Lots of new C class on Forecourts?

[glojo]

10/10

I can post a link to show a KY reg car at a MB dealership.

I think there is a whole big difference between a Mercedes-Benz registered vehicle and a 'rental'

There is nothing wrong in buying a pre registered, or ex Merecedes vehicle that has been registered at Miltonn Keynes, but I would not be too happy about buying an ex rental car, but that is just me being me.

Regards
John

 

[hawk20]

10/10

I can post a link to show a KY reg car at a MB dealership.

Could be a management car.

 

[Dieselman]

There is nothing wrong in buying a pre registered, or ex Merecedes vehicle that has been registered at Miltonn Keynes, but I would not be too happy about buying an ex rental car, but that is just me being me.

How would you know.?

Could be a management car.

There is that phrase again. What do you think is meant by that.?

 

[hawk20]

How would you know.?



There is that phrase again. What do you think is meant by that.?

I know what is meant by it. MB allow staff to buy/lease cars and they typically keep them up to no more than 9000 miles. Then they are sold.

Dealers also register lots of cars. the S class I bought in March 2006 was 1st registered on Dec 23rd 2005 and used for commuting to and from work by the MD of the Cambridge dealer. I bought it with 6,000 odd miles.

My current E220cdi was used mainly by the service manager at Wakefield dealer for 6,000 miles and then sold. My local dealer runs lots of 'demos' and some are actually used for demos but many are mainly driven by senior staff, but available for demos as needed. It is just a way of selling extra cars at lower prices into the secondhand car market.

Oh and harming residuals for new buyers in the process of course.

 

[Dieselman]

I know what is meant by it. MB allow staff to buy/lease cars and they typically keep them up to no more than 9000 miles.

They also have 'Managed' fleets out at daily rental companies under the MB Management banner.

The term management refers to them managing the fleet, not the drivers being managers.

 

[hawk20]

They also have 'Managed' fleets out at daily rental companies under the MB Management banner.

The term management refers to them managing the fleet, not the drivers being managers.

I think you should provide some firm evidence of that accusation.

 

[Dieselman]

I think you should provide some firm evidence of that accusation.

Why do you find it so hard to believe, doesn't it fit with the cosy image that a top manager has been cossetting your car.

I used to share an office with a major rental company's head office. I've seen many Mercedes UK registered cars in their carpark..and we used to rent quite a few from another major rental agency.

Strangely their return mileages were ...ahem...9,000 miles.

 

[hawk20]

Why do you find it so hard to believe, doesn't it fit with the cosy image that a top manager has been cossetting your car.

I used to share an office with a major rental company's head office. I've seen many Mercedes UK registered cars in their carpark..and we used to rent quite a few from another major rental agency.

Strangely their return mileages were ...ahem...9,000 miles.

Nobody doubts that some rental companies use Mercedes cars. But how do you know they were registered by MB just by looking at them in a car park?

Neither of the two demos I have bought were MB registered BTW. They were bought by, delivered to, and registered by MB dealers.

 

[Dieselman]

But how do you know they were registered by MB just by looking at them in a car park?

Because the numberplates said Mercedes Benz UK.

Most rental companies have shaddow and holding company names for registering cars to, so no car ever shows as registered to a daily rental.

I'm pleased for you that your cars were dealer demo cars, as some of the ones we rented were seriously trashed, although some dealer staff can destroy a perfectly good car and you would never know.

 

[hawk20]

Because the numberplates said Mercedes Benz UK.

.

No need for Columbo to solve that one then.

 

[ddentrec]

I think there is a semantics problem here.

MB Cambridge used to (maybe still do) charge you £12+VAT per day to use their pre-registered loan cars.

Those cars are driven by staff and customers alike, get vacuumed when returned, jetwashed and rubbed down with a dirty chammy cloth.

When they get to about 6k miles they are sold - described as 'demonstrators' though they really are courtesy cars/runabouts.

So, what is the difference between their rented-out 'demonstrator' and an ex-hire car? Nothing.

How often have you seen a used MB described as a 'courtesy car', or 'customer loan car'? Most of us would run a mile from such a car due to thinking it had been abused.

Cars sell better when described as 'demonstrator' or 'ex-management'.

 

[hawk20]

I think there is a semantics problem here.

MB Cambridge used to (maybe still do) charge you £12+VAT per day to use their pre-registered loan cars.

Those cars are driven by staff and customers alike, get vacuumed when returned, jetwashed and rubbed down with a dirty chammy cloth.

When they get to about 6k miles they are sold - described as 'demonstrators' though they really are courtesy cars/runabouts.

So, what is the difference between their rented-out 'demonstrator' and an ex-hire car? Nothing.

How often have you seen a used MB described as a 'courtesy car', or 'customer loan car'? Most of us would run a mile from such a car due to thinking it had been abused.

Cars sell better when described as 'demonstrator' or 'ex-management'.

Loan cars are sold, of course. They are often Smart Cars and A class but some do have a policy of letting customers try other models.

But in addition dealers do have demonstrators, and do have management cars.

And MB themselves do register large numbers of cars for their staff. So pre reg and demonstrators, and 'management' cars are a whole mixture. I've bought new and I've bought nearly new and frankly I've not seen much difference. My brother's A class, bought as a demonstrator, is now coming up to 4 years old and it has been faultless.

Odd how so many assume that anyone who borrows a car while their own is being serviced must somehow be an 18 year old tearaway.

It is actually very hard to 'thrash' any 100 mph plus modern car in congested, speed trap covered Britain.

 

[Dieselman]

Don't kid yourself the genuine Mamagement cars get treated any better. They get a new car every 3 months and don't have to do the work to put things right.
I saw a senior persons E estate with half the garden in the back, with no protection and a lovely crease down the n/s doors, and another that had been driven through a flood until the engine flooded.
Both got cheapo, in house repairs..

As with any other 2nd hand car purchase, buy the car, not the bull.

 

[st13phil]

As with any other 2nd hand car purchase, buy the car, not the bull.

Good advice. And, actually, ex-rental cars needent be a problem either. Back in the early 90's I bought an ex-rental 6-month / 9,000-mile old Vauxhall Cavalier MkIII from a main dealer. I knew it was ex-rental when I bought it, I ran it for three years and almost 50k miles and and it was completely trouble free. It performed better than most 1600 Cav's too

 

[Flash]

Unfortunately, all demo/loan cars and so called management cars get abused by the drivers. Lets face it, when our cars go in for service/repairs they too probably get gdriven "hard" BUT I am not saying that all dealerships do this. At a MB commercial dealership that I was present at whilst my Sprinter was being serviced they had a new high powered demo Vito that the Met Police wanted to try out as they were interested in buying some for their rapid arms response unit and the sales staff were sliding it and driving it side ways into the dealership forecourt and absolutely hammering it.

 

[Dryce]

Unfortunately, all demo/loan cars and so called management cars get abused by the drivers.

I've been in a lot of hire cars, quite a few where I've been the last rental before it's been passed on for sale. All autos. They've been generally fine. I wouldn't be concerned about buying one at the right price with 2+ years left on the warranty if that's what I was looking for.