To anyone interested in purchasing/leasing a MY08 S550 or S600 I would suggest your opening offer be MSRP minus 12.25% minus the $10,000 marketing incentive. The employee pricing benchmark of 12.25% is not normally applicable to the S-Class nevertheless the dealer needs to move these vehicles off their lot and still stands to make a profit.

Although there are no customer rebates, currently now through 9/30/08 dealers are receiving a marketing incentive of $10,000 from MBUSA combined with 3.9% financing availability for 24 or 60 months.

so, what kind of price is that on a 100k car? 22k off sticker?

Now, I have to excuse my friends here, I have to leave the forum,
I'm going to have a heart attack

The minute I hear that they are offering these kinds of incentives on 09 S63's is when I'll jump off the nearest building.

LOL. I'd love to trade with these incentives but I bet you my car just fell in value by the same amount so it's a wash. These deals would only be good for a clean deal with no trade debt involved.

What is a replacment you getting? Jaguar?

not bad of a deal

[QUOTE=konigstiger;3066026]MSRP minus 12.25% minus the $10,000 marketing incentive. The employee pricing benchmark of 12.25% is not normally applicable to the S-Class nevertheless the dealer needs to move these vehicles off their lot and still stands to make a profit. QUOTE]

But does not that assume that everyone qualifies for employee pricing? Are you suggesting that MB has told dealers that they can share employee pricing with the general public even if they don't qualify to keep cars moving. Or is it always the case that the dealer can share employee pricing with anyone at their discretion and that one does not have to qualify for it to get it. Essentially my question is: is this 12.25% and inherent profit that the dealers always have in the vehicles they sell or is it only available to them under special circumstances, like the current economic meltdown.

Thanks for your advice.

Not sure I understand you. Is dealer cost (ignoring the 10k marketing incentive) actually something less than msrp less 12.25%?

Let's see, I think I have decoded the message:

In english form:

Get a S Class (just about any MB for that matter) for rock bottom prices and the market is in the crapper and they need to move cars off the lot?

If I have it right, the mathematical equation is:

MSRP - 12.25% - 10K = what you should offer to pay

Correct Konigs?

I understood the original post. What I don't understand is how the dealer still makes a profit at that level, as seemed to be indicated in that post. I thought invoice was 7% less than msrp, and then the holdback 3% of msrp...total of 10%...so I don't see how 12.25% off would allow for any dealer profit.

Correct!

The dealer ALWAYS profits even when selling a vehicle at dealership or MBUSA employee discount.

Simply, unpublished margin and ongoing multi-level manufacturer to dealer marketing incentives.

Do you think these unpublished incentives are typical for the end of the model year, or are we seeing extra-high levels because of the weak economy?

konigstiger,

Since you seem very knowledgeable, I have a question for you that is somewhat off topic.

If I special-ordered my next MB, do you think I could work a deal with a dealer that would have them to throw in the published incentives that are in effect at the time the car arrives at the dealership? For instance, could I place a special order in May, basically agreeing to pay invoice plus 2k minus incentives at the time of arrival, so that if the car arrived in July and MB was offering 6k incentives in July, I would end up at invoice minus 4k? I am asking because incentives seem to apply to cars that are "in stock", and I don't know if a previously-special-ordered car would qualify.

A related question....when a dealer special orders a car for me, when does he have to fork over significant $ to MB (or when does he start paying interest / floor planning)? Is it when the order is placed, or when the car arrives?

Your special order probably will not be eligible for any rebates, low-interest financing or other incentives. In addition, there is little chance that you will be able to haggle on the price. Check your PM.

Yay! Now where is my prize?

PM your VIN(s) and email address and I will forward a MB datacard.

pardon my ignorance but whats a data card

MB issued and includes internal VIN (differs from normal VIN); order, engine, transmission #s, delivery date, paint codes, option & equipmemt codes, etc. Every owner is entitled to a free copy of this document upon taking delivery of a new or pre-owned vehicle from a MB dealership.

Thanks!

thanks

just emailed a local dealer with a 15% off msrp, and additional 12.25% on top of that. I hope he doesnt think im crazy! will keep posted

i have 06 mb s430 4matic