Has anyone collected their car from the Mercedes Factory recently?

[gr1nch]

My car is on order with the dealer and I didn't realise, until I'd read on this forum that it was even possible. Honestly, I'd never considered it an option - but the experience sounds truly one of a kind and I think even my wife, who's not into cars at all would really enjoy it too.

Before I talk to the dealer about it - the current agreement is pickup from the dealer on 1st March 2017 for a 2017 plate - I'd be interested to hear if you have been in a similar situation recently (the previous thread ended in 2009) and how it went.

• Can it even happen after the order has been submitted?
• Did the dealer mind? Were they helpful?
• Do you get your UK plates in Germany for the drive back or temp German ones?
• Who pays for the flights/hotels etc?

 

[mikestrivens]

I thought they had stopped this as they were selling so many cars to the proles they couldn't handle the numbers of people doing factory collection.

 

[John Laidlaw]

^as Mike I understood they'd stopped factory collections

 

[Andy.M]

Or do it back to front. Pick up your new car from the dealership and drive straight off on a trip with a night away somewhere nice!

 

[Craiglxviii]

Apparently you can arrange to take delivery in Bremen, you pay for flights & hotel but the dealer should be able to organize. It looks like it's just the UK that have stopped doing this, so it will be MB UK and not MB plant that have gotten arsey about it.

 

[SL63 Mark]

Can't think why you'd want to collect from a factory. Let 'em deliver it, you've paid enough.

 

[LostKiwi]

Can't think why you'd want to collect from a factory. Let 'em deliver it, you've paid enough.

I did the factory collection back in 1998 (one of the positives to ordering a Mercedes - seems strange they stopped it). Best thing I ever did and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Itinerary was:
Business class flight to Stuttgart after work (paid by MB).
Taxi from airport to Hotel (paid by MB)
Evening meal at hotel (paid by MB)
Breakfast at hotel (paid by MB)
Taxi to collection centre (paid by MB)
Tour of factory
Collection of car with explanation of features, luggage in boot, and full tank of fuel. (fuel courtesy of MB)
Collection of channel crossing tickets (paid by MB)

I then had seven days to make my way back to the UK for a post collection check with insurance provided by MB and running on German plates (which I still have in the shed).

It was a great experience and the cost for collection was the same as the delivery cost.

The organisation of it was first rate, down to being greeted at the door to the collection centre, bags being taken from me and later found in the boot during the handover of the car. The factory tour itself was also brilliant and showed just how they were put together.

Sorry OP....

 

[carnut13]

As above I have collected my new car from the factory twice (SLK from Sindelfingen and SL 350 from Bremen). Both times fully paid including 2 nights in first class hotel on the way home from Bremen. Ab Fab!

I have been told that they have stopped this for Uk cars unfortunately so I couldn't take delivery of the SL400 this way

 

[SL63 Mark]

I did the factory collection back in 1998 (one of the positives to ordering a Mercedes - seems strange they stopped it). Best thing I ever did and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Itinerary was:
Business class flight to Stuttgart after work (paid by MB).
Taxi from airport to Hotel (paid by MB)
Evening meal at hotel (paid by MB)
Breakfast at hotel (paid by MB)
Taxi to collection centre (paid by MB)
Tour of factory
Collection of car with explanation of features, luggage in boot, and full tank of fuel. (fuel courtesy of MB)
Collection of channel crossing tickets (paid by MB)

I then had seven days to make my way back to the UK for a post collection check with insurance provided by MB and running on German plates (which I still have in the shed).

It was a great experience and the cost for collection was the same as the delivery cost.

The organisation of it was first rate, down to being greeted at the door to the collection centre, bags being taken from me and later found in the boot during the handover of the car. The factory tour itself was also brilliant and showed just how they were put together.

Sorry OP....

That was then. Porsche factory collection was hard grind. A lot of motorway miles and Stuttgart is not that particularly lovely.

 

[Mic]

A lot to do with the law in Germany with regard to cold weather tyres as I understand it........doesn't explain why we couldn't have summer only collections.

I was in Bremen in July and this seemed to be the root cause of the issue although there is allegedly a rethink in the offing.

Mic

 

[LostKiwi]

That was then. Porsche factory collection was hard grind. A lot of motorway miles and Stuttgart is not that particularly lovely.

There is the MB museum there which is good. I also used it as a means to visit friends near Neuss (Dusseldorf) which was very nice

A nice trip over the Ardennes to finish was very pleasant!

 

[carnut13]

That was then. Porsche factory collection was hard grind. A lot of motorway miles and Stuttgart is not that particularly lovely.

But heading home via the Alsace is particularly lovely especially if you take the time and picturesque route

Bremen wasn't very nice but the "romatique" road was wonderful

Carpe diem and enjoy

 

[Monday]

No more UK Collection

My dealer told me I was one of the last to do a factory collection soon after I got my W212 from Sindelfingen in 2012. It has not been possible in recent years in the European winter because of the winter tyre issue. But then it stopped altogether (from UK) because, apparently, there were too many cancellations. MB Germany charged MB UK an admin fee for each booking. If the customer cancelled, MB Germany would not refund the fee.

It was also getting very expensive. The "free" provision (ie included in the standard delivery charge) was down to one economy airfare and one hotel night + taxis. Taking a partner and another night in Stuttgart all cost extra.

I understand the collection centre is still open for collection from anywhere else in Europe. It is big and very impressive as is the factory tour (and the cars under wraps that they won't show you!)

