Hey guys,
My dealership just called asking if i want to take the demo (C300 Sport, P1, Multimedia, AMG 18 inch rims), which means i can get the car tomorrow instead of that early October delivery batch.

Car has about 600 miles on it. I told them I dont care much for the rims becuase I always scratch them up within a few weeks. They are willing to knock a few hundred dollars off for the demo (I told them $1000, but probably end up somwhere in the $500s)

What do y'all t hink about this offer?

JT

 

How much total discount that they did about Demo Car ?

for me , used MB does not bother to you

if discount is very well, I would catch up !

 

+1

 

what did you originally order? if the car has the same options i'd go for it, but at a much larger discount than that.

 

$500-$1000 of a 600 mile demo car?!?! Are you nuts?

If they want to sell it to you at invoice plus a certified pre-owned warranty tacked onto it. Then sure. Otherwise if you're paying for a new car, make sure to get a new car.

 

I would suggest getting the one you ordered, especially when they are only giving a maximum discount of $1,000 off MSRP. The reason is that the demo car has been driven by many people and it is definitely pushed to the limit. I would never push a new car to its limit before it reaches 1,000 miles. Anyway, one of the reasons of getting a new car is to be the first one to drive it. Well, this is my opinion though.

 

The Demo units are owned by MBUSA and have to be wholesaled to the dealership prior to delivery.

You'll get the same new car warranty as if the car had 20 miles. Only problem... I remember how i drove the demo unit when i drove around down town and on the freeway, mashed that throttle. Thats the worst 600 mile breakin around.

I considered buying the demo unit as well, it's SO TEMPTING with the 320 package. In the end, if they aren't offering invoice +500, it ain't worth it.

 

remember how people drive on a "test drive"

i would not do it unless they took 3000 off

 

No no, possibly 100s of people abusing your car before you even get it? I wouldn't take it. My philosophy is to get what you want. I went out of my way to get literally every option available on my C350 not because I'm made of money but because I know I'll have it for several years and if I spent 95% of the money already for something like what I want, might as well spend 100% and get exactly what you want.


I know these aren't $100,000 cars but they are very nice and well built, which means you should get what you want, not what a dealer is trying to pawn off.

my 2 cents

 

I'm wouldn't be so much worried about how it was treated ... but I don't much stock in the old fashioned "break-in" recommendations with modern cars.

My complaint would be that they expect to sell me a "demo" used car for full new car price. Now that's just getting greedy.

 

I got my demo price for$38,000 (msrp.is $39,475)is last week..it had 400 miles on it..ANd I love it so far esp. with the mm package...

 

that's the only real advantage i can see to getting the demo, not waiting for the MM package. i know it is tempting and you can see yourself driving your new car this weekend rather than a couple months from now, but i'd wait if you can

 

I assume thats $38,000 excluding tax, right?
Still better than what my dealer offered

 

some clarfication:

What I ordered:
- C300 Sport
- Multimedia Package ($2,950)
- Auto Transmission ($1,440)
- Palladium Silver ($710)
- Destination charge ($775)
- Free set of wheel locks
MSRP: $37,075 (yes I paid sticker... they tried to add those damn $500 "doc fees" on me; now that's something I will not pay )
Driveout, 6% tax: $39,230

What the Demo has:
- Everything above ($37,075)
- P1 package ($1,400)
- 18 inch AMG rims ($1,000)
- about 450 miles
MSRP: $39,475
Invoice: (assuming dealer takes 7%): $39,475 / 1.07 = $36,892

Scenario 1: Dealer takes $1,000 off MSRP: Driveout price including tax is ($39,475 - $1,000)*1.06 = $40,784

Scenario 2: Dealer sells car at $500 over invoice: Driveout price including tax is ($36,892 + $500)*1.06 = $39,635

So $39,230 is what I would pay for the exact car I want at for Oct. delivery. I think if I can get the dealer to sell at invoice + $500 (meaning I am paying only $400 for P1 and the 18 inch rims), then I might consider it. But I don't think it's feasible for the dealer to do that.

Other variables:
- Dealer gave me a pretty good deal on my trade in. Also since this is a pre-trade, I am allowed about 850 miles allowance on the car. Although I know for sure I would not have enough to last until delivery. Heck, I think I might run out by next week LOL
- Dealer's sales person just joined this particular dealership, and is eager to make the sale, new or demo.

well, having typed all these, I think I might as well wait, despite the fact that paying $400 for P1 and 18 inch rim is not bad (assuming they agree); but what's really sweet is I will get the car tomorrow.

