New car beckons Advice

[mercmanuk]

Hi all it's new car time my baby is 10 years old,98000 miles and just run in i am a member of a car forum but i like peoples fresh approach to situations, i am considering the dark side so would be hounded off my regular car site . so choices are.

1. Lexus RX300 SE L <<<<dark side

2. BMW X5 3.d <<<<dark side

3. Mercedes ML55 AMG

All 4x4 soft roaders

Also to confuse things, I am considering keeping mine and suffering in silance + spending a bit of money on the one i already have upgrading her a bit..my car has never let me down once, if it wasn't for my wheelchair/ baby's pram ..+ shopping i don't think i would be considering changing it, but there is not the room in a saloon boot and i stay in a lot because it hassle for my wife dragging my chair to the car as well as the pram, this way they could both stay in the car,



so anyone had any experience of the 3 cars i drove the ML55 AMG today and it did not blow me away, i have a Mercedes already and thats a 3L TD, the ML did not have much in it no wow factor, the Lexus has a impressive interior, and Auto open /close tail gate, but have yet to drive, the BMW's are thrown in as no one in the family owns one, and i have yet to look at them.

so i would be defecting to the dark side on two of them but TBH the AMG did not cut the mustard with me.

Regards Mark.

 

[russdaz]

No personal experiance in that i have never owned any of them, but a freind has the BMW and its spent more time in the dealership then on the road to the point his getting shot, to replace it with a Audi Q7.

I know someone with a Toureg (sp?) and loves it to bits

 

[inaneredstripe]

prius?

 

[Flash In The Pan]

It all depends on whether you are buying new or used, what age of vehicle we are talking about

1. Lexus RX300 An awful lot of these end up in the auctions, so either they are amazingly popular and there are loads of them on the road, or no sod wants them and the dealers dump them immediately they get traded in

2.X5 d. I like these, but it's not a Merc...so you might not

3. ML55 AMG. new model or old? The only thing that turns up more often at the auctions than the RX300 is the old model ML, the "normal" ones hold their value about as well as the Titanic held water. I'm sure the AMG is worth more, but I'm also sure it will be just as badly built.

The Touareg, as suggested by russdaz, might be worth a look, it's basically just the Porsche Cayenne's less ugly sister - a lot cheaper secondhand too....

 

[Ant]

Do you really want a soft roader?

How about something Saab shaped?

But if it has to be a soft roader, you may as well get a range rover. Range rover sports start at £38.5k rather than the £41k of the BMW.

 

[Flash In The Pan]

Oh yeah.....check the CO2 banding too or you might be looking at £££ for VED

 

[Joe T]

This gives me the horn!

 

[Gary]

simple - buy the merc so you dont have to change your forum ID

 

[mercmanuk]

prius?

nothing that helps the envioment please, i am a Gorden hater, on the other hand

all electric

Do you really want a soft roader?

How about something Saab shaped?

But if it has to be a soft roader, you may as well get a range rover. Range rover sports start at £38.5k rather than the £41k of the BMW.

i have to get my wheelchair in the saab is nice but it sort of loses it's image with my chair hanging out the back

Range rover i have hear horror stories about these air suspension, electrics etc

Oh yeah.....check the CO2 banding too or you might be looking at £££ for VED

not a problem, but thanks for the heads up, yes mine car is pre 2001 so not extra coin for Gorden in car tax. but pay put more on the new one, well thought of.

simple - buy the merc so you dont have to change your forum ID

the the ML55 AMG gave my no wow factor at all very disapointed a cl 600 is quicker,

VW tourag well thats an option will make enquires at the dealer i am looking for new second hand,

Regards Mark.

 

[mercmanuk]

It all depends on whether you are buying new or used, what age of vehicle we are talking about

1. Lexus RX300 An awful lot of these end up in the auctions, so either they are amazingly popular and there are loads of them on the road, or no sod wants them and the dealers dump them immediately they get traded in

2.X5 d. I like these, but it's not a Merc...so you might not

3. ML55 AMG. new model or old? The only thing that turns up more often at the auctions than the RX300 is the old model ML, the "normal" ones hold their value about as well as the Titanic held water. I'm sure the AMG is worth more, but I'm also sure it will be just as badly built.

