Hi
Having worked in the vehicle leasing industry as a sales manager for over 25 years (Corporate, but the same rules apply), I can give you a bit of a steer: You will have to forgive me if I repeat any of the above replies, I haven’t bothered to read them.
Firstly, the agreement you sign is a “Contract Hire” lease. At no point during the contract do you own the vehicle nor do you have the “right” to purchase the vehicle at the end of contract. That in mind MB will happily provide you with a price to buy as it is an easier option for them. They need not worry about collecting the vehicle & taking it through auction.
You have to remember MB are a business. They are not going to sell you a vehicle for less than they can obtain in the current market.
Your figures relating to resale value (RV) are inaccurate. A 10% variance is massive. Unless you are able to gain very specific & specialised data, a forecast of this type is finger in the air. RV is make, model, type, extras, mileage & condition dependent (I won’t even go into the limited data on Hybrid & electric & any forecasts as to emerging technologies & their potential impact on RV). Furthermore different leasing companies of which MB is effectively one will have different risk appetite in RV forecast & this will also vary on the above factors mentioned.
From your initial message I get the distinct impression you are expecting to lease a car very cheaply & then purchase it at less than market value after the lease period.
Simply because this is a scheme designed for the disabled does not mean you can have your cake & eat it (expect to make/save a heap of cash). If end of term purchase prices were so good MB would cease to exist.
There are a number of benefits of the scheme that you have not recognised / considered. Just a couple: No credit check, the vehicle does not go against your credit. The distinct ability to hand the vehicle back should your circumstances change & many more.
You have chosen a vehicle in the upper end of the scheme & one with typically high depreciation (which is reflected in the advance rental as well as monthly rental). With some exceptions the scheme is designed to be less £ attractive the higher up the scale you choose. The Government does not want people to view the scheme as a “luxury” provided for at a significant discount (hence the policy change a few years back mainly due to the fact that premium vehicles were available at very attractive prices).
In my view you need to realign your view of the scheme, it is not the golden chalice that perhaps you have been lead to believe. Better deals are largely to be had with the cheaper vehicles. There are however exceptions, trawl through the list & you will find out.
Also look at cars nearing the end of their product lifecycle, due to be replaced in 6-12 months (eg; Kia Sportage).
Pick up the phone & ring dealers, pit them against each other, they are able to provide additional discounts (£1500 of my first car £700 from the second, this is deducted from your initial payment).
Check to see if they have any physical cars they need to “shift” or cancelled orders that have already gone to build.
Quarter end, April & December are key dates as are prior to the 2 reg dates in the year. Your timing can have a significant impact on what you can achieve. You will not be able to reduce the rental amount but you can put a big dent in your advance rental payment & or have optional extras included.
There is no doubt whatsoever that the scheme is a huge benefit to many people but as in life it cannot & will never be all things to all people.
MB have made some mistakes in the past but they are now forced to run a tighter operation, ultimately pricing & vehicle choice is their call no matter how dissatisfied people may be in the scheme.
The current market is very shaken at the moment for some reasons you will clearly appreciate & others you will not. I have just chosen to extend my lease & wait to see what transpires as there are so many factors currently at play. You may not have the option of time but you do have options. Ultimately the scheme may not be appropriate for you.
I hope I haven’t simply repeated other’s comments & that I have provided some value add.
Regards
Dan