Factory plant pickup?

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airforceones25

New member
I have a 170 4x4 on order scheduled May build and allegedly July delivery (calling bs on that) from the South Carolina plant. I live in Souther California but I was curious to know if Mercedes has a program available to pickup directly from the plant like they do in Germany. I was quite shocked to see the SC build because I was thinking of doing the overseas program however I have family in SC so I figured it could be a good opportunity to pick up from the plant and give it a proper break in across the country coming home. Does anyone know if a program like this exists stateside?
 
Boxster1971

Boxster1971

2023 Sprinter 2500 144wb AWD
airforceones25 said:
I have a 170 4x4 on order scheduled May build and allegedly July delivery (calling bs on that) from the South Carolina plant. I live in Souther California but I was curious to know if Mercedes has a program available to pickup directly from the plant like they do in Germany. I was quite shocked to see the SC build because I was thinking of doing the overseas program however I have family in SC so I figured it could be a good opportunity to pick up from the plant and give it a proper break in across the country coming home. Does anyone know if a program like this exists stateside?
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I doubt it as there is dealer prep involved in delivery including legal paperwork associated with title and registration. That would have to be set up at the plant to release the van directly to customer. Best to check with a Sprinter dealer to see if it is possible.

The only USA based manufacturer I know of that has a factory pickup program is Chevy Corvette done through the Corvette museum in Bowling Green, KY next to the plant.
 
autostaretx

autostaretx

Erratic Member
MB would probably farm out the "delivery" to a nearby dealer. (and you'll still see the $800+ 'delivery' charge)

As Mike wrote, there's a bunch of "overhead" that the factory (geared towards "delivering" to flat beds or railroad cars) plus "dealer prep" doesn't do for the fleet-level sales that are 90+% of their business.

--dick
 
dynaco1

dynaco1

Member
The best you can do is to have it delivered to a Sprinter upfitter nearest your desired collection point. There are quite a few near Charleston.
No way to avoid paying freight. Seems practical to have it delivered to a California dealer.
 
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Chaski

Well-known member
It would be mighty convenient if MBUSA would offer pickup somewhere near Charleston.

Our van is supposed to be done a couple weeks before we fly back to the Carolinas for a reunion. Once we arrive we will be paying about $1200 for a rental car for the week (car rental prices are NUTS right now). Would be a hell of a lot better if we could just pick the van up, use it for our East coast vacation then rock it cross country back home. Instead we'll probably see the van around December after it sits in a sea of Sprinter vans waiting in the queue for a transporter to bring it to the dealer out West. Once it arrives at the dealer I have to go fly to the dealer than drive it 775 miles home. I'm not sure the Sprinter 4X4 purchasing experience could be any more of a pain than it currently is!
 
S

Seavee

New member
I live 10 miles from the plant and 7 miles from where 1 or 2 thousand are stored. I had to pick up the van I wanted Alabama.
 
L

LSD208

Active member
Chaski said:
It would be mighty convenient if MBUSA would offer pickup somewhere near Charleston.

Our van is supposed to be done a couple weeks before we fly back to the Carolinas for a reunion. Once we arrive we will be paying about $1200 for a rental car for the week (car rental prices are NUTS right now). Would be a hell of a lot better if we could just pick the van up, use it for our East coast vacation then rock it cross country back home. Instead we'll probably see the van around December after it sits in a sea of Sprinter vans waiting in the queue for a transporter to bring it to the dealer out West. Once it arrives at the dealer I have to go fly to the dealer than drive it 775 miles home. I'm not sure the Sprinter 4X4 purchasing experience could be any more of a pain than it currently is!
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Exactly. I want to do the same thing. My dealer, who is awesome, responded like I was trying to take money from them. I don’t care about the destination charge, I want to pick it up so I can do a one way drive to see a few spots on the way home.

verbotten.
 
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