what should I pay for this car...urgent help needed please
02-08-2010, 07:18 PM
#28
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E55, 911 Carrera, CLK350 Cab, Expedition - kid mover & huntin' truck
2006 E55 (with prem pkg)
37K miles
Mint
silver/charcoal
non-cpo
heated and ventilated seats
nav
dynamic seats
pulse seats
Walnut trim upgrade
keyless go
new tires
clean carfax
What's a fair value/amt for me to pay?
Need to decide soon.....please help!!!! Thank you!
Soon excited!
37K miles
Mint
silver/charcoal
non-cpo
heated and ventilated seats
nav
dynamic seats
pulse seats
Walnut trim upgrade
keyless go
new tires
clean carfax
What's a fair value/amt for me to pay?
Need to decide soon.....please help!!!! Thank you!
Soon excited!
02-08-2010, 07:25 PM
#29
MBWorld Fanatic!
02-09-2010, 11:47 AM
#31
MBWorld Fanatic!
I looked closely at the car at EEE, a few months back.
She's been rode hard and put up wet....
When I took it for a test drive it was wearing mismatched tires (one with a slash in it), had an airbag deployment warning, showed visible signs of neglect and the hood looked like it was touched up by a blind monkey.
Perfect car for you M3......lol.
She's been rode hard and put up wet....
When I took it for a test drive it was wearing mismatched tires (one with a slash in it), had an airbag deployment warning, showed visible signs of neglect and the hood looked like it was touched up by a blind monkey.
Perfect car for you M3......lol.
02-09-2010, 11:50 AM
#32
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2005 c55
And they are trying to get like 33K for it. Are most of the cars at EEE like that? There are way too many e55's I find at these sub par dealerships that sell crap and probably get them at auction cheap as the reputable dealers pass on cars like that.
I prefer to deal with private owners than dealerships for used care which is my own preference.
I prefer to deal with private owners than dealerships for used care which is my own preference.
02-09-2010, 01:16 PM
#33
MBWorld Fanatic!
Independent dealers can be difficult to deal with, no question. However, depending on your patience level and budget concerns, going this route can save you thousands.
During my nearly four month quest I dealt with all types of sellers - from Mercedes CPO to private sellers to Autotrader and even members here.
The Mercedes dealers had the nicest cars, but also the most expensive. There is no question that the purchasing experience from the dealer is the least stressful and has the added benefit of including a minimum of 12 months factory warranty coverage. Also bear in mind that if you want to acquire an extended warranty from Mercedes, CPO cars are the only ones that are eligible. The Mercedes warranty is expensive, I believe I was quoted $4000 for three additional years....YIKES! On average I would say that CPO cars are a minimum of $5K more that going through a Reseller (like EEE or Best Auto).
The key to dealing with a reseller is to keep in mind a few simple rules:
1) Assume they are all crooks and will take ANY opportunity to remove additional money from your wallet. While this is a gross generalization, the assumption will keep you from being burned. Take everything they say with a grain of salt. Be polite, but get EVERYTHING in writing. If they say "don't worry about that scratch will fix it..." Get that written into the contract or get an "iou" from them. Read each contract carefully. If there is a fee there you were unaware of don't sign until it is redone without unknown fees.
2) Do your research! What does the carfax say? How many owners has it had? Talk with members here that have access to auction reports and try to find out what the reseller paid. How long has the car been on the lot? Run the VIN through google. Do you know anybody that can run the vin through the Mercedes system to more closely check the service records? Go armed with research to support the price you are willing to pay. Show the dealer that the car is worth what you want to pay. In the end they are only going to sell it at a certain price, but you can influence their decision, believe me! Most lemons can be spotted prior to even going to see the car if this procedure is followed.
3)Have the car inspected by a trained Mercedes Benz professional. While this will not bring all potential problems to light, it is amazing what they can find...the seemingly smallest item can speak volumes. I have had every used car I purchased independently inspected and in each occasion the mechanic has found something that needed addressing. DO THIS BEFORE YOU START SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS.
4) If you are going to finance make sure you fully understand your options before you try to negotiate a deal. Often time the resellers forgo making money on the car and will settle for getting you into a financing contract that is more more benifical to them. I suggest having a solid financing offer in place before you negotiate as dealers can almost always meet or beat that.
5) Don't buy based on monthly payment. Use online calculators before hand to determine what total you can afford to finance based on the monthly payment you are comfortable paying. Don't forget local and state taxes and the ever present "processing fee". Dont worry about negotiating that (or any other) fee out of the sale, dealers are seldom able to do this, so just include it and bargain around it.
