No longer a Valued Customer @ smart Center?

3407 Views 20 Replies 13 Participants Last post by MB DNA, Jan 6, 2019

MB DNA

Discussion Starter · Jul 13, 2018

DISCLAIMER - my local M-B dealer no longer sells smart, nor ED nor EQ and is well into his 2nd of the 4 year "agreement" with smartUSA to provide smart service.

Since new, we have taken our smart ICE in for Annual Service - 10 years of loyalty to The Brand!

Recently took our low mileage smart in for service requesting simply an oil & filter change plus the annual state safety/emissions check.

Requested that they reset the message center and was TOLD that since I was not getting "complete service" (all that ancillary money making crap to include key fob battery) that they wouldn't provide a reset. My response was simple - what B.S.! :bullsht: Yes, I am more than capable of resetting myself but why?

It should be noted that the scheduled M-B Service A or B packages don't align well with a 10 year old low mileage vehicle?

Apparently after 10 years of ownership in spite of returning for service year over year you must "age out" of being a "VALUED" M-B CUSTOMER?

Obviously, my hard earned dollars are now in search of a new home . . .

Footnote - who is in charge @ smartUSA and do they give a rats backside?

Folks, that fat smart lady has about completed her warmup and will soon be singing . . .

See less See more

Reactions: 1

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

OliverB

· #2 · Jul 13, 2018

May not get you anywhere but I would contact the General Manager of the dealership. Has worked for me in the past. They often aren’t aware of the poor service given by their employees.

Reactions: 3

Miss Mercedes

· #3 · Jul 13, 2018

OliverB's advice is your best bet. If you contact smart USA they're likely to tell you what they told me various times: "It's not our problem, call your dealer."

Reactions: 1

MB DNA

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 13, 2018

Miss Mercedes said:
If you contact smart USA they're likely to tell you what they told me various times: "It's not our problem, call your dealer."

And I am not the first owner who has had this response and lack of service. I abhor the fact that they (smartUSA) continue to draw a paycheck (partially?) funded by your and my hard earned money!

Life is too short to waste trying to fix the actions of stupid people at a M-B dealership! :shrug:

Reactions: 1

1983JZR3W

· #5 · Jul 14, 2018

As the guy on "Shark Tank" says.....Mercedes Benz you are dead to me......

MB DNA

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 20, 2018

Message from The General Manager

OliverB said:
May not get you anywhere but I would contact the General Manager of the dealership.

UPDATE and backstory . . .

MY08 purchased new from local M-B smart Center, 10 years old 40,000 miles.

This smart, which has been taken to said dealer ANNUALLY for the last nine years, is low mileage @ 4,000 miles per year thus doesn't NEED to have air/cabin filter changed at the intervals suggested by the Mileage Minder service A/B and I am more than capable of a DIY filter change, replacing the key fob batteries and even resetting the service reminder!

There is NO RISK to M-B nor to the dealer as this vehicle is WELL BEYOND WARRANTY and only needed a "simple" oil change and RESET!

Response from the General Manager:

"I am sorry to hear that you are disappointed with your service experience here at Mercedes-Benz of (redacted). We take pride in providing our customers’ with an exceptional customer experience, however at the same time we have to follow Mercedes-Benz guidelines when ever we perform any service or repair.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles need to be serviced once per year or every 10,000 miles whatever comes 1st. If a customer drives their vehicle 30,000 miles in one year they will have to perform 3 services in that 12 month period and vise-versa. If a customer drives only 10,000 miles in 3 years they would have to perform the same 3 services regardless of the very low mileage.

When we reset the service indicator we are essentially telling the Mercedes-Benz vehicle that we have completed the full service as indicated by Mercedes-Benz in the maintenance check list. A simple oil change is not the complete service. If something fails, because of a lack of maintenance do to us skipping a step, then we would be liable. :bullsht:We have a standing rule we do not reset the service indicator, unless we perform the complete service.

Please contact me personally to discuss what happened and how we can repair our relationship."

General Manager

See less See more

jwight

· #7 · Jul 20, 2018

jsenka

· #8 · Jul 20, 2018

It's a fallacy to believe that any of us were ever "valued customers" except at very few dealerships that have proven to be outstanding over the years!

Reactions: 4

Blackbelt

· #9 · Jul 20, 2018

Well, a good start to repairing the relationship would be to stop shoveling a ton of BS, Mr General manager.

Jo e Lefors

· #10 · Jul 21, 2018

jsenka said:
It's a fallacy to believe that any of us were ever "valued customers" except at very few dealerships that have proven to be outstanding over the years!

So True.
The sale's staff at Fletcher Jones imports refereed to their smarts as "golf cart's".

Dearcybara

· #11 · Dec 30, 2018

Same exact thing happened to me at Mercedes . Honestly made me question if I should even keep the car . The service advisor told me he wouldn’t reset the service clock either if I didn’t do the 30k service .... he eventually did reset the clock after doing the oil change I requested .