The Touareg, as suggested by russdaz, might be worth a look, it's basically just the Porsche Cayenne's less ugly sister - a lot cheaper secondhand too....

The ML was a 55 plate and a terrible build quality, and again foot down and nothing happened so is either got a serious problem or its just not ding it for me, my 3LTD takes off just as quick the Porsche Cayenne's to far over to the dark side

This gives me the horn!

urmmm not sure, but i like the colour, a few years back that was the only colour we could drive, unless it was a desert job

Regards Mark.

 

[JumboBeef]

I'm just not sure about these soft roaders.....

I'm a big fan of off roaders, 4x4s whatever you want to call them, but I can't see the point of soft roaders, sorry.

OK, they are good at pulling trailers, horseboxes and the like (but so are off roaders) but apart from that, what are they good for? They certainly can't go off road and can get stuck on the smallest bit of mud or snow (I pulled an X5 out of a muddy car park at a show, his tyres were useless for off roading).

I also think soft roaders are the reason 4x4s in general get such a bad press. True 4x4s have a purpose, but I struggle to see what purpose soft roaders have. At least that Chevy Blazer up there ^^^ can go off road, or through snow or mud etc and not get stuck.

Tyres are the most important part of a 4x4, and with soft roaders you can't fit decent tyres. Look at You Tube, there are lots of videos with soft roaders stuck in a few inches of mud or snow.

I would have though the values of large soft roaders will fall through the floor: once they are a few years old, the £440 road tax is going to hurt and as they have no off road capability they are not going to be bought by 4x4 fans. Who will buy them? I think a new, or new-ish, soft roader has got to be just about the worst thing to invest you money in.

 

[Borats Baby]

I'm just not sure about these soft roaders.....

I'm a big fan of off roaders, 4x4s whatever you want to call them, but I can't see the point of soft roaders, sorry.

OK, they are good at pulling trailers, horseboxes and the like (but so are off roaders) but apart from that, what are they good for? They certainly can't go off road and can get stuck on the smallest bit of mud or snow (I pulled an X5 out of a muddy car park at a show, his tyres were useless for off roading).

I also think soft roaders are the reason 4x4s in general get such a bad press. True 4x4s have a purpose, but I struggle to see what purpose soft roaders have. At least that Chevy Blazer up there ^^^ can go off road, or through snow or mud etc and not get stuck.

Tyres are the most important part of a 4x4, and with soft roaders you can't fit decent tyres. Look at You Tube, there are lots of videos with soft roaders stuck in a few inches of mud or snow.

I would have though the values of large soft roaders will fall through the floor: once they are a few years old, the £440 road tax is going to hurt and as they have no off road capability they are not going to be bought by 4x4 fans. Who will buy them? I think a new, or new-ish, soft roader has got to be just about the worst thing to invest you money in.

What he said !! ^^

If wheelchair access is an issue, why not look at something just as big, but more practical. ?

Cant think of much off the top of me head, but something like a Galaxy or Zafira etc...

Question : Why MUST it be a soft roader ?

 

[Wail]

Hi,

I think your need for a softroader is justified since you need to put your wheelchair and the pram in it. I&#8217;ve spent years with some severe ailments that meant I had to travel in these types of vehicles.

However, apart from your need to put your wheelchair in there, you&#8217;ve not mentioned what other &#8220;special&#8221; features you need.

Of the three you&#8217;ve mentioned, I&#8217;ve tried both the Lexus and Mercedes. As much as I love Mercedes to death, and as much as it commands better luxury and style; it is &#8211; sadly &#8211; no match for the Lexus.

As a matter of fact, no one makes &#8220;everyday&#8221; cars as good as Toyota / Lexus do. I know this can be argued forever by many; but I speak from experience (both from within the industry and as an end-user). Hence, that&#8217;s why Toyota / Lexus are the world&#8217;s top selling brand. As for luxury, funny that they are now competing with the likes of Mercedes, BMW and Audi.

There are some other good softroaders out there, the Toyota Landcruiser; but this is a monster of a truck. I&#8217;ve owend a few back in my home country (Saudi Arabia); these are some of the world&#8217;s best off-roaders, great internal space, and where petrol is cheap it is fun to own.

