Baker, Charleston, SC (Dealership)

[sikwan]

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BAKER VAN CENTER / MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER METRIS SALES AND SERVICE CENTER
425 Sigma Drive
Summerville, SC 29483
843-377-1124

GENERAL MANAGER:
Brett Denver
bdenver@bakermotorcompany.com

Mercedes‑Benz Van Center - Baker | Mercedes-Benz Vans Dealer in Summerville, SC

With over 30 years of experience under our belt, our team can help you decide which Mercedes-Benz Vans are right for your needs.

www.mbvanssummerville.com

 

[nreamer]

I can't vouch for their service and never will have to, so not giving a rating. We bought our Sprinter here and were treated like 2nd class citizens (except for our original sales person who left for a better job). This was during the Covid shortage, so it took a while to get the van. Anyway, not planning on going back UNLESS our Sprinter breaks down closer to Charleston than Augusta where our servicing dealer is located.

 

[lindenengineering]

What exactly marred the buying experience?
Curious
Dennis

 

[nreamer]

Well, after our salesman quit, the manager took over.

He acted like he could care less that we had just purchased a brand new vehicle from him. We told him when we were coming to pick it up, we arrived, stepped into the showroom (dressed nicely) and were absolutely ignored by every person in the place! They all found their computers more fascinating than the two humans standing in their midst.

Finally, a person (turned out to be the manager) looked up and asked (in a matter of fact tone of voice) if we had been helped. Not sure how he didn't know that, as sound echoes in there, and he would have heard someone talking to us. Anyway, I don't think he appreciated my curt reply of "No, everyone is more interested in their computers than helping actual customers".

He led us to our van, gave us a cursory overview, we signed some papers, he gave us the keys and we simply left.....

NEVER TO RETURN!

 

[nreamer]

What the hell, vote casted.

 

[nreamer]

Original sales person, absolute thumbs up! Figured out why he left when we got there. I am done now.

 

[lindenengineering]

OK
I once worked in sales(for a short time ) in Florida at a GM dealership.
Your experience on the face of it was not typical in comparison to my observations from the "inside" .compared to the antics I observed with customers at this dealership..
Like I often state dealerships are not all created equal even I might add within the same dealership group..
Dennis

 

[nreamer]

I think I get what you are saying. The dealerships generally tried to treat the customers well, but the customers are generally lets say -- challenging!

I worked in a bicycle shop for a couple of years after I retired from my day job. We absolutely had to great each person that came in and give them the red carpet treatment, and we did, and I totally agree with that! We had to do it in spite of the way some customers acted. I guarantee you we did it for way less than the people working there did. ($9 / hour).

You are absolutely correct, all dealerships and any business establishment for that matter are not created equal. That is the reason this part of the forum exists, to let people be able to prejudge potential businesses before having a potentially bad experience.

You own a company, hire quaility people, hold them to high standards, pay them a competitive wage and you will at a minimum NOT get negative reviews. If you do it right, you WILL get positive reviews, just like the one I gave the the dealership in N. Augusta where I do take my Sprinter for service.

 

[lindenengineering]

You are absoluely right!
Not so long back a trade magazine called out the Maserati US dealership chain as a whole for poor sales practices and services.
In fact citing us independents on how we could "clean up" poor customer service and profit from it.
Dennis

 

[ECU]

I know a dealership manager. He was telling me that according to data, he has been giving people too much for trade ins. In the past six months, they lost money on every trade in. Mostly because people lie. The trade in had hidden damage...

Imagine our conversations since I drive a 19 year old van. He leases four cars for his family and says everything is covered.

 

[nreamer]

I know a dealership manager. He was telling me that according to data, he has been giving people too much for trade ins. In the past six months, they lost money on every trade in. Mostly because people lie. The trade in had hidden damage...

Imagine our conversations since I drive a 19 year old van. He leases four cars for his family and says everything is covered.

Caveat emptor -- especially for dealers. They are in the business and have lots of resources and should have experienced people that know the flaws of certain makes and models and be doing a thorough evaluation BEFORE they make a trade offer.

Also, go back to my post above. A happy customer will keep coming back. So you take it in the shorts on an upside down trade every once in a while. Make it up on repeated sales, assuming your brand keeps producing quality goods, which in itself is a major issue! The onus is on the dealer to be ethical in all his dealings, at least if he wants to remain in business long.