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Mercedes Benz C-Class Prices Paid and Buying Experience

1295 messages,  Last post on Nov 25, 2012 at 7:37 AM

You are in the Prices Paid - Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum.

What is this discussion about? Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Hatchback, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 112 of 130

#1107 of 1295 Shopping for new mercedes C300 by xmasdude

May 26, 2010 (11:12 pm)

Hi
 
I am planning on buying a new C300. At this time, the car I am looking for is (Iridium Silver + Wood trim + AMG wheel + multimedia package + manual xmission)
 
Realized that few dealers in the south bay area have C300 in stock with manual xmission. Got the following quote from one of the dealers for a car that came closest to what I am looking for:
 
2010 C300 (manual xmission) with Iridium Silver + P1 pkg + Multimedia pkg + 18" AMG wheels + Wood trim for 41.5K.
 
Ran the above specs on edmunds and got
Total with Options MSRP=$41,485 Invoice=$38,643 TMV=$38,959
 
What would be a good deal on the above car? Wanted to know how far I could negotiate down from the dealer (internet quoted) sticker price of 41.5K.
 
Thanks
Xmasdude.

#1108 of 1295 2008 C300 by lee206

May 27, 2010 (3:15 am)

I have a 2008 C300 sports (red) w/ premium 1 and unversal media pkg. It has a little over 21000 miles. How much do you think the listing price should be? I want to sell it to a private party since I can get a little more than what I'd get from a dealer. I was wondering if anyone can help me with the listing price. How much would you pay for the car?

#1109 of 1295 Re: 2008 C300 [lee206] by storm10

May 27, 2010 (2:41 pm)

Replying to: lee206 (May 27, 2010 3:15 am)
First question you need to ask yourself: is this car paid off? Or you are still financing or leasing it. Because if the car is not fully paid-off - it means you don't have title/pink slip on your hands. Still possible, but a lot more difficult if you want to get top dollars, plus you may have inequity - owe more than it worth.

#1110 of 1295 Re: 2008 C300 [storm10] by lee206

May 27, 2010 (10:56 pm)

Replying to: storm10 (May 27, 2010 2:41 pm)
I have about $19,000 of loan left. I just want to list my car at a reasonable price. The KBB says the private party value is around $28,500 but it seems a little high to list at that price.

#1111 of 1295 Re: Is this a right price, confused [bmw530owner] by ckung

May 28, 2010 (12:41 pm)

Replying to: bmw530owner (May 23, 2010 7:33 am)
Which dealer u went? thanks

#1112 of 1295 Re: Is this a right price, confused [ckung] by bmw530owner

May 28, 2010 (6:15 pm)

Replying to: ckung (May 28, 2010 12:41 pm)
West Covina, CA
Penske MB
Send me an email (laupcchotmail.com) if you want the salesman's name

#1113 of 1295 Unsettling Buying Experience by gap4jason

May 30, 2010 (3:12 pm)

Hi all -
 
I'm trying to find if there was a forum to share my recent experience with Keyes European (Van Nuys, Calfiornia). I figured the forum title is also about "buying experience" so here it goes.
 
I was in the market for a 2010 C300 and started communicating with them via email last week. I was up front and honest about my recent credit situation. I was a Tier 1 rated customer with excellent credit, up until I had to give up one of my properties in March 2010, which led to a decline in my credit score. When they ran my credit, acc. to them, MBZ financial won't finance it due to my recent short sale activity with my property (I was not surprised). I was okay with that. The back-up plan was to have my mom either get the car on my behalf or co-sign with me. Just a little bit of a background, my mom has been legally living with us for over 10 years now. She is authorized to drive any one of my cars, and is a part of our auto insurance. Anyway, they ran her credit, and as expected, she was approved ( credit score over 800). After 2 days of emailing and phone calls, we settled on a deal, the C300 sport will be under my mom's name. We picked it up from Keyes European on Wednesday, my mom signed the papers, the whole contract was under her name, my name excluded.
 
The next morning, Thursday, I got a phone call from Keyes stating that I have to return the car, that MBZ financial put 2 and 2 together, that I am involved in the vehicle....well - DUH !!! I'm sorry...the dealer knew that all along!!! They were dealing with ME the whole time, my mom was there just to sign, and have her name be used for "credit purposes". In any case, I am so upset because from the get go, I told the dealer my situation, I did not hide anything, I did not make anything up. My mom was approved fair and square, and now, they want the car back.
 