Others that I&#8217;ve owned are the Cadillac SRX V8. Great speed and luxury, but crappy service and after sales. Of course, in the UK don&#8217;t even think of GM.

Audi do the Q7, just as BMW do the X5, X3 and X6, just as VW do the Touareg (sp), even Porsche got in to the game .. keep in mind that Lamborghini were the first to make these mega-cars with the LM007 .. all are just as good (bad) as the Mercedes. It&#8217;s just down to what style you&#8217;d like ot go with.

If you want something big for road drives, but can take your wheel chair and that pram, plus space for other medical equipments (as was the case for me), while getting something that is VERY reliable and good service standards then stick with the Lexus / Toyota range.

 

[Ant]

How about something like a ford S max?

Or has it got to be one of those german prestige brands?

 

[mercmanuk]

I will Keep it short and sweet, test drove the ML crap, the guy at BMW could not be ar**d Getting a car out, Lexus great,customer service spot on chair right in , pram right in, long list of extras voice activated sat nav get this ask it for a fast food joint and it points them out on screen that actually worked, in fact you can ask it all the POI's stored,just a murmur of sound, multimedia DVD screens, Beige leather, Auto, reversing camera with a green cross and three red lines you line up when parking no twisting round ,Auto tail gate open close, 2 years free servicing, full tank of fuel, get to take out the stunning secretary for an evening meal) just kidding about the fuel , sold it for me, no sliding in backwards,or having to stand up when leaving just swing out and already i the standing position,

Well it's got 8/10 so far for me.

regards Mark

 

[Wail]

Well, then .. with that's going for the Lexus what are you wainting for?

 

[Wail]

Other softroaders are the Shogun (Mitsubishi), a good one .. but depreciation is a bit too harsh, and aftersales service isn&#8217;t up to Lexus standards.

Citroen & Peugeot now also make softroaders, keep in mind that these two companies are really just one company with different branding. Their new softroaders are based on the Shogun.

The Koreans makes also come in to the game, but with smaller models and will not fit your needs.

Suzuki Grand Vitara (not sure if this is available in UK) is a good size and rides / drives more like a sedan than a softroader. Still, not enough storage space.

The Germans makers, sadly as I&#8217;ve said before, as much as I love them (excluding BMW which is a joke), they don&#8217;t measure up in terms of after sales service, on-board specs (unless you pay £££).

The American (GM in all iterations from Hummer to Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet .. you name them; Ford; and Chryslers) are the laughing stock of softroaders. They are huge, gas guzzling, very unstable at speeds (motorway speeds), excruciating bad after sales service, horrid depreciation. As a matter of fact, I&#8217;ve never been surprised at the losses these car makers make on each single vehicle they sell, due to their funny business practices and R&D.

Back to the best of the lot, and yet again, sadly it would be the Lexus. I say sadly since one would have thought a company like Mercedes with over 110 years of automotive pedigree would be able to get this right. Also, with their acquisition of Chrysler, one would think they&#8217;d get a lot of R&D & intellectual capital head&#8217;s up. Of course, that was not the case (only emphasises the poor standards of US cars) and stresses how badly Mercedes got their act in recent years.

 

[DoubleT]

i would go for the ML55 amg if you can afford to run it, i was gunna say the x5, ( of course) but you gotta love ALL amg's

 

[mercmanuk]

Other softroaders are the Shogun (Mitsubishi), a good one .. but depreciation is a bit too harsh, and aftersales service isn&#8217;t up to Lexus standards.

Citroen & Peugeot now also make softroaders, keep in mind that these two companies are really just one company with different branding. Their new softroaders are based on the Shogun.

The Koreans makes also come in to the game, but with smaller models and will not fit your needs.

Suzuki Grand Vitara (not sure if this is available in UK) is a good size and rides / drives more like a sedan than a softroader. Still, not enough storage space.

The Germans makers, sadly as I&#8217;ve said before, as much as I love them (excluding BMW which is a joke), they don&#8217;t measure up in terms of after sales service, on-board specs (unless you pay £££).

