Do you feel comfortable at a Mercedes Dealership? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Brian Carlton · #31 07-27-2004, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rg2098
The part I love is talking to newer MB owners who don't even know what body style number they are driving.........

Sure they know. Just ask them. They will tell you "C class" or "E class" or "S class" just like the advertisements have trained them.
F______ morons.

mplafleur · #32 07-27-2004, 09:32 PM

You don't need to pay stealership prices for the MB coolant!

Xerex G05 is the same stuff, made by the same company. I bought 6 gallons at Autozone for $6 and change per gallon.

psdsteve · #33 07-27-2004, 10:26 PM

I haven't gone to a dealer but have had great interactions at a MB Indy. I actually went and talked to him before I bought the car to see what it's history was and have asked him questions a few times since. He always stops what he is doing a gives personal service even if you aren't spending any money.

I have decided that i will give him some business as soonas I run into something that I would rather not fix myself. Geer Auto in Chico, CA. He also has a great rep with everyone I know who has dealt with him.

CArrameow,

6 min. miles at 215 is impressive. Most people dont realize how much that hurts IMHO.

Stephen

Carrameow · #34 07-27-2004, 10:31 PM

If you feel uncomfortable at the dealership (or at the salvage yard for that matter) then maybe the problem is not with the other people, but with ...........

When I was young I was the first one to get to a party and the last one to leave....I was young and foolish and I loved a Beer...now that I'm getting older, I'm getting more and more introverted and private--nothing beats a day off or a nice Saturday with the Tools and being underneath my hood....

psdsteve · #35 07-27-2004, 10:43 PM

I do enjoy working on my own cars but the Kids wanting me to play with them(3 and 9) and all the other things going on like a regular job and a wife that needs attention...................DAMMIT it makes it just a little less enjoyable.

I can only look forward to the day it becomes more of a hobby and less of a neccesity.

Stephen

86560SEL · #36 07-27-2004, 11:11 PM

I do not own a Mercedes at this time (looking for one to purchase), but I do have a Lexus. When I first got it, I thought I would not get good service there, because I am in my 20s and they would think it was not my car, but they have really been great. I usually just take it there (or the local Toyota dealership) to get the oil changed. Last time I took it, I had a vibration that no one knew what it was. They checked it (took about an hour) and come to find out, the tires were "cupped" due to another shop not aligning after new rear struts. I was suprised that they charged me $0.00. Both of the people there at the service department are always extremely nice to me. Also- I thought the other customers would be "snooty", but everytime I have been there, there has occasionally been another person there and they are always friendly, nice people that like to talk, but I am one of those friendly type people that is easy to talk to. There are over 200 people at my work and all of them know me well and are always coming over to say hello, so that may be part of it. I think the way you are treated at a dealer also has to do with how the salesman are trained, or where you are from. Some parts of the country have people that are more easy going than other parts.

Sometimes the tables are turned too. You see people driving these cars, nicely dressed, but I know of two local poorly dressed ladies that both drive late model S-Class sedans. You would never know by looking at them that they can afford one of these- so you cannot go by the way people look that is for sure.

Another story. My grandfather worked with a wealthy man, that never looked the part. Back in the 1980s, he went to a local Cadillac dealership in tattered clothing. The salesmen ignored him. He finally had to go in and pull out cash (enough to cover the price of a new Cadillac in the early 80s) and tell them he wanted to buy a new Cadillac DeVille. You should have seen them hustling about.

#37 07-27-2004, 11:42 PM

Funny, I am reading the posts and just had an experience today at the local Rusnak parts department for my 123. I am on record with those guys, since I own a few MB and also have Jaguars and Audis, which the noble Rusnak serves.
I always get nice treatment, since I treat the guys nice also. Today, I walked in the parts department in a tank top, jeans-shorts and sandals and frankly, I do not give a hoot what people think. I run my business from my home and when it's time for business, it's time for the suit. When the job is done, I am in jeans. My life.
As previous posters, yes, I can afford a brand new car of theirs, any of them, but learnt the lesson when I changed my life in the early 90's losing a high profile VP job and was stuck with a MB lease -tough. A year later, I made double the money I did, the lease was returned and all cars are paid for in CASH. Parts I try to get at www.************************, fortunately, they are a short drive away plus, in Los Angeles we do have an abundance of mechanic's talents to circumvent the Dealer

Fuzzball · #38 07-28-2004, 02:48 AM

I was visiting my outlaws in Midland Texas and had an opportunity to stop into Britt Imports for some parts.

Bought a window piece and the rubber seal that goes on the antenna.....about $11 in parts.

They gave me a really nice Benz keychain for free as a thank you for becoming a new customer. I got one of their plastic license plates and stuck it in the rear window.

Great folks!

We have a new MB store in Georgetown...I've spent about $40 there in various hoses and tubing, power steering fluid and not much else.

No keychain but when they gave me the wrong part to replace my vacuum hose from Intake to crossover....they replaced it with the correct, higher priced part and let me keep the 3 bucks difference for the time and miles. Not a big deal but...hey.....keeps me somewhat loyal.

Funny, whenever I'm in the parts place there are never any other customers in there....I'd love to chat with them....maybe one day!

Nobody is better than me.....My God don't make no junk!

