Ordering 2026 GLS 580 - pricing/discount expectations?



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I never negotiated a serious deal on a brand new benz in the past 10 years, but if BMW can do it, a GM at Mbenz dealership should be able to offer the same. Wholesale numbers are known, and that’s usually what I ask for and receive. The dealer essentially make no profit on the car itself for his top customers, in exchange for maintaining a loyal customer and waiting for a profit on service visits, or getting closer to the threshold of some incentives for hitting sales targets. It’s not ideal, but it happens when dealers know you won’t bring in all your family and neighbors asking for the same deal.
Last edited by S_W222; Dec 7, 2025 at 02:18 AM.
Mercedes is much harder. I have had Mercedes dealers refuse very reasonable deals on even prior model year leftover cars. I got a great deal on both my S560 and S580 new from the same dealer but both were after MONTHS of negotiating both with them and with other dealers around the country.
Another big issue is turnover. I got my S560 in 2020 and my S580 in 2024 at the same dealer. NOBODY involved in my S560 deal remained at that dealer in 2024. General manager, sales manager, finance manager, salespeople, service manager and service consultant had all left in that time. The guy who sold me the S560 actually now sells BMWs along with the SM and the FM all at the same dealer.
Last edited by SW20S; Dec 7, 2025 at 11:21 AM.




Mercedes is much harder. I have had Mercedes dealers refuse very reasonable deals on even prior model year leftover cars. I got a great deal on both my S560 and S580 new from the same dealer but both were after MONTHS of negotiating both with them and with other dealers around the country.
Another big issue is turnover. I got my S560 in 2020 and my S580 in 2024 at the same dealer. NOBODY involved in my S560 deal remained at that dealer in 2024. General manager, sales manager, finance manager, salespeople, service manager and service consultant had all left in that time. The guy who sold me the S560 actually now sells BMWs along with the SM and the FM all at the same dealer.
Just an FYI.. most BMW brokers work through a select few dealers, mainly (if not even exclusively) on the east coast, even for customers calling from the west coast. If you try to have them submit your order through a local dealer, most of these brokers often work with a couple of dealerships out West. My local BMW GM explained that these dealerships allow brokers to offer 12-13% off MSRP through them in exchange for the dealer getting incentives from BMW corporate for high monthly sales volume. anyway it's good that my local dealer is willing to match these offers, although they won't do it as a standard practice. 6-7% seems to be the typical or average discount I see on BMW forums.
Good point regarding Mercedes GMs, cause again my BMW GM has been my point of contact for so many years. In comparison, the three Mercedes dealerships within a 3-hour radius of me all seem to have a new GM every year I stop by. I can't even attempt to build or personalize a relationship with them, even if I bought a car from them every year, because the GMs are gone so quickly. I learned that the salesman relationship doesn't matter that much.. it's the GM who approves those crazy deals or negotiations so I try to go through them directly when I can.
Last edited by S_W222; Dec 7, 2025 at 11:39 AM.




https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...gid=1911616781
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...gid=1911616781
The order gives me exactly what I want, at a MSRP in the range of others out there in inventory. The ~7% the dealer offered seems fair. Total OTD price of $133k with tax, etc. As I tend to keep cars quite a while, I'd rather order one the way I want it, even if I'm giving up few %. Here's the config I ordered:
- Mercedes GLS580
- Twilight Blue metallic
- Bahia Brown/Black Leather
- Night Package
- Roof spoiler
- Chrome load sill guard
- Wheel locking bolts, black
- Natural Grain Brown Walnut wood
- 6-seat configuration
- Topstitched MB-Tex lower dash and upper door trim
- Exclusive Wood Trim Package
- All-season 1st- and 2nd-row floor mats, black rubber
- Pinnacle Trim
- Acoustic Comfort Package
- E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL Package
- Dashcam
- Off-Road Package
- Underguard
- Trailer hitch (Class IV)
- 2nd-row side-impact air bags




