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Car Forum / Mercedes-Benz Cars / August 2005

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Maintenance No Longer Included on New Mercedes

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DaFlaBear - 31 Jul 2005 16:49 GMT
These guys are shooting themselves in the foot with this policy.
I just looked at at some new Jaguars yesterday and the salesman reminded
me of it. Every luxury car includes maintenance except Mercedes, how
arrogant.
I'm going to buy a 2006 luxury car in the fall to replace my 2002 S500,
if Mercedes doesn't change their policy on comp maintenance it won't be
a Mercedes.
Karl - 31 Jul 2005 20:44 GMT
Funny how when most everyone that bought an '05 or '04 MB and was given a questionaire, they checked
the box 'did not' when asked if "Does free maintenance matter?"

Now when MB listens and responds to the questions and answers, everyone bitches and moans. Too f'ing
bad. Wah wah wah. READ what you people are filling out. You people are the same ones that come back
saying this doesn't work or that doesn't and we, as techs waste our time verifying something that
works as it's designed. 99% of the time it boils down to RTFM. If you people don't know what RTFM
means: Read The F'ing Manual. I know.... too lazy. But never too lazy to bitch bitch bitch.

You got what you asked for, quit yer bitchin'.

> These guys are shooting themselves in the foot with this policy.
> I just looked at at some new Jaguars yesterday and the salesman reminded
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> if Mercedes doesn't change their policy on comp maintenance it won't be
> a Mercedes.
Guenter Scholz - 01 Aug 2005 02:43 GMT
>Funny how when most everyone that bought an '05 or '04 MB and was given
>a questionaire, they checked
>the box 'did not' when asked if "Does free maintenance matter?"

 - snip -   :-))

what maintenance?? oil change?? wind shield wipers?  give me a break.
Considering I 'WILL' pay for it in a new car..... count me out.

cheers, guenter
Karl - 01 Aug 2005 06:43 GMT
Count me out of what?  Buying a new MB?  Your money, your choice.

BTW wiper blades were part of the free maintenance service from 2000 to 2002. MB stopped paying for
them on B services in 2003. This is in the USA, not sure how MBCanada did it.

If you feel that since YOU are paying for the car then you should pay for the maintenance, fine, you
are agreeing with the majority of the people that bought 04 and 05 MB's.

If you feel that since YOU are paying for the car then MB should pay for the services, too bad. When
you buy a house for a WHOLE lot more money, what is paid for during the 1st 4 years???   'Hey, as a
buyer for this fine $400,000 home, we are going to pay the interest payments for the 1st 4 years
just so you won't buy our competitors house.' Yeah, right. Reality sucks, doesn't it?

>>Funny how when most everyone that bought an '05 or '04 MB and was given
>>a questionaire, they checked
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> cheers, guenter
Martin Joseph - 01 Aug 2005 07:24 GMT
> If you feel that since YOU are paying for the car then MB should pay
> for the services, too bad. When you buy a house for a WHOLE lot more
> money, what is paid for during the 1st 4 years???
> What if the house across the street did include all maintenance?
'Hey, as a buyer for this fine $400,000 home, we are going to pay the
interest payments for the 1st 4 years just so you won't buy our
competitors house.' Yeah, right. Reality sucks, doesn't it?
> Reality is that all luxury car companies EXCEPT mercedes, currently  
> include maintenance.

I certainly do understand those customers who don't want to pay extra
for a maintenance at the time of purchase.  I suppose this is why the
survey came out the way it did?

Being competitive in luxury goods business is ALL about kissing some
serious customer behind.  "free" maintenance is not optional in this
regard IMO.
Guenter Scholz - 01 Aug 2005 15:27 GMT
>Count me out of what?  Buying a new MB?  Your money, your choice.
>
>> what maintenance?? oil change?? wind shield wipers?  give me a break.
>> Considering I 'WILL' pay for it in a new car..... count me out.
>>
>> cheers, guenter

free maintenance .... somehow, somewhere, surely we want to be 'in touch'
with our car ..,  something that to some extend the basic maintenance does.
However, I do know people who have absolutely no idea of what happens when
they've turned the ignition key to make the car go ......

cheers, guenter
Dana - 02 Aug 2005 01:38 GMT
> Count me out of what?  Buying a new MB?  Your money, your choice.
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> 4 years just so you won't buy our competitors house.' Yeah, right. Reality
> sucks, doesn't it?

$400,000 house analogy makes no sense whats so ever to me

>>>Funny how when most everyone that bought an '05 or '04 MB and was given
>>>a questionaire, they checked
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>>
>> cheers, guenter
Karl - 02 Aug 2005 02:27 GMT
>> If you feel that since YOU are paying for the car then MB should pay for the services, too bad.
>> When you buy a house for a WHOLE lot more money, what is paid for during the 1st 4 years???
>> 'Hey, as a buyer for this fine $400,000 home, we are going to pay the interest payments for the
>> 1st 4 years just so you won't buy our competitors house.' Yeah, right. Reality sucks, doesn't it?
>
> $400,000 house analogy makes no sense whats so ever to me

What then is a good analogy to you?

Buying a Yugo with rear window defroster so you have something to keep your hands warm when you push
it?

