threeMBs

Totally agree.

It is much better to pay $750 (or so) per month with $0 down than $599 with $5K down. This is a fair to good(considering miles/yr) lease deal, but not outstanding. Buying any service pre-paid maintance on a lease, is a waste of money IMO.

The buy price they offered on that car - almost $7K off on a loaded 2012 E350 - was an outstanding possibility IMO, that I would take in a heart bit.

whartonrow

Now you have me thinking I didn’t do so good. I really want to rotate cars every 2-3 years. Am I wrong in thinking leasing here? Also, if I end up putting 40K miles on the car over the lease, why was mait pre pay package not the way to go? I did price out what Mercedes Service was going to charge is this was a cost saver for me.

ghstudio

Buying Mercedes service on a lease can be an outstanding deal, depending on how your dealer does the finance calculations. Some dealers include mercedes maintenance just like any other feature on the car, so you are only paying the difference between MSRP and the residual for the maintenance. Others enter it as a cost that has to be paid in full over the life of the lease. Like many other things, mercedes finance doesn't seem to care how the dealer does it....the same way the don't care how dealers calculate security deposits when you do Multiple Security Deposits.

If your dealer, like some others, does it the first way...it's a terrific deal.

Note, the way to know is to have your dealer calculate the lease with and without maintenance. Most will just sit there and divide MSRP by the number of months and tell you that's how much more it will be, but that's often wrong. Make them calculate it, and suggest to them that if you buy mercedes maintenance, it's residualizable (have them read their mercedes finance manual).

whartonrow

Ok, so one good thing, I am paying the difference between MSRP and the residual for the maintenance. I am basically paying 50 cents on the dollar for the maint but if I put 41,250 miles on the car, I will use 100% of the maint package. Of course, I don't think if I had paid for maint as I needed, I would have paid full price, I am sure discounts can be had.

threeMBs

If you want to change cars every two/three years and put a lot of miles per year, then you're right - the lease is the best way to go.

However, if I would lease, I really would not care how long (after car is returned) it stays in top mechanical shape. The only service I would do is oil chages (with MB oil filter's location and with the right tools, it will take less time to do myself than to take it to and from the dealer to do it - I change oil on all my current and past MBs, its really easy). The only other service that most probably will be required is a brakes change (or two, depending on how one drives). Prepaid maintanance does not cover that. So I would never get prepaid service - most of it is just checking. A lot of people who lease, do not put the best gas possible either and with gas hitting $5 again this summer, there will be more of those doing so than before.

mbluver111

I don't know if it's true if you buy a new car towards the end of a month, the dealer will give you a discount?

venchka

I want that service deal. Where did you buy it? Thanks!

Wayne

darook

Just negotiated 2012 E350 Luxury, black on black MB-Tex, burl walnut wood trim, P1 package launch, lane tracking package, and wood/leather steering wheel. Purchase price is $47,619 (MSRP $56,405). I also have the option of leasing for 33 months with money factor of .00159, payment of $599/month, 15k miles/year. Only first month's pmt, doc fees, and state license fees are required at drive off. Also getting out of my current MB lease 3 months early. Let me know. Thanks.

K-A

That's a no brainer ^^.

What State?

Buy or Lease, you come out ahead. I'd bet if you bought it for that purchase price, you can sell it after 33 months if you wanted and come out ahead of if you Leased it for their quoted price.

darook

I'm in CA. I ended up going with the lease for biz write off purposes. Oh, forgot to mention residual is 61% ($34,407) - this seemed a bit high but I don't plan on buying at end of lease anyway. Is the residual negotiable? Surprising thing was the car was delivered from out of town and it had a rear spoiler on it which I wasn't charged for. And on the window sticker it also does not list the spoiler. Can anyone explain this? Thanks!

K-A

That's actually a bit lower than my Residual, but I guess it makes sense as I got a car with a higher MSRP and selling price with a slightly lower monthly payment (got a great deal on this car, but it was spun off of my 2010 E350 which was bought during the W212's first year on the market, so I payed a higher premium on that one.

You must have just lucked out with the spoiler. Also, the residual isn't supposed to be negotiable, BUT, it is, it just depends on whether they want to. Worst case, you can just give the car back to a Dealer, have them CPO it, and buy it right back for what should probably be lower than the residual value (and get a CPO out of it). I'm thinking of doing that on my car if I want to keep it.

Just noticed that you got a Luxury. That probably helped to get such a great deal on the car considering they don't have and sell as many. Must be a sublime ride with that Luxo suspension! Congrats.