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Let me tell you something interesting about representative office of Mercedes-Benz in Russia.
In Russia it is represented by the vehicles assembling factory, couple of own points of sales as well as couple of own aftersales facilities.
Some time ago I bought an AMG GT from the above-mentioned guys and consequently for all the technical problems and checkups I’ve visited them only.
If someone would ask if I’m happy with the service from those “maximum official” guys, I’d say – “rather not”. For example, they have “forgotten” to save records for my regular tech inspections in their electronic system! It turned out to be a usual practice for them.
Than, based on “missing” technical service – they refused me the warranty case!
So, here is the story about another, the last incident that I kindly want to entertain you with. It will be about last technical service for the AMG GT, that ended up like a scenario to a horror movie!
The only thing I needed that day visiting service station was to change oil in transmission gearbox and to change brake pads.
The moment when I took the car after the job was done, I heard a loud scratching noise after moving only 1 meter across their territory. Of course, I called the local service advisor and asked him if it was “ok”? He told me that it was normal and that I need to drive the car, so the “effect” would disappear soon! All I need per his words was to keep moving.
As a result, I was driving 20 miles with the horrible sound and a very strange feelings while braking.
All of this made me call to an official expert for a quick check up. Andguesswhattheexperthasdiscovered?The brake pads were installed inside out! (facepalm)
Immediately I’ve transported the car back to Mercedes-Benz Russia facility. They looked at it, told me that the job was done by their leading technical specialist! (anotherfacepalm!) They have admitted that it was totally their fault and they will fix it at their expense.
So, they did it in one week. I wrote them a reclamation letter. They have nearly killed me with their “competent service”.
Frankly, I thought that they would not only restore ruined braking system, but would give any kind of compensation. But not.
In their official reply letter, they have noted that they were very loyal to me by fixing their own mistake. It was a bit a surprise for me as I expected for them that they would at least do something more than that. For example, would return the money that I’ve paid for that “service” or at least would promise some discount for the future. Something. Nothing like that!
It turned out that fixing their own deadly faults – is a manifestation of customer loyalty per their vision. )))
I wish that the case described above would be the exception, but I must admit that I have encountered some other strange situations with the guys, but this is the only time when they got caught red handed and recognized it as their own fault.
And now, keeping in mind their “loyalty” please let me tell you about myself.
I own the largest website for Mercedes-Benz community in Russia. Over 20 years we have recommended everybody to service their vehicles with the official Mercedes-Benz dealers even after legal warranty for their Mercedes-Benz vehicles expires. Especially we have recommended service station of Mercedes-Benz Russia – as the best on Russian market. Guess what huge earnings this resulted in for the Company!
Now this practice is stopped. After the case described above and some other cases we’ve added them to out black list. As we don’t want to be associated with an organization whose employees’ professional quality evoke so many questions. Also, we’ve written a letter to the president for Mercedes-Benz Russia, to Mr. Tefflos hoping to get some reasonable reply.
We got a reply, which I’d call a bit strange:
“Within the frame of keeping client loyalty, for the foregoing reasons, and based of the principles of “good wheel, we have carried out the woks for changing the brake pads at the expense of our car repair shop. You have agreed with this and it was confirmed by you signature at certificate of delivery and acceptance.”
Well, what to say? Feels like pretty loyal, ah? ))
I’ve paid for the service and for the parts at full - with no discount. They have made a fault that nearly killed me. I’ve got heavily stressed out by driving a pretty fast sport car with a faulty braking system, spent a lot of my expensive time for all this situation. What do I get in return from the guilty party? Nothing. Even no sorry from their management!
Reading their reply letter, I try to figure out where their “good wheel” and “keeping client loyalty” went to? Furthermore, I bet that Mr. Tefflof did not get a chance to see my complaint letter. ))
PS By the way, I also had some problems with technical checkup for my AMG GT in Germany. In the best Russian tradition, they did not make a record in the electronic system regarding the technical inspection job done. As I was driving around without the record for oil service, as it never happened! Also, they have added to the bill some “extra parts” that were not used for the job done. When I pointed it out they told me “sorry”, but did not return the stolen money.
Yea. The dealer offered me to "roll" them. so that they run well. I didn't get my money back for this job. By the way, this is not only a dealer, this is the Mercedes-Benz company itself (own sales)
Regarding the brake pads being reversed, and please do not take this as siding with the dealer, but these pads are so VERY EASY to reverse ending up with the pad backings facing the rotors. I've personally done these brakes and, once, before I reassembled the caliper to the rotor I looked a last time and realized I almost did this very same thing. This is only on the GT model as the GTS and newer models use a different caliper.
Still, I can say with certainty, no factory trained technician should make such a mistake as, even if they did, they should have test driven the car which would have immediately identified the mistake. They did not do that and that is a mistake too.
What concerns me right now is the transmission. Here too, I have personally changed the differential/transmission fluids in this model, and given the complexity of getting the fluid levels correct at the precise fluid temperatures is a task that cannot be rushed. Hopefully, for your sake, the transmission fluid change was done correctly, because if it was not it can destroy the transmission in short time. Also, the two fluids are very difficult to find in the marketplace as Shell is not producing the DCTF right now and there are little to no substitutes. Even the Spirax for the differential is not widely available.
Finally, I would like to invite you to the AMG GT section of this forum. Here you will find many knowledgeable and technically minded members who know this platform pretty well.
04-10-2022, 04:49 AM
