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Loaner Car Fees by MB Dealer?

12K views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  Yazovets 
#1 ·
This might sound cheesy or cheap, but I would like to get others' thoughts on this.

I took my 2010 E350 (still under factory warranty) to a MB dealer in the Phoenix area for some warranty work, and they gladly provided me with a loaner car. As a standard rule, I had to return the car with a full tank of gas. That was fine with me. But, then after all the work was done, which was no cost to me, the cashier then said I owed her $10 for the loaner car fee! Really? I asked her.

Is this a standard charge for all US dealers? I was told some dealers charge $15 fee! It's not the money, but I don't remember my old Lexus dealer or my wife's BMW dealer ever charged us any loaner fee. This took me back a bit, when I was asked to pay this. I felt I was being nickel and dime by a dealer that makes a lot more money selling luxury cars.

I would appreciate some thoughts.

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Never heard of a loaner car fee before, but then I've never had a dealer loaner with MB. A few months ago, my car went in for a check engine light. They had no available loaners so I was given a rental through Enterprise (got a C class). I didn't pay anything for that.
My car is back in the shop now for "A" service and a rattle fix (at a different dealership closer to my home). Again, no available loaner so dealer sets me up with Enterprise. This time though, Enterprise puts me in a Hyundai Elantra. Says the dealer authorizes only $30/day.... Can't wait to get my car back.
 
#4 ·
What?
 
#5 ·
Never been charged for a loaner with Lexus, BMW, previous M-B, or any other vehicle we've had over the years. Don't know if the policy at M-B has changed since my current 560 isn't under warranty anymore ;), but this does sound a little like a nickle-dime "gotcha".

As you say, it's not the money, but I might have asked for an explanation of the policy from the Service Mgr. No wonder so many dealers are referred to as "stealerships"!
 
#8 · (Edited)
Did they disclose that fee when you took their loaner for the day? I'd refuse to pay it. If there's a charge on your service invoice, I'd call MBUSA and lodge a complaint.

$10 is lousy. I could see that as legit if you didn't return the car the next day or didn't return it with the same amount of fuel, or maybe even put on excessive miles.

For the record, I have NEVER been charged by a dealer for a loaner car, even when I do forget to fill up the tank.

On one occasion, I had to drive the loaner car from NC to Washington, DC for a business meeting (my car was not ready when promised because of a parts issue). I put ~1,000 miles on the loaner in less than a week, and it was a brand spaking new GLK350.

I'd never go back to your dealer... was it Chandler? I've been there once. They were okay.
 
#11 ·
You're lucky to just be asked for $10 for a loaner fee. Against my will I have to service my car at Downtown Mercedes in Toronto, Canada since there are no other dealerships nearby. This is the absolute worst Mercedes dealership I've been to in my whole life complete with poor service, unprofessional staff and mass overcrowding.

Firstly they do NOT offer you a loaner vehicle. They also tell you you can rent an Enterprise rental for about $45 a day.

How do you like that? You would be treated better if you bought a $12K Toyota.
 
#12 ·
It all depends on the dealer. My local dealer doesn't charge for loaners, but the dealer in the next city over makes you rent a car from Enterprise, which has a small office right in the dealership.
 
#14 ·
Have never been charged for a loaner car and have my cars serviced in Augusta, Columbus and Atlanta GA, Victoria BC, Tucson AZ, Ontario CA, Louisville KY. In Louisville I had a loaner S class for about a month while they worked on my ‘07 S-600 (they said the V-12 was not fun to work on, I had to say...neither was the bill LOL!” I work at a dealership now in TX and the dealership does not charge for loaner either.
 
#15 ·
People I'm a little late to the party but just want to say that we should not tolerate Behavior like this from dealers. I would go across the city not to go to a dealer like that. We go to the dealer when we have to for expert qualified technicians and Superior customer service. That's unacceptable.

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#16 ·
I fundamentally agree with you. Alas...garbage brand...garbage dealers...garbage cars. Likely this will be my first and last Benz.
 
#19 ·
Yes the reliability usually goes down when there's a facelift. It's usually much worse when it's a complete new redesign. That was reflected in the consumer reports Magazine I read. I could have bought a 2014 but I didn't want to risk having a newer looking car but the decrease in reliability. Obviously Mercedes went downhill since the 80s and even the 90s. But the ones built in Germany are still better than the ones built elsewhere. Also I went with the E350 because I wanted a normally-aspirated engine with less chance of problems.

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#20 ·
Yep it makes sense that the first year of a facelift would go so bad. Mine is made in Germany but that didn't help much.

In the family there have been about 5 or 6 other Benzes - mostly MLs and GLEs. My old man once had a 2011 E550 which he promptly disposed of in less than a year as it started developing problems.

I had a couple of Infinitis, a Lexus and several Toyotas before. Every one of those cars was far more reliable than this E-Class. The Infinitis in particular were bulletproof including a 2014 first year model of a Q50 I drove. Either the Infinitis were better put together in Japan or Mercedes is simply way downhill in quality. Or both. Haha

If it weren't for this covid mess I was planning to get rid of my E-Class this summer with great anticipation. Alas I am stuck. :(
 
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