Mercedes Benz Customer Service

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My Service Advisor was also a tech before, and sometimes donned his overalls when the workshop was in a punch. It enables more informative conversations.
Makes a massive difference when you can discuss an issue with someone who actually understands the technology, and doesn’t splurge sound bite BS
 
I see lots of threads on here about how awful they have been treated by MB.

MB is a successful brand that, despite extremely challenging markets, is continuing to thrive.

So either their products are simply better than any of their direct competitors, (which I don’t think is a supportable argument), or their customer base is more gullible than other parts of the population, equally difficult to accept.

That leads us to a conclusion that they have got the balance between profit and customer satisfaction about right.

I’m sure that there are plenty of specific examples where MB refused to pay for this or the dealer screwed this or that up, we see them every time we visit this site so I am not looking for more examples of poor service. Given the number of customers that MB has, the number of products and the number of opportunities for a screw that there are every day it would be impossible for any manufacturer to have an unblemished record. And of course we tend to make more noise about dissatisfaction than we ever do about satisfaction.

My argument is that they must be getting far more right than wrong otherwise we would all drive/buy BMW’s or Audi’s.

Discuss.
Thanks everyone for your interesting and carefully considered responses - didn’t realise that the thread would generate such interest
 
Hi , well I was of the opinion that Mercedes Benz service in the UK was poor.I am prepared to admit that my thoughts are incorrect after speaking to friends Mercedes Benz service is good in my experience.

A friend of mine was really interested in purchasing an Alpha Romeo but could not even speak to any one in the sales department , all sales far to busy to talk to a customer.

Another friend of mine has four Skoda's / 2 superb estates / 2 yetis / all new cars / and had an issue with one of the superb and the service manager informed him that Skoda's spare parts were off a poor standard so not worth repairing.

He then purchased a pattern part and the same Skoda dealer refused to fit the part , reason , not to Skoda's specification.

He wrote to Skoda UK who reply was so what !

He then corresponded with Skoda's HQ and no reply.

I must say that my C207 is beautifully built and I will definitely purchase another Mercedes when the times comes.

The two dealers I have used were very good.I am amazed I wrote that !
 
...the service manager informed him that Skoda's spare parts were off a poor standard so not worth repairing...

This is shocking. Whatever the quality is, it is shocking that a service manager at a ŠKODA dealership said such a thing.


...He then purchased a pattern part and the same Skoda dealer refused to fit the part...

That's both expected and understandable.
 
Interesting thread.
Firstly, dealers are only as good as the people who work within them, no matter what brand it is!
This has to be clearly understood, and even buying parts the customer /dealer approach is often starkly different.

My business does about $550,000 annually with one MB franchise dealer, then the other MB dealer probably no more than $25,000 pre annum both in the Denver Metro area.
One strives to get my business, the other doesn't really care too much !
Again the standard of repair work differs enormously from one to the other, with customer complaints about obstinate unfriendly service approaches to service problems.

One thing to remember is that a lot of this is about about human interaction and perception.
Sales people are attracted to customers who are well dressed , even better if accompanied by a wife (significant other ) , because the "little lady" has about a 70% favorable input on car buying decisions, probably more in the US!
Equally people, any people weight up a 'uman interaction based the first 5 minutes of contact. (uman condition)
This is useful when wanting to look at a car as a first perusal, and not be badgered by a simple headed lot sales guys who I refer to as Lot Lizards .
So I go "looking" or "perusing" with a pair of my company $hitty overalls on, guaranteed for you to be left alone.

Now it works against you when say for getting a car cleaned by a dealer!
My local Lexus dealer around the corner from me & where I bought a Lexus hybrid (missus drives it) offer free complimentary car cleaning for established customers . Well turn up with the Lexus car and dressed in coveralls, and I am the invisible man . Eventually after about 30 minutes being questioned it got cleaned when a string of Lexus' having arrived after me were getting attended to by scurrying individuals. Come back driving my 2010 Ghost and it was like cockroaches coming out of the woodwork! Grovel grovel !! B/S really.

Then again the product.
Last Christmas period I got a hair up my backside to possibly buy a used 2017 Lexus LS470. Wanting to perceive ownership I located one, a lease return with 27,000 miles on it for $21,000 a screaming deal at the franchise dealer in Colorado Springs !
I went for a test drive south on the interstate with the missus, after scudding along at 80 90 100 miles and hour and she returning it , what was the overall impression!
BORING!
Yes its nice , but boiled down it was just meat and taters with nice gravy. Nothing exciting about it in anyway whatsoever! .
I get more fun out of it driving a family Ewok.
As my missus (lead foot Linda ) says at least the GLA/GLE has some decent "Oh $hit" handles on the centre console for hanging on doing Rocky Mountain bend swinging !
MB wins on that score alone!
Tuerca viejas
 
Hi , well I was of the opinion that Mercedes Benz service in the UK was poor.I am prepared to admit that my thoughts are incorrect after speaking to friends Mercedes Benz service is good in my experience.
"Good".

