Turning Japanese...

jpbp200

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
310
Reaction score
0
Location
North East
Your Mercedes
E220CDI BlueEFF SE Premium Estate/Auto/2015/Diesel
I recently took a forward step in my career (very welcome in these tough times) which has afforded me the chance to change cars. As some of you will know I have been driving a 10 year old C for the last 18 months.... I thought I would like to change it for a new one. After much research I have decided to lease.... So, I have looked at lots and lots of websites and seen some pretty reasonable deals on a new C. I also spotted the VW Passat CC and went to my local dealership to enquire. I walked into the showroom and told the salesman that I was looking to lease a new CC. "Step this way", he said. After test driving me and announcing that he was willing to "Do a deal" he came up with a figure twice that which I had seen on the internet. When I questioned it and showed him a website (www.lingscars.co.uk) he said, and I quote "Oh, well you need to talk to our lease dept then" I said "well yes obviously as I am looking to lease that would make sense" .

To cut a long story short I have not heard from them.....

Then I came across Honda. While I was investigating I had a call from MB central saying my MOT was due and did I wish to book it in. My reply was no as I had already had it done but while they were on would they like to quote me for a new car on a PCH. They took my details in terms of my local dealer and said they would be in touch. Amazingly, I have heard nothing back.

As a result I am taking delivery of a brand new 2.2i Dtec EX on wednesday......

I would have bought an MB if only they rang me back..... likewise a VW.

amazing.......
 

Blobcat

Moderator
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Messages
38,785
Reaction score
27,420
Location
Grange Moor
Your Mercedes
R171 SLK280, Smart R451, Land Rover 110 County SW, 997 C2S, R1250 GSA TE 40th, CBR600FP
Lingscars does some very good deals on leases that not many (if any) of the manufacturers can match. A friend has leased 2 via her site and been very happy with them.
 
OP
J

jpbp200

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
310
Reaction score
0
Location
North East
Your Mercedes
E220CDI BlueEFF SE Premium Estate/Auto/2015/Diesel
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
Lingscars does some very good deals on leases that not many (if any) of the manufacturers can match. A friend has leased 2 via her site and been very happy with them.

I went to Honda main dealer and they offered a better deal than Ling, after some haggling.... I hadn't even given MB a price to beat. VW obviously weren't interested. It must mean the deal I showed them was good ;-) Hats off to Honda though......
 

Alex M Grieve

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
9,388
Reaction score
60
Location
Broom, Warwickshire
Your Mercedes
B Class d200 Sport Premium Plus (66)
I recently took a forward step in my career (very welcome in these tough times) which has afforded me the chance to change cars. As some of you will know I have been driving a 10 year old C for the last 18 months.... I thought I would like to change it for a new one. After much research I have decided to lease.... So, I have looked at lots and lots of websites and seen some pretty reasonable deals on a new C. I also spotted the VW Passat CC and went to my local dealership to enquire. I walked into the showroom and told the salesman that I was looking to lease a new CC. "Step this way", he said. After test driving me and announcing that he was willing to "Do a deal" he came up with a figure twice that which I had seen on the internet. When I questioned it and showed him a website (www.lingscars.co.uk) he said, and I quote "Oh, well you need to talk to our lease dept then" I said "well yes obviously as I am looking to lease that would make sense" .

To cut a long story short I have not heard from them.....

Then I came across Honda. While I was investigating I had a call from MB central saying my MOT was due and did I wish to book it in. My reply was no as I had already had it done but while they were on would they like to quote me for a new car on a PCH. They took my details in terms of my local dealer and said they would be in touch. Amazingly, I have heard nothing back.

As a result I am taking delivery of a brand new 2.2i Dtec EX on wednesday......

I would have bought an MB if only they rang me back..... likewise a VW.

amazing.......

This is a staggering account of breathtaking arrogance and inefficiency by any motor car manufacturer in the current climate!

Do people who will not respond to genuine interest of this sort deserve to survive?

The launch of the new E Class was little better from my point of view. Days, possibly hours before their launch parties two dealers phoned me to "follow up invitations which I had received". Sadly, I had never received them, there was no time to reorganize my plans, and I was unable to attend.

There are lots of apocryphal stories of manufacturing not talking to sales and marketing (which is at the root of over production), but in the current straightened times in the motor industry, I think it is astonishing that they can't even hit the easy targets. And that is their day job.

They are after all the soft end of the business which we are tacitly being required to fund by over servicing!
 
OP
J

jpbp200

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
310
Reaction score
0
Location
North East
Your Mercedes
E220CDI BlueEFF SE Premium Estate/Auto/2015/Diesel
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
"Staggering" is the only word.
 
