Almost forgot about the dealer experience

[need2speed]

As you all know, need2speed has gone to a new home a few hours south of me. Long live need2speed2 With Open Road Rallying in mind, I've been on the look-out for a biturbo for their tremendous tuning potential and spotted one last week on M-B Canada's website which lists all pre-owned and Star Certified dealer inventory. Thus began a most interesting and as yet unfinished journey back into the dealership experience.

Step 1: filled out the online inquiry form to the selling dealer located out-of-province.

Step 2: scouted out a similar vehicle at a local dealer, but without the required options. Filled in their online inquiry form requesting a test drive. Call received that evening from Sales Guy #1 for appt next day.

Step 3: arrive at local dealership to be diverted to Sales Guy #2 who informed me the car was sold but they have a couple of new models. The financing is most favorable, would I be interested?

Step 4: inform them I'm really interested in the out-of-province car, and could they transfer it here? Sales Guy #2 gets Sales Guy #3 (manager, apparently in charge of making long distance phone calls) who says he will get right on it, and will probably get me a deal even lower than the advertised price. Meanwhile, Sales Guy #2 emails copies of sales brochures and warranty policy wording (which came stripped of any M-B identifiers for some reason ).

Step 5: wait a few days and receive email quote from Sales Guy #1 for the out-of-province car. Base price is several grand above the advertised list, plus several grand more of add-ons; wheel insurance, admin fee, nitrogen fee, window etching, and of course shipping. Return email to Sales Guy #1 asking what's up with this quote and what happened to Sales Guy #2 and #3, who I actually met.

Step 6: and so begins the dance. Sales Guy #1 says the car isn't Star Certified and the extra cost will go towards all that. Back online to confirm the car is listed as Certified. Email back to Sales Guy #1 with an attached screen shot of the listing, and request that I only deal with Sales Guy #3. Telephone message left for Sales Guy #3 to call and explain.

Step 7: the phone rings, its Sales Guy #4! The out-of-province dealer finally gets around to returning my inquiry a week late. Actually it was a valley girl chewing gum who greets me with "Hey Dean this is Cassandra" like we are long lost friends. One question; is the car Star Certified? Hmmm "smack" "smack" let me check "smack" yes it is. OK, two questions; why is the local dealer trying to upcharge me? Oh you don't need them "smack" you can buy right from us "smack" "smack" and we'll take care of everything but I have this guy coming to look at it tonight so we need a deposit if you want to hold the car. Cassandra, I didn't just fall out of a tree. Send me an quote and I'll look it over first.

Stay tuned for Step 8

 

[gsxr]

Re: OWNER - need2speed

Awesome. Keep the updates coming, Dean!

 

[Peterwissner]

Re: OWNER - need2speed

Good luck Dean! I am a believer in Karmann, I mean Karma. The guy who bought my Adenauer is happy he traded up, I am elated with my trade up to my (your) E500, here's hoping you can continue and get the car you want!

 

[Melville]

Re: OWNER - need2speed

Since we're on the topic of dealer experiences, I'll share a story about my E500E hunt. I reached out to a dealership in MA about a car and they swore up and down that the AC worked and there wasn't a speck of rust. It turns out a member here already looked into the car and was kind enough to share a picture of a rusty fender and notes from a PPI which said AC wasn't working. And they wanted a $500 deposit for the car to go for a PPI. They knew I was not local so they must have figured they might as well lie to me. Nothing to lose.

It goes without saying not all dealers are like this. I've met some really passionate and honest car people at dealerships. Too bad they can't all be like that.

 

[gerryvz]

Hmmm....now seems about the time for Klink to step in to defend the honor of MB "stealers" collectively, all over North America.

 

[Klink]

Hmmm....now seems about the time for Klink to step in to defend the honor of MB "stealers" collectively, all over North America.

Well, I don't think Melville was talking about a GEN-U-WINE MB stealership. Was he? I don't know for sure.

