fixbenz

just out of curiosity....how well do you rate your service? what good and bad experiences have you had at a dealership??

c230_2k2

my dealership service is the worst ever. Fletcher Jones Las Vegas.

slk55lvr

I'm pleased to say that my service department has been a real joy to work with so far, my dealership is Mercedes Benz of West Chester, Pa.

JohnCL

Top notch here at MB of Kansas City.

Where are you located fixbenz??

Racin_fool

I guess that means I am not the only MB tech on here then..

fixbenz

i like to keep my location low key...yes i could get in customers but, from experience.....i'd prefer to keep my location anonymous..that way everyone is happy.

JohnCL

MercedesFTW

I have to try out my theory that the smaller Benz dealerships have better service than the big ones.

Motorwerks in Barrington is a b!tch.

rayjoe

If we have two tech’s from MB then what the hell are the key codes for the hidden engineering menu on the new E320 command units? How do I change the region code? How do I disable video in motion? Why doesn’t the voice assist know how to control the navigation screen like zoom in or zoom out, sorry this is a personal issue I have that my Lexus is able to do. Anyways, the questions seem to be wanted by many MB owners.

How about helping an owner out!

fixbenz

if you got the car at a mb dealer you should go back to it...see either the sales..they should know (if they are competant, or a tech/ shop foreman)
99% of the serv advisors dont know much on MB..

as far as the navi operation, i dont think voice control operates zoom in and out feature...they should have showed you this during or after the sales

bltserv

Local we have FJ Newport. Not my favorite place
They are great if you want to park there and get a free shuttle
to the airport.

But for good service. I do Mercedes of Anaheim Hills (Caliber)
Free loaner even when both cars were not bought there.

babason

hi guys interesting reading. Any England, in particular London, TECHS WANT to make any coments??????????? to this thread



come on there must be one or two browsing

rayjoe

I wish I could bring it to the dealer but the reason I need the codes are because it's a EURO command head unit and they either don’t know or possibly don’t want to mess with it. To give you an idea of the level of support I received, I tried calling the MB customer service center to find out about the correct latest NAV DVD version and the person I talked to told me my car (2003 E320 W211) wasn’t even equipped with navigation. I told him it was pre-wired for it and MB even sells a upgrade kit for it. I also told him I installed the NAV system and it works properly with the exception of the region code for the head unit DVD drive. He totally disagreed with me saying the car wasn’t pre-equipped for NAV. He couldn’t/wouldn’t even answer a simple question of what the latest DVD part number was. I called a few MB dealers and two told me one part number and three others told me another part number. I have never had an issue such as this with my Lexus dealer or support. In fact I have called the Lexus support while driving down the road when I got a low tire pressure light come on due to cold weather but they were more then happy to assist and answer me. They provide this free of charge, MB requires you to sign up for the Tel-Aid service.

I have said it before in another post that I love my E320. My biggest issue is the service level between MB and Lexus is incomparable. The only way to get additional and correct information is using the posts on sites like this and I thank all the other members for their input and experience...

All I was asking is that it would be nice if the MB technicians provide some additional insights on the vehicles that enable people to add or modify additional features to make their vehicles custom to them. I’m in no way asking for full schematics of the car to reproduce it. It shouldn’t cost a fortune to simply adjust the settings of the command unit just because they claim it needs to be connected to the Star diagnostic system.

Sorry to all the other members for writing a novel but I’m frustrated that even with individuals that work on the cars I still seems impossible to get some of the answers.

babason

dont apologise
now you know how techs feel trying to find out correct and reliable info

well make you an honary technician

love.

amdeutsch

No flame, but

1) You install non US OEM equipment and expect support. Did you ever do that to your lexus? Did you install a Japan only option and received US factory support?

2) Dids you press a button inside your lexus at that time and talk to a person or did you use some other form of communication to figure out your low tire?

3) You want to mod your MB and expect factory support. Did you ever do that to your lexus? What was the outcome if you did?

Yes, you may have issues but when you do a comparisson do it apples to apples and not apples to oranges.

mleskovar

Fletcher Jones in Newport Beach: When I took it there for warranty service I rate the repair quality as good and the parts availability as poor. More often than not it required several trips back to the dealer when they had to order parts.

babason

lets not argue, even though you are right super moderator. the customer is always right. whats the answer to his question ?

rayjoe

Yes, I have personally added additional equipment to my Lexus like rear headrest DVD’s and when I had an issue with the NAV system that I messed up they had no problem resetting it and still warranty my vehicle without question. If I totally screwed something up I would expect them to void the warranty or charge for the service. I’m not asking for that in this case or any other case. And you as well know that equipment in the MB and Lexus come from both the US and overseas and I wasn’t even asking for support on an item from overseas. My question to the support center was clearly what the latest version DVD was for an E320 and not what the latest version was for a EURO command. He clearly avoided the question by saying he can’t answer it because my car doesn’t have NAV capability when the question had nothing to do with the year of my vehicle.

