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Post by johnc on Apr 10, 2024 8:55:43 GMT
I knew that Mercedes had started to control the price of cars centrally. Our recent visit to a Mercedes dealer taught us that demonstrators are all owned by Mercedes and after a pre-determined time they take them back and put them back through an auction for Merc dealers to buy them for used stock.
What we also learned at the weekend is that BMW and most other manufacturers are going to go down the same route so haggling at the dealership will become a thing of the past!!! If you want it, that's the price you pay! BMW are also going to produce all cars with all the electrical extras already fitted: things like adaptive suspension, heated seats, heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control etc. I presume that sunroofs, laser lights etc will need to be specced up front. If you pay for them when you buy the car then they are enabled and will work for the life of the car but if you don't pay for them, any future owner can pay a subscription or a lump sum and have those extras turned on. This could be a bit of a minefield when buying a used car - it has the buttons but do they work?
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Post by Roadrunner on Apr 10, 2024 9:21:35 GMT
I wonder what scope there is in the aftermarket world for someone with half a brain and a laptop to bypass the enabling software block?
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Post by johnc on Apr 10, 2024 9:26:04 GMT
That's what the BMW guy said. He reckoned it will only take them a couple of weeks and they would have it figured out. As long as you stay away from BMW dealers after that it should be OK unless BMW keep online contact with all cars all of the time and monitor the use of certain functions, turning them off the next time the car is switched off.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 10, 2024 11:02:20 GMT
Closed auctions have always been around for ex-demo and UK in-house fleet cars.
The options thing is far outweighed by the fact you, the buyer paying for the car in the first instance, is restricted on spec mix by the importer / manufacturer. Go to the Merc build-a car and try to spec a red CLE with dark brown seats. Can’t be done.
There’s a song called “Freedom of choice” by DEVO……
BMW also already know all about your car all the time. An independent with access to the service computer should be able to update the options on there as well so the system knows your car has them and is allowed them.
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Post by Tim on Apr 10, 2024 11:18:08 GMT
That's what the BMW guy said. He reckoned it will only take them a couple of weeks and they would have it figured out. As long as you stay away from BMW dealers after that it should be OK unless BMW keep online contact with all cars all of the time and monitor the use of certain functions, turning them off the next time the car is switched off. Well, my 2017 BMW told me the other day that the brake fluid needs changed this month and lo and behold I then got a phone call from the dealer to tell me the same thing! |
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Post by johnc on Apr 10, 2024 11:21:24 GMT
Closed auctions have always been around for ex-demo and UK in-house fleet cars. Yes they have but the difference now is that the dealer can't sell you "his" demonstrator because it has to go back to Mercedes and the only near new used cars a dealer will have will be the ones they have bought from a dealer auction. |
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Post by PetrolEd on Apr 10, 2024 11:38:01 GMT
I can see most purchases going down the Personal Contract Hire route where manufacturers can control the market far more effectively. You can also provide blind discounting far easier then deposit contributions on PCP.
Its not how I want to own a car and therefore I'll stick to the used market.
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Post by johnc on Apr 10, 2024 13:03:11 GMT
I think Mercedes have found out that their pricing on some models is a bit optimistic because they have discounted some models significantly just to get rid of them. A friend of my father in law recently purchased a GL something for £49K new from Mercedes when the list price had previously been c£75K. They also won't deal with leasing companies which could be problematic a few years from now when all these independent leasing companies are unable to source any cars.
I suppose the car manufacturers are just doing what Apple do with their products.
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Post by PetrolEd on Apr 10, 2024 13:12:48 GMT
I suppose the car manufacturers are just doing what Apple do with their products. Which is fine when you have a product people queue round the block to buy, less so on Mercedes new models. I like the SL and GT but do they sell anything this side of 100k that we'd call desirable? |
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Post by Tim on Apr 11, 2024 6:54:34 GMT
I suppose the car manufacturers are just doing what Apple do with their products. Which is fine when you have a product people queue round the block to buy, less so on Mercedes new models. I like the SL and GT but do they sell anything this side of 100k that we'd call desirable? Not that WE would call desirable but it seems there are plenty of people out there who want a brand new car with the 3 pointed star, even if it does have to come in white with tiny wheels and look like a poor copy of the previous shape Astra! |
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Post by Alex on Apr 11, 2024 18:53:31 GMT
I suppose the car manufacturers are just doing what Apple do with their products. Which is fine when you have a product people queue round the block to buy, less so on Mercedes new models. I like the SL and GT but do they sell anything this side of 100k that we'd call desirable? Not to you maybe but for many people even a base model new CLA is a very desirable step up from the Qashqui their fellow middle class 30 somethings have on the drive and a new C class does still hold some cache in the company car park (at least it would if everyone wasn't working from home!) |
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Post by racingteatray on Apr 11, 2024 19:12:24 GMT
Being someone who is rapidly heading towards midlife fuddiness, I'm not sure I care for this development.
One of the things I liked about the Macan is that, being based on fundamentally ancient architecture, it was a rare car you could buy new that had most of the modern tech that I wanted with largely none of the modern BS that I didn't.
You can't, for instance, have a heads-up display on a Macan due to some element of the ancient platform. Do I miss that? Not in the slightest. I've had a car with a head-up display and I simply found it a bit irritating.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Apr 12, 2024 17:26:54 GMT
That's what the BMW guy said. He reckoned it will only take them a couple of weeks and they would have it figured out. As long as you stay away from BMW dealers after that it should be OK unless BMW keep online contact with all cars all of the time and monitor the use of certain functions, turning them off the next time the car is switched off. Well, my 2017 BMW told me the other day that the brake fluid needs changed this month and lo and behold I then got a phone call from the dealer to tell me the same thing! Yeah, mine rats on me to the local dealer and they call me up to bring it in. |
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