thebishman

It simply cannot be legal to assign a lien to a product that an owner has no outstanding loan on, surely? Plus, dealerships don’t ‘carry the note themselves’, at least not MB dealerships, only financial institutions, so again they have no legal basis to place any form of lien on a car they sell. Period.

It simply must be some form of ‘legal document’ attempting to force the purchaser to 1: not flip the car for profit by selling within the US upon delivery, and 2: forbidding the car from being exported.

Bish

FourT6and2

Right. That's my best guess as well. But what are you going to tell a salesman or sales manager? Oh it's illegal you can't do that. They're gonna say fine go buy the car somewhere else.

FourT6and2

Ok well this one is a no-go just like the others. When I spoke to dealer they told me this one was available. A few hours later I just got an email saying there are two other people ahead of me on it and the original buyer that flaked out is back in now and wants it. A lot of BS for nothing. Again.

surfah

More dealer BS. You have remarkable patience. I would have bought something else long ago.

FourT6and2

Well I'm stubborn haha. And I'm picky. So when I find something that checks all my boxes, I have to get it. And the GTR is one such car. So I guess I'm gonna keep trying. But if this is how Mercedes acts before they get your money, I gotta wonder what owning this car is going to be like. I foresee nothing but headaches. A McLaren or Lambo are looking better and better...

MalibuScott

FourT6and2 - check with Keyes European in Van Nuys. You may get jerked around again, but they currently have 3 GTRs in stock.

Best of luck. I admire your perseverance.

JSwan724

FourT6and 2:

Money talks and BS Walks. Go into the dealer havng done your homework and with check in hand. Only talk with the GM and I’ll be you leave with the car of your choice.

Floor Plan cost will eat them alive on 3 GTR’s. Next month is Christmas and sales will start to slow down.

Good Hunting!!

Jerry

FourT6and2

Can't walk into a dealer. I'm calling dealers all over the country trying to find one. The ones on the floor at dealers around the nation are all spec'd wonky with colors and option combos nobody wants. That's why they're sitting there.

I'll call the above-mentioned dealer and see what they are though. Thanks for the heads up.

FourT6and2

Called the one in Van Nuys and they're a no-go because of the colors they have (red, blue, yellow).

MalibuScott

I understand completely. If you're going to spend that kind of money you should get exactly what you want.

Fletcher Jones have several stores and a couple of GTRs, too, but they are unreasonable. When I first started on my quest for a brilliant blue GT (just the GT - I'm old and 469 HP is sufficient), they told me I could not "build my own." I thanked them and a few weeks later another salesperson emailed me and told me the previous response was in error. It gave me great pleasure to tell her that I had found and bought a GT specc'd out pretty much as I had wanted it in brilliant blue. (In Northern California, too, just in case I need to Lemon it.)

Fletcher Jones wanted MSRP. I got over $7,000 off MSRP.

FourT6and2

Yup. A quarter-million dollars... not gonna settle. The hunt continues lol

fastmd

How is your build at $250K?

AMG 17GT

You need professional help negotiating.

MalibuScott

I just sent you a PM with a reference. The guy who sold me my GT. He's local (for you).

FourT6and2

A spec'd GTR is close to $200,000 MSRP. Add tax + registration fees ($17,500), delivery/shipping if out of state ($2K or more), PPF ($8K) and new wheels (10K), and you're at $225,000. Not a quarter-mill, but you get the idea. Some dealers are asking an extra $25,000 or more. That's a quarter mill right there. Not that I would pay anything over sticker. But still, even for $200,000 I don't want to settle.

FourT6and2

Yup, I spoke with him a few months ago. Nothing available. And a long list of other people in line ahead of me. But thanks for looking out

fastmd

got it, not MSRP. My MSRP was $203K, so didn't understand your math.

guynamedsean

You're adding the cost of PPF and wheels? Why not add in 3 years of washes, tires, gas, the cost of having a garage, wait you had to buy a house to get a garage...

FourT6and2

Because. That's just how I'm viewing this potential purchase. I know what I want to put into the car if I buy it. PPF is a must. New wheels are a must (for me). That is "the car." Gas, parking, tires, insurance, maintenance, parking, and so on... yes, that all matters. But I have allocated about $225,000 for just "the car," including PPF and HRE wheels. So I'd rather not waste $10,000 on magno paint by settling for a car on the lot, when I don't need/want it. Especially when it either lacks options I want or has options I don't. Like... yellow seat belts? Really? Ugly. No carbon fiber? C'mon. This is an AMG beast. Carbon fiber everywhere.

I could have a Selenite Grey Magno GTR by tomorrow if I wanted to spend $30,000 over sticker. But I'm not that crazy.

fabbrisd1

This thread is like out-of-whack - mostly due to the lack of information at dealer-salesperson-level - and the other direction from non-experience on the buyer side.

YES - all GTR's on order were to be confirmed Customer Sold Units - and YES all GTR's put into production were listed as Customer Sold by their respective dealers in NetStar - with customer "info" put into NetStar on each specific PO - however as GTR's began to be delivered at dealer's - at about 25% of delivered dealer's customer's started to "evaporate".. customer name get's deleted from the PO - ie that GTR has no customer - however most dealers do not change the customer sold status to unsold on the main NetStar model search screen. Let's call this "hidden customer not sold GTR's".

Example there are at least 6 Green Magno's "hidden unsold" on the ground - unsold/unclaimed across the US as of today.