As for contacting Lexus I used my cell phone with Bluetooth to call the customer support service, by the way it runs 24-7 unlike MB that only supports 24-7 with Tel-Aid, and I’m able to talk to an individual almost immediately without having to go through multiple menu options. If it means having the ability of pushing a little red button that cost more money or pushing a button on a phone that cost nothing what would you do? Also, if I wanted the same option of pushing a button in my car for assistance I could purchase Lexus Link so I believe I’m comparing apples to apples.

My only question was to share some information that many owners are asking. You must know that any coded system can be decompiled and read if people really wanted it. I would never do it because I wouldn’t want my clients doing it to my software. I do however request more information and or options to choose what I want to set. If it’s not there then fine, I will base my decision when purchasing a new vehicle on my past experience. Some options outweigh others and I think user customization for an expensive vehicle is a big one.

MB makes a great car and I’m proud to own the one I have, I just wish owners had the option of modifying their own equipment knowing the risk. I’m not asking MB to warranty the work I’m doing on MY vehicle that I paid good money for. Just so you know, I’m a Chief Technology Officer of a software development firm and I always insist that my developer’s not hard code options into the system, they are REQUIRED to give the users and/or administrators the ability to change them as they want. My clients understand that any changes to the default may adversely affect the intended operation of the system. They have no problem with that and have come to expect that from other vendors. And yes, I do support them if they set something incorrectly but I also would charge them depending on how long it would take to correct it.

Guy’s, please don’t take this as a personal attack against you or MB. Fixbenz had asked the question of how well do you rate your service and I’m giving an honest answer and my experiences.

All other members, I again apologize for the long post.

amdeutsch

1) Adding aftermarket stuff, you didn't say it was a japanese option, and then relating it to a nav fix ........ I guess that means you wanted rear seat passengers to have a better view of the nav screen. In the same paragraph, you keep repeating yourself about nav dvd, you expect support on something not available as a us option -euro comand. You ever considered that there may be other issues at hand in regards to compatibility instead of your wishes. STFF the forum about the pre-wire 03 NAV issue and the stances taken.

2) Then state that from the getgo instead of comparing 2 different options and thereby making implications.

3) And how many people do you know that will pay someone to mod it instead of expecting company confidential info to be handed out to anybody that calls.

4) Owners have the option to mod their car anyway they want. Its when they want factory support they get into posts like this one. Its great to hear about your job. Now answer a phonecall from a customer across the world who is utilizing your product and wants to modify it to suit his own needs. You already said you would make them pay but yet you expected a freebie for your situation. BTW, he didn't pay you, or your company, for the product but got it through other means.

Yes, IMHO, you are comparing apples to oranges.

EDIT

Thats why these type of threads have a very low success rate because someone always will come in and attempt to personalize it under the guise of educating others on their factory support experience.

rayjoe

First of all I want to apologize to the initial creators of the forum for not including the positive comments.

Without hesitation I can absolutely say the sales and parts department of the dealer I have gone to have been extremely helpful. The female I have been dealing with has absolutely been a charm to talk to as well as provide information. I would also add that one of the other MB dealers in California I contacted to ask about the DVD version went as far as pulling the DVD in an attempt to find out what the difference was between the new and old part numbers. He was very helpful and honest in telling me it doesn’t indicate why or what is included in the latest 2006.2 version.

The rest of you can ignore the following unless you have nothing else to read.

Answers to Mr. Amdeutsch the “Super Moderator”:

1.) I was just responding to your question of installing an option in my vehicle and still receiving support. I think I answered that in my first paragraph. If your asking did I install an option in my vehicle and asked the dealer to modify, repair, or warranty the item I installed then the answer is no and I wouldn’t expect them to nor do I from MB. I’m not asking this of MB but I am asking for information that could assist me in setting up the options I would like as a consumer seeing how it is not an option offered in the US. If you or MB don’t feel comfortable sharing that information then that’s your prerogative. The difference that I’m sharing with you is that Lexus does share that information and in fact there are training manuals online that tell you how to access the other hidden features.

