Rickster

Went to Euromotorcars here in my area and they want MSRP (approx $87,000) + $25,000 for an SL500, black on black. Anyone else hearing the same thing?

Went to another dealer American Service Center in Va and they wanted +$10,000. Both of these dealers are in the top 5 in the country in terms of volume sales.. Kinda leaves a bad taste in my mouth..

awiner

Yes... My local dealer has the new SL's marked up $40,000 over MSRP. Someone offered $20,000 over yesterday while I was standing there and the salesman turned him down.

As PT Barnum used to say, "There is a sucker born every minute".

pdutta2000

I think it will be the norm for dealers to accept only some dollar amount over MSRP until there are enough in the market. The car was officailly announced 3 days ago, so you know that there are very few of them around, and there are a lot of people who like to be the first kid on the block with a new toy.

Rickster

I hear ya, but my local BMW dealer didn't do that to their customers when brand new models came out like the M3 or or even Z8.. Always sold it at MSRP or better..

awiner

My dealer got a whole truckload if the SL's in. I'd say they were PDI-ing at least 10 of them.

Vic55

I had the exact opposite with my local BMW dealer. They wouldnt budge on an M5 asking 10k over sticker but I just walked into the Benz dealer and got my E55 at sticker. I know now you can get both cars quite easily at sticker but I got my car in January of 2001.

northbenz

Someone posted on another forum that the economy in Germany had tanked causing lots of cancellations there. Assume 9-ll also caused many who had orders to rethink their purchase globally. Others may be holding off for the new fuel efficient engines coming at the end of the year.

The dealer in my area reportedly has 3 SL's presently allocated of which 2 are sold.

Reportedly no one is biting on EBAY for the 15 thousand plus to buy anyone's contract either and dealers asking 20 thousand plus don't seem to be getting bids.

Apart from California and Florida where any new model always gets a premium, are we going to see these cars actually being discounted in a short period of time?

Another factor in the price equation is the pending SL AMG model that seems to be putting downward pressure on the 500SL's desirability among those who must have the latest and greatest?

Any thoughts anyone? This is not to say that there are not waiting lists one, two, and three years out already, but those all appear to be at MSRP or less????

VMan

Just picked up my CLK 430 and inquired about the new SL.. After the dealer laughed, he said $25k over sticker should do it..

tuscans

My bet is that the waiting lists will diminish quickly, demand will be lighter than expected. I think that 50-70% of the waiting list folks will be dropping off. This will occur within the next 3-6 months. If money is an object, do not pay over sticker. If you want the options, you will get them.

MarcusBenz

My thinking is this, the demand for this car will strickly lie in the hands of those who build the car. The amount of cars that are allocated to the dealers will dictate how fast the market will change. If MBZ decides to flood the market with car, look for discounts in the near future, but if the masterminds in Germany keep a tight grip on production you can expect the demand to stay relativly high a while.


MarcusBenz
House of Imports, MBZ

awiner

Update... This same dealer has now marked the remaining SL500's at $55,000 over MSRP ! Wow ! I guess they sold the ones at $40,000 over so quick they now think they can REALLY rape people !

JayT

I understand MBNA lets dealers sell LE at "what every the market is". After that MSRP.

steve s

probably wouldn't hurt to check out other dealers, maybe baltimore or someplace.

here in sf, bmw dealer was selling DEMO M3 for 60k...i mean DEMO!! and those honda s2000 with 30k msrp, dealer wanted 40k...yeah...40k?? how ridiculous...

hwt1964

I went back to the dealer today to take another look at the LE they had (listed at $135K)...and it was GONE. Sold. Less than 24 hours after putting it on the showroom floor.

MarcusBenz

I have seen this with my own eyes. We have sold about 8 LE at the dealer I work for and the last car we sold today went for $139,455 and the customer was glad to pay. It's all about being the first kid on the block with the newest toy!

MarcusBenz
House of Imports, MBZ

awiner

LMAO.. If you ask me it is all about having more money than common sense...

Mr. Xristo

The contract I have with my dealer for the SL55 states that I will be sold the SL55 at MSRP at delivery.

Mr. Xristo

Yikes!! I wonder what their "mark-up" fee will be for the SL55?? Oh well.

It is supply, and demand. If there are people who really want something, they will pay for it.

The dealers are in a business, and are making money from the market.

Mr. Xristo

$40k for a Honda???? Am I missing something?

Mr. Xristo

MarcusBenz, do you have any idea how many SL55's you are to expect?

Mr. Xristo

oh, well.. To each their own, right? $139k to some people is a drop in the ocean.

Rickster

Yep, you can't bring it with you..

ibanez

I spoke with a couple of dealers in Northern California (usually one of the most overpriced markets for cars) and they said they are sold out for 18 months, but that if I wanted a car they expected to have them available in a few months due to order cancellations. With tax and a couple of options, the SL is over $100k. I get the feeling that the economy is affecting the number of cars that are going to be "in demand" after the first wave of cars is sold and that its not going to be very hard to pick an SL up for MSRP come this fall.

MarcusBenz

At this point we are not quite sure, simply because MBZ has not release exact numbers of production. The rumors I have heard is 4k cars for the whole world and the U.S. market will most likely get a 3rd of that which will equal about 1200 cars. That will then be divided up among the dealers, with the markets that sell more getting more to sell. It is a viscious circle!!!! My dealer is not even taking deposit, so you have that in your favor that you are guarantee a car (Sometime in the future).
The closest point of reference I have is the CL55AMG. We got 8 cars all last year, I hope the numbers will be better than those!


MarcusBenz
House of Imports,MBZ

Wildbill

It is interesting that Ibanez wrote that it may be easy to pick up an SL this fall. This was an article recently in LA times which reported that Fletcher Jones Mercedes of Newport Beach already has 600 deposits for the new SL 500. It doesn't seem like the economy is affecting the demand for high-end cars, at least in Newport Beach area.

MarcusBenz, why is House of Imports not taking any deposit for SL's? This seems like the opposite strategy of Fletcher Jones.