Need help with labor "scam" issue at dealer
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 551
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From: NYC area
2019 E63S wagon; 2016 Landrover Landmark
Need help with labor "scam" issue at dealer
Brought my wagon to the local MB dealer for the "A service" visit today. They suggested spark plugs and transfer case service simply based on the age of the car, not the miles (c. 16k). I said "sure, better safe than sorry" and got Uber ride home. Car was in the shop for a total of 4hr, and yet when I got the bill the labor portion was $1530, or about 7.2hr in a 4hr visit. I stood there for 10min pointing out the errors in their calculations being told every bullish** excuse like, "well, it's an AMG..." but when I laid out the facts, they had no response:
* Advertised hourly rate: $212
* Hours in the shop: 4.0 hours
* Over-billage: ~$630
I'm getting nowhere post-mortem (Amex was already charged) and I'm furious. I don't balk at the labor rate. I don't balk at the parts prices. However I cannot tolerate being lied to and will end my business here if they don't refund the delta.
To this end, what recommendations do folks have? Dealer is "lower CT" and I'm not familiar with the CT laws in this type of double-billing. One tech, four hours, end of story.
Thank you in advance for insights. FWIW, wagon is running great. Clean as a whistle under and inside. Their job is pretty easy every time I roll up.
Cheers
* Advertised hourly rate: $212
* Hours in the shop: 4.0 hours
* Over-billage: ~$630
I'm getting nowhere post-mortem (Amex was already charged) and I'm furious. I don't balk at the labor rate. I don't balk at the parts prices. However I cannot tolerate being lied to and will end my business here if they don't refund the delta.
To this end, what recommendations do folks have? Dealer is "lower CT" and I'm not familiar with the CT laws in this type of double-billing. One tech, four hours, end of story.
Thank you in advance for insights. FWIW, wagon is running great. Clean as a whistle under and inside. Their job is pretty easy every time I roll up.
Cheers
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Joined: Apr 2021
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From: Scottsdale, Arizona
2001 E55AMG
Yeah that is pretty blatant and if I were the dealership, I'd be be embarrassed to even try it. I'd leave a review everywhere you can online, stuff like that gets to dealerships, they do not want it out there, and maybe someone higher up the food chain will see it and feel the need to do the right thing, even if it is just to shut you up.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: Toronto, Ont, Canda
go fast grocery getter wagon
Were you given the cost estimate prior to approving the tasks ? I always asked my dealer that and if it differs significantly, then i will complain / dispute to the Service Manager for the billing.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 551
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From: NYC area
2019 E63S wagon; 2016 Landrover Landmark
The spark plugs were est. to take 3hr, but I was charged for 4 (full time the car was there). And confirmed only one tech on my car the entire time, so how else could he have done all the other work while only focused on the plugs??
I'm drawing a line and if they don't come to it, I'm done. I've been a loyal "full retail" customer since 2010 and this is NOT how to thank me. Regardless of semantics, the hourly rate is explicit and any overage is false marketing, which can bring legal consequences.
I'm drawing a line and if they don't come to it, I'm done. I've been a loyal "full retail" customer since 2010 and this is NOT how to thank me. Regardless of semantics, the hourly rate is explicit and any overage is false marketing, which can bring legal consequences.
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2023 E63S AMG - Grey Magno
I always ask for estimate up front. They won’t charge you more than that u less additional work is needed and they have to get that approved by you. Honestly it seems like you blindly just told them to do stuff without ever discussing the total cost of the job.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Canada
2023 E63S Wagon
That's what I was thinking. This way it doesn't matter if it takes 7h because they run into problems or 3h because it went perfectly and they are experienced - they charge the 4h it's supposed to take. Sometimes they lose sometimes they win. If they get good at it they win more. That's OK with me if the service is great, the transaction frictionless, and the work is done right.
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Member
Joined: Jan 2023
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18 E63s Wagon
I would talk to the service manager, if he is of no help bring it right to the general manager, if they even respond back to you. I too am over dealing with the dealers crap, I wouldn't recommend the MB dealer in central CT, they are no better.
Last edited by Rover338; Mar 15, 2024 at 12:48 PM.
