SL/R230: Finally a GOOD experience with MB service/dealership
06-19-2008, 08:17 PM
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2003 SL500, 74 Harley FL, 08 Yukon Denali
Finally a GOOD experience with MB service/dealership
well, it had to happen. i've finally had a good experience in regards to getting work done on my SL. i guess if you wait long enough, anything is possible.
my AC was out (again)... last year I took it to Fletcher Jones Newport Beach. they checked it for leaks, recharged it, sent me on my way and a month later it was not working. i actually heard the freon leak out into the cabin like one last cool, foul smelling, exhale... did i mention that when I picked it up the car was infested with ants? i spent the next 2 weeks vacuuming them out, wiping them up and driving with them crawling on my lap. and did i mention that i asked FJNB to let me know how much it was to fix/replace the auto close trunk feature and they charged me about $200 to tell me that it was broken and that it would be another $400 to fix it? hmmm.
but enough about the old days when i had bad experiences with my SL, when every time something went wrong i dreaded the repair fiasco that awaited me... now the future looks bright. no longer will i look at my car and contemplate trading it in for a smart fourtwo cab. i have found nirvana in orange county.... Laguna Niguel to be exact.
I made my appointment online for 7:40am Monday... I received an email confirmation and was amused to think that it might just mean something...
I was there to drop it off at 7:38am... The service rep, Matt Novik, was there too, standing in the service line waiting. Just like the website and confirmation email had promised me.
Know what else was there? All the paperwork. Even a loaner car form already filled out and awaiting my initials and signature... I didn't need a loaner, but wow, i could have had one if i did.
he confirmed the items I had listed online. asked me if there was anything else he should look at... and then asked me if i'd like my black, recently detailed, car to be washed before I picked it up... Which was funny because I had just read on this forum someone having an issue over there with that... I guess word got around.
anyway. i left the service line in under 4 minutes with a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe this would be the kind of service visit i would write about on that forum i visit...
i got a call a couple hours later with an update... my ac needed some major repair and my extended warranty would have to come into play. the adjuster would be out the next day, he was. i was called when he left with the news and the projection of when it would be done and what the exact cost to me would be. was kept in the loop and really got the feeling that Matt thought it might be important to give me an idea of time frames, etc. previously i had a car in for service for 3 days without a call or call back
the work was done under warranty (along with replacing some engine and trans mounts). i have my car. the car rides great, the air blows cold and my car was NOT washed! I whipped out the california car duster, gave it a quick pass and it looks just like when I took it in. just like it's supposed to.
needless to say, if you're in the area, Matt is your guy.
my AC was out (again)... last year I took it to Fletcher Jones Newport Beach. they checked it for leaks, recharged it, sent me on my way and a month later it was not working. i actually heard the freon leak out into the cabin like one last cool, foul smelling, exhale... did i mention that when I picked it up the car was infested with ants? i spent the next 2 weeks vacuuming them out, wiping them up and driving with them crawling on my lap. and did i mention that i asked FJNB to let me know how much it was to fix/replace the auto close trunk feature and they charged me about $200 to tell me that it was broken and that it would be another $400 to fix it? hmmm.
but enough about the old days when i had bad experiences with my SL, when every time something went wrong i dreaded the repair fiasco that awaited me... now the future looks bright. no longer will i look at my car and contemplate trading it in for a smart fourtwo cab. i have found nirvana in orange county.... Laguna Niguel to be exact.
I made my appointment online for 7:40am Monday... I received an email confirmation and was amused to think that it might just mean something...
I was there to drop it off at 7:38am... The service rep, Matt Novik, was there too, standing in the service line waiting. Just like the website and confirmation email had promised me.
