Genuine Mercedes Parts will be harder to find...

[nick mercedes]

"In the last months of 2010 Mercedes started spreading out change of attitude towards their distribution system of spare parts.
We call it "Berufsverbot" (Occupational ban in English)

Mercedes puts great pressure on the authorised dealers in all layers to make sure that spare parts are only sold to workshops or end users and NOT to resellers.

Mercedes is using a grey zone in EU “Block Exemption Regulation”
Commission Regulation (EU) No 461/2010 of 27 May 2010 EUR-Lex - Page not found

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1400/2002 of 31 July 2002 EUR-Lex - Page not found

Mercedes is using a “Selective distribution” system, and are therefore free to set rules for the authorized dealers according to the “Block Exemption” they are free of normal competition rules both nationally and EU wise.
But the “Block Exemption” on the other hand says that workshops must not be blocked, and therefore Mercedes is still supplying them

All possible action are being taken in many countries trying to stop this type of what everybody knows is competition limitation, but in EU National laws are overruled by EU laws, and starting up a case in EU is a big job, and will take years!

The actual action from Mercedes is handing out a simple piece of paper to the authorized dealers to give to their customers, where the customers must sign that he is using the spare parts for fitting on cars and not for reselling.

This new attitude has in my knowledge started out in Europe, Germany first in October, but it looks that it is going to be world wide. It have caused great panic amongst Mercedes specialists like us and big or small wholesaler companies having a big part of their business cut away overnight. Everybody is trying to find new sources, sending requests to everybody.


The declared goals of Mercedes is as follows:

* To gain control over the players on the market that sells original Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, smart Unimog and spare parts.
* To ensure that the original Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, smart and Unimog parts is only sold by authorized retailers.
* To prevent authorized dealers or large customers to resell the original Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, smart and Unimog spare parts to third parties"

Discuss.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Did we touch on this subject on another thread?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

If I understand this correct, they are stopping companies that buy from Mercedes at a discounted price who then undercut Mercedes own retail price?

 

[st4]

I think its wrong, many people make a living working with mercedes cars

 

[grober]

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/103047-genuine-parts-2.html

post 28

 

[clarke77]

Just in time for my slow repair for previous owners lack of care.

 

[BlackC55]

I spend £100k a year with mb. They like that.

 

[ACID]

well there will alway be a way around it to buy the parts cheap......

 

[whitenemesis]

I spend £100k a year with mb. They like that.

Yes but you are using them and no just selling them on for profit..

 

[219]

It is effectively a clandestine form of resale price maintenance - something which was outlawed in the UK about 40 years ago ( may be a legal challenge ) .

In the meantime , resellers like Nick or ECP may be able to get around it by offering a 'fitting service' so that they can be classified as 'a workshop' ?

Of course , many parts are not made by MB , so if it means sourcing more parts from OEM suppliers and cutting out MB , they will only be cutting off their nose to spite their face .

 

[whitenemesis]

I would expect the OEM suppliers to be firmly tied by contract not to supply directly to 'the public' ?

 

[nick mercedes]

I would expect the OEM suppliers to be firmly tied by contract not to supply directly to 'the public' ?

OEMs are easier to control given that there are so few of them now.

Expect more Chinese parts in the future...

 

[abecketts]

I spend £100k a year with mb. They like that.

your not reselling just providing garage services so i'm sure they love you. Out of interest do you buy from a dealer or direct from MB?

 

[whitenemesis]

Yes but you are using them and no just selling them on for profit..

your not reselling just providing garage services so i'm sure they love you. Out of interest do you buy from a dealer or direct from MB?

Quite

 

[markjay]

...The actual action from Mercedes is handing out a simple piece of paper to the authorized dealers to give to their customers, where the customers must sign that he is using the spare parts for fitting on cars and not for reselling...

I am assuming this is only applicable for buyers asking for trade discount? RRP buyers are surely not asked to sign anything?

 

[312 Sprinter]

I can see the rationale behind it; stopping genuine new parts from escaping from the dealer network ought to make it harder for the unscrupulous to pass off fakes as genuine. From Mercedes' point of view I guess the non franchised re-sellers are commercially insignificant.

It doesn't really bother me. I either buy from the dealer with a trade discount or I buy Bosch/Mann/Pagid/ATE etc from the likes of Euro car parts or another mainstream motor factor. I've always avoided the Mercedes resellers; there always seems to be a total lack of clarity in that market. I can see why small businesses would be unhappy about it, but I can also see why Mercedes would want to stamp out the practice.

 

[nick mercedes]

I can see the rationale behind it; stopping genuine new parts from escaping from the dealer network ought to make it harder for the unscrupulous to pass off fakes as genuine. From Mercedes' point of view I guess the non franchised re-sellers are commercially insignificant.

Big problems for G-Wagen and Unimog owners in America:

"Since the beginning of October, spare parts export from the European Union has been banned by the DAIMLER AG Board of Management and there is no intention to lift this ban in the near future.

The effect of this ban means that parts are now much harder to source and lead times for sourcing the parts are much longer. So called "Gray Market" suppliers have been told to buy from the official channels within their own countries, or pound sand........your choice.

In our case, MBUSA does not fully support the G-Class, as manufactured from 1979 - 2001, so we in effect have no way of supporting our W460 and W463 customers around the world. The UNIMOG is not officially supported here in the States either, and we are left scratching our heads with this one as well.

DAIMLER AG, which was once a great company, is now turning its back yet again to the throngs of loyal customers that appreciate their unbeatable off-road products. My inquiries to management officials within the G-Class department in Stuttgart have gone unanswered and we do not know the official reason for the export ban, but one can easily read between the lines.


We do not plan on changing our operation or our inventory with regard to spare parts. As stated above, lead times will be longer and of course, higher prices on OE - Original Equipment Mercedes parts will be forthcoming. We'll also look even more to the OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturers to supply us with identical parts at lower prices.

Please be patient with us as we work to adapt to this new reality. Your understanding is greatly appreciated!"

And classic MB car part suppliers:

"Mid-November, Daimler AG imposed an immediate ban of sales for original parts to non-authorized dealers, under thread of penalty in case of violation on the part of the official Mercedes dealers to the point of withdrawal of the official dealer authorization.
In our case this meant the compulsory and abrupt ending of a trustful business relationship with the local Mercedes dealer that had lasted for nearly two decades.
In view of the sharpness and haste with which this sanction was et into the world, gives an idea of the pressure under which the Daimler AG is acting here. Unfortunate and questionable it is however, that no official information is given to enlighten the background – thus lets us only assume, that it might all have to do with the continuous issues betwenn the Daimler AG and the US stoch exchange supervision SEC."

 

[LTD]

Will this cause a rise in car thefts ?

 

[nick mercedes]

Will this cause a rise in car thefts ?

No.

Only clips and filters and satnav discs/wiring are really going to be an issue here.

It's more a problem for export customers who can't get parts in their own country, and now can't even import them.

 

[219]

I would expect the OEM suppliers to be firmly tied by contract not to supply directly to 'the public' ?

I was more meaning people like Nick or ECP sourcing direct from the likes of Bosch , Hella etc .

Having said that , there used to be a Bosch shop in Edinburgh which sold direct to the public and stocked items like distributor caps , headlamps , fuel pumps etc - all at a fraction of the MB prices .