5) Be prepared to walk away. NO ONE gets the best deal the first time they see a car....period. Stay firm to your pricing structure. It is not a bad idea to start substantially lower than your willing to pay....use their tactics to your advantage. And by all means try to stay unemotional about the process.
While I know many members would not feel these extra steps warrant the potential money savings, there are good cars available through resellers. Just use your head and above all be patient!
Imho private sellers represent the best value. While the same due diligence applies to researching the history of the car, you can tell a lot about how a car was treated from interacting with the previous owner. Besides many individuals are simply trying to do a little better than the trade in value the Stealership wanted to rape them with, so the value is usually there...lol. Unfortunately this is was not a viable option for me as I had a trade I was having trouble getting rid of and my bank (as most do) wanted to charge me a substantial financing premium for going through a private party. If you've got cash and no trade, private party is the way to go.
And in the end, remember, the car is worth what your willing to pay for it, no matter what that is. These are amazingly rewarding cars to drive, so even if you pay a bit more than the other guy, you still have a smile on your face!
Good luck with the search!
During my nearly four month quest I dealt with all types of sellers - from Mercedes CPO to private sellers to Autotrader and even members here.
The Mercedes dealers had the nicest cars, but also the most expensive. There is no question that the purchasing experience from the dealer is the least stressful and has the added benefit of including a minimum of 12 months factory warranty coverage. Also bear in mind that if you want to acquire an extended warranty from Mercedes, CPO cars are the only ones that are eligible. The Mercedes warranty is expensive, I believe I was quoted $4000 for three additional years....YIKES! On average I would say that CPO cars are a minimum of $5K more that going through a Reseller (like EEE or Best Auto).
The key to dealing with a reseller is to keep in mind a few simple rules:
1) Assume they are all crooks and will take ANY opportunity to remove additional money from your wallet. While this is a gross generalization, the assumption will keep you from being burned. Take everything they say with a grain of salt. Be polite, but get EVERYTHING in writing. If they say "don't worry about that scratch will fix it..." Get that written into the contract or get an "iou" from them. Read each contract carefully. If there is a fee there you were unaware of don't sign until it is redone without unknown fees.
2) Do your research! What does the carfax say? How many owners has it had? Talk with members here that have access to auction reports and try to find out what the reseller paid. How long has the car been on the lot? Run the VIN through google. Do you know anybody that can run the vin through the Mercedes system to more closely check the service records? Go armed with research to support the price you are willing to pay. Show the dealer that the car is worth what you want to pay. In the end they are only going to sell it at a certain price, but you can influence their decision, believe me! Most lemons can be spotted prior to even going to see the car if this procedure is followed.
3)Have the car inspected by a trained Mercedes Benz professional. While this will not bring all potential problems to light, it is amazing what they can find...the seemingly smallest item can speak volumes. I have had every used car I purchased independently inspected and in each occasion the mechanic has found something that needed addressing. DO THIS BEFORE YOU START SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS.
4) If you are going to finance make sure you fully understand your options before you try to negotiate a deal. Often time the resellers forgo making money on the car and will settle for getting you into a financing contract that is more more benifical to them. I suggest having a solid financing offer in place before you negotiate as dealers can almost always meet or beat that.
5) Don't buy based on monthly payment. Use online calculators before hand to determine what total you can afford to finance based on the monthly payment you are comfortable paying. Don't forget local and state taxes and the ever present "processing fee". Dont worry about negotiating that (or any other) fee out of the sale, dealers are seldom able to do this, so just include it and bargain around it.
5) Be prepared to walk away. NO ONE gets the best deal the first time they see a car....period. Stay firm to your pricing structure. It is not a bad idea to start substantially lower than your willing to pay....use their tactics to your advantage. And by all means try to stay unemotional about the process.
While I know many members would not feel these extra steps warrant the potential money savings, there are good cars available through resellers. Just use your head and above all be patient!
Imho private sellers represent the best value. While the same due diligence applies to researching the history of the car, you can tell a lot about how a car was treated from interacting with the previous owner. Besides many individuals are simply trying to do a little better than the trade in value the Stealership wanted to rape them with, so the value is usually there...lol. Unfortunately this is was not a viable option for me as I had a trade I was having trouble getting rid of and my bank (as most do) wanted to charge me a substantial financing premium for going through a private party. If you've got cash and no trade, private party is the way to go.
