Wimmer's upcoming new ride...

[cawimmer430]

Wimmers is nearly 46k EUR!

I mean if you can afford it and you want it, go for it. But I feel like that's a lot of money for not a lot of car. A loaded up Ford Focus (vingale)  is literally half price.

Mine is actually closer to 48,000 Euros. 

But I am buying it through my business which means I can get up to 9% (or more) discount.

I'm trading in the BMW which was valued by the in-house Dekra of Mercedes Munich at 6,500 Euros. More discount.

There's also the possibility that I can get the dealership to register the car in their name for a day, and the next day I will pick it up as the second owner. This is called a Tageszulassung in Germany and some dealerships offer it. This means once the car is registered with the first owner, the dealership, a huge depreciation sets in (I was told it's around 5,000 Euros).

This guy explains it pretty well.


That is widespread in Germany too AFAIK. It partly a tax saving but partly price 'politics'. It's called 'Tageszulassung'. Not fully au fait with the details, but I think either the manufacturer or the dealer registers the car as owned but never drive it. That way the car has 0km on the clock but is theoretically a used car. We found a load of good deals when we bought our car last year. Example: Fiat Stilo 1 year old, 0km, top 'ausstattung', upholstery, CD, aircon, and other gadgets, worth €18500 cost €12000. Didn't go for that because I am not a Fiat fan, but there were other similar deals. A ring around for good 'Tageszulassung' deals might turn up something.

Link: https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/7946-buying-a-new-car-in-germany/

[cawimmer430]

That's $50k!  That's like E class territory.

Yeah, it's an expensive car but here people don't really think in terms of "$50k for an A-Class? I'd rather get an E-Class for the same money!"

They think in terms of "I want a ___________ [insert brand here] which fits into my garage space!" Literally. So even if it's a smaller car which costs the same as a bigger car, people may go for the smaller car because it's what they know will fit into their garage etc.

I do think the A-Class is worth the premium over other cars, and I had the same feeling in the BMW 118i. For example, I checked out the Volkswagen Golf Wagon, Skoda Fabia and a Toyota Auris Wagon just for fun. Nice cars, but they lacked that solidity feel that you get in the BMW 1er or A-Class when you open the doors and sit inside. The doors on the Golf, Fabia and Auris felt and sounded cheap and flimsy. On my 1er and in the A-Class the doors open and shut with a heavy feel of authority and solidity.

These are intangible features that BMW and MB somehow engineered into their cars and Volkswagen and Toyota didn't in the case with the Golf/Fabia/Auris. It's those little attention to detail issues which reassure me that there's a reason why they're asking more than other manufacturers. So essentially I as a consumer feel that a little more engineering or quality went into the 1er/A-Class and the Golf/Fabia/Auris were built to a price. Get what I mean? 

Plus, I do like cars and want some driving excitement. The Fabia and Auris do not offer that despite their value for money.

[68_427]

Mine is actually closer to 48,000 Euros. 

But I am buying it through my business which means I can get up to 9% (or more) discount.

I'm trading in the BMW which was valued by the in-house Dekra of Mercedes Munich at 6,500 Euros. More discount.

There's also the possibility that I can get the dealership to register the car in their name for a day, and the next day I will pick it up as the second owner. This is called a Tageszulassung in Germany and some dealerships offer it. This means once the car is registered with the first owner, the dealership, a huge depreciation sets in (I was told it's around 5,000 Euros).

This guy explains it pretty well.


That is widespread in Germany too AFAIK. It partly a tax saving but partly price 'politics'. It's called 'Tageszulassung'. Not fully au fait with the details, but I think either the manufacturer or the dealer registers the car as owned but never drive it. That way the car has 0km on the clock but is theoretically a used car. We found a load of good deals when we bought our car last year. Example: Fiat Stilo 1 year old, 0km, top 'ausstattung', upholstery, CD, aircon, and other gadgets, worth €18500 cost €12000. Didn't go for that because I am not a Fiat fan, but there were other similar deals. A ring around for good 'Tageszulassung' deals might turn up something.

