Not Buying Merc Again

[PeterS]

You're not going to believe this. Took my wife's SLK320 for it's scheduled 'B' service this morning to a very well known Franchised Mercedes dealership in North London - arrived at 8.30am and found the customer parking service area absolutely swamped with cars with no parking sapces. Not wanting to take any risks on parking and damaging the car, (my wife would kill me), I parked the motor in an empty spot (admitelly not a parking space as such). On doing so was told by a couple of mechanics that I couldn't park the car in this space as it clarealy wasn't a desiganted parking space. A driver for the dealership who arranges all the cars in the car park advised that there was a space between an ML and a 'C' class. This space was increibly tight and I told the driver I wasn't happy with parking the car there. However he insited that the car would casue an obstruction unless moved, hence I reluctantly gave him the keys.

After explaining the work that needed to be done to the service receptionist, I wanted to highlight a damaged window seal. We went to the car park, located the SLK, and to my amazement the car was lodged against an 'E' Class in front of it. On reversing the car we inspected the front of the SLK for any damage and the corner bumper of the driver side had been clipped. The dealership driver in swinging the car into the space seems to have hit the 'C' class and then the front of the 'E' class leaving a few nasty scratches. Obviosly the dealership is taking full responsibility, but there were no proper apologies and the driver was extremely defensive. This is such an inconvenice with the car will probably off the road for longer than a day and to think these guys are servicing the car makes me wonder !

My expereince of Mercedes customer service really is detetoriating. Thar car is great no question, but IMHO the service level is inconsistent with the product, price and market it is aimed. The next car will be a Boxster finanace permitting, and I doubt I personally will buy Merc again.

 

[sym]

I sympathise Peter.

Had to do the same when parked at my dealer the last time I picked a part up . . . no parking spaces in sight, so just "parked".

Great big scratch on the corner of my bumper when I came out, but no evidence (I did search !!) and therefore couldn't blame them - it could have been another customer, I guess.

Moral of the story : If you have to use a dealer, make sure they have a BIG car park !

S.

 

[JumJum]

You should email MB Great Britain, thats terrible

 

[Ian B Walker]

I just abandon mine in the middle of the parking lot in Prestom MB. If they complain then I just tell them I am a customer and that their car park isnt big enough. Then just ingnore them, arrogant I know but it gets results.

 

[samuelellis]

mand thats bad, recetly my dad bougt the first new car (ok 6 month old) car he has bought for years, a peugot 206 2ltr hdi, god the dealers could not have been nicer dissapeared for a long test drive, came back was polie, everyone there was

i think tbh mercedies dealers know people will buy a mercedies regardless where as jct600 that was handling the peugot dealership we bought from knew my dad could walk out and buy a competing manufacturers car unless they offered a good service

 

[Shude]

If it were me, I'd just find another stealership. I'd not change marque simply because of one mechanic who can't park properly .

i think tbh mercedies dealers know people will buy a mercedies regardless where as jct600 that was handling the peugot dealership we bought from knew my dad could walk out and buy a competing manufacturers car unless they offered a good service

My local stealership was a JCT600 until DC bought it back. An old colleague of mine always had peugeots and he said the Keighley JCT600 was rubbish, so they're obviously not all great .

 

[samuelellis]

you know what i mean tho, high end car manufacturers know that most people will buy the car regardless but the lower end manufacurers (not that peugot are rubbish cars mind) have to work for you to pay them money as you could go and buy a competing product

see what i mean?

 

[PeterS]

Shude - I understand your reason for recommneding I should find another garage and not change the marque, but this is not the first problem I've had. These are some of the other experiences I have had with other dealers:

1. Tried making a service booking for my 'C' class in Januray 2003 - was told no date available till end of March and if I wanted a courtesy car then looking at April ! This long to wait for a service? I undertsand the waiting period is now much reduced but even so ?? Apparenetly London dealerships were being re-organised at this time ??

2. When the car evetually went in for the service in March 2003, politely phoned up at 4pm to ask when the car would be ready, but was told by the service technician that they hadn't even started working on the car (I dropped the car off at 9am). As the car was only in for an 'A' service was advised it would be ready for 6.30pm ish - arrived at this time but car was still not ready and had to wait till about 7.30 pm for the car to be serviced. No important warranty work could be done on the car, hence had to take the car back in for this work for two weeks time. Whilst driving home noticed the Xenon lamp had been incorrectly repiared and was dazzling oncoming traffic. Special trip needed to get this seen too straight after the service - it couldn't wait till the warranty work was to be carried out.

