I have been wondering this for years but lately even more so.

Is Mercedes the place to spend $150,000 plus? I know all cars have their problems but my question is, should we expect more from Mercedes when there is a problem? I say yes.

When I went to see the DB9 that I ordered but decided not to take for the SL600, I was amazed at the service area.

Let me give you some quick examples and differences. I do consider my Mercedes dealer a good place to take a car but here is what I have found.

1. At Mercedes, when they remove parts they pile them on the floor. I have seen cars taken apart with all the parts in stacks around the cars. At Aston Martin there are padded racks for the parts to be stored.

2. At Mercedes, they try to cover your car with whatever they can find and I can tell you, most of the things they find are filthy. At Aston Martin there are pre-made panels that cover the cars with hard plastic on the outside and felt on the inside.

3. At Mercedes they couldn't care less about how they touch your car. At Aston Martin they put on gloves before they touch your car.

4. At Mercedes if they go out of their way, they think they are doing you a favor. At Aston Martin they go out of their way to make you happy as part of their normal course of business. I remember the day when I was thinking about buying either a Mercedes or an Aston this last time and I called both dealers when I landed at the airport from a trip. I called the Mercedes general manager to talk to him and was told he was on the phone. Within an hour, I tried to get in touch with him and after 3 calls, I gave up. When I called the Aston Martin manager, he immediately answered even though he was in a meeting and the first thing he asked me was how my day was going. When I told him I had just arrived at the airport he asked me if I wanted someone to pick me up and take me home and he was genuine.

5. When I complain to someone about anything at Mercedes they do the best they can to help me at the dealership but are at the mercy of the manufacturer and that renders them useless. At Aston Martin when I had questions, I was put on the phone with the Executive Vice President of Sales for the US market and he spent 30 minutes with me.

I don't know? Tell me I am crazy. Tell me this is all a bunch of bull but my gut tells me that Mercedes is no longer the place to buy a $150,000 plus car.

They make their money off of mass producing cars and they just do not have the time or desire to spend extra energy with the $150,000 plus buyer. It just isn't enough of their market.

Today, I took my daughters new Mustang to the Ford dealer for service. He went out of his way to take care of me and did some things that were above the ordinary. When I tipped him $20, I found the $20 on the seat when I got into the car. I went back to give it to him and he told me he can't take extra money for doing his job.

These are my thoughts. I would love to hear from others what they think.

 

Send in your complaint here and fax a letter to MBUSA.

On great service, I usually give folks gift cards and tell them that I have a bunch to give out for advertising. It is policy at most places not to take money.

Two years ago, my dealer had great service and took care of me with no question ask. Now that the dealer have to get approval from a zone manager to replace anything. Like my wheels for example.

http://www.mercedes-benz-usa.com/index.php

 

Like LovinSL600, I've been very disappointed with the service I got and have been getting from the garage where I got the SL. The Jeep dealer dropped me a line to tell me he's getting the new GC's in April and to come down and see them. So I mailed the MB dealer to find out when the new M-class is coming out and asked what the wait list will be. I got a reply to say someone will be in touch. Well, 4 weeks later I had to ask them again. He replied to say he didn't know but I'd need to put down £500 to go on the waiting list!
I'm sure there's a world of difference between MB and Aston Martin. Yes, the DB9 is looking more and more inviting!

 

Lovin, i could not agree more with your comments; my parents have been buying Mercedes for the past 20 years or so. Without a doubt, their cars have had the usual quality control BS problems that Mercedes are prone to, requiring frequent trips to the dealers. As often is and has been the case they don't have parts in stock or claim to have fixed the problems, only to have them come back. Further more, when it comes time for service, they always give us crappy loaner cars and some dealers don't even have loaners- i don't think that is too much to ask from MB. While i know BMW and Lexus are different, at least they do give much better service-for example, when my dad had a small problem with his new 7 series, the salesman drove over to his house and gave him a BMW loaner, picked up his car and brought it back the next day-that's the kind of service i would expect if you are spending over a 100k on a car, but i doubt we'll see it.....

 

I am not sure that any car is worth $150,000.

Having said that, maybe you are servicing your car at the wrong Mercedes dealer. I also live in the Bay area and have religiously taken my cars to MB of Oakland. Everyone in the dealership knows me, from the receptionist to the owner and they all go out of their way to make me feel welcome. The service department will send someone to my house to pick up my cars if needed. They frequently embarrass me by not charging me for things (not little things either- a wood shift knob for an SL, which listed for nearly $500, two satellite radios, gifts from the Mercedes collection). Now admittedly I have purchased 18 cars from them over the past six years, but I cannot imagine anyone doing better than this.

