I've always wondered...

Appalling isn't it?

Why can't we buy the car from the factory, collect from there and save thousands?

(29-01-2012 12:12am)Grah Wrote:  Appalling isn't it?

Why can't we buy the car from the factory, collect from there and save thousands?

If only!!!!!!

(29-01-2012 12:12am)Grah Wrote:  Appalling isn't it?

Why can't we buy the car from the factory, collect from there and save thousands?

I think factory collection is available with Mercedes (or used to be), but have not taken up the option. I doubt that any money would be saved by doing so as this would have appealed to me! I stand ready to be corrected if I am wrong, as I never looked closely at this!

You still have to order your Merc from a UK dealer and not direct from the factory so you save nothing, plus you have to have some form of transport to get to Germany to collect the car as they don't take your old one at the factory! Even LR employees have to order through a dealership but use an employee discount code/ letter as far as I know

Im sure if you buy a ferrari you have to pay extra to collect from the factory! madness

As far as the UK is concerned. I wouldn't be surprised if the dealer profit base margin on the vehicle is in a range of 2 to 7.5%, it hasn't been very much for a good many years.

The real profit comes from the finance (GAP is another profit opportunity) and trade-in components of the deal - oh yes and that 'special' polish that the unwary will gleefully spend hundreds on... Some manufacturers also provide retrospective bonues (additional profit) for achieving a certain volume of sales in a given time period too - though in the longer term this is detrimental to the brand.