2013 and earlier-Mercedes Benz M-Class Prices Paid and Buying Experience
sshowitt
Member Posts: 137
My M/B dealer is Viti MB in Tiverton, R.I. They are a single store dealership with customers in all of New England and New York. All cars are sold at MSRP, no additional markups for hard to get vehicles. Their service is impeccable, never a hassle or any unexpected charges. No matter how you are dressed or who you are, you are treated with respect by all the employees. Their only fault is that they give Toyota Corollas for loaner cars.
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In any event, I have avoild ASC for this and other reasons posted to that list. I live closer to ASC and HBL but go to EuroMotorcars because of it's reputation and extremely high level of customer service. YMMV.
Mike
I also understand that Euro is one of the top five MB dealers in the US...so they can not afford to send out beaters as loaners.
I do not work for them, but am a very happy customer. Hope this info helps.
1. First Day home it wouldn't start, had to be towed back to the dealer! Bad starter.
2. GPS didn't work--and, yes, we followed the directions..i.e. driving around.
3. Cup holder fell out in open position. Had to order a new one.
4. Window had adhesive that continuously brought glue to the surface.
5. Dash vent for Heat and Air came unsnapped and had to be replaced.
6. Foot panel on passenger side is falling off.
These are the manufacturing problems that we have endured.
As for the engineering problems, the dealer states that the "vehicle has an inherent problem
of idling too fast. Don't dare take your foot off the brake for a second when stopped.
After noticing the transmission slipping much more than any other vehicle we've ever owned, dealership told us that it always happens when cold.
Cabin heat cannot be adjusted for comfortable climate for all occupants (east coast climate)
Major problem with telephone technology. We paid 2200 dollars for a phone that's incompatible with most used services today. I was told, "too bad" you paid for a phone that works, you got a phone that works! Mercedes admitted that they slipped up on that technology and let it get ahead of them.
Can you believe that I didn't buy my ML from this dealer and they treated me nice, The reason why was, when I was shopping around for my ML I test drove one from them and started talking about the price of the vehicle, they are insisting that they can't give me the ML below MSRP I tried to negotiate because I knew exactly how much is the invoice price of the vehicle and the option I wanted. The bottom line we didn't make a deal.So I tried the internet buying experience and its really works with the help of this site EDMUNDS.com. In short I got mine at MB Laguna Niguel we just willing and dealing thru email and we got a deal they even pick me up from Chula Vista where I live to thier place and gave me 20% off of all accessory I bought that night. Plus I have a one free full detail every year.It's just a little too far from us here, but maybe if I have a long day off I can take it to them. Anyway, Try Richard next time. Are you going to 2nd SO CAL Run?. I'm thingking about it.. I went last year. Have a nice day..
replaced the blower motor which was some-times making a hardly noticable rattle. (under warranty). However, when I mentioned the updates to the latches and stuff like that, he brushed
me away and said that Mercedez-Benz would contact me about any upates. I didn't push the issue too much.
Tony
I will check out Ray Catena for my next MB. Thanks for your feedback.
swimmom "Mercedes-Benz M-Class - General discussion (Part 19)" Feb 26, 2001 11:07am
chris168 "Mercedes-Benz M-Class - General discussion (Part 19)" Feb 25, 2001 7:40pm
sydney6 "Mercedes-Benz M-Class - General discussion (Part 19)" Feb 26, 2001 9:30am
dennett "Mercedes-Benz M-Class - General discussion (Part 19)" Feb 26, 2001 5:50pm
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
Fried
Loaner was Chevy Cavileer through Alamo at dealer. I upgraded (sort of) to a Grand Prix for $10. The Pontiac had just been recovered from a theft, but was in excellent condition. I think dealers want you to appreciate what you have, as I hated this car!
I wasn't going to have MB install the hitch, but when i started checking, no one was comfortable with removing rear bumper skin. $285 for parts, $219 for labor!!!! Yikes, double what I paid on our last truck for a Draw Tight class III, but cheaper than fighting with some shop to get the bumper skin repainted or replaced after they destroyed it.
BUT, A/C problem ended up being major and required car to stay for five days! (dropped off Thursday, picked up Monday). New parts had to be flown in from factory, then a wiring harness was pinched and caused balance of electrical system to fail! When I went to my service advisor (Farrel Gerber) to ask MB to pick up the $50 for rental upgrade he said he'd just deduct something from the bill, and boy did he. Total bill was $326.48!!!! Hitch was on MB! I paid for labor ($219) and alignment ($89) plus tax. That was it!!!
This great experience was only marred by a less than stellar cleaning job (car was spotless when dropped off, all they did was run a chamios over the car and park it under a tree with some eager birds in it, and arriving home to find that remote locks/alarm won't work with keys due to electrical system being disconnected for so long. I just need to run car by and have them reprogram alarm/keys which i've been promised is a five minute proceedure.
All in all what could have been a catastrophie was turned into a wonderful expereince, solidifying my relationship with the dealer. I will be back for service and to get an ML500.
later then
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Ron Hoff
ronhoff@sangera.com
800-848-3494
The more we support dealer sales like this will eventually change the way the whole business works. Tell him I sent you...
