How bad have Mercedes main dealers become?

[hotwheels23]

Well done Lookers Mercedes in stoke on Trent for the worst handover experience and after sales service I have ever experienced. After thoroughly explaining that as a remote sale I was relying on the dealership to ensure everything was as it should be with my new (ex demonstrator) car purchase I was extremely disappointed to receive a car in filthy condition with broken door handle damaged rear window and 1000 miles more than advertised, cleaning so bad the delivery driver was embarrassed. The general sales manager Neil Beer eventually (after 2 days) called me to offer £100 as a gesture of goodwill…….this I was told was the maximum allowed by lookers. Neil has clearly been on lots of customer service courses and this was apparent especially when he asked me how I wanted the situation resolved!!! (Perhaps he should have suggested what he was going to do) anyway just be aware before parting with your money there are a lot of dealers out there who will bend over backwards to have your business in the current market.

[South tdf]

If it was a remote sale send it back for a refund and buy from someone that cares.

I assume it was their demo and not ex rental (reg number starting with a K eg KS, KW etc.

[Davie]

I think Neil has a valid question: how do you want this resolved? Free servicing? Reject the car? Sales director to be hung from the flagpole as a warning? Compo?

[a_dreamer]

As has been said, if remote sale, hand the car back and move on. You could also contact your local newspaper and do a compo face picture pointing at the dealership - if you do, please share the link. I'm a big fan of those articles.

[vikingaero]

Since Covid, dealers barely clean or prep cars for sale. Prep costs money and there will always be another chump willing to overlook things.

[hotwheels23]

South tdf said:

If it was a remote sale send it back for a refund and buy from someone that cares.

I assume it was their demo and not ex rental (reg number starting with a K eg KS, KW etc.

Yes KP reg, such a shame because the car is good and just what I was looking for, return is an option. Just very disappointed with the attitude and handover on a nearly £30k car.

[hotwheels23]

Davie said:

I think Neil has a valid question: how do you want this resolved? Free servicing? Reject the car? Sales director to be hung from the flagpole as a warning? Compo?

I think he should have an idea how do I want it resolved? How about an apology, fix the problems and perhaps an I love Mercedes hat ? ( not here’s a £100 now do one )

Edited by hotwheels23 on Friday 21st November 19:57

[hotwheels23]

a_dreamer said:

As has been said, if remote sale, hand the car back and move on. You could also contact your local newspaper and do a compo face picture pointing at the dealership - if you do, please share the link. I'm a big fan of those articles.

Padlock myself to the front gates with I hate Mercedes T-shirt it s a good car just awful handover and attitude to sorting the problems by a general sales manager who should know better.

Edited by hotwheels23 on Friday 21st November 19:57

[hotwheels23]

vikingaero said:

Since Covid, dealers barely clean or prep cars for sale. Prep costs money and there will always be another chump willing to overlook things.

I think your absolutely bang on

Edited by hotwheels23 on Friday 21st November 19:58

[Dog Biscuit]

Why couldn't you go and view/collect out of interest?

I scrutinse every car that Im going to buy, purely becasue dealerships are useless at many things.

[ChocolateFrog]

I've never really forgiven Mercedes for a dealer mugging my mum off sometime in the mid 90's. Someone interested in a base C Class (their cheapest car at the time) was clearly beneath them despite the place being empty.

So it isn't a recent thing that they're a bunch of s who couldn't give a fk about the customer.

[hotwheels23]

Dog Biscuit said:

Why couldn't you go and view/collect out of interest?

I scrutinse every car that Im going to buy, purely becasue dealerships are useless at many things.

I live 3 hours away and stupidly trusted the dealership to be decent……….

[a_dreamer]

hotwheels23 said:

a_dreamer said:

As has been said, if remote sale, hand the car back and move on. You could also contact your local newspaper and do a compo face picture pointing at the dealership - if you do, please share the link. I'm a big fan of those articles.

Padlock myself to the front gates with I hate Mercedes T-shirt it s a good car just awful handover and attitude to sorting the problems by a general sales manager who should know better.

Edited by hotwheels23 on Friday 21st November 19:57

And a "make dealers great again" cap don't forget

I had a ste experience with my local Merc dealer when I wanted to buy a new car from them and not use their finance, they had no interest at all and spent the test drive, which they insisted on doing with me, talking about why I needed to take the finance. Tried to ask about their car and after the colour, they knew very little else about it. Back onto the finance and they knew everything.

Sadly though it seems that this is not only mercedes and is most of them. Audi the worst recently.

[hotwheels23]

ChocolateFrog said:

I've never really forgiven Mercedes for a dealer mugging my mum off sometime in the mid 90's. Someone interested in a base C Class (their cheapest car at the time) was clearly beneath them despite the place being empty.

So it isn't a recent thing that they're a bunch of s who couldn't give a fk about the customer.

I think your probably bang on

[fourstardan]

Why did you accept the car?

[hotwheels23]

fourstardan said:

Why did you accept the car?

It was in a colour I really liked, magno grey and there weren’t many about in that colour, I thought the dealer would sort it without hesitation………….wrong!!!

[ninepoint2]

Many of the Audi dealers up here around Central Scotland are/were Lookers, their reputation among owners groups is dire. Me and my sons limited experience of them confirms that.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Reject it.

A car in that condition smacks of the sort of life its had....

[Jamescrs]

I don't think it's just a Mercedes thing, I've had awful customer service experiences with both Mini and BMW dealers in the last 12 months from a different dealer group who are very big. Seems to be the way the whole business is going, either that or follow the Tesla model of not speaking to anyone at all in the process, Just go to a collection location get your car and leave again without speaking to anyone

[Dewi 2]

How disappointing.
What an extreme contrast with my own experience at Mercedes-Benz Newbury.

Made appointment to view a used car.
Was welcomed upon arrival.
On collection day, the staff were ready with the 'in-showroom, covered in black cloth' treatment.
Car was as clean as they could make it (my detailer improved further) and they took time to thoroughly explain the MBUX features.
All that, was after knowing that I only buy a car about every 10 years.

Exactly how it should be.

Presumably moral must have been very low at your dealer.