New E350W4

Just got our first call from MBF since our lease expires in 2 months. Offered 10% off stated residual.
Told them when/if they make me a reasonable offer I'll strongly consider buying BUT, there's a gazillion '07 E350 CPO's on their website and they'll get $20-22K at auction so, it's up to them. I like the car very much but, won't be foolish and will insist on 7yr/100K warranty.
I've already looked at Lexus and Acura, leaning towards Acura.

Not personal, it's business, as they say.

roberthelfrick

If you would, tell how much the residual price is. Thanks

New E350W4

$34K

Maddic

What mileage?
Yep, there are a dozen E350s out there, but almost all of them are w/o P2 and the combo you have now , which is a rarity there. Also, you know the history of the car better than anyone else here, which I guess sometime you cant put a price on, right?
I guess ~30K is about right!

New E350W4

38K miles but, they can have it back for anything over $27K. Under that w/7yr/100k mi, I'll buy it....maybe.
It IS everything you'd expect, finest car I've ever had. Just have to be prudent.
Quick search on mbusa, there are over 100 '07 4matics, I really don't understand why these things don't hold value

AmazinglySmooth

People can't afford to repair them if something goes wrong out of warranty, so the price has to drop enough to entice them. Probably needs to be priced so that a warranty can be bought (~$4k).

New E350W4

Which is precisely why I won't "bite" w/o 7yr/100K warranty. This car has been flawless for 3+ years but, I know what long term can mean. That being said, I may be better off with a newer model at similar price to this buyout.
At this point, they need to make me an offer "I can't refuse". In our economy, it's way overpriced.

Maddic

Like I said earlier, if MBF lowers the price again to around $30k, but I doubt it. Then its a good deal imo! In fact, I have done some price searches on the E350s, almost all of them are without P2 or just plain MB-tex with P1 on classifieds with price well above $30k, and I find it hard to get one under $30K with all your listed options. I believe the MSRP of your car is about $63k when it was new. At $27k, you are really asking for one heck of a deal with warranty if you ask me.

Let's be honest here, if I gonna pay $30k at this moment, the E class is still on top my list that satisfy all my desires in term of aesthetic values and prestige, no doubt about it.

If you still worry about the longevity of the car, I would find one trusted indy shop that can do all the repair works when the warranty runs out, that is my thought if I am staying with the E class!

New E350W4

$30K isn't good enough for me, plain and simple. It's business. It's a great car but, there simply isn't that much difference in the quality of the major luxury brands however, there is a big difference in prices.
I used to be a big fan of Volvo and they were the premier producer of safe cars, no more.
Everyone else has caught up or surpassed them. Now? Who knows what will happen with Chinese ownership.

Nickelmania-Dal

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...t-no-luck.html

New E350w4....have a read of my experience. Not much luck buying out my lease.

New E350W4

Too bad they wouldn't offer you a better price since you liked the car so much. I wonder if they refused based on your desire to keep the car?

I have not contacted them or my dealer, and won't. I'm in the "drivers seat" and will simply walk away to another brand. IF MBF calls back, I'll lay out my offer on MY terms, not theirs.
MB residuals are about the worst in the industry, they make their money upfront.

Nickelmania-Dal

Yes. I really liked my E350 with the AMG sport package but lease buy out numbers made no sense. The dealership sold my car in a just few days. MB was nice enough to cut me a deal on over miles though. Went from .25 to .20 on over miles. Saved a bit when I turned it in.

220S

fwiw, they're in the "driver's seat" not you. To be honest, they couldn't really care less; they're still profitable and sell cars. Your just one in a million customers. It's about keeping shareholders happy, not you.

Manufacturer rents you a car, you give it back to them, they add a warranty (no real sweat off their back; big markup on parts anyway), then they sell the car for profit. A win-win. Consumer never "wins." I realize it feels insulting when they won't sell you the car for a realistic retail market price. But it's just the way it is. Their bean counters have it figured out.

Anyway, all luxury and mid-luxury cars are like this these days (depreciation, residuals, etc..)

No value in cars unless you buy collectibles on the used market and stash them in a garage like vintage wine.

