MBnb

Hi, we're having a bit of a tough time making a call whether to just go with a 2015 GL450 vs ordering a new 2016. The 2015 option will of course give us cost savings vs a 2016 model but not sure if it's worth waiting for a 2016 instead. Any advice?

43221B

If you can wait on an ordered one, I would do that. Get the MB Tex wrapped lower dash/doors. It is a cheap option that updates the interior. The competitive new GM products all have wrapped dash and door panels and the GL really needs to have that too. Perhaps Fab will be wrong and the 2016 will be refreshed. I would expect you to get a decent discount on the 2016 unless they can guarantee you, which they won't, that it will be the refreshed model. The dealership is going to try to get you to buy off the lot if they think that is an option for you. If you tell them you'll order from another dealership, then they'll negotiate.

MBnb

Thanks for the input! Yeah from talking to various dealership, it does feel like they're trying to get me to buy off the lot (some even saying the 2016 wont be available till "end of year"). Any experience with buying a new model that have pricing TBD? The 2016 pricing hasn't been announced, so if we proceeded to order one, negotiations will be on a "best guess" price which might bite me in the back once the actual price comes out (say 3% increase) and they just tack it on in the end making a what's potentially a 7% discount, down to 4%. Any thoughts?

43221B

I would negotiate a dollar amount off MSRP plus any applicable fleet discounts (USAA, Costo, AMA, etc.) available when the car arrives. You will probably not get as much off as if you take one off the lot but a 2016 will depreciate less over the same ownership period because you have a newer model year. I'm assuming you're buying.

MBnb

Yeap buying, not leasing. I also made the mistake of mentioning the fleet discount early on which the dealer has said is $1,500.

fabbrisd1

Look honestly at your ownership intention - in both time and miles.

The "advantage" of build-to-order is you get the exact features/option and exact color and interior you want. Most dealers have open/changeable production order for MY2016 for 2nd/3rd decade July - which means August delivery.

On the "off-the-lot" advantage - at this stage of the model year - if you plan 2-3yr ownership - lease rates are more aggressive by MB for this period - and 2-3 yrs down the road you can have the option for "early out" starting like February to add leverage payment last 3-6 month payments on your existing lease moving forward to that current MY - or hold closer to full term to leverage that MY lease advantages April/May/June for that current model year - or hold and extend month-by-month carryover to order new/new model year that August delivery.

Those are the elements I suggest you consider... a 15 GL and a 16 GL - frankly same rig overall - so plan the future as well !

MBnb

Thanks Fab. Thought through it, will likely own it for longer than 2-3 yrs. My current cars, I've owned at the minimum 7 years.

Now just trying to figure out how to purchase a car without knowing the actual 2016 base price. I'm hopign they'd negotiate and lock down a price based off of 2015 pricing since the change shouldnt be a lot.

yogafire

I went to a dealership today and they are saying that leasing is the only option? He showed me an email from Corp HQ. Did you get an option to finance?

scottmcdaniel1

That doesn't make any sense. The only model that I'm aware of currently that cannot be leased (or at least couldn't earlier in the month) was the GTS. There may not be leasing structures out for the 2016 GL, but I'm sure there will be when they start arriving.

yogafire

I called another dealership to confirm. I'm just referring to the GL series. It can *ONLY* be leased at this current time. Apparently, there are some export issues and they want to keep this under control. FWIW, I'm in Toronto, Canada.

scottmcdaniel1

Now THAT may be true. Exporting GL's has always been a huge problem here in the South. Local dealerships will not even consider selling/leasing GL's to anyone outside of the state due to exporters. MB will dock dealerships allocations and impose hefty fines for knowingly selling to an exporter and many times will do so even if the dealership sold one in good faith and not having any reason to believe the buyer was an exporter. It's craziness...

MBnb

I'm in the US, so was not given the "lease only" option. finance is on the table.

fabbrisd1

With the introduction of the V6 GL450 - China import duties are lower for V6 than for a V8 - which lead to a strong "uptick" in purchase inquires in US and Canada for GL450.

Yes - the # of inquiries across the board in both the US and Canada are substantial - and private export to China weaken the Mercedes brand-building there - since frankly brick-and-mortar costs of brand retail automobile business are surprisingly high in China.

scottmcdaniel1

that's a very solid point and one that I hadn't thought of yet. what's crazy is that when you really start comparing US, European, Asia, etc spec'ed cars, you can see there there are differences between builds and many times leads to the demand of US-spec'ed vehicles with all of the comfort and convenience items. not being able to sell vehicles to customers out of state sucks for sales departments because it limits available markets, but it is what it is...