TBMpilot

I am being offered a new 2002 E55 by a dealer in Houston. Here are the details:

MSRP $75,270
My price $70,448

Brilliant Silver w/ 2-tone interior
Nav
CD
Active-Ventilated Seats

Can anyone give me guidance on where this car can be bought price-wise? They offered to pay the luxury tax if I closed before the end of the year, so I know they have at least that much available.

Thanks,

Keith

JamE55

Think that's a little bit expensive. You can get one around here for about $66-67k loaded. Have you tried shopping around other dealers??

Now that i see your from Thousand Oaks mind telling me the name of this dealer?? Is it Keys MB?? See if they can go down more on the price. Or you can also try The House Of Imports in Buena Park.

TBMpilot

I haven't seen any new 2002s in California. The one I am looking at is in Houston.

Do you know if any cars in CA?

JamE55

Not really sure. But try The House Of Imports or Penske Mercedes. I know the HOI is pretty big so they might still have some left. www.mbz.com

Vic55

That price is way too high IMO, the car is a year old and considered an old generation. I have spoken with wholesalers who wont even take the car no matter how low the miles are. They are just too hard to dump off right now. Wholesale values for a new E55 in CA is around 60k or so (2002) or with very limited miles. There is another thread posted a few days ago which you might want to check in this section.

amg55

$70K for a year old, outdated model???

Price ought to be at LEAST $5K lower.

Pay your lux tax? They ought to be paying your first year's gasoline, car washes, phone charges and car insurance for that price.

Do NOT accept anything close to that price. Market for that particular car is very, very weak. Those guys are salivating and making jokes in the back room about the prospect of getting that much for that car.

E55 KEV

Way too much! I got my 2002 for $7k off MSRP and the car delivered to my door for free in March 2002. The dealer was a 2 hour drive.

Used 2002 are going around $60k. Good Luck!

Here are 2 used ones in Bedford Texas:

2001 E55
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...875352935&rd=1

2002 E55
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...875069780&rd=1

schvetkaaks

there's a 'new' '02 E55 (black) at Mercedes Benz of Laguna Niguel - inside the showroom...

Kar don

wow, that seems like too much. Clair motors of Westwood, MA has an 02 E55 in stock, black. its been on the lot a while. I am sure they will let it go cheap.

TBMpilot

Thanks to everyone for the heads up on various cars to be found around the country.

The best I'm being offered right now is $2000 below invoice on a 2002 E55. This car is pretty basic, no NAV. With an MSRP of $72,015 the price they are quoting is about $65,600.

Any ideas on strategies to get this down further? I could wait another month or two to see what happens.

scmguru

I tried MB of Laguna Niguel.. they won't sell for invoice.. they feel there is still a market for these 'niche' cars.. same with fletcher jones in NB..

I was offered a NEW 2002 e55 stock for 59k.. was sold while my sales person was on vacation so I'm still on the hunt.

mc

scmguru

oops.. I was offered this new e55 from a PA dealer.

mc

HarvE55

I would try MB dealers NOT in major Metro Areas. They may have limited inventory coming in, but if they have a 2002 at this point they would probably deal.

TBMpilot

You might want to try again. It is Brian Brian Bradfield at Laguna Niguel that is offereing the car at 6% below MSRP which he says is invoice, less another 2K. Is invoice less than that?
He wants to add back 850 which he said was their cost of aquiring the vehicle from another dealer. I said why would I want to pay that?

amg55

Invoice on base 2002 E55: 67,021 (incl destination chg)
MSRP: 72,015
Dealer holdback is 3% (minimum...? if add'l rebates exist , this is a distinct possibility).

Asking you to pay their acquisition fee is an insult.
Who are these guys?
If someone told me that I'd actually laugh out loud.

This is a business transaction wherein they badly need to unload a piece of merchandise whose day in the sun is past (sure, it's a great car, but the dealer doesn't care whether or not it's a great car...it's just a unit of merchandise to them).
This is no different than buying a pair of shoes from a department store. If the store paid some fee to obtain a special pair from a competitor that's his problem, not yours.

When buying cars do not ever become emotionally involved. Not in the car, not with the dealer. If they're great guys who treat you well, wonderful. But the car business is no different from telemarketing or timeshare sales. It's all about moving units, any way, any how. They've got you at a clear disadvantage once they sense you're emotionally connected to either the car or to them.

Fortunately my MB dealers make it easy not to get connected since they're a less than endearing bunch. Unlike some of their competitors at other marques around here.

sportlichE430

"MB dealers make it easy not to get connected since they're a less than endearing bunch"

Didn't Pete Townsend write: "meet the new MB salesman, same as the old MB salesman"?

These guys make buying an MB on Ebay (or from a non MB dealer) reality!

amg55

Hope springs eternal:


I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
WE DON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN


---Brother Pete

SPM02E55

I just purchased a '02 E55 in Cleveland, OH for $55,500 w/7900 miles on odo. #040 Blk No Nav No Phone Car then leased out at $710/month for 39 months $0 out of pocket. Awesome deal! This is my second E55, first was a '99 that I just sold, much nicer than the '99.

SPM02E55

I just purchased a '02 E55 in Cleveland, OH for $55,500 w/7900 miles on odo. #040 Blk No Nav No Phone Car then leased out at $710/month for 39 months $0 out of pocket. Awesome deal! This is my second E55, first was a '99 that I just sold, much nicer than the '99.

M6toE55

That is an excellent price - do you know if your car was a local trade-in, or did your dealer locate and secure the car for you? Also, is the car under Starmark, or just the remainder of factory warranty? Again, congrats on the outstanding car and pricing!

SPM02E55

It was a local trade in. No Starmark, but I only keep em about a year anyway. It was originally put into service in April '02.