Delivery Charge on New C Class W204 - Please explain.

[Goldfish11]

Perhaps it is for the Mercedes umbrella and the bunch of flowers! I still have not heard back from them after sending an email yesterday.

 

[Dr-Nab]

I managed around 14% discount on my E350 and didn't have to pay any extra for delivery, got free gifts on delivery as well.

 

[grober]

Its to cover the cost of the sales guys annual golf weekend to the Algarve. There the over-consumption of large quantities of cheap booze and " team bonding" is designed to give you a more satisfying " Mercedes purchase experience" . Funny they didn't explain that to you.

 

[C240Sport97]

I managed around 14% discount on my E350 and didn't have to pay any extra for delivery, got free gifts on delivery as well.

that's an incredible discount .. was it a stock car, or built to your spec?

 

[Rory]

Phone MB customer service and I am sure they will confirm that the dealer cannot charge you more than the delivery charge in the price list.

Of course they can - price fixing is highly illegal.

 

[C240Sport97]

Of course they can - price fixing is highly illegal.

telling dealers they can't charge more than RRP is not nearly as bad as telling them they can't sell below RRP.

 

[Rory]

Yes it does thats what the issue is. Effectively the dealership wants to charge £220 more than that specified in the price list.

I don't get what is happening here.

You must have discussed and agreed a price for the car? With every new car I've bought, you start off at list price which includes the OTR cost, then you negotiate and get a price you're happy with.

Then the salesman writes up the order. Often, as I mentioned earlier, the contruction of the order form will look odd as they juggle the figures, but the "bottom line" price should be the same as you agreed.

So is the "bottom line" price higher than you agreed? What's gone wrong - did you agree the price and then they added on delivery etc afterwards?

 

[MD5]

Of course they can - price fixing is highly illegal.

There's a big difference between price fixing and advertising the purchase price of a company product or service. It is illegal to sell for more than the advertised price.

 

[C240Sport97]

It is illegal to sell for more than the advertised price.

it isn't.

 

[Dr-Nab]

that's an incredible discount .. was it a stock car, or built to your spec?

No built to my spec exactly as I wanted it, despite all the delays and faffing about it was pretty much the only reason I stuck with the order as I'd never anticipated being able to haggle that much off it.

Got 23.5% off the GL as well but that was a 2 and a half month old ex-demo with 1700 miles on the clock.

 

[Goldfish11]

I don't get what is happening here.

You must have discussed and agreed a price for the car? With every new car I've bought, you start off at list price which includes the OTR cost, then you negotiate and get a price you're happy with.

Then the salesman writes up the order. Often, as I mentioned earlier, the contruction of the order form will look odd as they juggle the figures, but the "bottom line" price should be the same as you agreed.

So is the "bottom line" price higher than you agreed? What's gone wrong - did you agree the price and then they added on delivery etc afterwards?

Rory, the reason it has all gone wrong is that the car I originally specified with the audio 20 and Becker map pilot can not be supplied due to the Japan problems. I am therefore having to put Comand in the car and I am having to re- negotiate the price and spotted this when going through the quotation in detail. I just think that it is wrong that something on the MB UK site should not be honoured by the dealers. As they can not supply the originally specified vehicle I may just ask for my money back and get Dr Nab to negotiate for me. It would be good to get 14%!!

 

[Adam230K]

If you're that unhappy about it then just walk away. If he's keen to sell he will come back to you on your terms, if not then just find another one!

 

[MD5]

There's a big difference between price fixing and advertising the purchase price of a company product or service. It is illegal to sell for more than the advertised price.

it isn't.

Perhaps "charge" would be a better word, and if the price is misreperesented.

 

[Dr-Nab]

To be fair they shouldn't realistically charge you any more for delivery the price that you've signed and agreed for is what you pay for the car.

With the supply issues and having to put COMAND in the car I'd say to stay firm and see if they will front the cost of the upgrade or at least do it at a reduced amount?

If not tell them you'll be wanting your deposit back and going to A**i to order a car from them, that usually gets them thinking - I did it a couple of times and told them unless they come back to me with some good news then I won't be having any more cars from them. It all worked out for me, just depends how badly the salesman/dealer want the sale(s)/repeat custom/services etc over the period of time you're likely to buy cars for.

 

[Jules335]

I ordered a new E350 coupe at the end of March and my dealer tried to do the same to me.

When it came to signing the order I noticed that they had added on an extra £100 "Delivery Surcharge". This had never been discussed and it was certainly nothing I had agreed to. I too got a healthy discount. I told them to remove the charge or I would not go ahead with the order.

They then said that it had been a 'mistake' and that they would remove it.

I would advise you to do the same. Dealers are really struggling to get orders and so I'm sure that they won't want to lose yours.

Subsequently, they have been unable to fulfil the order and so I am on the verge on cancelling!

 

[C240Sport97]

Perhaps "charge" would be a better word, and if the price is misreperesented.

no, a price is an invitation to treat, the seller has no legal obligation to sell at the advertised price

 

[MD5]

Imagine that in Tescos! Can't be bothered with pedantics, sorry, but the Consumer Protection Act would cover the deliberate misrepresentation of pricing.

 

[Goldfish11]

I ordered a new E350 coupe at the end of March and my dealer tried to do the same to me.

When it came to signing the order I noticed that they had added on an extra £100 "Delivery Surcharge". This had never been discussed and it was certainly nothing I had agreed to. I too got a healthy discount. I told them to remove the charge or I would not go ahead with the order.

They then said that it had been a 'mistake' and that they would remove it.

I would advise you to do the same. Dealers are really struggling to get orders and so I'm sure that they won't want to lose yours.

Subsequently, they have been unable to fulfil the order and so I am on the verge on cancelling!

What on earth is going on! Why are dealers attempting to screw us on £30K to £40K plus vehicles for an extra hundred pounds or so. Are margins really that bad?

 

[crockers]

no, a price is an invitation to treat, the seller has no legal obligation to sell at the advertised price

True - it is an invitation as you said .... but it is also illegal to deliberately mislead over a price.

E.G.
A shop mistakenly puts 10p as the price of a loaf not £1 - he can refuse to accept 10p as it was an error.
If that same shop was to issue adverts around the district that he will supply bread for 10p then it could be said he deliberately mislead the public and therefore had to either accept the 10p or find himself in trouble.

 

[Jules335]

What on earth is going on! Why are dealers attempting to screw us on £30K to £40K plus vehicles for an extra hundred pounds or so. Are margins really that bad?

Also when I got a finance quote, they added in another £500 for paint protection that I had not asked for and tried to hide it in the figures! You really need to check everything very carefully to make sure that you are not being ripped off.

I agree, they seem desperate!