Deep Discounts on Sprinters?

This is a great place to learn about Sprinters. I have been reading for about a week now. With 5 kids and a dog, I finally deceided to take the plunge and buy a passanager wagon. I have been looking around for a 144 low roof wagon and found one. Sticker $52,350 USD...lots of bells and whistles that I do not need...but limited passanger wagons are out there so not a large pool of vans to choose from.
Dealer said that Dodge was offering real good incentives right now to clear inventory and offered me 10K off sticker for this new 2008...he said no one had the 2009s...but the deal would not last long. This Van has the 3.0 Diesel. Question. Is this a fair deal or is the dealer just presuring me to buy now...Did not know if the Sprinter always has the same deals that other cars always have...every month different and larger discounts. BTW...this was his offer out of the gate...it was his no haggel price...thanks for any advice

$10K discounts off list are common for Sprinter cargo vehicles in the mid-forties range. I'd expect more discount on a vehicle with a $52K price tag, but passenger versions are less common and may not be discounted as heavily.

check out

http://folsomdodge.com/new_vehicles.php

These are mostly cargo versions, but it'll give you an idea of how much they're discounting currently. This dealer told me on the phone that he had 90 Sprinters on the lot. Another dealer in the midwest said that he had 70.

Happy hunting!

glasseye said:

$10K discounts off list are common for Sprinter cargo vehicles in the mid-forties range. I'd expect more discount on a vehicle with a $52K price tag, but passenger versions are less common and may not be discounted as heavily.

check out

http://folsomdodge.com/new_vehicles.php

These are mostly cargo versions, but it'll give you an idea of how much they're discounting currently. This dealer told me on the phone that he had 90 Sprinters on the lot. Another dealer in the midwest said that he had 70.

Happy hunting!

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... and the license plates are made locally at the Folsom Prison?

jdcaples said:

... and the license plates are made locally at the Folsom Prison?

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Yeah! and they're half price too, cause you only get one plate. Deal or No deal?
Richard

Have you tried Edmunds or KBB to option price (hoping that you know the list of options) the same Sprinter to see what the invoice is?

I would at least do this to get some basis.

Update: The Folsom Prison, er Dodge discounts have now increased from $10K to $13K. Amazingly, they list stripper 144s in the high twenties.

Invoice is $47,544 and they are selling for $41,617.
Agree that with a 52K sticker there should be more.
Just wish there were more dealers with passanger wagons left in stock.
Same dealer said if I wanted one of his 40 cargos, I could take 14K off...just pick one
Just looked at folsum...big discounts but no wagons....anyone seen a 2500 144 low roof anywhere?

Passenger Wagons come into the States as a whole vehicle and are subjected to the "Chicken Tax" of 25%. Cargo units come in as "parts," and avoid the tax.

Attached is an article quoting Mark Freymueller, former Brand Manager of the Dodge Sprinter, about the chicken tax and the cost of Sprinters. You station wagon drivers just can't catch a break

-Jon

There were at least 2 price increases during the 2008 model year; one less than $100 and the second one was almost $2000. If you are able to find one of the older priced units you will save even more for the same van. Keep in mind there was another price increase on the 2009s. Yes buying a 2008 will have an extra year of depreciation right off the bat but at these prices and avoiding the price increases you will still be ahead. Also if you drive a lot, you can average your mileage out over the year the van sat on the lot so your mileage per year is lower.

jdcaples said:

Passenger Wagons come into the States as a whole vehicle and are subjected to the "Chicken Tax" of 25%. Cargo units come in as "parts," and avoid the tax.

Attached is an article quoting Mark Freymueller, former Brand Manager of the Dodge Sprinter, about the chicken tax and the cost of Sprinters. You station wagon drivers just can't catch a break

-Jon

Click to expand...

My impression was that the import tax was only for cargo vans, which was why they were "made in the USA." I think passenger vans (wagons) are tax-exempt.

I must have made a logic leap since the Chicken Tax originally targeted early sixties VW products, which I wrongly considered consumer vehicles, but were, in fact commerical rigs.

-Jon

glasseye said:

This dealer told me on the phone that he had 90 Sprinters on the lot.

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I bought my van there about a month ago. I'd say they have closer to 30 vans on the lot.

I bought my '07 passenger wagon in late 2007 for 38k.
It came with rear step, running boards, bi xenon headlights, sound 20, steering wheel controls etc.
It seemed like a pretty good deal at the time, and I've been really happy with it. I wish it had more options, but I felt lucky to be able to get a wagon with lots of goodies without waiting... The dealer told me at the time they were about to raise the prices on these, so maybe with the discounts it's back to where it was originally?

The quoted Dodge letter doesn't provide the whole story (i know you're shocked to hear that).

Passenger "cars" enter the USA subject to a 2.5% customs duty.
Car parts enter the USA subject to a 7% customs duty.
"Commercial Vehicles" (and i'd thought it was "light commercial") enter at 25%.
So the disassembly/assembly is to mitigate the 18% difference in the duties.

The Sprinter passenger wagons are "cars". (i have one)

But, since we have no idea what MB/Daimler "charges" itself for the "parts" involved, the differential may be higher.
(one is reminded of the mid-1960's VW print ad showing a pile of cartons on one side, and a VW Beetle on the other.
The tag line was: "You can buy it as a kit, or fully assembled" ...and then went on to explain that VW dealers were contractually commited to maintain a full inventory of parts to service them. Parts prices meant that a kit cost about twice the "fully assembled" price).

--dick
Google on "chicken war tariff". Quoth:
Presidential Proclamation no. 3564—
December 1963 President Lyndon B. Johnson authorized retaliatory tariff increases
on light trucks valued over $1,000, brandy valued at more than $9.00 per gallon,
dextrin, and potato starch.
---
Since then, brandy, dextrin and potato starch have had their tariffs lifted.

