Signed: 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ Sedan - $498/month - $499 DAS - Texas
Long post for context
MSRP: $116,315
Incentives and Discounts:
• MB lease cash Savings: $13,500
• Reignite loyalty: $5,000
• Total Dealer Savings: $16,829
Final Sale Price: $80,986
Trade-In Value: $41,463.20 (2021 BMW M340i lease)
Trade Payoff: $39,522.80
Equity Applied: $1,940.40
Taxes and Fees:
• Sales Tax (Estimate): $2,484.24
• Dealer Doc Fee: $225.00
• Title Fee: $33.00
• License Fee: $117.75
• Misc Fees (Inspection, Deputy, etc.): $200.93
Residual Value: 58%
Lease Terms: 24 months / 10k miles per year
Monthly Payment: $498 (tax included and tax credit)
Due at Signing: $499
The Deal Breakdown
I was in the market for a large suv or sedan and was seeing solid EV incentives so I focused my attention to the I7, EQS suv and sedan. I ended up securing an EQS 450+ sedan deal that I’m honestly very happy with. My trade was a BMW M340i lease, and while I’m a diehard BMW fanboy, I was ready to move on. Most dealers were either lowballing me or offering minimal equity ($2-3k at best). I wasn’t mad at the trade value here, though—I feel like the number made sense, and I cashed it in at a value I was comfortable with.
What’s crazy is that the sister store to this dealer tried to sell me the same car for more than double the payment. A few days later, they shipped it over to the dealer I worked with, and I ended up getting it for less than half the price they originally quoted me. Persistence really pays off in this game.
I also looked at a BMW i7 during the process—at $135k MSRP, I had an offer for $799 drive-and-sign or $693 with my trade-in. Solid car, but I couldn’t justify the jump when the EQS incentives were this strong.
Why This Deal Made Sense
-
High Residual Value: The 58% residual made a 2-year lease a no-brainer. Short term, low payments, and I’ll reevaluate when the market shifts.
-
Free Charging: Two years of free charging was a nice bonus—it definitely factored into my decision.
-
Incentives Stacking: Lease cash brought in $13,500, plus I tacked on another $500 through a random fleet/affinity discount (shoutout to the National Association of Realtors for that one).
-
Texas Tax Credit: Still in play, and it helped reduce my costs even further.
-
Tech and Screen: While I’m a BMW fan at heart, the tech in this Benz is unreal. The huge screen, the features—it’s on another level. I’m really impressed by it.
Comparisons and Alternatives
Initially, I leaned toward the EQS SUV, but the sedan incentives were way better. The SUV deal was $690/month with my trade-in, but it sold on Christmas Eve, so that option was off the table. The BMW i7 was tempting, but the price difference didn’t feel worth it at $799 drive-and-sign (or $693 with my trade).
Final Thoughts and Tips
• Stick to Your Guns: Dealers will throw out insane numbers, but patience and walking away work.
• Incentives Are Key: Ask about loyalty, fleet, affinity—some dealers are surprisingly lenient and don’t even verify.one dealer gave me affinity for NRA instead of NAR so I knew at that point they didn’t care to check my f you qualified and just gave you any incentive they could get their hands on. Ideally I should have broken the deal with more details than the autonation offer sheet because there seemed to be some inconsistencies in the math Like money factor and taxes and I think I might be missing 500 from the affinity incentive.
• Short Leases Win: High residuals and short terms make these luxury EV leases incredibly affordable.
As a BMW guy, the Benz tech really impressed me. The hyperscreen alone makes you feel like you’re driving something futuristic.
I’m thrilled with the deal and the car. For $498/month and $499 DAS, it’s hard to beat this level of luxury and technology in an EV. Hopefully, this post helps anyone else hunting for an EQS or similar deal! Let me know your thoughts or if you have questions! I know right now in Texas there are tax credits and the incentive is even greater this month and this car should be doable at low 400s with buy rate. I did try negotiating similar priced vehicles around Texas in Boerne and Plano and even with the offer sheet they said they couldn’t touch the deal. Who knows maybe January will change their mind. I finalized my deal the 30th of December and signed on the 31st for reference.
Side note: This car is huge. The i7 was bigger and this barely fits in my garage.
I’ll post the calculator later and will post in signed with my contract in the next day or so.