Why are MB so sh*t at servicing? Well, not always!

[keith100]

Had my first service today... and it was brilliant.

Drove into the service drop-off, met by a young chinese lady who said "Good morning Mr ......" without the least question in her voice (I know, she has a list of Nos. and matching names, but it still felt good) and takes me over to the SA. SA has the worksheet already made up. While he checks the car, I got an expresso. I sign the workorder,(with agreed price), he signs "no dings" on the car, and in under 8 mins from driving in, I was driving out in the loaner.

Picked it up at 5.30, SA goes over bill at check-out (9c under estimate) and I'm off in a fully valeted car.

First time I've driven off from a service dept feeling good:-D:-D

 

[television]

Customer care is much better in the USA and Canada,,there are some good ones in the UK like both sets of dealers down here on the South coast

 

[grayb]

And MB Tonbridge keep pleasantly surprising me with their attentive service - and willingness to do little things for free! Adjusted the Xenon headlamps the other day, as they were set too low. Only 5 minutes on the computer, but never a suggestion of billing me for it. With that and the discounts for older cars, it makes a compelling argument for sticking with them...

 

[rf065]

Had my first service today... and it was brilliant.

Drove into the service drop-off, met by a young chinese lady who said "Good morning Mr ......" without the least question in her voice (I know, she has a list of Nos. and matching names, but it still felt good) and takes me over to the SA. SA has the worksheet already made up. While he checks the car, I got an expresso. I sign the workorder,(with agreed price), he signs "no dings" on the car, and in under 8 mins from driving in, I was driving out in the loaner.

Picked it up at 5.30, SA goes over bill at check-out (9c under estimate) and I'm off in a fully valeted car.

First time I've driven off from a service dept feeling good:-D:-D

I'd be interested in what it cost you for this service. Part of the complaint over dealerships in the UK is the price of servicing. I suspect in Canada you only pay a fraction of the UK price, hence your happiness.

Russ

 

[Rory]

Of the 4 times I've been to my local dealership - 2 services and 2 MOTs - I've had the meet and greet treatment once (the guy did know my name etc, but no coffee).

The time taken to hand over the car is ridiculous - once it was 40mins. Last time the service advisor assigned to me was busy and I was asked to wait, yet there was no-one else there! I asked if someone else could take the car off me and the useless SA that I usually get grumpily came out and made it completely clear that this was a special favour and to call the assigned SA if any queries.

Twice I've arranged to have a certain courtesy car - time before last an E320CDi and last time a C220CDi (mine is nearly 4yrs old so you'd think they'd be interested in selling me a new one) and both times I was given an A class with a shrug when I queried it.

 

[keith100]

I'd be interested in what it cost you for this service. Part of the complaint over dealerships in the UK is the price of servicing. I suspect in Canada you only pay a fraction of the UK price, hence your happiness.

Russ

It wasn't cheap compared to what I pay for the occasional oil change for the long neglected Pontaic-about 8 times as much in fact. The MB service was 160 quid including VAT. Knock of the 30 I would have paid soon for a local valet and I guess you could say it was only 130.

Much to my surprise, MB charged less for a litre of Mobile 1 than our local auto outlet!

Cheers

 

[keith100]

Customer care is much better in the USA and Canada,,there are some good ones in the UK like both sets of dealers down here on the South coast

Not always Malcolm - my VW/Audi dealer was an arrogant unhelpful sod! No loaner, no courtesy ride, no wash and often late, and absolutely no charm.

 

[rf065]

It wasn't cheap compared to what I pay for the occasional oil change for the long neglected Pontaic-about 8 times as much in fact. The MB service was 160 quid including VAT. Knock of the 30 I would have paid soon for a local valet and I guess you could say it was only 130.

Much to my surprise, MB charged less for a litre of Mobile 1 than our local auto outlet!

Cheers

In the UK you would have been charged over £100 for the Mobil 1 alone (£15 a litre) & at least £100 an hour labour, even more in the London area.

Even supplying my own Mobil 1, my last B service cost £468, and thats after only 20,000 miles so not as if there was a lot of work needed (oil,filters & brake fluid only). God help you if you need new brake pads & discs, gearbox oil change and any major work as you would need to take out a mortgage to pay for it at UK prices.

Russ

 

[GseRacing]

When i called my local MB to discuss servicing on the ML i am looking at the young lady told me that an A service would be about £200-300 and a B about £300-400. Now having paid audi prices for the last year that is fairly similar. Am i to gather that these estimates might be a little on the small side?

 

[rf065]

When i called my local MB to discuss servicing on the ML i am looking at the young lady told me that an A service would be about £200-300 and a B about £300-400. Now having paid audi prices for the last year that is fairly similar. Am i to gather that these estimates might be a little on the small side?

In my experience, I would say you have been quoted labour prices only, minus VAT. Unless the car is over 3 years old and they are discounting the rates?

Russ

 

[GseRacing]

Yes its 6 years old. she said it includes all labour and parts excluding anythign outside of the normal service.

 

[rf065]

Yes its 6 years old. she said it includes all labour and parts excluding anythign outside of the normal service.

That explains the price then. Some dealers run a scheme where cars over 3 years old get a discount, the older the car, the bigger the discount.

Russ

 

[hawk20]

When i called my local MB to discuss servicing on the ML i am looking at the young lady told me that an A service would be about £200-300 and a B about £300-400. Now having paid audi prices for the last year that is fairly similar. Am i to gather that these estimates might be a little on the small side?

Sounds right. My S320cdi was £235 inc vat for the A service after 15k miles and £444 inc vat for the B service after about 30k miles. Just over 2p per mile for servicing makes it the small change of motoring IMO. And you get free MobiloLife (breakdown cover in UK and Europe, which for me and wife would be £150 from AA plus another £100 for European cover for holidays etc). And you get all the updates, service campaigns free, of course. Great value IMO.

Have a look at WhatCar and it gives total servicing costs for 3 years/36k miles and MB are similar to other luxury cars.

 

[Rory]

It wasn't cheap compared to what I pay for the occasional oil change for the long neglected Pontaic-about 8 times as much in fact. The MB service was 160 quid including VAT. Knock of the 30 I would have paid soon for a local valet and I guess you could say it was only 130.

Much to my surprise, MB charged less for a litre of Mobile 1 than our local auto outlet!

Cheers

As others have said, £160 is incredibly cheap compared to UK prices, although perhaps the pricing gets closer as sterling weakens.

I don't know about Cananda, but in the US most permium brands include basic servicing free for the first few years anyway. I think MB used to, but dropped it a couple of years ago.

 

[keith100]

As others have said, £160 is incredibly cheap compared to UK prices, although perhaps the pricing gets closer as sterling weakens.

I don't know about Cananda, but in the US most permium brands include basic servicing free for the first few years anyway. I think MB used to, but dropped it a couple of years ago.

Rory,

Don't think its the exchange rate. All currencies have taken a major hit against the US dollar in the past few months, and sterling not much worse than ours or the Euro.

The immediate comp. does offer free servicing for 4 yrs., MB only free pads rotors, bulbs etc for 2 years. So maybe they feel a bit constrained - don't want the forums full of outrage over service prices, deterring potential buyers?

Cheers