As you would expect there are some relatively excellent new car deals to be had IF you can afford them. BMW threw in their std Xtras of auto,leather & paint whilst Mercedes had certain cars with high specs in stock although both specs were c. 6k shy of the IS.The BMW Dealer Experience was akin to Tesco's Electrical & the Merc like a City Bank with both seemingly reluctant to search for my Spec.I test drove a very nice 330i but really did miss the "toys" whilst the Merc was simply too costly.
In the end I settled for a new IS which was on a Container in the Bay of Biscay with delivery quoted mid-September.The Lexus Derby experience so far has been superb with all my needs being fully met.I could have ordered the Series 5 new Spec IS but could not justify the price hike in 6 mnths. time for what amounts to very little change.
Car is specced as follows----Cadaxton/Sussex Sel-Auto MM,Hoshis,Tints,Lip spoilers & Flaps:If it betters my current IS I will be in Heaven!
Tel

what u got now??

Pardon my ignorance, but what's wrong with the one you've got now?

Sounds like you'll be getting a nice new one though!

Current Sel-Auto has no MM,no Tints & the new motor will also have the very latest spec. to go with the MM.
Tel

Nice one, did you go for the lip spoiler only or the full body kit?
Whats the changed spec on these now days?

Lip Spoiler Front & Rear,the Seat Backs,the lit boot & petrol cap switches,the white Lexus scuff plates,MM enhancement,increased sound proofing,& very slight
mods to the suspension & auto nacelle info plus the modified cams.
The March 08 courtesy car I had recently was certainly a touch smoother & quieter than mine & the MM voice activation was perfect compared with my experience of an earliar version.
Tel

Cool.

auto nacelle info ?

sounds good, but it wont be in a container its on a RO-RO and will be docking in Bristol,

sounds like a great car Tel

Can never understand why its called a spoiler when it looks better -

it "spoils" the airflow, creating better downforce, or cooling, or heat management characteristics

what is auto nacelle info?? and which modified cams??

am driving a 2008MY se-l with all extras, drove it to london yday on m40 n m1, and must say u hear the wind noise much more than my 56plate SE-L. the rear view camera looks same too. i am starting to like the lighter interior though, cream or grey...

I had a 2008 IS250SE auto with MM last weekend while mine was in for the iPod adapter. I thought it was a cracking car. I had more people looking at that car than my LS430. It was an absolute doddle to park as well. The interior was black leather though and would have benafitted from a lighter colour. Damn nice car though.

Nice one Tel - many congrats good luck with yer mota. My dealership tried hard at the very bitter end to sell me one - including phoning me whilst at the BMW dealer signing the papers for the new car...

They offered me £250 more for mine than the BMW dealer gave me. This plus £2700 off list for a brand new 250SE Auto MM.

As you say, there are cracking deals to be had. Normally, good times to buy a new car are May-Jul and mid Oct-end Dec.

However, what I would say is that with the Credit crunch looming, all dealers face the prospect of NOT hitting any of their remaining targets which were set earlier this year. Any time will be a good time to do a deal this side of Christmas.

Great to know you're OK & your new super-limo too:was close to the 330i but "my deal" was too good to miss & my Lexus experince, which goes back 9 years has always been excellent, so I could not resist once my better- half had sanctioned the deal.
Trust you are finding the Bmw Forum interesting?
Tel

Glad for you - the hardest thing is the better half - the deal is always on the cards unless they have something to do with it!!

The Beemer forums - well what can I say? There are so many. The BMW Club UK is like a ghost town; BMWLand.co.uk is OK, but the best one is the international forums.e60.net. Fantastic, but there are so many yanks on there all with 550i's...makes me jealous, especially when you consider that they get 'em for peanuts there (sound familiar??).

Nothing beats the LOC here....so any enthusiastic people and virtual friends, and like with all forums you get the odd idiot!!!