Just a heads up to you guys and girls trying to ditch your V8-powered monsters as I am trying to.

I've been trying to get into a new 2008 ML320 Diesel because they have a $5000 cash back incentive if you pay with a briefcase of cash. So I've found several decent such MLs in stock.

The problem is what all these dealers are offering me for my current 2004 ML500. This thing is fully loaded with front and rear parktronic, but without Nav.

Anyway, it's in EXCELLENT condition. I just detailed in the interior last week. The car has 74000KM on it.

Well, I've visited 3 dealers in total. All of them intend to auction off my car and as trade-in I've been offered between $17000 and $19000 which seems quite insulting.

Those damn hypocrites - I challenged the last one. I told them, if you will give me $18000 for mine, then why not find me an identical one, and I'll buy it from you for $18000. Then I'll have a fleet of ML500s. Of course if you want to buy an identical one, you need like $25000.

So today I almost struck deal for a new 2008 ML320 CDI. At first the stupid sales woman with bleached blond hair and fake smile tells me $24000-25000 trade-in value.

Once I come back, put down deposit on the new car, she comes back and says that the manager only offers $18000. For chrissake - if she told me that to begin with, I wouldn't have wasted half my day. That's what happens when you visit a dealer outside of the large city - this is prime "hick" business for you.

 

no, thats what happens when you deal with MB canada.... or frankly anything in Canada.

 

The $18000 figure is very low, yes. However, what disgusted me most was all the hill billy culture when I visited this dealer outside of Toronto.

They even wanted a credit card deposit while I test drove an ML to my cottage and back. This is bull.

In Toronto, I've been able to test drive a Mercedes for 4 hours with no credit card given.

 

Credit card for a test drive?? Thats rediculous. Dealers here though insist on a copy of your license unless you are known to them

 

I picked up my 01 ML55 from a similar situation. The doctor had purchased it new for close to $70K and had always had every service done at the same dealer. Trading it in 2 years ago he was offered $19 for it. I bought it from him for $20K. It's unbelievable the hit you have to take on a new one!!! I put another $5k into it and have a killer ride for the price of a new Scion or something equally as hideous.

Steve

 

Don't sell it. You will not recoup!

 

You are not alone - had dinner with a buddy last night who traded in his 2004 S500 - low mileage too - on a new S550 and took a $90,000 hit from the dealer!

For my last 2005 ML320, I went to the local MB Canada dealer and they offered me a ridiculous $1500 off MSRP on the W163 for a cash deal, when I knew they had over 80 sitting on the dock in Annacis Island and the new model on the way. This was the 7th MB I would have bought from them.

So, I went online, emailed the Fleet Leasing manager for the 10 non MBC dealers in Western Canada - BC and Alberta. About 8 replied within 2 days with cash deals for in stock ML320`s with the best deal almost $10,000 off MSRP from a dealer in northern Alberta. He had several in stock - believe me, Dealers in the hicks want to move inventory.

I found the one I wanted in a smaller city in BC, and did a deal on the phone and saved almost $6500 off MSRP, then did a MBC lease at3.9% for 39 months at 59% residual on the full retail MSRP, with an option to buy. They even delivered it down to me in Vancouver on a flat bed car carrier. My lease costs were tax deductible, so made even more sense. Never had to leave my computer to go fight the floor sales staff. Best part is when the lease came due this March 08, the Cdn$ was strong, and basically I could buy the same car on eBay for $23,000 instead of the almost $35,500 buy out option. I told MBC that unless they could match these prices, they were getting it back. Needless to say, I no longer have that 05!

So in the end, MBC carried the depreciation risk - I will never pay cash or try to trade in a car again - unless it is an absolutely smoking deal. Too bad it is near impossible to cross the border and buy a ML CDI and save $15K! Now THAt would be a deal!

 

sorry to say that your car in the same condition on KellyBlueBook trade-in value is only at $13900 USD with 74k km/46250miles. I even tried it with the US Inspiration Edition plus Navigation and it only showed up at $15000 for trade-in.

not sure what the Canadian market use as standard for used car values, but it probably won't be that much off from KBB.

 

You'll definitely get hurt when trying to trade your ML. I was going to get a Lexus ES330 for the lady this weekend. That was, until I seen the trade in for her 2002 ML. Even if I try to sell it, outright, we'll still take a spanking. I'll just keep it until it basically falls apart.

 

According to the orginal sticker the first owner paid 103K in 2004 for my E55

I bought it in May for 35k..... It is depreciating 17k a year.