Frenetic

Yes, but the difference is how much of that is going into the mechanic or technician’s pocket versus that lawyer or consultant. There’s a huge disparity there and why it is a racket in my eyes.

And most attorneys don’t make $400k+ a year.

SW20S

I'm sure they would, but the issue is the implication the policy puts on the customer in what is supposed to be a high end experience. Lets put it this way, if you stayed at the Ritz Carleton and there were signs everywhere "only use what towels you need" or "limit showers to 10 minutes", would that be an affluent experience? You expect to see those signs in a hostel, or a Motel 6, but not in a luxury hotel. A Mercedes dealer is a luxury establishment. If I'm going to pay them $1,000 to change oil and rotate tires, I should be able to drive a loaner car without being made to feel like a supplicant, I should be made to feel like a valued guest. I'm paying for an experience, not the nuts and bolts of the service clearly, as I can gave that done for $150 elsewhere.

There is a history, I know several service advisors at Lexus well from my many years as a Lexus customer, and customers abuse the loaner policy, they take their sweet time coming back etc. BUT, thats the nature of the business IMO. Lexus also hurries and gets service done. I NEVER had a Lexus at the dealer and not had them look at it the same day, and certainly not 4 days without looking at it after a scheduled appointment. I hardly ever had a Lexus at the dealer overnight except for really odd situations, and during those odd situations they were actively working on the car or it was disassembled.

Asking me to drive that little car for one day and limit my travel to 100 miles and a 75 mile radius for one day is one thing, to expect me to do that for a week while my car sits over there parked not even being looked at is ridiculous. I told him today, either put me in a better car or give me mine back and I will bring it back by monday morning...

Euro Motorcars in Bethesda and Germantown. My experience with them overall has been very good, service has just become very slow.

Yeah its normal nowadays

The tech is probably getting $60-100 of that, the rest goes to the dealer for overhead.

Good ones do, and FAR more. If you're a partner in a firm here $400k is low. Experienced associates make mid $300s, new firm hires $200-225k.

Frenetic

Well, there’s a big difference between a typical attorney and a good one. The run-of-the-mill attorney doesn’t make anywhere near that, and the vast majority of attorneys are “typical.” I also don’t think techs are making upwards of $200k a year, either. I could be wrong but that sounds a bit rich to me. Depending on the area and experience I would guess anywhere $50k to maybe $100k? But I really have no idea.

Assuming a lead tech is pulling $100k, that means the dealer is pocketing upwards of $150 an hour.

chassis

Maybe not the attorneys you work with.

Private practice attorneys are probably not billing at 2am on the weekends like big firm Associates trying to make Partner, and who bring in the coin.

Right guys? I know there are attorneys on this site.

chassis

That’s not the point. Who cares what the tech makes, except the tech?

The dealer is exchanging value for value.

Value delivered is service work done by a trained tech in proper facilities with the specified tools and genuine parts. And has insurance and warrants the work. Plus coffee (if the coffee machine isn’t broken), granola bars (if the receptionist remembered to restock) and (probably not) a loaner.

Value received is $210/hr plus margin on already expensive parts.

Tech compensation plays no role in dealer service pricing.

chassis

How many lawyer hours have you been billed in the past 6 months?

Frenetic

That was the point. If you read what I said I stated “typical,” “average.” I understand there are senior attorneys or partners at large firms pulling in way more than that, but the vast majority of attorneys out there aren’t making anywhere near that. Not everyone can be that partner at the law firm.

I’ve paid no lawyers fees recently other than a divorce lawyer 13 years ago at $150 an hour.

SW20S

It depends on what you define as a run of the mill attorney. Are they a small time attorney defending speeding tickets and landlord tenant issues and things like that? Then they are probably not making $400k, but can easily be making $250k. Are they employed by a company in some capacity that doesn't involve billing clients, or the government? Then yeah theyre not making anywhere near that, probably $150k-180k.

But, if they are employed by a firm they are making that and more if they have been around a while. $150 an hour was CHEAP even 13 years ago. I'm not an attorney, I'm in the real estate business but I do some consulting also and I bill at $350 an hour. Our attorneys that we have on retainer bill at over $400 an hour. My accountants bill at over $200 an hour.

I see people's incomes as a part of my job, and you would be amazed how much money people make.

As for techs, it depends on the tech. Are they a master diagnostic tech with tons of accreditation and experience? They actually can make $200k. An oil change tech? Dramatically less.

bishop64

If not looking at a car for several days is their general practice, then it is, of course, very poor service.
If it is just an one time incident, I would forgive them.

It is always like this. Who wants whom more?
If you need their service, you will have to bend to their rules and policy.
But, if they need your business more, then they will have to improve or risk losing a customer.

