Used C350 Negotiation
02-23-2011, 08:11 PM
#26
Member
Thread Starter
The Rusnak car may be a more realistic starting point, but if you want to take one last shot at the first car, here's what I would try. Get the name of the Sales Manager. Call after hours and leave a voicemail to the effect of:
I tried to buy this car from (salesman), but he refused to even negotiate. I am back to shopping other stores, but if you want to get this out of your floorplan, I'm ready to go at $30,500. (unless you want to CPO the car)
If you never get a return call, you had your best shot. I think you'll get a call and it will at least be in play.
I tried to buy this car from (salesman), but he refused to even negotiate. I am back to shopping other stores, but if you want to get this out of your floorplan, I'm ready to go at $30,500. (unless you want to CPO the car)
If you never get a return call, you had your best shot. I think you'll get a call and it will at least be in play.
02-23-2011, 08:19 PM
#27
Member
Thread Starter
02-23-2011, 08:25 PM
#29
Super Member
I'm pretty soured on the experience there - while the car was nice it had some dings (which they were willing to repair) and wear consistent with a 2008 with that many miles. I think I'll keep shopping the area.. I've always bought cars on impulses before and since I'm getting older/wiser this time I'm taking my sweet frickin time.
Don't waste you time with dealers.
Get a 3 year old or newer from Mannheim - give me $2K on top of the buy price and I will get you one, exactly what you want. The car will still have lots of warranty.
Or get one that is out of warranty if need to save money (approx $5K) - they drop like rocks out of warranty. They will start to come up in a few months.
02-23-2011, 08:36 PM
#30
Member
Thread Starter
Haha - dealers of used cars are such a pain - they probably got the car from Manheim in the first place.
Don't waste you time with dealers.
Get a 3 year old or newer from Mannheim - give me $2K on top of the buy price and I will get you one, exactly what you want. The car will still have lots of warranty.
Or get one that is out of warranty if need to save money (approx $5K) - they drop like rocks out of warranty. They will start to come up in a few months.
Don't waste you time with dealers.
Get a 3 year old or newer from Mannheim - give me $2K on top of the buy price and I will get you one, exactly what you want. The car will still have lots of warranty.
Or get one that is out of warranty if need to save money (approx $5K) - they drop like rocks out of warranty. They will start to come up in a few months.
Thanks for the offer though.
02-23-2011, 09:10 PM
#31
Super Member
02-24-2011, 02:57 AM
#32
Maybe it's for the best. I, personally, would only be comfortable at that mileage if it were CPO. CPO puts another year and another 50k to the original factory warranty, and it'll allow you to buy all the usual MB packages should you want (eg a Wheel & Tire package that replaces scuffed rims, MB Gap, etc).
02-24-2011, 12:53 PM
#33
Member
Thread Starter
Maybe it's for the best. I, personally, would only be comfortable at that mileage if it were CPO. CPO puts another year and another 50k to the original factory warranty, and it'll allow you to buy all the usual MB packages should you want (eg a Wheel & Tire package that replaces scuffed rims, MB Gap, etc).
02-24-2011, 03:08 PM
#34
Member
Thread Starter
This convo was so good I had to share it. I gave that W.I. Simonson sales guy another chance, trying to be as NICE and DIPLOMATIC as possible.
My email:
Reply:
I'm still shaking my head... but hey it's their dealership (nice 'tude BTW)! I probably would have bitten on a 32k counter too. More shopping this weekend I suppose.
My email:
Hi [REDACTED] - Thanks again for seeing me yesterday afternoon and showing me around the C300 and C350.
I know you weren't willing to bargain yesterday, but I'm willing to buy the Palladium Gray C350 at a final offer of $31.5k w/ CPO Warranty and removal of the 3-4 door dings on the passenger side doors. I believe my offer is a fair one for both parties. If you want to get this off your lot by end of the Feb (Monday), let me know... I'm ready to buy. If not, good luck with the sale!
Take care -
Mike
I know you weren't willing to bargain yesterday, but I'm willing to buy the Palladium Gray C350 at a final offer of $31.5k w/ CPO Warranty and removal of the 3-4 door dings on the passenger side doors. I believe my offer is a fair one for both parties. If you want to get this off your lot by end of the Feb (Monday), let me know... I'm ready to buy. If not, good luck with the sale!
Take care -
Mike
Reply:
Mike,
It was a pleasure meeting you as well. Unfortunately your offer is not realistic. Knowing full well the outcome before I proceeded, I presented the sales manager with your email containing the offer. He actually threw it back at me. This is not distressed merchandise (btw, the door dings were corrected this morning).
Best of luck.
It was a pleasure meeting you as well. Unfortunately your offer is not realistic. Knowing full well the outcome before I proceeded, I presented the sales manager with your email containing the offer. He actually threw it back at me. This is not distressed merchandise (btw, the door dings were corrected this morning).
Best of luck.
I'm still shaking my head... but hey it's their dealership (nice 'tude BTW)! I probably would have bitten on a 32k counter too. More shopping this weekend I suppose.
