2020 4x4 Factory Orders

zither99

Active member
Had a 2020 built and out of production. Then MB Anaheim confirmed it would be delayed until at least May.

So stoked I scored this 12-13-19 production van. The hunt is over. 10 inch screen Audio system sound sucks ass so...Having JL audio makeover tomorrow. Will post update and photos.
Do you have the window rain guards from a NCV3 model? curious because I had Mercedes ones on my 2015 van and need some for the 2019.

Thx!
 

warx

Active member
I just tried to order a 2020 and was told that no more slots are available until the 2021 and that I can't even order one of those yet. They are calling some dealers with some inbound 2020 MB 144" 4x4 to see if they are already assigned (most likely of course) and they were all dated for late October. That means 2021 order for me would likely be Oct 2021 (read: 18 months away). Checking the Ford Transit build pages now ... :crazy:
 

InspiredVan

New member
I just tried to order a 2020 and was told that no more slots are available until the 2021 and that I can't even order one of those yet. They are calling some dealers with some inbound 2020 MB 144" 4x4 to see if they are already assigned (most likely of course) and they were all dated for late October. That means 2021 order for me would likely be Oct 2021 (read: 18 months away). Checking the Ford Transit build pages now ... :crazy:
call other dealers outside of your region. you will likely need to travel or have it shipped. plenty out in the western states with a ton of open 2020 allocations still....and plenty of well speccd rigs sitting on dealer lots.

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warx

Active member
call other dealers outside of your region. you will likely need to travel or have it shipped. plenty out in the western states with a ton of open 2020 allocations still....and plenty of well speccd rigs sitting on dealer lots.

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I'll keep trying (tried three - furthest 200 miles away) but I'm in California and I've heard the 2019s fail smog so is a real hassle to bring into California. I suppose registering it out of state and hoping I don't get forced to register it here (maybe use my sons college WA address!). I also haven't yet found a dealer anywhere in state with my must-haves (comfort plus, premium plus, exterior lighting, swivel seats). I think the last two eliminate every build sitting on a lot.
 

sanomechanic

Well-known member
I'll keep trying (tried three - furthest 200 miles away) but I'm in California and I've heard the 2019s fail smog so is a real hassle to bring into California. I suppose registering it out of state and hoping I don't get forced to register it here .
Where did you hear that BS about out of state 2019 Sprinter's failing smog in California.

ALL 2019 SPRINTER'S in USA are 50 state compliant.

Only problems are vehicles without the monitors completed from batteries being dead or disconnected while at dealers. ALL vehicles will not pass without the monitors... All you have to do is drive about 200 miles in varying conditions. That will complete the mintors

I purchased my Sprinter out of State and brought it here. No problems.
 

InspiredVan

New member
Give Derek Law a ring at MercedesBenz of Spokane (WA). He had a bunch of rigs on the lot the other day and has a ton on order. He actually does a lot of the rigs for OutsideVan and quite often something will get cancelled from their orders... Also Mercedes of Loveland (CO) had a few very well specd rigs sitting on the lot the other day when I called including a few Pebble Greys. Bill Halloway is who you want to talk with there. Good Luck!

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warx

Active member
Where did you hear that BS about out of state 2019 Sprinter's failing smog in California.
...
All you have to do is drive about 200 miles in varying conditions. That will complete the monitors.
If you buy out of state do you have to register it locally there first so you can get insurance so they let you drive it off the lot? I thought I read it took 800 miles or so (guess that would be a couple of states drive away to have things working for smog. Does this mean double sales tax as well as registration? [sorry - I can only find information about how to do the California end of this]

I called a couple of out of state places and should've asked if they now this stuff. Neither of them had 2020 slots so it was a short call! Next up, a spreadsheet to check off dealers starting from West to East.
 

sanomechanic

Well-known member
and mail it to the
If you buy out of state do you have to register it locally there first so you can get insurance so they let you drive it off the lot? I thought I read it took 800 miles or so (guess that would be a couple of states drive away to have things working for smog. Does this mean double sales tax as well as registration? [sorry - I can only find information about how to do the California end of this]

I called a couple of out of state places and should've asked if they now this stuff. Neither of them had 2020 slots so it was a short call! Next up, a spreadsheet to check off dealers starting from West to East.
The state you purchase in is required by law to collect sales tax for the state it will be registered in and send to your local DMV office. They will put a temporary plate on the drive/ ship.

Give your insurance company the VIN and tell them what date you want coverage to begin. Easy as that. When you get it here you have 15 days to get it smogged, get a weight certificate " any certified scale for trucker" and then register.

No Problem My rig came from Mobile Alabama
 
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Eric B

Well-known member
Adding to what Sano said about buying from out of state

Bought a classic car in Utah with the intent to drive it home to California
The SLC DMV made me a temporary use permit (temp paper license plate) OVER THE PHONE before I flew out and had it mailed to the dealer I was picking up the car from

It was SuPER easy
Night and day difference in service from CA DMV


I tried for 3-4months to get a van ordered last summer/fall and eventually gave up
Dealerships were a big let down for a custom order

I scoured all west coast dealers on the mb USA inventory website and found that pretty much ONLY A COUPLE dealers charged a premium over MSRP - F that MB Pleasanton...

I found that there was quite a few really well outfitted 144 and 170 4x4s at dealers in Texas
Henderson (Las Vegas) had a nice selection too
Oxnard / Anaheim / and San Diego had some but they usually sold within 24hours of being delivered to the dealership


I was just about set to plan a flight to Texas when a 170 4x4 appeared at Hoehn in Carlsbad and ticked most of my wish list so a one way ticket on the Surfliner and I was driving home in the van that evening. It goes without saying that if you settle for an almost perfect it will cost you more to get everything you wanted over the parts counter than if the van had come with it ...

