Car serviced yesterday by MB main dealer
Discussion
Says AMG on the V5, wheels and floormats. Just a trim level to devalue the brand.I've only had 3 experiences of main dealers, two with new vehicles, one with an old vehicle.
The first experience was with my first ever new vehicle, a CZ175 motorbike, new on the road for £375, reg plate JSF 107T, just to give you the age. They forgot to attach the 2 stroke oil pipe from the remote oil tank pump to the carb inlet.
Second experience was with a brand new SEAT Ibiza with the Porsche 'system' engine, it went in for its running in service, came out running as lumpy as hell. Had a look and discovered the 'techs' had disturbed the carb float by snapping off the plastic hinge and had attempted to repair it with glue.
Third experience was with a main dealer for BMW. I took in a BMW 316 E30 that I had bought for £50 for a laugh. I asked them to check it over for faults. I got it back with a clean bill of health, a total valet inside and out for free, and... a tin of mints on the passenger seat with their compliments.
Make of the above anecdote what you will.
The first experience was with my first ever new vehicle, a CZ175 motorbike, new on the road for £375, reg plate JSF 107T, just to give you the age. They forgot to attach the 2 stroke oil pipe from the remote oil tank pump to the carb inlet.
Second experience was with a brand new SEAT Ibiza with the Porsche 'system' engine, it went in for its running in service, came out running as lumpy as hell. Had a look and discovered the 'techs' had disturbed the carb float by snapping off the plastic hinge and had attempted to repair it with glue.
Third experience was with a main dealer for BMW. I took in a BMW 316 E30 that I had bought for £50 for a laugh. I asked them to check it over for faults. I got it back with a clean bill of health, a total valet inside and out for free, and... a tin of mints on the passenger seat with their compliments.
Make of the above anecdote what you will.
We took my girlfriends Toyota iQ in for it's 60k service & MOT last Friday, we explained that we were going away & would pick it up on Monday & as with any garage with an ounce of good customer service to be called if they found anything that needed doing over & above the standard service items.
Monday arrives, go to collect - no sign of spark plugs on the invoice (changed every 60k), front brake pads fitted (no phone call), slight coolant leak ('fixed' with a stop leak type product, again no phone call) & car parked in the collection bay absolutely covered in bird cr@p which had evidently been on the car baking in the sun for a couple of days!
One long winded argument later in the customer waiting area and the manager appears with a revised invoice including just the service & MOT as a "gesture of goodwill"!
Monday arrives, go to collect - no sign of spark plugs on the invoice (changed every 60k), front brake pads fitted (no phone call), slight coolant leak ('fixed' with a stop leak type product, again no phone call) & car parked in the collection bay absolutely covered in bird cr@p which had evidently been on the car baking in the sun for a couple of days!
One long winded argument later in the customer waiting area and the manager appears with a revised invoice including just the service & MOT as a "gesture of goodwill"!
An update.
MB assist contacted Europcar as the SLK has to go back to the dealer.
Europcar said at that late hour last night they could deliver me an Insignia which I declined.
I'm off to London so they've an alternative address to drop off something suitable at 11am. I think it may soften the blow, we shall see.
The service after the event has been superb I will but really dissapointing that it happened in the first place.
MB assist contacted Europcar as the SLK has to go back to the dealer.
Europcar said at that late hour last night they could deliver me an Insignia which I declined.
I'm off to London so they've an alternative address to drop off something suitable at 11am. I think it may soften the blow, we shall see.
The service after the event has been superb I will but really dissapointing that it happened in the first place.
I'm 2 months in to owning the exact same car, and although not had a service yet I've found the whole dealing with the dealer no problem at all.
I usually use local indies but unsure of a "Merc" one, so was thinking of going main dealer route with this car, watching this thread with interest.
I usually use local indies but unsure of a "Merc" one, so was thinking of going main dealer route with this car, watching this thread with interest.
Quattromaster said:
I'm 2 months in to owning the exact same car, and although not had a service yet I've found the whole dealing with the dealer no problem at all.
I usually use local indies but unsure of a "Merc" one, so was thinking of going main dealer route with this car, watching this thread with interest.