It is now 5 days since we picked up the car. I still have it in my garage, have not driven it in over 3 days. I don't want to get attached to it. I haven't even played around with the gadgets. I am ready to return it. At this time, when I spoke to the salesman today, he said, they are "fighting" for me to keep the car. The dealership once again reviewed my my credit history, and aside from the recent short sale activity, records show that I have a very clean credit record, everything else is or was paid on time. So they're going to try and use that as angle to keep my car. The dealer has made contact with me for 3-4 days now, either asking me to return the car, or telling me they're still working things out. They have asked me not to drive it around so as not to accrue more miles. I have around 150 miles right now after 2 days of driving.
 
I'm not really sure who to blame here. I don't know how the dealer could allow us to drive off that car last Wednesday - my mom was obviously approved. And please, I am sure that this is NOT the first time that a "relative" has stepped in to purchase or lease something for someone else. Why NOT my mom? She clearly lives with us, on top it all, she has an excellent credit rating (over 800). It just didn't make sense.
 
I want the car sooo badly, and returning this to Keyes and getting a C300 sport from another MBZ dealership is not the solution since the whole transaction will end up at MBZ financial. My mom and I are pre-approved to co-sign at Lexus, and I am also approved at BMW.
 
Sorry for venting.

#1114 of 1295 Re: Unsettling Buying Experience [gap4jason] by rach4

May 30, 2010 (3:34 pm)

Replying to: gap4jason (May 30, 2010 3:12 pm)
This exact same thing happened to my boyfriend. Stop answering the phone for keys. They are playing a dirty trick on you. They scare you into thinking you have to turn the car back in and then say they worked out a deal and have you pay more monthly. You don't have to!!!! Just ignore the phone calls. After 10 days they have no rights anymore. So ignore the threats for five more days (10 days from the time you signed the contract) and you are free to drive your car at the price you guys agreed too. When this happened to my boyfriend, a friend of his who used to be a dealer told him to ignore them, that it was a trick. Well my boyfriend took his friends advice and not only did he get to keep the car at the price they agreed to, but because Keys kept attempting to bully him (for about a month they left messages saying he would have to pay $150 more, than $100 more, down to $11 more) they didn't turn the car into audi financial (it was an audi not mercedes) in time and keys had to pay my boyfriends second month (he paid the first in the deposit.). So whatever you do, stop picking up the phone. After 10 days, you are free (if you read your contract in full you will find that 10 day clause). Good luck! Congrats on your car!

#1115 of 1295 Re: Unsettling Buying Experience [gap4jason] by storm10

May 30, 2010 (5:49 pm)

Replying to: gap4jason (May 30, 2010 3:12 pm)
MBF declined your application, because they call this type of transaction: "Straw purchase". By the way, straw purchase is not illegal unless it involves fire arms, alcohol or mortgage, so you did not break any law:
 
"A straw purchase is not illegal per se in most cases, except as noted above. For example, someone may purchase an automobile for another who, due to poor credit, cannot purchase it themselves. The purchase is not illegal; however most financial institutions (ie Banks) have very strict policies regarding this unscrupulous practice; if the other party defaults on payment, the original purchaser would be liable for the debt even if s/he could not collect the debt and/or repossess the car from the other party."
 
However, MBF enforce it by their own policy. If dealership wouldn't be able to get you financed, they would need to find means to get the vehicle back.
 
You have a couple other options. First, you can try to get loan from different institution(bank). Second: you can try to add yourself to the MBF loan on credit application, and place your mom on the first line as a primary buyer, because she has better credit. This way loan is going on both names and they will use credit of your mom to get you top tier - so it's completely legal.
 
Personally, I can tell you, that Keys European finance department is completely immature and they obviously don't know what they are doing, based on your story. Good finance manager needs to know what he's doing, besides stroking keyboard...

#1116 of 1295 Re: Unsettling Buying Experience [rach4] by gap4jason

May 30, 2010 (8:08 pm)

Replying to: rach4 (May 30, 2010 3:34 pm)
rach4 -
 
Thanks....you're absolutely right - there is a stipulation somewhere on the contract about the 10 days. The 10th day will be this coming Friday. I did tell my salesman that if they think "working this out" will mean I will agree to a higher selling price or higher payment etc.....then the answer is NO. It's just sad that I've had this car 5 days now, and I've not "played" with it for the past 3 days. Stay tuned!
 
jason

Messages Page 112 of 130

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