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  #1  
Old 06-10-2010, 02:48 PM
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Dealership rant: Contemporary Motorcar in Erie

I've just about had it with the dealership in Erie PA. I went in today looking for an 80 amp strip fuse for the pre-glow relay since my voltmeter told me that the resistance is higher than normal.

I go in with the fuse in hand and ask,"Hello do you have an 80 amp fuse like this for a pre-glow relay?" The guy looks at it and says no. Hmm ok i guess? I ask for the heck of it if they have 617 oil and fuel filters and he looks in a drawer and again says no. So I then ask him if they stock ANY parts for w123 or mid 80s w124 vehicles and he says to me that they only carry parts for cars made in the late 90s up.

I've given up with these guys. Mercedes Benz of Buffalo has been better to me then these holligans.

Sorry for the rant, i'm just ordering everything from phil from now on. Thanks for hearing me out.

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  #2  
Old 06-10-2010, 02:56 PM
Home appliance genius
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: cleveland
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Mercedes benz of bedford ohio

These guys are actually really good. They dont stock a bunch of 80's parts, but they did have my valve cover gasket in stock. They gave me a HUGE discount for being a MBCA member (like half price).

Phil is really the way to go. Even with the discount, phil is still a bit cheaper. Even on OEM parts.

I frequently get my parts delivered by phil THE VERY NEXT DAY!

Plus, you are supporting the forum that has provided you with an overabundance of info.
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  #3  
Old 06-10-2010, 02:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by okyoureabeast View Post
I've just about had it with the dealership...
I hear ya... in my neck of the woods the dealership story goes something like this: anytime I need a part for one of my MBs I lookup the on-line price first. This past week it's been the Hazard switch relay - new one $27 plus change.... I then call the local dealer and ask if they can get me that part locally - the answer is usually YES however the price for the said $27 relay would cost me $139 for the convenience of picking it up from the spotless showroom - nein, danke!

One of these days I'm going to ask the guy at the parts desk if they ever want my business there... frustrating... I wonder if they understand the frugal nature of some of their customers or if they are just under the illusion that we're all going to pay whatever the asking price.
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  #4  
Old 06-10-2010, 03:01 PM
Home appliance genius
 
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Dealerships are hit or miss. The previous dealer I dealt with was like that..

They wanted to charge me 28.50 for a gallon of coolant!
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  #5  
Old 06-10-2010, 03:57 PM
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I called our local dealership and asked for a parts quote for a new clutch slave cylinder for my 240D. Little over $150... yeah.... FTE-made ones sell brand new for about $45. I was like "I'll pass".
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  #6  
Old 06-10-2010, 04:19 PM
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My local dealership seems alright. I never go there for parts in stock, I always order, which I think I have to do in person, which is annoying, but they do get the parts. I've only gotten a fender ($250 about, aftermarket are not supposed to fit well) and the roll of braided injector return lines ($27, in retrospect, pretty expensive). Good for a few things, but a lot of the parts are easier to get and cheaper elsewhere.
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  #7  
Old 06-10-2010, 04:37 PM
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But you get free cookies & coffee in the 'I'm waiting to write a really big check lounge' at Merc of BFO. Always fun to show up there in greasy carhartts ;-) , stand out from the suits.
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  #8  
Old 06-10-2010, 06:27 PM
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Originally Posted by moon161 View Post
But you get free cookies & coffee in the 'I'm waiting to write a really big check lounge' at Merc of BFO. Always fun to show up there in greasy carhartts ;-) , stand out from the suits.
Your dealership hooked me up with a caulking gun of window sealant!

I don't understand why they mark up the cost of parts. Seriously it's like they don't want us to go there.
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  #9  
Old 06-10-2010, 10:21 PM
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Dealership ONLY parts

Call Mercedes Benz of Cincinnati (with your MBCA # AND MB Part Number)
(877)392-0606
and ask for Tyler O'brien in parts.[You're doing an "Internet" sale.]
You'll not be dis-appointed:substantial discount,prompt shipping.
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  #10  
Old 06-12-2010, 09:15 AM
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That's interesting about MB Cincy. My experience with them is they were reasonable two years ago, but lately every time I go to get something the pricing is ridiculous. I've refused to buy anything there for some time.

