ChessPoker

Hi,

I'm wondering whether it's worth trying to get a dealer to cut me a significant discount on a new w204 since it's the last year. The w205 seems to be a much better car. If so, any idea what kind of discount I can aim for?

I was in discussions with one dealer last week and he wouldn't go any lower than $54,500 + fees and taxes on a C350 with a $58,245 MSRP. That includes the $2,000 year end cash credit.

To me, the w204 is going to seem dated in about 12 months. I'd rather just wait and pay more for a w205 if that's the best I can get on a w204.

Am I being unreasonable?

mac911

I agree. It depends on if you're financing or leasing though too, or neither.

W204 would still serve someone beautifully. However, it better be a fantastic deal.

I got my W204 only about six months after it hit the dealer lots. Sure, it made the deal not very good, but I got to have a current generation car for over six years, that is worth something.

I'd still buy a new W204, but like you, I'd want a really good deal. The very very best deals will come when some W205s start to hit the lots.

MBNUT1

You are being perfectly reasonable. I'd wait for the W205's to either get one or to get a great deal on a W204

Sportstick

There are a few more considerations than purchase price to consider when weighing a 204 vs the 205.

The 204 has proven to be a very reliable car, starting out well and getting better over its production cycle. A new 204 should be a very high quality car, likely the best ever produced. The 205 is first year production of a new car in a new assembly plant. It is highly likely that a 2015 205 will be their lowest quality model year, and will recover subsequently after unexpected issues are identified and corrected. The second year should be higher quality than the first. There are very few examples in the industry (although there are some) where the entry quality of a new model matches the exit quality of the prior model, and that's in the same plant. A new plant with new local suppliers adds more potential chaos to the launch year.

Design is quite subjective, but if you don't care for the tacked-on nav screen look of the CLA, you may not enjoy the 205 interior. The exterior is softer, more like an E or S Class, and less aggressive. That may or may not be to your liking. One thing is for sure....it is longer, again, if you want a larger car.

Some folks put a lot of value on new/different. I don't, but if you feel new is inherently more attractive, add a point to the 205. Side by side, from what I've seen, the 204 is the more attractive overall design. And, as MBs are designed to be classics, having a prior generation is still a very desirable situation.

Just some more issues to consider.....

ChessPoker

Very good points that I didn't consider Sportstick. I'll have to ponder on it for a while.

Even though I am leasing, having repairs done due to new model bugs would annoy me tremendously.

JWH321

The W204 has been a very unique product. It was successful on day one -- but think back to the advertising. It was supposed to have been one of the most thoroughly tested vehicles ever produced. It lived up to its advertising. I bought mine without test driving one. I watched it roll off of the truck. It had just over a mile on it when I sat in it for the first time.

Now if you talk with some of the folks with the new FWD A bodied cars, you may wonder where the W204 design team went. Sitting in the dealer's service waiting area listening to new owners try to describe their "problems" is enlightening. When I was sitting there five years ago waiting to get service for my then new C300, I was actually sitting there all by myself. In those five years, I have had one warranty claim -- one of my rear view mirrors leaked water into the turn signal lens and it had discolored. In 75K miles, that's been it. My salesman has told me a hundred times that the C300 had cost their dealership a lot of "E" class sales. Mercedes buyers seem to do their homework very well. Those who will buy new ones simply to have the latest model will supply those of us who just might buy extremely good used ones.

I, too, am considering trading my other German-designed car for another Mercedes. But it will not replace my W204 -- its here to stay. I am strongly considering a C350, but I have also asked the dealer to keep an eye out for a low mileage C300 for me. I would buy a duplicate of my current car in a heartbeat. After all, I am already driving what everyone else will consider to be a used car.

I would suggest to you, if you are in need of a high quality car which has a known and proven track record, get yourself down to the local Mercedes store and grab a W204 while there is still a selection to be had. I have to admit -- I still prefer the six-cylinder cars, and the C350s are already becoming few and far between.

juanrace2004

+1. You could not have said it better. Personally, I am staying with my 2009 W204 C300 Sport. Just did a through maintenance on it, changed the ATF, motor,diff fluids,gaskets and filters, replaced spark plugs, changed the serpentine belt and both pulleys, flushed and refilled the coolant,power steering and brake system, replaced rotors and pads, replaced the cabin and engine filters. With this I believe my Benz will be tops for a long time. Only has 30K miles to date and looks and feels brand new.

Ron Jr

I owned a MY 2008 and it was in the shop all the time for various problems. At one point I was going to make a lemon law claim on the car. Every Saturday for two months the CEL came on and I would call on Monday to make an appointment to have it looked at. The last couple of times I told the SA to just make an appointment for Monday morning. I jumped at the offer to trade it in for the 2011 which never gave me any problems. The 2011 was traded toward the 2013. I liked the changes made after the facelift.

So basically I am saying first year has teething pains while the last year everything has been fixed and the car has been refined.

Just my .02

ChessPoker

Ok guys I think you have me convinced the w204 at a reasonable price is a safer bet than the w205 at a premium price.

