Turbo2

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6335

It will be interesting to see how much he gets for the #2 space. Any guesses as to how much it will bring in?

kaneman

I hope he's got it worked out with his dealer and has authorization to transfer his slot. Quite a few brouhahas happened when the M5 came out because some dealers got wind of the profiteering going on from slot-selling and said the slots were non-transferrable to put a stop to it. IMO the process is rather opaque as it is and having a 'slot' is meaningless. At any dealer, if they have good customers that exhibit a desire to own a car, that customer will get slotted in at or near the top of the list regardless where (or if) they are on the list. Until one receives a slot allocation and a build date, everything is up in the air.

JamE55

Simply amazing. What people would do to make money.

Dr Chill

check out this link from an Ebay auction last week for the Audi R6S slot. Bakiro must have just copied most of the text from this auction. Anyway, who in his right mind would bid $16,100 for an opportunity to buy an Audi? In my opinion, a reasonable place in line is still available for a W211 E55 at some MB dealerships for MSRP. Good luck to our forum member in trying to make a few dollars, but I expect the car to give me more pleasure than would a few thousand dollars.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6004

E55 KEV

Better returns than the stock market.\ I wish I had done it!

A few years ago I saw someone pay $20k for the right t buy a Cadillac Escalade EXT pickup.

Schiznick

Up to 10K...... If it get's up to 25K I may just have to think about it myself......... Amazing

bonboon

What's particularly interesting about that listing is how in depth the description of the E55 is...as if that is necessary for a serious buyer.

The only real problem I have with the listing is that the guy claims there is a 2 plus year wait list which is totally false to my knowledge. There might eventually be a wait list that long, but now. Not in the midwest.

E55 KEV

That 2 year wait is speculation, however, may be close to the mark. Let's say there are 200 Mercedes dealers and each one has at least 5 people with deposits. That equals 1000 and the E55 production has never been more than 550 and may not be over 800. So 1000 people trying to buy 550 - 800 cars may take up to 2 years. Every dealer does not get AMG allotments, while some like Fletcher Jones & House of Imports in CA probably get as many as they want.

cloud9eleet

Personally I say more power to the person selling the spot, if they can get 10k+ for a #2 spot, right on! Take that cash, sock it away for another 8 months then buy a low mileage used one and save a ton. Or take that money and apply it to some other fun car such as Viper, Ferrari, etc.

As said above, a lot better return than the markets right now!

Stiggs

A fool and his money are soon parted. No one is forcing you to bid on the #2 spot...yet people still bid. This really boggles my mind. $10K over MSRP? WOW! You can't tell me there won't be any used E55 W211 around in a few years..has to be. What about the leases??

Sorry....I just want an E55 really bad so I need to vent.

Time to start saving!!!

amg55

I wrote to the guy selling the #2 slot to ask him how he's handling the name change---since dealers usually won't allow you to do this.

Curiously enough, he's not sure whether or not he'll be able to pull this off at all.

He said he'll order the E55 for the auction winner, then they'll both show up at the time of delivery, unbeknownst to the dealer, and ask for the title to be made out in the name of the auction winner.
The dealer could refuse theoretically, but the guy selling the slot says he has bought other cars at this dealer and he thinks they'll let him slide.

Think that dealer will let him get on a wait list again in the future?

Turbo2

Seems like hes risking losing oppurtunities in the future at that dealership by doing this.

hmrdwn

To come in and spec out my E55...spring delivery...$500 down, 12/01.

Turbo2

Brought $14K and there is another one for sale in the Midwest, #2 Allocation spot as well.

s4play

for a 2004 E55 that should be here sometime next month.

I just bought a new house and may need to keep the cash liquid for property investments so not sure if I can keep the girl. My g/f said I already have too many cars as is in our garage! haha

Anyways, if anyone wants one for a bit over MSRP but no waiting, drop me an e-mail: s4playko@yahoo.com

rk

E55 KEV

s4play, welcome to the forum. You probably just lost some friends coming over here from Roadfly and mingling with the enemy.

