Sgooter

In my ongoing internet search for that perfect SL500, I've noticed some high-end used car dealers in Florida are listing "brand new" 2005 SL500s for sale complete with full factory warranty.
Here's the VIN for one such new SL500: WDBSK75F35F104056. For those of you who have a full subscription to CARFAX, please run this VIN and let me know if anything peculiar shows up.
How can a new SL500 be sold by a used car dealer and with the full factory warranty?
I have always assumed a new SL could be sold only by an authorized full-service M-B dealer. So, what am I missing here?
Thanks gang,
Sgooter

ndabunka

ALL cars have a standard manufactures warranty. My Acura TL has 48 months/50K miles. This stays the same no matter who sells it within the first 48 months. Same thing here. A MB warranty is no different.

LovinMercedes

The warranty goes with the car and not the owner.

It is impossible for an unauthorized Mercedes Benz dealer or a used car lot to sell a "new" Mercedes Benz that has never been titled.

Yes, impossible...legally that is.

seattlecarfreak

one thing i've noticed from florida cars, is due to the mass amount of wealth, that people trade in cars like underwear.. what probably happened is a wealthy individual bought an SL, regretted the color, regretted not buying an SL600, SL55, his wife didn't like it, etc.. and he just traded brought it to a consingment lot and bought another new one or something with maybe only like 100 or 150 miles on it.. prolly the used dealer just trying to "milk" the newness of the vehicle.. to get as much $$$ as possible..

Sgooter

Your assessment makes good sense, and also helps explain why I'm seeing a surprising number of low mileage '04 and '05 SLs listed for sale in FL.

ajf1

Lovin, actually that is not entirely correct. A used car dealer can sell a new mercedes-benz but it is not really "new". If the used car dealer buys directly from the Authorized benz store, the car can sometimes be sold without having the car titled. So a new mercedes is sold to a used car lot while still on mso(manufacturer certificate of origin, I know but thats what it means, I did'nt make it up) with full warranty. The warranty only goes into affect when the car is titled. Some mercedes dealers won't sell a car on mso, it varies on model and how hot the car is, if they sell without punching the card they forefeit their holdback money.

LovinMercedes

How does the car get to the used car dealer without changing title? If in fact the title is not changed then the used car dealer has to be selling the car for a Mercedes Benz dealer which would greatly surprise me.

I am not aware of anyone being able to "transfer" a car without a change in title except to another Mercedes Benz dealer. If the Mercedes is truly owned by the used car dealer, how did it get to him without a change in title?

I remember when the launch edition SL's came out and Mercedes Benz told dealers they could not sell them for over MSRP. I believe, at least my dealer did, have to sell the car to someone friendly and then sell it as "used" although it was actually brand new. This way they got their mark-up over list.

I believe many did it this way.

What am I missing here?

Please clarify.

allenjdmb

Unlike retail customers, licensed automobile dealers can sell or transfer cars that are still on MSO (manufacturers statement of origin) or CO (certificate of origin). A car can still be "new" and have miles or be driven, at least in most states. The new SL business is so poor that most likely some dealers have offered the MSO or CO to other dealers (including these used car dealers) as an incentive to take them. Thing is, the dealer does not get the "'punch" that way (the credit for selling the new unit to the end user) and as such, usually will sacrifice the holdback and in some cases, the incentive.
You'd do it too if you had a lot full of $100k cars that weren't sellilng--like SL's.

ClayJ

Sounds to me like some unsold cars got moved or off-loaded 'wholesale' to other dealers....

blume

i know this to be true as well.