 

No matter how well the cars are engineered, the goodies that they have in them, the marketing that is done on them, it all falls down to the service technician to make the owning experience what we expect, read about and have been programmed to expect from Mercedes. Each dealership brings with it their own experiences. My local dealer is one of the worst in the country, and the regional rep for Mercedes even told me that. They cannot fix anything, they break more items than they fix and never have any parts in stock. They rotated my tires once on my S500, when I got home I noticed I was missing one lugnut. No joke, they didn't even have one of them. I called the normal dealer I service with about 150 miles away it was delivered by UPS the next day at not charge to me for the part or shipping. I think a lot of Mercedes quality problems are with the increased use of cheap plastic pieces throughout the car. The plus is they do warrant the cars for an extended period of time. I looked into buying a ferrari, but was amazed about the short warranty. I think a lot of people are like me in that we pay a lot of money for our cars and expect what they market to be in fact what we get. We are very picky and notice every little flaw in the car. Some would call it being "****".

I haven't seen any other company that would make me feel more comfortable spending this kind of money on a car.

 

I know it may be early, but I'd like to nominate this as thread of the month.

LovinSL600, that was a beautiful post.

 

Very well put. I'll tell you which dealership blows in SoCal .. MB Laguna Niguel. I cringe having to take my car there. I used to live about an hour from Fletcher Jones so I had not choice and I used to get treated better by the Toyota dealership.

Fletcher Jones of Newport has been good and they've had no trouble keeping parts in stock for my very old 420SEL. You would think it would be even easier to keep parts in stock for newer cars. They are the largest volume MB dealership in the world apparently.

If I had time I'd put up a web site for MB owners to post about their dealerships and rank them.

I've been holding off buying a SL55 since the darn car came out for the very same reasons. I don't want to get treated like dirt after spending that much money on the car and the quality sure has gone down. My last MB is a 1989 420SEL. Solid as a rock. Nothing ever went wrong with it. The quality of the work inside the car, the leather, the wood, etc., is awesome.

 

I think 150k is too much for a mass produced benz, not because the service dept may or may not be good but because they don't have the same cache or resale as some other cars in this range. Technologically they may be better or as good as others but that "something special" is not there.You cannot put your personal touch in the car from the factory like Bentley or Aston and the Benz marque is pretty watered down at this point. A 94 120k 600sl can be had for 20k now, a 94 115k 348 spider is still 60k.

 

I have to agree with the MB reduced service quality.

But, LovinSL600--why didn't you go with your heart and not your head, and buy the DB9? It's a gorgeous shape - no matter that it doesn't have some of the SL options - and in a world where MB is looking increasingly plain (new SL's) or plain bizarre (SLR), the Aston looks better every time I see it.

Getting back to your servicing problems, I've just bought a Lexus SUV, and have been really pleased with the level of attention for both sales and servicing. It's a world away from MB and shows them up in the same way as you noted with your Aston servicing.

However there's an answer to why Lexus does so well, and it has little to do with their quest for excellence. The dealership gets a quota deducted each month and has to earn it back through customer quality control. My son is a manager at Toyota HQ so he knows, and said that it's quite considerable - sometimes over $150,000 a month retained. The dealership gets it eventually, but only by exceeding their satisfaction quota. What a great idea!

By contrast I sent my old 350SL to the local MB dealer a few years back for a pre-purchase check. They:
- left a dirty rag inside on the console.
- knocked a plug lead off so the engine missed! They must have known it was running wrong when they parked it.
- left the radio on loud so it gave me a fright when I turned the key.
- scratched the bonnet. They disputed that, but I knew every inch on that car, and the small scratches weren't there before. Something was dropped on it.
- some other stuff I've forgotten.

I complained in writing, but got little more than apologies. Maybe they didn't want to service old MBs... that's quite a common perception with dealerships who can't be bothered with the older models.

But little did they know that my late model SLK and SL500--purchased a few years later elsewhere--have never entered their doors.

I voted with my feet!

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Lexus LX470, sand/ivory leather.
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5, Jaguar Daimler and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

 

There is also this very serious problem of .. "if you didnt buy the car from us, you get to sit in the back of the bus" attitude from MB dealerships.

if you didnt buy it there, prepare to wait longer at certain dealerships to get your car back, they won't give you a loaner, etc. This is 100% BS b/c I've never had any other car dealership pull this crap.

 

I agree with you, Ken. Lexus is definitely worlds away from MB when it comes to Sales and Service. I've always been treated like a king over at Lexus. No hassle to just drive up and get service without an appointment. And if you happen to need a loaner, they always have one and it's always another Lexus. I just had another thread going about the Tele-aid software upgrade bulletin and I got the shabbiest treatment at the MB service center ever! They can't even guarantee me an MB loaner when I drop off my SL next week! I was so pissed off. I called my MB salesguy and he tells me that their customers buy from them because of their service (???). I was like, oh yeah?, why don't you go visit Lexus and you tell me if your service is better than theirs...LOL!