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From: Colorado
G550
Dealerships typically make 80% revenue & 20% profit in the showroom, and 20% revenue & 80% profit in the service bay. Getting you into the service department for an overpriced oil change, and then pushing $150 wipers, $200 cabin filters and $600 sparkplugs is how they can afford to serve you complimentary espresso in the comfy customer lounge. This is why I change my own oil, wipers, filters, brake fluid and sparkplugs.
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2023
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2018 E63s wagon
Isn't using "book time" the accepted standard? I don't think there is any valid complaint to be made to the service or general manager here. Maybe they will give a partial refund once just to placate an angry customer, but the dealer is not in the wrong.
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2006 E55 Wagon (RIP), 2019 E63S Wagon (Sold) 2023 AMG GT634S
Most all dealers have an hourly rate charge. Most dealers also get "book time" from the manufacturers on how long a specific repair / procedure should take (and what they are reimbursed for on warranty claims).
For customer paid work they should give you an estimate. They should give you a flat fee (perhaps based on the hourly rate * book hours) but they should not tell you that you pay by the hour and then charge you the "book hours" and not actual hours.
I suspect the latter happens ALL. THE. TIME. because no one is there for 4, 5, 6 hours to track when the car is actually done - it's usually more of a drop off situation.
I would complain to Service manager or GM. If your receipt has an hourly rate and a number of hours (PxQ) and they are charging you more hours than it took - that's fraud. If they had quoted you a job at a flat rate - they would have been home free.
For customer paid work they should give you an estimate. They should give you a flat fee (perhaps based on the hourly rate * book hours) but they should not tell you that you pay by the hour and then charge you the "book hours" and not actual hours.
I suspect the latter happens ALL. THE. TIME. because no one is there for 4, 5, 6 hours to track when the car is actually done - it's usually more of a drop off situation.
I would complain to Service manager or GM. If your receipt has an hourly rate and a number of hours (PxQ) and they are charging you more hours than it took - that's fraud. If they had quoted you a job at a flat rate - they would have been home free.
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From: Toronto, Ont, Canda
go fast grocery getter wagon
If an estimated costs & time were given to customers, then the final bill should not deviate too much from the estimate ... that's one point of the argument can be suggested. In OP's example, 3 hrs of labor time charge deviation can be argued as a bit too much.
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Joined: Apr 2021
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From: Scottsdale, Arizona
2001 E55AMG
Exactly, almost 56% difference in charged labor time then the actual labor time. I understand charging book vs what it actually took, but as a dealership you've go to be smarter than to deliver the customer's vehilce back prior to the charged labor time for the job...
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2018 S560, 2004 SL500, 2014 S550 (SOLD), 2012 S550 x2(SOLD), 2007 CL600 (SOLD), 2007 S600(SOLD)
Ask them to tell you the book times on the three services performed: plugs, transfer case, A service. If those add up to 7.2 then it makes sense.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 551
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From: NYC area
2019 E63S wagon; 2016 Landrover Landmark
Exactly, almost 56% difference in charged labor time then the actual labor time. I understand charging book vs what it actually took, but as a dealership you've go to be smarter than to deliver the customer's vehilce back prior to the charged labor time for the job...
So I got a call from the manager of the location. He gives me: "Well, it's an AMG, yada yada..." to which I say that is immaterial for spark plugs and oil change... He asks if I bought the car there, to which I said I tried but the salesman dropped the ball on the Factory Delivery yet again (failed on my '14 purchase too) and said the FD was not available. So I told the manager I bought through another dealer. He then cut to the chase and said there is "book time" (as noted by others here) and they charge that no matter what. I said that nearly double is a misconveyance of labor costs. I don't complain about $215/hr, but I do not like paying $400/hr for oil change and spark plugs. The convo quickly went downhill from there with Lou actually YELLING at me! In the end he refunded 3hr of labor and it may not matter as I don't expect to return.
Separately, I pressed my service adviser about the RMS and he said the shop (very busy location in S. CT) has only seen one such job come in. Is he blowing smoke up my bu++? IDK. But now with 16k miles and a bad taste with my dealer, I might be exiting the car in the near-term.
