SLS prices has the bubble burst
SLS prices has the bubble burst
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Discussion

martinvantage

Original Poster:

320 posts

208 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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Have noticed early RHD cars now down to list. It's on my wanted list . Am thinking of waiting a while. Thoughts?

iluvmercs

7,541 posts

256 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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Be careful to read some of the adverts. I was surprised to see a couple floating around the £140s, but then noticed they were "plus VAT", meaning they would be more in line with general prices.
But as with any expensive Merc, they will depreciate a great deal, so long as there's plenty of stock floating around.

So I guess you should wait, then buy yourself one of these superb cars. And please don't forget to tell us all about it and show us the photo biggrin

Darren

mickyveloce

1,035 posts

265 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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There`s a price rise ( and VAT rise!) in January , so this may preserve current values as production numbers are quite limited .

We`ve got one , and find it truly extraordinary as a car , an object of desire and a large piece of street theatre - I can`t imagine a more accomplished machine for the real world .

I was in Mercedes Stockton the other day and they`ve a black one advertised at £175k . Of course they`ll depreciate eventually , and unless you mothball one until pension time , you can`t really expect to speculate - just enjoy!

amg master

625 posts

224 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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h r owen had a silver with red advertised at 5k below list price.i think they have just sold it.
the bubble does seem to have burst but as there is a price rise of about 10% with the vat increase the prices will hold up.
the problem is nearly every dealer in the country seems to have a sls on show they will eventually go on sale.

PhilStone

14 posts

217 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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My brother is thinking about buying one as an investment - is it likely to appreciate in the future? I've told him it all depends on production numbers but haven't been able to find any info on numbers that Mercedes are intending to produce..

amg master

625 posts

224 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
quotequote all
PhilStone said:
My brother is thinking about buying one as an investment - is it likely to appreciate in the future? I've told him it all depends on production numbers but haven't been able to find any info on numbers that Mercedes are intending to produce..
when they were first offered you had to put 20k deposits down and were vetted by mercedes benz to be accepted for the car.they had said that only 200 were coming to the uk in the first year,but all of a sudden you have loads of dealers who have got cars sitting in dealerships and stories of people just walking into some dealers and getting a car straight away.
i dont think they will be investments not for a long time.
think of it this way if nearly every ferrari dealer had a 458 sitting in there showroom they wouldnt hold money for long.

pb1695

390 posts

205 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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Put it into context - it is a car. Cars in nearly every case depreciate. 458's are more exclusive and made by a more exclusive manufacturer. They will however at some stage depreciate.

The SLS is a truly great car from a volume manufacturer and will depreciate sooner and more quickly. As I have said in a different post, I think the sensible way of using this type of car is via a Supercar Club (I own a club so am biased but I am still correct!), however this (and the 458 also) is a car that I would love to buy and own myself - so buy one and join a club anyway so you have plenty of other great cars to use regularly.

amg master

625 posts

224 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
quotequote all
pb1695 said:
Put it into context - it is a car. Cars in nearly every case depreciate. 458's are more exclusive and made by a more exclusive manufacturer. They will however at some stage depreciate.

The SLS is a truly great car from a volume manufacturer and will depreciate sooner and more quickly. As I have said in a different post, I think the sensible way of using this type of car is via a Supercar Club (I own a club so am biased but I am still correct!), however this (and the 458 also) is a car that I would love to buy and own myself - so buy one and join a club anyway so you have plenty of other great cars to use regularly.
the thing is that is the market that mercedes aimed at with the sls they were both launched about the same time but yet 458 are commanding still over 20k premiums were the sls can be had with money off.if mercedes had kept the supply tight of the sls they to would still command good premiums but mercedes got greedy and flooded the market with them.

BigBen

12,155 posts

259 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
quotequote all
amg master said:
pb1695 said:
Put it into context - it is a car. Cars in nearly every case depreciate. 458's are more exclusive and made by a more exclusive manufacturer. They will however at some stage depreciate.

The SLS is a truly great car from a volume manufacturer and will depreciate sooner and more quickly. As I have said in a different post, I think the sensible way of using this type of car is via a Supercar Club (I own a club so am biased but I am still correct!), however this (and the 458 also) is a car that I would love to buy and own myself - so buy one and join a club anyway so you have plenty of other great cars to use regularly.
the thing is that is the market that mercedes aimed at with the sls they were both launched about the same time but yet 458 are commanding still over 20k premiums were the sls can be had with money off.if mercedes had kept the supply tight of the sls they to would still command good premiums but mercedes got greedy and flooded the market with them.
But how do Mercedes benefit from people selling them at above list given that they don't engage in this practice themselves (as a manufacturer, I am sure dealers would do so if they were allowed) therefore why not sell as many cars as they can.

The sooner they depreciate the sooner I can get one. I love the SLS

Ben

FactoryPilot

1,352 posts

245 months

Thursday 11th November 2010
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There are going to be loads of SLS' coming on to the market soon.

My dealer is trying to off-load their showroom car too. I think most dealers had cars in the showroom that they have to keep for a certain amount of time. I think most of these cars become available for sale during December.

chiefski26

856 posts

230 months

Thursday 11th November 2010
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Dealers have to keep a demo car for three months.

amg master

625 posts

224 months

Thursday 11th November 2010
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BigBen said:
amg master said:
pb1695 said:
Put it into context - it is a car. Cars in nearly every case depreciate. 458's are more exclusive and made by a more exclusive manufacturer. They will however at some stage depreciate.

