KompressorKev

hello,

i really need some help now, concerning a C32 deal. i am new to the Mercedes market, so i could really really really use your C32 expertise. i would appreciate your honesty and objectivity really much since you guys know the true market and if this is a good deal. well, here's my sitatuion:

i have a possible C32 deal, here it is:

2002 C32 - black/black
26,000 miles
COMMAND Navigation
not sure what other options, but pretty sure not Bixenons.

btw, this is in the Bay Area, California - that may make a difference in pricing.

is it a good deal for asking $40k? please share some expertise, because i need to know if i should get it or not. is this a good deal, honestly? thank you very very much!!!!

rrf

The mileage could be a little lower for the price, but the big question is:
Is this a dealer-Starmarked car, .... can you buy a good 100k warranty?

Service on MB is not cheap, and we all have a few more "issues" than we originally had hoped for. If I had to pay to have the little bugaboos fixed I'd be kind of PO'ed, but since the dealer picks up the tab under warranty for most of us, it is no big deal.

What I mean is: if it were a 26K mi, $40K car with a 100k warranty included I would be much more prone to buy it than a non-warranty-able car at $38K.

Bay area may cost a bit more too. My guess is $1000-1500 for Bay area.

hammyoni

being that it does have COMMAND, i would not feel bad getting it at that price, especially in the Bay area. You can try to knock off a grand more, but thats not too bad of a price. If you plan to keep the car beyond the warranty, then factor in a warranty price. Good luck, you will love the car

ronnie0738

I'm in bay also, so it looks like a similar deal Im getting on a 02 C32 22k w/ all options for $42k.

KompressorKev

well thanks guys for the help and insight.

i just picked up my baby tonight - 02 black/black. all options except Xenons. it's beyond my expectations. its so nice inside, it's so beautiful outside, haven't gotten to the sport part yet. everything about it's awesome though. i'm so glad to be part of your AMG family. i can't believe what i've been missing out on, and been searching 7 months for!!!!

it's awesome i love it. thanks and you'll be seeing me here much more often. i think i'm gonna change screennames....KompressorKev sounds good!! i'm in shock! my heart-rate was really high when i went to get the car. when i saw it in black, i knew, that's the car to get! it's awesome. thanks! i'm so excited!

KompressorKev

only thing is:


the previous owner TOOK OFF THE "V6 Kompressor" badges (yes it is a real c32, not a c320 missing a 0, and added AMG badge - i checked the engine and VIN)


also, no xenons....


so, my question is - how can i get the V6 Kompressor signs again? can i just go to my dealer with the VIN number and have them get them for me?

also, where to get Bixenons? how much should i be paying?

thanks, i'm a newb to the Merc tuning scene and am so excited i just got my C32 hours ago!

trips

Congrats KompressorKev! U should be able to get the badges from the dealer. As for the Bixenons, u can get the Euro or US specs from Steve (MBenzNL) for $1100. I got the Euro spec from him and the blue tinged turn signals look awesome. Good Luck.

hammyoni

Congrats! I felt the same way just a few months ago. The glow is still there for me when I stand on the throttle!
I remember reading if your car doesnt come with xenons from the factory, you can still add them but:

You will need to install them.
Have your dealer code your car to recornigze them.

BUT you wont have auto leveling. Not THAT big of a deal. Enjoy the ride! its an awesome car.

ronnie0738

trips - Do you have pics of the Euro spec bixenons?

trips

Here u go ronnie.

ronnie0738

Thanks for posting the pic man, that looks sweet!

TugBoat

I am getting a 2002 C32 from a Texas dealer. Here are the details:

2002 C32
Blk/blk
35,000 miles
In service date: Jan/2002
one owner
sunroof
no navi
no xenons

$36,500

I had the car inspected Thursday morning and the inspector called me that evening and was like "WOW!" He was very impressed by the car, he talked to me about for over 20 minutes, everything checked out great. It should get on a trailer either Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

Can't stop smiling just thinking about getting the car!

Accomplice8

I just drove 17 hours from Chicago to Jacksonville, FL after picking up my C32:
2002 Black Ext Charcoal/ Blue Int
8,600 Miles
In service date 5/02
Navigation, heated washers, premium sound (no disc changer), sunroof
$37475 plus flight, 4 tanks of gas, 1 hotel room (and the addition of 1,200 miles taking it towards 10,000 miles) roughly $37875 plus miles

Edit: forgot to add that the Valentine 1 cord was toast after I unpacked it in Chicago so I ended up ticketed for 93 in a 70 around Macon, GA. First ticket since buying the V1 in 1999. Driver school may take off some of those points.