3. After the warrnaty work had been completed, I specifically rang the service technician to request the service book to be stamped - the car was delivered back and guess what it wasn't stamped - therefore another trip to the dealership. I must say they did compensate me however for a couple of small costs, but can't remember what these were for right now.

3. Bought my wife's SLK320 as an approved Mercedes car. On hand over requested the Service book. Was politely told you will find this in the glovebox sir. Yes you guessed right it wasn't there - phoned the Salemen immeditaly and was told it must be with the service department. It wasn't they had either lost/misplaced or never had this. We now have a duplicate service book which took an age to get! It also happened to be chucking it down on the day we picked the car up and noticed that there were no mats in the car, (as I put it to the salesman afterwards I don't paying for these, but at least tell me rather than me finding out on the motorway). Also wipers were completely worn and motoring back in the driving rain was hazardous. Yes these thing were rectified by the delaer but why get things so wrong in the first place ??

 

[jimmy]

Peter,

I think it is terrible the way you have been treated, I myself like you and many others have all experienced similar levels of very poor MB service.

The cars are great but the dealers are lousy. I love my MB but when I decide to change it, I will be looking at a BMW and Audi.

I just hope MB are aware of the terrible problems their dealers are causing for them in the future, I hope they sort it out soon.

 

[GrahamC230K]

Don't use a Merc dealer is favourite!

 

[scotth_uk]

Many of the gripes listed above happen at the dealers of all marques.

I have a friend at work who had his Audi back at least a dozen times in the first 6 months of ownership. His VW was the same. His new VW is the same. Occasionally good service mostly bad.

 

[Brian WH]

Fortunately not all Dealers are the same. My local dealers are First Class, and have a big car park.

 

[sym]

Who's your dealer Brian ? I'm moving to the West Midlands soon !

S.

 

[Brian WH]

My dealer is MB Derby in Pride Park Derby. First Class.

MB Derby

Also highly recommend Mertrux Derby, although these have lost the repair franchise they do still deal with Vans and car services.

Mertrux

 

[Robbo]

Its not just Mercedes. I know a guy who is a service adviser for a prestige BMW dealership and he said that the BMWs that leave them after service/repair often have more wrong with them than they did when they came in. He blamed it on being too busy and the over complex electronics/sat nav etc as apparently they are a nightmare to sort out.

Sound familiar?

Robbo

 

[Kinky]

Come down south ..... Purslows ROCK

[unless you need an air pump]

 

[Dave Lewis]

Mercedes dealers should visit a Subaru dealer to see how it's done. My 80-year old Dad has a Subaru forester, 5 years old now, and when he takes it in for service he is treated like royalty. Always gets a courtesy car, which can be upgraded to a head-banging Impreza WRX for a tenner, (oh yes, we do this frequently!!) plus a cup of coffee and all the time and attention he wants. Needless to say, he's about to buy another one.

 

[MainMan]

Which dealer was that? My SLK320 is up for a B service in the near future and I want to know who to avoid. One of the local dealers (in Watford, where I work) now has a uniformed parking attendant so that you get allocated a number and a space. It works better than it did before when you often couldn't find a parking space. The trouble is I won't be able to use them for the B service because they have a set charge of £535 (!!!). I need to look around to see where I can get it at a reasonable price. Anyone any ideas ? What happened to this EU directive that allows you to service the car at non- proprietary dealerships without losing the warranty?

 

[RichardM]

Mercedes dealers should visit a Subaru dealer to see how it's done. My 80-year old Dad has a Subaru forester, 5 years old now, and when he takes it in for service he is treated like royalty. Always gets a courtesy car, which can be upgraded to a head-banging Impreza WRX for a tenner, (oh yes, we do this frequently!!) plus a cup of coffee and all the time and attention he wants. Needless to say, he's about to buy another one.

Lexus dealers are the same, can't do enough for you and let me choose the loan car! But I still wouldn't rush to buy another over Mercedes.

Many of the gripes listed above happen at the dealers of all marques.

I have a friend at work who had his Audi back at least a dozen times in the first 6 months of ownership. His VW was the same. His new VW is the same. Occasionally good service mostly bad.

My parants bought a brand new VW which broke down twice in the first 18 months. The dealers weren't particularly helpfull and it was off the road for several weeks.

A friend of mine works for Audi and he says he would never buy a new Audi as they have so many problems.

 

[scotth_uk]

>A friend of mine works for Audi and he says he would never buy a new Audi as they have so many problems.

The TT was voted most unreliable car in the August 2003 Which? survey. Eeek!