keevo54

Have been calling around and upon the first round of negotiations I have a dealer down 8k off MSRP for a 2015 S550. Most of the dealers came in at 4k off msrp. Just looking at in stock cars between $110-115k(not planning on ordering). Going to purchase outright. Live in GA but contacted some dealers in Alabama also.

Wondering what deals others have gotten and how far I should try to push. I try to balance getting a great deal without having to speak to the dealerships too long .

MTrauman

You might want to keep in mind that the dealers have an incentive of $3000 bonus cash through 3/31/15 from MBUSA/Daimler on S Class cars (this is really not advertised but it is there). So at $4k off they are still making a huge profit. You should be able to easily get $8k off with the $3k incentive but a real good deal would be atleast $11k off on a $115k S.

keevo54

Thanks for the response. I was thinking 11-12k would be a pretty good deal. Curious if anyone has been able to get closer to 15k

Rocketman

Bought a S550 4matic with a list of $115000 for $103500 a few weeks ago. Work hard and you can get a good deal.

Jason B

Some dealers think their reputation deserves almost sticker. Be careful.

pdeacon

Rocket man got a good deal. A fair deal to buyer and seller. Most buyers can get 7% off without too much trouble. Especially if you are a returning customer. The dealer incentives from the factory ("trunk money") are not usually advertised or acknowledged. It appears Rocket got a piece of the incentive also. I think it is important to acknowledge that the dealer is entitled to a fair profit, just like any other business, or else he won't be in business very long. I am not a dealer or affiliated with a dealer. I know I couldn't run my business without getting a fair margin on my products and services. Many participants on these forums seem to begrudge the dealer making a profit. Isn't that why they are in business? Curiously enough, I recieved the exact same deal as Rocket on an in stock vehicle that listed at $115K. I buy a lot of cars at my dealer. Have three in my driveway and purchased about ten cars over the past eight years from the same dealer. I'm satisfied with the product, the pricing and the service so that makes it a good deal all around.

Rocketman

To be clear my deal included a $3500 discount because I'm a member of USAA.

pdeacon

That's interesting. I guess that makes my deal even better. I got the "trunk money". It pays to be a good customer.

hyperion667

my fourth Benz from the same dealer: a S class at that.......got 2K off my ordered car

pdeacon

Come north next time. Sounds like it would be worth the trip. Stay in a nice five star hotel and enjoy the ride south in your new toy. You would come out ahead $$ wise at the end of the day.

1guitar

My dealer told me he would give me 9% off list and I'm sure I could get another 1%, but, as the title of my post says so clearly, ok now that we've all gotten such great deals nobody ever talks about what they get for their trade-in. IE; I have a 2010 E350 RWD with 24,500 miles and it has been garage kept since the day I got it and it has always been hand washed and waxed and if I drove it onto the showroom floor they could literally sell it without even having to wipe off the dust. In any case, they offered me $19,000 for my trade-in, four months ago they offered me $23,000 for the same car. My point is simply that they will screw you in the end no matter how much they give off the list as 80% of all MB's are leased and if you sit down with pencil in hand and figure out the inputted rate of interest, it's in the 5% to 7% range, a handsome return in todays' money lending world when money in a CD will get you about 1%! At MB and the rest of the dealers there is no such thing as a good deal, it's only a matter of how badly you get racked.

MTrauman

Now this is a "cranky" point of view but you are correct.


But lets be realistic about cars. When is the last time you sold a car at any kind of a profit (excluding rare classic cars)? Autos are simply a money losing endeavor.

Streamliner

The way I keep my cars, I used to have friends lining up to buy them at trade in time. That is pretty much over, now that MB is doing the CPO thing and resetting the warranty coverage. Now I simply lease & get a new car every 30 months or so.

keevo54

I agree trade ins can make or break a deal....someone can get a great deal on the new car and get taken for on the trade in or vice versa. No trade in on this deal though

Have gotten responses from all the dealers that intend on responding. Most wanted me to come in for the VIP treatment but I politely declined. Have gotten 8.75% off at a dealership about an hour and a half in the suburbs....rest of the dealers were only in the 3-5% range if that. Will be working on this a little during the week to see how much further I can push.

