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Mercedes-Benz C-300 European Delivery

99 messages,  Last post on Oct 12, 2012 at 3:10 PM

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

Messages Page 5 of 11

#32 of 99 Mercedes Benz European Delivery by mbdick

Nov 12, 2007 (2:59 pm)

My wife and I took European Delivery in late September 2007 on a 2008 E320 Blutec, drove about 1500 miles through Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France before dropping the car in Nice for shipment to Jacksonville. The delivery process was wonderful - friendly, smooth as silk and full of creature comforts. MB really took care of us.
 
There are a lot of posts about whether this is a money-saving measure. It is, but in our opinion, that is secondary to the experience. I found not a lot of negotiating room on an '08 Blutec for US delivery, so the 7% + all the extras (taxi to town and to Sindelfingen, first class hotel, $100 top notch lunch at the factory, 15 days of zero deductible insurance, shipping, dealer prep, etc.) + not having to pay $2000 for a 15 day average size European car rental, made the numbers pretty friendly.
 
The factory tour opened this engineer's eyes to what MB puts into the design and manufacture. As far as mileage goes, we averaged 34.5 mpg for mixed city/country/highway. I suspect we will see 37+ highway once it is broken in.
 
Great car, great experience both recommended.

#33 of 99 Re: Lease terms for 2008 C300 luxury with navigation [qbrozen] by willy007

Nov 13, 2007 (11:21 am)

Replying to: qbrozen (Nov 12, 2007 6:57 am)
Thanks, qbrozen.
 
Mike02, what is the MSRP on your car? I tried configuring EDP Luxury + Multimedia package only = $33,341. 61% residual value = $20,338.
 
So theoretically, it's $13,003 loan with a down payment of $1,150 and monthly payment of $429 for 39 months (adjusted for an assumed 5% sales tax).
 
The Edmunds financial calculator (http://www.cars.com/go/advice/financing/calc/loanCalc.jsp?mode=full) with 7.44% interest rate shows monthly payment of $343, a difference of $86 a month.
 
I was trying to see how do we consider whether a lease option is a "good" deal. I do realize about the mileage limitation.
 
Thank you.
Will

#34 of 99 C300 luxury with navigation package price paid by mike02

Nov 17, 2007 (7:05 pm)

Paid $32,000.00 for European Delivery Price.
C300 luxury with navigation package, non-metallic paint.
Dealer in Massachusetts.

#35 of 99 It's a steal... by willy007

Nov 18, 2007 (3:22 am)

Mike02,
 
$32,000 is a very good price. How did you get that low?
 
Thanks,
Will

#36 of 99 Re: Lease terms for 2008 C300 luxury with navigation [willy007] by qbrozen

Nov 18, 2007 (2:11 pm)

Replying to: willy007 (Nov 13, 2007 11:21 am)
Well, Will, this is a pretty complicated question, and I'm sure you can find many different answers to it. In my humble opinion, a lease is a good deal when it is subsidized by the manufacturer with either extra money, a low rate, or a high residual.
 
For instance, I have 2 leases now. A Honda and a Chrylser. The cap cost on both cars was well below invoice (very very far below invoice in the case of the chrysler). The Honda lease deal at the time also included a strong residual and a very low money factor that equated to about 1.9%. At the end of the lease, the car will not be worth the buyout, but I get to give it back and walk away, and Honda Finance will lose some money when they sell the car. On the Chrysler, the rate is 0.7% and it also carries a residual higher than its true wholesale value. So in both of these cases, it was much cheaper to lease the vehicle than to buy it, at the time, and I have saved a good amount of money compared to buying and selling after 3 years.
 
On the current rates I'm seeing with this C-class, I would not lease based on that alone. However, the residual is quite strong. Whether or not the market will support such a residual cannot be guessed. Only time will tell.

#37 of 99 Lower than EDP? by willy007

Nov 18, 2007 (6:03 pm)

Qbrozen,
 
Thanks for the detailed explanation. So in general, a lease should evaluated on 3 factors: money factor (APR), residual value and manufacturer discount (which affects the MSRP at which the residual value will be based upon).
 
Mike02 mentioned $32,000 for luxury with navigation package. The EDP price at mbusa website is showing $33,341. So, I was wondering how he could even get the price lower.
 
From what I have heard, the C-class are usually sold with a few hundred off the MSRP nowadays, since it's still new and very popular. Plus, with EDP (around 2k savings off the MSRP), it's surprising to see that dealer will even go lower.
 
So, I was just wondering how Mike02 is able to get that price? Did he try various dealers and get them to beat one another's price?
 
I really appreciate the help.
 
Thanks,
 
Will

#38 of 99 Re: It's a steal... [willy007] by mike02

Nov 18, 2007 (7:20 pm)

Replying to: willy007 (Nov 18, 2007 3:22 am)
They took 7% + destination charge off MSRP automatically for European Delivery.
Then I asked couple of dealerships for further discount. After few days of negotiations (over e-mail and phone) I got the mentioned offer from 2 dealerships.

#39 of 99 Wow by willy007

Nov 18, 2007 (7:29 pm)

Thanks Mike02.
 
Wow, you got a very good deal. Can they do this again for me? =p I am in the west coast though.
 
7% off + $1300 discount + a good money factor + residual value = it's a STEAL
 
So just email / phone negotiations? Did you come to the dealership at all when all these negotiations are going on? Usually internet fleet manager are the ones handling these internet negotiations right?
 
Will

#40 of 99 Re: Wow [willy007] by mike02

Nov 18, 2007 (7:39 pm)

Replying to: willy007 (Nov 18, 2007 7:29 pm)
I think they will be happy to repeat the deal for you, but you have to be physically present to sign all paperwork, to pay $2000 deposit and then you have to be physically present to receive the car when it comes back from Europe.
I did not go to the dealership, just called and asked for European Delivery Specialist, someone who have done the program before. Then I said that I am very serious to buy now but I need better price. I said that I will not buy without discount. The fact that not one but two dealerships agreed to the same discounted price tells us that even with such discounts they are making good business with such deals.

#41 of 99 Re: Lower than EDP? [willy007] by qbrozen

Nov 19, 2007 (9:35 am)

Replying to: willy007 (Nov 18, 2007 6:03 pm)
So in general, a lease should evaluated on 3 factors: money factor (APR), residual value and manufacturer discount (which affects the MSRP at which the residual value will be based upon).
 
Almost. No discount affects the MSRP or the residual. MSRP is set in stone. It is whatever the sticker price is on the car. And the residual is based on that. So, in other words, if the sticker is $34k and the residual is $21k, you pay $13k over the lease if you pay full sticker OR $12k if you get $1k off sticker OR $11k if you get $2k off sticker, etc.

Messages Page 5 of 11

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