I need help from anyone who understands the whole allocation process. In July, I put down a deposit for an E55 for estimated delivery July 1, 2005 with my local dealer. This worked great because the lease on my current car runs out June 13, 2005. I went in yesterday to check on things and was told everything was fine. My dealer checked the computer and said, "Yes, it's scheduled build date is the first week of December. We should have it mid January."!!! I reminded him he had told me July before. He said that's the problem with AMG cars. He has no control over build dates.

Now what? I don't want to pay on two cars at once, and it's not cheap getting out of my lease. Does any of this ring true? Should I start checking other dealers for a better date, only to risk the same thing happening again?

 

My dealership has an 04 in its showroom. It's Pewter with Parktronic, rear shade, NAV, heated/ventilated seats, and xenon. They want full sticker for it.

Or you can take my original spot of Oct/November delivery.

 

Nope, too early. I want an E55 in 2005, not now. (Okay, I want one now, but in the interests of marital harmony, July 2005 it is.)

 

Each dealer gets their own allocation of amg cars. So I wouldnt go blaming AMG, but your dealer seemed to not know what their own allocation was like for those cars.
Any reputable dealer can arrange to put your order in at the right time for a July delivery. He will just hold on to your order until such time that it would need to go in. It seems though that your dealer decided to make their commission asap as opposed to meeting your request.
Either make them understand when you want the car, ask for them to eat the lease if they want you to take the car that early, or go to a dealer that will be more than happy to help you.

When I put my order in, there were plenty of open allocations for 2004 e55's, but i specifically told them i wanted an 05. So they put me on a list (3rd) and they held on to the order until the allocation switched to the 05 model year. So it can be done..they just have to want to do it.

 

Give up that spot and try to get the next one. You might have to wait a little longer but anticipation is almost as good as getting it. I had the same thing happen and this let me get an 05 instead of a 04 with a wait of only 3 mos more.

 

Thanks everybody. I have called another dealer about an hour away and he said basically the same thing. He'll just hold the order until the proper time and place it then. He is just passing up his chance in line only to jump in later. I haven't called my hometown guy yet, but now I have some ammunition. I hope there won't be too much trouble getting back my deposit.