2013 and earlier-Mercedes Benz GL-Class Prices Paid and Buying Experience

kstep2525

What dealership, what was msrp and what was invoice?

You got a great deal!

glfan

I got it from Penske in West Covina, CA. It's $1400 below invoice. Just be very careful on checking the money factor and any hidden fees. They tried to charge me with $1195(it should be $895) bank fees and .300 money factor (it should be .245 according to the forum). Just ask to check the screen on how the lease payment is calculated.

My total comes out to $680/month + tax on a car with sticker of $66k on a 39 month lease and $4100 down. I'm driving it right now and I'm very happy with it. Got the P1 package, upgraded steering wheel and 19" appearance package.

glfan

Sorry, the invoice was $61900 including destination. The final purchase price was around $59900. Their invoice is slightly inflated with a $600 advertising fee to be paid towards the Southern California MB dealers. I think that's nonsense. So, according to them, it's $2k below invoice. To me, that's only $1400 below.

gls69

Based upon the equipment you listed (P1 package, upgraded steering wheel and 19" appearance package) why was the MSRP $66K? Unless you didn't mention several other options the MSRP would have been around $62315 even with the trailer hitch they always tack on.

glfan

I don't have the window sticker in front of me. The $66k does include some of the seemingly standard items for a luxury car such as xeon headlights, sunroof(front and back) and destination charge. I think most of the GL on the market has sunroof option. Don't worry about the sticker as there's nothing too special about the MSRP. Just be sure to know what the true invoice is.

avcs

Got a New GL with Premium Package, Sunroof, Trailer Hitch at $57990. Leased for 39 months at $705/month plus tax with $6600 down which included the first month's payment. Was this a good deal?

avcs

Also the lease was for 15000 miles per year.

mercara

Any one bought a GL320 CDI in the Northeast? I plan to buy in the next couple of weeks and would like to know what people are paying.

gohoos

I was referred by a friend to a salesman at Penske and planned to call him in the next few days to discuss a GL lease. I would appreciate it greatly if you could be a bit more specific on your deal -- MSRP, lease mileage, etc.

dkdriver

Hi gls69,

Your deal sounds great! We live in San Jose - where is RAB located in Northern CA? Also, how much mileage was on the vehicle? Thanks!!!

gls69

R.A.B. Motors is located in San Rafael, CA, not too far from you. I found it on the internet under The Mercedes Benz Store.
My car had 35 miles on it when I purchased. They delivered it to Sacramento and did all the paperwork at my home. The rules of the forum are that I can't give the name of the salesperson, but ask who did my deal. She did a thorough job and made it convenient for me. Since their prices were the lowest I found after considerable research I wasn't able to "haggle" much after the initial internet quote.

Good luck dkdriver.

dkdriver

Thanks for the dealer tip, gls69. I wanted to get the 6cyl turbo diesel, but given the restriction of a minimum of 7500 miles driven pre purchase, I am now looking at the V8. Do you or any one else get 'good' mileage on the V8? The stats on the turbo diesel are supposed to be 20-25 mpg. Thanks again!!

bmwmatt

How is it not good to get an item below cost?? Also, the 600 advertising charge is charged TO THE CAR. If they didn't have that charge, than you would be paying over invoice for the car, if you can't understand how that works, I realize that. Part of the cost of the dealer buying that car is the ad charge, how is that nonsense??? You think the cost of business doesn't exist?

bmwmatt

It's not JUST a fee THEY tack on. It is from the MANUFACTURER, on the invoice. The dealer actually PAYS this to the factory as part of the VIN # you are buying. It is not reflected on the MSRP because the dealer is EATING that cost, NOT charging it to the consumer. If it is NOT on the MSRP how are you paying for it? You guys are looking at the numbers from the invoice, not the MSRP. Think about it. The DEALER PAYS THE FACTORY PER CAR, so it HAS TO LEGALLY BE ON THE INVOICE. IT IS NOT ON THE MSRP, so you are NOT PAYING FOR IT!!

carpersn

well, matt, if you actually go onto the BYO section of the MBUSA website, you'll notice that MSRP DOES include the $775 transport charge, and you cannot even price the car without including that fee.

gls69

Perhaps there would not be this much confusion if most dealers did not manipulate, high pressure, lie, default on promises, and resort to every other underhanded tactic in an effort to take advantage of a buyer rather than educating the buyer as to what the true cost of business is. The buyer has to use this forum and a myriad of other research tools in a desperate quest to determine what a fair deal looks like. The lack of trust that most dealers have unintentionally cultivated prompts the buyer to prepare for war instead of a mutually beneficial business negotiation. In my case the dealer I finally chose made a reasonable profit, and I do not begrudge them that. However, I had to waste my time eliminating several dealers that preferred to misrepresent or omit the truth on a multitude of issues, including the "advertising charge". To answer your question more succinctly: Obviously a factual cost of business does exist that the dealer tries to keep from the customer. These methods prompt a more important query: "What is the cost of business if business does not exist?"

mercara

Can anyone give me the invoice price for a base GL320 CDI? I plan to make an offer to a couple of dealers in the next few weeks.

bmwmatt

The transport charge (DELIVERY AND DESTINATION) is included. But the Advertising and other Training Service Fee is NOT on the MSRP.

bmwmatt

The real problem is that the factory pays holdback. This allows the dealer to decide, do i give away all the profit and take only the holdback? This is usually a YES if the dealer is a large enterprise (autonation, sonic, etc..) but for the little guy down the road, he cannot survive on only holdback. The sales and service staff don't get paid on holdback. Only the owner. So should sales and service work for free? no. So now you have a huge discrepancy between dealers, on brands that pay a huge holdback, Mercedes Benz being one of them. BMW/Porsche/Lexus, are typically much closer in price. You can go two two different MBZ dealers and have a difference of 5-6k on an E350.