Mines leased so you have to stay in the dealer network.I usually use local indies but unsure of a "Merc" one, so was thinking of going main dealer route with this car, watching this thread with interest.
The guy who collected mine ( not AA but similar) said it looked like it had been worked on very poorly just going by how the uncerbonnet service points were all shoddy.
Still, I feel a partial refund coming on.
Merc main stealers are a joke. All they care about is making a mint to pay for the building.
I popped into one for the specific job of having my sat nav aerial replaced. Whilst there they gave me a free appraisal, which I did not ask for. They came up with a long list if issues, all BS, stuff like wheels not balanced, gearbox leaking electricity (I kid you not), blah blah bull crap. I told the sales gimp the car had a full major service no expense spared plus an MOT at an independent two weeks prior. At the same time it had brand new pirellis fitted to freshly painted and balanced wheels. His face was "Errr..." That's right mongtard you've just been busted.
Avoid the stealers at all costs. I have used a family run wonderful independent for ten years for all my proper work.
I popped into one for the specific job of having my sat nav aerial replaced. Whilst there they gave me a free appraisal, which I did not ask for. They came up with a long list if issues, all BS, stuff like wheels not balanced, gearbox leaking electricity (I kid you not), blah blah bull crap. I told the sales gimp the car had a full major service no expense spared plus an MOT at an independent two weeks prior. At the same time it had brand new pirellis fitted to freshly painted and balanced wheels. His face was "Errr..." That's right mongtard you've just been busted.
Avoid the stealers at all costs. I have used a family run wonderful independent for ten years for all my proper work.
Reminds me of a story I heard at work.
Old fella took his car for an MOT and they found the shock absorbers were 'leaking' and had to be replaced. No problem, be bought some from the garage and was told they came with a 2 year warranty. Job done.
Next year, same garage for an MOT.
Guess what?
leaking shock absorbers...they HAVE to be replaced sir.
"No problem, fit them and we'll square up"
"Job done, sir. That £xxx in total, including the shock absorbers".
"Here you go *hands them warranty paperwork*.....thank you for that. See you in another 12 months"
I bet the look on their faces was priceless!
If you skank people for a living, it'll come back to bite you in the arse.....eventually.
Old fella took his car for an MOT and they found the shock absorbers were 'leaking' and had to be replaced. No problem, be bought some from the garage and was told they came with a 2 year warranty. Job done.
Next year, same garage for an MOT.
Guess what?
leaking shock absorbers...they HAVE to be replaced sir.
"No problem, fit them and we'll square up"
"Job done, sir. That £xxx in total, including the shock absorbers".
"Here you go *hands them warranty paperwork*.....thank you for that. See you in another 12 months"
I bet the look on their faces was priceless!
If you skank people for a living, it'll come back to bite you in the arse.....eventually.
k-ink said:
Merc main stealers are a joke. All they care about is making a mint to pay for the building.
I popped into one for the specific job of having my sat nav aerial replaced. Whilst there they gave me a free appraisal, which I did not ask for. They came up with a long list if issues, all BS, stuff like wheels not balanced, gearbox leaking electricity (I kid you not), blah blah bull crap. I told the sales gimp the car had a full major service no expense spared plus an MOT at an independent two weeks prior. At the same time it had brand new pirellis fitted to freshly painted and balanced wheels. His face was "Errr..." That's right mongtard you've just been busted.
Avoid the stealers at all costs. I have used a family run wonderful independent for ten years for all my proper work.
Very similar to the call my wife had from a LR dealer telling her that pads and discs were wron rightdown to nothing on her Discovery and they'd advise not driving it until they were done. When the wife suggested I might like to deal with it,I duly rang them and said they might like to check they were talking about the right car......because it had had new pads and discs 2 weeks and 300 miles previous. After me saying nothing else and the silence that followed, Mr Service manager came out with the immortal line.." Have you done a lot of towing in the last two weeks?"I popped into one for the specific job of having my sat nav aerial replaced. Whilst there they gave me a free appraisal, which I did not ask for. They came up with a long list if issues, all BS, stuff like wheels not balanced, gearbox leaking electricity (I kid you not), blah blah bull crap. I told the sales gimp the car had a full major service no expense spared plus an MOT at an independent two weeks prior. At the same time it had brand new pirellis fitted to freshly painted and balanced wheels. His face was "Errr..." That's right mongtard you've just been busted.