2.) I have no idea what the heck you trying to convey unless your telling me that by adding a modification doesn’t relate to the other when it in fact does. It’s called rear seat entertainment that can be integrated into the NAV unit (you call the command headunit). The option that Lexus had was a screen hanging from the roof and by a request from my wife and the added option for my kids being able to watch two different DVD’s I added separate headrest DVD players. When I was even considering the option the Lexus dealer offered the product I purchased as a suggestion but they didn’t sell nor install them in their shop and when I called the Lexus corporate office for information they referred me to the website that included the information needed to install them as stated above. Knowing the wiring diagram and connections within the vehicle enabled me to install the option.

3.) As I stated above, Lexus was willing to at least share with me where to find the information and not just dismiss me and tell me it can’t be done.

4.) You have no idea what I do and how flexible the products my company develops under my guidance to support our clients. The products we develop and support are utilized in over twelve different countries and they all have separate needs. I continually take calls from clients that want to modify the applications to suit their needs and I have added the capability to allow that. Maybe you have herd of it seeing how knowledgeable you are, it’s called (API) Application Programming Interface. In fact it’s built on the same concept of a large company you might have heard of called (MICROSOFT) seeing how the MB MOST network utilizes it. We share with our direct clients how our systems work and teach them and allow them to integrate it into their own systems. It allows clients to utilize the parts of the applications that suit their needs. Oh, by the way MB does the same thing by offering it as options to their cars, the only difference is that they require you to have them install it and don’t share the information to their direct customers to enable them to do it. As for your remark on the cost: I indicated that I provide support at NO additional charge UNLESS IT REQUIRES A “GREAT” AMOUNT OF TIME TO ASSIST THEM and I’m talking hours or days not minutes. Answering questions and helping clients only makes the products stronger and more adaptable. If you haven’t figured it out that means larger market share and happier clients. If a client obtains another software package that they want to work with ours we assist them in doing so. By not allowing it could eventually lead to a loss of client base because NOEONE has all the answers or complete product base to support everything.

I will reiterate that I’m providing my experience of support as requested and comparing it to two separate companies in the level of support and information I received.

The only way I have received the information was through the message boards and the experience of other owners rather then through the company itself. I reject your EDIT comment about low success rates because; my initial post was to request information from two knowledgeable technicians that work on the vehicles. It has been a question asked in many of the forums unless you haven’t read them. You turned this into the discussion it is and not allowing them to speak for themselves. I would have no issue with them telling me to pound sand and that they would not divulge confidential information and I would absolutely respect them for it. Don’t make it more then what it is.

babason

Answers on a postcard pls,

anyone else want to contribute to this heated debate. I know what i think. but I want to find out which way the wind is blowing. guys

Come on techs Stand up and be counted

sosh

Same excellent experience, samd dealership

fixbenz

i agree with amdeutsch

rayjoe..you need to quit boasting about your job...we could care less...if you have a euro car imported into the US you will be hard pressed for navi info.since mb dealers in the us dont have access to info on the euro models...since they technically dont exist here..its hard for us to get the info.


i dealt with countless know it all customers on numerous occasions...if they knew everything then why did they bring it to the dealer...


we try to be honest and fair at dealers....but if you come to us with an attitude...prepare to pay....i like finding out who @$$hole customers are...and if i have to work on their car....i make them open their wallet a little wider......or i bend them over and dont even bother to use vasoline..

so let us give a concious effort to make our repairs...if we cant we will tell you...

fixbenz

mb and lexus...why do you even bother to compare...

i can be as arrogant as MB..weve been making cars the longest..why do you question our abilities.

the reason why we dont let too much information out is due to the car needs factory trained personnel to be working on the car..the average joe doesnt even need to come close to touching the car

rayjoe

Gentlemen, I’m not trying to cause an argument with you and I already told you if you or MB don’t care to share the information with your clients then so be it.

I formally retract my original request for information regarding the optional menus within the EURO vehicle command unit.

It’s obvious that you either don’t know or don’t wish to share it. I have alternatives to work around the issues. My position and work was brought in by comments made by “amdeutsch” in supporting clients and has nothing to do with me boasting about my job so don’t give me crap about it. If you feel your doing service to your clients by making them pay more because they ask questions then your absolutely wrong but again that’s totally up to you and your dealership. Also, if that’s the way you feel then please share with your clients and other members that, I’m sure they would be happy to know it.

As for most of the MB technicians in the field I have made the remark in private messages that I have great respect for you and your abilities to work on such sophisticated cars.

fixbenz; Please don’t think for a minute that others haven’t a clue as to how the MB is designed or don’t have the ability to learn it.