Know what else was there? All the paperwork. Even a loaner car form already filled out and awaiting my initials and signature... I didn't need a loaner, but wow, i could have had one if i did.
he confirmed the items I had listed online. asked me if there was anything else he should look at... and then asked me if i'd like my black, recently detailed, car to be washed before I picked it up... Which was funny because I had just read on this forum someone having an issue over there with that... I guess word got around.
anyway. i left the service line in under 4 minutes with a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe this would be the kind of service visit i would write about on that forum i visit...
i got a call a couple hours later with an update... my ac needed some major repair and my extended warranty would have to come into play. the adjuster would be out the next day, he was. i was called when he left with the news and the projection of when it would be done and what the exact cost to me would be. was kept in the loop and really got the feeling that Matt thought it might be important to give me an idea of time frames, etc. previously i had a car in for service for 3 days without a call or call back
the work was done under warranty (along with replacing some engine and trans mounts). i have my car. the car rides great, the air blows cold and my car was NOT washed! I whipped out the california car duster, gave it a quick pass and it looks just like when I took it in. just like it's supposed to.
needless to say, if you're in the area, Matt is your guy.
06-20-2008, 09:00 AM
#2
Senior Member
Nice gesture Mike.
May I suggest sending a version of your post to the service mgr; I'm sure they would like to get some positive feedback...for a change.
May I suggest sending a version of your post to the service mgr; I'm sure they would like to get some positive feedback...for a change.
07-03-2008, 01:22 PM
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2003 SL500, 74 Harley FL, 08 Yukon Denali
obligated
i felt an obligation to update this post.
when i picked up my car i immediately noticed that the steering wheel practically had to be at the '10 o'clock' position to drive straight, i figured that any actual issue would have been noticed when they test drove the vehicle, so i continued home to check the tire pressure, etc.
well, the alignment is WAY off and obviously it was not when i took it in. let the steering wheel go and I could probably do a pretty tight turn.
i put a call in to my 'super service rep' and left a message. he returned my call later in the day and left a pretty lengthy message for me explaining how there is no way that changing out the front end bushings and other suspension/front end related things could possibly cause any trouble with the alignment and suggested that hitting a put hole could cause the problem, etc, but that i could take it in and he'd take a look at it, but basically it was a result of my driving.
the problem is that i wasn't exactly asking why he thought it may have happened. the fact is that i delivered a properly aligned car and received a grossly un-aligned one. the last thing i wanted to have to do is take it back to the dealership for an alignment, but i would have so they could fix what was done while the car was in their possession.
i also like how it's not possible that THEY had hit a pot hole while test driving the car after servicing it, but that i must have blacked out moments before delivering the car, hit a pot hole & totally threw my alignment askew then dropped it off without realizing that i was steering left and driving straight.
oh well. i thought i was on to something with Laguna Hills Mercedes... they got me again! haha
i'd take it in there and waste a bunch of time, but what would mysteriously be out the next time i picked up the car? the ABC, the roof?
when i picked up my car i immediately noticed that the steering wheel practically had to be at the '10 o'clock' position to drive straight, i figured that any actual issue would have been noticed when they test drove the vehicle, so i continued home to check the tire pressure, etc.
well, the alignment is WAY off and obviously it was not when i took it in. let the steering wheel go and I could probably do a pretty tight turn.
i put a call in to my 'super service rep' and left a message. he returned my call later in the day and left a pretty lengthy message for me explaining how there is no way that changing out the front end bushings and other suspension/front end related things could possibly cause any trouble with the alignment and suggested that hitting a put hole could cause the problem, etc, but that i could take it in and he'd take a look at it, but basically it was a result of my driving.
the problem is that i wasn't exactly asking why he thought it may have happened. the fact is that i delivered a properly aligned car and received a grossly un-aligned one. the last thing i wanted to have to do is take it back to the dealership for an alignment, but i would have so they could fix what was done while the car was in their possession.
i also like how it's not possible that THEY had hit a pot hole while test driving the car after servicing it, but that i must have blacked out moments before delivering the car, hit a pot hole & totally threw my alignment askew then dropped it off without realizing that i was steering left and driving straight.
oh well. i thought i was on to something with Laguna Hills Mercedes... they got me again! haha
i'd take it in there and waste a bunch of time, but what would mysteriously be out the next time i picked up the car? the ABC, the roof?
