Originally Posted by c4004matic

Ergo you should be looking at a cheaper car!
If the cost and maintenance of a vehicle are going to cut into other priorities you cant "afford it". A luxury car is a not an investment its a "merry expenditure". A KIA Telluride will provide 90% + of what a 580 will and 98% of what a 450 will! If your not making more than 1m you should not be spending this type of money on a car. Its an old home acounting "rule" the price of a car should not be more than 15% of your gross income

Originally Posted by c4004matic

Not judging, its sound financial advice. Not going to divulge income but credit score is almost 900.

Originally Posted by Psymac

I've thought a lot about E-ABC and although I haven't test driven, most reviewers have said it gives relatively little benefit and some have said it makes it worse. Also, given that I'm in Florida, not many twisty curvy mountain roads so of little benefit.

Originally Posted by Paxfobiscum

What gives you the right to tell me what car I need to look for based on your sage of wisdom?
Do you even know me?
Clearly you do not so maybe you should keep your financial advice to yourself.

To the OP, I apologize. My opinion about the EABC got blown out of proportion who made a mountain out of a molehill.

Originally Posted by mikapen

I agree that the NEW E-ABC may be a matter of taste - some drivers (including me) find the Curve function to be unusual. Passengers almost all agree that it's superb.

The ride is better, pitch and roll are more controlled, and hard cornering is definitely enhanced. So you will notice it starting, stopping, on speed bumps, railroad crossings, and especially in an emergency maneuver. All those are true with the Curve Mode switched "on" - the only thing that happens when turning it off is the car no longer leans into the turn, which is where the matter of "taste" comes in.

I like it so much that when it came to replace my '20 GLE450 with a new car and found the E-ABC to be NLA, I ordered an AMG 53 to get the ARC Active Ride Control - the AMG analogue. (alphabets, anyone?)
IMO the E-ABC sets the Mercedes apart from everything I have driven. It gives that supple ride with responsive handling that German cars are known for, but it's a leap ahead. GM's mag ride is old school in comparison.

Also note that the new E-ABC is an entirely different bird than the old ABC (pre 2019 but varies by model and year). Much more refined, responsive and simple.

Originally Posted by c4004matic

The only negative that I can ascribe to eABC is that the level of confidence it inspires is so overwhelming that you may exceed the handling capacity without even knowing. Luckily what I've found out is that the levels are very high and very progressive since you don't notice a thing till the car actually starts to deviate from the intended path. Its so dang quiet and the sense of g force is so dimished that feeling where the edge lies by the seat of your pants is impossible. BTW in case you are wondering when really pushed the balance ismild understeer to neutral with 21 inch 275 snow tires. I haven't had the opportunity to flog it with the summers yet but the occasional "enthusiastic" on and off ramps it seemed like the thing was on velcro.

Originally Posted by mikapen

Call Ms. Guinness! A New World Record!! 900 credit score of a possible 850!!! You Da Man!!!!

Originally Posted by joejones81

It’s worth noting that some credit scoring entities have a range from 250-900. See Experian link below. Also, many lenders use multiple different credit scoring entities and take the median or mean of at least three different ones (I’m assuming they normalize the scores first, but not sure).
https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-e...-credit-score/

Originally Posted by mikapen

Those are "alternative scores," typically used by "Improve your credit score NOW" outfits. Even if somewhat valid (?) on their own relative scale, somebody who brags about a fancy score doesn't have the automatic right to denigrate somebody else's financial priorities.

Originally Posted by fabbrisd1

Let me try to be helpful..