The SLS is a truly great car from a volume manufacturer and will depreciate sooner and more quickly. As I have said in a different post, I think the sensible way of using this type of car is via a Supercar Club (I own a club so am biased but I am still correct!), however this (and the 458 also) is a car that I would love to buy and own myself - so buy one and join a club anyway so you have plenty of other great cars to use regularly.
the thing is that is the market that mercedes aimed at with the sls they were both launched about the same time but yet 458 are commanding still over 20k premiums were the sls can be had with money off.if mercedes had kept the supply tight of the sls they to would still command good premiums but mercedes got greedy and flooded the market with them.
But how do Mercedes benefit from people selling them at above list given that they don't engage in this practice themselves (as a manufacturer, I am sure dealers would do so if they were allowed) therefore why not sell as many cars as they can.

The sooner they depreciate the sooner I can get one. I love the SLS

Ben
mercedes benefit from people selling above list because it makes the car look like its in big demand and a mercedes salesman will turn round and say to its customer they will hold the money because people like romans bramleys tom hartley are selling them for 20k over list.mb dealers are not allowed to sell over list otherwise they would lose there franchise or get a big fine.
some dealerships who are clued up will order a car in a phantom order then register it to someone they know and then resell at over list.

Edited by amg master on Thursday 11th November 11:50

pb1695

390 posts

205 months

Friday 12th November 2010
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JADF, the prices of £143K being advertised are + VAT - sneaky advertising by the seller making the retail price list +.

Mercedes are a volume manufacturer and their dealers are used to volume sales hence prices starting to weaken. As I previously posted, with the odd exception, all cars depreciate at some point, just some more than others. F458's are still in very strong demand and will probably continue selling over list for some time yet and will then depreciate very slowly for a couple of years before the bigger drops start.

Whilst their is strong demand for 458's F430's seem to have also had a bounce of late particularly 07 plate onwards. In fact, good 2-3 year old "supercars" are in strong demand due to the small numbers available on the used market after the credit crunch.

r129sl

9,518 posts

232 months

Friday 12th November 2010
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Two things rather amaze me about the SLS market:

1. That it has not crucified the SLR: these things are still being hawked at £200k-plus, yet surely are second best to the SLS?

2. That they are available in such a boring and limited range of colours: grey, pimptastic grey, or redish grey. Purely out of curiosity: is it possible to special order a SLS in a more interesting colour, like one can with a Porsche? (If I win the lottery tonight, I would like to order one in my old favourite 501 Orient Red or maybe 482 Apricot Orange or 874 Citrus Green Metallic. And I think I would like it without Comand and with black crinkly plastic trim.)

Edited by r129sl on Friday 12th November 11:26

mickyveloce

1,035 posts

265 months

Friday 12th November 2010
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r129sl , I'm certain you could have any colour you want , with any seats!
I thought they'd missed a trick by not offering the 'original' Gullwing blue and white check .
Ps thanks for turning the thread away from the ghastly chatter about 'private plates' ; too much for my brain to comprehend that anyone would be barmy enough to spend 30k to replicate the model designation badge offered for free .

JADF

655 posts

259 months

Friday 12th November 2010
quotequote all
r129sl said:
Two things rather amaze me about the SLS market:

1. That it has not crucified the SLR: these things are still being hawked at £200k-plus, yet surely are second best to the SLS?

2. That they are available in such a boring and limited range of colours: grey, pimptastic grey, or redish grey. Purely out of curiosity: is it possible to special order a SLS in a more interesting colour, like one can with a Porsche? (If I win the lottery tonight, I would like to order one in my old favourite 501 Orient Red or maybe 482 Apricot Orange or 874 Citrus Green Metallic. And I think I would like it without Comand and with black crinkly plastic trim.)

Edited by r129sl on Friday 12th November 11:26
Personally, I'd take an SLR! It's Favourite car on this planet (and I've yet to even sit in one)

Cheers.

W124Bob

1,863 posts

204 months

Friday 12th November 2010
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Saw my first SLS today and yes it was grey,on Dutch(I think)plates .Close to the training grounds of two well know Manchester football clubs.

r129sl

9,518 posts

232 months

Friday 12th November 2010
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Hopefully they will depreciate soon enough. After all, a SL65 AMG costs about the same (£149,000 last time I looked), probably is a rarer car, and can be had for less than £50k even within the dealer network. One day, one day... even if it has to be grey!

I can't see SLS values ever mimicking those of its Gullwing ancestor simply because, great car though it is, the SLS will never be an icon, a revolutionary, a quantum leap in performance in the way the original Gullwing was. And owners of Gullwings have had to wait nearly 60years for their cars to become so valuable...

I agree about the plaid check seats: that would be my specification for sure. I rather miss cloth and velours seating (especially velours, it is so warm and luxurious): black, beige or grey leather is so boring. I did see a SLR in silver over blue leather, a most market-unfriendly combination, and it looked very, very good. My problem with the SLR is it looks a bit ridiculous on the road.

andy355

1,347 posts

267 months

Friday 10th December 2010
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any updated view on current prices and depreciation over the next year or 2?

really want one but will it be at 100k in 2 years time? Aston Dbs is there from similar starting point and is similarly desirable car


amg master

625 posts

224 months

Friday 10th December 2010
quotequote all
andy355 said:
any updated view on current prices and depreciation over the next year or 2?

really want one but will it be at 100k in 2 years time? Aston Dbs is there from similar starting point and is similarly desirable car
some people seem to have lost a few quid on them there is a new one with 50 miles on it a 15k under list.
by the time you take the vat off and dealer margin 8% =25.5% off a 160k car = about 40k i reckon they will be about 100k before the end of next year.
a chap on the aston forum got nearly 40k off a brand new rapide.