07-03-2008, 04:13 PM
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CLS63, GLK350
Mike I think you made a mistake when you did not turn around the minute you notice the wheel being at 10 oclock when you were driving straight, must of been within a few miles and minutes after picking up the car. If you showed back-up minutes after picking up the SL it would be hard for them to say you did something wrong. I think you have to take part of the blame on this one. JMHO
i felt an obligation to update this post.
when i picked up my car i immediately noticed that the steering wheel practically had to be at the '10 o'clock' position to drive straight, i figured that any actual issue would have been noticed when they test drove the vehicle, so i continued home to check the tire pressure, etc.
well, the alignment is WAY off and obviously it was not when i took it in. let the steering wheel go and I could probably do a pretty tight turn.
i put a call in to my 'super service rep' and left a message. he returned my call later in the day and left a pretty lengthy message for me explaining how there is no way that changing out the front end bushings and other suspension/front end related things could possibly cause any trouble with the alignment and suggested that hitting a put hole could cause the problem, etc, but that i could take it in and he'd take a look at it, but basically it was a result of my driving.
the problem is that i wasn't exactly asking why he thought it may have happened. the fact is that i delivered a properly aligned car and received a grossly un-aligned one. the last thing i wanted to have to do is take it back to the dealership for an alignment, but i would have so they could fix what was done while the car was in their possession.
i also like how it's not possible that THEY had hit a pot hole while test driving the car after servicing it, but that i must have blacked out moments before delivering the car, hit a pot hole & totally threw my alignment askew then dropped it off without realizing that i was steering left and driving straight.
oh well. i thought i was on to something with Laguna Hills Mercedes... they got me again! haha
i'd take it in there and waste a bunch of time, but what would mysteriously be out the next time i picked up the car? the ABC, the roof?
when i picked up my car i immediately noticed that the steering wheel practically had to be at the '10 o'clock' position to drive straight, i figured that any actual issue would have been noticed when they test drove the vehicle, so i continued home to check the tire pressure, etc.
well, the alignment is WAY off and obviously it was not when i took it in. let the steering wheel go and I could probably do a pretty tight turn.
i put a call in to my 'super service rep' and left a message. he returned my call later in the day and left a pretty lengthy message for me explaining how there is no way that changing out the front end bushings and other suspension/front end related things could possibly cause any trouble with the alignment and suggested that hitting a put hole could cause the problem, etc, but that i could take it in and he'd take a look at it, but basically it was a result of my driving.
the problem is that i wasn't exactly asking why he thought it may have happened. the fact is that i delivered a properly aligned car and received a grossly un-aligned one. the last thing i wanted to have to do is take it back to the dealership for an alignment, but i would have so they could fix what was done while the car was in their possession.
i also like how it's not possible that THEY had hit a pot hole while test driving the car after servicing it, but that i must have blacked out moments before delivering the car, hit a pot hole & totally threw my alignment askew then dropped it off without realizing that i was steering left and driving straight.
oh well. i thought i was on to something with Laguna Hills Mercedes... they got me again! haha
i'd take it in there and waste a bunch of time, but what would mysteriously be out the next time i picked up the car? the ABC, the roof?
07-03-2008, 05:00 PM
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2003 SL500, 74 Harley FL, 08 Yukon Denali
oh, i don't take part of the blame, i take ALL of it. i completely agree with you.
that's why i'm not going to bust their ***** over it. i made a phone call and gave them a chance to do the right thing... at least a chance to not call and act like i was crazy for thinking that they did it.
if i had had the time to turn around and deal with it, i would have. but i was cutting it close as it was and was hopping on the road to vegas for the weekend.
i also don't look a gift horse in the mouth. they ended up fixing my right turn signal at no charge (without me even mentioning it) and Fletcher Jones had quoted me over $2,500 to fix it just a year before.
i only updated the post since i had written such a glowing initial review and my latest encounter didn't match the previous experience. didn't want anyone going there under false pretenses.
that's why i'm not going to bust their ***** over it. i made a phone call and gave them a chance to do the right thing... at least a chance to not call and act like i was crazy for thinking that they did it.
if i had had the time to turn around and deal with it, i would have. but i was cutting it close as it was and was hopping on the road to vegas for the weekend.
i also don't look a gift horse in the mouth. they ended up fixing my right turn signal at no charge (without me even mentioning it) and Fletcher Jones had quoted me over $2,500 to fix it just a year before.
i only updated the post since i had written such a glowing initial review and my latest encounter didn't match the previous experience. didn't want anyone going there under false pretenses.
