Mercedes-Benz of Marin

Here is a portion of the email i sent to mbusa in regard to RAB San Rafeal I am unhappy with what I consider to be abhorrent customer service on behalf of RAB motors.  I have owned many MB’s and dea to RAB San Rafeal I am unhappy with what I consider to be abhorrent customer service on behalf of RAB motors.  I have owned many MB’s and dealt with many dealerships across the county and I will detail as to why I feel my experience with RAB Motors has been by far the “dirtiest”.    My RAB Motors nightmare began on Sunday when my battery died for a second time just a few days after a being jumped by RAB the first time.  I was told that I was denied my 24 hour 7 day a week roadside assistance because RAB was closed and SF and Oakland refused to cross the bridges.   This is unacceptable.  I was told I would have to wait until the next morning (Monday) to get a jump / have my battery tested.  I made a 7:30 am Monday appointment on Sunday after being refused roadside assistance.  He  arrived around 8:45.  I then asked if I could have my battery replaced and he said he would have to test it first.  I was told that the battery tested at 11 volts and was therefore fine and needed to be brought into RAB for a diagnosis as to what was draining the battery.  Upon arrival you originally told me that the diagnosis would cost $175 not covered by my warranty.   After complaining as to the cost I was told it would be waived.  While waiting I introduced myself to Greg LaPierrre the Director of Pre-Owned Vehicles for RAB.  I told him I was contemplating selling my vehicle and asked for an estimate.  When I had a surprised reaction to what I considered a low ball offer he went nuts and basically threw me out of his office.  He seemed mentally unstable.  At this point, I was in disbelief as to how I was being treated and requested to speak to someone in charge.  I complained to Robert Kane, whom I felt could care less.   I felt completely “stonewalled” by RAB and felt that my only recourse was to reach out to Mercedes Benz Customer Advocacy for help.   I was then informed by RAB that the “drain” on my battery was caused by a radar detector that “altered the factory specs”.  This is untrue,  no factory wires or setting were altered and the radar is plugged into a non-used ignition location.  Also as my installer pointed out in writing to you the Radar  turns off when the car is off therefore a battery drain is not possible.   Furthermore the Radar detector was installed nearly two years ago and the battery just began to “drain” this week.   This makes little sense.  It seems more likely to me that my 2008 ML (not 2007 as your email title states)  battery has just gone bad over the past 3 years having nothing to do with the radar.  However,  at this point I was informed that the $175 diagnostic fee that was “waived” is now  a $262.50 fee to remove the Radar to “bring the wiring back to factory specs” in order to conduct the diagnosis More

Took my 2007 Mercedes CPO with supposed warranty in for three defects the first 10 months. To my surprise none of them were covered or so they said. Went to another dealer and all was covered and repaire three defects the first 10 months. To my surprise none of them were covered or so they said. Went to another dealer and all was covered and repaired properly. Terrible dealership! PS 2007 Mercedes GL450 and all of the chrome trim is pitted and of course not covered by warrant according to RAB. More

WARNING: Avoid doing any kind of business with RAB dealership in San Rafael, CA. The employee that sold the new Mercedes to my wife and I made several dishonest statements and unkept promises to sell dealership in San Rafael, CA. The employee that sold the new Mercedes to my wife and I made several dishonest statements and unkept promises to sell the car. While we were completing the paperwork, another RAB employee entered the office and began to attempt to sell a "special" paint coating. We indicated that we were not interested in the product. The employee continued on for thirty minutes to the point of harrassing us for not buying the product. We should have walked out of the RAB dealership then, but did not. The employee from the finance department entered the office with the sales agreement. My wife and I stated to the finance person that we wanted to check the paperwork before signing. It was good that we did check because there was a substantial error in the calculations, in RAB's favor. The RAB employee did not apologize for making the error, but did correct the error. Needless to say, purchasing a new Mercedes from RAB Motors was a very unpleasant experience. Several months later I received a letter from Mercedes Corporation that an update for the navigation system was available. One of the statements that the salesperson promised to my wife and I is that the updates for the navigation system are free of charge. RAB Motors attempted to charge us for the update. I contacted Mercedes Benz Corporation and they in turn contacted RAB Motors and the updated software was sent to us, without charge, as was originally promised by the RAB salesperson. Long story short, buy your Mercedes at any dealership other than RAB Motors in San Rafael, CA. I am not alone with my disatisfaction of RAB Motors, just read all of the other evaluations of the dishonest practices that occur at RAB Motors by RAB employees. For all of you that have had similar horror stories dealing with RAB Motors, I suggest that you contact Mercedes Benz Corporate at 1(800)367-6372. More