Last edited:

Juddian

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2006
Messages
897
Reaction score
0
Location
Kettering
Your Mercedes
W124CE/1996/3199cc/LPG'd
Forward thinking from the indifferent responses to your desire to put money in someone's pocket, imagine the 'we'll move Heaven and earth' reaction to a serious problem developing with a car once they've banked the lolly.

A lot of glass palaces are still there housing the same attitude's, but if people are daft enough to accept it they'll carry on just the same.
 

hawk20

Senior Member
Joined
May 27, 2006
Messages
4,971
Reaction score
11
Your Mercedes
ML250 BlueTEC Sport
How anyone could allow their choice of car to be made on the basis of which salesman did or did not phone back is quite beyond me.
 

mikestrivens

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,715
Reaction score
147
Location
Stockport
Your Mercedes
1995 W124 320TE, 1998 R129 SL500, 2016 Triumph Tiger 800 XCx
How anyone could allow their choice of car to be made on the basis of which salesman did or did not phone back is quite beyond me.

That's a bit harsh. When buying a new car most people will look at similar models from different manufacturers. Given that they are all designed by computers and have similar specs these days the deciding factors are more likely to boil down to customer service. We have seen much evidence of poor customer service on this forum, so surely poor customer service should be punished by taking business elsewhere.
 

100%Bitch

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2006
Messages
3,810
Reaction score
93
Location
Norfolk 'n' good
Your Mercedes
215 CL600, 216 Facelift CL500, 172 SLK55, Nissan Cube, R170 SLK230 & an Auto Trail Comanche.
I agree with Chris.

If you REALLY wanted a VW or an MB you would have just gone to a different dealer to see if their customer service was better than the original dealer.

The OP obviously didn't mind which of the three he ended up with (or so it seems to me)
 

Blobcat

Moderator
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Messages
38,785
Reaction score
27,420
Location
Grange Moor
Your Mercedes
R171 SLK280, Smart R451, Land Rover 110 County SW, 997 C2S, R1250 GSA TE 40th, CBR600FP
Hello, I am Ling. Thanks for comments. I notice people visiting my website from this discussion. :)
Hi & Welcome,

I must admit I never confuse your web site with any manufacturers one :shock:
 

grober

Senior Member
Joined
May 15, 2002
Messages
2,947
Reaction score
27
Location
Scotland
Your Mercedes
W204 C200cdi estate
Would be interesting to see a list of these "Manufacturer Investment" MB dealers.
 
OP
J

jpbp200

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
310
Reaction score
0
Location
North East
Your Mercedes
E220CDI BlueEFF SE Premium Estate/Auto/2015/Diesel
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #13
How anyone could allow their choice of car to be made on the basis of which salesman did or did not phone back is quite beyond me.

I think you are very very wrong in your assumption.

I have owned BMW, VW and MB. My choice is not based on which salesman phoned back but on value for money. The VW salesman’s excuse for charging so much was "well you get the customer service here" I asked what I was going to get for £150 per month, which was the price difference. He couldn't answer that and then couldn't wait to get rid of me as the £££ signs disappeared from his eyes!

So, whilst I agree that MB is a quality product it is not worth the premium that is charged IMO. Neither in fact, is it that much of a better car.

It's a bit like the difference in using gold connectors on your audio system. Can you really honestly tell the difference? No, but you know you have them and if that's what makes you happy then fine, it's your money. A little bit of the same goes into owning a top marque, it's about prestige and showing off. I admit that you could probably tell the difference on a track but not in a traffic jam which is where I spend most of my time behind the wheel!

Equally when spending upwards of £28k I do not want to have to beg someone to take it off me!!!!!

I bet they love you in your local MB dealership you will phone them up and ask who to make the cheque out to and if they can't be bothered to answer the phone you will call in instead!!!! If only ALL customers were like that. ;)
 
Last edited:
OP
J

jpbp200

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
310
Reaction score
0
Location
North East
Your Mercedes
E220CDI BlueEFF SE Premium Estate/Auto/2015/Diesel
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #14
That is my point. It then boils down to customer service.

Exactly. I will get a new one in 3 years time. Maybe MB will be more competetive then. Who knows......
 
OP
J

jpbp200

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
310
Reaction score
0
Location
North East
Your Mercedes
E220CDI BlueEFF SE Premium Estate/Auto/2015/Diesel
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #15
That's a bit harsh. When buying a new car most people will look at similar models from different manufacturers. Given that they are all designed by computers and have similar specs these days the deciding factors are more likely to boil down to customer service. We have seen much evidence of poor customer service on this forum, so surely poor customer service should be punished by taking business elsewhere.

Very well put. I am a classic example of a customer who has put customer service above other details. Surely I am not the only one as Hawk's tone implies? MB have lots of good points but then so do Honda as well as various others. So ultimately there have to be deciding factors. In my case price, value for money and customer service in that order. The money I have saved will be spent on my family not wasted on admiring glances from strangers.
 