The American (GM in all iterations from Hummer to Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet .. you name them; Ford; and Chryslers) are the laughing stock of softroaders. They are huge, gas guzzling, very unstable at speeds (motorway speeds), excruciating bad after sales service, horrid depreciation. As a matter of fact, I&#8217;ve never been surprised at the losses these car makers make on each single vehicle they sell, due to their funny business practices and R&D.

Back to the best of the lot, and yet again, sadly it would be the Lexus. I say sadly since one would have thought a company like Mercedes with over 110 years of automotive pedigree would be able to get this right. Also, with their acquisition of Chrysler, one would think they&#8217;d get a lot of R&D & intellectual capital head&#8217;s up. Of course, that was not the case (only emphasises the poor standards of US cars) and stresses how badly Mercedes got their act in recent years.

yes you are right Mercedes have lost the plot, i could tell you stories that would make you raise an eyebrow on mercedes customer service, i was one of the first to take issue with DCUK on my other forum, RUST was a big issue, i had mine completely renewed --new doors x4 1x bonnet 1x boot lid 2x new wings, resprayed ...cost to mercedes £7000.00, then the flood gates opened i was one of the lucky one's who pushed first for the paint warranty to be honored, the cars suffered as a result of moving to SA and quality took a big dip, i have not wriiten them off completely yet i may give them one more chance and take my money else where ...as if they care LOL.

Regards Mark.

i would go for the ML55 amg if you can afford to run it, i was gunna say the x5, ( of course) but you gotta love ALL amg's

I went for a test drive, the sales man was pleased to go out in the AMG we took the thing round the back of Manchester city's ground, he did not even know the road existed, 100 yard away and if you follow it round it brings you back a the dealership, so foot down, he grips his seat smiling like a Cheshire cat, me Dum De Dum , was that it, TBH coming from my 3 liter TD which was the fastest diesel on the road at the time in 1998, it was like a crawl in the park, there was summit wrong with that one. my BA**s should be up round my neck, TBH a CL 500 standard would be faster, SO i had another run, nothing up to 70 in second rev at 7500 still a bit to go well just a pleasant jaunt.

Insurance fully comp me + wife fully protected no claims bonus £800
Fuel school and back, a 3 liter diesel + price of Diesel to 5.5 liter petrol is nither here nor there,

road fund licence ?????

there is a silver one in Sussex that i like the look of and may request it brought up, i will be on the phone tomorrow asking them if the cars right because my gran would have court up with it. just after thought the accelerator pedel was a bit loose and there was no kick down felt this could be the throttle linkage, loose pedals hrmmmm.back to other forum.

Regards Mark.

 

[kevshore]

I specialise in repairing Mercs and BMW's. I own a Range Rover Vogue. There's a hint in there for you.
I've done almost 60,000 miles in 2 1/2yrs and it hasn't let me down once. Including the air suspension. (the earlier ones have probs).
Go roadtest one and then try and drive the others on the same day whilst its still fresh in your head.
I used to work for Mercedes and BMW, so in some ways I should lean towards them (at least my customers think so anyway!). But I buy on quality and the Vogue is the boss.


Kev.

 

[Wail]

Now, Range Rover / Land Rover has pedigree! Much like Mercedes when it comes to softroads & offroads. I wonder if anyone remembers that Mercedes G Wagon? These were some of the ugliest machines, but outstanding offroad capabilities only surpassed by Land Rovers.

That said, I don't know how well the new Range Rovers are, and to be honest ... as they are made in UK, I would not want to think negatively about them. Suffice to say, Kev's business vs. what he drives tells the whole story.

But, AMG do make outstanding performance cars (not in terms of reliability) ... much to the envy of BMW M series and many others.

 

[mercmanuk]

I specialise in repairing Mercs and BMW's. I own a Range Rover Vogue. There's a hint in there for you.
I've done almost 60,000 miles in 2 1/2yrs and it hasn't let me down once. Including the air suspension. (the earlier ones have probs).
Go roadtest one and then try and drive the others on the same day whilst its still fresh in your head.
I used to work for Mercedes and BMW, so in some ways I should lean towards them (at least my customers think so anyway!). But I buy on quality and the Vogue is the boss.


Kev.

