steve1173

MBUSA is not what it used to be. I have had 5 MB's. If you have a dealer that still believes in what MB meant you are okay, Sarasota MN is definitely not one of them. If you have to get MBUSA involved then you have a problem since they will be of no help. I had some problems with my 2005 SLK350 with manual transmission such as from a start in neutral there would be pressure on the stick where it would slip into reverse, yes I know how to drive a manual as all my cars have it. When new it did not do it but it has gotten worse, if you conciously think of it while driving it might not happen but driving relaxed with the radio on it did. There was a TSB out on it & I brought it to Sarasota MB's attention, at first they claimed no knowledge of it then said it did not apply. It was also in for a rattle/creak inside the cabin & the driver door binding. Well I faxed the general mgr of the area Mr. O'Sullivan a complaint & the next day or so I was called to the dealer to meet with the regional rep Mr. Harper who said after his 10 minute drive the TSB does not apply. I told him it happened with the transmission four times & once my friend was with me & gave me a note on it but he did not care as well as the dealer. Mr. Harper went for a ride with me for about 15 minutes & had no problem with the transmission though we did hear the rattle and upon exiting the driver door binded which he said probably both door strikers needed adjustment and I would have to make an appointment again & I live 90 miles roundtrip from them. The tech claimed that worked on the car no problem with the transmission, rattles fixed & door not binding after working on it & taking a test drive. So how can I believe anything the tech said or did as it did rattle & bind with the rep in the car. I believe even if he had the problem with the trans he would have shrugged it off or not realized it as he could not even notice the ratles or door binding when he exited it. The TSB involved removing the transmission as greasing the input shaft. I guess the dealer did not want to do this. I said the TSB amy or not solved this but it is a start, basically they said they would not do it so I guess they say they don't believe me. On the way home the transmission acted up again. The results I wrote Mr. O'Sullivan again with no response, Mr.Mcnabb VP of Sales-no response, Mr Ernst Lieb Pres & CEO-no response, Paul Juron GM of custoemr service-wrote back if you have any problems contact your dealer. So the bottom line, MBUSA does not care, your first & best line is a good dealer of which Sarasota MB is not one of them. Before they became Sarasota after being bought up by Autonation they were one of if not the best around, they treated you as someone special but now look elsewhere. But if you do not believe what happened then use them & see for yourselves. There will be some who are real happy with them. Sometimes we look the other way because it is a Mercedes.

phahn

Wow, sorry to hear all the problems you are having. The reason I have purchased mbz' s is the great service (IN OC, California) as compared to BMW where I have had similar bad service to what you are expereincing. Bottom line is I will never buy a BMW because of that. The same will hold true for MBZ if they go the same route. People want more than a great car, they also demand great service. This is especially true at the prices we pay. We expect common courtesy and to fix something right the first time.

The auto industry is in a lot of trouble. You have to stand above the competition. if you are not going to step up to the plate someone else will. Take Lexus for example, they are stealing customers away left and right from MBZ and BMW. It has a lot to do with the outstanding service.
The cars are still ugly but give them time.

If I owned a Ford I might expect them to say they fixed something and not fix it but a MBZ dealership???? And too not admit there is a problem with the transmission? That is bad business.

I hope the florida and hawaii mindsets don't come to Ca. Meantime I am still enjoying great service in Laguna Niguel, well at least till Autonation takes over. The best of luck to you, don't give up the fight.

steve1173

Even if the manufacturer is hard to deal with, if you have a good or great dealer he is the one you deal with & will do what is right by you, then you don't have to worry about MBUSA. Sarasota Mercedes is definitely not one of the good or great dealers. If you have a good one stick with them because a good one will do what it has to for you. MBUSA used to be one step above as were the dealerships, there are still some good ones so avoid buying from & servicing at the bad ones, mine was a bad one. I never received a reply from the CEO or VP slae of MBUSA. Not the same it used to be.

steve1173

Received a reply from the GM of customer service, sarcastic and bemaening. Shows where Mercedes is now and heading. He states " Mercedes Benz prides itself on the well deserved reputation our products and services have earned. Please be assured that your thoughts have been shared appropriately." The key word here is have earned since in the present it is not, seems he is living on what MB used to be. His final sentence is sarcastic and a jab at me. The bottom line is MBUSA did nothing to rectify my cars problem, the result is it seems they removed all TSB's from AllData so that we might as consumers know the problems we have with our cars.