# Mercedes ED Experience- BMW rules!



## SANguru (Jun 14, 2009)

could be worse.. try Ferrari. 2 Ferrari's later, I still get treated like 2nd class citizen.


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## sbgator90 (Dec 19, 2004)

Originally Posted by Hans DelBruck
BTW we were at Oktoberfest on the opening day. How did you manage 4 l ?!? Bravo![/QUOTE]

Something about the beer you get there makes it easier to drink more, especially in a giant glass when you are attempting to drink it quickly before it gets warm.:drink:

A couple of brats and a pretzel in between and the next thing you know, you are handing a Carnie 5 Euros to ride on some high-speed upside down turning torpedo. Won't go in my journals as the most intelligent thing I have ever done.:loco:

This is also the same night (first Sunday) that I tripped into a tent after 3 liters and my wife turned to me and said "I think we are in a gay tent" I asked her why and she pointed to a couple of guys kissing. I told her they were just drunk and having a good time. She then pointed out several more guys kissing and a whole table of guys doing the booty bump dance on top of a table. My eyes sobered for a minute and I took in the tent and saw that there were about 4,500 guys in a tent of 5,000. I would have stayed for a beer had I been able to find a place to sit. They were rocking and having a blast. I have been to Oktoberfest several times but, never seen this tent before. Anybody have any insight on this- was this a special night? or a permanent new occurence at the fest?


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

Between BMWs I got my wife a C-class on euro delivery, and I thought we were treated exceptionally well on our delivery. We had a set appointment time, arrived the evening before, and completed our pick up the following morning at 9am in less than an hour.

It was a very pleasant, efficient experience. This was about 5 years ago now. Maybe things have changed, but I have nothing bad to say about the Mercedes european delivery experience.

It can't compete with Welt, but I am guessing your experience was not typical, as the process usually gets good reviews.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

pilotman said:


> It can't compete with Welt, but I am guessing your experience was not typical, as the process usually gets good reviews.


While I am sure it wasn´t representative of most M-B deliveries, the response I got from a former M-B manager knowledgeable in the this area AFTER viewing this thread was "some things never change."


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## M FUNF (Apr 2, 2008)

Having just completed my 2nd MB ED I can say that the OP's treatment was certainly different than mine. We explained we did not need another factory tour, and were in a hurry to get to our friends house for a reception, they were very quick in getting our car ready and finding an English speaking delivery person. However I think it was definitely a lack of foresight that they had not preregistered all the cars scheduled for delivery that day. The cars are registered with a few days of excess time to meet the shipping requirements and I am sure that an explanation of less time with the car at the end would have been met with less displeasure than NO CAR. On our last ED MB paid for 2 nights at the Bayerischer Hof and I am sure they could have made some additional accommodation arrangements for the OP. Customer Service is a hard concept for some people to grasp, as a visit to many of the former eastern block countries will demonstrate, it is a concept that is just now beginning to be seen, and the old ways still persist in many places.


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## boothguy (Feb 1, 2007)

What a horror show. I think that I'd have taken the umbrella and started beating the so-called delivery specialist with it.


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## Northcar (Sep 21, 2005)

Maybe some of our sponsorers who handle ED for both MB and BMW could chime in as to what they hear back from their customers.


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## adc (Apr 1, 2003)

boothguy said:


> What a horror show. I think that I'd have taken the umbrella and started beating the so-called delivery specialist with it.


:rofl:


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## M FUNF (Apr 2, 2008)

Other than the fact the OP did not get to drive the car he ordered in Germany, (and that is a big other) what did he miss? They loaned him a car that could be considered an upgrade, and he drove to Munich. In his post he indicated he arrived on Friday, did Octobefest, and returned the next Tuesday. I could see some major upset if he had planned an alpine trip that required the all wheel, and off road capabilities, but the extent of his plans was a drive down the autobahn to Munich. Regrettable yes, but **** happens. Not long ago another poster arrived at the Welt and found the car he had ordered just the way he wanted it except he got an MT rather than an automatic. It did not spoil his experience (maybe added to it as now he has a story) and BMW did what they could to make it right.

As for people feeling 2nd class when they enter a dealership maybe their problem is internal, I have always been well treated by BMW, MB, and yes even my Ferrari dealer and all of their service personnel, but then I always expect no better treatment from them than I would extend to any of my clients. Because you can afford an aspirational automobile does not confer any status on you other than possibly good credit, a dork in a Ferrari is still a dork. I quit going to Ferrari gatherings after a grand banquet at the Breakers the MC shouted WHAT DO YOU DO WITH FERRARIS? everyone shouted back DRIVE THEM, the next morning as I was driving out for my return to Tucson (in a new 355 at the time) most of the attendees were having their pride and joy loaded in trailers. That is just my personal pet peeve, cars are for driving, not polishing, not over modifying, or granting instant status to the driver.


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## Ucla95 (Jul 23, 2004)

sanguru said:


> could be worse.. Try ferrari. 2 ferrari's later, i still get treated like 2nd class citizen.


+1000!


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## sbgator90 (Dec 19, 2004)

boothguy said:


> What a horror show. I think that I'd have taken the umbrella and started beating the so-called delivery specialist with it.


 I like this response. This I might have done had I not already done 4 previous euro-deliveries (all BMW) and I were 15 years younger. I seem to have mellowed in the past decade and I can still remember the excitement I had my first euro pick-up and had I been robbed of the experience with my car on that trip, I am not sure what I would have done. I think I was more excited on this trip to go to Oktoberfest and was garaging the car most of the time anyhow. I guess I was most upset on how casual their attitude was toward their mistake. I would have been hiding in the closet not wanting to deliver the news to some poor sods with blood-shot eyes that they gave us with ease. After delivering the bad news, they did about what they could have done, short of lynching the responsible party or giving me a free SL600 (specialist didn't see the humor in it.) The E350 they gave me had like 2 miles on it and at my suggestion they gave me a whole tank of gas.

