Psymac

I had ordered a high optioned 450 in early December last year and the car finally arrived on 3/26. We are closing on a home refi and wanted to use part of that for our downpayment, which was unfortunately delayed. We asked the sales manager for about a week extension, he said he needed to move the car before the end of the month and initially refused. He then said yes, but then angrily noted, "Times have changed since you ordered in December, so your 3% discount will be gone!" Feeling like I was talking with a Toyota manager, I politely said "Thanks but no thanks" and am now working with another local dealer for a on the lot 450 (or maybe even a 580 as they seem to be more optioned). Kicker is the ordered 450 is still on their website, so not sure what his strategy was.

The new dealer is great, very professional and along with about a 3% discount, offered a lot more for my trade, so I'm about $4000 ahead even after considering my $1000 deposit with the first dealer. Such a difference in two dealers in the same town, very surprising.

WEEK LATER UPDATE: The new dealer said getting a 580 was going to take some time as most dealers don't want to let those go, and my wife suggested we go ahead with the 450 I ordered. She said, "I love that color AND its less expensive than a 580" - how can I argue back with "But the 580 has painted wheel wells!" So the new dealer said "Sure, I can get that car you ordered from the other dealer!" Two days later he says, "Sorry, no, can't get this, you have too much history with that car." About the same time the original dealer sales manager called and basically offered to not only reinstate the 3% discount, but bump it up to 3.5% and give a very generous trade allowance on our LR Discovery (that is another thread, lol) trade.

Deal was done in 40 minutes the next day, with professionalism and courtesy it seems that only Mercedes can offer. Looks like the general manager maybe had a talk with the sales manager, lol. Salesperson said, "Hope you are pleased, we live and die by the survey you'll get in a few days." Bottom line is that we love the car and understand its just business, in the end they made it more than right for us and would have no problems dealing with them again.

chassis

My opinion is that dealers think they can sell the car for more than they sold it you. If they change the deal on you and you cancel, in their mind there is another victim onto whom they can pawn the vehicle off. They might be right given the strength of the car market now.

Likely unethical and potentially immoral behavior, but apparently not illegal. Yet.

Paxfobiscum

When you paid that $1000 deposit, did your first dealer ask you to sign a purchase order, which locked in your price? If not, then that 3% increase was at his discretion. When I did my first order with MB Manhattan, and spec'd out the order, I locked my price with the salesman. However, since I was able to purchase another vehicle from the lot (from another dealer) then we cancelled that first order and I got my deposit back. That GLS will be on their website until you pay them (or at least close on the financing). My GLS was on the dealer's website even when I had that keys already.

Ultimately, it seems you are better off with the second dealer anyways.

Psymac

I did sign off on a buyer's sheet with the BTO and it did include the 3% discount, but he said after the end of the month the deal "expired." You're right, given his attitude, didn't want to deal with them anymore.

nc211

Expired? I don’t think so unless that date is specifically noted as the expiration date in the contract. Considering the delays on BTO and the liability risk of setting a date of failure to perform, I believe that salesman is full of crap and likely happy you’re not an attorney. Had they pulled that crap with me, I’d of been barking like a junkyard dog at that dude.

You want to make the guy nervous - tell him to call corporate and ask them what bait n’ switch means. Because that’s what he basically has done - assuming it’s not specially spelled out in the paperwork you signed when you placed the order for the agreed upon price.

Sigp232

Call corporate and complain they will contact dealership.
Also call, email GM of dealership he/she will take care of you especially if corporate gets a hold of them.
Had ordered GLE in July 2020 car came in November. S/A called me Friday night said see you beginning of week to pick up car. Went Monday afternoon and to my surprise and my agents reaction car got sold to someone else by mistake over the weekend. Weekend sales agent didn’t know (supposedly) it was a special order and car got sold to someone else. Guess they got an offer they couldn’t refuse.
I raised hell they apologized they promised me new order or off the lot car with 5 percent off.
I had Ordered GLE with 3 percent off in July.
Demanded to see GM he wasn’t there was gone for business meetings. So went home pissed off wife cussed me out for not going in Friday why wait till Monday🤷🏻‍♂️.
So called corporate told them what happened. In 24 hours GM calls me apologizing offered me 10 percent off on new order or off the lot sale, 30 percent off EWL 7/75 and free weather mats.
I accepted he apologized again.
Corporate called me after 2 days to see if GM reached out to me and that they would be in the loop till new car came in which did last month.
They (corporate) emailed me every week telling me not to worry car will come to me as scheduled won’t be sold to anybody else. Whatever I need to reach out to them and they would make sure dealership will take care of me.
This was my 4th ordered MBZ and I was surprised the way corporate was by my side. Won’t buy another car from this dealership I told them that when I signed the check they lost my business after 20 years but won’t buy anything else other than a Mercedes. Corporate won me over for life.
So raise hell you got nothing to lose.

darlop

If you signed a document with an agreed price then this is outright fraud. At the very least you should complain to corporate. And if you have the time and money you could make a legal case out of it.

mercedesmax

Probably don't have a leg to stand on. In most states an offer to buy is not the same as an actual purchase order, which is a the long legal document you get after you go through finance and pay for the car.
If I have a customer order as car, and then when it arrives they want to renegotiate I can't legally force them to honor the deal we made.
That doesn't excuse the dealerships behavior, they should have honored the original agreement.

darlop

An agreement is an agreement under the law. Doesn't matter if it's written on a napkin or even if it was spoken. There is no such thing as an "actual' purchase order vs something else. If you sign a document with agreed upon terms that's called a Contract. You might want to talk to your legal department.

But like I said it takes time and money to fight these things which is why they can get away with it. And since he cancelled the deal he doesn't have a case anymore anyway.

mercedesmax

Think about it for a moment. You order a car and agree on the numbers. You give a deposit. Car comes in and you change your mind. Can a dealer force you to buy the car? Of course not.
It happens all the time. Mostly it's customers who renege on the deal. Sometimes it's the dealer. Sometimes the price changes because of a price increase, or an incentive that goes away.
Again, I'm not condoning the dealers behavior, I'm just saying they were within their rights to do so.