My wife and I bought a used 2006 Mercedes C230 in 2008. We did not purchase it from Ewing, although I did look at some cars at the dealership. My complaint does not rest with them. After our purchase, I decided to take the vehicle to Ewing to have them do an oil change and also ask them to give the vehicle a "once over" to check for any major mechanical or other issues even though I had already had it done before I purchased the car. When I arrived, I was greeted by a gentleman who, the second he discovered that we didn't purchase the vehicle from the dealership, became the definition of an a-hole.
He lectured me on the mistake I had made not getting a certified C230 from their dealership and how I was destined to have all these issues with the vehicle. This was all before I had even given a list of what I wanted! Despite this treatment, I still felt that the dealership mechanic could give me the best analysis so I brushed his commentary aside and let them do the oil change. Everything was fine with the car, however, they added (without my permission), a few things to the bill including a new cabin filter, wiper blades, etc that made it over $400! I stated that I did not approve these items and the a-hole curtly remarked he could remove them but that the old ones were discarded so I would be without. I was so angry, I paid the bill and sped away. I wrote their president and of course, he didn't have the cahones to respond.
Fast forward three years to last month. The Benz has been great, I found a wonderful European service place that has taken care of me and overall have LOVED the car. My wife lost one of the keys to the vehicle and after much research, discovered the ONLY place I could get another key was at the dealership. Since Park Place Mercedes is far from my house, I decided to let by-gones be by-gones and go to the Ewing parts department to get a new Mercedes Key. When I arrived, all the service spots were full so I pulled into the service bay and was approached by a female service agent. I told her what I needed to do and she curtly responded, "then why did you pull in the service bay?"... Excuse me?
I told her that there were no parking spots outside and instead of helping, she told me I needed to move my vehicle to make room for other customers!!! She also stated that I would need my title, the receipt from my last registration, and my driver's license to get the key. I remarked that first, I thought her approach to me had been very rude thus far and that why would I need all that information for a key. She said it was the rules and that if I didn't have it, I should leave and come back when I did. I found a parking spot, and already tweaked from this female you know what, went to the parts department. The dinosaur behind the counter asked what I needed and I told him.
He asked for the documentation. I gave him my license, my insurance card with VIN on it and a state registration receipt I had from the previous year. I don't have the title because the bank who I pay my payment to has it for another six months. He said he couldn't help me because the registration receipt was old and therefore I couldn't "legally" prove I owned the car. He then started looking at my license like it was a fake. At this point, I had enough and snatched the license, told him where to stick it and then on the way to my car, exchanged some words with my female friend I had made earlier. Ohh, and still no key...
After doing some research, come to find out that our wonderful, all knowing, all to helpful government, in an effort to curb crime, has made it next to impossible to get a copy of a key like the Mercedes key because it is part of the security system. Just like telling me what lightbulbs I can use and what toilets to poop in, they have told me I am not intelligent enough to protect my own interests for my own vehicle. I also found what documentation I need to make it happen and while, according to the anal letter of the law, should have had a current registration, I had what I needed. To me that's the equivalent of sometimes I go 44 mph in a 40...
If I had a spot to park, a helpful service agent and an explanation what did not make me guilty before proven innocent, I would have understood that it is some crazy government regulation and that they dealerships hands are tied... Even if they were being anal.instead, I got arrogant, commission driven upsellers who look at me like I am an outcast because I have an entry level luxury car from a different dealership. I have news for them. I could get anyone of those cars if I wanted to and probably make more than any of those guys. But that is neither here nor there. Stay away from these guys. They aren't nice people.
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