Will do the range rover was on my list, i had the pleasure of driving the land rover TD5 special edition for a long while, my clutch leg was dead and three sizes bigger than the right leg, and i walked at a funny angle after a long drive i had to wear ear plugs to drown out the noise, my right elbow was constantly bruised i could not feel my Ar** after half hours slog i had to wind the window down to in and out the tyres would rip through anything and it did, the winch came in handy, but never again>>>>> i would have a uni-mog

Regards Mark

Now, Range Rover / Land Rover has pedigree! Much like Mercedes when it comes to softroads & offroads. I wonder if anyone remembers that Mercedes G Wagon? These were some of the ugliest machines, but outstanding offroad capabilities only surpassed by Land Rovers.

That said, I don't know how well the new Range Rovers are, and to be honest ... as they are made in UK, I would not want to think negatively about them. Suffice to say, Kev's business vs. what he drives tells the whole story.

But, AMG do make outstanding performance cars (not in terms of reliability) ... much to the envy of BMW M series and many others.

Lexus is battering them all up to now for customer service and product, space, functionality, and gadgets + has the edge on insurance, so away we go,

Regards Mark.

 

[Gary]

How about something like a ford S max?

Or has it got to be one of those german prestige brands?

they are only prestige if you live in the UK

if you live anywhere else they are taxis

 

[JumboBeef]

we took the thing round the back of Manchester city's ground.....nothing up to 70 in second rev at 7500 still a bit to go well just a pleasant jaunt.

Err, have you just confessed to doing 70 in a built up area?

 

[spannerdude]

This gives me the horn!

LOL, I used to service one of these. As an off roader it would have sunk in concrete. When you pulled the handbrake the tension on the cable twisted the chassis c-section Most of the interior lead a life of it's own, completely independant of the rest of the vehicle. The front tyres used to wear in a strange way because it had UJ's on the front axle rather than cv joints.
But the v8 diesel was one of the sweetest motors I've ever seen :shrug:

 

[bookwyse]

Have to agree with Wail on this one. Have driven most of them, The X5 bloody awful, Merc, yet another MErc I'm afraid to say and yet the Lexus is a well designed and built car. I worked at the Lexus dealer in Kent for three years and never heard a bad thing about them. But for true off road capabilty then it has to be the Land Cruiser (the Aussies have a saying that goes ' if want to go into the desert take a Land Rover if you want to come back take a Land Cruiser).

I lived in Saudi for a number of years and the only motor worth having over there is the Land Cruiser, more than capable of trips from Riyadh to Dammam and Jeddah and aso a lot of fun in the desert. However be warned these are HUGGGGEEEE beasts and need a lot of parking space!!!!!!!

SO either go for the Lexus or be very brake and have a Land Cruiser.

Hi,

I think your need for a softroader is justified since you need to put your wheelchair and the pram in it. I’ve spent years with some severe ailments that meant I had to travel in these types of vehicles.

However, apart from your need to put your wheelchair in there, you’ve not mentioned what other “special” features you need.

Of the three you’ve mentioned, I’ve tried both the Lexus and Mercedes. As much as I love Mercedes to death, and as much as it commands better luxury and style; it is – sadly – no match for the Lexus.

As a matter of fact, no one makes “everyday” cars as good as Toyota / Lexus do. I know this can be argued forever by many; but I speak from experience (both from within the industry and as an end-user). Hence, that’s why Toyota / Lexus are the world’s top selling brand. As for luxury, funny that they are now competing with the likes of Mercedes, BMW and Audi.

There are some other good softroaders out there, the Toyota Landcruiser; but this is a monster of a truck. I’ve owend a few back in my home country (Saudi Arabia); these are some of the world’s best off-roaders, great internal space, and where petrol is cheap it is fun to own.

Others that I’ve owned are the Cadillac SRX V8. Great speed and luxury, but crappy service and after sales. Of course, in the UK don’t even think of GM.

Audi do the Q7, just as BMW do the X5, X3 and X6, just as VW do the Touareg (sp), even Porsche got in to the game .. keep in mind that Lamborghini were the first to make these mega-cars with the LM007 .. all are just as good (bad) as the Mercedes. It’s just down to what style you’d like ot go with.

If you want something big for road drives, but can take your wheel chair and that pram, plus space for other medical equipments (as was the case for me), while getting something that is VERY reliable and good service standards then stick with the Lexus / Toyota range.

