Jakarta Expat

Gentlemen,

I have had about as much of this arrogant nose up in the air, we will help you when and if we want attitude from Mercedes Indonesia and I wanted to know if any of you could pass to me the email addresses of anyone in Mercedes International manangement so I can make a complaint directly to them. PM me or email me at robtmiley@yahoo.com.sg

Thanks for all help and replies.

YABADI

What really happened? Which dealership did you go to? I know some of them are @ss.

Jakarta Expat

I went to the delaership on Fatmawati, they actually ignored me and said they would have someone call as their sales were all "out". I never had a return call.

I went to the dealership on Mampang where 2 old women about 50 years old were sitting and looking at each other like "what do we do now" when I and my Indonesian wife walked through the door. I asked regarding a SLK, they said "no stock" and went back to whee they were sitting. I asked to see the sales guys and the Sales manager had just left for the day, this was at 16:30 or 4:30pm.

I called the dealership on Sudirman at 11:55am and asked to speak to the sales manager, the receptionist put me on hold and 5 minutes later the phone went dead. I called back (by now it is 1 minute after 12) and the security answers I assume because the receptionist has gone on her lunch break and then all the security said was "No English" and hung up.

I then called Mercedes Indonesia (Daimler Chrysler) and I got through to the Director of Sales, his name is John George Macloed Good, now with a 10 dollar name like tha you would expect service but all he did was pay me lip service and make a recommendation to talk to Hartono motors in Daan Mogot. I went over there and talked to the girl at the sales desk, she said they had no SLK's in stock and then when I suggeted maybe I would be better off buying it from the gray market dealers (unofficial importers for overseas car and not supported by Mercedes Indonesia) she agreed with me. Then I asked to see the Sales manager, finally after waiting some woman showed up, her attitude was very arrogant and she had a take it or leave it attitude. I asked why all the Mercedes that are sold officially by Mercedes Indonesia dealers have no real options in them and she actally said that Indonesian consumers are not sophiscated enough to use those options. I then took her own brochure of the SLK with the "Indonesian standard" of options and asked why in Indonesia (a country where the average temp in Jakarta is 34C during the day and not lower than 24C at night) would they have as standard a heated rear window? She said she could not answer, I then said it was unusual for a Sales Manager not to be able to answer such a question and she responded in a talking down tone that she was not the Sales Manager she was the Operations Director. We waited for appx. 10 minutes for someone to answer the heated window question and becuase I was already offended at the way she talked so racist about the sophistication of the Indonesian consumer and her inabiliy to answer my question I left.

I then called the Mercedes Indonesia, Director of Sales, John George Macloed Good again to relate to him what I have put up with with his Indonesian sales staff and he was not in. I left a message, he did not call back, I again called the following day and left another message and again he did not call back. I then wrote an email to him and is assistant, her name is Lisa Wijaja and I did not hear from either one of them for a few days. I then called Lisa WIjaja and talked to her last week, on Thursday. I made it known I was not happy that Mercedes Indonesia, Director of Sales, John George Macloed Good, could not get off his LAZY *** and call back especially since I was always told he was at the factory (seems they have had some "internal issues" and the Securities Exchange Commision out of New York has requested they do some auditing of the Indonesian Mercedes Indonesia office which has resulted in 1 gentleman with Mercedes Indonesia already taking "early retirement". Now the factory is located about 2 hours by car from the head office and a man like John George Macloed Good would most surely have a company furnished driver to drive him around Jakarta so all he would have to do is call me back on his trip from the office to the factory or on his trip from the factory to home but this guy is just to lazy to look after a potential customer of a Mercedes car.

When I talked to this Lisa Wijaja, she said that John George Macloed Good was very budy with the Audit team and that sh would sit down and talk to him about my case the following day (last Friday) and whe would respond to my email with a return email on that Friday. I waited 1 week and no response. I then went and looked at some Jaguars and some other cars. I want ot make it known in the Mercedes International community that Mercedes Indonesia does not car for potential customers so how do they expect a customer to buy from them if this is the way they are going to support someone who is thinking about buying a Mercedes here in Indoensia. Oh and just to make it clear, not sure what you pay n the States but they price a SLK 200 on the road (standard configuration no real options) at Indonesian Rupiah 1.028.000.000 which translates in to USD 113.000, yes One Hundred and Thirteen Thousand United States Dollars and selling at that price they do not even want to give proper custonmer service.

Moviela

Well, poor service is not exclusive to Indonesia. Try buying a Mercedes car in China (except Hong Kong, which has very good service, and has treated me well.) Keep in mind it is the tax that bumps a $ 47K car to 113K. Your dealer only profits about 5% of the 47K. The importer gets even less, so you can understand why Mr. John George Macloed Good is not panting to serve you. Oh, unwriten policy is that managers drive themselves.

The SLK is rather richly equipped in standard trim, with options that are desired by only the few. As for the rear window heater, the production line just puts it in every car because it actually costs more to delete it. There is economy in making all rear windows the same.

I hope you continue to persue ownership of a Mercedes car. They really are the best in the marketplace. If you desire to share your concerns with management, here is the man who should know about your experiences:

Mr. Dieter E. Zetsche
Chairman of Management Board, Chief Exec. Officer and Head of Mercedes Car Group. His office is located at:

Daimlerchrysler AG
Mercedesstrasse 137
Stuttgart, 70327
Germany

Phone: 49 711 17 32659
Fax: 49 711 17 24460

Jakarta Expat

Thanks for the fax number and I will send a fax today but as well I have made my complaints known on the Ask Dr. Z website as well.

YABADI

I'm sorry to hear about your bad experiences with Mercedes Benz in Indonesia. I thought their reputation already been better. Yes Mercedes Indonesia have been known as their bad reputation since 6 or 7 years ago when people can legally import cars to the country. It all started when most people buy their high end mercedes cars from gray dealership (more cars availability than Mercedes Indonesia), then bring their car for service to the dealership. Because of many cars from Grey dealership go to Mercedes dealerships for maintenance then Mercedes Indonesia said NO to any mercedes cars from the grey dealership. Couple of their reason ware, they didn't have any specs for the cars, or the cars were not in their computer . ( MBI hate those gray dealership)

One of the famous lawyer, who happened bought several high end Mercedes from gray dealership, brought the case to Mercedes International and won it. Mercedes Indonesia then pointed one dealership in Ciputat to take care any Mercedes from Gray dealership. I don't know if this dealer still do it or not (been a while since I got back to Jakarta). All I know that my dad still bring his CL 600 to this dealership in Warung Buncit for maintenance. Good service and the service manager even takes care the lawyer brand new W221 S600 ( I don't think Mercedes Indonesia even know about it because this dealership have had couple warnings from Mercedes Indonesia regarding cars from Grey dealership).

With costumer service like that, no wonder people don't want to buy cars from MBI.

My suggestion bring your case to Mercedes International and good luck. Let me know about the progress. and if you want to but the SLK from grey dealership let me know maybe I can point one grey dealership for you.

mleskovar

I'm surprised you are wasting your time on MB. I already don't like talking to car salesmen, any hint of disrespect or lack of attention and I'm gone.