shawzzzzzz

Hey guys, I'm new to the board. I'm looking purchase a new 2014 or 2015 ML 250 or 350 4matic. The cars I'm looking at seem to be loaded at similar sticker values of $63,000 to $63,500. The dealer is tried to get me to bite on a $59,900.00 sales price. The quote was "this is almost a deal of the lifetime!!" I laughed and said i will see you at the end of the year when you really want to sell a car!!

My questions to members of the board are these items below in normal making of a deal with MB for this model:

1. My research so far show MB has at least 10% off MSRP to work with correct?
2. Mercedes winter event is at least $2000
3. $4500 for USAA members or up to $4000 for other groups
4. Any other trunk cash offered on these models?
5. Will dealers thrown in service contract ?

Anything else I'm missing please feel free to add to this discussion.

Nanook

My advice..wait until Feb if you can...the best time to purchase as sales are at their low

shawzzzzzz

thanks, I might. We currently have a 2012 Audi A4 that has been a great car. We had a baby last year and need a bit more room. My wife hates the Q5 so the ML is a nice fit. Im just trying to get the best deal. I figure the local dealerships have year end sales goals and "hidden operational hold backs" that might be in play.

audi40

We ordered our 350 BT in March - sticker was $62,700 and we got it for $57,500 (8.3% off) + TTL. I don't believe there were any incentives being offered by MB @ that time - the dealer simply agreed to meet the Edmunds "TMV" price. Original deal was $58,000, but the car was delivered 2 days later than promised, so salesman gave us another $500 off (after I had asked for $1,000). Tried to negotiate on prepaid maintenance, but FI guy said they only had $50-100 of profit in it and that's the most they could discount it (I passed) - I emailed several other dealers to see if they'd offer the maintenance package @ a discount and not one even replied. Dealer's FI guy was able to get me financing @ 1.49% for 60 months thru DCU (Digital Credit Union).

shawzzzzzz

Sounds like a good deal In a march. I can get 1.90% interest from lightstream.com and am seeing that 'trunk cash' is available for these models. Just no specific amount

tin369

I am also in the market for a new SUV and haven't decided which to get, but a few weeks ago, I asked my local dealer to give me a quote on the 2015 ML350 MSRP, 59,800, they came back with $52,800 or something. So I think you can do better, I also went to the BMW dealer and told him about the MB offer, he said right now MB has a lot of trunk money and he can't offer anything close to that for the X5. I also think Lexus is giving good discount, a little off topic....haha


How do you get the $4000 other group discount?

shawzzzzzz

thanks Tin, the group discount is for other organizations like USAA. Banker, lawyers, doctors and many more all have group discounts. Its finding one your a member of to give to MB for the discount. It sounds like the dealers can message the number on this one.

I believe we can get close to figuring out end of year Trunk Cash for the ML. Their are services for wholesalers that can see all hiding rebates a dealership will get for the sale.

I have heard of dealers punching cars as "DEMO" to get a deal done. This is not done much but entitles the dealer to more hidden money on the back end for dealership.

I like the BMW but have you seen the inside of the Lexus? The 560 and 570 look like a 4-Runner!!!

tin369

For the lexus I was talking about the RX350, but yes, Japanese cars don't drive like German cars do.


I don't know how much more of a discount I can get besides the $7000 off they are offering.


The residual on the ML350 is not good, so even a lower selling price does not affect monthly payment, I am trying to keep it under $550 a month.


I know it sounds low, but some other cars not comparing apples to oranges with a similar selling price would have a much lower monthly payment because the residual is 60-63%.

greasykid

Just bought a new ML250. USAA is $2500--Not $4000.

My deal; ML @ dealer invoice,less $2500. Almost 10% off. All the "deals" cannot be combined.

UPDATE

When I was negotiating this deal was able to get an additional trade-in allowance of $3000. Maybe this was some of the "hidden" $. The bottom line is what counts!

shawzzzzzz

Greazy, nice deal. I just got off the phone with my local dealer. These dealers love to play games!!! Were at $8k off now. Trying to get my hands on the Auto Data and motor intelligence report from a friend in the business. THERE is something called trunk cash availible on the ML models until the end of the year from MB to the dealer. I can wait another week to see how bad they want to sell a car.

greasykid

Good Luck. Keep trying. Merry Christmas.

27T

Ask for 15% off and settle for 12%.

fabbrisd1

Well... nobody I know in Little Rock knows anything about a new ML at $8K off.. and no there is not a "DEMO" button on a new MB... there are 10-12 month in service loaners that come back into dealer inventory with low mileage that show dealers as original owners..

skw

The "demo" vehicles are not the service loaners. The demos are vehicles that were driven by executives. These cars were never registered so are still sold as new and are eligible for the new car financing/leasing programs. However, as they may have anywhere up to 10,000 miles on them, there is a reduction in residual value. IIRC, the residual percentage is the same, but then gets reduced by a couple of cents for each mile over 5,000 miles. If leasing, your term starts at the current mileage (ie: a 3/36 term on a car w/ 8,000 miles on the clock is allowed $44,000 miles). However, the warranty still ends at 50,000 miles.

Or so this is how it was explained to me by my local dealer. I am not one to contradict fabbrisd1.

fabbrisd1

The ONLY way a car is driven for extended period/miles and NOT registered is under Manufacturer plates, or Dealer plates depending on state... so you know about 200-400 Mercedes Benz Executive cars are registered and rotated every six month which would show as prior owner..... there are maybe 15-25 vehicles rotated every six months that are under manuf plates driven by MB upper level execs - often termed Brass hats.... which gets dicey because MB released and thrashed by the press are in that Brass hat program too... dealer stories often get told to cover a new MB co-opted by a dealer exec (or their wives) under Dealer Plates....

shawzzzzzz

Well, Im not arguing with you but I can tell you its a White ML 250 that MB of Little Rock verbally offered $8k off to me and I walked. IT IS BRAND NEW They really want to move that diesel (Its a $63,000 dollar sticker). My wife would prefer a gas engine so I have located a ML350 that meets our specs. We are at invoice plus the $2000 winter incentive this morning. You can get 1.9% with lightstream.com (MB is 2.9%) loan.

THERE is trunk cash on the ML's to the dealership for selling ML's .

Barry45RPM

In Maryland there are dealers who will give you 10% off on factory fresh cars depending on the DEALER's needs..

Sierra Mike

A local dealer has a stock of 20 new ML350s ranging from $57k-$64k. Without being specific I've been offered $5-6k off a $60k car. I would normally be happy with that but it's clear that Mercedes will launch the GLE Coupe at Detroit in a couple of weeks. If the GLE launch is also imminent, I feel that $6k is an insufficient discount for me to commit $60k to an end of cycle car. I'd rather forego the discount and buy a new GLE.

Does anyone share this viewpoint or is the GLE/ML replacement still going to be a while coming?

shawzzzzzz

Mike you make a great point!! In a lot of ways I agree with you. You never know what will change on the car with a re-launch to GLE.

hutch300

It would prevent me from BUYING, I leased a 2015 so I could care less. I don't keep it long enough to matter. I think the whole name change refresh is stupid. I have the new interface in a 2015 C300 and don't care for it.

Sierra Mike

Thank you. So glad I didn't buy the ML. The GLE will be revealed at the New York Suto Show in April with first deliveries in late summer. I note from another thread the first cars will be a July build.

I agree - the name change is ridiculous and, although I haven't played with it, the 'tablet' interface looks like a very amateurish after market add on. Makes you wonder what they're thinking!