TripleD
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2016
- Messages
- 175
- Location
- Suffolk
- Car
- C300h loaner as my C250d broke after only 900 miles :(
Visited my local dealership yesterday to sign the finance documents on my new car. After thinking about the whole process today, I'm contemplating cancelling my order!
I think buying a new car should be an experience, and a good experience at that. Or maybe it's just the little things that niggle and give you an insight as to how the dealer sees you.
When I first visited the showroom spoke to salesman, took test drive, discussed numbers but made it clear I had not seen all the cars on my list to see, so we were working on ballpark figures. Got offered drinks, but declined.
Second visit, during the 1st visit I test drove a C220 Estate, but wanted to try the C250, they only had a C250 Saloon, but it was the engine and pickup I was interested in, so test drove that. Got offered drinks we accepted, nice coffee
Was happy with the car, negotiated. Handed across paperwork that was printed out, no Merc Documents wallets as they apparent had run out. Salesman said he would contact me in a week to arrange for the finance documents to be signed.
Fine so far!
Got a call from Salesman earlier this week, finance docs ready to sign when can I come in. Arranged an 'appointment' at 11am Thursday.
I had been researching and wanting to order a Hatchbag before the car arrives, so explained this to the Salesman said I needed to know some information on the boot shape before I could do this. He said car would be available Thursday to view as it was in. He advised this was his day off, but I would be seeing the finance manager anyway.
This is were things start to turn!
Turned up Thursday just before 11, ladies at front desk were seeing to customers, more than happy to wait, a gentleman approaches me wearing shirt and trousers and Merc name badge, but not a sales/service person asked if he could assist, I said I have an appointment with 'George' at 11, he walked over to the service desk and gestured me to follow, I was there to sign service docs, maybe I hadn't made that clear, advised the gentleman of this (mistakes happen .. still happy). He took me over to an empty desk to take a seat.
This is were it starts to decline.
He walks into the finance managers office to obviously say I was here, came out, walked passed me, smiled, and there I sat for 5+ minutes while waiting for finance manager. No offer of coffee, refreshments or anything.
Eventually had someone come see me who looked like a salesman, said they were taking me through the documents, I asked about the car, and being able to see it, he said he would find out while I reviewed the master pcp agreement, left me while I read through.
Came back asked if I had any questions ... Oh yes I did, because of the 'servicing' clause, asked why I had to have the car serviced by MB approved network (main dealers) his response was 'Because it invalidates the warranty if you have it serviced outside of MB'
This instantly got my back up from being lied to, if a car is serviced with genuine MB parts, they cannot invalidate the warranty. Also quoted the European Block Exemption Regulations at him, he re-read the statement on the paperwork as then said, "well it doesn't say you can't service it elsewhere". Now unhappy with an uneducated muppett spouting lies, I asked to speak with the finance manager who I actually had the appointment with.
Now been at MB for 40 mins .... still no offer of drink or anything.
After a further wait, finance manager came out, I explained this again, also explained that MB servicing costs compared to competitors was exceedingly high, therefore I have a right to inquire on this statement.
Now the finance manager in himself during the whole conversation could not look me in the eye, he was looking everywhere else by at me. I think this in itself is shady. When I deal with customer I look at them and make sure they have my focus when I am talking to them or listening. It's surely a basic principal!
Finance Manager suggested that MB is more expensive then the competition therefore the service costs were higher ... we'll come back to this.
secondly if it's not got full MB service history the cars value is less at the end of the pcp term. showed me the grid saying without MB service it's £900 *fine* over 3 years if the car is handed back. Suggests if I don't plan to hand the car back or look at trade in that this is then not relevant.
So MB more expensive I suggested otherwise, quoted similar speced 3 series price and Audi A4 price which I obtained, along with service pack costs for both.
Asked what Mercedes do above a £500 BMW pack and a £450 Audi pack that makes it worth £1650, to which there was no answer, I asked what else they changed except oil, filters, brake fluid (you can see I'm getting rather annoyed, they have p**sed me off). Again no answer suggested the 'experience' with MB was better, and that was the cost.
I explained further that the reason I'm not keen on this clause was because of a bad experience with a main dealer, therefore I would not wish to use that dealer in future said this was not MB, and that I have not got any views on this garage, but such a clause concerns me.
He said they are all about the experience (note still no offer of a drink), and that they look after their customers (look at table no drink). Eventually agreed to sign the document under the 14 day cancellation rule while I thought it through more.
Asked again about seeing car, apparently 'its in the compound' and that he would get someone to take photo's and send them to me via email that afternoon.
No Email to date.
Left dealership after 1hr 15 mins with no refreshments, and visited costa!
Emailed my sales person last night ... asked for photo's.
No Email to date.
It now very much seems like now they have my money they could not careless! That is my current impression, and if this is how the dealer is, I'm not impressed, and going so far as considering cancelling my order.
Think I might also make some contact with MB UK to stir up some poo, as to me, as a customer ordering a new car to be delivered on the 1st, my experience to date is rather tainted.
