Independent Mercedes specialist or general garage?

[wiltsandy]

Hi Neil,

If you move "down the food chain" to a generalist garage, there may not be much of a saving on hourly rate, but there will be a big degradation in product knowledge and experience.

I've just fallen foul of this situation with my Jeep. It failed the MOT yesterday, needing a new rear wheel bearing. The garage quoted me £125 for the job, inc the MOT. It's an easy job so that sounded about right but as I haven't got the time at the moment, I agreed that they could do the work.

This morning I got a phone call to say that the 1hr their 'system' quoted for the job was going to be more like three as they'd broken a brake pipe trying to remove the backplate. The brakes don't need to be touched to change the bearing!

To cut a long story short, I had to visit the garage to show them how to change the bearing and have now entered a 'discussion' with them about who's footing the bill for all the extra work they've generated by unnecessarily breaking into the brake system. I'm certainly not planning to! In the meantime my Jeep is stuck on their lift in bits!

The SLK is definitely going to an independent specialist!

 

[television]

I agree with what Number Cruncher said tho, i bet theres a ton of "old school" techs out there who find it hard with the new stuff!!

It happened in my trade,,you do not see many TV repair shops any more

 

[stickandrudder]

A good question to ask any Indie is "What made you decide to set up as a Mercedes Specialist?"

"Mercedes is all I know" would be a good answer.
"I thought I saw an opportunity" would not.

 

[television]

A good question to ask any Indie is "What made you decide to set up as a Mercedes Specialist?"

"Mercedes is all I know" would be a good answer.
"I thought I saw an opportunity" would not.

And if he thought that he knew a lot but knew nothing

 

[Alex M Grieve]

And if he thought that he knew a lot but knew nothing

Then how would he know?

 

[S.Speed]

And if he thought that he knew a lot but knew nothing

I wonder who Malcolm can have in mind ???

 

[television]

I wonder who Malcolm can have in mind ???

Someone near you maybe

 

[LancsNeil]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their posts and advice, my car goes in tomorrow am already looking forward to going for a spin after getting her back in fine form! Once all the mechanics are 100% the next thing will be to get the few bubbles of rust around the wheel arches and the boot lid sorted out....I am determined to do this car proud!!

ps I believe I have the smalled glove box in motoring history!! makes me chuckle every time I open it!!

pps I might take you up on that very kind offer Malcolm re the keys, thanks

 

[HAK_C180]

hope you're car gets sorted out. My experience of taking my c180 to a specialist wasn't great. They seem to charge alot of money and had to take it back a few weeks later for some further work.
I now use a local bosch garage. They have all the diagnostic equipment and deal with mercs/bmers, you name it..so have a wide range of experience. I'm sure some indies/specialists are very good but a good general garage will do the job just as well - in my opinion.

 

[Fred2B]

First B service for me

Having bought my C180K earlier this year it is now time for it to have a B service. I have booked into a MB Specialist in Warrington area, they seem like a nice bunch. I don't want to say yet which one until I have some feedback, good or bad. The local MB dealer is offering a B service for £299 with a voucher I cut out of the paper in June-ish, the specialist is quoting less.
Great car, I love it.
Regards
Fred

 

[Telviking]

'I have the smalled glove box in motoring history'

I thought I had, Ain't much bigger than the Ashtray!

Mercedes are entitled to a sense of Humour I suppose

 

[Frontstep]

Re B service £299 that maybe where the price starts but the B service is predominately a "looking" service ie for work and before committing ask what your car is due for they will know but like to tell you whilst the car is in garage!

 

[giuseppe]

B service

It should tell you in your handbook what is required in a B service

 

[Alex Crow]

It should tell you in your handbook what is required in a B service

clever handbook if it knows your brake pads are worn down and the exhaust needs replacing. no garage has a chrystal ball, and service quotes are always a starting point, there are too many unknowns before we see the car...

 

[stickandrudder]

Inn the good old days a service might have INCLUDED the air filter and the spark plugs, then it was dead easy to give a quote!

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Inn the good old days a service might have INCLUDED the air filter and the spark plugs, then it was dead easy to give a quote!

