Is now the time to buy?

[CORTDD]

I am in the market for a new M3, and I am wondering if now is the time to buy.

The car that I want would be pretty well equipped (premium, tech, 19" wheels, heated seats, can take or leave the DCT). However, I have concerns about an immediate purchase. The only incentive on this $70k car is a $1500 rebate. I would put down roughly half in cash and finance the rest. At the moment finance rates on 2010 M3's are nothing special (not really interested in a lease as I tend to keep cars 5 years or longer). Also, I am put off by the low resale value these cars are showing. Finally, a LCI is set for mid February 2010 production (I think). I don't want to plunk down a premium price for a car and then 2 months later see the resale value tank even more.

There is a bit of a wild card with what Audi is going to introduce at the end of November with the RS5. I am not an Audi fan, but the RS5 will be competition to the M3. Not sure how this plays with M3 pricing.

Taking all this into consideration, now does not seem to be a good time to buy. I would pull the trigger now if I could find the right car at the right price, but unfortunately this seems like too many "ifs". Consequently, I am left waiting.

Thoughts?

[Alchem]

If you are spending that much, I'd wait for the LCI. Or if you must have it now get a pre owned 08 M3.

[SpencerM3]

The $1500 holiday cash on ‘10s is nice, but the rates are shit, and will continue to be shit until almost all of the remaining ‘09s are gone, which probably won’t be till early 2010. Even then I wouldn’t suspect M3 rates to be any less than 5.9% for the first half of 2010. So I guess do the math, which is better $1500 cash back and shit rates or likely no cash back and a better rate at 5.9%...? As far as the LCI goes, yeah sure we’d like to have current cars, but from what I’ve seen on LCI spy shots, the changes look to be very minimal. Then again ‘10s w/o the LCI once the LCI is out might be cheaper than LCI cars…?