The continuing downward slide of MB dealers & the “Luxury Experience.”
03-04-2021, 10:36 PM
#51
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mercedes 2013 S350; 2014 E250; 2015 GL350; 2005 SL500; 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV
Here in the greater LaLa Land of Southern California, I’m sure the problems, as I see them, are more pronounced than in smaller markets. But just think of a relatively modern MB dealer that was one of the higher volume dealers, doing a bustling service business. Then, without really expanding their service facilities, bring in all the latest classes, not to mention the onslaught of SUV’s in all classes and the exploding AMG line. Getting a bit crowded in the service paddock, right? NOW, bring in these WHALE size Sprinters and their crummy, little sibling Metris’ into the service lines and perhaps you can visualize what I am talking about. It’s a frigging ZOO! Perhaps in markets like the one I am in, splitting the dealerships might work.
My other choice is Fletcher Jones. The service manager has boasted on how much they pay their techs to attract and retain only the best, with the most experience. However, if MBLN is a ZOO, FJMC is frigging DISNEYLAND! But, they really are my last hope, so I will give them a try.
My other choice is Fletcher Jones. The service manager has boasted on how much they pay their techs to attract and retain only the best, with the most experience. However, if MBLN is a ZOO, FJMC is frigging DISNEYLAND! But, they really are my last hope, so I will give them a try.
03-05-2021, 08:54 PM
#52
When I bought my Ferrari (2001) from a dealership 150 miles away, I knew (KNEW) I needed to find a local shop that could perform the work.
I found one, a shop that builds real race cars for wealthy clients, and does maintenance on high end cars {Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche}. The shop and I have a cozy relationship, I can call them up, they come and pick up the car (they have a set of keys) perform the service, and return the car when its done. All done over the phone, and via text. In the early 2000s they were charging $100 per hour and now its about $150 per hour. But the service is always done to race car standards -- if it is not right someone could DIE !! And they stand behind it !!
I remain a loyal customer to that shop for the Ferrari. As far as MB goes, the local dealer seems competent so far (crossing fingers)...........but at least I have an available option if they turn south.
I found one, a shop that builds real race cars for wealthy clients, and does maintenance on high end cars {Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche}. The shop and I have a cozy relationship, I can call them up, they come and pick up the car (they have a set of keys) perform the service, and return the car when its done. All done over the phone, and via text. In the early 2000s they were charging $100 per hour and now its about $150 per hour. But the service is always done to race car standards -- if it is not right someone could DIE !! And they stand behind it !!
I remain a loyal customer to that shop for the Ferrari. As far as MB goes, the local dealer seems competent so far (crossing fingers)...........but at least I have an available option if they turn south.
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Streamliner (03-05-2021)
03-05-2021, 09:44 PM
#53
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2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
When I bought my Ferrari (2001) from a dealership 150 miles away, I knew (KNEW) I needed to find a local shop that could perform the work.
I found one, a shop that builds real race cars for wealthy clients, and does maintenance on high end cars {Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche}. The shop and I have a cozy relationship, I can call them up, they come and pick up the car (they have a set of keys) perform the service, and return the car when its done. All done over the phone, and via text. In the early 2000s they were charging $100 per hour and now its about $150 per hour. But the service is always done to race car standards -- if it is not right someone could DIE !! And they stand behind it !!
I remain a loyal customer to that shop for the Ferrari. As far as MB goes, the local dealer seems competent so far (crossing fingers)...........but at least I have an available option if they turn south.
I found one, a shop that builds real race cars for wealthy clients, and does maintenance on high end cars {Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche}. The shop and I have a cozy relationship, I can call them up, they come and pick up the car (they have a set of keys) perform the service, and return the car when its done. All done over the phone, and via text. In the early 2000s they were charging $100 per hour and now its about $150 per hour. But the service is always done to race car standards -- if it is not right someone could DIE !! And they stand behind it !!
I remain a loyal customer to that shop for the Ferrari. As far as MB goes, the local dealer seems competent so far (crossing fingers)...........but at least I have an available option if they turn south.
03-06-2021, 04:42 PM
#55
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03-06-2021, 05:06 PM
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03-06-2021, 05:53 PM
#59
I often use it as a joke--when the Mercedes dealer was telling me how much the maintenance was going to be on the S-600, I could say, it ain't going to be anything like the maintenance on the Ferrari.
I only wash and wax it, and do the leather inside. Everything else is done by the shop.
It is now an antique (at 25 YO) so it does not need as much sniffing to remain road legal.
