The impact of the unrest on Mercedes Benz Birmingham

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I originally posted this is the "what's wrong with this picture" thread but not everyone reads that so here it is again:


Here's a shot inside the showroom of MB Central Birmingham around 1.00pm today - look, no cars :eek:.

10082011100.jpg

Due to the unrest, every car inside and out of both the MB dealership and the SMART dealership have been moved elsewhere.

The sales staff have nothing to sell.

Here's a shot of the outside used car area, usually packed with cars. The cars left were awaiting customer collection from service/MOT etc.
10082011099.jpg


The "overnight" cars are being parked in the workshop, with the parts delivery vans being parked against the roller shutter doors as extra protection.

According to the service manager that's 209 cars, loaded onto a fleet of transporters and shipped out - consider the size of the operation.

Customers whose cars are in for service have been advised to collect them by 4.00pm.

Interestingly, the VW dealership in the distance had taken no action.
 
I think given the attitude of the rioters, any show of wealth is a target
 
They normally are targeted - rough part of town. A C63 demo was stolen at gunpoint from there last year!

I still recall the salesman warning some Punters sat by a desk at the back of my car that 'I am about to fire this up' and a poor woman nearly jumping out of her skin.

Nice dealership though...
 
I still recall the salesman warning some Punters sat by a desk at the back of my car that 'I am about to fire this up' and a poor woman nearly jumping out of her skin.

I bet that was a riot :D
 
Spoke to a chap that I know who works in the property department of a company whose main business is large convenience stores.

65 Stores looted, one burnt to the floor....
 
I agree but I can't think of anywhere any better. Possibly the old VW premises in Digbeth but I doubt anyone else would agree as it's been disused as a dealership for years. I believe there has rioting right outside too!!

My local Porsche Centre moved from a rural outlook nice area, to be sandwiched between tower blocks and industrial units in the same town, but a less pleasant area.

I'm told it was simply because they were unable to satisfy the requirements Porsche UK demanded for Porsched Centre status in their previous location, when they were all rebuilt a few years ago.

Difference is cars in the open, nice test drive, fitting place to collect an expensive new car, versus cars locked away behind huge gates and barbed wire!!
 
I agree but I can't think of anywhere any better. Possibly the old VW premises in Digbeth but I doubt anyone else would agree as it's been disused as a dealership for years. I believe there has rioting right outside too!!

My local Porsche Centre moved from a rural outlook nice area, to be sandwiched between tower blocks and industrial units in the same town, but a less pleasant area.

I'm told it was simply because they were unable to satisfy the requirements Porsche UK demanded for Porsched Centre status in their previous location, when they were all rebuilt a few years ago.

Difference is cars in the open, nice test drive, fitting place to collect an expensive new car, versus cars locked away behind huge gates and barbed wire!!

This group has the out of city showroom in leafy Solihull.
 
MB Tamworth too. Not likey. Expensive and poor service.
 
I originally posted this is the "what's wrong with this picture" thread but not everyone reads that so here it is again:


Here's a shot inside the showroom of MB Central Birmingham around 1.00pm today - look, no cars :eek:.

10082011100.jpg

Due to the unrest, every car inside and out of both the MB dealership and the SMART dealership have been moved elsewhere.

The sales staff have nothing to sell.

Here's a shot of the outside used car area, usually packed with cars. The cars left were awaiting customer collection from service/MOT etc.
10082011099.jpg


The "overnight" cars are being parked in the workshop, with the parts delivery vans being parked against the roller shutter doors as extra protection.

According to the service manager that's 209 cars, loaded onto a fleet of transporters and shipped out - consider the size of the operation.

Customers whose cars are in for service have been advised to collect them by 4.00pm.

Interestingly, the VW dealership in the distance had taken no action.

I suppose it is not really odd that the showroom is a dead ringer for the new one in Norwich! CI and all that! Almost ant where in the world you can wake up in what appears to be the same Holiday Inn...
But the one in Norwich has cars in and we are expecting to hear what went on in London and Birmingham by the weekend if the Mail coach gets through....:eek:
 
I suppose it is not really odd that the showroom is a dead ringer for the new one in Norwich! CI and all that! Almost ant where in the world you can wake up in what appears to be the same Holiday Inn...
But the one in Norwich has cars in and we are expecting to hear what went on in London and Birmingham by the weekend if the Mail coach gets through....:eek:

Loved that bit.
 
I thought there were reports of rioting in Norwich? Someone pushed a wheelie bin into the middle of the street :D
 
Loved that bit.

Norwich remains the largest centre of population in the UK not conected to the rest of the country by a dual carriageway....;)
The nearest motorway to Lowesoft is.....in Holland:eek:
 
MB Tamworth too. Not likey. Expensive and poor service.

Spot on Bobby Dazzler,

MB Tamworth, I ordered a top hose, water pump side, he said it was special order and had to pay now £23.00, had to wait 3 days for it to arrive, went to fit it and he'd ordered the wrong side, so put the old one back on(which was in better condition than I first thought) so took it back for a refund and was told I would be charged 15% handling charge :eek: I said you ordered the wrong part, he said how do I know that, I said come outside and have a bloody look, he then agreed too a full refund.
 

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