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Is this the World's Most Perfect Dealer Service Dept.?

7/31/2015

 
PicturePhoto: Subaru
With luxury automotive brands struggling to differentiate themselves in a world where all cars are getting better, some manufacturers are looking to set themselves apart through improvements in the "customer experience."  Mercedes-Benz, for example, has created something called "Mercedes me," which sets out to improve customer relations in five areas: mobility, connectivity, service, financing and inspiration. "In this way," says the company's website, "'Mercedes me' allows all service and mobility areas to be integrated seamlessly and conveniently, thus raising the bar once again for individual customer care."

If you read the details on the site, it all sounds very scientific and futuristic and hip.  But we'd like to offer a good, old-fashioned alternative in the form of our local Subaru dealer, which, in our estimation, could vie for the title of world's most perfect dealer service department.  Here is what it does so well:
  • People in the showroom and the service department know your name.
  • You get a friendly greeting when you bring your car in for service.
  • When you drop your ride at the dealership, it's often swept into the service bay before you leave.
  • Fairly modest prices for most major services are posted on a bulletin board and on a TV in the waiting room.
  • The service manager doesn't force you to buy unwanted packages or "spring service specials."
  • Oil changes are hardly more costly than the speedy lube outlets.
  • Tires and batteries are priced so fairly that it's not worth shopping elsewhere.
  • Like a good doctor, the service manager sits down with each customer and carefully explains needed repairs.
  • You get a loaner car -- often a new model -- even when your own ride is out of warranty.
  • At the end of the day, you don't have to strap on your seatbelt and brace yourself for a huge bill.
  • You leave feeling that the dealership has respect for you and that you've been treated fairly.
This dealership is so good that some customers have written to the manufacturer claiming that staffers were so helpful and courteous that they almost appeared to be "actors" and not real people.  No, you won't see the ubiquitous cappuccino machines found at so many high-end dealers. The showroom has regular coffee and lounge chairs and a TV, but people don't come there for that.  They come for fair treatment and fair prices, something we have not always seen at the numerous luxury dealerships we've patronized over the years.

Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Cadillac, Jaguar, Porsche and others, take note:  Good customer service is not rocket science.  Follow the basics and you'll do just fine.  Better yet, dismiss the fancy marketers and behavioral scientists, and just follow this Subaru service manager around for a day.  We guarantee you'll come away impressed.

Do you frequent a dealer like this?   Tell us your story here.




Can Cadillac and Lincoln take on the Mercedes S?

3/31/2015

 
PictureContinental concept (Photo: Lincoln)
As we write this, Cadillac is unveiling its full-sized CT6 sedan in trendy Brooklyn and Lincoln has already announced a Continental concept four-door that is surely destined for production.  Both will take center stage at the New York International Auto Show beginning later this week, but can either grab the spotlight from their clear target: the vaunted Mercedes S550?

We have driven the Mercedes and have been overwhelmed by the quality of its ride, the interior ambiance (including the variable mood lighting and available scents), and its driverless-car qualities that are fed by gobs of technology.  It has vaulted so far ahead of its competition, including such rarified brands as Rolls-Royce and Bentley, that at an MSRP of $94,400, it is widely considered to be a bargain.  

It's clear that the engineers and marketers in Stuttgart sat around a table and pondered the next generation of super-sedan.  They had to.  The competition from Lexus, Audi, BMW, and even Hyundai and Kia, was obviously catching up to the old S.  It was time for Mercedes to come up with a breakthrough ride and the 2015 version has more than delivered.

Will we see the same from Cadillac and Lincoln?  Cadillac has risen like a phoenix, delivering small and mid-sized sedans that, in some cases, have dethroned BMW from its top spots in the hearts of auto writers.  Lincoln is another story.  It's a brand that was near death and has no place to go but up.  It's unclear at this point whether the Bentley-esque Continental concept can even be a success on its own, much less compete against the big Merc.  

Right now, our money is on Cadillac to come close, if not meet, the new standard that has been set by the S.  More to come on this as we get a closer look at both new cars.  In the meantime, visit our home page to enjoy an early video view of the new CT6 cruising the streets of lower Manhattan.

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class: Out of its League

7/28/2014

 
PicturePhoto: Mercedes-Benz
I never think of Mercedes-Benz as being “out of its league” in any category.  If anything, that term means to me that the company’s technological leadership has created an entirely new class of cars to which other manufacturers could aspire.  A prime example is the new S550, which takes luxury automobiles to new heights and may be the closest thing to a driverless vehicle available in any showroom.  It leaves other large luxosedans, such as the Lexus LS, in the dust and is considered by many to be a bargain at over $100K with options.  It has truly set a new standard at the higher end of the market.

Unfortunately, there’s the other end of the spectrum, where Mercedes is certainly out of its league in trying to field near-luxury sedans known as the CLA250 and CLA45.  We had a chance to drive these cars not long ago and they simply felt cheap.  If you could close your eyes behind the wheel, you’d never guess that you were in a car made by one of the world’s premier makers.  The ride was harsh, the engines felt buzzy and sound insulation was sparse.  The stick-on dash screen is an abomination worthy of Pep Boys at a time when the competitive new Audi A3 (which actually drives and feels like an Audi) provides one that slides down automatically.  Make a fist and knock around the plastic dash areas of a CLA and you’ll hear the hollow sounds of an econobox.  Perhaps it was no surprise that, during testing, the base model was put out of commission by a pothole.

Yes, the CLA sedans look good, but that’s about where it ends.  With a decent set of options, they sticker in the mid-$30K range and you can get a lot of good cars for that money.  If you must have the Mercedes badge on a limited new-car budget, go buy one at the parts department and then stick it on the hood of your Chevrolet Malibu, Chrysler 200, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Mazda6 or Subaru Legacy, all of which seem to be better cars for the price . . . or less.


BY THE NUMBERS (CLA250)
Price: $29,900
Horsepower: 208
0-60: 6.9 secs (Mercedes)
Curb weight: 3,262 lbs

TO LEARN MORE

Mercedes

Car and Driver

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    David Fluhrer has been a classic car columnist for Newsday since 2008, as well as a new car reviewer for the auto section and a feature writer for Newsday's glossy magazines, Luxury Living and Long Island Living. 

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