Why don't more people drive luxury brands like Mercedes or BMW?

[CLA180SPORT]

I Don't understand why more people don't choose cars like the CLA or C Class or 3 Series BMW.

For example, I paid £1800 advance payment and £280 per month on a fully maintained lease for my CLA, yet the Insignia or mondeo or similarly sized cars are often just as expensive and sometimes even more.

So why don't more people drive Mercs for example?

 

[Conquistador]

High(er) service costs compared to other 'normal' marques for a start? And some people don't like the brash styling of new BMWs and Audis etc.

Between the big 3 Germans at the moment it seems to be a battle of who can come up with the most tacky and irritating daytime running lights.

 

[Dryce]

So why don't more people drive Mercs for example?

A CLA isn't in the same same class as a Mondeo or Insignia - which overlap with C and possibly even at a stretch the E class in size.

However. The 3 Series is very very common. And companies like Ford and Nissan have concentrated on models other than saloons to compete such as mini-MPVs and crossovers.

As for pricing? Well there are those who will pay a large deposit and £499 per month on financing for a MB or BMW that could be leased for £299 on a small initial payment. There are people who will option up a Mondeo or Insignia and sign up to a deal that would have paid for a E-Class. Why? Go figure ...

 

[keastygtir]

where did you get the lease deal?

 

[neilrr]

They see how they rust?

 

[A210AMG]

Also big companies will not pay what you and I pay for lease deals...


If you have 100's of leased cars on your fleet, a Ford or Vauxhall is without doubt going to be cheaper than a Merc or BMW.

Then there is choice, either your choice not to drive a BM, Merc, Audi etc, or your company car 'list' simply doesn't allow it. If its not on the list you cannot have it...


I was amazed at some of the SLK 250CDi Deals, I'm sure they were close on £275.... if we didn't need a 4 seater my wife would be driving that now !!, every now and again there are some cracking deals. Around 18month ago the E250Cdi 125 Business edition? estate I had quotes less than £300 privately !!

 

[Rory]

I Don't understand why more people don't choose cars like the CLA or C Class or 3 Series BMW.

For example, I paid £1800 advance payment and £280 per month on a fully maintained lease for my CLA, yet the Insignia or mondeo or similarly sized cars are often just as expensive and sometimes even more.

So why don't more people drive Mercs for example?

I don't think very many people drive Insignias or Mondeos these days, and take no notice of the prices you see for them - they're available to companies with absolutely massive discounts.

 

[bpsorrel]

where did you get the lease deal?

Here's a similar one with the company I got my SLK lease deal from

Mercedes CLA Class Leasing

 

[Rory]

Oh, and I still think we get screwed in the UK on leasing - I've just got back from the US and this deal (notice all the zeros!) was heavily advertised, but it was by no means unique: 2014 VW Passat Special Offers - Volkswagen of America

 

[davidjpowell]

Aren't US residuals much better? Likely to make leasing much cheaper.

I'm not convinced either Mercedes or BMW are 'luxury'. They've both dumbed down the produce, and particularly the customer support to make them just one of the many.

 

[CLA180SPORT]

where did you get the lease deal?

A company called Glynnes. This is fully maintained, road fund licence, replacement tyres and breakdown. They will also collect and bring back to take for servicing and come to me to replace tyres. Delivered to my house.

 

[grober]

For the impecunious among us----- Best used car 2013: Vauxhall Insignia | Auto Express. A General Motors car built in Germany as opposed to a Daimler Benz car built in Hungary? At the moment with exceptionally low interest rates the current MB UK model appears to be to buy increased market share with exceptionally favourable finance deals. Whether this is a sustainable business model in the long term remains to be seen.

 

[DSM10000]

A company called Glynnes. This is fully maintained, road fund licence, replacement tyres and breakdown. They will also collect and bring back to take for servicing and come to me to replace tyres. Delivered to my house.

Presumably this one?

Glynns Independent Vehicle Leasing Specialist

 

[CLA180SPORT]

Here's a similar one with the company I got my SLK lease deal from Mercedes CLA Class Leasing

Similar to mine but mine isn't over 5 years and mine is maintained. Still a good deal.

 

[CLA180SPORT]

Presumably this one? Glynns Independent Vehicle Leasing Specialist

Yep. That's the one. Sorry, was too lazy to link.

Excellent company, extremely helpful. A real pleasure to deal with if anyone is looking at leasing I highly recommend them.

 

[RBYCC]

Aren't US residuals much better? Likely to make leasing much cheaper.

I'm not convinced either Mercedes or BMW are 'luxury'. They've both dumbed down the produce, and particularly the customer support to make them just one of the many.

Agree totally on "luxury" of low priced Mercs....would rather buy a more luxurious USA market Hyundai or Kia at the same price.

As far as VW it's more like trying to move inventory of substandard USA market builds:

VW Scrambles to Lift U.S. Sales - WSJ.com

"VW had redesigned the Passat, a family sedan, to sell at a lower price in the American market, cutting costs by using interior plastics and other materials that were cheaper than those used in the European Passat. The American model also got a simpler, lower-cost suspension that delivered a less precise ride. Similar cost-cutting was applied to the American version of the Jetta."

 

[jamesfuller]

Not every one wants a flash looking car, a lot don't even care what they drive as long as it will not break down. Of course not every one likes to drive a big car, and smaller cars are usually done much better by other manufacturers.

 

[Paul/]

I Don't understand why more people don't choose cars like the CLA or C Class or 3 Series BMW.

For example, I paid £1800 advance payment and £280 per month on a fully maintained lease for my CLA, yet the Insignia or mondeo or similarly sized cars are often just as expensive and sometimes even more.

So why don't more people drive Mercs for example?

The Insignia (2.0 160bhp Cdi) I p/ex'd for the CLS cost me £161 per month in depreciation over the 3 years I had it. Massive discount when new (surprisingly so for a new model with a 6mth order time). Though the £550 charged for every other annual service was certainly on a par with premium German brands.

As mentioned by a previous poster, Mondeos and Insignias are, in terms of size, closer to the 5 series/ E class.

 

[blue gnome123]

The lease deals that I regularly see in the USA are amazing, even for Merc.

Why don't more people drive Merc's. Simple - because they are more expensive than many brands which sell smaller / lower cost cars, either to lease, finance or buy. There is no Merc for sale under £20K today. You can pay £13-14K for a new Feista (UK's biggest seller).

 

[Rory]

As mentioned by a previous poster, Mondeos and Insignias are, in terms of size, closer to the 5 series/ E class.

I can't be bothered to make the comparison with current vehicles (although current Mondeo seems huge), but the last 4dr saloon version of Mondeo was bigger than 5 Series.