Indeed buying Class/Status is part of the American Dream.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

You mean ... a photocopy of *a* license. Unless the dealer checks every license they copy with the police, who's to say that the document that they're copying will have the thief's real info. And a photocopy of a crummy license photo is unlikely to be much use in ID'ing the guy.

Better to have security cameras, lots of them...

Like they say there is an exception to every Rule.

Except for the Money part the Description reminds Me of Myself.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Tyler lost a car and you are more interested in boasting yourself. This by itself worth an infraction. Don't over rate yourself.

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

I think the real story here is that times have changed. Fifty years ago, a man would have no problem in trusting a customer to do the right thing. Back then, people were honorable and could be trusted to not rip you off cold; today, they tend to be dishonorable and are always on the hunt for the proverbial "free lunch".

The end result of all of this is that it drives up the cost of doing business. Tyler now has to take his valuable time (your time always has a value) and fill out police reports, try and locate his car (which by this time is probably TRASHED), etc etc. This drives up his cost of doing business which he ultimately has to pass along to his honorable, trustworthy, fair dealing customers.

Personally, I think the right thing to do is assemble a posse of his honorable, trustworthy, fair dealing customers and go hunt down the thieves and beat the living daylights out of them. Jail is too good for these scumbags.......

^Yep. It is never a bad idea to be careful.

I have to wonder if giving the keys to a prospective customer with no id would essentially eliminate the possibility of insurance coverage in the event of theft. I vaguely recall reading that if a thief has easy access to keys, such as when left in or on the vehicle, insurance will not cover. I don’t know if handing a prospective customer keys with no id requirement amounts to the same kind of insurance exclusion risk.

Several years ago our local MB dealer used to keep service and for-sale car keys on peg boards. The service vehicle keys were in plain site in the service bay area.

The dealer was great about loaning cars back then and anyone who ever did a test drive or got a loaner learned where the keys for most cars were kept. They were not secured at all, but just in a room where the keys weren't obvious unless you had gone for a test drive or gotten a loaner car.

Then, so the story goes, someone walked up and grabbed some keys and took off with I don’t know how many cars. After that the dealer kept all keys in lock boxes and started requiring id for any test drive or loaners...

One interesting thought ,do you remember him touching any paperwork or other cars? his fingerprints might lead you to his true ID. If you feel someone in the future is acting shady ,give them a piece of paper to sign when you hand them the keys ,a precautionary finger print could be a great asset in finding a character out.If they act weird like they dont want to touch said paper you know their intentions at that point. I struck up a conversation with one UTI student yesterday and the story of theives and cars came up ,he explained on monday that their back lot was entered through a locked gate and an $80k porsche was taken ,a loaner from someone ,captured on camera only shows what make of vehicle,a Ford f150 with a quick wrecker setup,the next day it was a supra ,this one here sounds like an inside job .

A possible solution would be to have an assistant salesman available at all times to assist a customer with a test drive. Either that, or tell Mr. "give me the keys now or I will walk" that you are busy with another customer and will be with him momentarily. If walks, he walks. We've got country full of impatient people who are unwilling to wait 5 - 15 minutes for anything. They want it and they want it NOW. Well, too bad, so sad, have a seat and take a number. If they give you lip, merely inform them that due to recent drive off thefts, the dealership has a new policy.

I would think that someone planning to steal a car from a lot would be a lot more hesitant if they were asked to provide a license.

If the cops find him with the car, they will be VERY interested in seeing the fake license he provided when borrowing the car.

Even providing video of him coming in to borrow the car + video of him leaving wth car + his fake license + his admission that he was there that day test driving the car, could get him in a lot of hot water. Cops don't find this kind of stuff very funny...

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'83 300SD 335,000km (207k) mi SOLD
'87 560SL 163,000km (101k mi) SOLD
'86 300SDL 356,000km (220k mi) SOLD
'92 500SEL 250,000km (155k mi) SOLD
'90 300SL 140,000km (87k mi) SOLD
'01 S430 260,000km (161k mi) SOLD
'03 SL500 167,000km (104k mi) SOLD
'07 S550 4MATIC 235,000km (146k mi) SOLD
'07 GL320 CDI 4MATIC 348,000km (215k mi)
'13 GL350 BlueTec 4MATIC 170,000km (105k mi)
'14 SL550 72,000km (43k mi)

Can't speak to Canada where the drinking age is generally more civilized, but in the US, fake ID isn't exactly hard to come by. Ask anyone under 21 where to get one.

True, but same thing applies when the cops show up. They see a photocopy of a fake ID at the dealership, go question the suspect, see his fake ID in his wallet, and boom... he's busted. They have now tied him back to the dealership where he just finished telling the cops he has never been to

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'83 300SD 335,000km (207k) mi SOLD
'87 560SL 163,000km (101k mi) SOLD
'86 300SDL 356,000km (220k mi) SOLD
'92 500SEL 250,000km (155k mi) SOLD
'90 300SL 140,000km (87k mi) SOLD
'01 S430 260,000km (161k mi) SOLD
'03 SL500 167,000km (104k mi) SOLD
'07 S550 4MATIC 235,000km (146k mi) SOLD
'07 GL320 CDI 4MATIC 348,000km (215k mi)
'13 GL350 BlueTec 4MATIC 170,000km (105k mi)
'14 SL550 72,000km (43k mi)

Smart perp would flick the fake ID out the window after wiping it off 30 sec after getting off the dealer's lot. Five minutes later, the car is in a container truck headed for Elizabeth Port, ready to be loaded onto a ship bound for the Middle East or Africa.

Just got out of the hospital after a fever spiked at 104. Not the flu, not strep, nothing bacterial, just a virus. The Dr. suspects I have been overdoing it or overstressed and it's inhibiting my body from fighting normal bugs. March was a very stressful month.

No update as far as the theft. Nothing.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

104*, my hat! That's high.

So what happens to the business when you can't be there? Is there someone there who covers for you? Or do you just lose those days?

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Hope you get well soon.