[Kcgla]

I'm interested in the base model only with the performance exhaust added, this comes to a total of $48,300 + $925 + $ 450 = $49,675. You see the problem is that I went and drove one and now I really want it. And to think that I was not even considering moving on from my Audi TTS to a GLA 45 AMG.

I was wondering what people that already own one paid? It looks to me that there is quite a big difference between the MSRP being $48,300 and the factory invoice which is around $45,000. I have gotten pretty conflicting reports from various dealers, some said there is some wiggle room others said this is a popular car and therefore you have to pay MSRP.

I'd be interested to hear what people out there paid. Also, I did a little bit of research on the default steering wheel and I am not sure whether it has the paddle shifters, I know the one I drove did have the AMG performace steering wheel and had massive silver ones but I haven't been able to look at the default steering wheel. I am under the impression that it has smaller black plastic ones but I am not sure. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[nightscar]

Paddle shifters comes standard, I don't have the AMG steering wheel but mine has the small black paddles but they feel more solid and metal than plastic.

And do not be fooled by the cars popularity, especially the GLA45, they aren't moving as fast as most these dealerships claims. There should be room for discount.

 

[Kcgla]

Paddle shifters comes standard, I don't have the AMG steering wheel but mine has the small black paddles but they feel more solid and metal than plastic.

And do not be fooled by the cars popularity, especially the GLA45, they aren't moving as fast as most these dealerships claims. There should be room for discount.

Thanks for clearing this up I appreciate it. I am just so bad at negotiating with pushy sales people. I am so bad that before I walk into the dealership I make it a point to prepare myself by repeating "You can walk away, you can walk away..."

 

[SSBGLA45]

OP…Where are you located?

As far as availability of the GLA45, there are just limited allocations available due to the AMG engines (hand built) and dealerships have 'X' number of AMG order slots. AMG models are only 6% of the MB cars produced for the US.

When I ordered the GLA45, (1)took about 4 1/2 months from order date to delivery and (2) yes there is 'wiggle room' on pricing.

Based on what you are wanting to do, you are going to have to order since dealerships that order for stock are selecting desired options which means higher sale prices.

 

[nightscar]

Since we're on the topic, in your experience @SSBGLA45, is it more difficult to get a discount on orders than those already in the lot or is it just based on your haggling skills?

I've never really ordered before, always just find what I like on the lot and go for that one. When I do order though, I'll do the Euro delivery and add a vacation to it as well but I digress.


Also, base on a stock search online (and this might be being in California so keep that in mind) there are about 30+ GLA45s within 50 miles of my vicinity and that is probably more like 40-50 in reality since they do not list all of their stock online.

 

[SSBGLA45]

Discounts… depending on the demand for the car in question will determine dealership's desire to negotiate. Basically, if they have a number of cars sitting in stock (and they are paying interest for those cars) and been there for two-three weeks or more, then yes I believe there is more 'wiggle' room for a discount. As soon as a MB car is at the VPC and its status changes from manufacturer owned to retail (meaning the dealership now owns the car) it is costing the dealership money. More of the same model in stock the more money it is costing the dealership, thus why you can get some really good discounts for the C and E classes.

In the Atlantic side central parts of Florida (Orlando-Palm Beach-Fort Lauderdale and very northern Miami) I found 3 GLA45 in stock and none came close to what I was looking for so why I ordered my GLA45. The dealership had a GLA45 allotment (build month/decade) for April '15 (I ordered car November '14) which was fine for me since I was not in a rush (another key to negotiating… dealership perceives you are impulse buying 'gotta have it now' situation they know they can discount less or not at all). I had gotten quotes for the GLA45 from 3 buying services and I simply met with the sales manager (and I will say the entire purchasing process to delivery was delightful and professional) and showed the buying service costs and simply said match and reduce your 'processing fee' by half and I will order car. It was a fair offer (they sell a car, not sitting in stock and costing them, get a good return, and get a volume credit) and I paid a fair price and got the car exactly they way I wanted it.



Do your research (including getting buying service quotes), compare pricing (make sure to include the extras dealerships add to cost of the car…such as processing fees), do not go in with the 'gotta have now' mentality, and make a fair offer.