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03-06-2021, 06:32 PM
#60
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2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
Beautiful! I’ve always liked the F355’s. Isn’t that the last model that requires the engine to be removed to do a complete servicing?
Last edited by Streamliner; 03-06-2021 at 06:34 PM.
03-06-2021, 06:38 PM
#61
Yes. On the other hand, with the engine out, you can find all those little things that would have gone south between then and the next engine out, as well as clean the rest of the engine bay.
03-06-2021, 06:42 PM
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2012 CLS63
Nice Fcar, sure it turns heads 
03-07-2021, 07:41 AM
#63
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Something to think about..
Today's MSRP's
Cadillac has 2 vehicles over $100k now... Escalade & CT5-V Blackwing.
Chevy heavily optioned Corvette, Tahoes, Suburbans, Silverado HD2500 & 3500 can get over $90k
Ford Super Duty Premium F250 & 350 over $90k and the Expedition kisses $85k
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk $90k, Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 starts @ $75k for a freaking JEEP!
I could go on but it is shocking the price of new vehicles today
Point....
$100k car aint what it use to be.... and all the whiz bang techno kids drive expensive cars....
Yeah I know you can deck out MB to be well over$100k but different service levels due to vehicle cost is not the solution...
BETTER DEALERS and DEALERSHIP OWNERS is the solution - ones that care...
Mine in here is well run and they care.
Service peeps have been working there for long time some most well over 10 years
that is what ya want...
So vote with your Wallet and find better dealer...
The days of giving your business to one dealer in hopes of getting treated nice is OVER and has been
IF ya want to be treated good today you are supposed to "TWEET" something bad about a company and then they will suck up to you based on # of followers you have.
Crazy world
Today's MSRP's
Cadillac has 2 vehicles over $100k now... Escalade & CT5-V Blackwing.
Chevy heavily optioned Corvette, Tahoes, Suburbans, Silverado HD2500 & 3500 can get over $90k
Ford Super Duty Premium F250 & 350 over $90k and the Expedition kisses $85k
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk $90k, Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 starts @ $75k for a freaking JEEP!
I could go on but it is shocking the price of new vehicles today
Point....
$100k car aint what it use to be.... and all the whiz bang techno kids drive expensive cars....
Yeah I know you can deck out MB to be well over$100k but different service levels due to vehicle cost is not the solution...
BETTER DEALERS and DEALERSHIP OWNERS is the solution - ones that care...
Mine in here is well run and they care.
Service peeps have been working there for long time some most well over 10 years
that is what ya want...
So vote with your Wallet and find better dealer...
The days of giving your business to one dealer in hopes of getting treated nice is OVER and has been
IF ya want to be treated good today you are supposed to "TWEET" something bad about a company and then they will suck up to you based on # of followers you have.
Crazy world
03-07-2021, 08:09 AM
#64
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You can easily spend $130k on a Porsche Macan. We recently got rid of our Macan primarily because PCNA and their dealers are terrible. If our E-class has an issue, our Benz dealership comes and gets it and leaves a loaner car and then returns it fixed - and they have about a 95% success rate of fixing it right the first time. The last straw for us with the Macan was it leaking coolant everywhere and our Porsche dealership sending a tow truck and saying we were SOL on even an enterprise rental (the Macan was under warranty, mind you).
YMMV with dealerships but in Atlanta, Mercedes treats us extremely well whether we owned a C-class or an E-class (never an S.. yet).. Porsche treated us like we should be so lucky to have even been allowed to purchase a car from them. Even our local Kia dealership has always gone above and beyond to make us happy, and we've owned several cheap secondary cars from them over the years - and now we do again.
So yes, that's to say $100k isn't what it used to be car wise. And not all dealerships are the same regardless of who the manufacturer is.
YMMV with dealerships but in Atlanta, Mercedes treats us extremely well whether we owned a C-class or an E-class (never an S.. yet).. Porsche treated us like we should be so lucky to have even been allowed to purchase a car from them. Even our local Kia dealership has always gone above and beyond to make us happy, and we've owned several cheap secondary cars from them over the years - and now we do again.
So yes, that's to say $100k isn't what it used to be car wise. And not all dealerships are the same regardless of who the manufacturer is.
03-07-2021, 08:26 AM
#65
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Interesting thread ... it's a like a Business school case study, what should Mercedes be? We're in an age where scale is driving the auto industry and smaller companies feel they must spawn more and more products to keep up. For Mercedes that means things like the "CL" series, which are just differently-shaped four door sedans, endless varities of SUVs for every micro-niche, etc. And soon, a great wave of new EV models.
