How important are Driver Assist and Exec Packages when buying used?

[Burstey]

Hello all,

I have been looking at 2015 and 16 M4s for a few months now and I found one that's a good price, has full leather, carbon, manual, etc. It doesnt have LED headlights, Driver Assist or Executive Packages which seem to be a pretty big deal breaker for a lot of people. How much lower should a car like this be valued? The only reason I'm so hesitant on this is, because I'm buying a car that I will probably sell within the next 12 months. I expect to have to move for my job and really want to enjoy an M4 this summer, but be able to quickly sell it when the time comes. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[RickFLM4]

You are going to get a wide array of opinions ranging from they don’t matter to they are must have options. Everyone has their own opinion and there are many many threads debating the merits of various options and packages. It really depends on what you care about and how you plan to dispose of the car after a year. There will be markets for both well equipped and less expensive cars.

As far as pricing goes, if you are talking about something more than a stripper vs. something less than loaded, there probably isn’t an enormous difference relative to the price of the car. It should logically be less expensive than a car with more options but those option depreciate much faster than the car as a whole and supply and demand impact price as well.

If you really have only a year, I’d find an acceptable car at an acceptable price, come up with an exit plan and just move forward. Don’t spend part of the year over analyzing.

[Burstey]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

You are going to get a wide array of opinions ranging from they don’t matter to they are must have options. Everyone has their own opinion and there are many many threads debating the merits of various options and packages. It really depends on what you care about and how you plan to dispose of the car after a year. There will be markets for both well equipped and less expensive cars.

As far as pricing goes, if you are talking about something more than a stripper vs. something less than loaded, there probably isn’t an enormous difference relative to the price of the car. It should logically be less expensive than a car with more options but those option depreciate much faster than the car as a whole and supply and demand impact price as well.

If you really have only a year, I’d find an acceptable car at an acceptable price, come up with an exit plan and just move forward. Don’t spend part of the year over analyzing.

That's kind of where I'm at now. I found a car under 40k with under 45k miles, but more of a stripper. The car still has carbon roof and interior though which I'm a fan of. I was just wondering if the car would be a hard sell when I go to get rid of it. The car seems to be for sale at a few thousand lower than the rest of the M4s at that range, which seems correct?

[Burstey]

Originally Posted by PureModelsOnly

I'd find a lease takeover whose end coincides with your move.

I know this is going to sound silly, but one of my tactics was buy a lower priced car and then in 9-12 months just sell it for a small loss. I feel like I would lose a lot more in a lease. I did this with an R8 and GTR in the past 3 years. Kept them for around 16 months a piece and lost very little on them.

[Tim_M56]

I feel that the executive package is a necessity for the heated steering wheel and parking sensors. A 2015 without that package just feels very barebone in lack of features, and for a daily in the NorthEast, the executive package is s must.

The Driver Assistance, while nice, isn’t as much of an importantance, since most of the features I feel are not needed. The only one that interests me was the Surround View cameras.

Again, importance should be on condition, maintenance history, seller, and so on.

[02M3ForMe]

Full leather with no packages - odd.

Executive is a requirement. No heads up display, no Comfort Access, no sale.

[G4BR13L]

My current F82 is a full option but my next M4 will not be. I like my cars as pure as possible. I don’t even like the iDrive, I would pay extra for a M4 that is basically track and street ready without all this technology, ... airco is something else. Basically I dislike all options that in 20 years will be seriously dated and gimmicks such as heated seats.

As @RickFLM4 mentioned you will get personzl opinions. If you are planning to have the car for only a couple of years and want a comfortable daily drivet you could choose all the options.

[Tall Tom Cruise]

The exec package is a must. The non-exec headlights look so dated, it's trash. The HUD is awesome and a must-have. It's 2019.

The driver assistance package is whatever. The 360 degree parking cameras are sweet, but all of the other gadgets (lane change warning, collision assist) are pretty much useless IMO. I'm sure other people have a different opinion.

