Want to learn more about the time it will take for your new Mercedes lease to arrive, what in stock and factory order mean and what could delay your delivery? Then look no further than our helpful article below.

What Does Delivery Lead Time Mean?

Delivery lead time is a term used to provide an estimated time for the car to be delivered to you when you first place the order.

The lead time will usually be updated as your order progresses and you might see it changes as the vehicle is scheduled for build, built, transported and on its way to the dealership.

If you decide to lease with Mercedes on Lease, then we will keep you informed every step of the way as your vehicle progresses along its journey to you.

What is Delivery Lead Time Based on?

There are a number of factors that influence the delivery lead time including whether it is an in stock model or one that needs to be ordered from the factory.

An in stock lease car is one that is at the delivering dealership or in the UK on its way there and due to land shortly. Whereas a factory order vehicle is one that is in the process of being built or is due to be built at the factory, or not yet scheduled for build but will be soon.

The time it will take for a factory order to arrive will be based on:

• Model demand – if you’re interested in a particularly popular model then there will be more people ahead of you and you’ll be assigned a vehicle with a later build slot. On the other hand, if you opt for a less popular model then it might not be scheduled to go into production for a few months as less of that model will be made.
• Additional options – just like with the model itself if you pick some additional extras will impact the time it takes for the car to be built. For example, if you opt for a version with a sunroof then this will be produced in a different run than the model without it.
• Time of year – the time of the year can have an effect on the time it takes to get your Mercedes as most factories will produce a particular vehicle at a certain time of the year. Some factories will also have a plant-wide annual closure for a few weeks where they are not producing any models.
• Factory location – there are very few manufacturers that still produce vehicles in the UK and so the location of the factory will impact your new car’s travel time to arrive with you.

We are currently seeing the long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the part supply chain, especially for semi-conductor microchips that are essential in the electronics for most modern cars. Many manufacturers have adapted their models or reduced the number of extras available to make the supply of microchips last longer or have had to delay the build of models in order to wait for all of the parts. Additionally, there are continued delays due to local lockdowns and illness throughout the supply chain as countries around the globe continue to have differing Covid-19 policies.

Some manufacturers have part suppliers in Russian and Ukraine which means that while they prioritise the safety of their workers supply is being impacted. The companies are working to source parts from other factories but this will take time and may continue to have an impact for the foreseeable future.

How Accurate is Delivery Lead Time?

With everything that is happening in the world and the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic we’re seeing delays to vehicles as manufacturers and dealers work to make sure that the cars are being built to the advertised spec as quickly however there are unforeseen delays that are coming up. Where there are delays they are trying to communicate this as soon as they arrive. As a broker, we are dependent on the dealer to provide us with accurate updates and as soon as we are updated we will let you know of any movement to your order with us.

Five Tips to Reduce Your Lead Time

To help you get your new car as quickly as possible just follow our five tips below!

1. Pick a stock vehicle: If you choose a model that is in stock at a dealership, or in the UK on its way there, then you’ll have less time to wait for it to be ready for onwards delivery to you.
2. Provide accurate information: When applying for a lease car you should make sure that any information is correct to avoid delays being caused by incorrect information needing correcting.
3. Don’t make any changes to the vehicle: If you’re going for a factory order then make sure that when you place the order you choose the right spec for you as if you need to make changes further down the line this will affect your build slot.
4. Complete your documents as quickly as possible: If you’re looking at an in stock vehicle then you should make sure you complete your finance documents once you receive them as for personal leases there’s a 14 day cooling off period where the car cannot be delivered.
5. Be ready to take delivery: to help prevent fraud most funders will only allow the vehicle to be delivered to a home address or the business address as the addresses appear on the proposal details provided. So, you should be prepared to take delivery at home or office address.

For more helpful tips make sure you check out the rest of our blog under the news section above!