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It is super annoying. There is one MB dealer here that never rides along, MB of Tysons Corner. All the BMW dealers just let you take the car too. I hate that salespeople are always trying to have a conversation with you...I'm trying to test out the car lol
30 seconds as you leave the dealer parking lot during the test-drive ---> Salesman: "Soooo, what do think???"... I have no idea how he is expecting a potential buyer to judge on a 100-150K car within the first 30 seconds, lol. Or, "if the numbers are right, are you ready to take it home?". lolll..
Meanwhile, my BMW dealer let me take the car home on a Saturday afternoon until Monday morning. That's how we bought the X7 and X5 before. That's how you build trust too.
Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Yes exactly, they already can track the vehicle (well mbusa can), they have your driver's license, what else do they need from you. If you can be trusted, especially if you bought from them before, I don't understand why it is a difficult thing to accomodate.
Actually, I asked once, and showed them that I was annoyed by it. The answer was that it was a Mercedes-Benz NA corporate thing, not a dealer specific rule. They can skip the rule, but they'd have huge non-compliance liability if anything happens.
30 seconds as you leave the dealer parking lot during the test-drive ---> Salesman: "Soooo, what do think???"... I have no idea how he is expecting a potential buyer to judge on a 100-150K car within the first 30 seconds, lol. Or, "if the numbers are right, are you ready to take it home?". lolll..
Meanwhile, my BMW dealer let me take the car home on a Saturday afternoon until Monday morning. That's how we bought the X7 and X5 before. That's how you build trust too.
Actually, I asked once, and showed them that I was annoyed by it. The answer was that it was a Mercedes-Benz NA corporate thing, not a dealer specific rule. They can skip the rule, but they'd have huge non-compliance liability if anything happens.
As I thought, an MB thing like the hold vehicle hostage while the car is waiting for someone to have time to look at it. Other than that, MB makes fine cars. I am greedy I guess, I want great customer service as well not just great products.
Yes exactly, they already can track the vehicle (well mbusa can), they have your driver's license, what else do they need from you. If you can be trusted, especially if you bought from them before, I don't understand why it is a difficult thing to accomodate.
It’s not about trusting you or not, it’s about controlling the “sales process” and continuing to close you throughout the test drive. It’s 100% a sales technique.
Originally Posted by S_W222
30 seconds as you leave the dealer parking lot during the test-drive ---> Salesman: "Soooo, what do think???"... I have no idea how he is expecting a potential buyer to judge on a 100-150K car within the first 30 seconds, lol. Or, "if the numbers are right, are you ready to take it home?". lolll..
Meanwhile, my BMW dealer let me take the car home on a Saturday afternoon until Monday morning. That's how we bought the X7 and X5 before. That's how you build trust too.
Actually, I asked once, and showed them that I was annoyed by it. The answer was that it was a Mercedes-Benz NA corporate thing, not a dealer specific rule. They can skip the rule, but they'd have huge non-compliance liability if anything happens.
It’s not an MBUSA rule lol
Right, and “so what do you do for a living” and yammering through the whole thing so you can’t really give the car any attention. Plus they hardly ever know anything about the car in the first place.
The S63 was the first time I've had a salesman along in a while. My home dealership has never gone with me, but I've bought a lot of cars in the group.
I won't let a salesman talk to me in any event. As soon as they walk up, I put them on notice: No thank you, and no talking whatsoever. If they can't follow the rules, I inquire about the location of the sales manager. If they scurry away, all is well. If they smile and try and take me to the sales manager, I know I'm at one of those dealerships, and I leave.
Same with houses, or any other scenario where a salesman is typically involved. Not into it; even if the only thing I have on my mind is going home and masturbating, my time is still too valuable.
It’s not about trusting you or not, it’s about controlling the “sales process” and continuing to close you throughout the test drive. It’s 100% a sales technique.
It’s not an MBUSA rule lol
Right, and “so what do you do for a living” and yammering through the whole thing so you can’t really give the car any attention. Plus they hardly ever know anything about the car in the first place.
I see, a 30 second test drive is still ridiculous, the other forum members' salesman is a little toooo pushy though.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; Aug 14, 2025 at 09:19 AM.
The S63 was the first time I've had a salesman along in a while. My home dealership has never gone with me, but I've bought a lot of cars in the group.
I won't let a salesman talk to me in any event. As soon as they walk up, I put them on notice: No thank you, and no talking whatsoever. If they can't follow the rules, I inquire about the location of the sales manager. If they scurry away, all is well. If they smile and try and take me to the sales manager, I know I'm at one of those dealerships, and I leave.
Same with houses, or any other scenario where a salesman is typically involved. Not into it; even if the only thing I have on my mind is going home and masturbating, my time is still too valuable.