If you have an in-warranty car then it will typically get looked after well. But then the dealer is in effect being paid for by the manufacturer.

"Bad"

You have an older out of warranty car ... and (a) they want a pile of hard earned to plug the car into their diagnostic setup and (b) may well just take on a strategy of swapping parts at your expense.

Every post-warranty car we have gets service at a trusted indy.

"Bad Value"

My view is that the service plan approach offers poor vallue for money for the customer (I know I know thre are people on here who think the service plans are good value - even a gift). It makes the dealers and the manufacturers potentially manipulative and lazy.

The dealers know they get the in warranty car servicing pretty much by default. So I guess it's a central cash cow to their operations.

"Compared with ...."

Well BMW seemed to be a bit more flexible in their servicing compared with MB. And in the past offered (IMO) much better value 5 year service plans at the time of sale.

But my experience of dealing with BMW is that the cost for diagnostics and hassle with dealing with their service just wasn't on. I think our indy is better. In our case we use non-OEM parts on ccasion which in my very strong view have been higher quality than the much more expensive BMW equivalents.



A friend of mine was really interested in purchasing an Alpha Romeo but could not even speak to any one in the sales department , all sales far to busy to talk to a customer.

Another friend of mine has four Skoda's / 2 superb estates / 2 yetis / all new cars / and had an issue with one of the superb and the service manager informed him that Skoda's spare parts were off a poor standard so not worth repairing.

He then purchased a pattern part and the same Skoda dealer refused to fit the part , reason , not to Skoda's specification.

Note my comment about BMW parts above.

I had another experience with a MB - poor quality exhaust brackets. My indy got out his welding torch and replaced them. My understanding is that the dealer response would have been to replace that exhaust section.

I must say that my C207 is beautifully built and I will definitely purchase another Mercedes when the times comes.

My experience of modern cars I have driven is that most are really good. (And that includes Skoda).

MB are typically just that bit better on the details .... and that makes a difference.
 
Quote:-
I had another experience with a MB - poor quality exhaust brackets. My indy got out his welding torch and replaced them. My understanding is that the dealer response would have been to replace that exhaust section.
Will second that!
We often weld in to replace factored below par or cheap MB flex sections in such sub components like Cat flex section on 4 & 6 cylinder Sprinters.
Our "weld in" replacements are by Walker or Bosal in 12 gauge material, Made in the USA.
This averages out by saving the customer $2800 on average, versus the dealer option of installing new replacement Cat & flex unit at $3500 plus install.
Tuercas viejas
 
"Good".

If you have an in-warranty car then it will typically get looked after well. But then the dealer is in effect being paid for by the manufacturer.

"Bad"

You have an older out of warranty car ... and (a) they want a pile of hard earned to plug the car into their diagnostic setup and (b) may well just take on a strategy of swapping parts at your expense.

Every post-warranty car we have gets service at a trusted indy.

"Bad Value"

My view is that the service plan approach offers poor vallue for money for the customer (I know I know thre are people on here who think the service plans are good value - even a gift). It makes the dealers and the manufacturers potentially manipulative and lazy.

The dealers know they get the in warranty car servicing pretty much by default. So I guess it's a central cash cow to their operations.

"Compared with ...."

Well BMW seemed to be a bit more flexible in their servicing compared with MB. And in the past offered (IMO) much better value 5 year service plans at the time of sale.

But my experience of dealing with BMW is that the cost for diagnostics and hassle with dealing with their service just wasn't on. I think our indy is better. In our case we use non-OEM parts on ccasion which in my very strong view have been higher quality than the much more expensive BMW equivalents.





Note my comment about BMW parts above.

I had another experience with a MB - poor quality exhaust brackets. My indy got out his welding torch and replaced them. My understanding is that the dealer response would have been to replace that exhaust section.



My experience of modern cars I have driven is that most are really good. (And that includes Skoda).

MB are typically just that bit better on the details .... and that makes a difference.
I have just researched a service plan for a family members NX300h 2018, a 3 year plan cost £905, with 3 free mots included, this also include the hybrid check, can pay by instalments interest free ,or one lump sump. Appreciate it’s not a Mercedes, even when I’ve driven it, definite difference in class between my W213 and the NX, but a good car nonetheless.

Would I buy one, probably not at this stage of my life, nothing other then a V6 for me, but the service plan is very good value, and customer service is top notch, and everyone knows the reliability rating. But in my eyes it is a step down to some Mercedes models, in terms of quality trim, and driving experience, oh and don’t ask me about it’s over complicated infotainment system☹️ and poor reversing camera quality and sat nav graphics compared to my W213.
 
"Good".

If you have an in-warranty car then it will typically get looked after well. But then the dealer is in effect being paid for by the manufacturer.

