wildta

Genesis offers service valet:
With Service Valet, you can schedule service online or via the mobile app and have your Genesis vehicle picked up wherever and whenever you choose.

SW20S

From people I know with Genesis vehicles, this is wildly hit or miss.

Streamliner

It’s not that big of a deal for Genesis to offer “valet” service for regularly scheduled service. But will they offer it for other service needs? Something tells me the answer is “no.” When the Genesis brand first appeared, the valet service not only picked up your G90, but they brought you another G90 to drive. I’ll bet that perk is long gone and G90 owners will be lucky to get a reasonably new G80 loaner. I’ve also heard that to get the valet service, one must make an appointment and lead time can be up to a month. The valet thing “looks” good on their website, but in reality, I’m betting it’s not anything like we would hope it might be. Still, the G90 is compelling and WHEN the dealer network really gets established, I believe Genesis will be a player in the luxury segment.

wildta

You're right. I suppose everything is dependent on your local dealer in the end as well. I have 4 MB dealers within a 45min drive of me and unfortunately the closest one is the worst, appointments are a month out and they explicitly tell you they won't have a loaner for you even if it's an early AM appt.

W205C43PFL

Hmmm sounds awfully like bait and switch if they don't do what they advertise.

SW20S

They do it, its just difficult and you have to schedule so far out the people I know just take their cars in themselves.

I have had dealers offer to pick up and drop my cars off for years, dating back to Lexus in 1998. Its a PITA, I have to sit around and wait on them, twice...I would much rather just go to the dealer and drop it off and go back and pick it up when its convenient for me.

Streamliner

Me too. The big deal is getting a decent loaner. If they can commit to a good loaner, I’m fine bringing the car in.

W205C43PFL

That sounds like a tactic to pressure you to give up on your own so you can't blame them, sigh and so they don't have to take responsibility.

Hmmm, yes I do hear you, and understand your frustration in that case, it sounds like missing a train/or a bus and have to wait for the next one to come, and what makes it worse is a work/client meeting is coming up that sort of thing.

AzurSL

Sounds exactly like what I deal with here in San Diego. We have 4 dealers within 45 minutes. I’ve been to three of them religiously but not anymore (yet to experience the furthest from me but they also have a one month lead time on servicing last I checked). I know that at least one (if not two) is still charging over MSRP on virtually every car. None of them ever have any loaners and all have a month lead time to get any sort of servicing done. One time a dealer left my underbody tray off the car when I was getting a basic service done! I stopped dealing with our local dealers and have started going to Laguna Niguel, about 70 miles away. I know OP has had bad experiences there recently, but compared to any of my 4 local dealers they treat me way better.

W205C43PFL

Any chance a specific dealership group owns all your local ones?

Streamliner

AND, my S580–the subject of this thread—came from MB El Cajon!

AzurSL

Nope most of them are separate. One of them is owned by Penske, another one is partnered with one up a couple hours north, one is owned by the Hoehn family and the last I’m not quite sure.

AzurSL

That’s the one dealer I have yet to experience. Went to schedule a service a few months ago and they had a one month waitlist, same with Carlsbad and SD. I stopped getting my car serviced in Escondido as they were the ones who forgot about my under body tray. That was years ago but enough to stop me from going back. I’ve only had bad experiences down here. Oh the stories I could tell…

W205C43PFL

There is also AutoNation which is huge, not sure if the experience is better? worse?

Streamliner

Fletcher Jones Motor Cars Mercedes-Benz in Newport Beach is the largest dealer in the USA. I truly believe that their service department is the best in Southern California. They have an amazing fleet of loaners and getting an appointment is never more than a week off. That said, I have never bought or leased there. I hope to someday, as I believe in supporting a business that takes care of me. First though, they need to be able to sell me a car I actually want, which is currently, nothing offered new by MB.

AzurSL

I have been to FJ before just to browse and I have to say they are amazing. The staff is excellent and the dealership is gorgeous. I’ve started “boycotting” my local dealers, so when it comes time for my next car, which will be soon, FJ and Laguna Niguel are my top picks.

W205C43PFL

They all have their weaknesses, I am guessing us forum members' first pick will be a dealership that NEVER price gouged or taken advantage of the market situation and fail to look at the long term gain or keeping customers instead of only caring about short term gain profit?
https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...h-todayoo.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...lk-awayoo.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/eqs/82793...-25-50k-7.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ealership.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/w213-amg/...ml#post8456643
https://mbworld.org/forums/eqs/82793...ml#post8493867
https://mbworld.org/forums/g-class-w...her-jones.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...e-gouging.html

SW20S

I just don't want to do that at a Hyundai dealer lol

I don't think there is any nefarious intent, its just the nature of the service. They need an available porter, that porter needs to drive to me, they need to FIND me, I need to find them, we need to link up, then that has to happen again for them to return the car. That process is full of opportunities for delays.

The other side of it is, I don't sit and work in an office all day, nor do most people who drive really expensive cars. I start my day at home, then I go into one office, then I meet people for lunch, then I go see some clients, then I go to another office, then I go out for drinks or dinner, and then I go home. The timing of that is completely different each day. There are lots of opportunities for me to swing by a dealer and drop the car off and get a loaner and to return the loaner and get my car. I can incorporate that into my running around much easier than I can sit around and wait for someone to bring me the car. Its just not compatible with my day.

W205C43PFL

I see, in your case loaner makes much more sense for you. I think this concierge service Genesis offered is more for those who work at home.

wildta

The A and B services at El Cajon are pretty high compared to its neighbors--I guess they have to pay for their newly designed showroom and service center somehow. Spend the time to get quotes of the services at dealers within an hour's drive, most service advisors will price match or get close to it. Also, check their webpage for offers to price match as well. I feel it's essential to play the competition against each other, even after we buy our cars, as that's the only way for us to get better service, and hopefully at a lower cost too. Also, writing negative reviews on Yelp, Google Maps, etc. can help and saying something along the lines of "I'll gladly change my review if the service matches the price I paid for my vehicle."

I'd go to FJ and Laguna Niguel but it's further than I would want to drive just for a service.

One way we can push MBUSA to do better is by submitting complaints to the NHTSA: https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safet...clsrc=ds#index. It'd be nice if we can get all the MBWorld members to submit their issues to the NHTSA after posting and discussing them here.

aypues

Stream, did you ever get your car back? I might have missed it.
Did they agree to the buyback? Wasn’t it in service for over a month for just this one problem?
My California Closets girl has a 2022 S500 (who knew they did that well?!) and the check engine light won’t go off so they are buying hers back. I told her your story…she’s going Range Rover next.

SW20S

They make TONS of money...so much profit in those closet systems its shocking.

MBNUT1

Funny we were just over a friend of my wife's new condo and they were showing us their new California Closets.

SW20S

That they paid $25,000 for lol

W205C43PFL

Might be another headache though...