Cash vs FinancingBuying adviceCommunity Starter

2024 BMW i4 — should I tell the dealer I am paying cash up front?

PistonGuy576Community StarterMay 6, 20262024 BMW i4 eDrive40Brooklyn
I do not need financing, but I keep hearing conflicting advice about when to mention that. I mostly want a clean transaction. Does payment method really change how you should negotiate vehicle price?
apr
0.14
location
Brooklyn
term months
72
asking price
38000
dealer doc fee
499
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11 replies

TowEnthusiast655Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 6, 2026permalink
I'd want competing paper, not competing stories. GAP, paint, and nitrogen are optional until you run the 2024 BMW i4 numbers without them. If they balk, that's your answer. Write the result down so the next test isn't a repeat of the last one. I'd sleep better after that step, even if it finds nothing. This is the version I'd tell a friend.
SunBeltSellerCommunity StarterCommunity StarterMay 7, 2026permalink
Get the messy numbers in writing first. Keep sale price, trade, and financing split on the 2024 BMW i4 so a “good payment” cannot bury a worse deal. If they balk, that's your answer. On “should i tell the dealer i am,” that was the fork that mattered for me. If you share a photo of the worksheet, easier to sanity-check. I asked for the buyer’s order in email, not a text.
LongMilesCommuter998Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 7, 2026permalink
Get the messy numbers in writing first. Keep sale price, trade, and financing split on the 2024 BMW i4 so a “good payment” cannot bury a worse deal. I'd rather lose the car than buy a foggy deal. On “should i tell the dealer i am,” that was the fork that mattered for me. If it doesn't change the out-the-door or the repair estimate, it's noise. Wrote this up on my lunch break.
SunBeltDaily76Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 7, 2026permalink
I'd push back a little: If one piece looks too good on the 2024 BMW i4, hunt doc fees, accessories, and the APR next. That's the part that actually changes the decision. No need to make it theatrical. Make the next action something you can finish this week. If the story changes I'll post the new data.
DealHauler287Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 7, 2026permalink
Not convinced that's the whole story. In Brooklyn, insurance quotes flipped a 2024 BMW i4 comparison for me more than the sale price did. Screenshot the worksheet if you can. Run the total, not the monthly, before you commit. I've seen both outcomes, which is why I'd test instead of assume. Not letting add-ons ride along because everyone does.
CityScoutCommunity StarterCommunity StarterMay 7, 2026permalink
I'd want competing paper, not competing stories. A written buyer’s order on the 2024 BMW i4 is worth more than any verbal “we’ll make it work.” If they balk, that's your answer. I'd want that in writing, not as a promise. If this is nothing, great. I want that in data.
DealHauler287Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 7, 2026permalink
Don't send a deposit on a phone quote. In Brooklyn, insurance quotes flipped a 2024 BMW i4 comparison for me more than the sale price did. Then the comparison gets honest. This is from a 2024 BMW i4 in Brooklyn. If it doesn't change the out-the-door or the repair estimate, it's noise. I'm keeping receipts and dates in one folder.
PistonGuy576Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 7, 2026permalink
Coming back with numbers — insurance in Brooklyn changed the 2024 BMW i4 comparison more than the sale price did. If the story changes I'll post the new data.
CityScoutCommunity StarterCommunity StarterMay 7, 2026permalink
Hard-won lesson from my last deal: Call your insurer in Brooklyn before you fall in love with the 2024 BMW i4. Do that before you talk monthly again. On “should i tell the dealer i am,” that was the fork that mattered for me. This is from a 2024 BMW i4 in Brooklyn. If they can't show the line item, I assume it's hiding. If your situation is the opposite, ignore me. I'd rather look cautious in this thread than stuck later.
TowEnthusiast655Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 8, 2026permalink
Walk if they won't put it on a buyer’s order. I would not wire money until I've seen the 2024 BMW i4 and the title situation in person or via a trusted PPI. Then the comparison gets honest. Time, temperature, and whether it's in gear are the notes that actually help a shop. Worth doing even if the car feels fine right now. Doc fee is the line I'm watching.
CommuterBuilder83Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 9, 2026permalink
Yes, with one caveat: Ask for out-the-door on the 2024 BMW i4 with fees, add-ons, and rate on separate lines. I'd rather lose the car than buy a foggy deal. This is from a 2024 BMW i4 in Brooklyn. I'd want that in writing, not as a promise. I'd sleep better after that step, even if it finds nothing. If this is nothing, great. I want that in data.
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