HappyFamilyVan said:

This is a great place to learn about Sprinters. I have been reading for about a week now. With 5 kids and a dog, I finally deceided to take the plunge and buy a passanager wagon. I have been looking around for a 144 low roof wagon and found one. Sticker $52,350 USD...lots of bells and whistles that I do not need...but limited passanger wagons are out there so not a large pool of vans to choose from.
Dealer said that Dodge was offering real good incentives right now to clear inventory and offered me 10K off sticker for this new 2008...he said no one had the 2009s...but the deal would not last long. This Van has the 3.0 Diesel. Question. Is this a fair deal or is the dealer just presuring me to buy now...Did not know if the Sprinter always has the same deals that other cars always have...every month different and larger discounts. BTW...this was his offer out of the gate...it was his no haggel price...thanks for any advice

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Hi Happy Family Van,

I just purchased my 144 low roof wagon early June and was able to negotiate from $47,570 to $35,900 ($11,670 off). I had a hard time finding very many wagons and when I did dealers were generally unwilling to discount the same as they would on white high roof cargo's. I looked for 2 months across the country and I found only one other 144 low roof wagon that the dealer quoted me $10,000 off - but it was plain jane. The supply and demand rule seems to be in effect on the Wagons to some degree, especially with very few 2009's in stock and an uncertain future of badging, distribution, etc. for 2010 and beyond. My advice is that if you can get a wagon that you like for at least $10,000 of MSRP - Go for it! I have spoken to several dealers that said they were going to wait it out because they knew the value of what they had (in other words - wait until the excess of Sprinters was reduced and the consumer perception of deep discounting from closing Dodge dealerships has passed). Good Luck!

Cec

Cec,

Just curious...when you found the wagon was it close by or did you have to have it shipped to your location. The one that I found is 1300 miles away and will cost an extra 1k to ship. Was thinking of flying there and driving it home...

HappyFamilyVan said:

Cec,

Just curious...when you found the wagon was it close by or did you have to have it shipped to your location. The one that I found is 1300 miles away and will cost an extra 1k to ship. Was thinking of flying there and driving it home...

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Happy Family Van,

I am in Portland Oregon and I found the van in Sacramento, CA (580 miles away). I was going to fly down and drive it home but 2 issues came up. First they would charge me CA tax of almost 10% if I drove it off the lot (no vehicle tax when registered in Oregon). Check the difference in tax and rules between your state and the purchase state. I thought I could get a trip permit, but no luck.They said they could deliver across the CA state line to Reno, Nevada - but that made it a 3 hour longer drive. The more important reason I had it shipped is because I read in a Dodge Sprinter owners manual I found on-line that for the first 1000 miles you should drive varied speeds and durations to maximize the life of the diesel engine. So I thought driving off the lot on to I-5 going 70 mph for 9 or 10 hours was not a good idea.

The shipping was a bit of a scam. I registered with an on-line shipping broker of sorts and got contacted by at least a dozen companies that then out source to independent drivers. The quotes came in from $500 to $1900. I went with the $500 - but it ended up at $700. The dealer quote was $675. $1000 for 1300 miles seems fair compared to the deal I worked hard to get of $700 for 580 miles. If you are saving over $10,000 on the msrp.....

Cheers,

Cec

If you review my past posts, I have had a unique ownership experience. I custom ordered an 07, 144 low roof passenger van, received 11.26.07. I sold it back to Chrysler, 11.25.08, for full value including tax and license and improvements less $600.00. I had no start issues but could not convince the dealer to warranty and replace the crankshaft sensor even though I had the error codes and they too experienced the same no start. I was encouraged to sell it back and told off the record by 2 involved sources that Mercedes had no intention of supporting Chrysler or their dealer/service network.

I tracked my van, it was sold at auction in Riverside CA, then trucked to Texas where they have no lemon law to be resold as a buy back vehicle. Bonham Chrysler agreed to replace the crankshaft sensor and sold my van back to me for $30,000.00 The same trucker took it there and brought it back to me for $1,000.00, the return trip was over 2,500 miles. I have had no issues with the van since it's return and I plan on keeping it forever, but maintaining and repairing this truck myself and I love this vehicle.

gary 32 said:

If you review my past posts, I have had a unique ownership experience. I custom ordered an 07, 144 low roof passenger van, received 11.26.07. I sold it back to Chrysler, 11.25.08, for full value including tax and license and improvements less $600.00. I had no start issues but could not convince the dealer to warranty and replace the crankshaft sensor even though I had the error codes and they too experienced the same no start. I was encouraged to sell it back and told off the record by 2 involved sources that Mercedes had no intention of supporting Chrysler or their dealer/service network.

I tracked my van, it was sold at auction in Riverside CA, then trucked to Texas where they have no lemon law to be resold as a buy back vehicle. Bonham Chrysler agreed to replace the crankshaft sensor and sold my van back to me for $30,000.00 The same trucker took it there and brought it back to me for $1,000.00, the return trip was over 2,500 miles. I have had no issues with the van since it's return and I plan on keeping it forever, but maintaining and repairing this truck myself and I love this vehicle.

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Gary 32,

Funny Small Sprinter World! I tried to buy your van from Bonham, but after 2 weeks of dragging my feet and low balling them I called to pay the full asking price of $29,999.00 - they said it was sold and enroute to California. I was sooo disappointed that someone beat me out. I did not think that anyone deserved that van more than me. I was wrong.....you did! I am glad it went to its rightful owner, especially after all the drama you had.

I found a very similar van and a great deal a month later - so now everyone is happy.

Thanks Sprinter-Forum for providing Sprinter Lovers a great resource and connecting the dots to create happy endings like this!

Cec

Great stories!