It has 25,000 miles and I was surprised when I was told I needed new front brake pads and rotors as they were 95% worn, I was told the back brakes were at 40% and could wait longer. I am used to brakes later closer to 40,000 miles but this is my first SUV so maybe they don't last as long. I had them replaced and picked up the truck. The next day I smelled gas while driving and when I pulled over to a gas station (the gauge was visibly dropping) gas was pouring out and across the undercarriage.
I called 800-for-merc and they were very helpful and arranged for a tow truck to take me back to the dealer. The dealer told me that a fuel line had ruptured and blamed it on damage caused by the bad fuel sender that they had replaced the previous visit. Personally, I wonder if a fuel was just not properly re attached. I was also surprised that they didn't fill the tank up for me. It had approximately one gallon of gas in it when I got it back.
Anyone have comments? Are other people going through brakes as quickly?
I have to say I have not had good experiences with Keyes Mercedes. 1) They never have enough loaner cars. 2) They had my car at least 2 weeks before telling me what the problem was and how it could be fixed. and 3) They have fixed or installed factory items incorrectly more than once and 4) They take the "blame the other guy" attitude whenever there is an issue - it's always someone else's fault - Mercedes USA, the warranty company, the guys in the back, etc. and they don't take responsibility for their part in the problem.
I will say that they are very smooth and polite when they are doing all of this, so beware.
A regretful Mercedes owner
Thanks.
salesman...ask for Rudy...service...work with Billy....both my wife and I have cars from this dealership....lease prices were sharp...service is excellent...loaner cars are plentiful...and if their is a problem,the general manager is available!!
When I first noticed these chips they were like water spots. These water spots slowly bubble up and crack open. I can see all the way to the metal now. Dealership claimed that only way to take care of this is to paint the hood (hood was the first place where paint started bubbling)and this would be covered under warranty. After days of driving back and forth, wasting time on the phone I agreed. Car came back looking really good. I was ready to forget about this small problem and enjoy my new ML. 2-3 days later, believe or not the spots came back and eventually paint starting chipping again. This time on the fenders as well. I called the dealer to make an appointment. The service rep tried to give me the address and the phone number of the paint shop they used! Yes, you are reading this correct. Anyway, I managed to make an appointment. This time they said the southeast rep for MBUSA will be there.
Well, MB rep called me on the phone before my appointment and asked me what the problem was, and once I explained him over the phone, he says "since it's already painted, it's an issue between you and the dealer".
When I went to the dealer, this time, MB rep, service manager, service rep, salesman and a few other people were present. They looked and looked... and decided to paint it again. When I showed them paint problems on the fenders and driver's side door, service manager said the fenders were painted in the first time! Without my knowledge, and continued to tell me that the paint shop might have done a bad job. This is my brand new 2002 ML 320 that we're talking about, please do not forget!
This was approximately two weeks ago, since then dealer offered me a new car, asking for $9000 on top of my car. I said no, not a single penny. They have persuaded me to have the car painted a second time, because I simply had no choice. I said yes, one more time.
Well, I just got my ML back on Friday. It is absolutely horrible! They (paint shop) spot treated (painted) all those chipped paint spots this time. There are spots where it looks like they used a brush. I did not drive off the dealer's lot. I asked for the GM of the dealership. I really do not want to make this a novel, so I'll try to finish it quickly. After some very rude comments, he (GM)suggested that he will take a hood, fenders and a door from any same color car I want on the lot, switch parts with my ML and he will make me a happy customer. Is this unbelievable or what? I told this GM that I would never switch faulty, painted parts with another car, and make my problem someone else's problem.
I've been in touch with MB - Montvale, New Jersey. The rep on the phone immediately asked me to not to deal with the dealer any more and get in touch with the southeast rep again. I'm in the process of meeting with him. If he takes too long to get to my city, lemon law is just around the corner. I love the ML, but HATE this dealership.
BP
Contemporary Motor Cars, Little Silver, NJ
Talk to Terry, great guy, have your Edmunds $$ figures with you. Just had a great experience w/service department, too. Had some minor problems fixed (warranty covered), got a great loaner car E320. email me @ address in my profile.
wep2
Sorry to hear that you are having problems with your ML. Would you mind telling me what year your ML is and what extended warranty you got on the car, was it a merecedes warranty or an outside one? Did the warranty cover everything. Reason being, is that I just got my ML320 2003 2 weeks back and I need to keep an open mind is to what headaches if any, that I can expect. And if Merecedes extended warranty fits the bill or any other extended warranty. Any feed back you give me would be appreciated.
thanks
Janoo
I have a 2000 ML and have experienced some of the problems mentioned in post #46. Leaking steering system, broken seat molding, broken glove compartment, bubble armrest, misaligned fuel door, + the worse... melted roof insulation. There was glue all over the roof lining. It took the dealer about a week to replace the lining.
Sorry to hear that you have been having problems with your ML. When did you discover all these problems? Hope that they were covered under the original warranty.
thanks
Janoo
Actually, I expected the ML to have a some probs even before I bought the car. Knowing the ML is the safest SUV on the road (govt crash test, roll over, off-side impact test) is enough reason for me to make my decision.
I enjoy and LOVE my ML. Hope you will too
Used Car Warranties
$365 for spark plug change
$389 for fuel filter change
Is this what peoples been paying for?
Thanks,
J.G.