Significant difference in depreciation between 2015 and 2016

So I am able to get a new, not punched, not titled 2015 REx locally for a bigger discount than a comparable 2016 that they have on the lot. Since the 2016 was a shortened run any way, is there a significant difference in the depreciation hit I'd take on a 2015 versus 2016 MY? The 2016s are post-April builds with the new "value" "value plus" nomenclature. Any advantage in buying the newer 2016 in terms of quality improvement, fewer recalls?

Thanks for your insights.

GeorgeJetson said:

... Any advantage in buying the newer 2016 in terms of quality improvement, fewer recalls?

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No advantage.

Down the road the 2015 will always be worth less than an equal 2016 just because it will be perceived to be a year older. On the plus side it should have lower milage over time compared to most 2015's so that will help you a bit.

I'm not up enough on BMW warranties to tell you if there are any issues to watch out for there but you should ask about that. Make sure the warranty time frame hasn't started yet.

Thanks for the insights. There is a Tera with leather comparably equipped to the 2016 with cloth that we should be able to leverage for a lower selling price.

On the flip side, the 2017 will be available about 3-4 months ahead of 2017 calendar year plus the bigger battery. What is the difference in price from 2015 to 2017? Have you looked at any previously owned 2014/15's?

Does the warranty clock start to tick at the time of manufacture or the time of purchase? That's the only thing I would be aware of. Resale value of course drops dramatically once factory warranties start to expire.

Just as a reference point I spent the weekend looking at used Ford Focus electrics. There was only on average a $1000 difference for a 2015 vs 2015 vs 2013 with the same mileage but quite a bit more for 2012s and 2011s as the bumper to bumper warranties expired. Of course most important is the battery warranty, which hasn't been tested yet.

Your warranty starts on the day you take delivery. A few service intervals start at the time of manufacture, like flushing the brake fluid, not miles, or when sold, but built. The 2015 probably would still have the 4-year warranty, the 2016, probably is after the cutover to 3-years. Now, there's very little maintenance needed on an i3, so that may not be an issue, plus most things, if they're going to have failure issues, they happen when young. Recalls and software updates generally can happen regardless, and since most of the i3's systems are software driven, the vehicle should have current software when sold. The only differences between model years are colors and standard equipment...if you can get what you want, that's mostly irrelevant. The larger battery pack on the 2017 is optional, extra cost...the smaller battery pack will still be offered, at least for awhile like with Leaf and Tesla.