Alex M Grieve

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
9,388
Reaction score
60
Location
Broom, Warwickshire
Your Mercedes
B Class d200 Sport Premium Plus (66)
Very well put. I am a classic example of a customer who has put customer service above other details.

In the current market (oversupply of cars, credit crunch and reduced numbers of buyers), good salesmanship and customer service are key factors which will differentiate between those companies which survive and those which do not.

After all, many products will do the job. Good products, manufactured to high standards with good reliability, durability and functionality are competing for a very limited number of customers.

No training course ever taught a salesman not to return a call. Indeed, the speed of response is a key performance indicator in this field. The fact that a response must follow is a given.

The fact that no response happened in this case betrays not only a bad attitude by the salesperson, but a bad ethos in the company generally, with poor or no supervision.

That is not the company I would like to have sell me a product or look after my car.

The deed itself superficially may seem insignificant, but on more thoughtful analysis it is symptomatic of a much greater problem.
 
OP
J

jpbp200

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
310
Reaction score
0
Location
North East
Your Mercedes
E220CDI BlueEFF SE Premium Estate/Auto/2015/Diesel
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #17
I agree with Chris.

If you REALLY wanted a VW or an MB you would have just gone to a different dealer to see if their customer service was better than the original dealer.

The OP obviously didn't mind which of the three he ended up with (or so it seems to me)

Not necessarily as a 'good' dealer 100 miles away is of no interest to me. And you are right, I was not really that fussed about which one as all have their good and bad points. The whole package including customer service etc. was what I was looking at.
 
Last edited:
OP
J

jpbp200

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
310
Reaction score
0
Location
North East
Your Mercedes
E220CDI BlueEFF SE Premium Estate/Auto/2015/Diesel
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #18
I'm glad someone found a cheaper deal than I had at the time on that Honda; I can only do human achievements, I am not superhuman.

You did originally quote me on a Passat CC and your deals are very good. I was quite surprised when the Honda dealer was able to beat your price on the Accord by £13 per month as I was ready to order from you..... Maybe next time....... I will keep looking at your site and will certainly tell people about it. Keep up the good work. Just out of interest would you have been able to match the dealer price?
 

ALFIEBEARD

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
804
Reaction score
5
Age
70
Location
DUMFRIES
Your Mercedes
JAGUAR XF-R SPORT
I recently took a forward step in my career (very welcome in these tough times) which has afforded me the chance to change cars. As some of you will know I have been driving a 10 year old C for the last 18 months.... I thought I would like to change it for a new one. After much research I have decided to lease.... So, I have looked at lots and lots of websites and seen some pretty reasonable deals on a new C. I also spotted the VW Passat CC and went to my local dealership to enquire. I walked into the showroom and told the salesman that I was looking to lease a new CC. "Step this way", he said. After test driving me and announcing that he was willing to "Do a deal" he came up with a figure twice that which I had seen on the internet. When I questioned it and showed him a website (www.lingscars.co.uk) he said, and I quote "Oh, well you need to talk to our lease dept then" I said "well yes obviously as I am looking to lease that would make sense" .

To cut a long story short I have not heard from them.....

Then I came across Honda. While I was investigating I had a call from MB central saying my MOT was due and did I wish to book it in. My reply was no as I had already had it done but while they were on would they like to quote me for a new car on a PCH. They took my details in terms of my local dealer and said they would be in touch. Amazingly, I have heard nothing back.

As a result I am taking delivery of a brand new 2.2i Dtec EX on wednesday......

I would have bought an MB if only they rang me back..... likewise a VW.

amazing.......

Honda eh lovely motors, I heard on the grapevine that the Diesels had problems with heavy oil consumption:shock:, probably rubbish but worth mentioning.;)
Alfie B
 
OP
J

jpbp200

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
310
Reaction score
0
Location
North East
Your Mercedes
E220CDI BlueEFF SE Premium Estate/Auto/2015/Diesel
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #20
Honda eh lovely motors, I heard on the grapevine that the Diesels had problems with heavy oil consumption:shock:, probably rubbish but worth mentioning.;)
Alfie B

Thanks for that. I hope that the new Dtec is better than its predecessor. If it's rubbish I will take it back.....lol ;)
 

AIB understand your special Mercedes deserves a special insurance policy. We have a refreshing attitude to insuring high performance, modified, imported or classic and vintage cars and deal with the UK’s leading insurers. We offer discounts for length of ownership, where the vehicle is kept overnight and limiting the mileage and can also cater for those clients who need higher mileage and business use. To obtain a quotation please call the team on 02380 268351 or visit us atAIB Insurance
Top Bottom