 

[Flash In The Pan]

I have to agree on the Land Cruiser, but it's a big beast of a vehicle (especially the Amazon), therefore the Lexus would be the obvious choice, but I can't help but wonder why so many of them get dumped into the auctions, even by the Lexus dealers

Audi do the Q7, just as BMW do the X5, X3 and X6, just as VW do the Touareg (sp), even Porsche got in to the game .. .. all are just as good (bad) as the Mercedes

No disrespect to Merc owners, and Mark has already highlighted this issue himself, but Mercedes quality has been woeful since the mid nineties when the accounts took over running the company. You only have to look at a Y reg Merc and then at a Y reg Corsa, or Skoda, or any other budget car. The Merc will more than likely be rotten - wheelarches, bootlid, bonnet, floor, chassis rails (!) whilst the Corsa or Skoda which cost a fraction of the Merc will still be rust-free. BMW had the same money-related quality reduction when they introduced the E36 3 series, but unlike Mercedes, they listened to their customers and got things back on track pdq

 

[mercmanuk]

Err, have you just confessed to doing 70 in a built up area?

there is nothing or nobody there it's Manchester city's stadium and I'm a true blue, the new east lands stand was delivered the other day from DFS(three seater settee, )M'lord i was nearly at 7500 revs not 70 mph as i was in neutral i think it could be wrong OHHHH my meds

The Lexus is well and truly in the lead now

Regards Mark

 

[mercmanuk]

I have to agree on the Land Cruiser, but it's a big beast of a vehicle (especially the Amazon), therefore the Lexus would be the obvious choice, but I can't help but wonder why so many of them get dumped into the auctions, even by the Lexus dealers

Audi do the Q7, just as BMW do the X5, X3 and X6, just as VW do the Touareg (sp), even Porsche got in to the game .. .. all are just as good (bad) as the Mercedes

No disrespect to Merc owners, and Mark has already highlighted this issue himself, but Mercedes quality has been woeful since the mid nineties when the accounts took over running the company. You only have to look at a Y reg Merc and then at a Y reg Corsa, or Skoda, or any other budget car. The Merc will more than likely be rotten - wheelarches, bootlid, bonnet, floor, chassis rails (!) whilst the Corsa or Skoda which cost a fraction of the Merc will still be rust-free. BMW had the same money-related quality reduction when they introduced the E36 3 series, but unlike Mercedes, they listened to their customers and got things back on track pdq

None taken you are dead right, we had a chat about this on my other web site, no disrespect to any salesmen/women, they are payed a salary not great, they no nothing of the product as there is to much to know, they only quote fugues at you that you have already read in the pamphlet, and they really get PI**ed off with people spending 30-150 grand on cars that they would never be able to own, it's like being in a sweet shop and not being able to touch, or in a camera shop and not be able to handle the goods, and then there are those who are bored with all this yes sir/madam cr*p, and i don't blame them, but lexus are differant i will find out why in a while,

Regards Mark.

 

[Kerioak]

Will I get laughed off the forum if I suggest one of these as they don't seem to have been mentioned yet ?

 

[Flash In The Pan]

None taken you are dead right, we had a chat about this on my other web site, no disrespect to any salesmen/women, they are payed a salary not great, they no nothing of the product as there is to much to know, they only quote fugues at you that you have already read in the pamphlet, and they really get PI**ed off with people spending 30-150 grand on cars that they would never be able to own, it's like being in a sweet shop and not being able to touch, or in a camera shop and not be able to handle the goods, and then there are those who are bored with all this yes sir/madam cr*p, and i don't blame them, but lexus are differant i will find out why in a while,

Regards Mark.

The trouble is that when you go into a dealership to spend £30-150k on a car ( and this applies to stuff at £6k too) you see the transaction from the point of view of what the car costs, ie, if you're spending £30k you want £30k worth of "retail foreplay" as Quentin Wilson calls it.

The salesman, on the other hand, sees you and the deal as whatever they will get in commission and treats you accordingly. For example when Reg Vardy had the Mercedes franchise in Glasgow the salesman's basic commission on £150K of AMG was £50...

 

[Wail]

£50 commission on an AMG !!! Wow, now that's silly ... what would it be for a normal C class then?