Does this make any sense? There is a real risk of brand erosion as people have pointed out in earlier posts. Just take a look at the Mercedes parts catalog, it's such a mess that the only way to be sure what part number you need is to use the VIN to look it up. Will that get any better as the company keeps trying to support more and more models and versions?
I have a poster in my garage from the launch of the Porsche 996 titled "Porsche ... Forever the Sports car". Well, not so much now. The theory at Porsche seems to be if you keep running up the prices higher and higher, you can maintain the brand image regardless of what else happens, but that really doesn't seem sustainable across all the service and other touchpoints if you ask me.
Does this make any sense? There is a real risk of brand erosion as people have pointed out in earlier posts. Just take a look at the Mercedes parts catalog, it's such a mess that the only way to be sure what part number you need is to use the VIN to look it up. Will that get any better as the company keeps trying to support more and more models and versions?
I have a poster in my garage from the launch of the Porsche 996 titled "Porsche ... Forever the Sports car". Well, not so much now. The theory at Porsche seems to be if you keep running up the prices higher and higher, you can maintain the brand image regardless of what else happens, but that really doesn't seem sustainable across all the service and other touchpoints if you ask me.
Last edited by Tom in Austin; 03-07-2021 at 08:30 AM.
03-07-2021, 08:33 AM
#66
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No more MB:(
Interesting thread ... it's a like a Business school case study, what should Mercedes be? We're in an age where scale is driving the auto industry and smaller companies feel they must spawn more and more products to keep up. For Mercedes that means things like the "CL" series, which are just differently-shaped four door sedans, endless varities of SUVs for every micro-niche, etc. And soon, a great wave of new EV models.
Does this make any sense? There is a real risk of brand erosion as people have pointed out in earlier posts. Just take a look at the Mercedes parts catalog, it's such a mess that the only way to be sure what part number you need is to use the VIN to look it up. Will that get any better as the company keeps trying to support more and more models and versions?
I have a poster in my garage from the launch of the Porsche 996 titled "Porsche ... Forever the Sports car". Well, not so much now. The theory at Porsche seems to be if you keep running up the prices higher and higher, you can maintain the brand image regardless of what else happens, but that really doesn't seem sustainable across all the service and other touchpoints if you ask me.
Does this make any sense? There is a real risk of brand erosion as people have pointed out in earlier posts. Just take a look at the Mercedes parts catalog, it's such a mess that the only way to be sure what part number you need is to use the VIN to look it up. Will that get any better as the company keeps trying to support more and more models and versions?
I have a poster in my garage from the launch of the Porsche 996 titled "Porsche ... Forever the Sports car". Well, not so much now. The theory at Porsche seems to be if you keep running up the prices higher and higher, you can maintain the brand image regardless of what else happens, but that really doesn't seem sustainable across all the service and other touchpoints if you ask me.
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03-07-2021, 08:38 AM
#67
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It just seemed to me like some on this thread would be happy for Mercedes to consider themselves a "boutique" brand like Porsche.. and to that I say, be careful what you wish for. In the Atlanta market, service costs for our $62k (MSRP new) Macan were double or triple the costs of our $65k (MSRP new) E350 for the same sort of work. And yet all you got for the extra money was treated worse.
Perhaps we just have a good dealership - and it's not because we purchased from them as we have never bought a car from them.
Perhaps we just have a good dealership - and it's not because we purchased from them as we have never bought a car from them.
03-07-2021, 09:43 AM
#68
Have absolutely nothing but praise for my MB dealership. Things are fixed promptly and correctly. Customer service is outstanding from every department in the dealership. Always working with you not against you.
03-07-2021, 10:42 AM
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Last edited by DaveW68; 03-07-2021 at 10:44 AM.
03-07-2021, 10:46 AM
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Something to think about..
Today's MSRP's
Cadillac has 2 vehicles over $100k now... Escalade & CT5-V Blackwing.
Chevy heavily optioned Corvette, Tahoes, Suburbans, Silverado HD2500 & 3500 can get over $90k
Ford Super Duty Premium F250 & 350 over $90k and the Expedition kisses $85k
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk $90k, Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 starts @ $75k for a freaking JEEP!
I could go on but it is shocking the price of new vehicles today
Point....
$100k car aint what it use to be.... and all the whiz bang techno kids drive expensive cars....
