or $1129 a month special lease

BMW Z4 sDrive351 convertible – $2500 credit and 2.9% APR loan for 24/60 months, or $679 a month special lease

You can get free price quotes on any of the above BMW vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

However, BMW offers “back door” price discounts by giving dealers money (“dealer cash” or “marketing support”) in the form of factory-to-dealer rebates on certain models during a promotion period. Dealers can use the money for advertising or sales events but most, if not all, of the money goes back to customers in the form of price discounts.

Currently, BMW is offering some incredibly large factory-to-dealer incentives, good during January and February 2010, ending on March 1, 2010.

Let’s look at some of the BMW dealer rebates:

2010 BMW M6 – $12,000 dealer cash

2010 BMW 6-Series – $10,000 dealer cash

2010 BMW 5-Series and M5 – $7500 dealer cash

2009 BMW 6-Series and M6 – $10,000 dealer cash

2009 BMW 7-Series – $7500 dealer cash

2009 BMW X5 and X6 – up to $5500 dealer cash

2009 BMW Z4 – $5000 dealer cash

2009 BMW 3-Series and M3 – up to $4500 dealer cash

2009 BMW X3 – $3500 dealer cash

2009 BMW 1-Series – up to $3500 dealer cash

You can get free dealer price quotes on any of the above BMW vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

BMW

BMW‘s new incentives are good during January and February 2010, ending on 3/1/2010. All incentives discussed here apply to 2010 BMW models.

Low-interest loans being offered are listed here:

BMW 1-Series, 3-Series, 5-Series, M5, and Z4 – 2.9% APR loan rate for 24 and 60 months

BMW X3, X5, X6, and 7-Series – 3.9% loans rate for 24 and 60 months

Additionally, a direct customer rebate of $4500 is being offered on diesel models. 

Finally, an incredible $12,500 factory-to-dealer cash is being offered on the BMW M5. A similar incentive of $7500 is being offered on the BMW 550i.

BMW is typically very reserved in offering incentives (it doesn’t want to be viewed as a “discount” brand) so, if you are interested in a BMW, this might be as good a time as any to make your move.

You can get free dealer price quotes on any BMW vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

When a dealer or manufacturer has too many of certain vehicles and sales are slow, the manufacturer will encourage him to increase sales by providing a cash incentive. Right now, many car makers are offering big dealer cash on leftover 2009 models, as well as some 2010 models.

Dealers can use the factory cash in any way they want. Some spend it on advertising. Some hold special sales events or ”tent sales.” But in many cases some , if not all, of the money goes directly back to customers in the form of price discounts.

A car with a $2000 factory-to-dealer rebate will almost certainly sell for at least $2000 less than MSRP (sticker price), if not more. Frequently, manufacturers offer a combination of direct customer rebates and factory-to-dealer cash to make an overall sweet deal. Customers often negotiate additional discount from a dealer (it’s only right that a dealer should add a little of his own money) to make the deal even better.

Luxury car makers like to use hidden dealer cash because they don’t want to advertise customer rebates and be veiwed as a “discount brand.” That way customers can negotiate, or be given, a “special price” without it being so obvious that it’s a discount.

Here are some of the brands and models with the best factory-to-dealer cash deals. Keep in mind that these factory rebates can vary by region of the country and may be changed at any time.

2009 BMW 3-Series and M3 – $2500 dealer cash

2009 Chrysler Aspen, PT Cruiser – $4500

2009 Chrysler Sebring, Town & Country – $3500

2009 Dodge Sprinter – $5000

2009 Dodge Avenger, Durango, Nitro – $4500

2009 Dodge Dakota, Grand Caravan, Jpourney – $3500

2009 Jeep Commander, Grand Cherokee – $5000

2009 Jeep Compass, Patriot, Liberty, Wrangler – $3000

2009 Mercury Grand Marquis, Milan, Sable – $3500

2009 Hummer H2, H2 SUT – $5000

2009 Saab 9-3, 9-5, 9-7X – $8000

2009 Land Rover Ranger Rover – $9000

2009 Land Rover LR2, LR3, Ranger Rover Sport – $6000

2010 Infiniti EX35, M35, M45, QX56 – $6000

2009 Infiniti F35, FX50, M35, M45 – $6000

2009 Infiniti EX35, G37 – $4000

2009 Lexus LS-450, LS-660L, SC 430 – $10,000

2009 Lexus GS-350, GS-450h, GS-460, LX-570 – $3000

2009 Audi A3, A4, A6, S6, S4, S8, TT - $6000

2009 Audi A5, A8, Q5, Q7 – $5000

2009 Volkswagen CC, Eos, Routan – $6000

2009 Volkswagen New Beetle, Tiguan, Passat – $6000

2009 Volkswagen Jetta, Touareg 2,  GTI – $5000

2010 Volvo C70, S80, V70, XC70 – $4000

2009 Volvo C70, S60, S80, V70, XC70 – $5500

2009 Volvo C30, S40, V50, XC90 – $4000

You can get free price quotes on any of the above vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

BMW

Overall the BMW deals are very good, especially on the 2009 models. However, in most cases, the new 2010 models also get good incentives, just not quite as good as the 2009s.

As usual, BMW’s incentives are a bit unusual with some odd variations. Although the company doesn’t often (hardly ever) offer direct factory-to-customer rebates, they are doing it in this round of incentives. The rebates are called “Holiday Credit Cash” and are either $1500 or $2500, depending on the model. Furthermore, most but not all models get the special rebate. In order to qualify for the rebate, the vehicle must be financed or leased through BMW Financial Services.

Most models, including 2010 models, also get low-interest loan deals, which can be combined with the “Holiday Credit Cash.” Although there are some very low interest rates being offered, all for 24/60 months, there are no 0% loan deals in this incentive program from BMW. The best rates are, of course, on 2009 models. Rates range from 0.9% APR (2009 6-Series and M6), 1.9% ( 2009 Z4 and some 7-Series), 2.9% (2009 M3 and X3), 3.9% (2009 3-Series, 2009 and 2010 5-Series, 2010 X3, 2010 Z4), to 4.9% (2010 3-Series, 2010 6-Series, 2010 7-Series, 2009 and 2010 X5, 2009 and 2010 X6).

For a few select models, BMW is providing dealers with factory-to-dealer cash with which the dealer can discount prices on those models, although in some cases the discounts can be restricted, for example, by not being allowed if the customer also wants the special loan interest rate also being offered. This is true for the $2500 dealer cash on the 2009 3-Series and M3. However, the 6-Series and M6 get a whopping $6000 dealer cash deal that can be combined with a very nice 0.9% APR loan rate for either 24 or 60 months.

Overall, these deals are well worth considering if you are in the market for a BMW. In fact, these are some of the best deals we’ve seen from the company this year.

You can get free dealer price quotes on any BMW vehicles from Edmunds.com. The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.