No offence, but I am sure I am missing something here

 

[Flash In The Pan]

£50 per car, regardless of the value.The usual rate in the trade is 1% of the final sale price plus commission on any finance or extra warranty. Depending on the dealer/manufacturer then there are usually performance-related bonuses as well.

I remember one salesman many moons ago who sold 24 cars (not Mercs) to a fleet customer and instead of receiving £50 per bonnet as he was expecting got £50 for the lot, as his employers said it was £50 per deal not per car

 

[mercmanuk]

£50 per sale well that explains it then, you would be better going to one of the mega car shops and let them drewl all over you for the deal, this was a bit of me but when i bought the Merc, it was over a 100 miles away in Carlisle, so i arranged for a test drive of the equivalent at one of these mega stores in Manchester,the wife could see how much bigger the Merc was against our Volvo, We had our test drive, for two solid days that salesman rang every hour on the hour trying to close the deal, we got to a point where i was £500 adrift and he even offered to lend ME the money to close the deal, i was already at Mercedes Benz carlisle and he was still calling trying to close the deal, in the end he gave up, i feel really bad about that . but i just think of all the people he has probably screwed in a deal, that's enough to justify it for me, other may think different.

Regards Mark

for sale 28-300mm sigma look in the for sale section

 

[Flash In The Pan]

Drifting off topic a bit, but double glazing salesmen are my favourite to wind up. the last one who came round to try and sell me new windows left with the line "I hate this job"

 

[Wail]

£50 per car, regardless of the value.The usual rate in the trade is 1% of the final sale price plus commission on any finance or extra warranty. Depending on the dealer/manufacturer then there are usually performance-related bonuses as well.

I remember one salesman many moons ago who sold 24 cars (not Mercs) to a fleet customer and instead of receiving £50 per bonnet as he was expecting got £50 for the lot, as his employers said it was £50 per deal not per car

That is very sad .. and frankly I think your friend is being taken for a ride (excuse the pun).

I worked and consulted for the automotive business for a few good years, from the majority of the dealers I've seen there has always been a matrix for sales commissios that take into account targets, achievements, none-core-products (e.g. extended warrantees, insurance, detailing, windows tinting, etc.), type of vehicle, funding type (cash, leasing - who's doing the leasing adds another dimention -, installment); as you can see, the list would be rather complex.

For luxury brands (Mercedes being one of them) it would not be unheardoff for a sales consultant to earn three digits ~ four digits (yes that's £10,000s) in commission .. especially if working in Fleet Sales.

But £50 is seriously a rip-off.

Even GM pay out more than that .. and I've seen Fleet Sales Consultants working for GM getting over £10,000 a month in commission.

 

[Wail]

Drifting off topic a bit, but double glazing salesmen are my favourite to wind up. the last one who came round to try and sell me new windows left with the line "I hate this job"

What on Earth did you do to him? Please do tell .. even if it has to be in a new thread

 

[Flash In The Pan]

What on Earth did you do to him? Please do tell .. even if it has to be in a new thread

quickly...

salesman " these windows have a special security feature in that they can't be cut out and removed to gain access to your property"

me "really? Is that common?"

salesman "oh, yes, many burglars remove a window to get into houses"

me "so....do many burglars remove 12ft long front windows like the one you're trying to sell me to break in?"

salesman "err.....err....these windows have a unique, err....err...what's that word??"

me "could you just hand the brochure over and I'll read it myself?"

Salesman "If i could do the window for £2000, what would you say?"

me "I'd say 'why are you three times more expensive than XXX company?"

Salesman "our windows have a unique......how about £1500? £1400?£1300?£1200?£800?"

me " No thanks,can you show me any doors?"

salesman "no..."

me "allow me to show you one...."

This actually took place over an hour of soul-destroying (for him) sales pitch

 

[Wail]

That's mean .. thank God I am not knocking on your door with a sales pitch

 

[Flash In The Pan]

That's mean .. thank God I am not knocking on your door with a sales pitch

He was reading the whole pitch straight from the brochure, if you are going to try and sell stuff you should at least have the courtesy to learn your lines and if possible try and have at least a little bit of knowlegde cough: Jessops) abou the products you are selling...