Yes - you would think that menu pricing would include the cost of the consumables known to be required at that service - and I bet the good guys do.

Otherwise, agreeing to a service is just a "starter for 10", with the provider able to score generous bonus points once they get their hands on the car. (with apologies to University Challenge).

 

[grober]

In the end as has been said its about building a relationship with the garage you get to service/repair your car. It works both ways--- the garage has to trust you will be reasonable and pay up for work done and parts ordered in good faith. In many ways it helps if they can see you have taken the trouble to learn a little about the car you own as they are then more likely to explain the work they have done. As the customer you have trust the work they do is necessary and executed with reasonable care and they are technically competent to work on your car. A good locally based Mercedes specialist or good enthusiastic local garage can mean a huge difference in the Mercedes ownership experience. A genuine Mercedes specialist is always going to be a better bet than a general garage for repairs requiring an in depth knowledge of the marque/model such as engine management and body electronic systems and faults in these areas are probably best left to them.

 

[Alex Crow]

there are dishonest garages out there, those that mislead customers on guide prices, and monopolise on the 'extras' when the car is safely in their hands.

there are also many honest garages that simply want to provide a competitive service, please customers, and ensure their return in the future.

it is hard, but the customer must decide which category a particular garage falls into. if they find the garage to be of the former, i suggest keeping well away. if they find the latter, i would urge them to be clear about what they want from the garage, listen carefully to any advice/comments/questions etc put to them and in return for a good service - pay the bill without trying to haggle or asking "yeah, but how much for cash?"!!!

there is often much talk here about the merits or otherwise of garages, but i felt it needed pointing out that customers are no different. there are some that come in for a service, not having had one for 30,000 miles. when we telephone them to discuss the 4x tyres, brake pads/discs and host of other things that need replacing they are told the prices. after some sucking of teeth they agree to this necessary extra work, and on arrival and presentation with the (very fair and already quoted for) bill proceed to complain bitterly about how it is twice as much as they were told before booking it in.

some of these people then proceed to go onto internet forums and bemoan the cynical garage that stung them for twice the quoted service price! naturally none of the wonderful posters on THIS forum would be so naive and ignorant to do this , but it happens elsewhere.

the customers that make my day are many and varied, but all are reasonable and communicative, and share a nice rapport with a garage that just wants to make an honest living. luckily we have many customers that we enjoy this relationship with, and i am more likely to come home smiling than not.

thanks for reading.

 

[Alan Mustard]

Having worked for both an authorised Mercedes dealer and now an independent Mercedes specialist I believe that in modern times you get more value for money, and a better customer relationship with a Mercedes independent specialist.
I say in modern times because since Merc moved to market areas and done away with owners of single dealerships the big players are typically huge companies who must satisfy the needs of the shareholders and the main empahasis on customer satisfaction is geared towards ensuring the bonuses are payed out by the manufacturer, after all they have been budgeted for.
As an indie we are upfront and honest and if we think that the tyres will last another 2000 miles then we will suggest the customer returns at a later date instead of fitting them right now.
We are not interested in "upselling" and are not bonused for additional items found. We do not need to achieve 39 hours+ to start hitting bonus, the emphasis is just on doing an honest job correctly. If it takes two or three times as long to do than the standard time so what! As long as the customer is satisfied.

 

[mik100]

Hi
I think it is always best to use either a franchise or a indie. I had a Merc E300-24, it was a very nice car. I had a local garage, there are no indie's around here, change the head gasket have the head reconned and at the same time chnge the timing chain ect. He put the timing chain back wrongly and I set out for gGermany anyway the chail ate the front cover which resulted in a €2000+ repair(thank you Autograf Furth)which I recovered from the garage's insurance. With the Range rover I do just about everything myself or let a local Land Rover "specialist" do it (under close personal supervision, I did spend a load of dosh on Rovercom diagnostic system so I can look at and clear faults and get a good overallpic of whats going on inside the car. I really do envy yuo guys having such a wide choice of really capable indies in the uk. I do intend to return at least once a year to have a service and any problems adressed on the Merc.
Mik