Getting a discount on a new Merc

[krisw123]

our local dealer offered a small discount if we took the minimum amount of finance (£3000), but stressed we would be unable to pay it back early as they would then 'claim' the discount back from us!

told him to naff off & we got a better deal elsewhere with no stupid restrictions...

There are no restrictions if you challenge it. The dealer gets commission for setting up the finance. There is absolutely nothing to stop you paying it off as soon as you want as I did. As I said it got me 19% discount on list.

 

[AbbieCadabra]

There are no restrictions if you challenge it. The dealer gets commission for setting up the finance. There is absolutely nothing to stop you paying it off as soon as you want as I did. As I said it got me 19% discount on list.

they couldn't come close to the deal we got elsewhere so it didn't matter in the end.

if we had taken the deal with them, i would have taken great pleasure in paying the finance off after about 3 months, then seen how they got on trying to 'claim' the discount back off me...

 

[theogeor]

Getting a discount should be always possible in either cash or Finance deal however the finance always look better. Even with my corporate discount I get for MB cars (varies per model but is a big discount) I discovered when I got my wifes car a year or so ago that is cheaper to finance rather than pay cash. I did ask them at the time to provide me with two quotes that both included the same on paper discount one for cash and one for finance. However the finance deal was much better as including interest fees etc was costing £300 more over 3 years rather than the cash one. My cost of capital is more than that even when I have the money in hand so it did not make sense to pay cash.
One of the main reasons they do that is because they want you to get used to paying a monthly fee and in 3 years to replace the car and keep paying in the years to come.

Theo

 

[SammyC]

So I got various quotes from MB Agility when I visited them yesterday for the c coupe.
I have a question regarding the on-line brokers as many here on the bb have told me about getting the on-line broker quotes and using that as a negotiating tool to bring the price down at the dealership.
I have a couple of quotes on different specs on the coupe from sites such as Broadspeed. I haven’t gone to the full quote where they put me in contact with a dealer but there final step online which shows how much they can get me the car for and the discount provided.
Would that be enough evidence to go to the dealer with? I am sure a dealer would be aware of broadspeed. Is there anything there they would say there are not true etc with pricing?
There is at least a £3-4k difference with the online brokers and the dealership.

Also on the current Agility deal on the coupe they are giving a £5k dealer contribution and 5.9% apr

 

[stuartfoster]

Just remember that the with the brokers quote you wont also get the £5k contribution in addition to their discounts.

 

[Simon_M]

Yep, dealer will say they will match the Broadspeed price but you won't get the finance contribution. Or you can have the finance contribution at their price.

All the finance contribution is is the same discount but they try to hide it in the finance figures so Mercedes are not seen to be discounting the list price of the car. Discounts cheapen the image of the brand.

You can't have your cake and eat it.

S

 

[SammyC]

Just remember that the with the brokers quote you wont also get the £5k contribution in addition to their discounts.

As in if the merc dealer can pretty much match the broker then i would get that discount plus the £5k by taking Agility?

 

[gIzzE]

I would talk them about discounts without using agility, then once you have got a price say "So if I use agility will you give me the additional discount?"
You may be surprised.

I just did that with Audi, was told it was one of the other.
£43000 car, managed £4500 discount on it, and then they offered an additional £4000 if I used their finance.

Not saying Mercedes will, but I would keep quiet on the Agility first.

 

[Simon_M]

As in if the merc dealer can pretty much match the broker then i would get that discount plus the £5k by taking Agility?

Not a chance in hell.

 

[SammyC]

I would talk them about discounts without using agility, then once you have got a price say "So if I use agility will you give me the additional discount?"
You may be surprised.

I just did that with Audi, was told it was one of the other.
£43000 car, managed £4500 discount on it, and then they offered an additional £4000 if I used their finance.

Not saying Mercedes will, but I would keep quiet on the Agility first.

Problem is i went through some agility quotes as a rough idea yesterday with the dealer.

