Dealer of Stealer?

[Gollom]

At the risk of getting my head blown off or being flamed......... (I agree with Howard - this forum is becoming a little tetchy just lately)

As others have commented the word "Stealers" really, really grates on me. I hate paying the prices too - but I choose to have a MB. And lets face it, how many of us would not charge that level if we could get away with it? (A rhetoric question BTW!!)

So le's have a poll - should we refer to them as Dealers, Stealers or am I (and others) being over sensitive?

 

[Flash]

All depends on what service you receive I guess - my last experience was pleasant (for a change) when I had my W203 serviced.

This is just my opinion - we should have the right/freedom to call them what ever we like on the Forum Dealer or Stealer - in my time I have across plenty of nasty ones and had bad experiences. One of great things about this forum is being able to express/discuss our experience/knowledge...

PS. Don't forget that someone from DC UK or their Marketing Agents/Stealers time to time will monitor this forum as we are the largest independent MB enthusiast forum in the UK - I personally knew one Stealer that had in past browsed this Forum as a Technician who I was friends with worked there and told me

 

[1998K]

I've simply voted: Stealer

 

[masqueraid]

May not like the prices but then it's a Mercedes

Have never had any problems that couldn't be resolved

- Dealer

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Calling dealers "stealers" is not unique to this forum nor to MB. It's a universal slang term that has found it's way into every day vocabulary, just like "copper" can be used to describe a policeman, or "sparky" describes an electrician, etc.

In the vast majority of cases I doubt people are actually suggesting that the main dealer is involved in criminal activity, it's just using a common every day term.

By the way I voted dealer.

Given the cited tetchiness:
Disclaimer: No offence intended to stealers, coppers or sparkies!!

 

[jonm]

IMHO, its totally down to the individual and their own experiences.

I didn't buy an MB because I wanted or expected cheap servicing/repairs, in fact I expected the exact opposite, and would you believe it, surprise surprise it is! I believe I/you/we are paying a premium for the perception of quality and prestige (real or otherwise).

When taking that into account and the level of service I have received at local dealer (MB Nottingham), which has always been very good indeed, I'm a happy bunny. With saying that that its a free country, with free speech (just about), 'we' are paying and as far as I can see we should be able to call it what ever we like. So, today its a delaler, tomorrow (in for an A service you see ) it may not be.

On another note I would say that MB Notts have done a good job in 'dealing' (no pun intended) with a product which has not lived up to the 'perceived' quality...I'm biased because I love been guided by the 3 pointed star.



Cheers
Jon

 

[andy_k]

I think when you just pop in to buy some parts and get a cup of coffee placed in front of you whilst they fit the parts you've just bought for free because it's only a five minute job then they are dealers.

I think that when you take your kids in to pick some leaflets up for a school project and the sales staff encourage them to sit in the cars and load them up with merchandise they are dealers

I think when you take the car in to get a fault diagnosed and they take it off to the workshop without charging you and when the car comes back around to the car park it's been washed and hoovered then they are dealers.

Likewise when they send out the invites to open evenings and social events, when they speak to you and know your name if you see them outside of their work environment, when they take time to find out what they vcan do for you rather than what they can charge you for etc etc etc. It's the little things that make them dealers.

I think the first time they upset you (even if they later resolve the problem) or charge you 20 pence more for a part than GSF or Europarts would have done then they are stealers

Andy

ps now stop whingeing you over sensitive wuss

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Price of a tiny plastic lock cap is has now gone up to 62p.

STEALERS!!!!!!!

 

[Storm]

I'm very new to the fold having *just* bought my first Merc, but already I'm leaning towards the 'stealer' stance and I've not even taken it in for a service yet.

There's nothing wrong with high prices when they're coupled with quality goods and service, but after paying a deposit and securing the vehicle I've had nothing but trouble with the salesman. I've had to spend hours (that isn't an overexaggeration) on the phone just to get the sale sorted, which shouldn't happen when buying a premium motor - nothing should be much trouble and you shouldn't need to phone them on a daily basis.

Still, feel free to take my vote with a pinch of salt as it's just one experience with one Mercedes representative.

 

[Sp!ke]

I agree its nice to drive around in an exbenzive car thats just that little bit better than your average car.

I also dont think the cost of spares is particularly high. However, I think the labour rates for servicing in this country at least is absolutely shocking.... not just for Mercedes but for all marques.

The cars themselves are often designed so that they have to be brought in to a dealer for simple problems. A friend with a mazda had a headlamp bulb blow recently and found that in order to change the bulb, the front wheel and inner wheel arch required removal in order to gain access. A trip to the dealer ensued and book price for a bulb change was 1.5 hours labour. Nearly £200 later he had his new bulb fitted.

I know not of any other trade where you can be charged upwards of £100 per hour labour, for basic maintenance work. I can understand paying top dollar to some highly skilled specialist tuner or something where the skills required merit this kind of charge but to charge over £100 per hour for the 16 year old on a work placement scheme to change your fluids I think is daylight robbery.

