"Mercedes-Benz Club" a bit pants - or is it me?

[guydewdney]

Joined the MBC thingy as promised 'technical info' and 'epc / wis' access, plus 'active forum' etc etc

well - all the 'docs' on the 202 (and W140) page(s) are old photocopies of magazine articles bar one whinge. The forum is 'dead'. The WIS access requires a completely separate access to the german page! (which I need to wait until my plastic card arrives)

Much seems to be made of 'dealer discounts for members' - yet there is no list of dealers offering anything.

Feel a bit ripped off really. Even the 'shop' is a bit pants, with a few sweaters, key fobs etc - not even a pen or valve caps?

 

[tintinmt]

I share your thoughts.

 

[SL300-24]

I think you have made your decision very early in your membership.

For £35 you get lots of top quality events,Monthly Gazette which is top quality, Mercedes Classic Magazine 4 time per year free ( normal cost 24 euros 6x4 euros to buy). WIS and EPC will be with you soon, insurance discounts, an excellent technical team to help with vehicle diagnosis, etc, etc
Best £35 a year that I spend TBH.

Most of the dealer discounts are listed in the directory which you also receive every 3 months.

The forum is a members only forum so is obviously a lot quieter than this or most "open" forums. Plenty of members here belong to both and we have a good relationship I think. It is a club with a forum as an extra, not a forum with the odd event. They are both valid, both different.

 

[W4E300]

Make sure to contact the local guys - they do some good meets and events....and for £35 a year I've saved loads more than that on parts etc. Agree on the website & 'forum'...it ain't that...!

Sent from my iPad using MBClub UK

 

[d w124]

Reminds me I have to renew mine

 

[stevieb15]

The magazine and Mercedes Classic are well worth the monthly subs.
I use the forum occasionally, it's not like here, much less busy but good fun irrespective.

 

[guydewdney]

Ok. Will report back with some more time under my belt. Im an online type of guy, so the offline paper magazine is a bit archaic.

 

[neilrr]

Interesting that the thread on the official club site discussing this thread is longer than this thread!

 

[nullogik]

For £35 its pretty good value - and I'm not a club official saying this! Just a subscriber. You get 12 magazines and access to MB EPC. A subscription to Merc Enthusiast magazine is a lot more.

Don't bother with the MB Owners Club (the non-official one). Their magazine is wafer thin and appears to be a selection of press releases cobbled together under the guise of a club magazine. Membership fees are a lot higher too. On the positive side their forum is a lot more active than the official MB Club's but that is probably because it isn't private.

I must put in a good word for JEC (Jaguar Enthusiasts Club). Their magazine is superb. Miles better than any Mercedes Club offerings, be they official clubs or not, that I have seen. I'm not a huge Jaguar fan but I got some old hand-me-down copies from a person I know and now I'm a subscriber! Still don't own a Jaguar though but a X350 is a tempting proposition.

 

[SL300-24]

Interesting that the thread on the official club site discussing this thread is longer than this thread!

Good to know that you still pop in Neil......

 

[neilrr]

Do you miss me?

 

[SilverSaloon]

I've not visited the forum for about a year now so cant comment on its current state, but it was never very active.

the monthly subscription is worth it to me for the Gazette every month, the Classic magazine and the EPC access. I've never really needed to use the WIS so far so cannot comment on it.

I've not been to any of the shows for a couple of years now but possibly will go to the SL rally this year i think.

 

[oscarisapc]

It has a different role

The Official MB Club and this forum have different roles. The Club seems to be much more social than technical - some of the member contributions on things they have done for their cars are very interesting but the reviews are very anodyne. The monthly Gazette is an excellent read. I have recently used the forum to ask if local members who had an R129SL would be willing to show theirs to me as I didn't know whether to buy one. Four local members who knew each other turned up to a rendezvous to show me their R129s, I crawled over the cars, learned a lot about them, drove one, and then we all went to the pub for lunch. I am sure if asked on this forum for such help it would be offered, but the official club makes a point of membership linking. So I am a member of both. And the result of my day out was that I decided not to buy an R129 as it wouldn't suit our family needs, but they are lovely cars.

 

[ckember]

Don't forget 10% discount on parts! and some times labour which can pay for the other goodies on one visit to a stealer

 

[wywywywy]

Can anyone give examples of the discounts please?

 

[Druk]

Can anyone give examples of the discounts please?

Depends where you are in the NW but....for instance....

MB Carlisle offer 10% discount on parts: 20% off labour: free MOT with a service: 42% discounted service on 8yr or older cars.

All on production of membership card.

 

[DSB SL AMG]

definitely worth £35, i believe a lot cheaper than other german club 'marks'...especially with the mag, part / labour discounts, obviously dependent on what stealer you use. The big + was i found my E55 from there after being contacted by the last owner who was a member...

Have been to many of the classic car shows, club stand...so for me its been worth it, i don't use there forum much as i tend to use here and the other side...

 

[mct_cars]

I get MB Newcastle to match any online price for genuine parts.. they take me seriously because I'm in the club.

Social side doesn't really interest me, and the mags (monthly) are sometimes unread. But when I read them , they are interesting. I always read classic - good articles. Access to the directory is excellent, and some classic insurance requires a club pro to value a car for guaranteed insurance purposes.

All in all, for £35, its worth the money.

Edited - sure on Direct Debit it's £30 after the first year.

 

[guydewdney]

As has been noted on tother side, it could be construed as rude discusing the other side on here, so could this be locked / closed please?