Mercedes Benz and AMG Owners

[Ahleckz]

Has anyone had any success negotiating lower APR on Mercedes finance deals?

Spent the weekend with my mother in law as she wants a new car. She's gone for a GLA nd it's re-ignited my love of the GLC. They're a little more than i'd have liked to spend as i'd want the new model with MBUX so can't go with something around 3yrs old as i'd like.

If i could find a PCP deal at a decent APR it'd make things more tempting. But it's either finance with PCP at 10.9% where at least i'm left with a balloon payment at the end so i'm only actually financing around £16k, or take a loan out for the full amount at 3% which makes a lot more sense but leaves me with a fairly hefty monthly.

This is what ends up putting me off, the thought of spending £450 a month on a loan repayment for 5 years and all the things i could do with that money otherwise. If i could get a PCP around the £300 a month mark at a more reasonable APR it'd make it more tempting.

On a pcp, you are still financing the full amount and paying interest on it. Not the bit less the balloon. Your finance agreement will have something like “47 payments of £xxx. 1 payment of £xx,xxx” and interest is calculated on the full lot.


Think I’m 90% sold on a CLA Shooting Brake 35 to replace my GLC 220d but the S3 Sportback keeps winking at me..

 

[Martynt74]

On a pcp, you are still financing the full amount and paying interest on it. Not the bit less the balloon. Your finance agreement will have something like “47 payments of £xxx. 1 payment of £xx,xxx” and interest is calculated on the full lot.


Think I’m 90% sold on a CLA Shooting Brake 35 to replace my GLC 220d but the S3 Sportback keeps winking at me..

Yeah, i hadn't actually realised that, but running through some approved used prices on the Mercedes website it seems to be the case. In which case it makes a lot more sense to just bite the bullet and go with the loan to clear the whole thing during the term.

To my spreadsheets!

 

[Maccy]

Cheers, i hadn't considered that. If i could get around 5% i'd then start to get tempted. Beyond that i'd just go with a loan for the full amount, but i always get hesitations on that.

Depending on vehicle age and your history it may be possible.

Brokers can get PCP with a balloon btw, I can put you in touch with the guy I used if you'd like.

 

[Martynt74]

Thanks. I'll give you a shout if i need it.

Need to try and make a yes/no decision first i think. Once i decide to go for it, then i can look at the best finance options after that.

 

[daz]

Brokers can get PCP with a balloon btw, I can put you in touch with the guy I used if you'd like.

Just check it's an *optional* balloon. Not all balloons are optional, and therefore you can find yourself coming to the end of an agreement in a pickle about re-financing or finding the money to pay it off. Not a good position to be in if you either a) don't want to keep the car or b) the car is worth less than what the balloon is.

 

[dlockers]

Yeah, i hadn't actually realised that, but running through some approved used prices on the Mercedes website it seems to be the case. In which case it makes a lot more sense to just bite the bullet and go with the loan to clear the whole thing during the term.

To my spreadsheets!

Just been through this process and uncovered the same point. The spreadsheet is complex but if you consider the financing fee, it's as if you're being paid to do your homework

I did a sizeable deposit, Tesco loan (they are quite generous if you are a homeowner) and some 0% purchase cards. Note, the MB dealer I went to has some CC restrictions which may impact your plan - £5k limit. I tried a Curve card to front the transaction but it kept getting declined - maybe MNC decline on underlying card. Who knows.

Edit: You can also do the finance and clear in the 14 day cooling off period if your dealer dangles a carrot that means you must take the financing.

 

[dlockers]

I'm not quite rich enough for the GLC43 sadly

I think i need to go spend some time working through all the various packs. I'm definitely sold on the digital dash and would like the augmented navigation. Curious how the GLB differs from the GLC as they look similar size wise.

I would love the augmented nav but I am 99% certain I will revert to Waze

 

[Maccy]

Just check it's an *optional* balloon. Not all balloons are optional, and therefore you can find yourself coming to the end of an agreement in a pickle about re-financing or finding the money to pay it off. Not a good position to be in if you either a) don't want to keep the car or b) the car is worth less than what the balloon is.

Absolutely.

 

[Jez]

General question for other MB owners:

High beam assistant - my E-Class (A207 E350 Cab) HBA works very well, except for the fact that it will not work until it sees another vehicle, as if it has to calibrate itself. Upon seeing another vehicle just once, it will then dip and up and down as expected every time.

Is this normal behaviour?

Context: I have barely ever even noticed this behaviour in the sense that it has never bothered me. Now though, I am going through the process of buying a remote property which is down a 3 mile single track drive from the nearest village. I have been going down to it a lot recently and this is actually extremely annoying as it is very rare to encounter anyone else for the full 3 or so miles coming back. My BMW does not behave like this at all it is borderline dangerous with the speed at which i like to drive down there.

