The Smart Alternative To the Dealer
Many Mercedes Benz owners have been frustrated working with large dealerships, as they are seldom able to deal directly with the technician working on their vehicle, and their budget and driving style are not communicated to the shop technician. This can result in recommendations for work, at premium prices, that may not be a priority. If a dealership is located near you they may be your best opportunity for the service and repair to be done correctly if cost is of no concern. However, there are several major problems you may encounter when working with dealers. In any Mercedes dealership there are seasoned technicians but also many entry level apprentices, so the quality of service and diagnostics can vary considerably from visit to visit. While most repairs at the dealership have specified labor times with fixed prices, some do not. This leaves the repair cost up to the discretion of the service advisor which could further drive up the overall cost of repairs. On jobs that have overlapping labor this is seldom taken into consideration, because estimates are done with menu pricing, which tends to drive up the final dealer invoice.
On the other side of the spectrum are independent shops that don’t specialize. Although many are reputable and do the proper research to fix each vehicle, it is a time consuming process, so many don't take the needed time to diagnose the repair properly. Many independent shops do not have the correct tools, training, and experience to diagnose and fix your vehicle properly the first time. This can lead to repetitive repairs that can be expensive, frustrating, and time consuming. If the proper tools were not used during installation your vehicle is at risk of the new parts being broken or damaged. Even a successful repair that was competed at a competitive price could have used inferior parts that will fail prematurely due to improper assembly.
When completing repairs we only use Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM Mercedes Benz parts unless you direct us otherwise. The exception to this is that many repairs can involve parts that are very costly or not available. Unlike the Mercedes Benz dealer, we can source used or rebuilt parts from many different suppliers and rebuilders to provide you with the most cost effective alternatives to new or dealer remanufactured parts. If you are of the mindset that the cost to service your older Mercedes Benz at the dealer can be prohibitive making trade in mandatory, then you should contact us to compare the cost of your current Mercedes repairs. By scheduling your maintenance with Foreign MotorWorks you will reduce your cost of ownership: eliminating the immediate need to purchase a new vehicle.
If you have additional questions or would like to schedule an appointment. Contact us today.