IIRC, Melville, Maui, and Orazio all had recent buying experiences, and perhaps even a service experience or two that weren't too shabby. However, defending the honor of absolutely everybody is way above my pay grade, especially those people, um, you know, "up there" and "out of province"

I will say that "Cassandra" sounds like the best "sales guy" of the bunch so far, unless she actually turns out to be Bruce Jenner hiding from the paparazzi...

 

[skikrazey]

The car Melville was referring to was at a Honda stealership.

 

[Melville]

Well, I don't think Melville was talking about a GEN-U-WINE MB stealership. Was he? I don't know for sure.

IIRC, Melville, Maui, and Orazio all had recent buying experiences, and perhaps even a service experience or two that weren't too shabby. However, defending the honor of absolutely everybody is way above my pay grade, especially those people, um, you know, "up there" and "out of province"

I will say that "Cassandra" sounds like the best "sales guy" of the bunch so far, unless she actually turns out to be Bruce Jenner hiding from the paparazzi...

My story happened at a Honda dealership that happened to have a 500E. The car I bought was serviced at an MB dealership to a very high standard and had a PPI at an MB dealership that was quite good. So I certainly didn't intend to paint all dealerships with the same brush.

 

[Ascension]

Hmmm....now seems about the time for Klink to step in to defend the honor of MB "stealers" collectively, all over North America.

Klink and the bunch who now own and occupy the dealership in Birmingham have rescued the honor of the Birmingham dealership I will tell you that!
The first time I walked into Crown MB after I had bought the 420 I couldn't hit the door fast enough as that was the single most arrogant bunch of I had ever encountered in my life. Thank GOD they are now GONE as after they sued MB when the factory tried to open a second dealership in Birmingham on the other side of town that dealership is now under new ownership. Before the ownership change they were the definition of a "steelership" and you needed to get a jar of Vaseline at the door cause you were going to get .
After the new owners bought it it was quick 180. We almost bought a new C300 from them but the wife is and was in love with the new Chrysler 200S and won the argument ( saved me $20K and got to give it credit her new 200S with that 300 + horse 3.6 and the ZF 9 speed is one dang QUICK lil SOB!!).

 

[need2speed]

Step 8: the tango continues when I hear back from Sales Guy #2 that Sales Manager #3 would rather I try and contact him so don't expect a call.

Step 9: I counter his feint with an email to Sales Gal #4 asking for a written quote to purchase direct and avoid the local yokels.

Step 10: Game, Set, Match. After a few days of silence from everyone, I check the dealer website and see the car is gone. I will now stick to private sales.

 

[yvrbenz]

You should hear what a friend of mine (Friend #1) went through with the Jeep/Ram Truck dealers in Langley, Maple Ridge, Coquitlam, Kamloops, Kelowna plus 2 or 3 in Alberta. All just to trade in his 2014 4-door Rubicon that had been AEV prepped for a Power Wagon.

Another friend (Friend#2) actually went to one of the Langley dealerships as a buyer and approached them with a 3-way deal: if the dealership took the Rubi in-trade for a Power Wagon, they would in-turn buy the Rubi from the dealership.

It was all set-up then the dealership bailed on the deal. They called Friend #1 and told him the 3-way deal was off but they would still take his RUbi in-trade for a Power Wagon, albeit at a lower trade-in value. Called Friend #2 and told them that Friend #1 backed out, then offered to sell Friend #2 a new Rubi from inventory and would build it up EXACTLY like Friend #1's Rubi. THEN, because Friend #1 is the ONLY AEV Dealer in BC, called Friend #1 (not realizing who he is) and asked him to quote on all ofthe AEV parts to build up Friend #2's new Rubi.

The rub is that Friend #1 had a deal in place with the Kamloops dealerhip and then backed out of it because Friend #2 wanted to buy his Rubi. Hence the 3-way.

 

[gerryvz]

Step 8: the tango continues when I hear back from Sales Guy #2 that Sales Manager #3 would rather I try and contact him so don't expect a call.

Step 9: I counter his feint with an email to Sales Gal #4 asking for a written quote to purchase direct and avoid the local yokels.

Step 10: Game, Set, Match. After a few days of silence from everyone, I check the dealer website and see the car is gone. I will now stick to private sales.

