Two types of MB dealers?

[Marque]

I live in NW London and I'm trying to find a good MB dealer for future servicing and warranty work. Out of the ten closest service dealers, nine are branches of Mercedes-Benz Retail Group UK Limited, which I assume is controlled by Mercedes-Benz UK. From all that I have heard and experienced, these dealers seem to be rather expensive and indifferent to private owners such as myself.

The other type is the franchise dealers. The nearest ones to me are Slough (9th) and Beaconsfield (11th). From my very limited experience, these dealers seem to be generally cheaper and more interested in private owner customers. Perhaps they are better at customer service because they rely less on rich owners who don't mind what they pay, or lease / contract hire companies.

The problem is that all MB dealers are tarred with the same brush whenever someone has a bad experience at one. It would be interesting to know if other members of this forum agree with the theory that individual franchise dealers are generally better than dealers that are part of a big group.

 

[nick mercedes]

I live in NW London and I'm trying to find a good MB dealer for future servicing and warranty work. Out of the ten closest service dealers, nine are branches of Mercedes-Benz Retail Group UK Limited, which I assume is controlled by Mercedes-Benz UK. From all that I have heard and experienced, these dealers seem to be rather expensive and indifferent to private owners such as myself.

The other type is the franchise dealers. The nearest ones to me are Slough (9th) and Beaconsfield (11th). From my very limited experience, these dealers seem to be generally cheaper and more interested in private owner customers. Perhaps they are better at customer service because they rely less on rich owners who don't mind what they pay, or lease / contract hire companies.

The problem is that all MB dealers are tarred with the same brush whenever someone has a bad experience at one. It would be interesting to know if other members of this forum agree with the theory that individual franchise dealers are generally better than dealers that are part of a big group.

Almost all dealers are part of a larger group, Drayton, Listers, Sytner, Inchcape etc

 

[jeremytaylor]

Marque, I too have had such poor service from MB Park Royal service centre that I would never go there again. But I've had good service (from a salesman) at MB Brentford, who I believe are also MB owned.

I have however had the best service from individual companies - Tony Purslow Guildford where I get my servicing done, and Hughes of Beaconsfield where I bought my C320. I've also had good service from MB Milton Keynes (owned by Inchcape).

A friend has just started at MB Stevenage (not owned by MB or large dealer group), so I will expect the best deals from him now! I was talking to him a few weeks ago, trying to fathom out why the service from MB dealers was so much worse than that from franchised 'independants'. It seems MB keep a far closer eye on the franchises than on their own backs.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I live in NW London and I'm trying to find a good MB dealer for future servicing and warranty work. Out of the ten closest service dealers, nine are branches of Mercedes-Benz Retail Group UK Limited, which I assume is controlled by Mercedes-Benz UK. From all that I have heard and experienced, these dealers seem to be rather expensive and indifferent to private owners such as myself.

The same is true in Birmingham and Manchester too.