BMW of North America, Inc. and BMW Financial Services have introduced a payment estimator to the Certified Pre-Owned section of the "Virtual Center" located within www.bmwusa.com, providing online shoppers with estimated monthly payments on certified pre-owned BMWs.
The payment estimator allows Website visitors to calculate monthly retail finance or lease payments based on available BMW Financial Services interest rates. Shoppers can choose their down payment, trade-in value, annual lease mileage and contract length.
"This is one-stop shopping at its best," said Bill Bates, BMW's pre-owned sales and marketing manager. "We're linking customers directly with BMW retail centers, BMW of North America and BMW Financial Services so they will be armed with all the information they need to make an educated decision about purchasing or leasing a Certified Pre-Owned BMW. In fact, I suspect that many people will be surprised at just how affordable monthly payments on a BMW can be," he added.
The Certified Pre-Owned section of BMW's Website already allows consumers to find the most accurate information about Certified Pre-Owned BMWs and to search for a specific model simply by entering their zip code and basic information about the vehicle they want (e.g. series, body style, price range, transmission type). A search mechanism matches the customer's request with an inventory database of all certified pre-owned BMWs, and provides a listing of the vehicles, along with their prices, at specific dealer locations. Customers can then e-mail the retailer directly for further information.
If the vehicle they want is not available nearby (within 25 miles of their zip code), customers can chose to expand their search up to a 500-mile radius. If the specific vehicle is still unavailable, online shoppers can ask to be placed on a wait list, and they will be notified by e-mail as soon as the car of their choice becomes available.
All Certified Pre-Owned BMWs are:
* Late models with less than 60,000 miles, which must pass a thorough inspection by BMW factory-trained technicians.
* Inspected for safety, performance and wear, and are backed by BMW of North America, Inc. and the network of nationwide BMW retailers.
* Covered by a BMW Protection Plan with a warranty that applies for up to six years or 100,000 miles.
* Available through special lease and finance options offered by BMW Financial Services.
According to Bates, more than half of new BMWs are leased, not purchased, meaning that there are a substantial number of low-mileage, well-maintained certified pre-owned vehicles available at reduced prices.
BMW has sold more than 38,000 certified pre-owned vehicles this year --up 64 percent over last year, according to company officials. Seventy-five percent of BMW's total certified pre-owned inventory is priced by the BMW retail centers, available for shopping on the Internet. More than 30 percent of certified pre-owned BMW buyers report that they have used the BMW certified pre-owned Website in their shopping process.
Bates reports that, to date, there have been more than 2.5 million visitors to BMW's certified pre-owned section on its "Virtual Center" web site.
About BMW Financial Services
Information about BMW products is available to consumers via the World Wide Web on the BMW homepage. The address is http://www.bmwusa.com.
BMW Financial Services NA, LLC, was established in 1993 to support the North and South American sales and marketing efforts of BMW, including the newest office in Brazil. With over $11 billion in managed assets and more than 320,000 automotive lending customers, BMW FS leases more than half of the BMWs sold in the U.S.
BMW FS has recently expanded its products, through the wholly owned BMW Bank of North America, Inc., to include a diversified selection of superior banking services, including credit cards, checking accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts. BMW FS has also entered into a strategic alliance with the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies to offer the BMW Personal Insurance Program.