My plan now: try to vultch a new w204 the last week of December. There are a handful of dealeships within an hour of here, and maybe one of them will be eager to sell at year-end...

vols1

All good points made in favour of the w204 and I don't think you could go wrong with the outgoing model. While the w205 engines haven't been announced small 4 cylinder turbo engines will seem to dominate the line with 6 or 6 turbos being a premium which could seriously up the price. (speculation) If favour of waiting for the w205, the outgoing model has sold tremendously well with sales figures rising through the model years, so there are and will continue to be a lot of them coming off lease driving resale prices down. This is good if you want to buy, but not if you trade your car frequently.

mac911

Keep your mind open though. While a new assembly line might have some hiccups, it's still Mercedes knowledge and knowledge of their suppliers going into the cars.

If you do get set on a W204, I would spend as much time as possible to get a really good deal as they should be out there.

tonyteetime

Yes good deal can be had on 2013 C300 sport 4matic right now. It has the same 3.5 L engine as the C350 , but detuned. Plenty zippy , sporty and fun.

Glyn M Ruck

There is some wise advice being given here. I personally never buy a model out of my own pocket until it is mature. When it was provided as a perk by my company I did not care. I am an early adopter in my audio/visual hobby & I always get burned.

That said the W205 has gone through more testing than the W204 and that's saying something. It will likely be a very fine car. There will be teething problems. It comes with the territory.

W204 has never been my favourite model but it is a darn good car. It has seen constant upgrades including an improved damping kit to cut road noise. It is a thoroughly sorted vehicle. We owned a 350 in the family & it was trouble free.

My only caveat in the US where used vehicle prices drop precipitously is get a very good deal or don't do it.

Criticism of a new model that nobody has seen in the flesh or driven is typical denial syndrome & resistance to change. People don't easily want to admit that a new model renders theirs old & is likely better & will throw up spurious objections. Bear this in mind on a forum serving the outgoing model. It’s not objective.

juanrace2004

Well said.

Sportstick

Certainly you are correct that these behaviors occur, but I think we also have to allow for the possibility that not all new change is progress. There are historical precedents for a successor model to be less desirable than its predecessor. Recently, and simply from a design point of view, the original 212 was quite disappointing after the classic beauty of the 211, and received a rush mid-cycle action to result in the current much more attractive result. The current 212 is a step forward...as launched it was not. Longer ago, the third generation bubble-themed Taurus was less well received than the second generation. The recent Infiniti Q50 has been roundly pummeled as a much less competent vehicle overall than the preceding M37. There are others.

My only point is that newer is not always better, and recognizing this does not inherently make one resistant or in denial. The other factor at work in the 204--->205 situation is the apparent refocusing of the vehicle, if not the brand, in a clearly more luxury/less sporty direction. Neither of those positionings is inherently better...they are just different. Many buyers will be quite happy with a mini-S Class, and the C Class situation is NOT what I described above. But, I don't agree newer is necessarily better or that those who occasionally reject the successor are offering spurious objections! Each product cycle is unique.

Glyn M Ruck

Irrespective ~ unless someone has an amazing crystal ball the comments are not objective.

2006_C350

For a 2014 E350 I located a So Cal dealer that just gave me $9K off a $59.4K car, I'm pretty happy with that deal because I was literally in and out in an hour, no haggling or any games. He told me has a few left he can sell for $8K-$10k off depending on MSRP. Obviously the higher the MSRP the bigger the discounts. I'm sure he has good deals on C250, C300, and C350. PM me for his contact info if you're interested.

ChessPoker

Thank you so much for the useful feedback. Also thank you to those that have posted your experiences negotiating a good price (I got some private messages).

Without this forum I would be thinking there was something wrong with me because my dealer refused to drop his price and he's lost the sale. Perplexing, because it seems there are some dealers around that will cut the price quite a bit if you ask.

pc.836

1 1/2 week ago, I bought a 2014 C250. With a sticker price of $38k, I was amazed they gave me $6k discount right off the bat. With my tacoma reg cab trade in, another $5k, bringing down the price to $27k. After finances, tax, reg, and etc, total price when Im done paying will be $32,500. I really think its a deal. Its my first benz and im really impress with what it has to offer compared to other vehicle in its class or price range.

Knowing the new models coming in soon, dealers are moving older models out. You cant go wrong with any off the C Class. Good luck!

CisternaChyli

i think i have told this story before here, but back in March i managed to get $6k off of MSRP on my father's loaded 2013 C250 (driver assistance package included, but no lighting package). MSRP was about $46k and change, car was offered to us for $40k or so. No haggling nothing, they just offered that price. That too this was on a car that had to be trucked in from Northern California and only one of 2 cars that had the driver assistance package in the entire state of CA. Every dealer i spoke with was fighting for the same two cars...So there are deals out there, and yeah...higher the MSRP, the better discount you will get.

CisternaChyli

the discounts make me think the 2015 is coming sooner than next fall...i do hope thats the case.

victort

I was able to get 30% off msrp brand new back in 2010. Mb has always been very aggressive with their discounts

thenew3

30% off a $40k car is $12k off making it $28k. How did you manage that?

victort

Just gave them a price and they took it

2006_C350

Wow was it a demo or did it have 800 miles on it?