I've dealt with Tyler, knows his stuff and very service oriented.
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  #11  
Old 06-12-2010, 06:28 PM
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Agreed - and stay away from MB of North Olmsted

Quote:
Originally Posted by lorainfurniture View Post
These guys are actually really good. They dont stock a bunch of 80's parts, but they did have my valve cover gasket in stock. They gave me a HUGE discount for being a MBCA member (like half price).
I'll apologize in advance for my rant, but I had a similar experience.

About a year ago, I was in a jam and needed a new fuel primer pump ASAP (otherwise of course I would have ordered from Phil). I went to MB of North Olmsted's swanky new facility TWICE. The first time I went with the MB part number, and the parts guy conveniently couldn't find it in the computer. Instead, he tried to sell me the entire assembly for several hundred dollars. I came back to with the hand pump (the old style white threaded one) to show him what I needed - just the newer style replacement hand pump, which is now black and spring loaded. This time, he claimed to know what I was talking about - but said they were only available in Germany. None were available at any US distribution centers or other dealerships. My only choice was to shell out ~ $300 for the whole assembly.

Then I called MB of Bedford. Sure enough, the parts guy knew exactly what I was talking about, located one at the Chicago distribution center, and overnighted it. Done.

I was (and still am) totally miffed. Either this dude was incapable of doing his job - which is hard to imagine - or he was trying to take me for an idiot, and take advantage of DIYer. Obviously it's the latter case...

Needless to say, if you're in a jam in the Cleveland area, MB of Bedford is the only and best choice for parts.
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  #12  
Old 06-12-2010, 09:49 PM
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Parts departments of all dealerships- not just cars, run under a strict management rule of cost from the OM plus X%. If they don't sell many of a certain models parts they don't stock them. If they have issues with buyers of certain models parts they don't stock them. Parts is a sub business of the service dept, which is sub to the main sales floor. Parts cannot look outside it's management directed chain of parts acquisition. You could show them you can buy part "X"- the exact same part they are selling - for $10 that they sell for $100. 9 times out of 10 they don't care- it's not what management wants them to do. Once you realize this thought process that drives a parts dept, you will never be frustrated again. If you need a part only they can seem to get, call them with the parts # and ask them to order one if they don't have it in stock. Then wait, and while you wait, try to find another supplier. I deal with this all the time with boat parts. I found 16 injectors for my DD16-92 in 4 minutes that the parts dept said there were none of. I also found them 40% cheaper than the ones they were going to sell me.
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  #13  
Old 06-13-2010, 02:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MTUpower View Post
Parts departments of all dealerships- not just cars, run under a strict management rule of cost from the OM plus X%. If they don't sell many of a certain models parts they don't stock them. If they have issues with buyers of certain models parts they don't stock them. Parts is a sub business of the service dept, which is sub to the main sales floor. Parts cannot look outside it's management directed chain of parts acquisition. You could show them you can buy part "X"- the exact same part they are selling - for $10 that they sell for $100. 9 times out of 10 they don't care- it's not what management wants them to do. Once you realize this thought process that drives a parts dept, you will never be frustrated again. If you need a part only they can seem to get, call them with the parts # and ask them to order one if they don't have it in stock. Then wait, and while you wait, try to find another supplier. I deal with this all the time with boat parts. I found 16 injectors for my DD16-92 in 4 minutes that the parts dept said there were none of. I also found them 40% cheaper than the ones they were going to sell me.
Mark-ups are generally 40% but some of these in the posts sound more like 400%...
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  #14  
Old 06-13-2010, 02:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thornton View Post
That's interesting about MB Cincy. My experience with them is they were reasonable two years ago, but lately every time I go to get something the pricing is ridiculous. I've refused to buy anything there for some time.

I've dealt with Tyler, knows his stuff and very service oriented.
Tyler's not a bad guy. Got a really nice 500E IIRC. I get some of my parts there, I get them through my salesman, but its really the same place. Their service department used to be horrendous, but parts has always been good.
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  #15  
Old 06-13-2010, 06:57 PM
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Yeah so I just realized that this post comes up first on the second page of google.



It pops up on the first page if you put in erie into the search too. Either way, these guys are fools. I would drive to Cleveland or Buffalo before I go back there.

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