Authorised dealers' standards

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starlight

Active Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2015
Messages
103
Location
Scotland
Car
C220d AMG Premium Line Plus (2018)
I suspect that the vast majority of Club members use indies or are expert in carrying out their own servicing and repairs, so this topic may not have much traction... but I'd be interested in views about M-B authorised dealers' standards generally and what to do when seriously brassed off.

In my part of the one world one company operates dealerships across a wide geographical area, which makes it difficult - in fact, close to impractical - to try out alternatives.

I own two Mercedes.

One is looked after by a brilliant local indie; the other has a Mercedes used warranty, so has to go to the local dealer.

(To be fair, one more than one occasion I've been more than grateful to see the Mobilo Roadside Assistance guy roll up to a breakdown. The chap who covers my area is brilliant; and, of course, with all due respect to the AA/RAC he's far better equipped to deal with the fault and the likelihood is that's he'll have any necessary parts in the van. So, to that extent, the stamped book has some benefit.)

Just under a year ago, over the course of about 3 weeks the "warranty" car was returned from the workshop on 3 consecutive occasions with a new fault related to the work that had been carried out. It was the least of it, but although the service indicator has been ticked as reset as part of a service... it wasn't.

Another bad experience today left me wondering why M-B UK trust their reputation to people who, frankly, couldn't care less: the fuse was lit by a so-called "service adviser" with a passive-aggressive attitude and for whom it was just far too much trouble to explain the work done on the car. It had been in the dealership for a full week for a service, MOT and a straightforward part replacement and diagnosis of a central locking fault. No progress reports in the meantime. No diagnosis. The fault had been intermittent, but it had been happening about 75% of the time over the preceding few days.

In fact, I am so fed up with (a) wanting to keep the car but (b) finding the dealership so totally insufferable that I'm wondering whether it's worth the bother of expending the energy on a full-blown piece of fulmination with M-B UK. I know they now operate a "Mystery Customer" scheme (body cameras, apparently!) and have been recruiting a field-based customer liaison representative.

Does anyone have any experience of high-level complaints to M-B about systemic, woeful service and any advice as to how go about one?
 
No but I as many have had similar experiences to you in regard to MB dealers. Have used a Toyota dealer for 4 years prior to my Merc on a cheap little Auris and service was impeccable with prices to match. Merc have been triple the price and an absolute joke on every front from non call backs for quotes to wrong service being completed to being charged for parts that were not replaced. I deal with a lot of dealer of various makes in my line of work and Mercedes have consistently been the worst in every department!
 
It's so surprising that M-B don't have better oversight of dealerships that might just amount to a licence to print money. I recall a story in the Telegraph a good while back recounting customer horror stories - and reporting M-B's determination to get to grips with the network. I think there may have been some sort of purge, but looking at what Club members have to say the standard still seems dire.

I wonder if M-B UK ever bother to look at what their customers are saying in this Club?
 
I suggest you have a read of my thread titled Customer Service? from August... I'm sure there are many more owners who have been thro the sort of saga that I have. You just have to be tenacious and not let it go!!
 
I suspect that the vast majority of Club members use indies or are expert in carrying out their own servicing and repairs, so this topic may not have much traction... but I'd be interested in views about M-B authorised dealers' standards generally and what to do when seriously brassed off.

In my part of the one world one company operates dealerships across a wide geographical area, which makes it difficult - in fact, close to impractical - to try out alternatives.

I own two Mercedes.

One is looked after by a brilliant local indie; the other has a Mercedes used warranty, so has to go to the local dealer.

(To be fair, one more than one occasion I've been more than grateful to see the Mobilo Roadside Assistance guy roll up to a breakdown. The chap who covers my area is brilliant; and, of course, with all due respect to the AA/RAC he's far better equipped to deal with the fault and the likelihood is that's he'll have any necessary parts in the van. So, to that extent, the stamped book has some benefit.)

Just under a year ago, over the course of about 3 weeks the "warranty" car was returned from the workshop on 3 consecutive occasions with a new fault related to the work that had been carried out. It was the least of it, but although the service indicator has been ticked as reset as part of a service... it wasn't.

Another bad experience today left me wondering why M-B UK trust their reputation to people who, frankly, couldn't care less: the fuse was lit by a so-called "service adviser" with a passive-aggressive attitude and for whom it was just far too much trouble to explain the work done on the car. It had been in the dealership for a full week for a service, MOT and a straightforward part replacement and diagnosis of a central locking fault. No progress reports in the meantime. No diagnosis. The fault had been intermittent, but it had been happening about 75% of the time over the preceding few days.

In fact, I am so fed up with (a) wanting to keep the car but (b) finding the dealership so totally insufferable that I'm wondering whether it's worth the bother of expending the energy on a full-blown piece of fulmination with M-B UK. I know they now operate a "Mystery Customer" scheme (body cameras, apparently!) and have been recruiting a field-based customer liaison representative.

Does anyone have any experience of high-level complaints to M-B about systemic, woeful service and any advice as to how go about one?
I guess some on here are just unlucky.. Mercedes Benz of Norwich have treated me with as much respect as if I had bought a brand new car instead of a low mileage 1 owner w204 C250...
it was delivered in showroom without so much as a spec of dust on it.. full lowdown from the salesman of what did what .. and a peace of mind service contract to boot to look after it for 32 quid a month.. a minor repair was made without fuss and car was delivered back to me .. I speak as I find..if I had anything to complain about I would shout it from the rooftops..no doubt of that !!!.. foxy52
 
My dealer Drayton Stoke are excellent, nothing is too much trouble, sales and service both very good.
We'll see if the standard starts to slip now that they have been sold to a car supermarket company.
 