[gunsmoker]

Originally Posted by Tall Tom Cruise

The exec package is a must. The non-exec headlights look so dated, it's trash. The HUD is awesome and a must-have. It's 2019.

The driver assistance package is whatever. The 360 degree parking cameras are sweet, but all of the other gadgets (lane change warning, collision assist) are pretty much useless IMO. I'm sure other people have a different opinion.

You can have the adaptive LED lights without the exec pack. My 2016 M3 is like that.

[theox05]

HUD is life changing. I love it.

[M3anth]

I bought a stripped down '17 manual m3 a few weeks ago. Coming from a fully loaded S90 (that car had everything available in an M3 + more), the only thing I miss is HUD. I don't know if I'm a typical buyer, but my priorities were (1) manual trans (2) competition package and (3) color. I found a 2 year old 4k mile car that fit these three boxes and could care less that it doesn't have a heated steering wheel or full leather or 360 camera or anything else. I actually love the cloth seats.

[dkhm3]

hud is great- the lights are great to help shift the car at redline.

[Prossx]

I'm one of those weirdos the that daily's the car, temps ranging below zero - 100+. For me the Heating Steering Wheel, Keyless Entry, Rear View Camera, PDC, HUD, and Sat Radio were all mandatory. The retractable headlight washers don't care. Really how these things aren't standard on a $62k (base) car is insane but that is BMW. I didn't want driver assist nor think its needed. Love the carbon structure way more than leather and a sunroof & HK system were mandatory.

[matty088]

walking from a car Bc it’s lacking executive package is a very odd decision to me. Who cares about hud. It’s a tiny box that shows your mph. All you have to do is look four inches lower and all your gauges are right there. This is a high performance vehicle. You are most likely buying it for the performance. As such I’d make sure you have the options that increase performance. ZCP. Or at the very least adaptive suspension.

I don’t get it.

[nicknaz]

Don’t get a car without backup camera.

That made my 2015 a Beast to sell

Also consider doing a 12 mo the lease take over if possible.

[Spritztour]

I love how my F80 parks itself without scratching the 666 wheels on curbs. So for me it's a must have.

[N1rve]

To me, I wanted the exec package for the backup camera and the active driving assists (with blind spot monitoring) -- Your cheaper cars have this standard, it's pretty shameful that a BMW M4 that was originally valued at 70k+ doesn't have these features.

[gatorfast]

Originally Posted by Burstey

I know this is going to sound silly, but one of my tactics was buy a lower priced car and then in 9-12 months just sell it for a small loss. I feel like I would lose a lot more in a lease. I did this with an R8 and GTR in the past 3 years. Kept them for around 16 months a piece and lost very little on them.

Hate to break it to you, but the M3 is no R8 or gtr. You will prob lose more money doing this than you think.

As for options, aside from perhaps DCT I don't think options have much resale value.

[02M3ForMe]

Originally Posted by kepler

I don’t want executive. Fewer nannies the better.

That's a fair preference; however, many buyers drive these cars daily and consider the Executive Package features mandatory. Rear view camera, parking sensors, Comfort Access, heads up display - all legitimate, non-gimmick features. Extended Leather was also bundled during these years. The Exec package box was the easiest for me to check.

[MrSmartyPants]

Mine doesn't have exec. That means no sensors on bumpers or headlight washers (essentially euro bumpers). But I do have extended leather, led, adaptive, comfort access and heated seats front and rear.

I much prefer this. Only thing I miss is the rear view camera. Would have liked zcp too, but it was out of the budget.

I don't care about the other features. I prefer simpler cars.

I'd think a desirable color combo and comp pack are probably more important for resale.

[LVI]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Hate to break it to you, but the M3 is no R8 or gtr. You will prob lose more money doing this than you think.

As for options, aside from perhaps DCT I don't think options have much resale value.

Exactly. Find a lease take over and turn it back in when you're done or you will absolutely lose your shirt come next year. You can get close buying but i would think you'd lose more between sales tax and depreciation.