[jjrandorin]

Originally Posted by scott13

More GREAT info. Many thanks.

For full disclosure, the way this started for me was...

I told the dealer that I was interested in the option of buying out the lease, but didn't know how that process worked and would like to see the details. I didn't ask for any sort of discount on the residual and I also didn't specify whether I wanted to go through them or directly through BMW FS, largely because I didn't realize going directly through BWM FS was an option. They just presented me with their "deal" which was the full residual price plus >$500 in nebulously defined fees ($335 documentation fee + $250 safety check fee + to be determined repair costs). They also included the cost of state sales tax and the standard $135 registration and title fee, but both of those make perfect sense to me.

I'm comfortable with paying the full residual, especially since it happens to be right about in the range for market value around here (according to KBB). Knowing what I know now (thanks to everyone here), I'm planning on either going through BMW FS and just handle everything myself OR see if the dealer is willing to waive the various fees and potentially pass on some benefit they'll realize by purchasing the car on my behalf, maybe in the form of a nice discount on extended warranty or something like that. That feels like a fair ask on my part since I feel like they opened the door to that conversation by presenting their way as "THE" way this is done.

Go get em!