"Bad"

You have an older out of warranty car ... and (a) they want a pile of hard earned to plug the car into their diagnostic setup and (b) may well just take on a strategy of swapping parts at your expense.

Every post-warranty car we have gets service at a trusted indy.

"Bad Value"

My view is that the service plan approach offers poor vallue for money for the customer (I know I know thre are people on here who think the service plans are good value - even a gift). It makes the dealers and the manufacturers potentially manipulative and lazy.

The dealers know they get the in warranty car servicing pretty much by default. So I guess it's a central cash cow to their operations.

"Compared with ...."

Well BMW seemed to be a bit more flexible in their servicing compared with MB. And in the past offered (IMO) much better value 5 year service plans at the time of sale.

But my experience of dealing with BMW is that the cost for diagnostics and hassle with dealing with their service just wasn't on. I think our indy is better. In our case we use non-OEM parts on ccasion which in my very strong view have been higher quality than the much more expensive BMW equivalents.





Note my comment about BMW parts above.

I had another experience with a MB - poor quality exhaust brackets. My indy got out his welding torch and replaced them. My understanding is that the dealer response would have been to replace that exhaust section.



My experience of modern cars I have driven is that most are really good. (And that includes Skoda).

MB are typically just that bit better on the details .... and that makes a difference.
Hi , thank you for your courteous reply. .

I purchased a service plan for my C207 because I have an extended warranty ( insurance ) that requires the car to be serviced by an MB dealer.

I have spoken to the Mercedes insurance company who made it very clear that the car needs to be serviced as required to MB service sheet.
.
I take my car to have a 6 months service ( between the annual service provided by MB ) by an Audi specialist and they are very complementary as to the service level on my car.
 
Would I buy one, probably not at this stage of my life, nothing other then a V6 for me, but the service plan is very good value, and customer service is top notch, and everyone knows the reliability rating.

My argument is with the 'good value' bit.

My observation is that it's the dealer service prices and the manufacturers' manipulation of the service intervals that might make this *appear* to be good value.

The same thing happens with other companies that offer service contracts on equipment. The repair costs seem to go up to make the contract prices seem better value.

And turning it into a monthly cost seems to make it more acceptable.

I don't think dealers do much for the money over the first three years life of the car.

And it's very oddly coincidental that they may offer discounts on service costs of older cars.
 
.
I take my car to have a 6 months service ( between the annual service provided by MB ) by an Audi specialist and they are very complementary as to the service level on my car.

Why would you do this .... is the MB servicing not good enough ?
 
My argument is with the 'good value' bit.

My observation is that it's the dealer service prices and the manufacturers' manipulation of the service intervals that might make this *appear* to be good value.

The same thing happens with other companies that offer service contracts on equipment. The repair costs seem to go up to make the contract prices seem better value.

And turning it into a monthly cost seems to make it more acceptable.

I don't think dealers do much for the money over the first three years life of the car.

And it's very oddly coincidental that they may offer discounts on service costs of older cars.
Got to agree with your observations to be fair.
 
My argument is with the 'good value' bit.

My observation is that it's the dealer service prices and the manufacturers' manipulation of the service intervals that might make this *appear* to be good value.

The same thing happens with other companies that offer service contracts on equipment. The repair costs seem to go up to make the contract prices seem better value.

And turning it into a monthly cost seems to make it more acceptable.

I don't think dealers do much for the money over the first three years life of the car.

And it's very oddly coincidental that they may offer discounts on service costs of older cars.

As discussed here before, there are specific services which under the Plan are even cheaper than what a reputable independent specialist would charge for them.

The savvi enthusiast can easily save a decent amount of money by making sure that the 'big' services are done under the Plan, while other smaller services are carried-out by a specialist (who will register the service on the DSB).

Where MB make their money, is from the fact that the majority of MB owners do not have a clue as to what the MB Service Schedule for their car is, and to be fair it isn't easy to work it out because it is different to how almost every other car manufacturer does it. So owners simply sign-up to the Plan and just get all the services done under it.

People like us (forum members) are only a minority who 'exploit' the Plan, and the relative loss of income from us is inconsequential to MB.
 
Hi ,no I don't have an issue with MB service but I feel a yearly service is just to long.

Why?

Modern synthetic oils are remarkable.

Modern diesel fuel in the UK is of a high standard.

The electronic management and fuel delivery systems in modern cars don't need frequent adjustment or balancing (unlike carburetors and mechanical timing mechanisms of a few decades ago).
 
Why?

Modern synthetic oils are remarkable.

Modern diesel fuel in the UK is of a high standard.

The electronic management and fuel delivery systems in modern cars don't need frequent adjustment or balancing (unlike carburetors and mechanical timing mechanisms of a few decades ago).
Hi , The Mercedes M276 is a direct injection engine hence oil change.

I feel more comfortable having the car serviced every 6 months.
 

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