[krhodes1]

Hello everyone,

I've been lurking for a while doing research. I made the leap today and ordered a new 328i Wagon for European Delivery in late July. Plan is to pick it up, drive to Stockholm to meet up with some friends in the Saab Club, then take the ferry to Finland for the big international Saab Festival. After the festival week, explore Sweden for a few days then drop the car off in Amsterdam and fly home. I have an '08 Saab 9-3 SportCombi currently, great car, but no BMW! I've owned a couple e30s and a couple e28s in the past, but this is my first new BMW. Also currently have two Alfa Romeos (Spider and GTV-6), a Triumph Spitfire, and a MB 300TD. Yes, I have a car problem, the first step is admitting it, haven't made it to the next step yet!

Order is for a 328i Wagon, 6spd Manual transmission, Arctic White on Chestnut Brown leather with light burl trim. For options I got:
Value Pkg (of course!)
Premium Pkg
Cold Weather Pkg
Comfort Access
Sat Radio
Roof rails (hoping my Saab clamp-on cross bars will fit)

There is a tiny devil on my shoulder saying to trade the comfort access for the fancier stereo, but I don't listen to music THAT much, and I imagine the stock stereo is fine for NPR and the comedy channels. I got the comfort access only because I had an Altima recently with that as a rental and I thought it was pretty darned cool!

Thanks to all the info on this forum, I think I did OK on the pricing. In particular, the various posts explaining ED MSRP vs. ED Invoice were very helpful in the negotiations. I ended up getting the car for $36100, plus $399 added dealer greed, I mean "doc fee". Local dealer two miles from my house. I may have been able to do better elsewhere, but the savings potential wasn't worth the added hassle.

I have not made the final descision as to lease vs. buy, they need to confirm the delivery dates etc first. Will probably lease it though, and if it behaves itself in the first three years then buy it out at the end. Not like they will sell me another wagon at the rate they are going, and I don't do sedans for my daily driver / winter beater!

Anyway, a bit of bio - I'm 41, single, 6'2", good sense of humor, er, ah, wrong forum. I'm a computer consultant by trade specializing in Enterprise Storage and Backup stuff (mostly SANs for those in the biz). As mentioned above, huge car nut, very into DIY, once the 50K of free maintenance is up I will do all I can myself, and the in-between stuff that BMW doesn't do anymore. I was lucky enough to buy a large garage with a small detached house some years ago, and have a lift and lots of tools, so anyone local is welcome to stop on by. I have a bunch of car nut friends who come over for wrenching. I'm an active member of the Pine Tree Chapter of BMWCCA too. Looking forward to that rebate check! Will ease the pain of the nasty excise tax bill when I have to register this thing!

Anyway enough for know, thanks again!

Kevin Rhodes
Westbrook, Maine

[BimmerRob]

welcome! wagons rule, i plan on rockin the f30 wagon when it comes out ;]