So yes, I call them stealerships, simply because of their labour costs.

 

[Flash]

I have no issues with paying MB labour rates/parts as long as they do a good job with high quality level of service and provide me with a courtesy car and get the job done. In the past this has not been the case BUT my last experience was good and what I expected.

My CL500 is going in tomorrow for a minor issue (which I was aware of before buying the car but got the car at a good price) so I will see IF they are as good as last time I visited with my W203... If all is sorted and they treat me well I will refer to them as Dealer if not then STEALER...

 

[spitzkop]

When you buy a car brand new, order up all the options, get a call later on saying that several options cannot be factory ordered and that they would have to install them upon arrival of the car, car arrives and they bodge the job (set of bulls, tow bar, bumpers have never been aligned since new, yet other exact models have aligned bumpers even those with factory fitted bulls, tow bar is sub standard and non-removable), then you later find out that all options WHERE available from factory.... Dealer wanted to make more bucks by getting zitty kid to fudge an expensive car with sub-standard parts, yet charge you factory option prices...... What should I call them....

.... same dealer, price of an A service, 400 quid, price of a B service cannot quote because it depends upon what they have to do (or how much they want to rob you), labour rate 100 quid + VAT per hour...... What should I call them.....

Living in Stuttgart, dealers have massive overheads for the beautiful buildings they house there Mercs in, the high taxation rates and social rates..... what do they charge per hour..... floating scale, variable according to type of job, varied from ~40 pounds to 87 pounds per hour..... the price they quote was the price you paid, for that job! .... what should I call them....

Dealer or Stealer, the dealer in Harrogate was a Stealer, the Dealer in Stuttgart was a Dealer.... You dont mind paying a fair price for a good job, you mind paying thieves to steal your hard earned money away from you....

I voted Stealer.... for the UK, but I would have voted Dealer for Germany!

 

[Sp!ke]

Thats interesting spitzkop, so they charge a different hourly rate for the more technical jobs? I think that is a very fair system.

 

[Flash]

then you later find out that all options WHERE available from factory.... Dealer wanted to make more bucks by getting zitty kid to fudge an expensive car with sub-standard parts, yet charge you factory option prices...... What should I call them....

Sounds like they "conned" you into selling a car that was in stock or already being built and spec could not be chnaged... now that is wrong...!

 

[spitzkop]

Thats interesting spitzkop, so they charge a different hourly rate for the more technical jobs? I think that is a very fair system.

They list each type of job in Arbeitswerte, or work minutes, and category. The price per Arbeitswerte differs per category. The category is things like Exhaust, Transmission, Engine etc rather than specific job, but still a much fairer system. Granted, if something else has got damaged or more work is required that is not directly related to the job you requested, they'll phone you up.

 

[GRAV888]

Definitely stealers.
If they reduced their labour rate, more people would chose to go back to them, rather than independants

 

[Benzowner]

I voted sensitive wuss but to a large degree it does depend on age of car etc etc. If you buy new or a couple of years old, then to maintain warranty etc the dealer will need to carry out the service at the dealers rate, whereas an older car, servicing can be carried out at the indies rate which is normally much lower, or even service it yourself. The indy tend to use genuine MB parts, their premisses maybe not so prestigeous, maybe the dealer should have prestigeous showrooms and a backstreet service centre, or maybe the servicing bit subsidises the showroom I wonder what Rolls forum call theirs

 

[AJTHOMAS]

Parts are cheap and the complimentary touches make visiting the impressive facilities a pleasure, labour rates reasonable considering the burdens.

They do what they say, charge what they quote, couldn't ask for more.
Some jobs are DIY, some better value at a local independent, for everything else there is the Dealership !


62p for a plastic part, that's a bl**dy bargain !

That's a generous subsidy from the Dealership, if you think you could source a supplier or make it cheaper, go right ahead. The service business would have heavy costs of procurement, inventory, logistics, managing all time buys and obsolecence. All to then bear the invoicing and transaction handling fees for 62p !!

If you try to give it away you could be accused of 'favouring' and run fowl of competition laws for which you pay lawyers to advise, arghh...

 

[davidH]

At the risk of getting my head blown off or being flamed......... (I agree with Howard - this forum is becoming a little tetchy just lately)

As others have commented the word "Stealers" really, really grates on me. I hate paying the prices too - but I choose to have a MB. And lets face it, how many of us would not charge that level if we could get away with it? (A rhetoric question BTW!!)

So le's have a poll - should we refer to them as Dealers, Stealers or am I (and others) being over sensitive?

Thanks for bringing this issue up. Its always grated on my nerves too. Will be interested in seeing the results of the poll.

By the way I am not against free speech or views but the term did seem to be being overused in the forum.

 

[Flash]

Poll results currently are showing that a lot of us do refer to them as Stealers.

Personally, to me they are still Stealers as they have ripped myself off in past BUT time will tell if they really have changed as and when I use them from now onwards.