Since on GTR's dealer's at this moment will not trade-exchange - it doesn't pay anyone at any other dealership to do a legitimate Netstar search - with one level deeper dive on each candidate - to identify you what-where might be available on the ground across the US.

Now - let's get back to the "I pay cash" - if that blustering makes you feel good about yourself - sorry Charlie - if you don't have a valid party vouch for you (like your local MB dealer) for you - then finance with 50% down finance about $100K - and pay the note off 2nd month - tmake sure your car note has no prepayment penalty - then you will have your GTR - and at most like $400 in added interest expense - who wouldn't trade-off of $400 in added expense if that gives you the opportunity to HAVE your GTR - versus all that blustering talking with yourself and not having it ?

Anyone who "call's" or "internet inquires" about buying a GTR for cash - from outside the dealer area - or from inside the dealer's local area - frankly that's not a success strategy - that's self-defeating since a dealer is not going to risk that 3X penalty if the dealer knowingly sells a GTR for export.

Yes - you could buy a GTR this week - hard work - and that work needs to be "smart".\

Keep the beat !



"

FourT6and2

I'm not trying to buy a GTR that's already on the ground. I'm looking for build allocations. They do exist. I've found a few thanks to PMs from people here. But they haven't panned out. On two of them, they've gone to friends or family of the dealership's owner. I was about to put a deposit down on one and the GM stepped in and stopped it, saying their friend has dibs. There are 5 or 6 GTR's on the ground here in CA alone. 4 in SoCal and two up here in the bay area. The problem is 1) they aren't spec'd how I'd like it. I don't want a green car. Sorry, "Charlie." And 2) dealers are asking $20,000, $25,000, $30,000 over sticker. Hell no. This car is not a numbered or limited edition. There is a Selenite Magno GTR at Pleasanton MB. I sat in it. I turned it on. I revved it a bit. It's a real car. But they want $25K over sticker. Not willing to do that. And I'd rather configure the thing how I want it instead of how some other guy did with green seat belts and yellow stitching and no carbon fiber at all anywhere.

I've found a few dealers willing to sell for sticker price and "export" the car to me here in California. The problem is they don't have confirmed allocations. I'm their "list." Maybe come 2018 things will change and MB will issue more allocations.

SANDOVAL

So there are 32 GTR's on Cars.com offered across the country 21 in GHM. Are you saying all of these cars are offered with Market adjustments? Not doubting the claim, as I don't have insight into the market. That just seems like a lot of units available for purchase to have a market adjustment attached to them. If it is true those of us that purchased their GTR at or below MSRP will fair well with depreciation in the future. The Porsche GT3/GT3RS is a great example of that. Also exporting is when you ship to another country. Don't confuse the term. Exporting in the dealer world is a huge problem, the term will get some people really worked up. It's almost like yelling bomb at an airport. Dealers don't like you even joking about it. I have rarely purchased a car in my home state so nothing wrong with having a car shipped out of state to you. I would advise you to purchase something in California though the Lemon laws are very strong in California for cars purchased in state.

FourT6and2

Really? I hadn't even looked there. But according to the guy above MB won't sell a car out of their local network or something lol (I know that's not true). And 32 GTRs huh... that seems like a lot. I wonder why dealers think this car is so rare it warrants a $25K markup if there are 30 available.

No. I'm saying the ones I've found myself all have market adjustments.

Right. I agree. If there are are so many available, why the market adjustment? I can answer that actually. It's because dealers are artificially inflating the market. Or trying to to. They are trying to make this car more exclusive and rare than it is.

Yep, I understand that. I'm not the one confusing the term. It's the guy above. I live in California. A dealer in Texas should have no problem selling me a car...

Can't purchase a car that doesn't exist. I would love to walk into my local dealer her in SF and buy a GTR. But they don't have any allocations. I have a deposit on a fake "confirmed allocation" from a dealer here in CA. But they refuse to provide a PO#. So I am 99% sure that they don't have one. They are just hoping to get one soon. I talked to MB USA about it and they reached out to the dealer but no response. MB USA said it's fishy but ultimately dealerships are privately owned and they have no real oversight. So whatever.

fabbrisd1

If someone sits in the bleachers - and just watches the game - that's called a "Spectator" - it's the guys out in the field that work and earn the privilege to be called "Player's".

With the relatively limited # of choices and options on the GTR - please post your build-spec's for your GTR - other members very likely will have constructive comments and suggestions for you.

So - let me make sure I have a clear understanding ::

1. You are looking for a out-of-area Mercedes dealership to lock down a GTR production slot for you - so you can build your perfect GTR - correct ?

2. You are financially capable to put down a reasonable $25K GTR deposit to secure that production slot for you - is that correct ?

3. The dealer needs to agree you can pay the balance on delivery in cash as well - is that correct ?

4. You understand all GTR PO's are locked down by the factory (no changes) until end-January - correct ?

Let's get it all on the table - the best thing that could happen is someone here hooks you up to get your GTR !

FourT6and2

1. Yes. Or in-state. I'd prefer in-state actually. But I've already called every dealer in CA.
2. Yes. But $25K is not reasonable. If the allocation exists, with a PO # that I can confirm, then maybe. Most dealers ask for $1,000 - $5,000 for a deposit.
3. As apposed to what? Forcing me to use their in-house financing? Then yeah, I got the cash . Might consider financing if there's no penalty for paying it off quickly.
4. Yes. The build slots I've found are for January, with delivery in February-ish (but obviously I couldn't secure them). I'm not picky on timing as long as it's not like a year from now.