But yea, at end of the day, I don't know how the car was abused during the 450 miles of test drive. And most importantly, I'd rather be the first person to drive it

 

hey vistapoints ,
yep that's excluding the tax..I traded my '06 is250 for it, they give me $28k for it..btw, I was the 1st person to test drive that demo car when it 1st arrived at the dealer..ANd for the past couple of days i get so much attention driving in..this car is awsome esp. the mm package..

I think you should go ahead and get it if you dont have patient and I feel the same way as you, I also want to be the 1st one to have this car around my area.. and please let me know if you decide to get the demo car...

 

If you purchase a demo, you should get it at cost. The dealer already enjoyed the benifit of using the car to make sales. To calculate cost, take the invoice and subtract 3% of MSRP. Then take an extra 2% from that. The destination charge is really a "Charge at Destination." The dealer should waive it. The delivery of the car from the factory in Germany or South Africa to the dealer is included in the invoice price. The destination charge, like holdback, is a way for the dealer to avoid sales commission on a fat portion of the profit from a sale.

Now that you have arrived at the true dealer cost, ask him what incentives he will receive for moving a unit. This varies from dealer to dealer, but it is anything from a golf invitation, a trip to Paris, or increased alotment of expensive easy to sell units. Tell him you will have all of that too.

 

Hey Moviela
What's the difference between Invoice and Cost to dealer? From your numbers the cost to dealer is about $35,000. If I ask them to waive the destination charge, I will be getting the car at a little over $34,000, driveout around $36,300 (including Multimedia, P1, AMG rims). That would be great, but I doubt the dealer will be willing to let go that car at this price since they know the car is hot and I am probably not their only buyer

Also, I believe they will be getting their new demos in soon. Maybe I have more grounds for negotiation when they actually have it on hand, since it will be more beneficial for them to move that old demo car when they get new ones in.

JT

 

BTW, edmunds already has the invoice prices of the 08 C series up. For what it's worth.

 

I would not do it. You are getting a used car for only a small discount. I received more than than discount off a new C350 that I have ordered. Those 600 miles are probaly very hard miles. Wait and get a new one. Bad deal.

TEAShea
from Nebraska

 

No way. I would never do it. That car has probably been beaten and you are not getting much discount on it.

 

nice
what kind of discount did you get on the C350? How did you get it? I am assuming you are buying another MB from them very soon?
yea, i'd consider taking the demo only if they will knock close to $3000 off the MSRP

 

Thanks

I just cheked carsdirect.com. the c300 are up now
MSRP $31,975
Invoice: $29,891
Target Price: $31,975 (MSRP!!)

 

I don't understand the anxst - winter will be upon us and the 4th quarter is looking VERY dim - according to CNNMONEY no one is really buying cars and dealers will get desperate closer to the end of the year and the end of every month - don't forget dealers have to pay a monthly payment for those cars on the lot - within 6-9 weeks or 2 months there will be an abundance of C350s/300s around and negotiation will be much more flexible.

I have bought plenty of cars off the net sight unseen and never had an issue. I'd buy a 350 from california andhave it shipped to the east coast from a big dealer who can drop a few grand before buying locally at my small dealer who doesn't flex on anything

more importnatly there will be used C series for sale by November/December for 4-5 grand less than sticker - why get impatient? your car wont even be here until October

The 4th quarter is going to be BAD for stocks, housing sales, and consumer spending which translates into LOWER prices - car sales are already down

 

But won't interest rates also be way up? With the current market, I'm not sure if I expect MB incentivise lease rates at all. Getting 2-3k off the selling price of a car doesn't thrill me much if I'm financing at 7+ % or the lease rates are off the scale.

I agree though. They'll have to do something when they figure out their "launch" wasn't as successful as they expected it to be. I consider it their own fault though. Which, conversly, not being a die-hard MB fan makes me wonder if I really want to deal with a company who can't get their marketing together. How are they going to treat me when there's a problem with the car that the dealer can't fix?

 

first its a MB not a BMW its class not series

second people do what they want don't have to sound so depressing