Crab, the last sentence of your post made me laugh out loud!
Same with houses, or any other scenario where a salesman is typically involved. Not into it; even if the only thing I have on my mind is going home and masturbating, my time is still too valuable.
I'm in the real estate business, and I also have never walked around a house with somebody who is viewing it. If its an open house, introduce myself and tell them the broad strokes and let them go look at the house. If they're my clients who I know and we are touring houses then I take my cues from them. Some people like having me right there and having my input on everything, some just prefer to do their own thing. Somehow I've been able to make a living without "controlling the sales process" every second.
IMHO one of the few good things to come out of the pandemic was the final end of the salesdroid ride along. Somehow all of the "our insurance requires it" or "the manager's policy is..." things just faded away magically.
I remind the few who still try it about those years and they quickly back down now as they have no leg to stand on. I let them sit in the car and help me get phone paired, controls explained, etc, But when it's time to pull away, they need to exit the vehicle. If they won't, I do and I don't come back.
30 seconds as you leave the dealer parking lot during the test-drive ---> Salesman: "Soooo, what do think???"... I have no idea how he is expecting a potential buyer to judge on a 100-150K car within the first 30 seconds, lol. Or, "if the numbers are right, are you ready to take it home?". lolll..
Meanwhile, my BMW dealer let me take the car home on a Saturday afternoon until Monday morning. That's how we bought the X7 and X5 before. That's how you build trust too.
Actually, I asked once, and showed them that I was annoyed by it. The answer was that it was a Mercedes-Benz NA corporate thing, not a dealer specific rule. They can skip the rule, but they'd have huge non-compliance liability if anything happens.
The ride along is the absolute worst. I’ve never gotten a true impression of a car, particularly NVH and ride quality with a salesman onboard. Even worse with EVs, because these fools can’t even hide their disdain for the vehicles. I decided a while back that we’ll never buy another car without solo test drives.
Lexus, BMW, and CarMax let me take cars out by myself. BMW has been pushing an overnight i7 test, but I didn’t gel with it, and used prices are so low that I couldn’t buy from a dealer.
I'm in the real estate business, and I also have never walked around a house with somebody who is viewing it. If its an open house, introduce myself and tell them the broad strokes and let them go look at the house. If they're my clients who I know and we are touring houses then I take my cues from them. Some people like having me right there and having my input on everything, some just prefer to do their own thing. Somehow I've been able to make a living without "controlling the sales process" every second.
Therein lies the difference between a good salesman and a bad salesman, although I suppose only as I see them.
There is another aspect to the current sales model: I't's very unlikely I'm going to buy from the same dealership. I go to one or more until I've seen the car itself; and the options/colors that interest me. Some of these will require test drives, some will not. Once I've settled on the configuration I'm interested in; I'll almost invariably order the car. That process will play out with inquiries at dealerships across a large area, in some cases nationwide. Doesn't feel right to let someone invest their time, with very little hope of a payout. I don't hate these people, but few will know more than I, and they don't have anything to offer me unless I need a fob when a test drive is in order. Better they invest their time elsewhere.
I think the issue is that consumers lack any kind of loyalty today, and its very easy for consumers to shop across a wide area for the best price. A car is a commodity, its the same regardless of where you buy it so the consumer rightly looking out for their own interests will only spend so much more to give somebody business who has invested their time with them. So, hungry salespeople who are trying to make a living know that once you leave the dealer their odds of ever talking to you again are really small, so they have to try and get you to buy something before you leave the dealer.
In short, its a broken system and I tell good salespeople all the time that they are wasted on the car business.
Modern outfits like Tesla and Rivian and Lucid have it right. They have salaried sales and support staff and the retail outlets exist just to expose the vehicle to the public. You schedule a test drive and the car is there and you go on your merry way and come back, and then they can help you order the car or you can do it online. Prices are what they are. Much better experience.
As to purchasing loyalty at the consumer level, that's a two-way street with little traffic in either direction. You're left with a chicken/egg argument there, I don't know which is true, but it doesn't really matter: The old school dealership paradigm as it was, couldn't exist in the information age in the same way; change was just a matter of time. There are still some dino dealers out there, but the walk rate is substantially higher, even when the dealership itself didn't change, the playground did.
Of the three you mentioned, I've been in all of them, Lucid most recently. Complete agreement on it being a better experience.
Right, and “so what do you do for a living” and yammering through the whole thing so you can’t really give the car any attention. Plus they hardly ever know anything about the car in the first place.
Hmmm, I don't know, that's what he said. It made sense to me cause all Mbenz dealers do the same, but whatever. I'd also say that Tesla are awesome that they'd let you take the car for 30-min, and if you make a connection with the sales manager inside, he'd let you take the car overnight too. We had a Model X overnight before we ended up buying the GLS.
