Any one here comfortable with $4500 off MSRP? I feel I am getting close

 

That sounds decent.

 

I was very comfortable with $4,700 off. And I got EXACTLY the build I wanted. Only problem was the wait: initial order placed in May, scheduled build for July; then delayed till October; just got our ML-350 BTC in mid-November.

Dakota Brown, leather, burl walnut, pkg 1, panorama sunroof, lighting pkg, 20" wheels, trailer hitch, parktronic, lane change/blind spot, heated steering wheel.

 

From my experience, roughly 7.5% off MSRP seems to be a pretty good deal. Really depends on the total cost of the vehicle, lots of options or not.

 

Working a deal on an ML350 Bluetec and being told the following:

USAA $1000 over invoice - $2000 USAA Money.
AMEX / Fleet $1000 over invoice - $1500 AMEX Money
Christmas Event $1000 over invoice - $1600 MBUSA Money

Does this sound right to you all? Looks like USAA is the best discount as I'm being told.

 

Yep, USAA is always the best, since MBUSA pays that money directly to the dealer, like a rebate to them, so you can work your best deal, then pull that out of your pocket.

What's the AMEX Money? AMEX also pays a rebate?

 

Amex has a car buying program that is similar to Fleet pricing. Not sure who / how the money comes back but they have a set pricing structure.

 

Interesting article in the USA Today on net car buying and how the game has changes. Basically that the holy grail of "invoice" price is a bloated number due to information availability on the web. The interviewed 6 folks from leading online services at the LA autoshow and posted the comments. Worth the $1.50 for a paper if you aren't traveling today. Front page of B section.

 

Where did you see it?

 

Whoops... USA Today. Front page of Money section with rest of bottom 1/2 of page 2. Good read.

 

Thanks...and here it is, online:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/...table/1749101/

 

pretty close...$5000 of MSRP plus $1000 off winter sale promotion.