Stu in NY

Hello everyone. I have been driving a BMW for the last 5 years and now I am making the switch to MB. My previous cars were a 2003 e46 M3 and currently a 2006 330i sedan. I love BMW, but my current lease is due in a couple of months and the C really caught my attention. I placed an order yesterday for a C300 sport 4MATIC black, black MB Tex, P2 and MM. I was quoted on a 39 mo lease @ $585 with nothing but taxes and fees down. I am paying $658 a month for my 330i on a 24 mo lease, so I figure it is a good deal for me since I am getting a newer car for a lower monthly price. I was high on the waiting list for the e92 M3, but I feel that it wasn't practical for me considering I am purchasing a new home and my wife drives the car more than I do.
I am looking forward to taking delivery of this car. My wife and I are sick of not being able to drive in even 1 inch of snow with the BMW.

So, my question to you is:
Is this a decent lease price? I figure I'll try to talk them down another $10-$15.

The rates were based on a .00280 money factor and residual of 62%.

Let me know what you guys think and if you have any advise for a new MB owner.

Thanks,
Stu.

PoaMike

Welcome to MB World & I know your going to enjoy your new Benz.

-Mike

tanktube67

Welcome what's the MRSP? if you been driving a BMW, I will recomend to go for the C350 with the above options

Cameron Reddy

Depreciation Fee = (Price – Residual Value ) ÷ months in lease = $X
Finance Fee = (Price + Residual Value) × Money Factor = $Y

$X + $Y = $Monthly Lease Payment

To get the Residual Value you multiply the MSRP of the car by the residual percentage.

The Price is what you are paying for the car (often referred to as Net Capital Cost).

The math is easy once you understand the formula. Plus, it's pretty simple to put into a spread sheet and then you can play around with the various numbers to see the differences caused by spending a grand for more options or getting another grand off your price, etc.

Cameron

Stu in NY

MSRP is $40,915 USD.
I would have done the C350 if it came with the 4MATIC.

Stu

emps

Another fellow e46 m3 owner that's making the switch. I traded my 03 vert for the baby friendly 300 4matic. The e92 4door m3 caught my eye as well but we need awd. The c63 amg is rumored to have a 4matic option down the pipline. If that's the case we'll be moving over to that. The 300 is a cheap alternative for now until either BMW or MB decides to make a awd true sports sedan, and i'm not a fan of audi unfortunately.

Stu in NY

Thanks Cameron.
Plugging in all the values yeilds a lease price of $584.25.
Now I should work on getting some $$ taken off the MSRP.

Stu.

Cameron Reddy

2008 Mercedes C300 Sport 4matic
24 Month – Residual 68% of MSRP – .00305 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00280 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00280 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00355 Base Rate

These figures are for 15K leases. Add 2% to Residual for 12k mi/yr and 3% for 10k mi/yr on all terms.

At a 39 month lease, it would appear that you are getting a VERY good (high) residual rate. 36 month lease at 10K would be 62%. That has the effect of taking X amount off the MSRP, as you can see from the formula. I haven't studied what people are paying for the new C Class, but I suspect a grand or two off MRSP is possible... there may even be a manufacturer incentive at the moment, and that may be influencing your residual number. MB Finance can play with any of the numbers to sell cars.

Remember, raising the residual percentage means you are leasing a smaller percentage of the car... that's good for a low monthly payment... but bad if you want to buy the car at the end of the lease... as you will have a higher buy off. A nice way to go is to get a discount off MSRP (which lowers your payment but not the residual value) and then a very low money factor over a large portion of the cost of the car. That way you can, in effect, finance most of the purchase of the car at a very low interest rate AND have little left to pay when the lease expires.

In my case, on a E-350 4Matic MSRP $63K, MB Finance is really playing around with the figures to get me a zero down, employee-discount lease (standard rate are 24 Month – Residual 66% of MSRP – .00080 Base Rate) where my payment comes out to $596 including tax. Now try to figure that out with the formula!

bostonmarc

Thats pretty much what I am paying after a little negotiating a couple months back. I have P1 package, MM, but also have ipod kit

delirium

I'd go w/ a 350 as well if i were you, as i did. Bought C350 after owning BMW E46 and Porsche 996... even though the C350 some has power, it does not feel as fun to drive.

Cameron Reddy

But he wants 4Matic! No can do with the 350 this year.

Stu in NY

Yes, I definitely want the 4MATIC. Is there any word on the 350 4MATIC in the US?

Stu

webada

no words but mb marketing probably will bring that here soon, just as agility control and memory seats....

btw, are you in nyc area? if so, which dealer did you go?

430752

gotta go with 4matic in the nyc metro area. Like everyone else with a 4matic, if it came c350 4matic, it'd be a hot seller. And merc is lucky that the new b8 audi isn't here yet and the new bmw looks like a tick infested dog. BTW, the infiniti is quite nice and maybe even better, even if a dime a dozen, btu so will the new c-classes around here.

Also, if you haven't committed yet, check out Ray Catena in Edison (or perhaps Union), not too far once your cross the bridge in Jersey. I had a big problem with Catena in Union, but I suspect it was a unique circumstance, and after having bought elsewhere, kinda wish I'd bought from Catena (or Prestige, or other than Morristown MB (or Globe for that matter)).

Stu in NY

I'm in Staten Island. I ordered my car at Ray Catena in Edison, New Jersey.

blazinginder

Stu in NY...congrats on the car, if you don't mind me asking who's your salesman at Catena's?

Stu in NY

Thanks. My salesman at Ray Catena is Vincent Peluso.