c2jones

There are some (unverified) reports that SL65's are going for MSRP in certain places. Could this be true? Anyone score that deal? This has not been the case in all the purchasing experiences I know of, especially in my area, which includes some real Mercedes special select buyers) like Juan Montoya, etc.

What is the real world buying situation of this car...

Premiums or not?

I would imagine the former, but am being told that the latter exists.

Guess I'll be calling around on this on Monday to see what dealerships are saying.

Thanks...

Richard Galing

Just yesterday my "eyeballs" test drove a blk one at Calabasas Motorcars showroom...$250K

JoeShark

I just put down a deposit on a SLK55 AMG two months ago. I was told that I would be getting this car for MSRP as they (the dealership) are not allowed to mark-up ANY of their cars as it is against policy. I did get it in writing on my contract that my car, including all options that I choose, would be MSRP (couldn't comfirm the price at that time as MBUSA had not set the price yet). I also did inquire about SL55's and they said that they would also be MSRP. I've helped two other people buy cars here so I know they are solid in their word.

FWIW, I also ordered a BMW X5 two years ago and paid MSRP as they told me that it is also against their policy to mark-up any of their cars.

p.s. I'm number 5 on the wait list and they figure I'll be placing my order April of next year for a June delivery.

Tony Musgrave

In February this year, I got £1000.00 discount off the list price of my SL 55

c2jones

I don't see how this could be "policy," at least in terms of universal, nationwide, all models/years, etc., because the practices apart from this have not only been well documented, but I have witnessed these alterations several times. I'm sure you could poll this forum for echoing responses.

Either way, I hope you get the deal as planned.

GM's "policy" may be different, but I recall that for instance many 2005 Corvette people were gouged even after having this in writing. The dealerships knew that the car was a hot commodity and they took advantage, forcing people to exercise whatever they had in writing. I don't know what the track record with MB is on this. I have heard many horror stories. But as far as just going by what the dealerships say (or even the corporate office), I have seen first hand how bad the communication and effectiveness can be.

Could be strictly a unique dealership type of thing.

One thing is clear for me, I'm going to start diligently shopping out of state sources far and wide looking for these types of "policies," not being practised in my own area. But the type of car and the time of year often play a role, too.

For instance, an SLK55 is one thing, an SL65 is another.

I spoke to a person who is on the waiting list for an SL65 (here in Fort Lauderdale) who claims they're asking a very steep premium. I know that they were getting such steep premiums for SLR, that even Wayne Huizenga, founder and owner of AutoNation (Maroone), had to push to get the car at MSRP. MB does not part with its speciality cars for less than they have to.

For some history, from their website:

["AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN) is America's largest Automotive Retailer. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., AutoNation employs approximately 28,000 people at 287 dealership locations representing 373 new vehicle franchises across 18 states. With over $19 billion in annual revenue, AutoNation ranked #97 on the 2004 Fortune 500, outselling all other automotive retailers in the U.S. AutoNation is also the Web's largest automotive retailer of both new and used vehicles, generating $3.0 billion of revenue in 2003 via the Internet. About 61% of an automotive dealership's revenue comes from its sales of new vehicles. AutoNation retailed $11.8 billion of new vehicles in 2003 -- more than any other single retailer. In all, AutoNation sells vehicles from 35 different manufacturer brands."]

If Wayne had to fight to get MSRP, then just think what anyone else would be paying. I know that Formula One driver Juan Montoya, now contracted with MB, picked up his SL65 loaded up from the same place. I would bet he paid more than MSRP, unless MB threw in some bonus for his driving services.

So, per my inquiry, regarding the SL65, I am curious as to the price people are paying on items like this. (As far as SLK55, I'm hoping this indeed does stay at MSRP to stay competitive with its category.)

