I agree. I feel that there should be a difference between "patiently waiting as they repair damage" and "following up politely as to why the length of time is 6 weeks" + in BLTSRV's case.

If the dealership doesn't like to hear from you during the day - well, then the dealer is not a very good in customer service. They surely must know how personal it is to own these cars - and how much they mean to us. It is also about an experience - the Mercedes Experience should remain special.

 

I am assured that my car is being given priorety. I believe that. I guess starting my own business has given me the impression that unless you are phsyically THERE on the site to watch what is going on - nothing is fast enough, right enough, or as important to you enough.

 

Keep in mind that, as you stated earlier, the dealer only has so many techs/mechanics to work on cars. They have cars coming in and out everyday for services and short repairs. They mostly likely will give those higher priority to get in as many vehicles as possible. Giving cars with more complicated and extensive repairs as yours higher priority doesn't make much sense.

In the time they fully completed your car, they could have gotten in a dozen or more services. Remember that you're also one of very many expecting the same sort of "Mercedes-Benz Experience." Someone wanting to get a Service A done or having a small mechanical problem should expect a quicker fix than someone with a near full front end replacement such as yours.

bltserv's length of repair seems ridiculous compared to yours when we look at the damage, but if I'm not mistaken SoCal has so much more Mercedes traffic coming in and out of dealers than New York does.

 

Normally - that is the case. However, the bodyshop is a separate building/entity of MB Manhattan. They have their own dedicated techs, body shop specialist to peform the labor on cars that were in accidents. Cars coming in for service appointments are kept in the main building which would absolutely follow along the logic you mentioned above.

The Mercedes Benz experience that I was referring too also incorporates call backs, etc. An unanswered email is not "The Mercedes Experience" nor is a terribly lengthy delay for whatever reason. You know what the factory that crafts my collections do when I, and other designers overload them with work? They realize their deadline, and do what they have to do - including hiring temps, work later, work weekends, etc. While I don't expect Merc to work weekends or work later, or hire temps, but perhaps a pep talk to the workers once a month would not hurt. Remmeber - these cars are teh best of the best, from a company that must remmeber that in today's economic climate - the purchase of luxury goods could decline sharply overnight - and it should be on their list of things to accomplish to never ever give the customer a reason NOT to purchase a car made by Mercedes.

If I was petty, I would take the unanswered email personally and read way into it along the lines of "well if they can't be bothered, neither will I" ... I'm not petty, but I am sure there are many that expect the best of the best of the best from the company behind the car.

Oh yea...6 weeks is rediculous for BLTSRV - but - again, even with the higher flow of traffic (accidents, repairs) in SOCAL... it is still a Mercedes - deadlines should be met - and if they are not - keep it to a minimum - otherwise, it is without a doubt in my mind, that a sour taste will be left in the customer's mouth from the experience. That would be enough for some to consider alternate, comaparable brands.

 

Part of the wait is your dealing with an authorized MBZ Body Shop.
They are on their own schedule. Mine needed the pumps and electrical
to come out of the trunk. The tub that holds the spare got damaged and replaced. So its been between the dealer and the body shop several times.
The first 2 weeks for the Insurance company to get an adjuster to get everything signed off did not help either. Then the Insurance company insisted they found a like new bumper cover. Ooops. Its for a SL500 not a SL55. That ate up another week. After awhile you just call once a week and check in. I did go visit it a couple times too since its local. The biggest advice I can give is to smile and be nice. So many people are so rude and that has a negative effect. They are trying but the quality is the big thing.
That MBZ certification is priority # 1 for the shop.

Well I had to go overboard and bought some SL65 19" Wheels and getting the new tires mounted and balanced at the dealer on Thursday.

So as of today. The latest lie is I get my car back on the 21st. This Friday.
With SL65 Gun Metal 2 piece 19`s and fresh Michelin PS2`s.

So Chucky. Keep your cool and get a rental. I was lucky that I still have my
CL500 as a daily driver. The insurance company offered me $ 20.00 a day for loss of use. I am going after them for $ 150.00 a day and $ 4000.00 in Diminished Value. Thats almost enough to pay for my Wheels and Tires !!

Good Luck

 

Attitude like this is why many German-marque addicts are considering high-end Lexus' like the LX570 and LS460. I've only heard good things and when I get the $$ to change vehicles again a couple of yrs I'm going to consider one of these (but not the waste of money LS600 with no trunk)

BMW are just as bad but at least maintenance and all is free.

BLtserv- hope them quads get back to new asap.

 

State Farm Insurance advised they did not need to send an adjuster to the site since MB MANHATTAN was a dealership they have programs with. Thankfully, I did not have to go through that process which you did. Awful and I am sorry to hear you had to go through that.