 

[Kcgla]

Discounts… depending on the demand for the car in question will determine dealership's desire to negotiate. Basically, if they have a number of cars sitting in stock (and they are paying interest for those cars) and been there for two-three weeks or more, then yes I believe there is more 'wiggle' room for a discount. As soon as a MB car is at the VPC and its status changes from manufacturer owned to retail (meaning the dealership now owns the car) it is costing the dealership money. More of the same model in stock the more money it is costing the dealership, thus why you can get some really good discounts for the C and E classes.

In the Atlantic side central parts of Florida (Orlando-Palm Beach-Fort Lauderdale and very northern Miami) I found 3 GLA45 in stock and none came close to what I was looking for so why I ordered my GLA45. The dealership had a GLA45 allotment (build month/decade) for April '15 (I ordered car November '14) which was fine for me since I was not in a rush (another key to negotiating… dealership perceives you are impulse buying 'gotta have it now' situation they know they can discount less or not at all). I had gotten quotes for the GLA45 from 3 buying services and I simply met with the sales manager (and I will say the entire purchasing process to delivery was delightful and professional) and showed the buying service costs and simply said match and reduce your 'processing fee' by half and I will order car. It was a fair offer (they sell a car, not sitting in stock and costing them, get a good return, and get a volume credit) and I paid a fair price and got the car exactly they way I wanted it.

Do your research (including getting buying service quotes), compare pricing (make sure to include the extras dealerships add to cost of the car…such as processing fees), do not go in with the 'gotta have now' mentality, and make a fair offer.

Thank you for sharing this really helpful and informative. I'm located in Kansas City, Missouri. Two dealerships one of them has several (5 or more) in stock but all of them loaded up so one of the sales people looked and found one which is currently in the VPC. This one is "naked" since I think what happens is that a lot of the optional equipment is retrofitted as soon as the car gets over here from the other side of the Atlantic.

I plan to negotiate really hard when I'm ready to buy just this week the sales person has started being really aggressive (in a good way!) they are now saying bring your old car and we will offer you a fair price on it if you trade-in. I think I want to keep those two processes separate since I think they can low ball you on your trade-in and give you a seemingly competitive price on the new car. I'm not sure though any thoughts? I would imagine that most of you proud owners of the GLA45 traded-in so I'd really love to hear thoughts about this.

 

[SSBGLA45]

No trade in for me… just purchased which makes things easy and with clarity. It is really never a good idea to trade in a car and only do so if you have attempted to sell retail or at a place they Car Max (of course they need to be approach with open eyes) and have not succeeded.

Trade ins do complicate matters in that the dealership can play numbers on price of car-offer on trade in-financing. The numbers can be just like mercury and squirt around between those three components.

I image letting go of the TT will be hard… it was for me. I had a nicely tricked out Audi TT225 and had many a great time with that car

 

[nightscar]

I didn't do a trade-in with mine but I am currently helping out my brother trade in his VW Golf and trying to get a BRZ. It is all part of the negotiations and deal and I think it can go in your favor if you can be meticulous and pay attention to the most minute details.


They first quoted the Golf at $10k but they could easily give me $11k or even $12k. I think key is make sure it is separate from the discount they are giving you for the car. Do not let them combine it all and confuse you. What I plan to do it separate that completely, he still owes about $8k on the car so he can get $3k-$4k to be used as a downpayment and then deal with the car price separately from it, pretty much treating it like cash for negotiating purposes. Try and not let the salesperson say it is how they bring the price down because that is misleading, you're paying for it, they're not giving you discounts.



Definitely bring it to CarMax first though if there is one near you and get a quote, sometimes they pay more and you can use that as a bargaining tool. Their quotes usually last about a week and if the dealership can't match or even beat the price, then sell it to CarMax.


Key is definitely patience as mentioned before, when you act desperate and in-need, that is when they will pounce on you like a rabid animal. I sent a barrage of emails for a few weeks to as many dealerships as I can including the one I bought from so they knew I was in the market but wasn't just going to come in and buy with my heart in an instant. I ended up buying at the end of the month, in which they deny that they need to meet a quota was a myth but from experience, they are willing to discount more at those times so that is when I would suggest actually going to the dealership and make a deal.

 

[Sweet Tooth]

Try buying at the end of the month. dealerships will often give better deals then to get to their monthly sales quota.