The dealership in question is Mercedes Benz - Lancaster of Ipswich.
Am I wrong to feel like this?
I think buying a new car should be an experience, and a good experience at that. Or maybe it's just the little things that niggle and give you an insight as to how the dealer sees you.
When I first visited the showroom spoke to salesman, took test drive, discussed numbers but made it clear I had not seen all the cars on my list to see, so we were working on ballpark figures. Got offered drinks, but declined.
Second visit, during the 1st visit I test drove a C220 Estate, but wanted to try the C250, they only had a C250 Saloon, but it was the engine and pickup I was interested in, so test drove that. Got offered drinks we accepted, nice coffee
Was happy with the car, negotiated. Handed across paperwork that was printed out, no Merc Documents wallets as they apparent had run out. Salesman said he would contact me in a week to arrange for the finance documents to be signed.
Fine so far!
Got a call from Salesman earlier this week, finance docs ready to sign when can I come in. Arranged an 'appointment' at 11am Thursday.
I had been researching and wanting to order a Hatchbag before the car arrives, so explained this to the Salesman said I needed to know some information on the boot shape before I could do this. He said car would be available Thursday to view as it was in. He advised this was his day off, but I would be seeing the finance manager anyway.
This is were things start to turn!
Turned up Thursday just before 11, ladies at front desk were seeing to customers, more than happy to wait, a gentleman approaches me wearing shirt and trousers and Merc name badge, but not a sales/service person asked if he could assist, I said I have an appointment with 'George' at 11, he walked over to the service desk and gestured me to follow, I was there to sign service docs, maybe I hadn't made that clear, advised the gentleman of this (mistakes happen .. still happy). He took me over to an empty desk to take a seat.
This is were it starts to decline.
He walks into the finance managers office to obviously say I was here, came out, walked passed me, smiled, and there I sat for 5+ minutes while waiting for finance manager. No offer of coffee, refreshments or anything.
Eventually had someone come see me who looked like a salesman, said they were taking me through the documents, I asked about the car, and being able to see it, he said he would find out while I reviewed the master pcp agreement, left me while I read through.
Came back asked if I had any questions ... Oh yes I did, because of the 'servicing' clause, asked why I had to have the car serviced by MB approved network (main dealers) his response was 'Because it invalidates the warranty if you have it serviced outside of MB'
This instantly got my back up from being lied to, if a car is serviced with genuine MB parts, they cannot invalidate the warranty. Also quoted the European Block Exemption Regulations at him, he re-read the statement on the paperwork as then said, "well it doesn't say you can't service it elsewhere". Now unhappy with an uneducated muppett spouting lies, I asked to speak with the finance manager who I actually had the appointment with.
Now been at MB for 40 mins .... still no offer of drink or anything.
After a further wait, finance manager came out, I explained this again, also explained that MB servicing costs compared to competitors was exceedingly high, therefore I have a right to inquire on this statement.
Now the finance manager in himself during the whole conversation could not look me in the eye, he was looking everywhere else by at me. I think this in itself is shady. When I deal with customer I look at them and make sure they have my focus when I am talking to them or listening. It's surely a basic principal!
Finance Manager suggested that MB is more expensive then the competition therefore the service costs were higher ... we'll come back to this.
secondly if it's not got full MB service history the cars value is less at the end of the pcp term. showed me the grid saying without MB service it's £900 *fine* over 3 years if the car is handed back. Suggests if I don't plan to hand the car back or look at trade in that this is then not relevant.
So MB more expensive I suggested otherwise, quoted similar speced 3 series price and Audi A4 price which I obtained, along with service pack costs for both.
Asked what Mercedes do above a £500 BMW pack and a £450 Audi pack that makes it worth £1650, to which there was no answer, I asked what else they changed except oil, filters, brake fluid (you can see I'm getting rather annoyed, they have p**sed me off). Again no answer suggested the 'experience' with MB was better, and that was the cost.
I explained further that the reason I'm not keen on this clause was because of a bad experience with a main dealer, therefore I would not wish to use that dealer in future said this was not MB, and that I have not got any views on this garage, but such a clause concerns me.
He said they are all about the experience (note still no offer of a drink), and that they look after their customers (look at table no drink). Eventually agreed to sign the document under the 14 day cancellation rule while I thought it through more.
Asked again about seeing car, apparently 'its in the compound' and that he would get someone to take photo's and send them to me via email that afternoon.
No Email to date.
Left dealership after 1hr 15 mins with no refreshments, and visited costa!
Emailed my sales person last night ... asked for photo's.
No Email to date.
It now very much seems like now they have my money they could not careless! That is my current impression, and if this is how the dealer is, I'm not impressed, and going so far as considering cancelling my order.
Think I might also make some contact with MB UK to stir up some poo, as to me, as a customer ordering a new car to be delivered on the 1st, my experience to date is rather tainted.
The dealership in question is Mercedes Benz - Lancaster of Ipswich.
Am I wrong to feel like this?
eek
), but because it's a great revenue stream that also allows them to legally tie their customer to servicing within their franchised network which they would otherwise be unable to do.
