mbdragon55

i am looking for a new car and my local dealer sent me a letter in the mail regarding the offer. it says
-new vehicles at 1.61% over invoice
-free scheduled maintenance for two years
-trades: $1,500 over book value
-Frederal income tax deductions on select new mercedes-benz vehicles
-1.9% and 2.9% APR financing on select models

what do you guys this about this? should i go for it?
i am looking to get a 2010 C300 Sport

imboom

In this type of market, you shouldn't really pay anything above invoice. Invoice for a barebones C300W(6spd) is at $32,723. I've seen a few people get about 500 below invoice. If you load it with P1, P2 and multimedia package, you will look to spend about 40,000(based on 40,432 invoice pricing). For those looking for a fully loaded one, you may want to look at the C350W with P2 and multimedia. Those invoice at 42,209 and personally know of a couple people here who has got it for close or below that price.

Also, when you go into the deal, make sure you do not mention your trade in until after you settle on price, this usually gives you the upper hand in negotiations.

AMGTTV8

I respectfully disagree. Any negotiation strategist will tell you that "claiming value" as you indicated above, is almost always suboptimal than when you "create value". There may be certain things that one party cares about that the other doesn't and is never discovered as a result of these tactics.

Just a thought.

snarlingchicken

Dragon, I got my car ('09 C350) on November 11 for $35,000 (exc. tax&lic fees) but that itself is already $1,270 BELOW the invoice price stock C350. My car came with the MM Package, P2 Package, as well as iPod Integration. With those options my car's invoice price comes to a little over $41,000. You can definitely get a better deal, if not maybe get a 2009 C300 instead. They're having some crazy deals right now since they're trying to clear out inventory. Check your nearby dealerships dude.

And mentioning your trade in after doesn't really improve your odds of getting better pricing. You might as well tell them straight up that you're trading in. If your salesman is nice, like mine was, he will help you get the highest value for your trade in. :]

Actually now that I think of it, I would highly encourage that you get an 09 if possible since the 2010's MM package excludes the Harmon Kardon Logic 7 now, and the side mirrors aren't that appealing (to me at least) either. Unless you drastically want push button start/back up camera that is.

Dr.Brian

Hi,
I got $1800+ off invoice on a 2010 C300 4MATIC with P2, wood and MM 3 weeks ago.
I think that there is some dealer holdback currently. I played 3 dealers offers off each other. Ultimately I went in and offered the local dealer the option of matching the lowest offer and took out my checkbook. Two minutes later, they somehow managed to come down another $1500 to match the other dealer. I thought it was fair, and they were still smiling.
Your offer is deliberately difficult to evaluate, sounds a lot like "dazzle them with bull----" you have to know what the service, etc is worth. The trade "magic" also confuses the deal.
You could ask them to drop all the BS and negotiate for the value of the car only. Followed by the trade, followed by the service agreement. That is what I would do. All are negotiable and are separate transactions. You can always sell your trade for more yourself. I listed mine on craigslist for $1000 lower than any equivalent model for sale in 100 miles. I took appointments by email for a day I was off, and they were lining up to take it. A couple kicked the tires and wanted an independant shop eval, but I had all the dealer service records, including one from 1 month earlier, so I declined. "If it doesn't sell, I'll call you...". If it is pristine and you price it right it will sell in a day for significantly more than the dealer trade ($2000 in my case). If you can get $2000 below invoice, you did better than me, and I take these negotiations very seriously. Don't forget to see what others are asking a couple of hours away. I would drive 4 hrs to save $1500, but they were willing to drive it to me! So you have nothing to lose by looking around.

peabers

You guys are so lucky. Canadians are still paying around $2000 off MSRP for these cars.

JimPap

peabers,

Don't feel too bad. I paid full MSRP one month after they first came out in 2007.

That's when i still believed that everybody paid close to MSRP for a Mercedes.

Brian,

Was that $1800 off of invoice or off of MSRP?

Dr.Brian

It worked out to $1800+ off invoice, ~$4500 off MSRP. My deal was actually $3300 off invoice and almost $6000 off MSRP, but it was through a USAA buying program that had a $1500 kickback to the dealer, so I didn't count that in my post, as you have to be a USAA member to get the additional program kickback (therefore everyone should be able to get the $1800 off invoice). I'm not sure how these programs work, but apparently MB pays to be a member, and than they get cash back from USAA when a program member buys a car. It was $1500 for the C and up to $5500 for the S and GL. I was also able to get the MB 1.9% financing for 3 years. My salesman said it was the most agressive program that they had done in his 10 years there. My dealer also did not offer the lowest price initially, but they offered to match a price I got from another dealer 100 mi away. It is also limited to cars already here, no factory orders. However, the local dealer had the exact car we wanted. Very convenient and a very good deal, I think.

JimPap

Brian,

I just joined USAA last week and had been looking at the car buying service.

Its funny how a dealer will give you their absolutely rock bottom price then go lower when you wave the USAA price at them. Of course as luck has it, I won't be in the market again for a few years.

RLE

Keeping in mind that the dealers (ANY make) have been playing these games for decades and we are the amateurs.