And in the end, remember, the car is worth what your willing to pay for it, no matter what that is. These are amazingly rewarding cars to drive, so even if you pay a bit more than the other guy, you still have a smile on your face!
Good luck with the search!
02-09-2010, 01:20 PM
#34
MBWorld Fanatic!
And they are trying to get like 33K for it. Are most of the cars at EEE like that? There are way too many e55's I find at these sub par dealerships that sell crap and probably get them at auction cheap as the reputable dealers pass on cars like that.
I prefer to deal with private owners than dealerships for used care which is my own preference.
I prefer to deal with private owners than dealerships for used care which is my own preference.
P.S Worth the wait, Thanks for your post!
02-09-2010, 01:22 PM
#37
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The Best There Is E60 ///M5
EEE sell bunch of crappy cars, last year when I was searching for my E, they had one for sale in Fairfax.. They told me that there was no paint work done on the car i was looking to buy. I took my friend who is the car painter and he immediately noticed that doors are mismatched. I would stay away from that dealership. just my .02.
P.S Worth the wait, Thanks for your post!
P.S Worth the wait, Thanks for your post!
02-09-2010, 01:25 PM
#38
MBWorld Fanatic!
Independent dealers can be difficult to deal with, no question. However, depending on your patience level and budget concerns, going this route can save you thousands.
During my nearly four month quest I dealt with all types of sellers - from Mercedes CPO to private sellers to Autotrader and even members here.
The Mercedes dealers had the nicest cars, but also the most expensive. There is no question that the purchasing experience from the dealer is the least stressful and has the added benefit of including a minimum of 12 months factory warranty coverage. Also bear in mind that if you want to acquire an extended warranty from Mercedes, CPO cars are the only ones that are eligible. The Mercedes warranty is expensive, I believe I was quoted $4000 for three additional years....YIKES! On average I would say that CPO cars are a minimum of $5K more that going through a Reseller (like EEE or Best Auto).
The key to dealing with a reseller is to keep in mind a few simple rules:
1) Assume they are all crooks and will take ANY opportunity to remove additional money from your wallet. While this is a gross generalization, the assumption will keep you from being burned. Take everything they say with a grain of salt. Be polite, but get EVERYTHING in writing. If they say "don't worry about that scratch will fix it..." Get that written into the contract or get an "iou" from them. Read each contract carefully. If there is a fee there you were unaware of don't sign until it is redone without unknown fees.
2) Do your research! What does the carfax say? How many owners has it had? Talk with members here that have access to auction reports and try to find out what the reseller paid. How long has the car been on the lot? Run the VIN through google. Do you know anybody that can run the vin through the Mercedes system to more closely check the service records? Go armed with research to support the price you are willing to pay. Show the dealer that the car is worth what you want to pay. In the end they are only going to sell it at a certain price, but you can influence their decision, believe me! Most lemons can be spotted prior to even going to see the car if this procedure is followed.
3)Have the car inspected by a trained Mercedes Benz professional. While this will not bring all potential problems to light, it is amazing what they can find...the seemingly smallest item can speak volumes. I have had every used car I purchased independently inspected and in each occasion the mechanic has found something that needed addressing. DO THIS BEFORE YOU START SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS.
4) If you are going to finance make sure you fully understand your options before you try to negotiate a deal. Often time the resellers forgo making money on the car and will settle for getting you into a financing contract that is more more benifical to them. I suggest having a solid financing offer in place before you negotiate as dealers can almost always meet or beat that.
5) Don't buy based on monthly payment. Use online calculators before hand to determine what total you can afford to finance based on the monthly payment you are comfortable paying. Don't forget local and state taxes and the ever present "processing fee". Dont worry about negotiating that (or any other) fee out of the sale, dealers are seldom able to do this, so just include it and bargain around it.
5) Be prepared to walk away. NO ONE gets the best deal the first time they see a car....period. Stay firm to your pricing structure. It is not a bad idea to start substantially lower than your willing to pay....use their tactics to your advantage. And by all means try to stay unemotional about the process.
While I know many members would not feel these extra steps warrant the potential money savings, there are good cars available through resellers. Just use your head and above all be patient!
Imho private sellers represent the best value. While the same due diligence applies to researching the history of the car, you can tell a lot about how a car was treated from interacting with the previous owner. Besides many individuals are simply trying to do a little better than the trade in value the Stealership wanted to rape them with, so the value is usually there...lol. Unfortunately this is was not a viable option for me as I had a trade I was having trouble getting rid of and my bank (as most do) wanted to charge me a substantial financing premium for going through a private party. If you've got cash and no trade, private party is the way to go.
