I just got back from my first service experience at MB of Wilsonville and now can easily say the service department is equally as bad as the sales team... I've had the pleasure of interacting with both. I'm very disappointed as after having a pretty bad time trying to buy a $60K van from them (I didn't), I really hoped my local dealer would have a solid service department.
I took our 5,000mi van in due to the "CDI Update" recall which I was told would void our warranty if I didnt address in a timely fashion. OK, whatever, I wanted to take the van to a dealer anyways to get my new rear speakers turned on in the Audio 15 system.
So I get there, hand over the keys, go over the service update and notice next to the Speaker update line item that there is a $178 charge. She explained that to turn them on it would be between $120 and $178. I said absolutely not. She then scribbled out that item on the sheet.
*For those that don't know, this is a very simple "service" that most dealers do for free. You just have to hookup the CANBUS reader and toggle a setting. $178 to do that is absolutely insane.*
I was then told it would take four hours to do an ECU update.. WOW.. Ok whatever.
Four hours later I get a text message from MB's terrible service app asking me to review and approve the service. I went through and the speaker line item was on there again, this time with an accurate quote of $142. I DEFINITELY clicked "Next time" for that item and submitted my approval for the rest (more on this). I call about 45 min later and she tells me the van is good to go.
So I drive all the way back down there (30 min) and am reviewing the sheet and she asks for my credit card for a $142 charge.. WHAT? Apparently they went ahead and turned on the speakers and showed me where I had clicked "yes" in their app (again, I definitely did NOT). She brings over what I assume was a manager and the both tell me I absolutely have to pay for this. I asked why I would ever approve the charge when I flat out told her not to earlier in the day, and that she must have clearly understood my intention when she scribbled out the item on the sheet.
Note that this would have been an excellent time to then say, "you know what, dont worry about it.. We'll cover this one." and won a happy customer for life. After all, we are literally talking about toggling a setting in a computer. But no, they both stand there angrily yelling/arguing with me attempting to stand their ground. Why I would need to be combative in a Mercedes dealer is way beyond me...
Finally, he angrily offers to split the difference and only charge me $70 for a service that I did not want them to do. I explained that his offer was very nice and that I appreciated it, but that I did not feel like I should have to pay for something that I did not want. He asked me why I'd install speakers that I didnt want to get turned on, or how I planned to get them turned on without them in the first place. He really didn't like it when I told him I'd take it to MB Seattle. Finally after I told him that, he practically yelled, "FINE, IM DONE ARGUING WITH YOU, JUST TAKE IT"
So, for any interested parties.. Take your business up to MB Seattle where Keith is the man and will take care of you. SUCH a better experience up there. It's crazy that in PDX, where the sprinter scene is huge, our only dealer is so terrible.
I took our 5,000mi van in due to the "CDI Update" recall which I was told would void our warranty if I didnt address in a timely fashion. OK, whatever, I wanted to take the van to a dealer anyways to get my new rear speakers turned on in the Audio 15 system.
So I get there, hand over the keys, go over the service update and notice next to the Speaker update line item that there is a $178 charge. She explained that to turn them on it would be between $120 and $178. I said absolutely not. She then scribbled out that item on the sheet.
*For those that don't know, this is a very simple "service" that most dealers do for free. You just have to hookup the CANBUS reader and toggle a setting. $178 to do that is absolutely insane.*
I was then told it would take four hours to do an ECU update.. WOW.. Ok whatever.
Four hours later I get a text message from MB's terrible service app asking me to review and approve the service. I went through and the speaker line item was on there again, this time with an accurate quote of $142. I DEFINITELY clicked "Next time" for that item and submitted my approval for the rest (more on this). I call about 45 min later and she tells me the van is good to go.
So I drive all the way back down there (30 min) and am reviewing the sheet and she asks for my credit card for a $142 charge.. WHAT? Apparently they went ahead and turned on the speakers and showed me where I had clicked "yes" in their app (again, I definitely did NOT). She brings over what I assume was a manager and the both tell me I absolutely have to pay for this. I asked why I would ever approve the charge when I flat out told her not to earlier in the day, and that she must have clearly understood my intention when she scribbled out the item on the sheet.
Note that this would have been an excellent time to then say, "you know what, dont worry about it.. We'll cover this one." and won a happy customer for life. After all, we are literally talking about toggling a setting in a computer. But no, they both stand there angrily yelling/arguing with me attempting to stand their ground. Why I would need to be combative in a Mercedes dealer is way beyond me...
Finally, he angrily offers to split the difference and only charge me $70 for a service that I did not want them to do. I explained that his offer was very nice and that I appreciated it, but that I did not feel like I should have to pay for something that I did not want. He asked me why I'd install speakers that I didnt want to get turned on, or how I planned to get them turned on without them in the first place. He really didn't like it when I told him I'd take it to MB Seattle. Finally after I told him that, he practically yelled, "FINE, IM DONE ARGUING WITH YOU, JUST TAKE IT"
So, for any interested parties.. Take your business up to MB Seattle where Keith is the man and will take care of you. SUCH a better experience up there. It's crazy that in PDX, where the sprinter scene is huge, our only dealer is so terrible.
