I've been a BMWCCA member since I first purchased my M3 in July of 2006. I married a wonderful girl in August of 2009 and in the last 8 months have turned her into a fan of the brand and the joy it brings. So much so that we are excited to announce that we will be taking delivery of a 2011 X5 xDrive 5.0i this coming May. My two-part question would be this: Can and how do I add her as a member under my membership number? Once that is complete, does she then qualify for the $1000 member rebate if she is the only one to sign the deal and title, or will I have to co-sign since technically I'm the member who has had the membership for the previous 12 months? Thanks and keep up the good work!
Congratulations on the pending purchase and the transformation of your bride into a member! I have not been through the process of getting a BMW North America rebate, but from what I have heard they are very particular about the rules. If she has not been a member, she will not get the rebate, so it is probably best if you purchase the car and request the rebate immediatly. Don't wait - time goes by quickly and you do not want to let this slip away. I don't know about co-signing a loan... I imagine you need to be listed as the primary purchaser. As far as adding her as an associate member, just call the good folks at the National office tomorrow and they will be able to assist you.
What he said. It's a membership rewards rebate. She would need to be a member for at least 12 months at the time of purchase. If you have been a member for the last 12 months and not received a membership rewards rebate check this calendar year, you would qualify. The vehicle can be in both names and you must sign the paperwork.
Thank you for the clarification. Now that its evident that she won't qualify on her own for the rebate, here is my current predicament: I am a current member in good standing who has not received the rebate in the last 12 months, but I work a "shift" schedule that will likely have me out of town when the car is delivered to the dealership. It was a pre-production order. Any ideas on how I can facilitate the deal so that I can get my signature on the Title Cerificate and odometer statement from afar? I've been told by the dealer that they can't complete sales transactions via fax. Or would it be okay to delay delivery and the purchase for up to two weeks so that I can be present to sign?
I sold a house via fax and signed the paperwork via FedEx. Never even met the new owner or their real estate agent. You can delay the delivery or pickup. Just be sure the dealer doesn't enter the date into BMW's system until you are ready to pickup the car. You have 60 days to submit your request from that date.
Grant her a special power of attorney for the purpose of purchasing and taking delivery of your car. Almost any lawyer ought to be able to bang a simple one out for under $100. In fact, your state may even have forms you can fill out yourself. [ISTR Ohio does.] I've done a number of them for both this purpose and for buying real estate (when it has to be recorded with the county). My wife bought our house with me 600 miles away (and never having seen it). Just check with everyone in advance and be sure they know what you're doing and understand that it's perfectly legal.
