Just objectively go through the process. AP is due on the day of pick up. Who’s MB going to send the money to? The customer? You expect anyone to send almost £1000 to a customer who hasn’t signed the contract yet – based on.. “trust”? That would get abused/exploited so much it’s not even funny
AP is due on the of pick up as you have stated. Once you have entered the PIN the contract is signed and you also handover the AP. Am I correct?
So effectiveley the AP can be reduced by £1000 and you hand over the difference if any, because a legaly binding contract is signed by entering your PIN. There would be no trust issues, nor would there be any exploitation or abuse of the scheme.
If the customer requests to cancel the car/early termination with in x time the £1000 it taken from the pro rata payment.
Another way already mentioned is deduct £1000 from the AP.
Mb have a business model, I can’t see them wanting to stray away from it any time soon but, it would help alot of customers if they did.