MBC320X

I'm pretty close to ordering a new C350 and doing ED. First of all, to get a better price and second to get the options I want. I can get a car shipped in from another dealer oos for about the same price as ED, but there isn't a single car anywhere in the country with the options I want.

What I'm wondering though, is if I should be expecting to get a better deal than the standard 7% discount? I know MB has the $3500 marketing support going, but that is only for 06 models. If I order it will be an 07. What should I expect beyond the standard ED discount?

I'll also post this in the genereal section in case owners of other models might have some insight.

MB-JIM

You should DEFINITELY get an additional discount from your dealer. If he won't then PM me and I will give you a contact who will give an additonal discount. I have done ED 20 times.

drexappeal

Is this only applicable for the newer models because I did ED and I don't think I got any "additional" cost savings and/or discount. I just thought that the dealer gave us a good rate (maybe that's why).

MB-JIM

My salesman will give an additional disccount on any MB that is elgible for the 7% tourist discount. Many dealers want you to think that they don't have much profit on a tourist delivery car but that just isn't so.

patrick_y

Is this applicable to BMW and other European delivery companies?

I was very upset when they told me that the European delivery prices were set in stone.

In the end, I just bought and took delivery of the car in the US.

Moviela

Send a fax to the 20 dealers nearest to you, ask for a quote, and see what comes back. Some will read the sticker, some will BS about thin margins, some will need a unit for a sales quota, and will deal. I love European delivery. Makes my clients think I am really doing well when I arrive with a new car every time I visit.

e1000

lol - when I bought mine - the salesman showed me on the computer that there were only 50! new C350 Sport Sedans in the whole country at the time...

patrick_y

I believe it. Whenever I go to my dealership's lot, (it's a big dealership too), I don't see very many at all. Most people who buy a C Class go for the entry level stuff (like me). When I acquired my in January of 05, I was considering the 320. But then I thought about it, I could live with the 230, the 320 to me wasn't worth the extra money more, and it didn't seem really special. And I couldn't understand why the C320 ate more gas than the E320...

Lastly, I was able to order my car (in a very short amount of time) exactly the way I wanted. If I wanted a C320, I would have had to wait; like C350s, the C320s are rare as well.

Now, put me in the same place again and I'd be more inclined to take the C350. Magnificent machine. Comes much closer to a C55 in terms of performance for the price.

Look at this hypothetical model:
Say: C230 is $30k, performance is 1 out of 5
C320 is $42k, performance is 1.5 out of 5
C350 is $43k, performance is 3 out of 5
C55 is $60k, performance is 5 out of 5.

The C350 gets really close to the C55 levels of performance for the money. The C320 just didn't feel that special. Then again, I came from driving an E320 and I'd have to say, the C230K SS is a tad bit slow sometimes. You really have to be in the right gear. Lastly, I try to stay out of anything higher than 3000RPMs.

I hope I'm not contradicting myself here when I'm complaining that the C230 is slow even though I'm living fine with it. I'm just trying to point out both sides of the situation. Sometimes I think the C230 is slow, but 90% of the time I'm able to live with it and keep it out of the 3000 RPM range. The C320 does feel much better than the C230, power wise. No complaints on the C320. The C350, that's superb.

patrick_y

I'd like European delivery if it saved me money.

In my experience, I've been getting better deals on taking US delivery. Because the dealerships refuse to work with me on the price for European delivery. They say there's no negotiation on those.

amdeutsch

Care to provide more detail on this inside info? Most say ED price is it. Unlike BMW which seems to have a different pricing structure for their ED program.

MB-JIM

It is my understanding that the dealer's get the same profit on tourist delivery cars that they do on US deliveries even on the models that have a 7% tourist delivery discount. At least ask your dealer to throw in the Alps Rally.

patrick_y

I don't want the Alps Rally package, I want the car to be the same price I normally get the car for (if not cheaper).

They tell me that the sales agent is paid a flat commission for such sales. Then again, I'm not sure I believe that one either.

amdeutsch

I can't believe it but I'm agreeing with patrick_y. For the price of the package they can buy 2 airline tickets, Lufthansa 2 for 1 deal for MB EURO delivery. BTW, that isn't advertised but easily found out.

stevec32

I will be picking up a E550 on Sept. 3 from Stuttgart. One dealer would throw in the rally package ($1300) right off the bat, but I wanted more.
I got another dealer to throw in an additional $1400.00 over and above the rally package for a total of $2700. off the euro delivery MSRP. By the way this deal was signed when I wanted a E350. I changed my mind and got it changed to a E550. They really want to throw things in and not discount the car, but hang tuff and you can do a deal. This is from a very large dealer in So Cal.

Good luck

GPI

What is the difference of buying a MBZ that is already in the showroom than buying ED? Is it just that the price is cheaper for ED?

e1000

ED = European Delivery - you fly over to the factory and drive it to the port and then fly back. Your car gets delivered a couple weeks later.

anakin14

Do you suppose any Europeans take "American" delivery?

stevec32

Yes I think the euro's can take delivery of their of cars here if they are built here such as the ML.

And to the other post for euro delivery the price reduction is 7% plus the price includes 1 day in a Stuttgart hotel, factory tour, museum tour, taxi vouchers, lunch at the factory and 15 days 0 deductible car insurance. Drop off the car about 10 different places in Europe. and then the car shows up at the dealer about 6 to 8 long weeks later.

GPI

How much roughly is the price for the tickets to fly there? So, are we guided by an MB representative to fly there?

e1000

not sure - I didn't do ED so I couldn't tell you the specifics

stingray

You can search through any of the travel sites for ticket prices to Germany. Mercedes-Benz also has a travel agency that typically offers discounts on plane tickets and hotels throughout Europe. They can be very helpful in planning a trip.

I took a modified version of the "Black Forest-Alps Rally" route last year, and had a great time. And I had the opportunity to test out the handling characteristics of my new car on many types of roads -- from small, winding mountain roads to straight, clear stretches of the autobahn.

If you want more information, you should stop in at a local dealer and have a chat with a European delivery specialist, or you can visit the following sites:
http://www.mbusa.com/edp/index.do
http://www.curtrich.com/EuropeanDelivery.pdf

A search through the forums will also provide some more insight into the whole experience.

GPI

Ok. Thx for the information stingray. I'll check out the sites.