Dealers, good or bad

[oldcro]

Any Mercedes dealers in Scotland that members feel their service has been very good very good, or even very bad? Did you get good service and would you go back to the dealer for servicing or buying? Had a bad experience and would not touch them again with a barge pole.

Maybe a list of dealers over the Uk with a star rating would be a usefull forum addition. Sorry if it has already been done and I have failed to find it.

 

[television]

A star rating would be an inoffensive way of naming by using a plus stars and minus stars

 

[whitenemesis]

A star rating would be an inoffensive way of naming by using a plus stars and minus stars

Would it be fair/unbiased?

People tend to be quick to criticise, slow to praise

 

[television]

Would it be fair/unbiased?

People tend to be quick to criticise, slow to praise

I think that there is the rare occasion where people find a good one, at least a dealer not mentioned is in the clear then

 

[hawk20]

I can't imagine anyone not being offended if they get minus five stars from one disgruntled customer.

This issue has been raised over and over again and normally the conclusion is that it is unfair as dealers do not/cannot respond. It is not possible to get a fair representative sample.

And most important the website is subject to libel laws which means it can be sued if it publishes a libel, even though it is not the website saying it officially but just a member. These are the reasons normally given for the UK sites, at least, not going down this road.

BMW had a dispute with one of their forums which nearly led to the forum being closed down

STUMPY on BMW FORUM
http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?p=143563&posted=1#post143563


I'm on a BMW forum too, which is going through a tough time at the moment. It was nearly closed at Xmas due to a few reasons - the main one being legal action by BMW themselves. The Mods haven't gone into detail (fair enough) about BMWs issues with the site, but one would imagine some of it is to do with naming and shaming of dealers, comparing notes on warranty work, a revolt against the warranty prices etc etc. Audi on the other hand actively support the Audi forums. I don't know how much MB monitor this site, but it's something to bear in mind.
__________________

www.bm3w.co.uk

http://www.bm3w.co.uk/index.php

Moderators may care to ponder.......

 

[whitenemesis]

Agree, it wouldn't be representative sample. People who frequent these forums are either enthusiasts or have a problem (or both!). The vast majority of owners just drive their cars, day in day out.

 

[rf065]

Any Mercedes dealers in Scotland that members feel their service has been very good very good, or even very bad? Did you get good service and would you go back to the dealer for servicing or buying? Had a bad experience and would not touch them again with a barge pole.

Maybe a list of dealers over the Uk with a star rating would be a usefull forum addition. Sorry if it has already been done and I have failed to find it.

If shaming dealers leaves the forum open to legal action from Mercedes, then how about a list of dealers who have provided a level of service over and above what could be expected of them. All the consistently best dealers will stay at the top of the list, any dealers who do not appear on the list should be used with caution.

 

[television]

If shaming dealers leaves the forum open to legal action from Mercedes, then how about a list of dealers who have provided a level of service over and above what could be expected of them. All the consistently best dealers will stay at the top of the list, any dealers who do not appear on the list should be used with caution.

My thoughts exactly

 

[whitenemesis]

That sounds workable

 

[oldcro]

Libel?

I cannot see where a libel case comes in if a member describes his experience at a dealers. This could be good or bad, and as long as he was honest with his description there is nothing anyone could do about it. He could award the dealer say from 0 up to 5 stars with his reasons why. The number of entries for that dealer divided into the total number of stars earned would give their star average.

Surely this would be helpfull to the dealers. They would know if they were doing a good job, or indicate areas where improvements are required.

Back to the libel situation. If I visit a dealership, get treated like something the dog dragged in and write to the forum explaining what a bad experience it was, I and the Mercedes Owners club could be guilty of libel? If I instead write of the same visit a glowing report about what a wonderfull experience it was that would be called... Um... urr... what's that word again.. oh! yes ADVERTISING

 

[kth286]

anyone can recommend the services of a dealer.

If it was possible to somehow list the names of dealers in order of the numbers of times they had been recommended, that would be useful perhaps.

In the official ******************, we get issued with a quarterly supplement to the main monthly magazine, which lists recommended garages (grouped geographically) and the name of the recommender and date recommended.

But of course someone has to organise it.

 

[poseidon]

Hi,

I can warmly recommend John R Weir. I have done all repairs (that I can not do myself) at their garage.

They do make mistakes but they will be happy to rectify it for free. If you have problem with their work, and come back to complain, they will fix it immediately. Very skilled and fast professional service. Parts departments are also excellent (never made error).

On the downside, the labour rates are astronomical. Over 100 pounds per hour (as if they all have PhDs).
If you can do work yourself, even if it takes whole saturday, do not visit their garage.

Pose.

 

[oldcro]

Hi,

I can warmly recommend John R Weir. I have done all repairs (that I can not do myself) at their garage.

