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Before I bought my new car, I brought my 2014 model in for service. As usual I asked for a loaner car. I was told I was not eligible. What do you mean not eligible? We only provide loaners for model year 2019 and newer I was told. Since when? I was incensed.
When I brought my car in and waited for three hours, my frustration grew. I have been a customer for many years and spent many thousands of dollars at the dealership.
I looked for the manager who then explained that was the new policy, but there could exceptions- presumably for customers like me.
Later while still waiting, I saw several people at a table in the general managers office and stuck my head in. Could you just explain your new policy on loaners I calmly asked.
It turns out many customers were bringing older cars in for repair or service and taking a loaner, often over a weekend and then when they received the estimate for the work, declined to have it done thus getting free use of a new Mercedes for the weekend. Rather unscrupulous to my way of thinking but frequent enough for the dealer to change policy and upset long-term customers.
No doubt these are the same people who misplace shopping carts. 😎
I have so many bad experiences with BMW dealerships, that I would not go there again.
1/ Got a brand-new BMW, the tires pressure keeps dropping I have to refill every two weeks, dealership said that is normal (?) and refuse to do anything (for a 75K car 10 years ago). The problem finally went away when i put on 4 new tires at Costco.
2/ I lost one of my key, the service advisor said the key would cost $550 plus $200 for programming. While waiting for an oil change, I stop at the part department, gave them the VIN, they order the replacement, no $200 programming.
3/ They said my oil is leak during the oil change, cost $3000 plus to fix, that was 2 years ago, the car still running no issue.
4/ I purchased 6 years/100K maintenance and extended warranty, about 1 month left on the policy, I took the car to the dealer for oil change and final check before the policy is expired, the dealer refused to do it because since the last oil change, it is only 8K miles instead of 10K.
5/ Will never by another BMW, by the way, I did not have any issue with Infinity dealer. So, I guess it is depended on the location.
6/ In general, it is hard to defend the tactic of car salesman with so many people with so many bad experiences.
That’s worrying. I am thinking of buying a new car, but reading Consumer Reports the only one that generated any interest was a BMW sports car. More research needed…
I doubt all BMW dealers are like that.
I have had my car to different dealers in different states and never had an issue. In Florida I had it serviced and the dealer arranged and paid for an Uber to and from my hotel.
Deleted for personal reasons.
I avoid dealerships like the plague. The last but one had a fender-bender doing a test drive with my nearly new MX6. I had to threaten the last one with having my car declared a lemon before they would properly fix the AC.
Only two reasons I would go near one aside from buying a car:
If the service is free.
If there’s a recall – and even then I might still go to the local independent I’ve been using for decades.
Actually, since Dick’s father worked for a dealership, I thought this was going to be a piece praising them.
When I bought my last two new Toyotas they come with “free” maintenance every 5K miles or 5 months for two years. I take the vehicles in during this timeframe as I know I have paid for it then everything after that, except for warranty work, is at an independent garage except recalls. Every year or two the dealership offers a free oil change and tire rotation (I assume to get me to utilize their services going forward) which I take advantage of then continue with the independent garage.
I thought it was a piece showing how people take advantage of them.
And you actually bought another car from these characters??? This kind of treatment would lead me to never again darken their doors!!
We have a 10 year old Toyota Highlander. The warning light came on while we were in the Berkshire Mts last summer. We pulled into a an independent service station— only option for miles— and a worker who was no more than 20 helped us. He attached an iPad to something under the dashboard. He read the code, told us the car was safe to drive until we hit home, and refused payment. My husband forced him to accept $20.
Nice kid who learned early how to treat people. Glad he took the well-deserved $20.
Wait, you think the dealer is wrong doing what I described? They should have communicated it better to me, but people were taking advantage and ripping them off.
Probably the customers saw the estimates for service and knew they were being ripped off, I’d never get a repair at a dealer. The problem with the Highlander was a sensor that had gone bad. The estimate at Toyota dealer was $1240; the independent charged $742!
They were already were driving a Mercedes, they knew cost level. But in any case no excuse for their behavior.
It’s a cause and effect thing, like a workplace company policy, implemented because someone screwed up. I’m very familiar with such policies, as there were a few named after me😇
Sad how a few people can wreck it for everyone.
The independent garage I use can repair most vehicles—the owner has invested heavily in modern technology and diagnostic equipment. I’m fortunate to live in a jurisdiction where laws require manufacturers to share technical data with independent repair shops. The right-to-repair movement still has considerable ground to cover in the US.