Link: https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/7946-buying-a-new-car-in-germany/

I don't see why a dealership would eat profit like this just because you ask?  I think i've heard of some dealerships doing this to boost numbers (ie sales) to fudge the books, but never on a brand new customer ordered car.

[cawimmer430]

I don't see why a dealership would eat profit like this just because you ask?  I think i've heard of some dealerships doing this to boost numbers (ie sales) to fudge the books, but never on a brand new customer ordered car.

You're right. And this is why you have to "play the game". Go to a number of MB dealers and tell them that Audi or BMW is offering this much off on the competitor product / willing to register it for a day etc. It's worth a shot. I don't think they'll do this with someone who's ordering a poverty-spec A-Class, but when you're talking about the one I am gonna order it's pretty loaded.

At any rate, I've saved up enough cash to pay to full price, but I definitely wanna try and get them to come down with the price a little. 

[Galaxy]

He is buying the car directly from Mercedes-Benz, not an independent dealer.

[Morris Minor]

Congrats Christian. It's a great car and you'll love it.
The *only* little thing my left brain is saying is that having the lowered & skirted AMG package might be an issue if you have to go off onto bumpy tracks & stuff at remote photo shoot locations.

[Laconian]

Congrats Christian. It's a great car and you'll love it.
The *only* thing little thing my left brain is saying is that having the lowered & skirted AMG package might be an issue if you have to go off onto bumpy tracks & stuff at remote photo shoot locations.

Impossible! All roads are glassy smooth in Germany. 

[cawimmer430]

Congrats Christian. It's a great car and you'll love it.
The *only* little thing my left brain is saying is that having the lowered & skirted AMG package might be an issue if you have to go off onto bumpy tracks & stuff at remote photo shoot locations.

Thank you! 

I'm not too worried about the lowered stance. I went "off-road" with the 1er lots of times and it managed just fine. Right now I am more concerned with what wheels I should get for my winter wheels! By the time the car arrives (in 2-3 months) I'll possibly need winter wheels and tires fitted. Problem is, aside from the AMG wheels I ordered (19" AMG LMR) I don't like the other AMG wheels that are offered.


Here's a Dutchman reviewing what is basically my car; in English. A250 AMG Line with 19" AMG LMR wheels! Mine will be white! 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lar2yE4CxAs

[cawimmer430]

Update!

Got an 11% discount from a Mercedes dealer in the province by playing the game ("But BMW is offering almost 18% on a 125i bla bla bla...") if I am buying the car through my business. That's the absolute max they could go, and this was already VERY generous on their part. It's the dealer where I had a summer job years ago.

So basically I'm getting 5,300 Euros off from 48,000 Euros which my A250 AMG Line is worth with my options of choice. Add to that the 6,500 Euros I could get from them for the BMW 118i and I'm looking at 11,800 Euros off the price! Not bad! 


Let's see if Mercedes in Munich can do better!

[Laconian]

Maybe I can see this in person someday...!

[cawimmer430]

Maybe I can see this in person someday...!

Visit me in Germany next year and I'll take you for a ride on the Autobahn! 

I recently learned that the US is not getting the A-Class hatch but the A-Class sedan. Think of it as a "CLA replacement" even though Mercedes' is planning to sell the new CLA (and apparently the Shooting Brake) in the US again.

Before settling on the A-Class I was seriously considering a low mileage used CLA Shooting Brake; and for a very brief moment (a very brief moment) even a CLA45 AMG Shooting Brake. 

Anyway, you'll soon see these in the US! 

[giant_mtb]

Just get some 17" black steel wheels with thicker tires for winter.  Much comfier ride, especially on a cold tire.  Winter compounds are generally pretty flexible in the cold, but still.  Might look kinda cool, too.

[cawimmer430]

Just get some 17" black steel wheels with thicker tires for winter.  Much comfier ride, especially on a cold tire.  Winter compounds are generally pretty flexible in the cold, but still.  Might look kinda cool, too.