They do make mistakes but they will be happy to rectify it for free. If you have problem with their work, and come back to complain, they will fix it immediately. Very skilled and fast professional service. Parts departments are also excellent (never made error).

On the downside, the labour rates are astronomical. Over 100 pounds per hour (as if they all have PhDs).
If you can do work yourself, even if it takes whole saturday, do not visit their garage.

Pose.

Thanks for that, not sure I like the sound of £100 plus per hour. Still it depends on how many hours a new C320CDi would require for the normal servicing over say three years. I'm not sure how that price compares with those charged by Audi garages (good) or BMW garages (do not like).

 

[hawk20]

The problem with the UK libel laws is that if you are accused of libel YOU need to prove that what you said was correct and for that you will need expert witnesses and the like who will be up against the expert witnesses of Mercedes or of the dealer. And if the Forum publishes the libel they can be sued too.

And you and the forum need to be able to afford the amazingly high cost of libel lawyers to mount a defence.

Rather than an organised section on dealers, which leaves the forum open to accusations of organising it, the present system of ad hoc postings of members experiences seems to work pretty well IMO and not lead to trouble.

 

[philharve]

Endorse the good garages

Hi All

I share members' concerns about naming and shaming the bad garages in the pages of this forum because it could result in litigation if uncomplimentary remarks made by members were subsequently proved to be untrue.

However, I see nothing wrong about naming those garages that give excellent service. I would go further and create a special section (a 'good garage' directory?) in this forum listing these garages. It would make searching simpler.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[hawk20]

Hi All

I share members' concerns about naming and shaming the bad garages in the pages of this forum because it could result in litigation if uncomplimentary remarks made by members were subsequently proved to be untrue.

However, I see nothing wrong about naming those garages that give excellent service. I would go further and create a special section (a 'good garage' directory?) in this forum listing these garages. It would make searching simpler.

REGARDS

Phil

Now here is your problem. One member goes to dealer Fred Bloggs and says how good he is. Another member goes to Fred Blogs and says how bad he is. Are you saying we just post the good view and ignore the other.

This really happens. There are lots of mechanics at any dealer. One may have a bad day. I recall, recently, a case where one member comnplained bitterly about a dealer not that far from London. Others said how good that dealer was in their experience. Very difficult. It is very hard to come up with a system that does not involve some complex rules and some people to run it.

 

[television]

Now here is your problem. One member goes to dealer Fred Bloggs and says how good he is. Another member goes to Fred Blogs and says how bad he is. Are you saying we just post the good view and ignore the other.

This really happens. There are lots of mechanics at any dealer. One may have a bad day. I recall, recently, a case where one member comnplained bitterly about a dealer not that far from London. Others said how good that dealer was in their experience. Very difficult. It is very hard to come up with a system that does not involve some complex rules and some people to run it.

Very true and a big problem, I do not like some folk from the time that they walk through the door

 

[hawk20]

Thanks for that, not sure I like the sound of £100 plus per hour. Still it depends on how many hours a new C320CDi would require for the normal servicing over say three years. I'm not sure how that price compares with those charged by Audi garages (good) or BMW garages (do not like).

The hours are trivial. About 1 hour for the A service and about 2 hours for the B service. Labour rates are similar for all major luxury makes.

And they look dear becuase of the quaint pricing system they all use. They charge only for labour. Nothing for the workshops, or the diagnostic equipment, or the ramps, or the buildings, nothing for the managers or for marketing. My dealer has an awesome machine. the car goes on it with you inside and an engineer. It then shakes rattles and rolls while you isolate wuith the engineer where that irritating squeak is coming from. So much easier than with one of you driving and watching traffic. NO CHARGE at all for the machine. Just a charge per hour for the labour. Looks dear but it isn't.

Labour intensive jobs can be done at an 'indie' while using main dealers for the services to keep full MBSH and MobiloLife and the free breakdown service.

 

[philharve]

Now here is your problem. One member goes to dealer Fred Bloggs and says how good he is. Another member goes to Fred Blogs and says how bad he is. Are you saying we just post the good view and ignore the other.

This really happens. There are lots of mechanics at any dealer. One may have a bad day. I recall, recently, a case where one member comnplained bitterly about a dealer not that far from London. Others said how good that dealer was in their experience. Very difficult. It is very hard to come up with a system that does not involve some complex rules and some people to run it.

Hi hawke20

Point taken. How about a points system, like the +ve & -ve feedback you give/receive on eBay?

REGARDS

Phil

 

[philharve]

Very true and a big problem, I do not like some folk from the time that they walk through the door

Good morning Malcolm

Why do you sometimes dislike people who walk through your door?

REGARDS

Phil