Frenetic

I guess it’s all relative. $150 an hour 13 years ago was expensive to me. And she was a partner at one of the better firms and worth every cent to me.

SW20S

Its the same dealer chain, and last time they had the car 4 days and never even looked at it, I wound up picking the car up without it ever being looked at. Lets see what happens, if they don't look at it Monday I'm going to be really pissed.

Thats just not the way for a high end service provider to behave. I certainly don't need the dealer's service, plenty of other MB dealers locally and plenty of other luxury carmakers to buy a vehicle from.

Frenetic

Actually, $150 an hour is expensive to be now lol. And so goes my gripe that a mechanic would make more than a good attorney. I’m telling you, it’s a racket.

SW20S

But thats just it, they don't make as much or more as a good attorney, because good attorneys don't bill at only $200 an hour. The average now is $391 an hour:



https://www.metlife.com/stories/lega...-lawyers-cost/

WV dealerships don't charge $210 an hour for labor I'm sure. Dealerships have a LOT of overhead, especially luxury dealers. Something has to pay for the loaner cars, the extremely nice facilities, all the amenities, the baristas and golf simulators etc...you pay for it in the labor rate.

But, I know plumbers who make $500,000 a year. No joke, you can make a lot of money in a trade if you are good. When I was a kid I went to a private school in Bethesda...I had a friend who went to the same private school...guess what her father did for a living? He was a Mercedes master tech at this dealership...and he lived in the same affluent town and sent his daughter to the same private school my family did.

Drone_S213

$200K, $300K, and $400K isn't much when some of them are clocking 70-80 hours/week. My Ex who worked at the old DB Firm in DC, hated the hours. She never made Partner but now is enjoying a better Work/Life balance with a 9-5 Nonprofit 25-years later for what she used to make at the Firm.. She is a RN too with a Master's in Public Health from John Hopkins and was amazed that she had a side hustle in 2021/2022 out of boredom, administering the vaccine at $80/hour.

SW20S

Oh yeah, these firms work their associates to death.

Frenetic

Private practice is great, but working as or being a DA is a privilege that is under paid.

I’m not an attorney or DA, but the vast majority of attorneys out there are government. And they don’t make $400k a year.

SW20S

But being a DA or a prosecutor opens up later more lucrative opportunities.

They also don't bill or get paid hourly, so that makes this comparison not make much sense...

But, according to the American Bar Association, 18% of attorneys work for the government, and 51% work for firms, and 16% are self employed..so thats not accurate.

Bubba1

Who cares guys?? Isn’t this supposed to be a forum for the W223??

bishop64

Often people get bored and go off on a tangent.

chassis

You’re wrong, sorry.

A good attorney does not make less than an MB wrench turner. You miss the point that your view of attorney rates is, simply, out of touch.

Please re-read the speeding ticket example given a few posts ago.

chassis

Yes. People start complaining, understandably, when they experience the normal MB service experience, which is poor. A-Class loaner, or no loaner, for a W223 S-Class. Several days of no work on a dropped-off vehicle. And my favorite, no coffee or granola bars. These establishments (MB service emporia) are rubbish.

Munich77

SWS20, do you know the story why Euro has a mileage limit on the loaner? Apparently someone took a loaner and put several thousand miles on it. Their service can be great with the right service advisor. With the wrong one not so much. In 2008, my wife noticed her brand new E350 was pulling to one side. Her first SA just told her to adjust the tire pressure higher on one side. She complained and we were assigned a different SAnand they found the issue. Since then, we have had no issue with them.

SW20S

Yeah and this has drifted off topic. Just unsubscribe from it...

That doesn't surprise me at all lol. I don't really have an issue with the mileage requirement, its the plastering it all over the place and the vehicle that is just...tacky and classless. Lexus had these restrictions too, but they only enforced them in situations where the loaners were really being abused.

Do you have a great service advisor there? Please PM me! I had a good one and he left and I'm out in the wind.

speedlaw

My dealer quietly gives me a good loaner when I show up in my c43. I got w 206 c300, E class, and the various trucks (GLS is HUGE). I once asked for an A class as I'd never driven one-they said straight out you don't need to do that you are at the AMG tier....after a day or so I realized that a Golf R if you want fast or an Accord Sport was a better FWD car. The seating position in the A class is...odd.

I returned the car, and told them they were right. Inability to shut off stop start was massively annoying in NYC traffic....this car would be a hard pass from me, star in the grille not withstanding. Finally, the fuel filler is on the WRONG side for a German car....

bishop64

Your reply to the SA should be ''I know. I am not thinking of an A200. I want an A45S. Or, at least an A35.''