And in the end, remember, the car is worth what your willing to pay for it, no matter what that is. These are amazingly rewarding cars to drive, so even if you pay a bit more than the other guy, you still have a smile on your face!
Good luck with the search!
During my nearly four month quest I dealt with all types of sellers - from Mercedes CPO to private sellers to Autotrader and even members here.
The Mercedes dealers had the nicest cars, but also the most expensive. There is no question that the purchasing experience from the dealer is the least stressful and has the added benefit of including a minimum of 12 months factory warranty coverage. Also bear in mind that if you want to acquire an extended warranty from Mercedes, CPO cars are the only ones that are eligible. The Mercedes warranty is expensive, I believe I was quoted $4000 for three additional years....YIKES! On average I would say that CPO cars are a minimum of $5K more that going through a Reseller (like EEE or Best Auto).
The key to dealing with a reseller is to keep in mind a few simple rules:
1) Assume they are all crooks and will take ANY opportunity to remove additional money from your wallet. While this is a gross generalization, the assumption will keep you from being burned. Take everything they say with a grain of salt. Be polite, but get EVERYTHING in writing. If they say "don't worry about that scratch will fix it..." Get that written into the contract or get an "iou" from them. Read each contract carefully. If there is a fee there you were unaware of don't sign until it is redone without unknown fees.
2) Do your research! What does the carfax say? How many owners has it had? Talk with members here that have access to auction reports and try to find out what the reseller paid. How long has the car been on the lot? Run the VIN through google. Do you know anybody that can run the vin through the Mercedes system to more closely check the service records? Go armed with research to support the price you are willing to pay. Show the dealer that the car is worth what you want to pay. In the end they are only going to sell it at a certain price, but you can influence their decision, believe me! Most lemons can be spotted prior to even going to see the car if this procedure is followed.
3)Have the car inspected by a trained Mercedes Benz professional. While this will not bring all potential problems to light, it is amazing what they can find...the seemingly smallest item can speak volumes. I have had every used car I purchased independently inspected and in each occasion the mechanic has found something that needed addressing. DO THIS BEFORE YOU START SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS.
4) If you are going to finance make sure you fully understand your options before you try to negotiate a deal. Often time the resellers forgo making money on the car and will settle for getting you into a financing contract that is more more benifical to them. I suggest having a solid financing offer in place before you negotiate as dealers can almost always meet or beat that.
5) Don't buy based on monthly payment. Use online calculators before hand to determine what total you can afford to finance based on the monthly payment you are comfortable paying. Don't forget local and state taxes and the ever present "processing fee". Dont worry about negotiating that (or any other) fee out of the sale, dealers are seldom able to do this, so just include it and bargain around it.
5) Be prepared to walk away. NO ONE gets the best deal the first time they see a car....period. Stay firm to your pricing structure. It is not a bad idea to start substantially lower than your willing to pay....use their tactics to your advantage. And by all means try to stay unemotional about the process.
While I know many members would not feel these extra steps warrant the potential money savings, there are good cars available through resellers. Just use your head and above all be patient!
Imho private sellers represent the best value. While the same due diligence applies to researching the history of the car, you can tell a lot about how a car was treated from interacting with the previous owner. Besides many individuals are simply trying to do a little better than the trade in value the Stealership wanted to rape them with, so the value is usually there...lol. Unfortunately this is was not a viable option for me as I had a trade I was having trouble getting rid of and my bank (as most do) wanted to charge me a substantial financing premium for going through a private party. If you've got cash and no trade, private party is the way to go.
And in the end, remember, the car is worth what your willing to pay for it, no matter what that is. These are amazingly rewarding cars to drive, so even if you pay a bit more than the other guy, you still have a smile on your face!
Good luck with the search!
02-09-2010, 01:56 PM
#39
MBWorld Fanatic!
is EEE the same as Eastern Motors or just another shady type of dealership? I'm glad i purchased my e500 at ASC Arlington and pickedup the additional 3 yrs (thru 2013)for $1900 iicr.
02-09-2010, 02:53 PM
#40
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The Best There Is E60 ///M5
Diff company but Eastern also blew up 10 times EEE. Eastern does in house financing, so they make money on their crazy % rates, high priced cars etc... People with no credit are willing to pay extra for a car, if it guarantees them leaving the lot with it. Boy does Eastern Motors takes advantage of that.
02-09-2010, 04:18 PM
#41
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E55, 911 Carrera, CLK350 Cab, Expedition - kid mover & huntin' truck