Edit: And to pre-empt this, no i am not willing to operate the lights myself, just think of the extreme effort

 

[Martynt74]

I'm not sure a broker will have an "optional" balloon though - so be careful on that.

This is actually one reason why it can pay to go brand new than nearly new, when comparing like for like finance costs, even when saving £x000s on the headline price it can actually make more sense to go new because of the much lower APR. Check carwow, drivethedeal and broadspeed for new car offers, I've seen new GLCs with ridiculous savings at various times in the last year. My GLC is in for a service at the moment and they've given me a GLA200 courtesy car. It's actually a nice little thing - I don't like the styling but can see why people would like an A class on stilts. The 200 engine is reasonable and the gear box seems quicker and more decisive than whatever is in my GLC43. Not for me but think it could be a good option for my other half when she wants to replace her A1.

Looks like a few deals around. The local place has offered me a brand new pre registered AMG line version for around £35k

Only issue is that it doesn’t have the digital dash and I think I’d really like that. Especially if looking to keep it for >5yrs.

As soon as I mentioned wanting that the price shot up by about 10k which then makes it not worth it. I think the sensible approach is to just keep building my savings and then keep an eye on used cara popping up with the features I want.

 

[Thomas. PLease.]

Seriously can everyone stop buying 63s for a while? I need no one to buy them so the price comes down a bit so I can grab one!

I just put a deposit on one on Monday. Being serviced and MOT'd this week and should hopefully be ready later this week. Interested to see what ownership is like!

 

[Muska]

What model have you bought?

 

[MouthBoy]

I just put a deposit on one on Monday. Being serviced and MOT'd this week and should hopefully be ready later this week. Interested to see what ownership is like!

Salt...wound...!

Also, picked up a nice chip in my windscreen today - thank you BMW that cut me up! I need to get this replaced as that is 3 I have now (one from my ownership but others are not in my view).

Does anyone know if they will replace the 'Carl Benz' signature too when doing the windscreen or am I just going to say good bye to that?

 

[TNGL]

Has anyone had any success negotiating lower APR on Mercedes finance deals?

Spent the weekend with my mother in law as she wants a new car. She's gone for a GLA nd it's re-ignited my love of the GLC. They're a little more than i'd have liked to spend as i'd want the new model with MBUX so can't go with something around 3yrs old as i'd like.

If i could find a PCP deal at a decent APR it'd make things more tempting. But it's either finance with PCP at 10.9% where at least i'm left with a balloon payment at the end so i'm only actually financing around £16k, or take a loan out for the full amount at 3% which makes a lot more sense but leaves me with a fairly hefty monthly.

This is what ends up putting me off, the thought of spending £450 a month on a loan repayment for 5 years and all the things i could do with that money otherwise. If i could get a PCP around the £300 a month mark at a more reasonable APR it'd make it more tempting.

You'd be surprised at how much more affordable you can get a new Mercedes on PCH. I did this for my C class coupe as there are some seriously good deals if you check regularly. Much better than any PCP deals I saw.

You do have to check regularly for good deals though. For example, to get the car I have now with the same deposit, it's around £150-£200 per month more expensive than when I signed the agreement.

 

[Bear]

I just put a deposit on one on Monday. Being serviced and MOT'd this week and should hopefully be ready later this week. Interested to see what ownership is like!

Haha everyone is going mad for v8s all of a sudden

 

[NathWraith]

I have just left a deposit on a facelift Paladium Silver C63 estate. Pics to follow when I collect.

I’m still quite blown away by it!

Glorious! Pics once you have collected.

Seriously can everyone stop buying 63s for a while? I need no one to buy them so the price comes down a bit so I can grab one!

The impending non V8 next gen C63 and EV vehicles taking over must be making people wanting to have a lat hurrah.

 

[MouthBoy]

Glorious! Pics once you have collected.



The impending non V8 next gen C63 and EV vehicles taking over must be making people wanting to have a lat hurrah.

Yea I agree. I really want a V8 at some point and it is a genuine thought that I may not be able too before I can afford it.

 

[Bear]

The impending non V8 next gen C63 and EV vehicles taking over must be making people wanting to have a lat hurrah.

Perhaps I should keep mine forever and drive round like madmax, in the last of the v8s

 

[Gaygle]

Seriously can everyone stop buying 63s for a while? I need no one to buy them so the price comes down a bit so I can grab one!

Sorry...



Picking it up tomorrow

 

[Muska]

Glorious! Pics once you have collected.



The impending non V8 next gen C63 and EV vehicles taking over must be making people wanting to have a lat hurrah.

They're certainly factors that have sped up my ownership. We wont be able to enjoy cars like this forever. That's what I told the wife anyway!

Picked it up today, managed 26mpg on the drive home so I'm definitely not using it correctly! Pics tomorrow when it's had the first (of many) cleans.

Needless to say though, I am in love with it already.