I am hoping the dealer would be meet me half way on this. So i get the full agility deal of £5k contribution and then even an extra 5% discount on the list price. The brokers are pretty much giving 10% discount.

 

[SammyC]

Not a chance in hell.

So you are saying...

If I went to the merc dealer and said broker is giving me £3k off… can you match that.
They will either say yes we can… but you won't get the £5k dealer contribution on Agility. But we will give you £2k… lol
Or bugger off… that is how we compete with the broker.

 

[jonnyMercUK]

Price isn't everything. Just remember a broker is more likely to be 'not interested' once the deal has been done. The convenience of being able to visit the dealership has to be worth a price.

This is something I thought about when I purchased my C Coupe. And glad I went direct to Merc to be honest as they have been very helpful after the sale. I did go armed with figures I had found elsewhere and I knew what the maximum was that I could afford, the dealer was a little more expensive however it's down the road and was very happy with the service.

 

[SammyC]

So really the answer is… yes they could match the broker price but they would never give me the agility deal with the £5k dealer contribution.
So either way the dealer would still be cheaper in hindsight. As the broker is giving £3k off.
I might be better off haggling the price down without mentioning the broker quotes?

 

[jonnyMercUK]

Based on the prices you have found elsewhere know what you want to pay, if they can't meet it, walk away. You never know they might ring you (like they did me) after to speaking to their boss and offer you what you want. You have to show that if they can meet it you will sign.

 

[SammyC]

Based on the prices you have found elsewhere know what you want to pay, if they can't meet it, walk away. You never know they might ring you (like they did me) after to speaking to their boss and offer you what you want. You have to show that if they can meet it you will sign.

I think i will do that. I have a specd up quote from carfile and will see if they can do a deal with that.

I need the agility deal so let's see what their best offer is.

 

[harrim00]

Price isn't everything. Just remember a broker is more likely to be 'not interested' once the deal has been done. The convenience of being able to visit the dealership has to be worth a price.

This is something I thought about when I purchased my C Coupe. And glad I went direct to Merc to be honest as they have been very helpful after the sale. I did go armed with figures I had found elsewhere and I knew what the maximum was that I could afford, the dealer was a little more expensive however it's down the road and was very happy with the service.

I got my car through a broker. They used Mercedes finance and the car is brand new so I get the full support of the dealer network. The amount that dealers make from servicing completely negates if you have purchased the car through them or not. They don't care as long as you book it in with them.

 

[gIzzE]

Price isn't everything. Just remember a broker is more likely to be 'not interested' once the deal has been done. The convenience of being able to visit the dealership has to be worth a price.

This is something I thought about when I purchased my C Coupe. And glad I went direct to Merc to be honest as they have been very helpful after the sale. I did go armed with figures I had found elsewhere and I knew what the maximum was that I could afford, the dealer was a little more expensive however it's down the road and was very happy with the service.

Brokers are just that, brokers, they have negotiated a discount with a main dealer on your behalf based on volume orders, they will just put you in touch with the dealer.
Exactly the same as if you went in yourself, just may not be your local dealer.

 

[jonnyMercUK]

I got my car through a broker. They used Mercedes finance and the car is brand new so I get the full support of the dealer network. The amount that dealers make from servicing completely negates if you have purchased the car through them or not. They don't care as long as you book it in with them.

Fair play, if you are prepared to do that. Luckily for me Mercedes beat the best deal I had found.

 

[gIzzE]

I think i will do that. I have a specd up quote from carfile and will see if they can do a deal with that.

I need the agility deal so let's see what their best offer is.

You should mention that the brokers said that any extra discounts available through the dealer such as agility contributions are separate to the discounted price they have given you.

 

[SammyC]

You should mention that the brokers said that any extra discounts available through the dealer such as agility contributions are separate to the discounted price they have given you.

Good shout.
That was my thinking that places like Broadspeed say you can use the MB finance for the car.
Surely the price of the car negotiated has nothing to do with the Agility offer on the c coupe. The sales man at MB yesterday told me regardless of your deposit amount there is a £5k dealer contribution.