I definitely want the car to look good in the winter, so I am willing to pay for some nice wheels... I'm even thinking AMG again.

These would look nice as winter wheels.

[giant_mtb]

Pfffff.

[cawimmer430]

Pfffff.

Well this would be the cheap way to go...

[cawimmer430]

UPDATE!


The good news? Ordering it tomorrow! 


The bad news? They can only deliver the car in December because the demand is currently so high.

This also means that I'll be driving it until late April 2019 with its winter wheels - 18" AMGs, yes, I took the plunge on those as well because I care about aesthetics and an AMG body kit needs AMG wheels! 

So below, my 19" AMG summer wheels and my 18" AMG winter wheels! What do you guys think? I love the 19" summer rims, but man those 18" AMGs sure make good-looking winter wheels!

[Submariner]

Honestly, the stock rims look damn good, but the AMG's do look sharp.

Congrats on the car, BTW.  You got the V12, right?

[FoMoJo]

I like the winter rims better.  Slightly meaner look .  It accentuates the black bits on the car.

[cawimmer430]

Honestly, the stock rims look damn good, but the AMG's do look sharp.

The 18" AMG winter wheels are the default wheels when you select the AMG body kit. Had the 19"ers not come along those would have been my choice. But by fate, I saw an Iridium Silver new A-Class with those 19"ers on the road and I instantly fell in love and had to have them!

Congrats on the car, BTW.  You got the V12, right?

Nope, the quadruple turbocharged transversely-mounted V16 which takes up all of the trunk space.

The performance of the A250 is impressive. I thought the A180d I testdrove was pretty agile and quick - mine's gonna be super cool! It's the top-of-the-line A-Class until the A43 AMG and A53 AMG come along.

[cawimmer430]

I like the winter rims better.  Slightly meaner look .  It accentuates the black bits on the car.

Design is subjective!

I am just happy that I have good-looking AMG wheels for the winter and not some cheapo embarrassing plastic hubcaps or wheels which don't mix with the AMG body kit.

[HurricaneSteve]

Congrats!

[cawimmer430]

Congrats!

[Morris Minor]

Do you have somewhere to store the wheels when they're not being used?

[12,000 RPM]

Man that is a lot of money for an A-Class. How much is VAT there?

I guess for the money and end use it's hard to do much better. A similarly equipped GTI probably costs the same

[cawimmer430]

Do you have somewhere to store the wheels when they're not being used?

Yeah, at the workshop of a mechanic friend of my father's.

[cawimmer430]

Man that is a lot of money for an A-Class. How much is VAT there?

I guess for the money and end use it's hard to do much better. A similarly equipped GTI probably costs the same

It's an investment.

I'm also getting almost 11,500 Euros off the price; 6,500 Euros for the BMW, 5,000 Euros discount because I'm purchasing the car through and for my business. I plan on keeping the car for 10+ years. Not really interested in the Volkswagen Golf; the only Golf I really like is the Golf Wagon, especially in GTD trim!

Also, today I canceled the genuine AMG [winter] wheels, which would have increased the price by almost 2,500 Euros.

Instead I'm going for AMG-lookalikes from Rial, a German company who specializes in high quality wheels. Behold, the Rial M10!

[MrH]

2500 Euros for winter wheels!    Wimmer, sounds like I need to go be a photographer in Germany

[12,000 RPM]

No, you need to be a Benz dealer.

[MrH]

No, you need to be a Benz dealer.

True.

[cawimmer430]

2500 Euros for winter wheels!    Wimmer, sounds like I need to go be a photographer in Germany

Aesthetics are important for me. 

But if you've read my recent update I've cancelled the genuine AMG "winter" wheels and I'm going for the Rial M10. They look the same, they're high quality and the only difference is they don't say "AMG" on them. Oh, and they're almost 1,100 Euros cheaper! 

Here's an old A-Class with Rial M10 wheels.