One thing I did find interesting was that I have always seen a bunch of Americans doing their pick-up with BMW and only a few Germans and other Europeans on my past experiences. But, on this trip with Mercedes, there were just a couple of Americans and a ton of Germans and other Europeans.

Had the delivery gone smoothly, as I am sure it usually does, it would have been a fine experience. They had a promo going that gave you two free nights (versus 1) at a choice of several high-end hotels, which was nice. My feeling though is how BMW really seems to understand what pushes our buttons and gets it. Gets what this will do in building loyalty to them for a very long time and makes you want to keep going back every few years on your replacement schedule. As my thread title states, BMW Rules!


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

I can assure you (based on comments made to me) that many people at BMW NA enjoyed this thread today. :thumbup:


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## M FUNF (Apr 2, 2008)

JSpira said:


> I can assure you (based on comments made to me) that many people at BMW NA enjoyed this thread today. :thumbup:


I can add that when my daughter for whom we purchased the C300, saw the Welt she was blown away. Then when she saw the new Z4 and I told her if she had asked that was not outside the budget as a graduation gift, she almost relented on her quote "Dad in our family the boys should drive BMW's and the girls Mercedes". Almost a convert and I would have liked to drive the Z while she is in Prague for this year.


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## ViaPerturbatio (Jul 25, 2009)

sbgator90 said:


> One thing I did find interesting was that I have always seen a bunch of Americans doing their pick-up with BMW and only a few Germans and other Europeans on my past experiences. But, on this trip with Mercedes, there were just a couple of Americans and a ton of Germans and other Europeans.


This has perhaps more to do with the financial restraint currently being exercised by many Americans as opposed to a BMW versus MB trend. I experienced the same during my BMW delivery a month ago - more Germans than Americans and one employee there mentioned they were feeling the hurt of the slow American market.


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## the J-Man (Jul 31, 2009)

Thank you OP - this thread further enhances my desire to never own an MB. The comment about late Americans was totally uncalled for. In my experience, Americans are one of the most punctual nationalities, especially in business situations, i.e. picking up a new $50K car.


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## M FUNF (Apr 2, 2008)

Beenthere said:


> No disrespect but if we need to explain it to you, perhaps you wouldn't understand?


I think I do understand as I have just completed my 4th ED. As I said **** happens, and MB tried to make it right and got him something to drive. However the offer of an umbrella, or key ring does seem a little "cheap" under the circumstances. :dunno:


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## X3 Skier (Aug 21, 2005)

JSpira said:


> True - someone might post about it on a BMW forum on the Interweb thingy. :rofl:


Based on the software problems MB (and BMW) have had in the recent past, they probably do not know about this Internet thingy as of yet. :angel:

Cheers


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## Gig103 (Sep 10, 2007)

That's a shame, sbgator. I agree that they dropped the ball. The fact they blamed their inadequacies on you for being American is even worse. I can't believe the car wasn't ready! Did they expect you to show up at noon, and then give you the car at 3:30?


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## M FUNF (Apr 2, 2008)

I think we all understand they f***ed up, it would not have taken a lot of foresight to pre order the plates for the EDs that were scheduled for that afternoon, MB knew that the registration office was to be closed. However in any corporate environment it is difficult to get some one to say "we made a mistake, let me see what I can do to fix it". As has been noted and as I observed in another thread there were many Europeans picking up their cars the day we were there and they all seemed to bring their plates with them. A huge disappointment, and yes possibly a lost customer for future automobiles, but what if the rest of the ownership experience is outstanding, and as the car is for his wife she likes it, never again? As for posts that take this as a reason to never buy a MB as some have stated well that just flies in the face of credulity. They probably were not MB customers anyway and that is neither here nor there, the cars appeal to different needs and wants. Having taken delivery of my M5 at the old delivery center I was not predisposed to return to BMW for my next purchase, as the MB experience the year before had been what I expected. However returning to the Welt last year to take delivery of an M3 certainly trumped the MB delivery experience in spades and set a new standard. My MB delivery last month was much like the first more business like and less personal than BMW. This is just my personal opinion from having done both and not an apology for MB they screwed up. :yikes:


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

M FUNF said:


> I think we all understand they f***ed up, it would not have taken a lot of foresight to pre order the plates for the EDs that were scheduled for that afternoon, MB knew that the registration office was to be closed. However in any corporate environment it is difficult to get some one to say "we made a mistake, let me see what I can do to fix it". As has been noted and as I observed in another thread there were many Europeans picking up their cars the day we were there and they all seemed to bring their plates with them. A huge disappointment, and yes possibly a lost customer for future automobiles, but what if the rest of the ownership experience is outstanding, and as the car is for his wife she likes it, never again? As for posts that take this as a reason to never buy a MB as some have stated well that just flies in the face of credulity. They probably were not MB customers anyway and that is neither here nor there, the cars appeal to different needs and wants. Having taken delivery of my M5 at the old delivery center I was not predisposed to return to BMW for my next purchase, as the MB experience the year before had been what I expected. However returning to the Welt last year to take delivery of an M3 certainly trumped the MB delivery experience in spades and set a new standard. My MB delivery last month was much like the first more business like and less personal than BMW. This is just my personal opinion from having done both and not an apology for MB they screwed up. :yikes:


I think you hit several nails on the head here - but I would also add that, since I have deall with people with M-B and BMW on a variety of levels, the emotional connection to the car is far more present with the BMW folks and that makes a difference in how they ultimately connect with customers and understand details such as the delivery experience.


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