My dealer doesn't require that anyone ride with me, that's MB, Porsche, and some other lower price point brands. Bought a lot of cars in the group, and I'm old, so that probably helps.
When I was a kid, the salesmen didn't even walk over to talk, I'd have to go get one for a test drive. Then they'd kinda scratch around on my driver's license, as in, fake ID. Run my credit twice... lol Not saying you're a kid, I recall 40ish or something, but there are lots of variables determining whether you drive away alone when the price starts going up.
I think SW is probably right, they just said that: Putting the blame on MB is an easy way to distance them from an unpopular policy.
Hmmm, I don't know, that's what he said. It made sense to me cause all Mbenz dealers do the same, but whatever. I'd also say that Tesla are awesome that they'd let you take the car for 30-min, and if you make a connection with the sales manager inside, he'd let you take the car overnight too. We had a Model X overnight before we ended up buying the GLS.
Theres definitely MB dealers out there who don't ride along
I own a 2022 S580, 2021 G550 and a 2017 S63 Cab. Daily driver is the S580 and my wife primarily drives the G550. The 63 is a Sunday car. Previously had a 2020 CLS450. Here are my observations:
I’m 39 and I sometimes feel like I’m too young to be in the 580. It’s old man prestige. When you buy a car, you see everyone else that is driving one and I would say I’m by far among the youngest drivers of the vehicle. That said, if drive any meaningful amount of distance for work then there is no other car to consider. The 580 is the best touring sedan on the road and it isn’t even close. It’s fast, safe and reliable. The status of the flagship Mercedes means you’re never feeling like you don’t have enough car. When I pull up to valets, the head nods are there.
G wagons are cool, but I honestly feel like it’s a mom-vehicle. Would recommend over a Panamara, but it’s really not a driver’s vehicle.
If you are considering a Porsche, you should go 911. If that’s outside of your range, look at the CLE AMGs. My neighbor has one and it’s cool. At 29, I’d have been happy to drive one of them. Looks great, fast enough and its CLS-type price range.
I own a 2022 S580, 2021 G550 and a 2017 S63 Cab. Daily driver is the S580 and my wife primarily drives the G550. The 63 is a Sunday car. Previously had a 2020 CLS450. Here are my observations:
I’m 39 and I sometimes feel like I’m too young to be in the 580. It’s old man prestige. When you buy a car, you see everyone else that is driving one and I would say I’m by far among the youngest drivers of the vehicle. That said, if drive any meaningful amount of distance for work then there is no other car to consider. The 580 is the best touring sedan on the road and it isn’t even close. It’s fast, safe and reliable. The status of the flagship Mercedes means you’re never feeling like you don’t have enough car. When I pull up to valets, the head nods are there.
G wagons are cool, but I honestly feel like it’s a mom-vehicle. Would recommend over a Panamara, but it’s really not a driver’s vehicle.
If you are considering a Porsche, you should go 911. If that’s outside of your range, look at the CLE AMGs. My neighbor has one and it’s cool. At 29, I’d have been happy to drive one of them. Looks great, fast enough and its CLS-type price range.
Except maybe Maybach and Rolls-Royce (just kidding : )
It was mentioned that the OP lives in a country with a GDP of $8k USD, and that they like how their other MB attracted attention. It might be overkill.
You'll have more fun in a 1987 Subaru Justy. Remove the starter (bump start everywhere, remember to park on a hill or incline if you can before you shut it off), slam it to the ground by removing the springs (all 4 of them, just yank em out) and remove the front brake pads on the right side (E-brake from now on). Then you'll have my car when I was 29. We called it the "egg" because it was all white and slammed. Most fun ever!
my dad has had s classes since the 90s. currently has a 2022 S580. he's not a spirited driver but enjoys it. I've had Panameras since 2017. had a 2020 GTS and just gave it to my dad. It's my parents third car now. My dad doesn't notice details, but he can tell the Porsche is built and drives special. I currently have a 2025 Panamera GTS. it's the best car for me. in terms of quality it just fells a step above the mercedes s class. Porsche uses leather everywhere. Mercedes still uses pleather even on their s class. The GTS has air suspension so it can be very soft (my dad always comments how comfortable it is) or sports to drive up the mountain to Big Bear on tight turns. then the back opens up like and SUV and i can fit its bikes or large canopies. Panamera is the best of both worlds. Large sedan luxury with 911 feel. 2 years ago i finally drove a Panamera turbo at the Porsche experience with a professional driver teaching me what it can do. Wow, it handles likes it's on rails. I then got in my car put on a soft setting as I was a little tired and cruised home.
Last edited by jtorrebl; Sep 23, 2025 at 08:28 PM.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