The order gives me exactly what I want, at a MSRP in the range of others out there in inventory. The ~7% the dealer offered seems fair. Total OTD price of $133k with tax, etc. As I tend to keep cars quite a while, I'd rather order one the way I want it, even if I'm giving up few %. Here's the config I ordered:
- Mercedes GLS580
- Twilight Blue metallic
- Bahia Brown/Black Leather
- Night Package
- Roof spoiler
- Chrome load sill guard
- Wheel locking bolts, black
- Natural Grain Brown Walnut wood
- 6-seat configuration
- Topstitched MB-Tex lower dash and upper door trim
- Exclusive Wood Trim Package
- All-season 1st- and 2nd-row floor mats, black rubber
- Pinnacle Trim
- Acoustic Comfort Package
- E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL Package
- Dashcam
- Off-Road Package
- Underguard
- Trailer hitch (Class IV)
- 2nd-row side-impact air bags
Twilight Blue metallic, I love that color!
Bahia Brown interior and exterior Night Package... that's the exact combo that my wife and I want to get if/when we renew the GLS again in 1-2 years.
Still not sure about exterior. My wife takes our GLS to car washes, and swirl marks on our Lunar Blue accumulate really quick. Thinking of Silver, Grey or White next time.
Question: What was your previous ride/SUV? I'd be curious about your feedback on the E-ABC.
Last edited by S_W222; Dec 7, 2025 at 01:12 PM.
Twilight Blue metallic, I love that color!
Bahia Brown interior and exterior Night Package... that's the exact combo that my wife and I want to get if/when we renew the GLS again in 1-2 years.
Still not sure about exterior. My wife takes our GLS to car washes, and swirl marks on our Lunar Blue accumulate really quick. Thinking of Silver, Grey or White next time.
Question: What was your previous ride/SUV? I'd be curious about your feedback on the E-ABC.
This is our first MB, it's replacing a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Touring which has been an absolutely excellent vehicle for over 100+k miles. We looked seriously at a GLS back in 2018, but with an elderly mother-in-law in a wheel-chair living with us, it just would not work to get her in/out, and didn't have enough room for the wheel-chair with kids in the 3rd row. The Chrysler Pacifica just can't be beat from a practical perspective. Wife is now done with vans and station-wagons (my initial push was a E450 wagon), so SUV here we come. I narrowed it down to Audi SQ7, GLS580, and, believe it or not, Dodge Durango Hellcat SRT. While the bang-for-the-buck car dude in me was rooting for the SRT's 700+ HP super-charged Hemi, she who must be listened to liked the Benz the best. The Dodge guy thought it was funny we were cross-shopping those vehicles :-)
I have a friend with a CL600 with the ABC suspension, and it's pretty impressive. The reporting on it on the GLS also seemed to strongly recommend it as being worth the coin, so we'll see. I only keep a vehicle as long as the available extended factory warranty is good for, so I don't worry too much about repair costs.
@S_W222 I think you will find the twilight blue hides swirls better, it’s not as dark. Our Pacifica is a similar color to yours and it does show swirls a lot from the Carwash.
Personally I think the GLS looks great in Selenite but my wife always has to have a “color”




Alpine Grey.... I had a Nardo Grey 8-series BMW and this was the easiest color to maintain. The swirl marks reflection are literally the same as paint color, and same for dust.

Last edited by S_W222; Dec 7, 2025 at 02:53 PM.
I do miss my white color. Its funny because I really didn't want white and I accepted it begrudgingly, but I grew to really like it. I would choose moonlight white on the GLS for sure, but my wife wont accept white. Has to be "a color". I also think they look great in silver, but that would be a no go too so really the only option is twilight blue since they did away with emerald green and I don't want to pay $6,500 for paint!




When shopping for my 2021 AMG53, we spent several Sundays (Sunday closing law - no salesfolks) scouting lots for colors among other things.
One of the things we were looking for was how they looked when dirty, either right off the transporter or customer cars.
What surprised us was that one of the colors that looked best when dirty was Obsidian Black. Mojave Silver was another.
Now I'm surprised at how few swirl marks show up after five years. I've been using tunnel washes for five years (back surgery) it's a 7 foot car. Meaning the damage isn't apparent further than seven feet away.
When shopping for my 2021 AMG53, we spent several Sundays (Sunday closing law - no salesfolks) scouting lots for colors among other things.
One of the things we were looking for was how they looked when dirty, either right off the transporter or customer cars.
What surprised us was that one of the colors that looked best when dirty was Obsidian Black. Mojave Silver was another.
Now I'm surprised at how few swirl marks show up after five years. I've been using tunnel washes for five years (back surgery) it's a 7 foot car. Meaning the damage isn't apparent further than seven feet away.
Agree on the "7 foot" thing, on my Pacifica it too is a "7 foot" car. All the swirling is down below the door handles and you don't really see it unless you are down low cleaning it, etc. This is what it looks like all cleaned up from standing height
I was told by the sales dude this afternoon that my build would start in the next week or so, i.e. no further changes to change the configs. That's quicker than I was led to believe, so will be interesting to see when it actually gets built. On my last ordered RAM truck, you could track on-line based on the order number what the build status was as it progressed through the process. Anyone know if such a system exists for MB?



