The ideal MB specialist garage - a lucky find
I’m new to posting here, but not new to reading and benefitting from all the local expert’s advice. In return I’d like to start by offering this review of an MB specialist that has proved to be the best garage I've used so far. I wouldn't take my car anywhere else now, and I'm sure there are many other owners out there who would benefit from heading over there in their pride-and-joy.
My first MB (1996 S124 E220) joined the family last year (105,000 miles and a very decent example in general). But, as many of you know, buying an old car is the easy bit... bringing it up to scratch and keeping it there is where the fun starts, and for that I needed a reliable and knowleageable workshop to help me asap.
But where to find one? Bad garages charge the same as good ones, they all look the same and it's a minefield out there. As it turned out, I found a short recommendation on these forums from well-known member Nick Froome, the only specialist dealer of S124’s like mine and an authority on the model. He praised Automerc in North London, not far from where I live, so I booked my 'new' car in with them straight away for a full inspection.
Automerc turned out to be a long-established business with a busy workshop and a wealth of MB experience. They also have a body-shop, so from a full restoration downwards they’ll be able to help. It’s run by a partnership - Ivan is the business manager, the man you’ll talk to for bookings, parts requests, progress reports and good advice and Joe is the hard-working chief mechanic (a young man, but with a lifetime’s experience of classic and modern MB’s having grown up around the business). They don’t seem to advertise much but always seem busy - a very good sign as word-of-mouth and repeat custom means a lot.
My booked inspection was carried out immediately, with a full written report sent to me the same day in which all the issues I was aware of had been noted. It was obvious they knew my car inside out and knew exactly where to look for problems. Ivan was then happy to talk each job through, and help me prioritise the list of work - there was no hard-sell and the emphasis was on keeping a 20-year-old car on the roads safely and within budget, and not trying to as sell many repairs as possible. He even talked me out of some expensive jobs!
We agreed a schedule of work which they began that day, and as it progressed I was impressed to find photos in my in-box of the damaged parts removed and the replacements being fitted. My phone calls were dealt with politely and I was reassured by the competence and friendly attitude of both Ivan and Joe. The work was completed very quickly, and all repairs remain trouble-free after a few thousand miles.
Since then I have been back several times to address all my car's faults and each visit has produced the same result - very quick polite service and a completely honest approach to fault diagnosis, parts and labour costs. It’s well worth mentioning that if you turn up with an unknown problem, they will not throw parts at the car to fix it - it seems a matter of professional pride to them that a correct diagnosis always comes first and that’s where their long experience counts. I have also been really gratified by the attention to detail, and their willingness to help rectify small, niggly faults as well as the major repairs that are any garage’s bread and butter. Dash bulbs replaced, squeaky wiper silenced - things that even the main dealers often miss.
On the single occasion that one of their repairs failed (it was a faulty part, not bad workmanship), they took the car in straight away and sorted it properly - no charge, no quibbles. Of course, in theory all garages should operate this way but in reality it's pretty rare.
I took these pictures on my last visit. It can be like an MB museum in their workshop... that day they had a 200TE, W202 C Class, a very rare Brabus-tuned CLK, a newer E class saloon, a lovely R107 SL owned by a well-known actor and best of all a freshly-restored 280 CE. This lovely old coupe was fresh from a restoration by Automerc for a customer - Ivan showed me some photos of the extensive work in progress and they’re rightly proud of the result. If they can achieve this, I reckon my 124's in good hands.
I'll finish by saying that I’m nothing more than a satisfied customer who’s been treated well, and I have no connection with the business at all. Good work deserves praise, and I’m sure that any member here who pays them a visit will not regret it. I can’t fault Automerc.
Anyway, hope this helps someone out... it’s good to be posting here (finally.)
All the best
Tim
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