Hey all,
I am currently shopping around for a lease on a 2011 ML350 4matic.

I will post results as I go from dealer to dealer and as I break them down to better/realistic pricing.

For easy comparison I will use this Lease: 36 month, $1000 down, 12k mile/yr

Here is the first price I got:
MSRP $61,186.00, Monthly Payment $750

 

Ok, I have had some time to shop around this weekend. The local dealer gave me a very good deal but I took this deal to another dealer and they destoyed their offer.

Once again, I use a baseline of 1K down, 36mo, 12 mi/yr so I have an easy comparison.

Local dealer: ML350 4matic, P1, P2, MSRP $60,600.00

The first offer they came out with was $789.
Thats when I gave them the run down that another dealer offered me $750 on a more expensive model.

They countered at $725/mo. That is really good. If you know anything about the car business there is the invoice price and then there is what is called the "hold back." The factory sets a hold back amount for the dealer, the faster they sell the car the more hold back the dealer keeps. As the clock ticks and the car sits on the lot the hold back will shrink each day. This results in less money for the dealer the longer the car sits on the lot. For them to give me $725/mo they are atleast $2000 BELOW INVOICE!!!! This means that they are 2K into the hold back on the car. My research tells me that there is atleast $3k of hold back. So I knew I had more room to squeeze a better deal.

Their final offer was $699/mo. I was shocked at this phenomenal deal. The price includes taxes for those of you who may be thinking I am missing something or the dealer is being slick.

I took this deal to another dealer. Without hesitiation they gave me the final offer that I absolutely could not refuse. First of all, the vehicle they have on the lot is $61,185, slightly more car for a better price. Personnally, I love the lighting package....very cool option. Without futher delay......they offered $688/month, $1000 down, 42 month lease(additional 6 months) AND.....Free maintenance for length of the lease. They had done well with the payments and then blew me away then they told me they are offering the free maintenance.

Let me know what you think. It would be tough to get a better deal than that.

 

Hold back is I believe a fixed amount that does not change. What reduces the dealer profit is the floor plan interest due whoever is providing the financing to the dealer for his inventory.

 

No, the factory sends the car to the dealer with a set amount on hold back. The longer the car sits on the lot, the more the factory takes away from that hold back amount. I am telling you that for my lease, they reduced the price of the car so far below invoice by going $3000 into the hold back. You can dispute this with me. I used to be in the car business for 7 years.

 

What you say is interesting as I called a friend who owns numerous new car dealerships and he says this is not so. With MB the dealer discount is about 10%, 3% of which is hold back and paid either monthly or quarterly for sold cars. Do not know what your position was in the industry for 7 years but its obvious that it had nothing to do with the financial management of the dealership.

 

Hey Sosh,

How do you like your 2010 ML550? Any major different between 2008 and 2010 beside the front/rear bumper and nav? As I mentioned on other thread, wife's lease is ending 10/31/10 and she just test drove the 2011 X5 and does not like it at all. So she is staying with ML. The dealer that she leased the 2008 ML550 have 3 leftover 2010 ML550. They do have about 50 2011 MLs on inventory. Trying to get a rock bottom lease ($699 per month for 36 months).

Do you know if MBUSA quarter end in September or October? Trying to work a deal on the last day of the month. Did that with her 2008 ML550. Dealer started at $949 per month w/ 1k down to $785 per month w/ 1k down.

Thanks for your help.

 

I like my 2010 ML550 very much. Have had absolutly no issues with it. Just got it back from the shop where it underwent its first routine service. Cannot give you a comparison with the 08 as I never had one. The prior ML was an 06 ML500 that was also excellent and bullet proof. Compared to the 06 there are several things I like very much on the 10 and some things I liked better in the 06, however that is life with a Benz. They seem to make changes or decontent an item for absolutly no reason. As for the quarter I believe its the standard quarter ending in Sept. and as far as pricing goes I do not get into my deals on a public forum, all I will say is that I always get a fair deal that satisfies me. All of my cars are ordered to my spec so I cannot comment on dealer inventory pricing. I will say that if it was me I would take an 11 only because I want the latest.

 

Sounds good and I wish I could walk into my local Benz dealer and get a new ML350 for $60k

Here you are looking at that for a 2006 ML350 with nearly 100,000 kms on the clock.

1 thing though, the payments have gone from 36 months to 42 and also what is the residual on these payments? They can play around with that and it makes a big difference to the monthly payment.

 

Hi all,
Just wanted to get some thoughts on if I made a good decision. Leased 2011 ML350, 4 wheel drive, P1 package and a few accessories, total MSRP came out to 57k. I put nothing down other than the fees and first payment. My lease price is 575 a month. Good deal? Thanks.

 

$575 + tax, or $575 total?

 

$575 total with taxes included. Thanks.

 

With no down and $575 a month taxes included, I would say that is one heck of a deal for an ML350 stickering at $57K+. Looks like the selling price is well below $50K.

 

I placed an ML350 on order yesterday and was given the internet discount. The salesman then asked if I had been in the military. He explained that as an honorably discharged vet if I joined USAA, not necessarily getting their insurance, I would be eligible for a further discount. I joined USAA and found that I would have received a $3000 discount on top of the internet price if I had actually purchased the vehicle before 12/1. The amount will probably change by the time my ML is ready for delivery but every discount helps.