Read this is you have a C class on order!!

[R32golf]

Hello,
I've been following the forums for a while whilst my C350 cdi order was in the pipeline. Everything was going well until last week when my dealer dropped the bombshell that all the 2011 model year cars now coming off the production line cannot be purchased under this Qtrs Finance Campaign.

As probably quite a few people had ordered cars for delivery in June under the current deals this might cause a few headaches....

I can understand it if the change to the cars was significant but from what I've been told the spec is only changing to make parktronic standard.

The dealers are helpless because the system says they can't do anything and MB UK are less than helpful and not very customer friendly.

Therefore if you do have an order waiting to be fulfilled and want it on the current deal - check with your dealer. If you're lucky to get one of the last 2010 cars built you're fine, otherwise you'll be like me and a bit stuffed!

 

[Rory]

Hmmm...that going to be interesting!

Something similar happens every quarter where special offers are advertised but there are no car available in time to take advantage of the offers - they're really meant to be used to clear existing inventory. Lots of complaints about this.

 

[pos.k]

Agreed!
They work great for existing stock, as there is additional discount to be had as well. this allowed us to get spectacular deals on existing stock cars - but given the flakiness of the ordering system, unless you are taking over an existing order, and are doing it right at the start of the quarter when the deal is launched, it gets very hit and miss as to whether or not you will actually take delivery whilst the offer is on!

 

[R32golf]

Speaking to the dealers and a couple of other MB sales exec's I know this is one of the biggest lash ups to date as they usually try to tie the model year changes to the quarters. This one's all over the place.

The Customer Care people are pretty useless and the entire process seems to be to pass any customer query straight back to the dealer - who then can't do a thing. I have dropped Mike Whittington, MB's Sale Director a little note, but seeing how MB have treated the injector issue on the c class I'm not holding out a lot of hope!

 

[mastermerc]

what a bum!

 

[uknown]

Interesting thread.. I have a C350 CDI on order too (actually, from what I am to believe it was built yesterday) - supposedly the 2011 models don't start getting built until June though do they?

The way (I am told) the finance works is as long as you collect (in my case) the car before the end of the quarter you are ok (obviously!)

MB Personal Collection wrote to me last week and said my scheduled date for collection is June 16th so I guess I am ok! (Although I won't be going until the 22nd as I am away!)

Not sure what is different with the new 2011 .. annoying to having paid for Parktronic but on just sub 40k car (with all the addons) it's not a huge amount I guess

Chris

 

[R32golf]

uknown,
I'd check with your dealer - Whilst the 2011 cars where due to appear from 1st June, they've brought the production date forward and they're coming off the line now. My salesman sat on the system earlier in the week and all the c class' he could see were showing as 2011 cars not 2010.5. My slot was the end of May but is that is now coming up as a 2011 I'm stuffed

 

[uknown]

Hmm. Guess I will wait to hear from MB Personal Collection as they said they'd phone when the car has passed all of it's checks (due on the 22nd (which is sat.. but anyway))

If it's late, it's late I guess. Did you actually get a build date? Like I say - mine was yesterday (19th May) and I was only told that less than two weeks ago.. (I ordered on the 10th April)

Chris

 

[Rory]

...I'm stuffed

Would they really just let you walk away & buy a BMW instead?

Maybe it's worth adding some unique option like green seats so they can't sell the car if you won't pay more!

 

[uknown]

Would they really just let you walk away & buy a BMW instead?

Maybe it's worth adding some unique option like green seats so they can't sell the car if you won't pay more!

From what I understand - if you 'do the deal' on the basis of the car being ready before the end of the current finance quarter offer and have a expected delivery date before the end (ie, mine is 20th - the end date is 30th) then if MB delay it the head office allow the same deal to go through.

If you however buy it knowingly it'll be ready in July and the finance offers finish in June and are not repeated (the C350 CDI was repeated in the 1st and 2nd quarter this year) then you must pay whatever the new finance deal is..

The dealer *should* make this clear at time of purchase. I have it in emails that if MB delay it for any reason I will only be paying the same finance deal. The dealer knows I will stick to my ground - it's already cost them an extra £375 for messing up the finance the first time (misquoted me - I said yes and it came back a higher price in the actual contract!)

Chris

 

[R32golf]

Chris,
I had a slot for next week but the dealer stopped it when they confirmed there was no way to finance it when it turned up! The ordering system states that 2011 cars cannot be purchased using this Quarters deals and because they leave the comms until the last minute, the dealer doesn't know if the 2011 c350 cdi will be included in the Q3's deals.

The collection people in Germay won't know about the UK finance situation so I would check with you're dealer if you are hoping to get the car on this quarters deals.

Hopefully you have one of the last 2010 cars to come off the line.

 

[martin_a]

are there significant differences between the two MY?

My friend bought an FJR from Yamaha and while it was being delivered they changed the spec to include heated grips which my mate had paid extra for and they ended up refunding him and several others the difference. Bit cheeky to do it really if the basic car is the same.

m.

 

[R32golf]

Its the change in model year that is causing the problem. MB are hiding behind the fine print on this one as the deal is applicable to 'selected vehicles' - a 2010 C350cdi is covered a 2011 C350cdi is not.

Seems a bit of a farce because the change just seems to entail parktronic as standard although there do seem to be a few people discussing the possibility of the LED DRLs making an appearance.

I've complained to MB UK and it's been escalted to a senior customer care person in Holland dk to resolve. It seems to be a Marketing / timing issue for the UK.

 

[uknown]

Cheers R32Golf - will email my dealer.

As it is, I went for the Intelligent Lights Upgrade so I get LED DRLs anyway -there is other very very slight cosmetic changes to the front of the C Class (someone posted a link to a front of a german mag showing it) on here - will look for it.

So what's the deal with yours then - is it cancelled now? You re-ordering on the 1st July?

RE: Parktronic as standard - I might try and get that refunded, we'll see - I have been a big pain in the **** already - but hey, they are there to work for me! If it doesnt come out of the dealers pocket I dont think it'd be an issue anyway. I will try!

Will keep you updated on what I get from the dealer or Personal Collection.

Chris

 

[R32golf]

Whilst I'm waiting on a response from MB UK, my dealer has been trawling the available stock for a 2010 car that has most of the options I was after. We've found a close match but it has a few options I didn't want so there's some work to get the price down to what I'd originally agreed to pay.

Stock levels are very low at the moment so my options are limited.

 

[uknown]

Hope it's not my car - I've gone for pretty much everything but I still want it (currently!)

Which dealer did you use? I used MB Norwich..

Chris

 

[uknown]

New 2011 facelift looks like this supposedly:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/6172/cclass.jpg

 

[R32golf]

Chris,
The one the dealers looking at is a dealer order, not a customer one so shouldn't be yours.

 

[Rory]

We should adopt the US model of driving in, doing the deal, and driving out in the new car a couple of hours later.

Pick a random US dealership - 129 new C Class in stock:
Mercedes-Benz of Houston Greenway

 

[crockers]

Whilst I'm waiting on a response from MB UK, my dealer has been trawling the available stock for a 2010 car that has most of the options I was after. We've found a close match but it has a few options I didn't want so there's some work to get the price down to what I'd originally agreed to pay.

Stock levels are very low at the moment so my options are limited.

When I visited my sister in the USA - her Rav4 died and we went into the dealership to look at Corollas. 45 minutes later we were driving away in a new one ....I was shocked..