Kevin

Mr.PS

What dealer in chicago did you buy it at ? I seen a black/blue on Gurnee with the same options but it had a sold sign on it.

Have Fun

Mr.PS

What dealer in chicago did you buy it at ? I seen a black/blue on Gurnee with the same options but it had a sold sign on it.

Have Fun

Accomplice8

That one in Gurnee was my car. I jumped on it and made a great deal before they started running the price in their ads. I have to say that I'm impressed with it. My brother's 2003 E500 is dead even wih my GS400 in a roll-on race. The C32 just ran away from his car. I think I got a healthy one.

Kevin

matt5555

You should have gone to a radio shack and bought a standard telephone wire. Would have saved you a large ticket.

If you (or others) did not know, the power cord for the V1 is a standard RJ-11 (telephone) wire. Incase you are ever in a situation like Accomplice8 was you should be able to pick one up at any store and use it.

Accomplice8

Matt,

Thanks for the tip. You know I was thinking about where I could find a Radio Shack near the dealer but I was 1,200 miles from home and didn't want to add the search for a radio shack to my time. The weird thing is I called my local Radio Shack today and the kid said I'd need to get the cord from the detector company. I really kind of had a strong feeling that they'd have something compatible. The guy sounded like he may have been less than an authority on their products. Oh well, I ordered one from valentine1.com and its going to be $18 hipped.

BTW, how much do you guys think the ticket will be $200-$300? The cop couldn't say what it would be. Where else in the world would anybody sign something saying 'yea, I'll pay whatever amount that you decide it should be at a later date.' They should HAVE to provide that information before people sign the tickets. But it was late and I didn't feel like engaging in the "I won't sign the ticket" conversation.

Kevin

s4iscool

The std cable is no more than $5, and it would have been long enough to hardwire the unit. You just had to make sure the ends had all 4 connections live, many phone cables only have 2 terminals live. Who cares though, enjoy the car. You got one heckuva deal on it.

Accomplice8

Thanks. I really do feel like I got a good deal on it. The dealership started figuring out what they had on their hands after they made the deal with me. I got the feeling that they wanted to figure out a way to get me out of the situation so the car could be sold at a higher price. It was at a Pontiac dealership that probably wasn't fully aware of the prices these cars bring. I think its the ideal way to buy a highline car (finding it at a non-highline but still franchise dealer). They are generally less familiar with the market for some rarer cars like the C32 and they know that fewer potential customers for highline cars will visit their dealership. Also, they are franchise dealers for a major make and not some fly by night operation. That tends to give more security and some sense of liability even if the vehicle is expressly sold "as-is". I got my last car (used 98 Lexus GS400) at a VW dealer for $7,000 off KBB retail at the time. The other thing that would help people save thousands on cars is to search autotrader.com on a national scale. $500-$1,000 shipping is nothing when you're saving $5,000-$7,000 on the car.

I don't want anybody else to feel bad about whatever deal they did on their C32. My car is not Starmarked and that makes a big difference to a lot of people. That said, you guys in the market should know that I was able to get several dealers (some MB and some not) to show me their cards (ie come at me with some low prices for low-mileage C32s like $39.5 and $41K). I started negotiating for some back-up options when the dealer on the car I just bought started acting funny midway through the deal. Some of those cars had navigation and all had 2+ years of warranty left. Most of those dealers had been advertising those cars at under $44K though. It never hurts to let a dealer know you have another strong deal on the table. The ones that really want to move cars will sometimes let things go for thousands off the asking price. I also find that when I start talking to salesman and sales managers in a very direct way I use words that (I think) must make me sound like a car dealer. I'd just start out with "I don't know what you have in the car but here's another deal I'm looking at (quote the best deal I'd been offered thus far)...I'm already approved for $XYZ (the total truth, which was thousands under the asking price) and I'm ready to make a deal now at the right price (also true, I was ready to go). I'd leave it at "talk with your manager and if we can do something on the car let me know". A few never call back and a few call back with some amazing candor about the truely reduced price that the car can be had for. I think my direct approach somehow tends to get them thinking in some 'magical wholesale dealer exchange' mindset that gets me in cars close to KBB trade value vs. KBB retail. Either that or I just get super lucky every time I go to buy a car.

Kevin

Mr.PS

Thats awsome cause I was there at the dealer (Gurnee Dodge)looking at it it was parked next to a white corvette looked pretty good. It had a orange sold slip on the dash though, Have fun with it.