alihou007

Toying with the idea of selling the car.

Conversation went something like this between me and the sales manager:

SM: Is this a E55 Wagon? What year?
Me: Yes, a 2006...Very few of them.
SM: Yes I am aware of it. Looks very clean.
Me: Clean indeed, about 60K miles on it and stills smells new inside.
SM: I worry about AMGs because they can cost me to CPO them.
Me: Wagon has been serviced here, and last month had full service done and passed with flying color. Has new set of tires, new battery and CPS was changed as well.
SM: Yes but I cannot be sure of that.
Me: Sure....Undersatnd.
SM: How much you want for your car?
Me: Well, last year I came to see one you had here for sale that sold the same day and I was here too late. It was a 2005 with 55K miles on it and optioned like mine. You sold it for $38.5K.
SM: So?
Me: So I am not sure...
SM: First number that popped in my mind was $15.5K for your car.

He then spent 10 minutes showing his auction book, black book, dealer book etc...And said best he could possible do is $17K. I fully understand it is not worth what I would want for it, but such lowballing is getting old. 30 years buying cars and I still am amazed how their approach has not changed one iota.

55fanatic

It happens, I had to beat up my dealer to get him to give me market value trade in on my old Yukon when I was negotiating a car for my mom. His first offer was auction price in poor condition

deedubb

Shadow5501

The SM doesn't seem to know his programs very well. A 2006 can no longer be certified for CPO, it is too many model years old. So the cost there is $0. I wouldn't really expect him to know offhand the market value of a model that sold 64 units nationwide that model year. He probably thinks it's value is the same as an E55 sedan.

novae500

Sure if you would have sold it for $15k, the next day it would be priced for at least $30k. All about the profit margin.

Enigma94

Its their job man, why would they offer you a high price when thats how they make money? Granted 15 is low for a wagon with that mileage but they dont care about how rare a car is, its all black and white to them.

KMS11

This is why most people would rather lose a finger than deal with a car salesman at a dealership.

mightar

I traded in my 2002 Audi S6 Avant (wagon) for 14k. It was worth 19k. I took the trade in because of the convenience factor and there was some stuff that I told them that wasn't working properly (rear doors sometimes don't detect they're open, windshield washer pump sometimes works, CANBUS line intermittent signal between NAV system and driver center display console, etc). The MB dealership cleaned it up (and hopefully fixed those issues) and sold it in five days. It was the lowest mileage one in the nation at the time that was for sale (63k miles).

That said, if you really want to sell your AMG wagon, list it privately. I'll bet it will sell in five days (probably even less if you have 3rd row seating). It took me almost a year to find a Flint Gray E63 AMG wagon - and I had email alerts set under ebaymotors.com, cars.com, autotrader.com, and manual searches across craigslist.org.

biggking

But I mean C'MON, I know its all about profits but this guy really doesn't think there's other markets to sell your vehicle. I mean craigslist, eBay, other mbz dealerships, other non mbz dealers, local paper (any im sure theres more). The options for you to dump your car somewhere quickly and easily is high and yet this dumbass salesman can't friggin see that. Aside from that 15k for a wagon, I would have died laughing on the floor right there.

post up some pics of your "$15k" wagon.

Thericker

True.. But he could've at least offered him some lube before he popped that offer on 'em lol..

alihou007

As I said, I did not expect him to give me what I wanted but at the same time, transactions can be much easier if approached from a win/win perspective. We both lose some but get about what we want...I know he would have put it on his lot THAT NIGHT for $32K. Some think that there are no other options to sell than them...Anyway, wanted to share my experience with fellow AMGers

Enigma94

The SM offered him a first offer which is ALWAYS going to be incredibly low... There's a saying in the car business, if the seller accepts your first offer you paid too much.

I traded in my corvette for my E63 and the KBB on my vette at the time was 22k. Their first offer was 13k.... Then after negotiating with then I waked out of there with them giving me 19k. You need to haggle with them man, they aren't going to just give you what you want with the first offer.

That being said, I would never try to trade a rare car in, you can usually make more money and sell them quick via private party.

Sir-Boost-a-Lot

iTrader: (1)

Since you're coming just wanting cash and not buying anything else, he thinks you're desperate and is trying to hustle you. Can't blame him.. That's what his job is.

biggking

I mean if someone walks up to me saying I want $8k for my E55 Ill take it and won't argue. On the other hand the fact that he threw out 15k without asking what the seller wants is just a sign of a poor salesman. I am in your dealership trading/selling my car and the situation should speak for itself. Haggling is not hard, making offers until you get to a win.win for everyone. Unless OPs trolling and really got an offer of 25k.

Toadster

they don't buy to own, they buy to flip

2MERKS

Yep, that joker definitely would've put your car in the front row!!!100% markup! Someone is willing to pay to play with the big boys!!