They are out there
And yes they ARE 50state legal so ... road trip !

Good luck
 

warx

Active member
Just to be clear about 2020 and not on-lot 2019s do you think there are dealers out there with unused (yet to be ordered) 2020 slots? My local dealer scanned all inbound 2020s for my must-haves and then has been contacting those dealers to see if they are allocated or not (which they have been). Their understanding was that all 2020s were already inbound (at varying degrees of build status). The few 2020 builds they showed me were all still in Dusseldorf and headed to PNW in October. My hope is there's some remote MB dealer out there who's never ordered a 4x4 but has some slot left open for them but with only 4000 2020 4x4s it seems like they'd switched that allocation to their big hitting 4x4 dealers at some point.

I guess my question boils down to should I give up on elusive 2020 and concentrate on finding a compromise 2019? Any guesses when the 2021 order process would emerge? I hope my flares can sit in their box that long without distorting.
 

Agnes16

Active member
And regarding the allocations Dealers get - they don't just get 1 lump allocation of units for the entire year. At least the larger dealers I have worked with and spoken with will get allocations throughout the year for build slots or even actual van orders that MB pre-picked options on. I have lucked out in the past with one of those orders that I was still able to modify extensively for the exact build I wanted (this case it was a '18 144 4x4 crew). Again, call around and be prepared to Fly n Drive. Also, make a list of the options you absolutely MUST have and others that you would like to have if possible. No real upgrades with the 20 over 19 platforms and you very well may find a good unit sitting on a lot or inbound that is still available nd meets 90% of your Option Wishlist.
 

sanomechanic

Well-known member
Just to be clear about 2020 and not on-lot 2019s do you think there are dealers out there with unused (yet to be ordered) 2020 slots? My local dealer scanned all inbound 2020s for my must-haves and then has been contacting those dealers to see if they are allocated or not (which they have been). Their understanding was that all 2020s were already inbound (at varying degrees of build status). The few 2020 builds they showed me were all still in Dusseldorf and headed to PNW in October. My hope is there's some remote MB dealer out there who's never ordered a 4x4 but has some slot left open for them but with only 4000 2020 4x4s it seems like they'd switched that allocation to their big hitting 4x4 dealers at some point.

I guess my question boils down to should I give up on elusive 2020 and concentrate on finding a compromise 2019? Any guesses when the 2021 order process would emerge? I hope my flares can sit in their box that long without distorting.
Every quarter new allocations are given to various dealers. You should call around to as many dealers as possible. See what their waiting list is like. The other thing is check forum every day under the SPECIALS heading. Some dealers post their allocations there.. Check auto trader..there still quite a lot of inventory across the nation
 
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Eric B

Well-known member
I just stopped by MB Arcadia here in SoCal

I found 7 4x4s - all 2019 obviously - in just about every flavor
144 low roof
144 high roof
170 high roof
170 high roof ext

And about half as Crew models

And most with ZH4 which is the one option I really wanted but didn’t get

Just putting it out there
 

65C02

404
Same situation here - was all set to fly out to Texas and drive van back to NY. Found a nicely loaded 170 4x4 closer by in Rhode Island. Viti, RI collected NY sales tax and also took care of NY registration for us. Drove van home with a RI temp plate. NY plates arrived a few days later via FedEx. Saved us hours at the DMV! Regarding sales tax - not all states have reciprocal tax agreements. Not all dealers are authorized to collect another states sales tax. For the sprinter, RI dealer collected NY tax. For a Maine new vehicle purchase, I paid no tax, but owed entire amount when I registered in NY. To avoid surprises, ask before you sign. As a side note, I avoided Massachusetts all together because of their tax and transit plate issues.
 

VanGoSki

Well-known member
And regarding the allocations Dealers get - they don't just get 1 lump allocation of units for the entire year. At least the larger dealers I have worked with and spoken with will get allocations throughout the year for build slots or even actual van orders that MB pre-picked options on.
That has been my experience as well.

Every quarter new allocations are given to various dealers.
No, I'm pretty sure they get them randomly throughout the year.

Another thing to be aware of, apparently dealers can trade build slots. When my 2019 Charleston build seemed to be stuck in an infinite delay loop, I told my dealer that I wanted to start looking for a German 2020 build slot instead. He didn't have one, but found one for me in a day or two.
 

VanGoSki

Well-known member
I just spoke to my dealer and he may be able to perform that magic (see above) again, getting a 2020 build slot on request. But only if you're truly ready to order. Call MB of Modesto and ask for Al Van Buren.
 

sanomechanic

Well-known member
That has been my experience as well.


No, I'm pretty sure they get them randomly throughout the year.

Another thing to be aware of, apparently dealers can trade build slots. When my 2019 Charleston build seemed to be stuck in an infinite delay loop, I told my dealer that I wanted to start looking for a German 2020 build slot instead. He didn't have one, but found one for me in a day or two.
Yes randomly given out each quarter.
 

GusinCA

Member
I ordered mine without the LED option and just had a stereo installer put in a switch to disable the daytime running lights so I can run the van at night and be totally dark if I need to.
 

ssort

It's all about the bikes!
I think i read through this thread completely but apologies if i missed anything on the topic: My dealer told me that no German built 2020 4x4's (or maybe 4X2's as well) have been released to dealers/customers yet due to missing EPA/GOV/Whatever certification? Is this accurate and is this what others have been told? Assuming so, any word on the street on the progress of same or timing of release?

Again, apologies if i missed this in the thread.

Thanks
 

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