Correct; it appears to be a country-specific thing. US 450s with the AMG exterior styling package get a sport exhaust and ‘real’ outlets. Real in that exhaust gasses pass through the finishers. In Canada, the package doesn’t include that exhaust so the chrome surrounds in the rear bumper dual exhaust are not open to a tailpipe. They are essentially just pockets. Just like Audi does - and it’s cheesy IMHO.

 

I would never forfeit 5K based on someone else's mistake or misrepresentation. If you do not want or are unable to fight for your rights, then at least print here on the forum the name of the dealership and the name of the person saying you can't get a refund even though they are not delivering your car as promised. Others can then pick up the fight or at least put out warnings across the internet, so people after you don't get burned also. I'll be tempted to call them and harass them myself, just need some info. Yeah, I'm that guy.

 

I took a calculated risk. The dealership in question is quite large, and well connected and after them risking the loss of a large order, they managed to get the order into manufacturing a month sooner (yesterday), and I have a written guarantee that I will get it no later than June, but could be as early as May. This is far cry from the ETA of August - October timeframe than mentioned earlier.

I am not sure what they did, but was mentioned some allocation negotiations were done with other dealerships to expedite the order. ? Either way, I am super happy.

I cannot lease for the duration over summer as we need the vehicle for a business trip ~9k KM which is beyond a temporary lease agreement they would offer. I was forced to find something that can fit our schedule, which BMW was willing to put in writing. Thankfully I never signed any contracts with them yet.

As for getting a vehicle from the lot. This is something I considered but there was nothing within my specs available, and will not settle for less as it would bug me to no end since this is a long term vehicle and cash order.

 

Unless you signed a contract, that sounds like a sales promise to me. So what exactly is the dealership's repercussion if they fail to deliver as promised -- did they put that in writing? Have they put in the order, even though you didn't sign a contract? Are they requiring a deposit? I assume you can just walk away if it doesn't arrive on time?

 

I have a new contract to sign today with a promise to deliver June. They also sent me some screenshots from the factory with updated delivery times, so I am satisfied. If they fail to deliver on time I can walk away and will get my deposit back, but then they will be stuck with a fully loaded GLE53 which is not something they will be able to easily sell.

 

Wait....I thought you were going with a BMW, not a GLE.... now I’m confused.

 

I have a GLE53 on order, but they pushed my delivery time from June / July, to August / October which prompted me to cancel my order a few days ago. I have intentions to get a BMW X5 instead which they are willing to put in writing that it will be ready by May / June. I was going to sign the contract later this afternoon to get the order started.

Early this morning I got a call from my MB SA and they said the GLE53 has entered production late last week so they could not cancel (I could - with losing my deposit), so they did some frantic allocation shifts with other dealerships and now my delivery date is with the range I requested - May / June which is even better than the June / July it was originally.

 

Everybody loves a happy ending!!

 

Got it, so you don't lose your $5K and you get your GLE53 by your need date. Too bad it took that threat to make your salesman/dealership be proactive.

 

I am happy, but yes I agree they could have been more proactive at the start but I do understand it is a game for allocations which is sadly unfair and not first come first serve. I am glad though that they can do something to shift priorities even after the vehicle enters production.

Now watch them get parts shortages :P.

 

Sounds shady to me.

 

I'm not sure.. possibly but either way, as long as I get the vehicle by June, I am happy.

 

Seems like what is now happening with the GLE 350s, mine included.

 

This is my fear and why I had them create a new contract. BMW dealership is really good and the spec I wanted matches close to what they offer in the dealership, and are willing to put in a custom order for me without a deposit to fall back on if the GLE does not deliver (well, they said "When" they fail to deliver ha).

Either way it looks like I will be covered. Still pulling for my GLE53 though, but will be ok either way.

 

Thinking this through. You made a deposit, you signed a contract, and you were cancelling.
What was the delivery date they had promised? In writing? How did they fail to deliver? What is your gripe? Why do you deserve a refund? You said your order was "unsaleable" and you think they should be stuck with your build?

Yes I know that the Dealership was able to get a slot for you. And just who had to forfeit their build allocation to satisfy your Instant Gratification "need?"
Maybe the Dealership deserves Kudos for making it happen? Kids these days....

 

Sounds like you got burnt in the past. I know how contracts work, and I was fully willing to walk away from the deposit if you read my past messages. I canceled my order, but MB went out of their way to make a customer happy which I am giving them kudos for. I never asked them to do this, however I am also not going to complain either. "Instant Gratification?" Get over yourself. This was done at their own volition a few hours before I was going to sign a contract with BMW.

My order is a fully loaded GLE53, and they are the ones who said it is not something they can easily sell at the dealership, and it is a fact they would be stuck with it. Did they make a business choice? Yes - one that kept me a customer. Do I feel bad that somebody else lost their allocation (if that is how that worked?). Not at all. This is a game, and one I am sure is played by most dealerships. I have a specific timeframe that I need the vehicle by (early July), and is nothing to do with instant gratification but is something I am willing to hang over the dealerships heads in order to get, or I walk as a customer. They knew this at the onset.

 

I read all of your diatribes.
You didn't get it in writing, but they kept you apprised of the progress. You got mad.
It sounds like the only thing the dealership did wrong, was to assume you were a more sophisticated buyer.
They should have explained how things work. Now you are finding out that a dealership isn't a vending machine. Except that you still think it's a "game."

 

You are a piece of work. Go get a hug, you definitely need one. If you don't think it's a game, you are naive. You either play the game, or get screwed. I know how to play, and get what I need, when I need it. You know as well as I do that they will not put a guaranteed delivery date in your initial contract, however this stance changes once the fear of losing you as a customer becomes real.

This is not my first rodeo.

 

Anyhow, good luck on your order. We are all waiting patiently at this point.

 

I finally got word that my GLE was released to the carrier. I was told that it would only take a few days for delivery to the dealership, but how long does it actually take? Whenever the dealership/National would say a few days or few weeks it would always be a few months. I’m in FL and the factory is about 8 hours away from the dealership.

 

It could be a few days, it could be a few weeks. After a week-long train ride up the east coast, my GLE sat in a parking lot for almost three weeks waiting for a truck to get to the dealer. There was a MB dust-up with the union so the union wasn't in any mood to get the GLE to its destination.

 

Congrats, Mine got "released to carrier" a couple of days ago also. I'm sure you'll get yours first. I'm expecting to wait at least 2 weeks.

 

That's what I was told as well back at the end of November, but it took several weeks. Also in Florida. No ability to get an idea when it would show up, it just did one day. Maybe they have fixed things by now. Good luck!

 

I was lucky. Took a couple of weeks on train to NJ and then only 4 days to dealer in NY

 

Did any of yours show up under inventory on the dealerships’s website? I’m praying mine doesn’t take “weeks” because it was already delayed well over 2 months.