gls69

I see you had no rebuttal for my points on dealer deception which IS the REAL problem. However, I agree with you on the specifics of "holdback". So why would any but the most uniformed consumer go to a dealer and pay "5-6K" more?
PS Please spare me the colonic smoke of trying to justify it based upon "service".

anthony555

It's amazes me the nonsense people spew on these "prices paid" boards. The deal GLFAN says he got is at best an exaggeration. All these boards are really good for are people who want to boast about unobtainable deals they never actually got. Why would a dealer lose $2,000 on a new GL. MBUSA is not subsidizing the GL like Ford subsidizes everything it makes. Why wouldn't the dealer just sell it for invoice to another dealer who can sell it. I wish people would just tell the truth.

M

mercara

You got to be out of your mind to think some people are so sick to come an boast about how much off invoice they bought a car for? There are many reasons why a dealer may choose to give it less than invoice. Shut up and go buy the car at MSRP if you want.

anthony555

Yah, a MB dealer is going to sell the hottest luxury SUV on the PLANET and lose $2,000??? Let me ask you this? If they are selling their HOTTEST car at a loss, then what must they be selling the cars for that aren't so hot? Reply to that one. 80-85% +++ of what's posted here is BOGUS. It just makes people feel better. LOL!!!!!

kyfdx

Okay.. everyone that posts here is a liar..

Then, why are you here? To call them all liars?

Tell us what you paid for your GL.

regards,
kyfdx

anthony555

kyfdx,

To answer your first question... No! I am not here to call people liars. I paid $1,500 over invoice for the hottest SUV on the planet. I felt the selling dealer was entitled to make a measly $1,500 profit on a $60K investment that he made. I just got back from my selling dealer and showed him this thread. We work GLFAN's deal backwards TOGETHER on his computer based of a $66,000 MSRP car they had in stock. With $4,100 total drive-offs, the payment was $835.xx with tax. Backing it up to $680 plus tax was a $4,300 UNDER invoice deal.

That deal my friend, like a lot of other deals on this board NEVER HAPPENED. They are nothing more than figments of peoples imaginations.

Also, I am looking my MB contract as I type this. The acqusition fee cannot be altered upward or downward. He said they tried to charge him $1,195? LOL! The bank fee is already IMPRINTED on the contract.

I'll do you one better Mr. Host. Email GLFAN, tell him I live 30-minutes from where he bought his car. I bought my car in Buena Park. And I know Edmunds is in So Cal also. Let's all meet at Edmunds with GLFAN's contract. Before I see his contract I will hand you $2,500 in cash. If GLFAN's numbers hold water to what he previously posted, the money is yours and his. If his numbers do not, I get my money back and you, as the HOST, post a thread here that says: "Not at deals posted in these Forums are true and accurate deals." How about that? I'll be WAITING for a response.

Mr. Host, I know that'll never happen. Guess what I notice while I am browsing on Edmunds.com. On the right side of your pages? And on the left side of your pages? Yah, you guessed it. NEW CAR DEALER advertisments. YUP!!!!! Without them, this site is nothing. Zilch! Nada! People should be aware that what goes on in these forums are not always what truly happens. Coincidentally, someone who actually get a REAL good deal, doesn't need to boast about in these rarely read forums. I would assume that MB has delivered 30-40,000 GL's by now. This thread has under 60-posts, mainly by 3-4 boners who either never bought a GL or have a want or need to brag about how their selling dealer LOST $4,000 +++...

Steve Elias

tony fives, you are misinformed if you think you know the dealer's profit, unless you are the owner/board-member/contracts-dude. the price they paid to acquire your GL is private. whether they lose/make money is private. it's not for us to know.
also, your point is well taken that many of the deals boasted on these boards could be misinformation.

gls69

I am responsible for postings #27,29,31,36,43,48,& 52. Since you replied to my #52 post, I assume I have been lumped in with the liars, and am one of the "3-4 boners" who "spew nonsense".
Therefore, I am picking up your gauntlet and asking you to offer a similar wager as the one you so demonstrably waived at GLFAN and the host. I bought my GL with cash and have the pink slip. If you prove that my deal was false you can have my car.
If I have been accurate and truthful on this forum then you owe me the pink slip for your car.
Personally, this forum has been very helpful to me, and I have tried to provide useful information to others looking for a GL. I didn't boast about screwing the dealer, but sent them additional business for being low cost, but HONEST.
Hopefully your brain isn't as big as your mouth, and I'll own two GLs soon.

kyfdx

Hey... we'll get rid of the advertisements if you like.. Just mail us a check for $0.50 for every page that you view..

I get your point... you don't think that anyone could have possibly achieved a better deal than you did.. and your dealer agrees with you!!

I guess that proves it... case closed..

Turn out the lights when you leave.. I guess there is no further need for this particular discussion.

regards,
kyfdx

anthony555

gls69,

Did you buy your GL for $4,300 UNDER dealer cost? According to your numbers you didn't. That is why I never disputed your posts as nonsense.

anthony555

Mr. Host,

I love how certain hosts here bash new car dealers from time to time and they are the ones who indirectly write their paychecks. Seems funny to me.

I am not saying I got the best deal on a GL in the world. Let's define deal:

Deal: a bargain or arrangement for mutual advantage

See, I got the best luxury SUV in the world. And they made $1,500. That's a deal. A REAL obtainable deal. Not some BS $4,300 UNDER invoice nonsense deal that never happened.

Now the case is CLOSED!