Factory Collection no longer!

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C63Bens

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Mar 2, 2013
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36
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C350cdi
Was looking to pick my C63 up from the factory, but was told it is no longer an option - Anyone know why? Do you think they will bring this back?
 
That is a shame.......I enjoyed the experience of collecting my SL in September 2003......even MrsB remembers quite fondly our tour of the production facility.

I would have thought it to be a good marketing tool.

Mic
 
Is it one of the supposed glut of cheap lease overordered ones and already in the country?
 
Is it one of the supposed glut of cheap lease overordered ones and already in the country?

...the OP is correct...factory collection is no longer available
 
It better be I'm heading over there with a pal in June to pick up a CLS 63
 
It better be I'm heading over there with a pal in June to pick up a CLS 63


I am assuming the removal of the factory collection option is 'going forward', i.e. they no longer take bookings, but I doubt they will cancel collections that have already been booked and scheduled...
 
I ordered mine 1 month ago.. So was looking to pick up also in June Flanaia
 
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Was looking to pick my C63 up from the factory, but was told it is no longer an option - Anyone know why? Do you think they will bring this back?

Thats the accountants for you.
We've just ordered an SLK which happens to be dealer stock, but factory collection was on my "wish list". I also discovered that factory collection was off the options list
 
I asked a couple of months back about collection and was told due to cost cutting it had been scrapped across the whole range.
 
I posted this is another thread, but my dealer told me it was due to the fact in Germany they must now fit Winter tyres to any cars they sell, even if they are going abroad. This means if you are a UK customer, you'll get Winter tyres too and apparently a lot of customers were complaining about this.

In addition, apparently the travel costs were escalating and making it in their opionion too expensive an option to offer going forward.

Whatever it is, it's BS, and not a great way to support or build a brand!
 
Lagerlout said:
I posted this is another thread, but my dealer told me it was due to the fact in Germany they must now fit Winter tyres to any cars they sell, even if they are going abroad. This means if you are a UK customer, you'll get Winter tyres too and apparently a lot of customers were complaining about this.

In addition, apparently the travel costs were escalating and making it in their opionion too expensive an option to offer going forward.

Whatever it is, it's BS, and not a great way to support or build a brand!

Nothing new. MB seem determined to compete with ford and vauxhall as an ownership experience.
 
If you definitely want the factory experience order a UK spec car from a German dealer and you can collect it from the factory, however you will have to pay in Euro so do the maths and play the exchange rate :thumb:
 
I posted this is another thread, but my dealer told me it was due to the fact in Germany they must now fit Winter tyres to any cars they sell, even if they are going abroad. This means if you are a UK customer, you'll get Winter tyres too and apparently a lot of customers were complaining about this.
Complete and utter BS.
I asked a couple of months back about collection and was told due to cost cutting it had been scrapped across the whole range.
That sounds more plausible ;)

I've done Customer Collection twice and it was a great experience. The first time I did it (2008) the travel arrangements were very flexible and the team organising it couldn't have been more helpful and accomodating. The second time (2011) the travel arrangements were very much a "take it or leave it" affair, and I inferred that the flexibility previously available had been removed as a cost cutting measure.

Mercedes-Benz UK are definitely on a race to the bottom as far as the ownership experience is concerned. This is another example of cost cutting that makes the brand (in the UK, at least) no different to any other. If cost is that important to MB UK, then surely a better option would have been to continue the program, but levy a (modest) extra charge? Based on the experiences I've had of Customer Collection I would have been willing to pay say £150 to do it and I'm sure many others would too. But then bean counters aren't the most imaginative people on the planet, are they :rolleyes:
 
The reason given to me recently was the same as Largerlout's so it it seems thats the 'official' line. Cost cutting reason is more likely the root of this however, as Phil mentioned, they should use this as an opportunity to make more money!

MB UK....do you have any creativity on how to profit from value add services??? It wouldn't even be a new thing - just copy Porsche, who charge over £1k for the privilege. Also, in Porsche's cost, you do get winter tyres which are then swapped back for new wheels and summer tyres at the UK dealer - the original wheels and tyres are shipped back to Germany. See MB UK, all problems solved - you just need to think about it (or copy your competitors)!!
 
The reason given to me recently was the same as Largerlout's so it it seems thats the 'official' line.

I hadn't heard that before but it makes sense as it's only for winter 2012/13 that the winter tyre rules in Germany were clarified and winter tyres made mandatory. So the factory would have to fit winter tyres.
 

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