TechSuperstar

Wondering if my issue is happening around the country or if it's just my local dealership. I've owned two MB vehicles now and over the 10+ years I've gotten to know the folks working at my local service department. I'd come in for oil changes and they would let me know if there was some issue I should take care of or some other issue to take care of next oil change etc... Some recommendation would be on my bill.

Anyway, in the last year the service department got rid of all three service people and brought in three others. The new employees are greedy as hell. Now I go in for some service and they hand me some computer printout of a complete inspection telling me I need a whole lot of things that I don't really need. Yesterday I took my car in for a noise from the rear. I came out with an estimate for a whole sh^t load of stuff totaling $10,000 in repairs!! The greedy service guy told me I should go talk to sales. WTF ?

Some of the things on this estimate are:
1: New marker lights (because I have aftermarket clear ones with amber bulbs). They will no longer pass my inspections because of this even though they used to and all other places will pass it.
2: New rear brakes even though they still have 1/3 of the pad left.
3: All four cam solenoids (two have already been replaced recently but if they see any sign of oil crustation they just put that on)
4: Oil Filter Adapter -- I don't even know what this is??
The list goes on with tires, alignment, drive belt wheel bearings and on..

I no longer like my MB service dept and am looking for a good indy

SteveE400

Could the dealership have been sold? This sounds like either complete new management, or new ownership, having different business objectives. In today's world, many of the old family-owned MB dealerships are selling out to corporations when the family has nobody else of the younger generation interesting in staying in the business.


The MB dealership I use is still family-owned, but even it has grown significantly over the 27 years I've known them, and service is not now as "personal" as it once was. Still good, though, so I'll stay with them a while.

merceBENZ

I would say this depends on dealer. The one which is 5 min from me is like the one you described. So I drove to a good one. 50 minutes each way but man... IT WORTH IT!! They have royal amenities, I would say at least. Place is huge and beautiful. Employees are very polite. They have greeters (the one that greet you and do pre paperwork stuff), advisors have their one office (one room per advisor and you sit one on one with them). List goes on and one. They 1/3 times cheaper than local one plus they provide you free lunch/dinner at local restaurant. That is what I call a true customer service.

floridawriter

Dealerships can be very different. there are two in Orlando. The dealership in South Orlando has announced officially they will not accept cars older than 2004 for repairs or maintenance. The dealership in North Orlando will work on any year Mercedes.

merceBENZ

These are complete crooks. I'm shocked.

TechSuperstar

Wait.. no way!!! They can do that?

TechSuperstar

I don't think it was sold since it has the same name. It did move locations a few years ago but had kept the same staff at that time. Maybe they decided they were not making enough money to pay for the new place they built.... or maybe they're just trying to push me out because my car is getting older (07')

merceBENZ

Hard to believe since MB USA control dealerships up to the point the way buildings look like.

floridawriter

The north Orlando dealership is owned by Autonation. I don't know who owns the south Orlando dealership.

mis3

It's different in Canada. Majority of the dealerships here are owned by Mercedes. All the technician here go through proper training with the latest technologies. Although the works are great and with guarantee, they are expensive. I usually get 15% off for my parts and labour but the final invoice is still very high as compared to an indie.

I read terrible stories from US dealerships over the years. Is it possible that most US dealerships are privately owned?

floridawriter

I know there are a number of MB dealerships in Florida owned by Autonation.I don't know of any car dealerships that are owned by auto manufacturers. That sounds like an antitrust issue.

Rudeney

You have to remember that a dealership is a business with the sole purpose of making a profit for the owners. Like all makes, MBZ has drastically cut margins on new cars over the years. On top of that, consumers are more savvy and better at negotiating lower prices. Dealerships have to find new, creative ways to make profits. On the sales side, they use high-pressure tactics to sell paint protection, tire protection and oil change packages. In service, they use the advisers to up-sell. BTW, did you know that service advisers are commissioned salespeople who often earn more that new car sales staff? And that the service department generally makes more profit for the dealership than car sales?

So many people will happily pay these high rates to get their cars maintained by the dealership. They believe this is their only or best choice. My advice is to fix it yourself, but if that's not possible, then find a good indy. You may not get greeters and espresso and loaner cars, but hopefully you'll get good service.

floridawriter

Rodney is so right. I used to work in the business office of a car dealership. I handled payroll and weekly the highest paid employees in the dealership were the mechanics, the second highest were the service advisors who always work on commission. The lowest paychecks were for the sales people. The most significant chunk of revenue that a dealership gets is the "holdback" which is a percentage that the manufacturer pays the dealership, per car, at the end of the year (the holdback allows dealerships to sell a car below their invoice, or what has to be paid to the manufacturer when the car sells - the net/net cost).

gixxerboy

Rudeney is 100% correct, if you like that dealership for their convenience i would still go. nobody says you have to do the recommended services.

floridawriter

I think the recommended B service is vital to do when scheduled as it includes all the visual inspections.

SteveE400

I have no problem when a service advisor "advises" me of what services they think I need. I don't immediately accept their recommendation, but I do use it as a potential list of things to consider. If something is a pending replacement of a wear item, I decide my level of concern and either do it now or later. If the item is, to me, optional, I just put it in memory. There have been times when the service advisor has saved me from a pending issue just by bringing it to my attention.


In the end, we are all consumers. They cannot "make" us do what they recommend, but they can suggest. They can also advise us as to what we must do to preserve warranty coverage - but they cannot demand that we let the dealer do that work.


I've also had my local MB dealer ask me "Do you mind if we replace XYZ part - under warranty? Others have had problems with that, and we'd like you to avoid it."


My opinion is that any dealer service department can be either good or bad, at different times. We just have to be informed consumers to know how to best use them.