It does exclude track days, which is not uncommon but I tend to rent track cars for my track days these days. The biggest fun part of going on Euro track days is the travel there and back with groups of friends in interesting cars. Ring public days are a massive risk so last time I rented a track car and was going to do the same at Spa and Ring in May, now moved to June.
Just bought a full set of winter tyres from a friend for a more than reasonable price. He used them twice for trips to Austria and reckons the suit road use better than the Cup 2's due to the softer side walls making the ride more pliant. I will for the first time ever put them on come next winter and see. Based on how this car makes me want to drift it out of bends and islands I can see the Cup 2's not lasting long. Car into Mercedes tomorrow at 10am for diagnosis on suspension fault and to retro fit radiator guards.
So then, Stoke Mercedes....
Yea, they won’t be touching my car. Spent 15 minutes trying to park. Cars everywhere, temper rising. Mechanics just staring at my car with that “I’m having first go” look. No greatest or signs (or ones that I could see). Little to no space and cars just dumped. I park and block in some people to be told “put your name on an envelope and post it trough the door”. Not happening.
Canned the whole idea and rebooked into Macclesfield Mercedes which looks proper. Just awful experience this morning. Come on Mercedes you must do better.
Yea, they won’t be touching my car. Spent 15 minutes trying to park. Cars everywhere, temper rising. Mechanics just staring at my car with that “I’m having first go” look. No greatest or signs (or ones that I could see). Little to no space and cars just dumped. I park and block in some people to be told “put your name on an envelope and post it trough the door”. Not happening.
Canned the whole idea and rebooked into Macclesfield Mercedes which looks proper. Just awful experience this morning. Come on Mercedes you must do better.
I paid £1159 per year for my R8
I was dropping off mate so had someone picking me up and dropping me off etc. Next time
It was very poor really. Disorganised and shoddy and first impressions count. Not a single person seemed that bothered about their customers all with the WTF look ok their face. I have it 15 minutes and that was enough. I’d have been chewing my nails all day worrying so better to regroup and rebook elsewhere, which I’ve done.
I think these sort of subjective things can be taken the wrong way by some people. It is nothing to do with kissing backsides, rolling out red carpets, special places to sit, better coffee or doing anything different to anyone else. Let me try and explain..
When I pull into a dealership that looks tatty, has cars seemingly all over the place, is badly signed, has lots of customers looking just as frustrated as me and generally chaotic it makes me ponder how well they will work on the car. Add to that an unattended table with some envelopes on it and no one to be seen, meaning I had to ask another customer "what is the process" adds to that level of uncertainty. When I was looking for a place to park and what the process is I was told by a helpful chap working on a car (genuinely nice chap) "just park it down the back and I will let them know where it is" it adds to the feeling of discomfort. Further to that there was a general sense of shuffling stuff around tight spaces and with that and customers like me looking lost it adds to the stress levels of am I going to be happy leaving my car with this lot. There were plenty of people walking around but no one approached to help and when I did ask people no one was able to help outside of "drop it somewhere and walk round". The workshop chaps ogling my car also sends strange feels as most time if they are used to such cars it's not an event, it's just another to be dealt with as you actually hope for.
So I phoned up the booking centre (what happened to actually speaking to the bloody dealership!) told them to cancel and made alternate arrangements. I have asked for the service manager to call me and I will share my view, not angry, but just my POV. I use Stafford normally, part of the same Lookers group I believe and though not a big dealership they had a process that worked but can not work on the GT R so suggested Wolverhampton or Stoke and Stoke was easier for me. Let's see how Macclesfield does but having a nose there today it looks much like a dealer experience I would expect. New build, lots of space, greeter etc. Simple things...
When I pull into a dealership that looks tatty, has cars seemingly all over the place, is badly signed, has lots of customers looking just as frustrated as me and generally chaotic it makes me ponder how well they will work on the car. Add to that an unattended table with some envelopes on it and no one to be seen, meaning I had to ask another customer "what is the process" adds to that level of uncertainty. When I was looking for a place to park and what the process is I was told by a helpful chap working on a car (genuinely nice chap) "just park it down the back and I will let them know where it is" it adds to the feeling of discomfort. Further to that there was a general sense of shuffling stuff around tight spaces and with that and customers like me looking lost it adds to the stress levels of am I going to be happy leaving my car with this lot. There were plenty of people walking around but no one approached to help and when I did ask people no one was able to help outside of "drop it somewhere and walk round". The workshop chaps ogling my car also sends strange feels as most time if they are used to such cars it's not an event, it's just another to be dealt with as you actually hope for.
So I phoned up the booking centre (what happened to actually speaking to the bloody dealership!) told them to cancel and made alternate arrangements. I have asked for the service manager to call me and I will share my view, not angry, but just my POV. I use Stafford normally, part of the same Lookers group I believe and though not a big dealership they had a process that worked but can not work on the GT R so suggested Wolverhampton or Stoke and Stoke was easier for me. Let's see how Macclesfield does but having a nose there today it looks much like a dealer experience I would expect. New build, lots of space, greeter etc. Simple things...
Madness with the max claim limit at that price. Not sure I would bother. I seem to recall I paid £1200 for my old 530D few years back so BMW not really backing their products there I feel. Licence to print money.
How daaaaaaaare you
As you expect when you drive around in cars like we have and what I have seen in other places over the years.
Not sure they would work for warranty work under the MB warranty?
I am not looking to modify the car or ECU tune it really, which they seem to be all about?
I think Alfa is up there with my worst ever too. Years back when the 156 was new I had a couple, the first being a 2L Twin Spark (LOVELY engine that for the time) and I recall taking it to Alfa Cheltenham (I think long gone now). I parked it first thing, came back end of day and it was still where I left it. As I walked in they rushed it inside and tried to convince me it was just being finished. 15 minutes later the car reappears, badly washed and the keys returned. First thing I did was pull the dip stick and yup, black oil.
Terrible and I lost my crap....and it was a company car too.
Nah I’m a celeb everywhere I go. That London pays me appearance money.
Cheers Mike, enjoying the car immensely, less so Mercedes dealers
New dynamic engine mount fitted today under warranty, identified as the cause of my suspension malfunction message. Also had radiator grill covers fitted as a recall upgrade FOC. Macclesfield Mercedes have been exceptionally well organised and really good on keeping me updated on what they found, what they are doing and timings to get the car back.
That is all I expect. Stoke/Stafford Mercedes never bothered to call me back either via their call centre who asked if they could call me or via an online survey request.
That is all I expect. Stoke/Stafford Mercedes never bothered to call me back either via their call centre who asked if they could call me or via an online survey request.
Luckily Mercedes realised it was daft and did an upgrade recall.
Yes they are Mercedes parts fitted to cars at the end of 2018 at the factory and now retrofitted for no cost to older cars. Needed too as they felt very exposed.That's a proper Mercedes part then? I was going to say it looks very neat and OEM, when you first mentioned the problem, I had a fear you might have to resort to a home made solution with chicken wire or something