But upon my premise of cars like SL65, if dealerships are asking incredible premiums in my area, and this is counter to "policy," then there is some significant policy bending for overwhelmingly large price differentials. I have a very hard time believing this. Breaking policies to this degree would have caught up to them and reprimands would have been induced long by now if this were the case. Moreover, no one would buy from these dealerships; everyone would drop ship from out of state, etc.

So, when you say that:

... then I say that there is something wrong somewhere, because I know differently. Premiums are being asked and obtained. I know this is the case here in Florida for sure.

I'll be making some calls tomorrow regarding this.

Can you furnish me the name of the dealership who says what you do above?

I wonder if they'll say this on SL65, too...?

If so, then all south Florida dealerships should not be able to have much of a sales capacity for these types of cars because one has to pay many thousands over MSRP for the same car as one could get from your dealership. I would have to set up a car broker business and start shipping cars in from out of state to sell for thousands less than Autonation!

Something does not add up.

finally_retired

I payed £145'000 for my SL65. A little over the odds, but it was worth it.

Schiznick

They are still selling for between 7K and 20K over sticker pending your location from what I can see.

Schiznick

Duane

If you look there are several around at MSRP, including MB of Fort Lauderdale, however I would never buy from this dealer as they are scam artists.

jb71

a pewter sl65 sold for sticker about two weeks ago at parkplace mercedes in bedford tx.

JoeShark

c2jones,

I may be a little informed since I don't fly up there in the big league as you folks (SL65's and SLR's) since I'm only buying the SLK55. All I know is what I've been told and what I've experienced in the past.

Here's the dealer and number:

Mercedes-Benz of Wilsonville (this is in Oregon)
(800) 505-2091

Hope this helps.

JoeShark

One thing I forgot to mention.

This so-called "policy" of selling at MSRP only applies to new cars. In other words, MSRP is definitely the price if one was to order a car. However, "used" cars is a totally different story. If a dealer get's a SLK in and it has enough miles on it that it is no longer considered new (and I have no idea what the number of miles that would be), than they can sell it for whatever they can get (including over MSRP).

pilot20

This is correct. MB will not allow dealers to sell NEW cars over MSRP. What happens if they do? I don't know but probably their allocation gets cut. Actually the number of miles is irrelevant. If the car is sold and titled to another party and sold back to the dealer then its a used car and the dealer can sell it for whatever the market will bear. That's whay when MB introduces a hot new model you will see a few of them at the dealership selling used with only a few hundred to a few thousand miles.

awiner

Here in Southern California. MB dealers ALWAYS are selling New untitled AMG and other niche allotments above MSRP.

Doesn't seem MB Corp does anything to them.

JoeShark

pilot20,

Thanks for the clarification on this

RonG

Manufacturers can not legally control what a dealer sells a car for in relation to MSRP. That would be against the law (Fair Trade Act). They can also (legally) not punish a dealer by messing with their allocation. However, when all that is said and done, there are always a few extra desireable or hot vehicles that the manufacturer has and uses to reward dealers that play by their rules.

In the old days (I'm talking late 60's early 70's), when VW was a hot product, the factory distributors used to punish dealer's who marked up cars by sending them all black cars (a tough sell back then) when their next allocation was due. When Honda got hot, dealer's paid their sales reps cash for the extra cars. The aforementioned practices resulted in a lot of bad press and law suits against the manufacturers and distributors, so they now play it pretty straight.

Marking up cars in the long term may hurt a dealer's reputation, but the automobile business has been so good, for so long, that most dealer's could care less. Some like to pretend that they do not mark up cars, but there are always a few sold cars, with just delivery miles, sitting on their lots, waiting to be sold for thousands over sticker.

When a car is not a hot seller, we buyers have no problem asking dealer's to sell them for thousands less than MSRP. Buyers are downright ruthless sometimes, offering to pay the dealer $50.00 over invoice on a $50,000 vehicle. Why do we have the audacity to complain when a dealer want's more than MSRP? People are funny eh?

I paid sticker for my SL65 and I have a smile on my face whenever I press my Keyless-go button and hear that 12 banger purr.