To a lot of people, spending $100,000 +  for a car is a lot of money.
I guess it is chump change to you?
Dana - 03 Aug 2005 04:21 GMT
>>> If you feel that since YOU are paying for the car then MB should pay for
>>> the services, too bad. When you buy a house for a WHOLE lot more money,
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>least they made a vehicle that was superior to almost anything available .
>That certainly isn't the case anymore .
                                                                           
               -Dana

Peter W Peternouschek - 31 Jul 2005 21:42 GMT
So what is the big deal..........You are not buying a cheap car, so you
should be able to maintain it...
One way or the other you are going to pay for maintaenance...remember there
is nothing free....
My two cents
Peter

> These guys are shooting themselves in the foot with this policy.
> I just looked at at some new Jaguars yesterday and the salesman reminded
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> if Mercedes doesn't change their policy on comp maintenance it won't be
> a Mercedes.
Martin Joseph - 01 Aug 2005 07:24 GMT
> So what is the big deal..........You are not buying a cheap car, so you
> should be able to maintain it...
> One way or the other you are going to pay for maintaenance...remember there
> is nothing free....

This is very true. It's all about perception though...
CaptainW116 - 01 Aug 2005 08:14 GMT
You want to play,you have to pay!
greek_philosophizer - 01 Aug 2005 16:46 GMT
This is true but I would guess that
one thing that is attractive is being spared
the annoyance of dealing with the maintenance.

The money may be less important
than the bother.

.
Peter W Peternouschek - 01 Aug 2005 17:55 GMT
Personally I like to manage my own maintenance. At least I know it gets
done. Free or included maintenance  is usually very basic and the absolute
minimum.

> This is true but I would guess that
> one thing that is attractive is being spared
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> .
Karl - 02 Aug 2005 02:30 GMT
> This is true but I would guess that
> one thing that is attractive is being spared
> the annoyance of dealing with the maintenance.
>
> The money may be less important
> than the bother.

You still need the maintenance, whether MB pays for it or you do.

Does this mean since you are paying for it, screw it ...... it is not getting done?

Folks, a MB is not a Toyota or a Honda. They require upkeep. The people who lease a Nissan for 4 or
5 years don't even change the oil!!!
Cheesehead - 02 Aug 2005 18:34 GMT
>Folks, a MB is not a Toyota or a Honda. They require upkeep.

This seems to be a real issue.
But I hear more complaints about dealer misdiagnosis than about vehicle
issues.
And it's no wonder Lexus has a solid niche.
(They seem not smart enough to grow it any larger, though they won
their place.)

At least they were never as bad as the early 80s BMW line and some of
those Jags.
Martin Joseph - 02 Aug 2005 20:18 GMT
>> Folks, a MB is not a Toyota or a Honda. They require upkeep.
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> (They seem not smart enough to grow it any larger, though they won
> their place.)

????  Look for Toyota to become the #1 car company in the world in the
next 18 months...
greek_philosophizer - 02 Aug 2005 21:42 GMT
I wonder if Japan will come under pressure to
stop artificially depressing the value of the yen.

Of course if they did that, we would buy less from
Japan, our interest rates would go up,
our house prices would crash, fun, fun, fun.

.
Martin Joseph - 03 Aug 2005 07:15 GMT
> I wonder if Japan will come under pressure to
> stop artificially depressing the value of the yen.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> .
Many of the toyota vehicles sold in this country are made here, so the
yen has little or nothing at all to do with there price.

But yes there are some interesting potential monetary catastrophes awaiting...
Cheesehead - 03 Aug 2005 13:13 GMT
Isn't that just like M$ always providing low estimates of quarterly
profits
only to always exceed the estimate, giving the appearance of a
prosperity
that is part real and part perception?

But look at the parity now.
A lot of American assembly with both Jp & De engineering.
We've got some awsome quality vehicles over here these days.
And good used vehicles provide some real bargains.
So I'm thanksful for wasteful, rich people.
Sometimes I can afford their left-overs.

Collin
KC8TKA
canoli@sbcglobal.net - 03 Aug 2005 02:49 GMT
>>Folks, a MB is not a Toyota or a Honda. They require upkeep.
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>At least they were never as bad as the early 80s BMW line and some of
>those Jags.

I had an early 80s Jag, a great handling car but unfortunately, it
spent more time on the tow truck than on the road.  

With three Mercedes over the past few years - 240D, 380SL, SL320 -
I've spent less than two thousand dollars total for mechanical
repairs, so I'm entirely satisfied with the quality of the cars.  I
have yet to find dealer service anywhere, though, that is worth a
damn, which is why I've been having my cars worked on by independent
shops.

Canoli
rl1856 - 20 Aug 2005 01:49 GMT
> These guys are shooting themselves in the foot with this policy.
> I just looked at at some new Jaguars yesterday and the salesman reminded
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> if Mercedes doesn't change their policy on comp maintenance it won't be
> a Mercedes.

One benefit to the manufacturer and dealer is that with free scheduled
maintenance, the dealer can verify the service history of the car.
This is particularly important when dealing with a leased vehicle that
will be turned back in at the end of the lease.  When it comes time to
resell the car, a verified service history is a selling point for the
dealer and the buyer.

By ending free scheduled maintenance, customers will be encouraged to
look for alternatives to the overpriced dealers when it comes time to
service their cars.  I can easily forsee dealers using "dealer service"
as a carrot when it comes time to administer warranty claims-  leading
to plenty of unhappy customers.

MB looses on 3 levels- 1 when trying to resell a car without a verified
service history 2- denied warranty claims leading to disgrunted
customers 3- dealers who stand to loose a steady stream of service
revenue.

Best,

JD
 
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