DaCeptak0n

Should I pull the trigger?

06 CLS500 with Premium, Parktronic, Xenons, AMG package, No accidents, clear history/title with 9864 miles on it for $52,900. Trade in on G35 Coupe will be negative equity of $2500 but negotiated price will be 53000 for the CLS including trade-in...

???

I downloaded the Carfax report and can someone help me decipher what it means when the vehicle was used as a lease/rental/fleet? I am willing to send over the report to let an experienced member gimme the scoop on this deal...

Ak63

Is it CPO? Also, the dealer is required to disclose whether the car is previously a fleet or loaner vehicle, at least here in California. So you should just ask the dealer about its history.

Inf4life

Looks like a good deal. That is pretty low miles on an 06.

DaCeptak0n

The fleet/lease/rental disclosure is in the Carfax report. It's from a Select Motors based in Deer Park, NY...

He's ready to do a deal. I'm ready to send over the report so guys, can you please help me out!!??

Ak63

Sorry, I am not a carfax expert. Maybe a sponsor/dealer on the board here can help? The carfax report may not be detail enough as there is a big difference (at least to me) between lease, fleet and rental. I am surprise your dealer won't be able to provide you with more details. When I purchased my CLS, my dealer was actually very specific and told me that the vehicle was previously driven by Mercedes Executive and was never titled. I actually have to signed a form acknowledge that I am aware of this. Good luck.

itswindee

I can tell you what it all means if you'd like. email it to: wendy@itswindeedesigns.com or PM me with the VIN # and I can look it up.

Without seeing the car fax, it basically means that the car was never "purchased" by a private party. It was used as a car rental at say and an Enterprise or Budget rental comp. (just examples) or it was used as a loaner vehicle at an MB dealership.

While I'm sure it's a good vehicle, it's a tough call. I've known many service loaner vehicles and rentals to have been completely trashed and have had their service notifications stretched months beyond their service dates. And when it comes time to sell them to the "public" they are all cleaned up, so one would never know...it's really just a personal choice I think. I'd make sure that it had a warranty and or an extended warranty. Good luck!

DaCeptak0n

It has a warranty for 4 years/50K miles and I'm sure I could purchase extended somewhere, no?

I have emailed you the CarFax and I appreciate it. I will be taking a look come this weekend or during next week...

itswindee

I took a look at the carfax and it looks like the car has been sold twice once in a NJ auction in 2007 and then again (the last sale) just a week or so ago in PA. As you can see it was registered as a lease/rental/fleet vehicle for the last two years. It was never purchased as a private party vehicle. Besides the car fax, does the car have a service record? I'd ask the dealer for those records so you can see exactly what the car was serviced for. With the low miles, it shouldn't have an extended list but it should tell you when it had an oil-change etc...

You should also find out when the last in service date was - that will determine when the warranty will be up. The dealer should be explaining all of this to you. Are you going through a MB dealer? Better yet is it through a certified MB dealer?

DaCeptak0n

It's not through an MB dealer. It's from a private dealer located in Deer Park, NY. I will call him tomorrow and ask for the things you mentioned.

Does anything else stick out on the Carfax that I should inquire about?

Thanks itswindee!!

itswindee

Nope, everything else on the carfax looks fine but as I said in my last post to you, don't just rely on the carfax as the end all be all of info on the car. If this is the car you want to purchase, sit down with the dealer and ask him about the history of the car. Don't be afraid to ask the dealer questions.

I'm going to tell you to ask the dealer some things that might seem unimportant but some of the answers might help you make a better more informed decision: Ask him how long he's had the car and if he himself bought it from the auction (since you have the carfax you can estimate how long he's had it so if he says that he's had the car for a long time or gives you some other story, you'll know that he's not being truthful). Also ask him what kind of inspection/prep did they do on the vehicle since he's not a certified MB dealer.

Good luck...keep me posted. I hope it works out!

Ak63

+1. Make sure to post pics if you do end up purchasing the car.
Carfax is just a reference document but it does not always show all the records. For example, my previous car had an accident claim because a van rear ended me, but when I ran the Carfax report about 3 years later, the record shows no accident at all.