Last edited by mwaldron; 02-24-2011 at 03:12 PM.
02-24-2011, 06:25 PM
#37
Still can't believe they want so much for a 2008?! I bought my 08 in 2009 and got it for just under $31K but it only has P1 package and Ipod integration. An 08 is now 3 years old and they still want $34K. THEY ARE DELUSIONAL. I'll bet they'll be calling you back in a few weeks when they realize they are trying to sell their C350 for $2-3K above market value...
02-24-2011, 10:33 PM
#38
Member
Thread Starter
Still can't believe they want so much for a 2008?! I bought my 08 in 2009 and got it for just under $31K but it only has P1 package and Ipod integration. An 08 is now 3 years old and they still want $34K. THEY ARE DELUSIONAL. I'll bet they'll be calling you back in a few weeks when they realize they are trying to sell their C350 for $2-3K above market value...
Maybe I should have shown up in a suit?!
02-24-2011, 11:26 PM
#39
If you think they're bad, try the Downtown LA dealership. Fletcher Jones had good service, but their prices are at a premium compared to the average dealership.
02-24-2011, 11:48 PM
#40
Member
Thread Starter
Funny as they have a 350 I like, and was contemplating a visit this weekend. But... Their prices are much more realistic considering most of their cars are CPO. What specifically was bad about them in your experience?
02-24-2011, 11:55 PM
#41
They sales reps I contacted didn't seem enthusiastic or even interested in making a sale at all, compared to the ones from the other dealerships. Of course, they could be different in person.
02-25-2011, 06:37 PM
#42
Member
Thread Starter
Go figure. I ended up using the American Express buying service (don't need to be a member apparently as they didn't ask for my AMEX info) to source exactly what I wanted, NEW. The service was able to get me a price 2k under invoice.
Got a Black 2011 C350:
Multimedia Package
Lighting Package
18" AMG Wheels
Heated Seats
MB Tex
39.9k
included a 1k incentive since I am moving away from BMW
I'm happy! I pick it up tomorrow.
It's a blessing that I didn't buy that used POS for 32k!
Got a Black 2011 C350:
Multimedia Package
Lighting Package
18" AMG Wheels
Heated Seats
MB Tex
39.9k
included a 1k incentive since I am moving away from BMW
I'm happy! I pick it up tomorrow.
It's a blessing that I didn't buy that used POS for 32k!
Last edited by mwaldron; 02-25-2011 at 06:41 PM.
02-25-2011, 06:48 PM
#43
Super Member
Go figure. I ended up using the American Express buying service (don't need to be a member apparently as they didn't ask for my AMEX info) to source exactly what I wanted, NEW. The service was able to get me a price 2k under invoice.
Got a Black 2011 C350:
Multimedia Package
Lighting Package
18" AMG Wheels
Heated Seats
MB Tex
39.9k
included a 1k incentive since I am moving away from BMW
I'm happy! I pick it up tomorrow.
It's a blessing that I didn't buy that used POS for 32k!
Got a Black 2011 C350:
Multimedia Package
Lighting Package
18" AMG Wheels
Heated Seats
MB Tex
39.9k
included a 1k incentive since I am moving away from BMW
I'm happy! I pick it up tomorrow.
It's a blessing that I didn't buy that used POS for 32k!
02-25-2011, 06:53 PM
#44
Member
Thread Starter
02-25-2011, 06:54 PM
#45
Go figure. I ended up using the American Express buying service (don't need to be a member apparently as they didn't ask for my AMEX info) to source exactly what I wanted, NEW. The service was able to get me a price 2k under invoice.
Got a Black 2011 C350:
Multimedia Package
Lighting Package
18" AMG Wheels
Heated Seats
MB Tex
39.9k
included a 1k incentive since I am moving away from BMW
I'm happy! I pick it up tomorrow.
It's a blessing that I didn't buy that used POS for 32k!
Got a Black 2011 C350:
Multimedia Package
Lighting Package
18" AMG Wheels
Heated Seats
MB Tex
39.9k
included a 1k incentive since I am moving away from BMW
I'm happy! I pick it up tomorrow.
It's a blessing that I didn't buy that used POS for 32k!
02-25-2011, 07:18 PM
#46
MBWorld Fanatic!
Congratulations! You made the right decision! Don't forget to order the Harmon Kardon sound system! It's a night and day difference compared to the stock sound system.
02-25-2011, 07:51 PM
#47
Member
Thread Starter
I opted to not go HK, but I'm still happy. I don't drive too much so it works! All the HK equipped c350s had 2-3k in other upgrades I didn't really need/want. Oh well I hear the stock system is pretty good. I'm coming from a stock 335i system so anything comparable is fine by me.
03-15-2011, 08:01 PM
#50
Member
Thread Starter
This made my day. Remember the people at W.I. Simonsen wouldn't take anything less than 34k for that 2008 I was looking at? The funny thing is I offered more than the asking price now:
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...acktype=usedcc
The price was lowered to $30.9k.
Idiots.
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...acktype=usedcc
The price was lowered to $30.9k.
Idiots.