Yeah I know you can deck out MB to be well over$100k but different service levels due to vehicle cost is not the solution...
Today's MSRP's
Cadillac has 2 vehicles over $100k now... Escalade & CT5-V Blackwing.
Chevy heavily optioned Corvette, Tahoes, Suburbans, Silverado HD2500 & 3500 can get over $90k
Ford Super Duty Premium F250 & 350 over $90k and the Expedition kisses $85k
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk $90k, Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 starts @ $75k for a freaking JEEP!
I could go on but it is shocking the price of new vehicles today
Point....
$100k car aint what it use to be.... and all the whiz bang techno kids drive expensive cars....
Yeah I know you can deck out MB to be well over$100k but different service levels due to vehicle cost is not the solution...
I was thinking along the same lines. MSRP for a early 90's 500SEL was $100K plus.
As Streamliner himself has said on occasion in his neck of the woods a $100K car is almost pedestrian.
Last edited by MBNUT1; 03-07-2021 at 11:56 AM.
03-07-2021, 11:58 AM
#71
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It just seemed to me like some on this thread would be happy for Mercedes to consider themselves a "boutique" brand like Porsche.. and to that I say, be careful what you wish for. In the Atlanta market, service costs for our $62k (MSRP new) Macan were double or triple the costs of our $65k (MSRP new) E350 for the same sort of work. And yet all you got for the extra money was treated worse.
Perhaps we just have a good dealership - and it's not because we purchased from them as we have never bought a car from them.
Perhaps we just have a good dealership - and it's not because we purchased from them as we have never bought a car from them.
Last edited by MBNUT1; 03-07-2021 at 12:04 PM.
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Sactownmb (03-09-2021)
03-07-2021, 03:05 PM
#72
This seems to be the way medicine is dolled out in USA. Everyone with insurance gets the best care available, those without, not so much.
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03-07-2021, 08:20 PM
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Something to think about..
Today's MSRP's
Cadillac has 2 vehicles over $100k now... Escalade & CT5-V Blackwing.
Chevy heavily optioned Corvette, Tahoes, Suburbans, Silverado HD2500 & 3500 can get over $90k
Ford Super Duty Premium F250 & 350 over $90k and the Expedition kisses $85k
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk $90k, Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 starts @ $75k for a freaking JEEP!
I could go on but it is shocking the price of new vehicles today
Point....
$100k car aint what it use to be.... and all the whiz bang techno kids drive expensive cars....
Yeah I know you can deck out MB to be well over$100k but different service levels due to vehicle cost is not the solution...
BETTER DEALERS and DEALERSHIP OWNERS is the solution - ones that care...
Mine in here is well run and they care.
Service peeps have been working there for long time some most well over 10 years
that is what ya want...
So vote with your Wallet and find better dealer...
The days of giving your business to one dealer in hopes of getting treated nice is OVER and has been
IF ya want to be treated good today you are supposed to "TWEET" something bad about a company and then they will suck up to you based on # of followers you have
Crazy world
Today's MSRP's
Cadillac has 2 vehicles over $100k now... Escalade & CT5-V Blackwing.
Chevy heavily optioned Corvette, Tahoes, Suburbans, Silverado HD2500 & 3500 can get over $90k
Ford Super Duty Premium F250 & 350 over $90k and the Expedition kisses $85k
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk $90k, Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 starts @ $75k for a freaking JEEP!
I could go on but it is shocking the price of new vehicles today
Point....
$100k car aint what it use to be.... and all the whiz bang techno kids drive expensive cars....
Yeah I know you can deck out MB to be well over$100k but different service levels due to vehicle cost is not the solution...
BETTER DEALERS and DEALERSHIP OWNERS is the solution - ones that care...
Mine in here is well run and they care.
Service peeps have been working there for long time some most well over 10 years
that is what ya want...
So vote with your Wallet and find better dealer...
The days of giving your business to one dealer in hopes of getting treated nice is OVER and has been
IF ya want to be treated good today you are supposed to "TWEET" something bad about a company and then they will suck up to you based on # of followers you have
Crazy world
Mercedes models are also much cheaper than they used to be. Both our W129 SL500 and W140 S500 were about $100k each in the nineties, or around $180k today (adjusted for inflation). Service labor was less than half of what it is today and those cars didn't have a great warranty either if memory serves.
Now people are complaining of spending $120k for a S-Class
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MBNUT1 (03-08-2021)
03-08-2021, 08:33 AM
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2012 CLS63