Htowncls

After doing what windee said and all seems well.. drop the hammer.. I bought a bought mine a year ago with similiar situation. The dealer didnt have alot of the info that windee is telling you to ask because they were not the original dealer.. They purchased the car like your dealer did. Mine had 19k everything except amg and parktronics.. used as a fleet car.. excellent condition.. carfax looked good.. Only extra thing i did was find a local body shop to look it over and made my purchase.. If you feel good after using the advice windee gave, body shop check and then buy it..

DaCeptak0n

Will they let me take the car to get it body shopped inspected before I buy it? I am calling the fellow today to see what's going on and will ask those questions.

Will keep you guys posted, I'm getting excited, this just may be the best deal I've seen thus far...

bigben320e

Yo, Kon that is a great price. I would do the Carfax and I also did the AutoCheck by Experian. IN addition, I had mine inspected by a MB dealer at no charge as well. I picked my CLS up with all options on my sig for $53K.

After checking with Windee (or you can PM the VIN, I will get my SA to run a check for you now) I would say go for it.

Let me know, glad to help.

itswindee

You as a buyer have the right to take a car to any outside mechanic of your choosing. If they don't let you do so, they probably have something to hide. I would be very leary if they don't.



Good luck!!

Htowncls

Exactly !!!

DaCeptak0n

The salesguy ran the numbers again and I would be in $937 for 60 months considering i'm in 4K of negative equity with the coupe...

I asked him the questions and he kept saying he bought it from an auction and it was inspected by their team and there no service records but thinks an oil change was done. Talking to the guy more and more made him seem fishy and what not so I think I'm giving up on this. He said he would call me on Monday with a better deal after he talks with his manager...

velvet fog

Take the VIN to a MB dealer and ask for a VMI - Vehicle Master Inquiry. It will show all service performed by MB dealers. You can see if the maintenance schedule was followed, if it was in for any warranty repairs and what those repairs were.
Check the in-service date to see if/how much factory warranty is left. This car sounds like a 3 year lease turn in, so expect about a year remaining. A CPO warranty is not available for this car and an existing CPO for this car is not valid because you are not purchasing from a MB dealer.
That car should have had at least one service by now. Also check the dash screen to see if there are any malfunctions listed, mileage to next service and type of service due.
Is this a one owner car? If not, take a pass.
Price sounds pretty good if all checks out.

itswindee

What car so you currently have? Also, what did he say about you taking the car to an outside mechanic/body shop? I'm sorry that you're getting negative feeling with regards to this purchase after asking the dealer the questions, "we" suggested you ask.

The problem with an independant/private dealer is that they often don't have any info on the cars they are selling. IMO, when buying higher-end cars one should go to that specific manufacturing dealership, if not for anything else, for piece of mind (and that's not fool proof either). Also, other "big-name" dealerships that are selling "not their brand car" will tend to have more info on the car as most likely it was a trade-in from a private party.

Keep us posted

DaCeptak0n

Currently, I have an 06 G35 Coupe. I asked him about the independent inspection and taking the car to have it looked at and he said he would do it and send me over the details...

He just called and gave me no better than 900/60 months. It seems in the past two months, my coupe has taken a hit of 3K in depreciation, unbelievable, especially for a coupe that has one of the best residual values.

Windee, I thank you and all of who have shown me support in inquiring about this deal but it seems that it's not feasible at this time. I'm best suited to run out the lease as scheduled and jump into something new thereafter...Maybe the smartest thinking this 24 YO has done thus far...

itswindee

Without knowing the exact numbers on your Infiniti meaning how much you owe on the car and what the dealer was going to give you as a trade-in (I know you said 4k less than what you owe-meaning you're upside down) I'd hate to see that happen to you again on this car if you wanted to trade it in early down the road.

You're very welcome. I'm sorry that it didn't work out but I do think you're making a wise decision ESPECIALLY for a 24 yr. old I know men a lot older than you that don't always think things through and end up making really foolish financial decisions.

If you ever need any other vehicle pricing advice, you can contact me anytime. FYI, there is a sticky on the C-class section regarding Manheim (a nationwide auction) if I can help you out in the future, let me know.