I like that, Mark. Competition between providers to give good service at a reasonable price is desirable. Rules, like those you cited, help to ensure a level playing field to allow for that.
It’s a European-wide law that was deliberately implemented about 25 years ago to break manufacturers’ monopoly on repairs and give consumers the freedom to choose their own maintenance providers. The law was recently strengthened so that even brand new cars can now be serviced anywhere without voiding the manufacturer’s warranty.
Seems sensible.
Hey Mark. Is this what you mean?’
Not just any mechanic can properly fix a Mercedes-Benz; you need a specialist with Mercedes-Benz training, advanced diagnostic tools, and specific certifications, like those found at independent European auto shops or dealerships, as their complex systems and high-tech components require specialized care beyond general mechanics. While dealerships offer expertise and genuine parts, certified independent Mercedes specialists provide dealership-level quality, often at better prices, using OEM parts and following manufacturer protocols.
As a Mercedes owner for over 20 years, I totally agree with Mr. Quinn.
You have truly been sold a bill of goods about Mercedes! Even if all you say was true, why would you even want a car that can’t be readily repaired?
Lots of people think costly imported equipment is higher quality. Sometimes it is, but always more difficult and expensive to repair. I met my trusted plumber when he came to replace a high end German faucet in a house I briefly rented. He’s too polite to curse but he used the word “hate,” and said it was the second time he’d replaced it (ie three faucets) in less than ten years. He’s gradually gone through my house and replaced three Moen fixtures with his favorite, Delta, plus installed a Delta in the shower and sink in the new bathroom.
I recall having a conversation with a guy who repaired some collision damage to my 2009 Saturn. Comparing my car to a BMW he recently worked on, he said the BMW was very complex. So I tend to disagree with your first sentence, but I remember being in total agreement with your second sentence.
Yeah that’s the very thing. In Europe, this is actually a legal right. “Block Exemption” laws force Mercedes and every other manufacturer to give independent shops the same software, diagnostic tools, and digital service logs as dealerships. This means you can get dealership-level service at a local garage without losing your warranty or official service history—the mechanics have to have a digital certificate and pass stringent exams plus practical tests. Every good independent will have this as part of their management strategy and still substantially undercut a dealership.
Guess the message here is to keep a newer model vehicle so you can get a loaner. That’s probably (1) reason you bought a newer model last year, plus the expense of the repairs that were hard to justify.
A slightly different policy change was Costco’s return policy for tv’s. They allowed a return one year after purchase, and that’s what customers where doing. That way they could get the newest technology and apply the full refund to a newer tv.
More often than not i will just wait, but not for many hours. Many a HD post was written in the dealership waiting room enjoying “free” coffee and a bagel.
Why take your car to a dealer for service after the warranty expires? The professional local independent garage I use does the same quality work for half the price.
I took the American cars I had to a local garage, but these cars are so complicated I just have more confidence in their dealer with all the right equipment and information from the manufacturer. On this car part of the deal was four regular maintenance visits included so that takes 40,000 miles of use.
We live in the days of $200+ /hr labor rate. Likely $300+ at the MB dealer. Harder to keep an old car turning a wrench due to all of the gee-whiz tech.
When i take my 8 year old Tesla in, they are sometimes gracious to waive the warranty-loaner rule. And a brand new loaner always tempts me to trade-in my trusty, paid-off workhorse.
$399 an hour today.
You clearly live in an HCOL area. Probably very HCOL. I just had my car inspected and serviced. The inspection fee is set by the state and includes labor. The tire rotation was free as I bought the tires from them. Replacing the wiper blades was free. Total labor cost for the oil change and replacing the engine and cabin air filters was $77.29. Back in February the labor cost for replacing the rear brake pads and rotors was $235.56, and I’m pretty sure that took more than an hour.
Now there is a racket – state mandated auto inspections. Colorado was forced into repealing its inspection law in the early 1980s after a totally shaming 9News expose’. The world didn’t end.
We do have emission inspection requirements.
Interesting, I just saw that a Republican senator in NC filed a bill in February to get the price raised. Seems to have been referred to the Rules Committee and stayed there.
Where’s the defence of the car dealers there? Bad behaviour produced on the basis of some other bad behaviour ( possibly quite tenuous). Would be far easier to have a contract that said courtesy car was billable at x per day if work didn’t end up being contacted at the garage.
Or perhaps limit the mileage per day to some reasonable limit. Anything in excess is $5/mile. $500 deposit required upfront.