Miss Mercedes

· #12 · Dec 30, 2018

Anyone with a 24mm wrench and ten minutes can do the bare minimum maintenance on a smart.

Other things are also readily available on YouTube!

Reactions: 1

MB DNA

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 30, 2018

Miss Mercedes said:
Anyone with a 24mm wrench and ten minutes can do the bare minimum maintenance on a smart

True if I were your age but like many smart owners, we’re not.

Simply not as limber as we once were and while getting down on the garage floor is doable, maneuvering under the vehicle can be taxing.

Thus I choose to let others do those chores. In the process M-B has done a great job of chasing away any potential upscale Daimler purchase at my house!

Reactions: 3

jwight

· #14 · Dec 30, 2018

That's why we use a local independent garage for most of the routine service work on our 2011. They do a great job at a fair price, with no hassle.

Reactions: 3

Shoehorn

· #15 · Jan 3, 2019

Are we talking about Mercedes-Benz of Seattle? It wasn't a good idea to take a car there when they did want our business. They had no idea what they were doing. They changed a door check for me, and put it back together wrong THREE times. I finally did it myself. I was stuck with them for 50,000 miles of prepaid maintenance, after that, I started taking it to Midas in Bonney Lake, WA. Half to a third the price. Same work.

InjuredAgain

· #16 · Jan 3, 2019

I had a very good experience at MB of Seattle. I purchased my 2015 ED new in June 2017 and in June 2018 brought it in to them to have a battery test done, to eliminate any doubts of maintaining my warranty even though I don't have BAP. They did what I asked of them, charged me appropriately, and the service advisor even provided me with internal copies of service procedures for my smart. Very happy with that experience and it has been my only one as nothing has gone wrong with my ED.

smark

· #17 · Jan 4, 2019

We take all our vehicles, now to Christain Brothers Automotive. Their a franchise, pretty much nation wide. Very friendly, honest service center. No reason, to waste money at any MB dealership. I would still be doing my own maintance. So simple, on any smart car. PPMS taken the toll of me. Plenty of independent shops, can do basic maintance out there.

dolphinfreindly

· #18 · Jan 5, 2019

MB DNA said:
"I am sorry to hear that you are disappointed with your service experience here at Mercedes-Benz of (redacted). We take pride in providing our customers’ with an exceptional customer experience, however at the same time we have to follow Mercedes-Benz guidelines when ever we perform any service or repair.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles need to be serviced once per year or every 10,000 miles whatever comes 1st. If a customer drives their vehicle 30,000 miles in one year they will have to perform 3 services in that 12 month period and vise-versa. If a customer drives only 10,000 miles in 3 years they would have to perform the same 3 services regardless of the very low mileage.

When we reset the service indicator we are essentially telling the Mercedes-Benz vehicle that we have completed the full service as indicated by Mercedes-Benz in the maintenance check list. A simple oil change is not the complete service. If something fails, because of a lack of maintenance do to us skipping a step, then we would be liable. :bullsht:We have a standing rule we do not reset the service indicator, unless we perform the complete service.

Please contact me personally to discuss what happened and how we can repair our relationship."

General Manager

Without trying to annoy the op, I think due to todays letigious society (where theres blame theres a claim...) I can see the GMs point. Perhaps he is being a bit jobsworthy, however if you have had good service in the past why spoil the relationship over something you can easily do yourself. He has explained his (and the dealerships) reasons in a polite and undersandable manner and invited you to discuss the issue. That initself suggests you are a valued customer as he is willing to speak to you, to me his last sentence says it all.

MB DNA

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 5, 2019

dolphinfreindly said:
Without trying to annoy the op, I think due to todays letigious society (where theres blame theres a claim...) I can see the GMs point. Perhaps he is being a bit jobsworthy, . . .

So that's why the local (National chain) garage down the street will do the oil change, RESET THE MILEAGE MINDER and do the Annual State Safety Inspection for half the cost? If my low mileage Garage Queen is beyond warranty and I request an oil change where is the risk? Here's the risk - he will NEVER make another dollar off that M-B product (and I own 3) as I vote with my hard earned dollars!!!

It's more about at Taj MaBenz they DICTATE what you will do for Annual Service and you can choose from either the Gold or Platinum Package!

Oddly enough, many M-B shops offer Express Service - "our trained technicians provide an oil change, tire rotation and battery check, plus a 37-point inspection, all in about an hour or less", but not at my local Center???

dolphinfreindly

· #20 · Jan 6, 2019

But it comes down to what is listed on the service worksheet. If 'X, Y & Z' is listed then unless all criteria are met he is effectively defrauding you, the customer by falsely leading you to believe that a full service has been carried out when this is not the case. I accept that you have only requested an oil change, but my other point remains. I feel that if the work you requested has been completed to your satisfaction, then just reset the milage counter, as you clearly can in a few mins and stop blaming the service centre for giving you a poor service.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

Status: Not open for further replies.