Has anyone purchased sight unseen for their S550?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Has anyone purchased sight unseen for their S550?
I've seen many of the options that i'm looking for in many of the S550's i've come across. My color preferences are Ruby Red, Verde Brook and Paladium Silver. But many i've seen are located in California, Texas, Chicago and Florida. I live in Pennsylvania. Just curious if anyone had success going that route or did you experience any cons to that process?
Thanks.
Thanks.
#2
Senior Member
I've seen many of the options that i'm looking for in many of the S550's i've come across. My color preferences are Ruby Red, Verde Brook and Paladium Silver. But many i've seen are located in California, Texas, Chicago and Florida. I live in Pennsylvania. Just curious if anyone had success going that route or did you experience any cons to that process?
Thanks.
Thanks.
#4
Senior Member
You wont have that issue with a 4 door sedan, automatic.
If if you are a buying low mileage, 2 or 3 year old CPO, I wouldn’t stress over it at all.
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
It was Porsche CPO. Was pretty perfect. Had 16k miles. 2 years old. With Porsche stick shift cars, the big thing is to get a read out of the revs. Make sure it wasn’t tracked or abused.
You wont have that issue with a 4 door sedan, automatic.
If if you are a buying low mileage, 2 or 3 year old CPO, I wouldn’t stress over it at all.
#6
Senior Member
My car was delivered to my front door by the truck driver. Oh, you will probably have to pay for the transportation. It’s an independent company. This time of year, I’d do covered transport, cost a bit more, but it is winter.
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Car dealerships are independent of each other. Another dealership would have no reason to accept your newly purchased car, unless you need it serviced. And, why would you? It’s CPO, it should come ready to roll.
My car was delivered to my front door by the truck driver. Oh, you will probably have to pay for the transportation. It’s an independent company. This time of year, I’d do covered transport, cost a bit more, but it is winter.
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#8
Super Member
I've done this with my last 4 cars (M35, QX60, E350, S550). The most recent being my 15 S550. I always use Lemon Squad for a pre purchase inspection and they have found something each time that allowed me the opportunity to negotiate a lower buying price. Worth the $150. I also rely on Carfax.
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I've done this with my last 4 cars (M35, QX60, E350, S550). The most recent being my 15 S550. I always use Lemon Squad for a pre purchase inspection and they have found something each time that allowed me the opportunity to negotiate a lower buying price. Worth the $150. I also rely on Carfax.
#10
MBWorld Fanatic!
personally, I think its a mistake. Plenty of cars that arrived not as described from dealers everywhere. For me a big part of the purchase is the condition of the car, paint,seats headlights dings etc. Id say 99% of people dont have a clue as to what there looking at when looking at a car. Im not that guy. I want to make sure the car doesnt have paint wrk, the bolsters arent worn, the rims arent bent/rashed, the headlights arent pitted and the engine sounds good. Keep in mind you cant tell paint condition from pics. Ive bought cars sight unseen and when ever they have gotten here theres always something that someone forgot to mention.... Now on a cpo car your chances are better but you are still buying a used car. If u need some help in anything in Ny let me know. also so you know most of the staes you mention their cars are mostly not awd and seems to lessen the price by about 10k. If you absolutely cant get on a plane to go see it, pay someone to put eyes on the car fro you at the least.
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
personally, I think its a mistake. Plenty of cars that arrived not as described from dealers everywhere. For me a big part of the purchase is the condition of the car, paint,seats headlights dings etc. Id say 99% of people dont have a clue as to what there looking at when looking at a car. Im not that guy. I want to make sure the car doesnt have paint wrk, the bolsters arent worn, the rims arent bent/rashed, the headlights arent pitted and the engine sounds good. Keep in mind you cant tell paint condition from pics. Ive bought cars sight unseen and when ever they have gotten here theres always something that someone forgot to mention.... Now on a cpo car your chances are better but you are still buying a used car. If u need some help in anything in Ny let me know. also so you know most of the staes you mention their cars are mostly not awd and seems to lessen the price by about 10k. If you absolutely cant get on a plane to go see it, pay someone to put eyes on the car fro you at the least.
#12
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Good points. I'm very **** when it comes to condition of the car this is why I was asking the question to see how anyone else had done it. I'm trying to remain within a certain budget so flying or driving all over the states won't work for me and I have to also stick with my work schedule. I have copied the VIN numbers into www.datamb.com to get the data codes for each car that I have looked at online first. So at least I know it has the options or paint colors that i'm looking for. I will definitely keep you posted as I have seen some in the New York area. Maybe we can meet up there one day. Thank you very much for your input.
If you see any in the Cincinnati area I will look at them for you.
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
#14
Super Member
Good points. I'm very **** when it comes to condition of the car this is why I was asking the question to see how anyone else had done it. I'm trying to remain within a certain budget so flying or driving all over the states won't work for me and I have to also stick with my work schedule. I have copied the VIN numbers into www.datamb.com to get the data codes for each car that I have looked at online first. So at least I know it has the options or paint colors that i'm looking for. I will definitely keep you posted as I have seen some in the New York area. Maybe we can meet up there one day. Thank you very much for your input.