I was also advised I could get a rental car for which State Farm would pay %80 per day - up to $500 in total. If I really need a car, I will take them up on that - but like I said, a lot of my work right at this particular moment - is designing the next collection which doesnt require me to be anywhere but glued to my desk with about a gallon of good coffee and lots of concepts.

Diminshed Value... can you explain? IS that something I should consider? Is that just asking them to compensate me for the value my car lost because of this accident? Do I ask MY insurance for this or the truck I claim to have acted irresponsibly/illegally? Wouldn't they consider raising my rates if I did it to my own insurance carrier?

Thanks for the help / advice.

It is appreciated.

EDIT: Can you post picture of your car with the new wheels / tires? Great combo! I love SL 65 Wheels.... so expensive though.

I want to upgrade to 20" S65 Wheels but I will see what the story is with Selling this season. Economy is leading many retailors to purchase from current "tested and trued" vendors to insure they give themselves the best chance to make their cash for the season.

 

Totally agree.

I have never heard one complaint regarding "SERVICE" when it comes to Lexus, Infiniti, Toyota, etc.

Even my father, who loves his BMW 740iL sometimes runs into a lack of updates (phone calls, emails) when his car is in for service. Unfortunately, when he brings his car in for routine service (even outside of the maintenance coverage) - they always seem to find problems. The kicker is, they say the same thing every time "If these problems are not resolved NOW, we can not gaurantee the car will be safely driveable or offer continued reliability. How are we to know if the dealer is just tacking on nonsense "Problems needing attention" or if they really do exist. All we know is that it is a 2001 BMW 740iL (Purchased brand new in 2001) which my father drives to and from work. Total Mileage now = 49,500. Regular Oil Changes, maintenance, blah blah blah - yet everytime we go in for the official "Service Appointment"....a catasrophe is brewing unless we don't act immediately.

 

Because there aren't enough Lexus' to be in the dealers for them to be busy.

 

I have had similar experiances when waiting for "routine" service for my 05 s500, service a "pls wait should take 1 hour" 2.5 hours later still waiting. MB service BLOWS !

 

LOL So true.

The kicker is everytime I have to make a service appointment for my car for whatever reason, the only day available is 3 weeks from the day I make my call

Math was NEVER my subject...but for fun - lets see if I can get this right..

Lets say there are 7 cars coming in each day to one dealer.

7 cars x 5 days a week = 35 cars

35 cars x 3 weeks till appoitnment = 115 cars requiring service

Thats three weeks...not including emergency drop offs.

140 cars per month x 12 months = 1680 cars (at 7 per day)...

 

However, to be fair - sometimes I am thrilled with the level of service.

I also don't want to place blame at all on my service advisor. All too often, they are the focus of driver's impatients and outbursts of frustration.

It isn't them who are fixing the cars - and unless they don't bother to follow through with updates from the techs, and promptly relaying back to the customer with his findings daily...any attitude by the customer directly to their service advisors is out of line.

How's about when I drop the car off at 7:30 - driven via mercedes to my old office. When car is complete, it is delivered washed to the office.

That is beautiful.

 

Got the Camera ready to go for when I get the car back. So Pics are forthcoming from the beach.

Check out this site.
I may use them for the $ 99.00 fee.
www.diminishedvalue.com

Time to head home........

 

Thanks for the link! Get home safely.

 

Stealers and their employees are vile.

Problem with Toyota though is being lumped in with Tercels and Corollas. I've heard of people with $60,000 Landcruisers being treated exactly the same as those guys. Maddening.

BTW, I always carry a disposable camera in my glovebox

 

Sorry about your accident. It's a terrible thing when it happens.

Your car has a nanoparticle clear-coat made by PPG. The trade name is Ceramiclear. Mercedes through Mercedes Certified Repair Shops authorize the use of clear-coat products made by four manufactures. Only the PPG product will duplicate the hardness of the original finish. I don't know if you can insist that Mercedes Benz Manhattan's body shop use the PPG product, but I think if they don't, you'll notice the difference a few months and several car washes down the road.

 

I did not think about that. It is not safe to assume they would use the PPG Product if this is the factory dealership? I mean, they have to get the color code for Iridium Silver - which likely IS a standard nanoparticle forumula.

I'll check it out.

 

That's great information to know...

 

Any word yet on your car, Chuck?

 

Nanoparticle

 

End of Next week I was told.... I want my car back !!!

 

Thanks man. Made the edit.

 

Gents, the clearcoat is a ceramic nanoparticle formular. Not the actual paint mix itself.

 

This is true. The cermiclear cost more than the other topcoats. Since they have a patent, the other manufactures cannot provide the same formula. On silver you may not notice it as much as on a darker color.

 

But I imagine that Mercedes Benz Manhattan, being the only factory owned dealership in North America - they will have the exact formula paint / top coat that Mercedes Benz would use at the factory in Germany.

Would that assumption be valid?