RedC230K

They got bought out by a neighboring dealer and now we get to ride our bicycles to work while our Benzes are in the shop. (And mine is in the shop often!!)

So now the only, and I mean ONLY service perks to driving a Benz are a free cup of institutional-grade coffee and a metal folding chair to sit on while you wait six hours for your car to get "fixed". Fixed is a generous term in the case of this dealer. I wouldn't trust them to fix a sandwich, but, unfortunately, they are the only ones within a two-hour radius of me.

jpb5151

Can MBUSA do anything? Seems like the dealer ratings are about to go down, so maybe loaners'll be offered again soon? Regardless, that sucks.

tifosiv122

Ouch, 2 hours. Honestly, I would not have bought a car from a manufacturer if I didn't trust the service dept. and it was my only option.

Erik

RedC230K

How do you know that ahead of time?

And how can you predict that a dealership will get bought out a couple of years down the road?

Buellwinkle

When I first moved here 20 years ago I bought a Toyota from a Toyota dealer, a few years later the dealer turned into a Volvo dealer so we got a Volvo, then they became an Acura dealer so we bought an Acura and now he's a Saab dealer, I have to draw the line somewhere! Imagine the fun of knowing that not only did your dealer get bought out but changed brands too.

The sad thing is, calling MB probably won't help, it's not written anywhere that I can find that MB dealers have to provide service loaners, it's just something most dealers do, like free car washes. I can't even imagine owning an MB without the loaners, they are just not reliable enough. What's even sadder is many dealers require you to buy a car from them or they won't give you a loaner so going to another dealer may be a bust. Your best bet is cut your losses and get rid of it. I would never, ever own an MB without the percs, what's the point?

Infiniti advertises the loan car program but even then, only through participating dealers. Lexus guarantees you a loaner but only if the repair takes over 8 hours and for maximum of 5 days (imagine some of the people here that had their car out for over 30 days).

The reality is if you bought a more reliable car to begin with you wouldn't need a loaner. Most dealers of other brands do provide rental cars at a nominal fee and the courtesy shuttles that most provide is reasonably good.

Worst comes to worst, at least on the C-Coupe, there is a folding bicycle accesory that fits nicely in the hatch area....

Jim Banville

And how is that? There isn't a carmaker in existence that makes 100% relaible cars. Lexus and Infiniti offer loaners since they average over 1 repair a year.

RedC230K

Yep - I agree on the perks. I might as well drive a VW or something.

I will indeed take my bicycle with me to the dealer Monday!

Jim Banville

You have GOT to be kidding! We KNEW that our local MB dealer, from whom we did not buy our car, would not give us a loaner since we didn't buy from them. We probably could've waited for them to order a car like we wanted and would have been able to get loaners, but we were ready to buy one then. Not having loaners was about the last thing on our list of prioirities. Driving a nice, comfortable, luxurious and reasonably reliable Mercedes is, IMHO, better than having free loaners, free washes, free cookies and every other perk you can think of with 90% of the other car brands out there, VW included.

amdeutsch

Actually I nowadays wouldn't buy from a dealer if they didn't provide loaners. My work schedule is such that the dealership is only open to me after I get off work. Therefore it would be a pain in the a$$ if they only gave me a ride home and I would have to get a ride in the a.m. to work and then again in the p.m. to the dealer. Plus what about those days where the will need it for more than a day?

moomeh

that sucks. find a different dealer to service your mb that can drive a loaner to you and take your car when you need service.

peet

Spillit - which dealer? I go to the Napervile MB and they have a great service dept.

P

RedC230K

None in my area....

And I depend on my car during the work day. I am on call and have to respond whenever there is a disaster, fire, accident, or emergency.
That's hard to do on a bicycle. Loaners are not a "perk" to me, they're a necessity. That's part of why I bought an MB.

tifosiv122

I would have assumed that you would have asked people in your area that drive Mercedes if the service dept. is good.

I might be different, but I have no problems walking up to a complete stranger and ask them about their car. That is how I found my current dealer. After two bad dealerships I started noticing the badges of a third. I spoke to a few people and everyone seemed happy. For the '03, I made the switch and have been very happy.

I make all my dealerships sign in the contract that they will provide loaners for service. If they won't sign, I don't buy the car, and trust me, they always sign.

My Nissan dealer gave me loaners...as did Mazda. Just ask and you shall recieve.

Just as much research as you should put into buying a car, you should put into finding the right dealer (this is not directed toward you, just a general notice). It can't hurt to ask people how the dealership is, and it could save you hours of headaches.

Erik

Jim Banville

Sounds like you either need to ask your boss for a company car (I would never put miles on my car for my job's duties) or you need a second "basic" car for when your primary car is out of service. No car you buy is going to be 100% reliable ( I realize you never claimed any were).

RedC230K

Good points are being raised here all around. Thanks, gents.

Peet - It's Sud's. They bought Midtown Imports.
It used to be the lesser of two evils... now it's evil on top of evil.

electromethod

I got it in writing that I would be provided a loaner for the full length of my 100K warranty . I will ge dam*ed if I don't get a loaner, especially when dealer is 1.5 hours away.

c240x

The SUDs dealer here does not offer loaners either, but they do provide you with shuttle service...if the service unexpectedly takes longer than a day (which happened to me), they did offer a free loaner (VW jetta, not a MB)...but I suspect free loaners are typically reserved for those driving the E class and up, or in Midtown Imports case, Porsches! No loaner cars at a MB dealership really bites!

peet

What'sa suds? Sounds like a chain of some sort by the other posting... can you go downtown to Loeber?

Sorry to hear about this though. I couldn't stand having to wait around or arrange rides.

Good luck!

P

RedC230K

Suds is the name of the family - I believe they are of Indain descent.
I'm in Peoria, so Chicago dealers are a bit of a haul for me.

peet

Sorry - for some reason Mid Town Motors sounded like something in Chicago I am in the burbs myself, but Peoria sounds like you'd have a hard time picking and choosing a different dealer! My feelings go out to you.

P

truelove

josh, i saw this thread when it was first posted but didn't realize it was you who was posting it so i just disregarded it. but when i called midtown this morning to schedule my first service A, i was shocked when linda told me that they don't have loaners anymore. that sucks. guess i'll be getting up early with my wife from now on so i can drop her off at work and drive her car when my needs service. was their new owner a hyundai dealership owner at one time or something?

EDIT: i just noticed you said SUDS bought midtown. well that's just great. i had no idea that SUDS doesn't offer loaners. do they still wash your car for ya when ya bring it in? i hope so.

yup, it sure sucks that we don't have dealership choices in our area.

Outland

Here's an idea for you...youve already found another local owner, why not post a thread to all the other Peoria owners to band together and EVERYONE e-mail, call, fax, and snail mail MBUSA. A concerted effort by even a small group of owners certainly would get some attention.

That's just bull****. I don't think the car is so unreliable like Buellwinkle claims, but frankly given the profit margins on these cars, they SHOULD provide loaners, period. For that matter, any dealer should have to. You bought a car that you expected to be in service, if its not during warranty, then the dealer can eat that or charge MB back for the use of another car.

RedC230K

I called MB and they said that they don't require a dealer to provide loaners or any other perk, for that matter.

Benz doesn't really care about individual problems people have. When the Area Executive heard I was having many chronic problems and wanted to pursue an amicable buyback, he said "We'll see about THAT!"

Adam, I dunno about car washes. I never got them anyway!

Blueice

Geez that sux

bagwell

Jim, he said MORE reliable cars.