 

Sad result of all this is that MB has gone from a 9/10 to a 5/10 and they still have no trouble selling their cars are a premium .. and even those of us that are complaining, myself included, will pop down a lot of $$$ to buy one. I know I want a 06 SL55 and no matter how much I b!tch, I'm buying it.

Terrible how that works!

 

Well this is an interesting thread and there's lots of great comments. I especially agree that the Mercedes marque has been devalued - partly because of quality problems, partly because they insist on being in every market segment. It's worse in Europe where we have two runts called the A-Class and the Smart as well. When you go into the dealer, they do not care whether you have an A-Class or an SL55. It's much the same over at Porsche. Last week, there was a leggy blonde eyeing me suspiciously while I was waiting to pick up my car after the clutch failed. She obviously thought I was the pits but then I realised that her main job seemed to be wiping down the coffee machine. I really did feel like telling her to drop the attitude.

Contrast that with Aston Martin. When I went to the launch of DB9 at the factory, I spoke to one of the AM people about colours and options. Some months later, I went to test drive the DB9 and the same person came up and picked up the conversation from where we left off. Made me feel that they really care and what I can tell you is that there is a buzz about the place, an excitement about what they are doing which you just do not get with Mercedes or Porsche.

I am very excited about the AM V8 Vantage as new information becomes available. Ther renaissance of Aston Martin is very interesting to watch. If you can get Evo magazine, there's an excellent article on the devleopment of the new car, plus a test of the SL65 against a Murcielago and Zonda. The view is that the SL65 has more power than the chassis can hande (but we knew that anyway) and that the SL55 is the better resolved of the two cars.

 

DaimlerChrysler’s quarterly earnings tumble
Auto maker points to slumping profits at its Mercedes division.

SINDELFINGEN, Germany - Slumping profits at DaimlerChrysler AG’s Mercedes division dragged fourth-quarter earnings down 63 percent, but strong performances from the once-hurting Chrysler and commercial vehicles divisions helped full-year results

The automaker said Thursday that net profit for the October-December quarter fell to 526 million euros ($712 million), or 52 euro cents (70 cents) per share, from 1.4 billion euros, or 1.39 euros per share, in the fourth quarter of 2003.

Sales rose 7 percent to 37.7 billion euros ($51 billion) from 35.2 billion euros a year ago, boosted by the first-time inclusion of revenue from Japanese truck maker Mitsubishi Fuso.

Operating profits at Mercedes, hit by quality problems and the weak dollar, plummeted to just 20 million euros ($27 million) from 784 million euros in the fourth quarter of 2003. Fourth-quarter sales at the luxury division fell 2 percent to 12.8 billion euros ($17.4 billion) from 13 billion euros a year earlier.

Chief Executive Juergen Schrempp emphasized the company’s dissatisfaction with the state of affairs at Mercedes, and proposed a “road map” for how it intends to improve the division’s performance by 2007, including a comprehensive quality offensive and a focus on cutting costs. The company didn’t rule out job cuts at the division.

“One thing is quite clear: even without the exchange-rate effects, the operating profit of the Mercedes Car Group in the third and fourth quarters would have been unacceptable,” Schrempp said.

The fourth-quarter result was well below the 686 million euros ($878 million) profit forecast of analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.

DaimlerChrysler shares fell 1.5 percent 35.56 euros ($45.51) by early afternoon in Frankfurt.

Still, full-year earnings for 2004 rose significantly, with net income of 2.5 billion euros ($3.3 billion), up from 448 million euros the previous year. The full-year improvement was driven by a strong performance by the company’s U.S. Chrysler division, which has bounced bank with hot-selling new models such as the 300 and 300C.

“The improved earnings at group level are primarily due to the significant increase in operating profit at the Chrysler Group and commercial vehicles,” Schrempp said.

The weak dollar hurts Mercedes by making its products more expensive in the key U.S. market. At home, it faces increased competition from Munich-based BMW, which has launched several new models. Analysts say Mercedes’ fortunes may improve as it comes out with new products over the next year or two.

Fourth-quarter operating earnings showed the role reversal between former problem case Chrysler and Mercedes. While earnings at Mercedes nearly evaporated, Chrysler brought in 386 million euros ($523 million), compared to 143 million euros for the same period a year ago.

The commercial vehicles division, which makes trucks and buses, increased operating earnings to 437 million euros ($592 million) for the quarter, compared to 344 million euros for the same period in 2003.

The troubles at Mercedes prompted DaimlerChrysler to back off its previous optimistic assumptions about 2005.

