Is MB depreciation as bad as I am seeing? (m)
11-07-2005, 10:16 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2004 E500
Is MB depreciation as bad as I am seeing? (m)
I originally posted these comments as part of another thread, but on reflection believe they should stand on their own.
To make a long story short, I was contemplating trading my 04 fairly loaded E500 for an SUV. Need a bigger, more winter friendly vehicle. When nwe the car ised for $66,500. Invoice at the time was around $59-60. I bought it last spring w/ 4800 miles for $50K. Yeas, I know trading this soon is stupid and I expected to take a hit, but the sheer magnitude of said hit leaves me stunned, especially as it seems to uniquely pertain to MB.
After getting a few trade values I was shocking into near speechlessness by the incredibly poor resale value these cars seem to have. Truly, truly stunning-- even my DEALER started by offering 2-3K LESS than "Galves", the industry auction price guide used like a Bible by area dealers of all brands. My God, even an MB dealer doesn't want to give even the "auction" price!!!! Never in the last 15+ years and 10-15 cars for self, family and friends have I EVER rec'd or even heard of a value below "auction" price. In all my experience auction price has always, without fail, been the starting point, as it omits from the value calculation every option except pano roof and Nav. Xenons, CD, voice control, etc do not matter in the least. Some $4k of "options" (i.e things that should be standard at these prices) are WORTHLESS!! Quite the argument to never, ever buy another MB, I hate to say.
Wow..... I looked at MLs and became even more angry when I saw the BS charges for every little thing that should at these prices be standard. $900 for HID lights? $642 for Pewter paint? Extra for heated seats?? WTF is wrong with these people? I really, really, really hate to say this, but Lexus is looking better all the time. Their GX470 is priced less than the ML and has real SUV attributes. Things that would cream an ML wouldn't even get the GX' attention. A few Lexus dealers gave me equally crappy offers, citing "MB's poor quality and poor resale".
I am so disappointed I hardly know where to start........
To make a long story short, I was contemplating trading my 04 fairly loaded E500 for an SUV. Need a bigger, more winter friendly vehicle. When nwe the car ised for $66,500. Invoice at the time was around $59-60. I bought it last spring w/ 4800 miles for $50K. Yeas, I know trading this soon is stupid and I expected to take a hit, but the sheer magnitude of said hit leaves me stunned, especially as it seems to uniquely pertain to MB.
After getting a few trade values I was shocking into near speechlessness by the incredibly poor resale value these cars seem to have. Truly, truly stunning-- even my DEALER started by offering 2-3K LESS than "Galves", the industry auction price guide used like a Bible by area dealers of all brands. My God, even an MB dealer doesn't want to give even the "auction" price!!!! Never in the last 15+ years and 10-15 cars for self, family and friends have I EVER rec'd or even heard of a value below "auction" price. In all my experience auction price has always, without fail, been the starting point, as it omits from the value calculation every option except pano roof and Nav. Xenons, CD, voice control, etc do not matter in the least. Some $4k of "options" (i.e things that should be standard at these prices) are WORTHLESS!! Quite the argument to never, ever buy another MB, I hate to say.
Wow..... I looked at MLs and became even more angry when I saw the BS charges for every little thing that should at these prices be standard. $900 for HID lights? $642 for Pewter paint? Extra for heated seats?? WTF is wrong with these people? I really, really, really hate to say this, but Lexus is looking better all the time. Their GX470 is priced less than the ML and has real SUV attributes. Things that would cream an ML wouldn't even get the GX' attention. A few Lexus dealers gave me equally crappy offers, citing "MB's poor quality and poor resale".
I am so disappointed I hardly know where to start........
