Are there MB dealer sponsors on this forum?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Seattle Area
2008 BMW 550i
Are there MB dealer sponsors on this forum?
I'm a BMW owner, and took great advantage of all the information available on Bimmerfest.com (the Ask-A-Dealer thread, in particular) when negotiating and purchasing my BMW.
Now, my wife wants a Mercedes, so naturally I migrated to these forums to try and learn as much about MB as I've learned about the BMW experience. I'm surfing these forums and left scratching my head - where're the dealers, and threads about leasing/financing strategies, etc.?
My MB buying time horizon is about 12 months from now - can we get something going along the lines of Bimmerfest on here?
Check this out and see what I'm talking about: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=20
Now, my wife wants a Mercedes, so naturally I migrated to these forums to try and learn as much about MB as I've learned about the BMW experience. I'm surfing these forums and left scratching my head - where're the dealers, and threads about leasing/financing strategies, etc.?
My MB buying time horizon is about 12 months from now - can we get something going along the lines of Bimmerfest on here?
Check this out and see what I'm talking about: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=20
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Seattle Area
2008 BMW 550i
I know I posted in the leasing forum - that was the root of my question.
On Bimmerfest, dealers and prospective lessors/buyers discuss how to negotiate leases, what kind of deals they are able to negotiate, dealer tactics, etc. - all in an open manner that allows the average Joe to become an informed consumer. On top of that, the dealer sponsors on that forum have a reputation for offering competitive deals w/o all the sales BS that makes car buyers leary.
I'm really suprised to see that there is no such similar forum here for open discussion about the intricacies of MB leases, corporate incentives (i.e. hidden trunk money), and ways for the buyer/lessor to be more well-informed before heading to the dealership!
So then the next question is, can we get the ball rolling?
On Bimmerfest, dealers and prospective lessors/buyers discuss how to negotiate leases, what kind of deals they are able to negotiate, dealer tactics, etc. - all in an open manner that allows the average Joe to become an informed consumer. On top of that, the dealer sponsors on that forum have a reputation for offering competitive deals w/o all the sales BS that makes car buyers leary.
I'm really suprised to see that there is no such similar forum here for open discussion about the intricacies of MB leases, corporate incentives (i.e. hidden trunk money), and ways for the buyer/lessor to be more well-informed before heading to the dealership!
So then the next question is, can we get the ball rolling?
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
Alot of cars
The real question you need to ask is why would a dealer want to give away all their true vehicle costs, finance/lease rate costs so you can goto them asking for close to those numbers or exactly those numbers or sometimes even below those numbers?
In another words, if you were to run a business would you publish your costs in public so your customers can trim your profits as much as possible in a retail negotiating business?
In another words, if you were to run a business would you publish your costs in public so your customers can trim your profits as much as possible in a retail negotiating business?
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
328i
The answer is simple although in order to get to it you have to snap out of the common, "business as usual", American frame of mind.
People who value their money will become informed consumers.
An informed consumer will find the information the dealers are so careful in hiding, one way or another. People who pay MSRP or close do not surf the web in search for a deal, and, God bless them, they are the reason there is room in the market for mortals like the rest of us.
If you give the information up front, you as a dealer, came across as honest and helpful. You save everybody a lot of time and aggravation. You build a faithful clientele.
A good deal will make many people get into a BMW, MB or Audi, vs. an Acura, Infinity or Lexus.
BMW dealers (at least the ones from Bimmerfest) learned this lesson first, and benefited from it greatly.
Regards!
People who value their money will become informed consumers.
An informed consumer will find the information the dealers are so careful in hiding, one way or another. People who pay MSRP or close do not surf the web in search for a deal, and, God bless them, they are the reason there is room in the market for mortals like the rest of us.
If you give the information up front, you as a dealer, came across as honest and helpful. You save everybody a lot of time and aggravation. You build a faithful clientele.
A good deal will make many people get into a BMW, MB or Audi, vs. an Acura, Infinity or Lexus.
BMW dealers (at least the ones from Bimmerfest) learned this lesson first, and benefited from it greatly.
Regards!
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Seattle Area
2008 BMW 550i
The real question you need to ask is why would a dealer want to give away all their true vehicle costs, finance/lease rate costs so you can goto them asking for close to those numbers or exactly those numbers or sometimes even below those numbers?
In another words, if you were to run a business would you publish your costs in public so your customers can trim your profits as much as possible in a retail negotiating business?
In another words, if you were to run a business would you publish your costs in public so your customers can trim your profits as much as possible in a retail negotiating business?
My point is, buying cars is already an intimidating process, because the dealer holds all the cars and the buyer is usually less well-informed. What's wrong with educating buyers/leasors on the fine points of the deal.
They/we do that over on Bimmerfest, and everyone wins. What's wrong with having a user-led forum for MB where us consumers can talk turkey? How can we get something like that going on this forum?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 3
From: Jacksonville Florida
209/W210 Estate /W211 modded by MBENZNL
I'm a BMW owner, and took great advantage of all the information available on Bimmerfest.com (the Ask-A-Dealer thread, in particular) when negotiating and purchasing my BMW.
Now, my wife wants a Mercedes, so naturally I migrated to these forums to try and learn as much about MB as I've learned about the BMW experience. I'm surfing these forums and left scratching my head - where're the dealers, and threads about leasing/financing strategies, etc.?
My MB buying time horizon is about 12 months from now - can we get something going along the lines of Bimmerfest on here?
Check this out and see what I'm talking about: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=20
Now, my wife wants a Mercedes, so naturally I migrated to these forums to try and learn as much about MB as I've learned about the BMW experience. I'm surfing these forums and left scratching my head - where're the dealers, and threads about leasing/financing strategies, etc.?
My MB buying time horizon is about 12 months from now - can we get something going along the lines of Bimmerfest on here?
Check this out and see what I'm talking about: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=20
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Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Seattle Area
2008 BMW 550i
well, I appreciate everyone's response, but y'all are still missing the point of my post.
Go check out the Ask-A-Dealer forum at Bimmerfest and see how much info sharing is going on between users/buyers and several very reputable BMW dealerships. It's a very open forum with straight up answers to questions about leasing, financing, incentives, how to negotiate, etc.
My original question remains: Why is there no such similar MB discussion forum?
Go check out the Ask-A-Dealer forum at Bimmerfest and see how much info sharing is going on between users/buyers and several very reputable BMW dealerships. It's a very open forum with straight up answers to questions about leasing, financing, incentives, how to negotiate, etc.
My original question remains: Why is there no such similar MB discussion forum?
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Newbie
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
2011 MB E350 4Matic, 2011 BMW X5d, 2008 BMW 535i
well, I appreciate everyone's response, but y'all are still missing the point of my post.
Go check out the Ask-A-Dealer forum at Bimmerfest and see how much info sharing is going on between users/buyers and several very reputable BMW dealerships. It's a very open forum with straight up answers to questions about leasing, financing, incentives, how to negotiate, etc.
My original question remains: Why is there no such similar MB discussion forum?
Go check out the Ask-A-Dealer forum at Bimmerfest and see how much info sharing is going on between users/buyers and several very reputable BMW dealerships. It's a very open forum with straight up answers to questions about leasing, financing, incentives, how to negotiate, etc.
My original question remains: Why is there no such similar MB discussion forum?
