Bangkok--Jul 14--124 Communications BMW Group Thailand and BMW Financial Services have together revolutionized the way customers can own a BMW car through an innovative ownership program named ‘BMW Value Plus’. With this new program, the customer can own a new BMW car without having to worry about its resale value and its maintenance costs during the BMW Value Plus contract period. ‘BMW Value Plus’ is a hire-purchase program that enables the customer to drive a new BMW simply by leaving a refundable deposit of 25% of the car price, and pay the monthly payment for the contract period of either 36 or 48 months. At the end of the contract, the customer returns the car and gets the deposit of 25% back. One of the additional benefits that the customer obtains from this program is a lower monthly payment, if compared to a regular hire-purchase contract. The monthly payment for the 525iSE is only 49,900 Baht for 48 months (57,300 Baht for 36 months) and 32,500 Baht for the 320i for 48 months (38,000 Baht for 36 months). At the end of the contract, the customer has no obligation to purchase the car he or she has driven over the contract period. Dr. Frank Roesler, the President of BMW Group Thailand, stated: “With BMW Value Plus, we simplify the way that our customers purchase their car. With no resale risk at the end of the contract, with the simplicity of a refundable deposit and its low monthly payments, the customer has an even simpler way to own a BMW.” As announced earlier that every new BMW purchased since 1st of July, 2005 is covered by the 5 years comprehensive maintenance program ‘BMW Service Inclusive’ (BSI), BMW customers, through BMW Value Plus and BSI, can own a BMW with an unprecedented peace of mind as far as maintenance costs and re-sale value are concerned. The program is applicable to all three BMW core models, the New 3 Series, the 5 Series and the facelifted 7 Series. BMW has successfully implemented similar financial concepts for their customers also in other markets like Germany, United States and Australia for several years already. BMW Value Plus will from now on be one of the fundamental financial programs offered by the BMW Group in Thailand. Q&A Format of BMW ‘Value Plus’ with Dr. Frank Roesler; It seems to be very new to the Thai market will customers get it easily? To own a brand new BMW, the customer just needs to know two figures; 25% of the retail price is the deposit, and the monthly payment during the contract period. It is designed to be simple: It is that easy that it is even part of our price list. Why don’t they have to know other figures? Because by only knowing these two figures, customers can own the car. At the end of the contract, the customer just simply returns the car to the showroom and gets his/her 25% deposit back. Is it a hire-purchase contract in which a customer owns the car? Yes, it’s neither a leasing nor a rental, because the customer owns the car. What are benefits from the program? 3 points: easy access to own the car, peace of mind during the ownership and freedom at the end of the contract period. Can you clarify what’s easy access? 25% of the retail price is not a ‘down payment’, it’s a refundable deposit. Therefore, the customers know that they will get that money back at the end of the contract. This makes it an easy access to a BMW. Easy also in terms of monthly payment? This contract offers a lower monthly payment if compared to a regular hire-purchase contract. Just to give you an example: the customer can drive a 525iSE for only 49,900 Baht / month for a 48 months contract period. What do you mean by peace of mind during the ownership? The maintenance of the car is also covered by our BMW Service Inclusive (BSI), our 5year comprehensive maintenance program, as it is an integral part of every new BMW purchased since 1st of July this year. No maintenance concerns and no resale risk. Therefore there is nothing to worry about for our customers. What kind of freedom will the customer have at the end of the contract period? With no such obligation, they do not have to be worried with the resale value of the car after the contract period anyway. They can just simply return the car. Unlike regular hire-purchase with the concept of ‘refundable ‘deposit’, the customer are free to make any decision at the end of the contract; to buy the car they have driven, to transfer that deposit to buy another new car, used car or even to do something else, e.g., buy a condominium. Appendix BMW Value Plus is an additional agreement to a normal Hire-Purchase contract. The Value Plus agreement gives customers the option to return the car at the end of the contract term and obtain the deposit refund. It is the customer who activates the BMW Value Plus option. If they prefer to retain ownership of the car or trade-in for a newer model, then the customer simply settles the Hire-Purchase contract. For more information, please contact Dr. Wit Sittivaekin Corporate Communications Director BMW (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Tel: 0-2305-8888 Fax: 02-654-3115 Website: www.bmw.co.th End.