Flyingman

I sent my SA an email to inquire on the status of an order I made in March for a late May/Early June delivery. He replied later that my order was "dead" and couldn't be filled! But that he would offer me a 2014 with same options at same price as the 2013, with a July Delivery.

What's going on????

Fortunately I'm patient and can wait a bit, and a 2014 model is slightly better deal given where we are in the MY.

Anybody else getting the run around like this on their order?

cookstar

get the 2014 in July, if I had a choice I would have went with the 2014 GL350

Flyingman

Yes, sounds like a no brainer but I'm seriously doubting they can "deliver" one in July. Me thinks it will be more like Sep/Oct!

Why can't they be straight up with this info?

cookstar

I dont know, my car was actually couple weeks early! 2014 is better in all aspects in terms of reliability, most of the kinks of the 2013 will have been fixed by that point.

vertrkr

The word from Fab is they won't start 350 production until Sept with Oct delivery like last year. The US diesels arrive a month after the gas models because of additional required government emission testing.

Not sure why your order got canceled, perhaps the dealer got put on double secret probation. When I was calling around to get my deal I found a dealer who couldn't take my order because they were caught selling to exporters. Apparently this is a big deal for MB and they are clamping down on dealers not to sell to exporters.

Flyingman

I doubt that, this is Autonation, so one of if not the biggest MB dealer in the Southeast US.

Perhaps demand is outsripping supply, or they are having supply issues for required components.

Why would an experienced SA say a July delivery if fabrication won't be till well after that??? Doesn't want me to walk away perhaps?

I sent him a note asking him to confirm everything. I'm willing to wait a reasonable period of time, but just don't want to be jacked around.

blittle

DCubed

The order bank converted the 2013 orders without a production schedule to 2014 Model Year this week...looks like they are at full capacity for 2013 and moving on to scheduling the first month or two of 2014 builds.

sam9187

Sounds like your dealer never had a 2013 allocation. Without an allocation they cannot sell you the car. 2013 orders that were not accepted by the MB factory are converted to 2014. It also sounds like your SA is not all that knowledgeable or is not forthcoming which will make him just like every other MB sales associate.

JimBarnhart

The 350's are in short supply, like the 550 and 63. I stopped by a new MB dealer in town last weekend. They had a Gl350 in stock. I asked them if it was sold and they said it wasn't. The salesman said they get calls every day from other dealers wanting it, but they are going to sell it to someone local. They actually had quite a few GL's, the one GL350 and one GL550 and the rest were 450's. I assume they got preferential treatment on inventory since it's a new dealer in a town of about 120,000.

fabbrisd1

Good comments to the DutchMn... that SA/dealer played a mind game..the ONLY orders that are confirmed are orders with a factory PO..if he has a PO for you, then info can be checked discreetly..

Frankly, on GL350's and GL550's under continuing anti-export pressure/enforcement - "most" dealers would be hard pressed to sell GL350/GL550 out-of-market-area..

fabbrisd1

Yes - new dealers/remodels get "sweet heart" added allocations in respect for their investment/reinvestment..