 

[nicholas15]

I did the factory collection back in 1998 (one of the positives to ordering a Mercedes - seems strange they stopped it). Best thing I ever did and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Itinerary was:
Business class flight to Stuttgart after work (paid by MB).
Taxi from airport to Hotel (paid by MB)
Evening meal at hotel (paid by MB)
Breakfast at hotel (paid by MB)
Taxi to collection centre (paid by MB)
Tour of factory
Collection of car with explanation of features, luggage in boot, and full tank of fuel. (fuel courtesy of MB)
Collection of channel crossing tickets (paid by MB)

I then had seven days to make my way back to the UK for a post collection check with insurance provided by MB and running on German plates (which I still have in the shed).

It was a great experience and the cost for collection was the same as the delivery cost.

The organisation of it was first rate, down to being greeted at the door to the collection centre, bags being taken from me and later found in the boot during the handover of the car. The factory tour itself was also brilliant and showed just how they were put together.

Sorry OP....

If anybody from MB is reading this; it would be nice to have this option.

 

[mikestrivens]

Perhaps it should be provided for the S class cars only. That would stop all the proles cluttering up the process.

 

[gr1nch]

I did the factory collection back in 1998 (one of the positives to ordering a Mercedes - seems strange they stopped it). Best thing I ever did and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Itinerary was:
Business class flight to Stuttgart after work (paid by MB).
Taxi from airport to Hotel (paid by MB)
Evening meal at hotel (paid by MB)
Breakfast at hotel (paid by MB)
Taxi to collection centre (paid by MB)
Tour of factory
Collection of car with explanation of features, luggage in boot, and full tank of fuel. (fuel courtesy of MB)
Collection of channel crossing tickets (paid by MB)

I then had seven days to make my way back to the UK for a post collection check with insurance provided by MB and running on German plates (which I still have in the shed).

It was a great experience and the cost for collection was the same as the delivery cost.

The organisation of it was first rate, down to being greeted at the door to the collection centre, bags being taken from me and later found in the boot during the handover of the car. The factory tour itself was also brilliant and showed just how they were put together.

Sorry OP....

Sounds like they were good old days!

I'm charged a non-negotiated £615 for UK delivery, but would be willing to pay more to help cover the costs (half-way would be acceptable) to get the same "1998" factory collection experience, so impressively described.

Is there a group of Mercedes owners that has the clout to decide on a plan and negotiate this with MB Germany or MB UK?

And how many UK MB owners would it take to collectively speak with one voice, to convince MB to rethink and bring it back?

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[JPD]

My car is on order with the dealer and I didn't realise, until I'd read on this forum that it was even possible. Honestly, I'd never considered it an option - but the experience sounds truly one of a kind and I think even my wife, who's not into cars at all would really enjoy it too.

Before I talk to the dealer about it - the current agreement is pickup from the dealer on 1st March 2017 for a 2017 plate - I'd be interested to hear if you have been in a similar situation recently (the previous thread ended in 2009) and how it went.

• Can it even happen after the order has been submitted?
• Did the dealer mind? Were they helpful?
• Do you get your UK plates in Germany for the drive back or temp German ones?
• Who pays for the flights/hotels etc?

Picked SLK200 up from the Bremen welcome centre/factory in 2001, SLK Built with all my options - ordered through Mercedes Germany

The experience was incredible, flew to Hamberg then train to Bremen, (I paid for flights), Welcome centre reception was 1st Class, I received a tour of the SLK production liner (2 hours) and given lunch. Car was brought into reception room where I was given a full breakdown of the car. The welcome centre arranged German insurance for 1 month and also German temperay number plates again one month. I did however have to pay German VAT which at the time was 3% more than UK VAT. Upon registration in UK and payment of UK VAT the Welcome centre then paid back my German VAT. I paid 23% less for the SLK below that of Mercedes UK s specified price with my chosen options at the time(fully loaded).
I then drove home (overnight in Arnhem and Ferry from Hook of Holland to Hull the following day).
Great experience. One word of warning thou, A year later Mercedes Germany increased the right-hand drive subsidy from £450 to £2500 in an attempt to curb UK buyers from purchasing in Germany! I went on to sell the car 2 years later for the exact same price as I paid for it. (went and bought an S-Class).

The dealers in Germany were outstanding and all aspects of the transaction went smoothly. As I had to pay the full cost of the car up from 2 months before picking it up, this caused give me 2 months of worry and trepidation but everything went seamlessly. (not like UK dealers).

I don't think in todays climate with the Euro/£ being so poor and Brexit hanging over the UK that one could make a substanual saving anymore?
Hope this helps?

 

[gr1nch]

Although it was not possible to collect my car from the factory (Sindelfingen in my case), I took the car there as part of a "grand tour" BE-CH-IT-AT-DE-BE.

.
Had the minor inconvenience of making it happen myself, but a great experience taking in both tours of the factory and museum.

Sent from my G3112 using Tapatalk

 

[LostKiwi]

I did the Singelfingen collection in 1998 and it was a fantastic experience. I don't understand why UK customers cannot do this when customers from other countries can.

 

[keefysher]

I did the Singelfingen collection in 1998 and it was a fantastic experience. I don't understand why UK customers cannot do this when customers from other countries can.

cos of Brexit??

Bit difficult to have collected my GLE from the factory and drive it back. Built in the US

If possible to collect in Germany, it might be worth looking at Cunard cruise from Southampton to Hamburg for 2 nights at silly prices if you book very very late Add to the luxury.