Your Mercedes salesman/dealer has given you a delivery date for the W211 E55 in March 2003? That is very optimistic if not a down right untruth (aka lie).

SLequalsHARDON

This is very good, but what is this I hear about a new 6.2 Litre AMG engine due out in time for the W211 Face Lift? (E62?)

BTW, Kev, you have a PM.

E55 KEV

The 6.2 is a V12. Found in some 2002 CL62 & S62 - normally aspirated. AMG also has some S65, S65 & CL65's in the works with twin Turbos. Doubt the W211 will ever get a V12 from the factory. Have to go to Brabus for that.

99ML430

I would be very skeptical. I have a business relationship with a local dealer and I happend to be there one day when a C32 was delivered. The GM knew I was interested and was willing to let me have the car over the guy who actually ordered it! Guess it would suck if the shoe were on the other foot but thats life.

amg55

Someone asked recently why dealers don't give out actual receipts indicating your rank on the wait list.
My answer was, as you observed, that dealers have much more flexibility if few people really know where they stand on the list.
Somewhere between 67-75% of wait listers actually follow through and buy when their numbers come up, I've been told.
If you're a dealer and you can move a car now, versus fooling around with someone who may or may not follow through, I suppose the temptation sometimes overwhelms.

Rank lists are only "rough estimates" IMO.




BTW, the guy who sold the "#2 E55 slot" in Denver last week advertised the car as a 2004.
Since it may prove to be a 2003, is the buyer eligible for a refund?
(I'd think yes. I'm disappointed that MB would launch a new vehicle as an '03 with only 10-12 weeks left in the model year upon delivery).

E55 KEV

I agree - I bet those slots are just estimates and the dealer would sell the first cars to the highest bidder over MSRP regardless of someone being number 1 or 2 on the list.

Production ends on the 2003 models June 30 2003. That is a long time from today Feb 05, more than 12 weeks about 20.

HarvE55

Kev,

How can you be so sure that production will end for 2003 E55's on 6/30? I've been told differently from my dealer and his tech rep. due to the late intro.

E55 KEV

What late intro? If the W211 E55 is launched as a 2004 that is not a 'late' intro that will be an 'early' intro. Only if the W211 E55 is a 2003 model will it be considered late.

The 1998 E320 (with modular engine) came Sept 1997 (US), however, the 1998 E430 was delayed until February 1998 and that production ended normally in June 1998. The 1999 W210 began as normal in July 1998.

No, I am not positive - I am just speculating on how many chassis have been built in the past. Historically MBZ ends production in June and begins production in July. Sometimes there are delays in production for certain models but the delays never seem to run past the beginning of the next cycle.

You have to stop and start production at some point and in order to have 2004 models ready for sale in Sept or October 2003 as usual you can not keep building a car past July and consider it a 2003 model. It is to their (MBZ) advantage to stop building 2003 in June and start building the 2004 in July because you can raise the price.

It is all just guessing based on past history.

HarvE55

Kev,

My dealer and others are telling that this will be a 2003 model year car for the first allocations. This is not a guess it is a fact. I am also told that other than an engine change on the E320 to E350, there will be no ther E class changes. I don't know if that is 100% true, but I am sure that the initial E55's will be 2003's

kaneman

I know that when the M5 had it's debut the US models were all sold as '00 to begin with and some fairly significant changes happened for the '01 model year (major audio system upgrade, NAV system upgrade, interior trim changes, engine refinements, etc). The difference here is that the E39 bodystyle was already four years into production whereas the W211 is brand new. Also, the M5 engine at that time was new and untested and several changes were made (to combat oil usage problems, etc) whereas the engine in the W211 E55 has had some shakeout time in the SL55. Thus, I doubt we'll see any siginificant changes for '04. After that, all bets are off.