Avoid the stealers at all costs. I have used a family run wonderful independent for ten years for all my proper work.
The utter stupidity of the comment was magnified moreso when I told him the car didn't even have a f
king towbar.I don't think I've ever had a smooth transaction with a dealer
My favourite was the effort dealer who didn't connect the diesel lines back up after a service and we pissed diesel all down the road
The same dealer also didn't tighten a oil filter up properly only dads new mondeos first service
My favourite was the effort dealer who didn't connect the diesel lines back up after a service and we pissed diesel all down the road
The same dealer also didn't tighten a oil filter up properly only dads new mondeos first service
is this what we've come down to?
A car brakes down. Is recovered, and a competent hire car offered that night, after closing time. I believe the courtesy car trail goes, like for like, anything in the MB owned Enterprise fleet, Enterprise like for like, Whatever Enterprise have left....
Car's do go wrong after a service. I've got to war with an MB dealer after the oil light came on day after a service. They added more no problem. I got home and noticed oil on the drive. Turned out to be the oil cooler, which given the cost of labour was not something they'd be anywhere near.
A car brakes down. Is recovered, and a competent hire car offered that night, after closing time. I believe the courtesy car trail goes, like for like, anything in the MB owned Enterprise fleet, Enterprise like for like, Whatever Enterprise have left....
Car's do go wrong after a service. I've got to war with an MB dealer after the oil light came on day after a service. They added more no problem. I got home and noticed oil on the drive. Turned out to be the oil cooler, which given the cost of labour was not something they'd be anywhere near.
I guess you will always get good and bad.
Picked up my Freelander after a service from main dealer and when I got home noticed a large scuff on the bottom of the drivers door. Took it straight back, they were most apologetic, took it straight round the back and polished it out completely to my satisfaction.
OH took her Peugeot to main dealer for a dent repair and panel respray and when we went to pick it up there was a load of lumps and grit in the lacquer. Refused to pay for it and the manager came out with a load of tosh about how there was an EU standard which had a tolerance of so many bits per sq metre in the lacquer (but couldn't tell me exactly how many). Much shouting and waving of arms later and car taken away and paint work sorted.
Picked up my Freelander after a service from main dealer and when I got home noticed a large scuff on the bottom of the drivers door. Took it straight back, they were most apologetic, took it straight round the back and polished it out completely to my satisfaction.
OH took her Peugeot to main dealer for a dent repair and panel respray and when we went to pick it up there was a load of lumps and grit in the lacquer. Refused to pay for it and the manager came out with a load of tosh about how there was an EU standard which had a tolerance of so many bits per sq metre in the lacquer (but couldn't tell me exactly how many). Much shouting and waving of arms later and car taken away and paint work sorted.
When I worked for a main dealer many years ago I was a top class technician. I got all the technical warranty jobs which meant that my wage was less than the semi skilled lads earned for just doing service work. So it is entirely feasible that a good mechanic is seen as someone who can have 16 hours in a chargeable day.
On the other hand if your car is in for warranty work, the dealer gets less money, usually up to 50% less than there retail chargable. That in my opinion is why the service is so shocking, worst guy's for servicing and then the best one pushed to get the car out so they can do chargeable work.
On the other hand if your car is in for warranty work, the dealer gets less money, usually up to 50% less than there retail chargable. That in my opinion is why the service is so shocking, worst guy's for servicing and then the best one pushed to get the car out so they can do chargeable work.
Had my C63 serviced at Loughborough Mercedes Benz dealt with an extremely pleasant young lady called Sarah, total cost £291, the car received no dents, the engine works perfectly and they also replaced the drivers side seat leather as it had become a little frayed and whilst they did they gave me a SLK.
Ooops forgot to say they fully valeted the car as well, all in all one of the best car dealership experiences I have ever had!
Just sayin.
Ooops forgot to say they fully valeted the car as well, all in all one of the best car dealership experiences I have ever had!
Just sayin.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff