2005 E55 AMG FOR SALE
06 e55 Wagons used to sell at low 60's 7 mos ago. Now, they are selling at mid to high 40's. That is a $10k/$15K hit. The depreciation rate has never been so steep. That is what's happening folks. Most of the sellers are chasing the market down.
Thanks everyone, and keep the comments coming
Neil
High-end cars are depreciating 3%-5%+ a month in this market, and KBB just can't keep up. The real value is mid $30k's, assuming the car is still under warranty, and even less if the warranty is expired.
I wouldn't use bluebook to value anything right now, or you're guna be sitting on that sucker for awhile.



I will repeat:
For those who need to sell, sometimes it is better to sell at a loss initially, because you can get stuck chasing the market down eventually selling it for a big time firesale price when you could have sold earlier.
Of course if you can carry the car month to month and are not hurting, then sure. Keep it until you find the right buyer. But you know, listings get stale like houses. So you constantly have to attract buyers one way or the other. Good luck.
Out of Touch Seller #1 - 2004 e55 in Irvine.
This car has been on an off Craigslist for more than 7 mos +/-. The seller originally tried to sell in the mid forty's. Way overpriced at the time. He has dropped his price slowly and is now asking $33K. If he had priced the car around $35K 6 mos ago he might have been able to sell it because that was the start of the downslide in price. He is still making payments - who knows. Car has 19" wheels and seems like it was well cared for and has extended warranty to 100K miles and all service records at Fletcher Jones. Unfortunately, the car has 80,500 miles - last I remembered the mileage was in the 70s when it was first listed. The market is so bad so be realistic about the price - period. This car will not sell until the price is in mid 20s. That blows as he could have sold it earlier if he wasn't so out of touch with the market.
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/ctd/900275477.html
Out of Touch Seller #2 - 2005 e55, blk 48K miles
This car has been for sale in Carlsbad, CA for about one and a half mos. Seems like a great car and single owner with pink slip in hand. The original price was $39K and he just dropped the price to $37,950 and listing goes Mercedes e55 AMG Well below Kelly BB. If the price was well BELOW KBB, don't ya think it would have been sold by now? The owner sent me (an all others than inquired about the car) an email early October saying he would take $37K for a great deal if closed by the end of the week. Well, it looks like there were no takers as the car is still on Craigslist with the new reduced price. Apparently the seller wanted to buy another car and sell this car, but went ahead with the new car purchase. If he was willing to take $37K one month ago, maybe he will take $36K or less now?
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/901391814.html
however, possibly, the storm could be clearing soon...
I think we may be seeing prices level off a little bit, but the majority of the damage is done.
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
edit: Sorry, just realized I've taken this way off-topic....if anyone can help, PM me, I'm ready to buy!
Last edited by r00kie; Nov 6, 2008 at 09:37 PM.
Dealerships have excess inventory - both new and used
Money supply is tight even though the Feds have 'injected' over 1 Trillion dollars into the financial industry recently as a result of the 'Sub Prime' crisis but in reality 'Sub Prime' is being used as the scapegoat.
Chrysler is in dire financial trouble and the majority of their dealers (which includes Mercedes) are being asked to pay early on their flooring plan, but the dealers can't sell cars because the funding is simply not there. If so, then you better have a FICO >700.
Approx 40% of the population have a FICO < 700 so the number of cars being sold has been cut in half if not more - especially big ticket, luxury gas guzzlers
Even Toyota's profits declined 3rd quarter - first decline in profits the last 7 years - so the market is crashing BIG TIME
GM has 20B in cash and burning through this at 1B a month - Chrysler is worse and there is talk of a Gov't bailout or face Bankruptcy
Even if there is a bail out, many jobs will be lost do to restructuring
If Chrysler declares bankruptcy, then so will GM and Ford

More people are getting laid off as the days go by and people lose confidence so they don't spend. Instead, they hoard cash
Increase in supply of new and used cars puts downward pressure on price to move them, but there is less demand so we go into death spiral. At this point we've moved past inflation into DEFLATION

In October, no (ZERO) credit card backed securities (Bonds) were purchased which forced companies like American Express to go to the FED - the FED is buying up commercial paper so these companies can stay in business

Just look at the classified section and count how many cars have been posted for sale compared to the same time last year
Reality bites huh?? Sorry you had to take a $10 K hit. Why not just keep her, modify her a bit more and enjoy her.
https://mbworld.org/forums/c219/269038-pics-my-cls55-cool-ass-car-sale-also.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=269038
Please - These cars just are not moving at prices worth selling for. To think I kept my baby in the garage, treated it to 6 very expensive oil changes in 16,500 miles, drove it only when the sun was shining, kept it shiny and clean. For what? Well, I have an extended factory warranty that will keep it covered for another 3 years and another 60k miles. Either someone is paying me $42k for it or I am just keeping it. It isn't as though I can find anything remotely as fun (or as fast) and well-maintained for that price to replace it. And with all the money I am spending on my house, $30k (net of balance of car loan) really is not going to make that big of a difference.
I will put it on Autotrader next week and see where it goes.
I doubt the dealer took out the checkbook and wrote him $39k for the car alone.




