ktm

I've decided to purchase a new CLK320. My fiance and I know exactly what options we'd like and are in no hurry to make the purchase. We'd like to save a bit more (down pymt $$$) over the next few months so a late Spring delivery would work best. From the pics I've seen here and elsewhere, it seems we would prefer the current body style to the alleged new design.

I've read other threads here about deals (good and bad) and experiences with dealers. We visited our local dealer to check the car out firsthand but we refused to order yet. I'm in the Northern VA area and don't mind driving several hundred miles to save a proportionate amount from a dealer who's going to shoot straight and not waste my time.

Does anyone have any suggestions for the next steps? I've owned a few Lexus' and they've been responsive to aggressive haggling. That doesn't seem to work with Mercedes according to those who have posted here and I'm getting tired of that game anyway.

Thanks for your time.

amg55

By all means take whatever deal you can find, but be aware of MB's new policy about loaners while your car is being serviced. Dealers will only provide loaners if you purchased from the dealer doing the service.
And if you order the car, your unlikely to get much of a deal. If you get any deal at all, it would only be due to the fact that the model is coming to the end of its run.
MB dealers are markedly different from Lexus dealers (and that's not a compliment to MB). Lexus is the industry standard for service and relations. MB is well into the middle of the pack. (Funny thing, it's the same for build quality and reliability of the cars, too). I loike my CLK55 a lot, but just go in with your eyes open.

mountain dean

first if you do your homework you will find a good deal. i would get all mb dealers within 100 miles of your area. get phone #'s and either call or fax these dealerships telling them this is what you want and yes your ready to buy. tell them your looking for the best deal. once you found that deal give a 500. deposit on your credit card and pick it up when it comes in. i buy all my cars like this it works great. some cars you might pay m.s.rp. most cars you won't. we could touch on this further if you email me. good luck. brian n.y.c

mountain dean

amg55 does raise a good point if when the time comes and your ready to buy if most of the deals are about the same within 300 or 400 dollars try to buy as close to home as possible.

TripleCap

I agree buy local if you are only talking a few hundred bucks.

Also buying off the lot is sure to yield a better deal than ordering.

Last month I got $2000 off a new 2002 CLK55, plus the dealer through in the cd changer. I also got $38k in trade on my 2000CLK320, which was great considering I only paid $44k for the car in April 2000.

And in retrospect I think I left a few hundred dollars on the table.

Good luck!!!!!!

karl k

I personally would narrow the search within a 50 or less miles radius from home.

The dealer I bought my CLK 55 from is within 30 miles from my residence. Dealer and provides "upgrades" on loaners (PT Cruisers, Suzuki Vitaras, etc.) as well as unlimited free brushless car washes w/drying & vacuuming, incl. Saturdays.

Additionally, 10% discounts at the boutique, priority reservations, 3 free wiper replacements, 3 detail jobs, dinner for 2 in first class restaurant, and unlimited gourmet coffee while car is being cleaned while watching CNN's chicken reporter's coverage of the Taliban's caves. (I like FOX's coverage w/courageous Geraldo Rivera.)

Having said that, You might find the PERFECT deal on the internet and profit from it, - or learn a a lesson you could avoid.

The choice is yours.

Good luck!

TripleCap

Wow, I wish I was close to Karl's dealer!

ktm

Thanks for the info everyone. Sounds like massages and foot rubs in South Fla, eh Karl?

The local dealers here are all pretty much asking straight MSRP and there's very little on the lots. When I went in to drive it, they only had one. I am leaning toward buying from the local guy for a number of reasons...many of which you all pointed out. The savings from traveling or ordering via internet probably wouldn't amount to more than a few hundred dollars.

I also like the ability to go back and have a little chat with the sales rep should things go south.

On a related topic, I did see an 02 CL500 and CL600 sitting in the showroom. Being new to Mercedes, I had always thought of the C as cheap (relatively speaking), E - Expensive and S - Super expensive...so a CL must be on the lower end? And whoa...this design looks sweet all the way around.

I saw the V12 badge on the 600 and I'm thinking V12's aren't cheap. Then I saw the sticker, 126K. Looks like there will be plenty of cars for me to "move up to" with Mercedes.

Thanks Again.

hmrdwn

As a fellow NVa resident, I try to stay on top of the market. Right now in the Washington Post, Saturday, there was a CLK55 for sale with 5k miles. This car has been in the paper since Thanksgiving, and the price has been dropping every week. He had it for $61k right now. I bet he would take high $50s. HBL of Tysons has a CLK55 for 59995. ASC has a couple on the lot for sticker. Good luck.

ktm

I saw a used Silver CLK55 there, that's probably the one. HBL had the CL's also.

One of the arguments the dealer made to me was that used vehicles (within a year or two) were selling for about that of new vehicles - sometimes even more. That's the standard response as they whip out the Wash Post ads when you start talking about knocking a few bucks off the MSRP.

Would you be able to suggest a good aftermarket supplier who can do quality installations around here? I'm getting a base model and wanted to buy my own CD changer and have someone else install it. I'm also looking for a remote starter...HBL said they wouldn't touch that. It would be nice to have both items installed at the same location. At Lexus, the dealer did the remote starter and my stereo guy moved out of state.

Thanks

RezaH

Well,

HBL has a lot CLKs brand new and used in stock. I was just out there other night. They do have a good service department as well.

As far as negotiations on pricing, you may have more room on used models than a brand new ones. I beleive both HBL and ASC are asking MSRP on these vehicles, specially CLK 55 and CLs.

If you want a straight shooter sales guy, ask for John Gilmer at HBL, he is my sales guy and he is good. I have purchased my Range Rover, my wife's Discovery, my CLK and our new G500 from him.

Good luck-

hmrdwn

KTM, I acutally got HBL to knock a thousand off of the MSRP on a wagon for my wife, by telling them I could go to ASC. You might try showing up with cash/check ready at the end of the month and squeeze them for all you can. At the least you should be able to get a CD changer for free, or at most cost. Inventories are backing up locally. ASC has had two E55s sitting there for nearly 6 weeks...they told me, "Usually we mark them up $10k, but we can let you have it at MSRP." I may just go back at the end of the year and taunt them if it is still there. It is a buyer's market and there are too many MB dealers in the area to not play them off each other. I've never been to Euromotors in Bethesda, but why not give them a call and I believe there is one other. You might even try Richmond, they are on the north side and may not have the showroom traffic of the NVA/DC area dealers.