MB programs/availability have driven the price point past anything I find palatable. Is there still hope in NNJ?

Ask the Hackrs
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Hi Hackrs!

Hope everyone is doing well!

I live in Northern New Jersey and was looking to upgrade my 2019 Mercedes Benz C300 coupe to a 2021 (or '22) GLC/GLE coupe because I just had a son and need an SUV now. I’m leasing the '19 C300 coupe for 36 months with 10k miles per year, but the lease is up in November.

I keep receiving calls from the dealership I leased from looking to purchase the car. They’re telling me the pre-owned market is crazy for my “specialty” car and they can put me in a new car now “free and clear.” That’s a 6 month pull-ahead since my last payment is due in October! The car itself only has 10,361 miles on it which is just under 20k miles less than what I’m allotted. It’s white, has red leather interior, the night package and black rims. It’s a beautiful car, but not meeting my needs now that I have a son and need more room.

So I usually reach out to this one sales manager at one of Mercedes Benz dealers here in NNJ who is able to work up decent deals for me, however this time he more or less was discouraging me not to buy from Mercedes at this time due the the programs and availability driving the price point past anything I find palatable

He told me there is a waiting list for the GLC 300 & GLE 350s until November/December. Also, the The GLC300 Coupe leases in the $800/$900 range and the GLC43 AMG Coupe is around $1200. I honestly can’t believe these prices since my current lease is $565 per month.

One thing that I have going for me is my coupe is worth more than the payoff. The payoff is $34,079.93 and its worth approx. $39,000.00 so if I use the car as a trade-in essentially I have an extra ~$5000 to put down.

Having said all that, here I am putting it out there to Hackrs to see what the deal is and if there is any hope for me. I not only wanted to upgrade to an SUV, but was looking for something with a bigger engine. I really wanted to be done with 4 cylinder turbo and move on to something with a little more power.

I have 6 months time to play with so I’m open to any suggestions. I would love to lease GLC 300 C43 Coupe for 36 months with 10k miles per year and only pay taxes and fees up front. I also like the Range Rover Velar, but the dealership won’t even get back to me.

So what are my options ? Out of state? What’s a realistic lease payment?

I would appreciate any and all recommendations here.

Thanks in advance!!

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No you don’t. New parents got by with sedans for decades.

If you want a MB or RR you will pay dearly for one. Look at other brands.

Most cars do not lease well. This is truer now than it has ever been.

So unless you are willing to push this boulder uphill, you need to look at other makes/models that lease better and offer more value per dollar.

Check out the “Share a Deal” and “Marketplace” sections of LH forums to see what’s leasing well and narrow down your search.

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Check out @AutoCompanion – I doubt you will find anyone in NJ who can beat their prices on a MB right now, except for the occasional loaner. That said, not a good time to lease a Mercedes.

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It’s a good start that you have done preliminary research. However, you still need to hone into the details of it. First, decide what car suits your needs. There will be a huge difference in payment between the GLC and GLE with the way things are right now. Once you pick the car you want to pursue, look at existing threads from within the past 6 months, do your research of finding any incentives, MF/RV, needed miles etc. If you have the time, take a shot at reaching out to a dealer to find a deal, but if you want to save the time and headache, hit up @AutoCompanion and see what he can do for you. He (and his team) have a proven track record here when it comes to MB leases.

Edit: Also, are you stuck on coupes even on the SUV’s? If not, you’ve definitely save extra getting the regular SUV version of the model you choose to go with.

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Just wait and pray things get better. But even in the good times, you have to be much more open to brands and models. Last year the SQ5 leased much better than the GLC43 for example.

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Sounds like you have your answer here

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Not necessarily… Reading some people are able to make great deals out of state so I will look into that.

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Thank you :pray:t3: will send them a message.

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Who got a great deal on a GLC43 coupe?

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Have patience “grasshoppers” …. worldwide auto production will ramp up …

No sense of overpaying for a temporary situation….

And be happy that used car prices are at such a premium …. that too will change dramatically …

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I’ve been driving coupes now for over 10 years. I just love the look of them. It’s not something I usually compromise on and always pony up the extra money for the coupe. The GLE is a big car and very expensive so I believe that’s out… I will focus my time and energy on the GLC 300, but would love the C43 if I can figure something out. Will reach out to @AutoCompanion to check out my options. Thank you for the info and quick response :pray:t3:

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You’re right, I should have said “want” instead of “need,” but the 2 door coupe isn’t cutting it right now. I’ll do more research. Thanks!

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Since you have time on your hands, sign up for a Penfed membership (unless you are already a member). There is a thread on this forum with additional info, but here are some basics:

  1. All you need is $5 to open an account.
  2. After 60 days of membership, you can generate a certificate for an additional discount on MB cars and other brands
  3. Penfed can be combined with most manufacturer lease cash incentives.

Good luck.

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Not to mention practicality if the reason you are looking into an SUV is for utility/family needs.

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I have 6 months. How long do you think this temporary situation will last?

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We don’t need yet another stargazing/crystal ball/tealeaf reading thread. Do you actually have an answerable question?

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2021 GLC 300 has a $1250 fleet incentive which you can apply on top of any dealer discount ($500 lease cash will be excluded), while Penfed has $750 incentive. You can check if you qualify for fleet through your employer. If you don’t have fleet, you can join mbca for 1 year membership of $55 and get the same incentive (MBUSA Incentives | MBCA). You need to wait for 30 days after getting membership before you can reap the benefit.

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