The company said it now expects “slightly higher operating profit” in 2005, “after a weaker first and second quarter.”

At DaimlerChrysler’s shareholders meeting last April, Schrempp said he expected a “significant improvement” in 2005 and 2006 earnings on the back of new models.

Problems with the ultra-compact Smart models have also hurt Mercedes’ performance, although the company has pinned hopes on Smart’s new four-seater, which has showed strong sales since its launch last year.

Eckhard Cordes, head of the Mercedes division, said the company was working on an improved business model for Smart, which could include expanding partnerships beyond an existing agreement with Mitsubishi Motors.

“We can’t rule anything out,” Cordes said.

DaimlerChrysler’s participation in Germany’s troubled satellite-controlled truck toll system, Toll Collect, led to a charge of 472 million euros ($604) for the year. The system suffered costly setbacks before launching on New Year’s Day.

The company, based in Stuttgart and Auburn Hills, Michigan, kept its dividend unchanged at 1.50 euros ($1.92) per share.

 

Makes you wonder. Mercedes make just $27m from making and selling cars. A UK bank, Barclays, have announced profits of $8600m for a similar period. Makes you wonder why they bother making the cars. Cars will increasingly become a commodity item with razor thin margins, not a business to be in. Ask IBM, ask Dell, ask Carly Fiorina. For US buyers, time to recognise you are paying much less for Mercedes than they cost to make. Expect price rises soon!

 

Dell is an example of how a company can make substantial profits in spite of razor thin margins. The other PC makers have been unable to replicate this.

 

I like Carly Fiorina's job. She got fired and is getting $21.1 million.

 

I agree, Dell is a well run company, to be able to eke out profits where you're doing well with a 3% gross margin is incredible.

Interesting too about HP. I have in front of me an HP-55 calculator which I bought in 1974 and still use every day, an iconic item from that period when electronics was really getting going. At the time Hewlett-Packard was simply the best name in the business.

 

I want that one to.

 

Lexus has a strict policy that you get a loaner that is either the same year and model or better. I got a new RX330 yesterday when I had my LX470 serviced, and I'm pleased to say my LX still outshines it!

Another Aston Martin plug... I was at the Birmingham motor show in UK a few month's back, and the stand with the largest number of onlookers - hour after hour - was the Aston Martin stand... crowds 20 deep all round.

The SLR, Maybach and other MB stands were considerably smaller in spectator attention.

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Lexus LX470, sand/ivory leather.
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5, Jaguar Daimler and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

 

Lexus know what they're doing. If you lend someone a newer, better car than they have, they're more likely (assuming your products are getting better) to buy a new car. It's just like an extended test drive. What gets me with Mercedes is they expect you to turn up with your car , leave it and go away. How exactly?

 

Agreed. They're trying to get me to buy the SC430 (sports convertible) in the same manner. What the! It doesn't even rate against the SL, despite their excellence in the LX series.

The SL has poise and style - theirs looks plain ugly and drives like a boat.

Ken Silver

 

Several week ago, I posted an inquiry on the Bentley website and requested a catalog. Two days ago, I received a call from the UK (I live in San Diego, CA USA) and the guy left a message. He said that he'd like to address my questions and help me make a decision AND he left a toll free number.

Last week, I posted a complaint/suggestion about the price and limitations about MB phones. A received a canned response in perfect form letter style. MB doesn't seem to give a damn and I bought two new cars and one CPO in the last four months. I may tell them to kiss my a$$ when my lease is up.

When I take my $150k MB or my $110k MB to be serviced, the give me a filthy C-class.

Just thinking about it makes me pissed. Last time I went to service, I had to go to LA (and I don't know my way around). When I asked for a car with Nav, the response was, "None of our loaners have Nav." Needless to say, I got ****IN' lost. At lease end, I may tell them to get lost.

 

Why LA when you live in SD? There must be a dozen dealers between SD and LA.

Overseas calls don't mean much these days, but I know what you mean.

I am overseas right now and had some questions regarding the extended warranty on the SL55's and some other minor issues. I chatted with someone from Fletcher Jones Newport Beach (where I happen to get my present car serviced) and it was frustrating a hell. I even saved the chat transcript to show my friends what happened. It was so funny it became painful.

At the end of 10 mins of chatting and going in circles, I was told someone will email me. I've received two canned emails from sales agents at FJ. No answers yet .. over 4 business days have elapsed. At the end of my chat, I even mentioned to the guy that maybe I should take my business to MBLN because he just spent 10 mins going in circles with me w/o getting me an answer.

I guess my $150k isn't worth it anymore. I guess with the value of money the way it is, you have to spend $500k on a car to get questions answered.

I feel bad for MB because I'm a third generation owner. It would be sad if that trend ended now.