ChuckinTucson

I had a friend several years ago negotiating on the price of a Mercedes and was looking to get an additional $1,000 off. He and his wife were in the salesman's booth "haggling" when the wife said to just pay the $1,000 and be done with it. He asked if the salesman who step out of the office for a moment, which he did. My friend turned to his wife and said very nicely, "Honey, in 15 minutes I'm going to get him to come down the $1,000. That equates to $4,000 an hour, which is much more than I'll make at anytime in the near future. So for god's sake, shut up." She did.

pdeacon

Had the exact same experience over the years. For the past several years I have been leasing and turning them in every twenty four to thirty months. Always in warranty, latest technology and no hassles with trade values. Works for me!

mortgagemaster

OK we buyers in Dallas are jealous....we have a few dealers here (Park Place with 4 MB stores and MB Plano with 1) and on S550 sedans the best I have seen is the $3K marketing incentive off. So full profit. For my wife's 2013 SLK350 we bought in fall 2012, it was sticker if we bought it here or 7% off (the standard deal) for european delivery. So we took a nice trip.

Now I am working on ordering a 2016 S550 Coupe in June and am being told they still have a "waitlist" for the 2015's. They are the number 2 volume dealer in the country and can't get enough cars, or so they say. My plan is to just take european delivery. So....any ideas on where I could go to order a 2016 coupe and receieve a meaningful discount? I love the service/washes/etc. I receive from Park Place, but the full price issue is a big one, especially on a $130K car. I am a good negotiator but cannot get them to budge. When I try the "walk away from the desk" routine they wish me well and move on to the next customer.

1guitar

Being a fellow MB owner and driver for the past 20+ years, you owe yourself at least one call to Scott Coleman, he is the OWNER of Contemporary Motors in Little Silver, NJ and his number is 732-842-5353. Tell him Barry Reich sent you and that I told you he will give you at least 7% off list of an "S" class car otherwise I won't be buying another car from him until hell freezes over,believe me, you'll get his attention and 7% and than some. Please they have a very large inventory of "S" class cars, you won't be sorry you called. I don't know you from Adam but I promise even with the cost of shipping of the car home or even better yet, if you have the time, drive it home, it's a pretty scenic drive from NJ to TX, if you lease the deal get's even sweeter because MB gives their dealers more money off to provide an incentive to the buyer to lease as they prefer you to lease it rather than buy it. What is your first name, if you call the owner I'll be sure and sit on him util he gives you the best deal on the planet.
Regards,
Barry

fkim011

I got a hair above 12k off my 2015 S550.

mortgagemaster

Thank you!

My name is Andrew, I appreciate your guidance. I love my dealer BUT that only goes so far. I am also speaking with my Father's dealer in the Princeton NJ area....he has bought a half dozen cars over the past 4 years from them.

alenyc

Barry, thank you so much for your referral! I called Scott. He's amazing and the story of their dealership is so fascinating. I am actively working with him to find an S550 that has all I am looking for. I am getting a Royal Treatment, just because I have mentioned your name. I owe you a glass of Chianti!

BklynMarc

Does anyone know what discount I should ask for on an S AMG car or an ordered car? Thinking of an S63.

I went to a local dealer and was told no discount on AMG cars. So I took a trip to my old haunts in southern CA and didn't have to ask for 3% off. I wasn't trying and I'm sure it would have been more.

Here's the argument -- if a dealer is willing to take $10K+ off of a S550 at around $120K (and assuming that deal is still profitable for the dealer), wouldn't you expect more off on a $160K+ car?

jenz

Generally I see 4-6% off on an order, but it's all about timing since many don't discount AMGs at all. The best way to maximize the discount is take one off the lot, though.

Streamliner

I high.y recommend that you contact Kekoa Dapitan, the sales manager at MB of Foothill Ranch in Orange County. This is a newer dealership and they are quite competitive. I got my current S550 from them, my wife's E350 and we have a 2016 E350 on order with them. Great people there. Tell him the guy who hit the swarm of bees on a test drive sent you. He will know who you are referring to.

BklynMarc

Thanks Streamliner! I will do that.