MBZFAN55

If you think you are in the "drivers seat", make them YOUR offer/terms and see how fast they ask you when they can expect to see your car turned in at your local MB dealer. This is their ball game and you don't have a bat, ball or glove. MBF will sell your car to the turn-in dealer for thousands less than they offered you or they will send it off to Manheim and accept thousands less. Either way YOU, in most scenarios, will not get "the deal". If you have a relationship with the dealer, sometimes you can buy it back from them, including a CPO warranty at a better price then MBF offered you for the lease buyout.

New E350W4

Not with me they're not, they'll get $595 dispo fee and not a penny more. If others are so enamored by the brand that's their problem.
Furthermore, few cars have such a horrible residual value, MB is at the bottom. They make a great product but, they're WAY overpriced.

SZMB

It's all about the economy and the stock market. Last spring was a great time to buy a new or CPO MB; the dealerships here were hurting so badly that they would almost giving them away offering huge discounts. However, the run up of the stock market since September 2009, I've noticed that the price of the CPO cars has slowly moving up in recent months. Last spring, the local Porsche dealer here was offering $32k off their new 2008 911s. Well, now the best they can do if giving $8k discount on the 2010 911's and only a handful of 2009 models left. It seems like that the luxury car market is recovering.

220S

Again, it's not MB specific. It's always a reflection on the up and downs of the economy, consumer behavior, and the auto industry. There's a 2008 BMW 750IL for sale at the dealer here with 22k on it going for 49k. It was a 90k car less than three years ago. And back then, Forbes listed it as having one of the best residual values (and for the record, it also listed two MB models as having the highest residuals.)

Values are affected by predicted supply and demand, changes in gas prices, and anticipated economic conditions. CPO cars have become good sellers lately for the industry. Lease residuals amount to nothing more than an educated guess.

fwiw, I suppose if you really want a deal you should just buy a car to keep during bad economic times (like last year) instead of renting. Manufacturers and finance companies got burned until recently on residual values (making consumers the beneficiary.) They learned their lesson.

Residual value is a tricky thing.

btw, here's an interesting read: "Manufacturer Advantages in Residual Value Estimation."

p.s., "A manufacturer may also create a vendor leasing program in order to control the market for used equipment. If the manufacturer produces a durable good (which most equipment qualifies as), it always suffers the risk of products it produced in the past competing with its current offerings. When a manufacturer sells its new durable equipment, it loses control over when and how they will return to the equipment market as used goods. Used equipment reentering the market may be priced very low, thereby making new equipment unattractively expensive."

sts15

I love bargining for a car, new or used. But as soon as the dealer agrees to a price, I know I have been screwed. If they ever agree to your deal, it is only becasue they are still making a ton off you.

New E350W4

The true cost, including R&D, labor, materials, etc is only known to the bean counters.
I realize, and accept, they must make money to continue. As an individual, I decide what I'm willing to pay in a given market or walk.
Is MB entitled to make a profit from me? Yes
OTOH, I decide, within a given rage, how much based on the stated residual.

SZMB

Thanks to the Japanese luxuary imports for more than a decade now, MB is actually willing to negotiate on the price. I remember in the late 90s when I and my friend were shopping for new C-class and E-class in the Bay Area. After visiting 4 or 5 dealers, they all wanted full MSRP and the best they could do was offering free floor mats. Back then, MB virtually had no strong competition.

sosh

MB Finance will NOT give you a warranty. They are a financial organization not a dealership and they are a separate corp from MBUSA. If you feel that strogly about that better plan on doing something else. Besides I also do not think they will meet your 27K price.

New E350W4

Then, someone else will get a nice car......at an inflated price

Tymah123

Talking about somebody getting a nice car -- my lease will be up in Dec '10 and by now I have a hair over 10K miles on it. It sits in the garage all day and I only drive it once a week to the grocery store. Pretty funny right. All the maintenance was done at the regular intervals of course. Somebody will get a hell of a deal no matter what they will pay. I'm almost jealous but I guess it's time to say goodbye to this baby.

New E350W4

OK, final days to decide. $33.5 CPO'd 1 extra yr/100K mi. Given it's Prem pkg 2 w/cognac leather, panoroof & BT it's a very tough decision at this price. My BIL is interested, too.
If I don't buy it, the dealer will likely get $37K+, not many of these babies around.

werewolf34

Cash is king

What does 34k buy in comparable car/SUVs?