Buying 08 GL320 CDI
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 254
Likes: 4
From: N. Illinois, USA
2021 GLS450, 2015 E250BT 4Matic, 2007 GL320CDI, 2005 SLK350, 2001 SLK320
A dealer makes his money on a new car sale in several ways:
- The sale price of the car
- Trade-in on the old car
- Dealer financing
- Dealer-installed options
- Dealer-sold warranty policies (tire, paint, rust, extended warranty, etc.)
Threads like this one tend to focus only on the sale price and ignore the other factors. For example, just because someone got a GL for Invoice, this tells you nothing. The dealer might have made up the profit on the trade-in. Or financing, or any number of other things. If someone else had no trade-in, no dealer financing, no add-ons, etc and paid $1000 over invoice, he might have actually gotten a better deal than the person who bought at invoice but took it in the shorts on the trade-in.
This is why I always negotiate all new car purchases with no-trade, no financing, no dealer-installed options, etc. That way I know what I'm REALLY paying for the new car.
Dealers have a much easier time giving you less for a trade-in, instead of charging more for the new car, because you really don't know what the trade-in is worth. But you know exactly what "invoice pricing" means and it sounds great! They can sell you a car for invoice and make you feel real good while you aren't even aware that you are being ripped off on the trade-in.
Disclaimer: These are general observations and they're not directed at any specific people or specific deals mentioned in this thread. So don't get all angry and tell me you paid invoice and had no trade in. Exceptions occur but what I've explained above is generally correct. If the dealer cuts the sales price, he has to make it up somewhere else.
- The sale price of the car
- Trade-in on the old car
- Dealer financing
- Dealer-installed options
- Dealer-sold warranty policies (tire, paint, rust, extended warranty, etc.)
Threads like this one tend to focus only on the sale price and ignore the other factors. For example, just because someone got a GL for Invoice, this tells you nothing. The dealer might have made up the profit on the trade-in. Or financing, or any number of other things. If someone else had no trade-in, no dealer financing, no add-ons, etc and paid $1000 over invoice, he might have actually gotten a better deal than the person who bought at invoice but took it in the shorts on the trade-in.
This is why I always negotiate all new car purchases with no-trade, no financing, no dealer-installed options, etc. That way I know what I'm REALLY paying for the new car.
Dealers have a much easier time giving you less for a trade-in, instead of charging more for the new car, because you really don't know what the trade-in is worth. But you know exactly what "invoice pricing" means and it sounds great! They can sell you a car for invoice and make you feel real good while you aren't even aware that you are being ripped off on the trade-in.
Disclaimer: These are general observations and they're not directed at any specific people or specific deals mentioned in this thread. So don't get all angry and tell me you paid invoice and had no trade in. Exceptions occur but what I've explained above is generally correct. If the dealer cuts the sales price, he has to make it up somewhere else.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 620
Likes: 1
From: TX
13 Lunar Blue GL550, 06 Imola Red BMW X5 4.8is, 04 Gold Honda Ody
Which dealers have you been to. In my experience Star Motors on Old Katy road are pretty good in terms of discounts. I also just saw a black GL320 CDI on their showrrom floor on Friday when I took my car inf or service. It had the P01, RES, IPOD, running boards and some other features.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
GL 320CDI
I just got $3K off of the $72K sticker on an ordered '08 GL320 (with every add-on farkle available except RSE - love those bling sill plates), with $50K trade-in value for my 11-month-old '07 GL320 (for which I got $3K off the original $62K sticker last May). Cash deal, no other add-on's warranty, wax jobs, etc.