BoostnBenz · #39 07-28-2004, 08:58 AM

I hate my closest dealership. It isn't going there and seeing or talking with other people or anything like that, it is because the parts guys there are pricks and have condenscending remarks about how OLD my car is. Heh, it'll outlast the $%^ they have on their lot! Then to top it off they carry absolutely no parts for it in stock, so that becomes annoying because I have to drive all the ways to (over)pay for it, then come back a couple days later to pick it up, assuming it is the right part which it never seems to be. Sure it is the best looking dealership I've ever seen before, fancy as hell but things like that aren't free... I think I might try the next further out dealership as I heard that guy on a talk show before. He seemed like a nice guy and set expectations for his employees. Also I might send a letter to the owner of my current stealer to bring this to his attention.

Carrameow · #40 07-28-2004, 09:20 AM

...has a Parts guy named Bill Piersol who is a saint. He himself drives a 25 year old Jeep so we are both on the same frequency. he helped me through my 240D transmission overhaul, and tracked parts down to Germany. Seriously, most of the people who work at the Dealer are middle class guys like us going from paycheck to paycheck so I guess we shouldnt feel that Bad there.
The customers there are usually affluent, so the showroom is a different story. I havent travelled that much around the world, but i have been in Europe and the Far east, and I'm sure the salesman and sales manager at any delership in the US would still be decent to you no matter how you dressed or how much grease you had on you--after all this is the USA and its still the least class concious place in the world..Henry Ford was a motor head and he became one of the leading citizens of this Country..

Dana B. · #41 07-28-2004, 09:37 AM

Funny. When I worked for MB in the mid 1970s, the Palm Springs dealer offered simple service to a luxury clientelle.

There were no glass cubicles "service representatives" or "advisors." No MB polos worn by staff. No latte machines or waiting parlor. No parts counter of MB gizmos, shirts and watches. No valet service.

Instead, there was a thin wooden podium beside the garage door with a smiling service writer or manager. There were blue-and-white MB uniforms worn by lot boys and managers alike. There was a small linoleum lobby. And for a high-end touch, they (meaning I) would drive you home or and pick you up. And when you'd pay your bill -- I recall a C service then cost $500 -- your car would be washed (by me).

Now on the *rare* times I visit posh MB dealers, I don't feel any more pampered and cared for.

I feel frightened of being ripped off.

rhino · #42 07-28-2004, 11:58 AM

the last note with some personal history working in dealerships reminds me of my days doing finance and insurance in dealers all over the country back in 1984. Saw the worst and the best. The best, hands down, was Sewell Village Cadillac in Dallas. Most dealerships, the pecking order was, roughly, dealer/GM/new car sales manager/used car sales/finance/service/parts. At Sewell, it was...dealer/GM/service....They figured if they took care of people on service, they wouldn't think twice where to buy a new car. And they would tell customers "you can buy this same car down the street for $x000 less, but this is why you should buy from us". They had 150 free new loaners, and bent over backwards in the service dept. Smart...

BoostnBenz · #43 07-28-2004, 12:08 PM

I would think there would be more money in service than there would be in sales anyway. Myself I'd probably ask the salesperson if he'd lower his price, if not I'll see you in a little while. Any GM vehicle under warranty can be taken to any dealer so you could buy at the cheaper place and have it serviced at the other. Back where I used to live a few years ago there was an outstanding Pontiac dealership, at one point in time my mom's, brother's, sister's, and my own pontiac were all getting serviced there (my dad had a truck, ie not a pontiac

). I've never had such good service before from any other dealer, only one close was a chevy dealership back where I used to live but that was more so because I was on a first name basis with the parts guy.

JimSmith · #44 07-28-2004, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Carrameow
...has a Parts guy named Bill Piersol who is a saint. He himself drives a 25 year old Jeep so we are both on the same frequency. he helped me through my 240D transmission overhaul, and tracked parts down to Germany. Seriously, most of the people who work at the Dealer are middle class guys like us going from paycheck to paycheck so I guess we shouldnt feel that Bad there.

I think this is the real point. When I go to the dealership for any reason, I am talking to a person who is in the same basic boat as I am. I have found if you treat them, parts guys or sales people, like equals, they will respond to you on a personal basis. I get along very well with my dealership, especially the parts counter guys, because I am a good customer and I know them from taking the time to talk to them when I go there and they have time.

I rarely go to the dealership to mingle with other customers, although if I see a guy at the parts counter I will ask about his project or what he is buying parts for just to make the time pass. In some cases I have been able to help and in others I have learned something. I have never encountered a snob at the parts counter though.

So, I don't buy new cars, but I like looking at them, and regularly stop by the sales floor and visit the guy I do buy from every 10 years when I am there for parts. I have no qualms about being there. Jim

BoostnBenz · #45 07-28-2004, 12:53 PM

I don't really talk much with the guys there but of course I'm friendly (until they turn into pricks which I just act like I don't hear it), however they setup the parts desk such that service can get right to it but if a customer wants parts they have to walk like 30' which by itself is almost to much for them.... Like I said time to either complain or go somewhere else. They've even managed to mess up orders where I told them the part number, I kid you not. You should have seen the wonderful facial expressions as I made him aware of this....