1. A true MB Executive Car - that was driven under Manufacturer's Plate - is called a "Brass Hat" - since it was driven under Manufacturer's Plate it was never titled - and technically is Sold to you as a "New Car" - with Mercedes Financial a Brass Hat will qualify for any Special New Car Rates - and National Lenders each have their own policy if a Brass Hat qualifies for that lender's New Car Rate or Pre-Owned Car Rates.
NOT all Brass-Hat's are Executive Cars - a Brass Hat can have been a Press/Review Car (under Manuf Plates - Event Car (under Manuf Plates) - or even a Display Car (which has to go in-service at time of display for MB Insurance Purposes, but did not
have Manuf plates). - AND a Brass Hat can also be a MB Training or MB Engineering vehicle.
Please understand a Brass Hat - has the remaining balance of the original 4Yr/50K mile Mercedes New Car Warranty - based on the current miles at time of your purchase - and the original In-Service-Date that the Executive 1st took delivery/drove-away - or
started Press Run - etc.
ANY added/Extended Warranty for a true Brass Hat has to be Extended Mercedes New Car Warranty - and that cost for any added Extended New Car Warranty will be based on the Added-Years and Total Mileage Level you select for that added Warranty.
For the Dealer - depending on the Specific Brass Hat MB - can receive a 7% to 10% discount "off MSRP" - and a brass hat gives them original new car margin at the discounted retail - and qualifies as a New Car Sale when sold.

2. A "Demo" are generally a MB that has either been used at the Dealership under either Dealer Plates or State Plates (most often "retired" local Service Loaners) or less common "driven by.. Owner, Owner's Wife) etc - OR - Demo can be a MB operated by a MBUSA executive/employee (such as a Sales Executive position) or purchased/operated by a MB Executive or immediately family member - where that MB exec/employee has a Special Exec program (super discount) and can "trade" for their next new MB in that program after 6 months in-service.
Demo's by-and-large have been titled - and can be Certified by the Selling Dealer - if Certified gives you free 1Yr Unlimited Mileage Mercedes Certified Warranty on top of the remaining balance of the 4Yr/50K mile new car warranty.
Any additional warranty you choose on top of that free 1Yr will be Extended Unlimited Mileage Warranty - which is based on you choice to add 1 or 2 more yrs - for total 2yrs CPO and total 3yrs CPO warranty respectively.
Depending on model - and/or Service Loaner use - a Dealer will choose to Certify (or not) and price Demo's by-and-large as a aggressive price leadership as compared to the comparable New Car.
Demo's depending on model can qualify for Mercedes Financial Special Rates - and Demo's under 10,000 miles can qualify for Mercedes Lease (which for Lease Customer's can be a Payment "Bargain")

3. A top Mercedes Dealer's (like me) does get Special Opportunities from my "Top" VIP customers with ultra-low mileage/ultra-"fresh" top line MB's. Good to hear from Zia on this thread - a genuine great guy !
In Zia's case - a very well equipped GLS with the Options he wanted to to have - was traded in by one of my Top VIP customer's who trades/changes their MB's with me about 5-6 times a year across about 15 MB's they own across their 3-generation extensive family.
It was good to see a "rare-great-MB" from one of my top customer's go to a solid guy like Zia - and I sincerely appreciate Zia's "trust" on this long distance transaction - and I know for sure he and his wife are very happy !

Hope this helps give "clarity" - in today's Internet World - as a customer you have a "Portal" to search and shop across the entire US if you want - Top Dealer's price their Opportunities to take advantage of the larger Internet Customer Pool, and conduct themselves to a top level of customer communication to handle "long-distance" - although there are many Good-To-Just-OK dealer's that still fumble that ball from their side - some fumble big time - but frankly from me here on the forum as a "member" in no way can I be responsible for your experience with "another MB dealer"

Originally Posted by dbuckho

Any guess on which category a 2020 well equipped GLS450 sitting on a lot in late April 2021 being sold as new with 280 miles on it would fall into? Have been able to confirm it was at another dealership and traded to the one where it is now (they are sister dealerships). But no one seems to have the full story on it.

Originally Posted by dbuckho

Any guess on which category a 2020 well equipped GLS450 sitting on a lot in late April 2021 being sold as new with 280 miles on it would fall into? Have been able to confirm it was at another dealership and traded to the one where it is now (they are sister dealerships). But no one seems to have the full story on it.

Originally Posted by Paxfobiscum

What dealer did you see this?

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Originally Posted by Paxfobiscum

Note that the MBUSA website is not very reliable. Yes, they would have vehicles there that some dealers might still have but it is not real time and not reliably updated.
My GLS was still showing at the MB USA website even as I was already driving it for weeks.

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