You should hear what a friend of mine (Friend #1) went through with the Jeep/Ram Truck dealers in Langley, Maple Ridge, Coquitlam, Kamloops, Kelowna plus 2 or 3 in Alberta. All just to trade in his 2014 4-door Rubicon that had been AEV prepped for a Power Wagon.

Another friend (Friend#2) actually went to one of the Langley dealerships as a buyer and approached them with a 3-way deal: if the dealership took the Rubi in-trade for a Power Wagon, they would in-turn buy the Rubi from the dealership.

It was all set-up then the dealership bailed on the deal. They called Friend #1 and told him the 3-way deal was off but they would still take his RUbi in-trade for a Power Wagon, albeit at a lower trade-in value. Called Friend #2 and told them that Friend #1 backed out, then offered to sell Friend #2 a new Rubi from inventory and would build it up EXACTLY like Friend #1's Rubi. THEN, because Friend #1 is the ONLY AEV Dealer in BC, called Friend #1 (not realizing who he is) and asked him to quote on all ofthe AEV parts to build up Friend #2's new Rubi.

The rub is that Friend #1 had a deal in place with the Kamloops dealerhip and then backed out of it because Friend #2 wanted to buy his Rubi. Hence the 3-way.

Sheesh, my head is spinning from all of this. Friend #1, Sales Guy #2, Sales Manager #3






Did somebody say "3-way"?

 

[need2speed]

Yeah, the psychology is intended to do just that; keep the customer off balance. Of all the pre-owned Mercedes autos listed on AutoTrader here, over 3/4 are dealer inventory. They are sitting on a huge stockpile of unsold and fast depreciating vehicles in a tightening economy, but haven't yet figured out that the old tricks aren't working.

 

[Maui]

Unfortunately two of three MB dealerships in the area are owned by Lithia. Need I say more? As for the car I purchased from them I love it, but I would not recommend Lithia to anyone. I wanted a CPO car for my wife and they had the one the I wanted. Service is okay only because they are held to MB standards. I would hate see what service is like at the Chevy store.

 

[Klink]

Sheesh, my head is spinning from all of this. Friend #1, Sales Guy #2, Sales Manager #3

Did somebody say "3-way"?

Nope. Just an "open ended" transaction...

 

[gerryvz]

Nope. Just an "open ended" transaction...

Dean's story sure entailed a fair bit of "swapping" back and forth.

 

[7delta]

I would hate see what service is like at the Chevy store.

I don't think it would be just their Chevy store.. more like Chevy in general. I can safely and honestly say I will never buy another one or go to chevy dealer again.
And we'll leave it at that before I get all fired up. [emoji4]

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[need2speed]

Seems the dealership wants to go another round. Sales Guy #2 called to say the vehicle I originally went to test drive that was sold is now back on the lot...would I care to tango?

Digging a bit deeper, it appears this vehicle was sent to a dealer auction where other M-B franchises or independent car lots can obtain stock at wholesale prices. It didn't sell, I assume because their reserve was just too high. Oh the dilemma of the dealer sitting on vast amounts of unsold inventory depreciating with every passing day, but to lower prices would affect profits! Seems to me that half of their moribund stock is that GLK.

 

[samiam44]

I must add my related experience...

Our home town had a BMW dealership which service was horrible but some ppl and great experience(except for the Bill). But someone was smart enough to figure out whom the best tech was. He was made shop foreman and given a % of billable hrs and vola. Service quality went up by leaps and bounds over night. Good service rippled into more sales.
Locally here, I lost respect when the Manager told me MBUSA suggest pricing was "regional" and not National as I quoted him his cost on an oil filter. He thought with my MBCA discount ~$30 was reasonable even if he paid $4.75.

Denver dealer was horrible on MB's and thus the independents became quite good.. or thus the story I was told by Stu Ritter.

Glad to have Klink in Alabama!! Put on a Kendun/Sterling pressing of "Second Helping" on the Linn Klink!! It was a really well mastered lp. I believe Klink can have a really positive effect on the dealership and make some $$.



Michael