#15
MBWorld Fanatic!
also alot of cpo cars have some sort of pdr to them... I dont need to get into crazy details but pdr can range from undetectable to down right ruining the panel on a car. a small spot may not be a big deal but a little bit all over the car is a deal killer. Ck out snowmans thread on a cpo car he got sight unseen on the w221 forum a few years ago. Buddy of mine bought a s class a few yrs ago that was supposed to just have lower portion of driver door repainted due to his kid dropping a bike on it in the garage.... car came with no orig paint on the car and all done at different times so no panel matched the next and a crack in the windshield... went from a decent deal to a terd in your driveway. For a car guy thats upsetting.
#16
But with an S600, there are not any real options to consider--it comes with essentially everything.
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
also alot of cpo cars have some sort of pdr to them... I dont need to get into crazy details but pdr can range from undetectable to down right ruining the panel on a car. a small spot may not be a big deal but a little bit all over the car is a deal killer. Ck out snowmans thread on a cpo car he got sight unseen on the w221 forum a few years ago. Buddy of mine bought a s class a few yrs ago that was supposed to just have lower portion of driver door repainted due to his kid dropping a bike on it in the garage.... car came with no orig paint on the car and all done at different times so no panel matched the next and a crack in the windshield... went from a decent deal to a terd in your driveway. For a car guy thats upsetting.
#18
Super Member
Yes just got a 2017 s550 cab sight unseen. As long as you get a CPO car from a reputable dealer you should be good. As long as you can speak freely to them and they do what you want them to i.e. inspect car for wheel rash, dings, scratches etc with photos your good. My wheel was damaged in transport and the dealer is taking care or it along with a couple other minor issues.
As long as your comfortable with the MB dealer you shiuld be good. Actually this is the 2nd car i puchased sight unseen without issues.
good luck
As long as your comfortable with the MB dealer you shiuld be good. Actually this is the 2nd car i puchased sight unseen without issues.
good luck
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#19
Super Member
I'm in los Angeles. Purchased a s600 from SF thru pictures, bmw i8 from new jersey, Tacoma pro from Ohio, and s550 from SD. All never seen in person just pictures. All under manufacturer warranty, clean carfax and owner states no paintwork. None are perfect, theres going to be small paint imperfections. If you are very **** then buy new. You'll never find a perfect car off the boat used. Good luck.
#20
MBWorld Fanatic!
Keep in mind for a 500 dollar depost they will hold the car for you. gives you time to get there. If the car is what u expected do the deal and bring it home. Ive rented cars a bunch of times dropped them off somewhere close to the dealer and drove my new car home. I bought a cpo 7 series and had the sales guy meet me 1/2 way car was in Md Im in Ny and we met early morning at a starbux in Nj. looked at the car in the parking lot took it for a spin, came back had some coffee signedthe papers handed over the chk, sales guy followed me to the rental company to drop off my rental and then i dropped him off at the train... back to Ny. I used to bring my then girlfiend on all my road trips.. now my wife. LOL
#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Keep in mind for a 500 dollar depost they will hold the car for you. gives you time to get there. If the car is what u expected do the deal and bring it home. Ive rented cars a bunch of times dropped them off somewhere close to the dealer and drove my new car home. I bought a cpo 7 series and had the sales guy meet me 1/2 way car was in Md Im in Ny and we met early morning at a starbux in Nj. looked at the car in the parking lot took it for a spin, came back had some coffee signedthe papers handed over the chk, sales guy followed me to the rental company to drop off my rental and then i dropped him off at the train... back to Ny. I used to bring my then girlfiend on all my road trips.. now my wife. LOL
#23
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Thread Starter
#24
Member
I purchased my S-Class from Jumbo Luxury Cars and I am generally satisfied. My front camera did not work initially, and my brakes needed replacing after4-5 months.
#25
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18 MB S63, 2022 911 Turbo S, 23 BMW M5C
I've purchased plenty of cars sight unseen and had them shipped to my house on a enclosed trailer. Never had an issue but I think I was just lucky and I did my due diligence. The last car I had the sales person walk around the car and describe any inperfection at all - road rash on the wheels, scrape or scuff in the leather, ding to the doors or body, scratches of any kind, etc.
She said there were none at all, and because it was a Ferrari dealer and the car was a 911 Turbo S (3 years old at the time for almost 1/2 off the original MSPR sticker with 7800 miles on it) I just blindly trusted her. The car was "as advertised", perfect.
Same with a 2001 BMW 740i I bought once 2700 miles from home. I had a bimmerboard buddy out there look the car over for me and based on what he saw, and he was kind of an expert, I bought it sight unseen. The car showed up weeks later to my house, it was in amazing conditions. On and on and on with other cars too.
She said there were none at all, and because it was a Ferrari dealer and the car was a 911 Turbo S (3 years old at the time for almost 1/2 off the original MSPR sticker with 7800 miles on it) I just blindly trusted her. The car was "as advertised", perfect.
Same with a 2001 BMW 740i I bought once 2700 miles from home. I had a bimmerboard buddy out there look the car over for me and based on what he saw, and he was kind of an expert, I bought it sight unseen. The car showed up weeks later to my house, it was in amazing conditions. On and on and on with other cars too.