MB Swindon have always stepped up to the mark, excellent service. Treated me as an old friend always greeted by name as I walked in. Couldn't recommend them highly enough
 
I've had dealers at both ends of the spectrum Slough Mercedes are awful, everything is never their problem and there's an attitude of "I'm not bothered".

Mercedes Beconsfield is totally the opposite, going out of their way to resolve issues and always keeping you informed.

It's also a matter of getting to know the dealer management, once your recognised you seem to get better service.
 
I found MB Glasgow to be a complete pain neck over many years so much so I bought my car from MB Edinburgh who where a pleasure to deal with. Fingers crossed how they do on servicing.
 
Same as any company. If it's badly led at the top, it filters down incredibly quickly. I use MB Temple Fortune for servicing under my MB Plan (I bought the car in Suffolk) and they have been excellent.
 
I'm on my second MB with Sytner Mercedes of Teeside. All of their staff are very professional, polite and friendly. Servicing is minimum fuss, with a courtesy car always ready to go. Overall I cannot fault them and have to say they are way ahead of the Toyota dealership I had to tolerate for some years previously.
 
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Glad to hear some positive experiences! But the extreme range of dealer behaviours experienced by customers, is a deep concern for owners and perhaps says more about M-B UK or DE maintaining high standards, than the dealers they are meant to be monitoring.
 
MB Swindon have always stepped up to the mark, excellent service. Treated me as an old friend always greeted by name as I walked in. Couldn't recommend them highly enough

They must have unusually long serving staff - I don't think I've ever seen the same service advisor twice at MB Chester, and one of the mechanics told me he had no idea of the sales people's names as they change every 6 months.
 
They must have unusually long serving staff - I don't think I've ever seen the same service advisor twice at MB Chester, and one of the mechanics told me he had no idea of the sales people's names as they change every 6 months.

Yup, over the 10yrs, same three service team leaders, quite a few techs and the receptionist. Must be a happy place to work!
 
MB Swindon have always stepped up to the mark, excellent service. Treated me as an old friend always greeted by name as I walked in. Couldn't recommend them highly enough[/QUOTE

I wish I could say the same. Think it partly depends on which 'service' guy you deal with.

If there was a better option I would not deal with them again.l
 
Over the years I've been with them I've been serviced (Ooo Matron!!) by all of them at one time or another. They seemed particularly interested and helpful when I was modifying my 203, giving me WIS printouts etc..

I'm hoping the Lexus dealership/service dept are going to be equally good...
 
I found MB Glasgow to be a complete pain neck over many years so much so I bought my car from MB Edinburgh who where a pleasure to deal with. Fingers crossed how they do on servicing.

I've heard good reports of them too. Presumably, however, you'll have the hassle of travelling some distance to drop off and collect for servicing? I don't imagine they offer to pick up and return outwith their area?
 
I suggest you have a read of my thread titled Customer Service? from August... I'm sure there are many more owners who have been thro the sort of saga that I have. You just have to be tenacious and not let it go!!

Now looks like I'm going to need that tenacity - or just give up on M-B (the current favourite option) - because, ironically, in the middle of participating in this thread, I had a "last straw" experience today with the dealer.

The car was booked in for a service, MOT, straightforward part replacement(1.5 hours labour or thereabouts) and investigation of an intermittent central locking fault.

A week later the car's ready for collection. Not a couple of days, A week. Of course, the intermittent fault hasn't obliged by manifesting itself and they clearly haven't bothered to carry out a number of basic diagnostic checks for this type of problem: key contacts, chip, PSE pump... probably more.

I arrange a specific time to collect the car. They want me to arrange a time, because it would help them. They're busy. I arrive on time. It takes a full 40-minute wait before the car is delivered to the front door and only after some "chasing".

We go over the paperwork.I notice there's no MOT certificate.

Then it kicks off.

The "service adviser" (who I reckon has had her fill of unhappy customers) clearly doubts whether the MOT was mentioned when I phoned to book the work. Equally, I detect scepticism when I tell her that, as I always do, I handed in a written note of what needed done, included the MOT, when I dropped the car off. There is, of course, not the slightest chance the imminent MOT expiry is something that would show on there system. And, of course, when I was told that the car was ready to be collected I should have mentioned the MOT.

Result... a waste of taxi fares, and the useless expenditure of around 2 hours' time, while the car is left for the MOT to be done.

I tell her that this is the umpteenth time I've experienced rock bottom service. There's no point in going into the detail, because she's not interested. But I might have said that, just by way of one example, a couple of years ago, instead of replacing a failing starter battery as they were asked to do, they replaced the consumer battery (just six months old). (The R230 has of course two batteries.) I foolishly didn't check the work and got stranded a week later.

I also tell her that this "last straw" experience will result in a complaint to M-B UK, but it's water off a duck's back.

The upshot is that I have to decide whether to take a punt on another dealership 50 miles away - or, more likely, switch to BMW or Audi.

The bottom line is that owning a Mercedes in my part of the world ceased to be a sane proposition when the "rationalisation" took place a number of years ago and independent businesses lost out to large territories being carved out for car supermarket companies. Very sad. I know from other threads that some Club members have consistently happy experiences with dealers and I envy them. I just wish M-B UK would wake up to the fact that a significant number of owners are not so blessed.
 
Probably the only downside having to drive to Edinburgh but its well worth it. Considering the very poor service from MB Glasgow over 20+ years Edinburgh MB have proved to be a delight.
 

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