The most dishonest dealer I have ever dealt with. I was told many many lies so I can purchase the car. I have since found out that the sales person said whatever he wanted to say to sell the car. Unfortuna told many many lies so I can purchase the car. I have since found out that the sales person said whatever he wanted to say to sell the car. Unfortunately I did not ask him to put it in writing. Lesson learned. I would never make that type of a mistake again! More

Very rude and condescending. I would not stop by this dealership for free coffee let alone spend $35,000 there. Good luck with that attitude in this economy. Half truths, partial truths, and fiction is dealership for free coffee let alone spend $35,000 there. Good luck with that attitude in this economy. Half truths, partial truths, and fiction is what this sales person specializes in. Mercedes quality has slipped globally anyway, so I'll just meander down to Lexus to make my purchase. More

Brought car in for service every year with same mechanical problems. Rattles, squeeks and electronics. Have not been able to fix problems now going on 3 years.Service contact person challenges ever mechanical problems. Rattles, squeeks and electronics. Have not been able to fix problems now going on 3 years.Service contact person challenges every complaint. Very rude! I will never take my Mercedes back to this dealer. More

My comments pertain to shop service. An error was My comments pertain to shop service. An error was made and my car was damaged. After some discussion, R.A.B. stood behind their service, even thou My comments pertain to shop service. An error was made and my car was damaged. After some discussion, R.A.B. stood behind their service, even though they could have denied responsibility. It cost them about $2,500 to have a local body shop repair my vehicle and they gave me a free loaner car ('09 E350) during the repair. What more could they have done? Of course I'd rather it had not happened but they made it right and I respect their General Manager and Service Manager for doing so. More

Friends, Please do not patronize RAB dealership! They Friends, Please do not patronize RAB dealership! They are ruthless car sharks. The only thing they seem to respect and cater to are the ultra-rich r Friends, Please do not patronize RAB dealership! They are ruthless car sharks. The only thing they seem to respect and cater to are the ultra-rich richies of Marin. Here is my story: In 2002, I paid them all cash for my first new sports car, which ran great. In 2006, I traded that car in for a Certified Pre-Owned car (first time I bought used) that, it immediately became apparent once major stuff had to be replaced, was not up to snuff. Seven major repairs and 14 months later, after the car sat in their shop all last week with a major electrical issue, I threatened to contact M-B USA and surprise, then RAB management was suddenly willing to talk to me. They offered to first pay 50% and later 100% of this latest very expensive repair OR to "replace" my car. Great, I thought, and went with high hopes to meet with the General Sales Manager and find a new vehicle. He was a strange bird, nervous as an actor auditioning and no common sense that I could detect. He and another manager on the floor joined us for a very bizarre discussion that centered around the wealth of their Other Clients, while he read my complaint letter to M-B USA out loud. I am not kidding when I tell you that all they did to refute my points were to talk about the ultra-rich in Marin who can "afford" to throw money at problems like the ones my car (a high-end luxury vehicle, $100K new) has had. Really? ... RAB wanted to pay me $18,000 on a trade to get me to lease something else! When the Kelly Blue Book on the car is $35K. They said they don't go by KBB. ?! They sure went by KBB when they took my wonderful sports car in on this trade! After the smoke cleared, I decided to take back my (for now) fixed car. I am writing M-B USA to let them know what kind of tacky people are selling their product. I do believe in M-B cars' safety and I loved the way my sports car handled and this car too when it's running fine. $18,000! What an insult. And here I thought they were trying to rectify a bad situation. They are ruthless, strongarming, and only hungry for money. After these latest shenanigans their "management" pulled, I am never setting foot in RAB again (though I have had a good relationship with my Service Advisor since 2002). I'm finding a private mechanic. If you value your dignity and have any sense of business ethics, please stay clear of these people. Their mechanics do a good job of fixing things that should have been working in the first place, but snakes are running this dealership, plain and simple. More

Overpromise and Underdeliver...way under! Against the Overpromise and Underdeliver...way under! Against the advice of friends and colleagues, I gave in to temptation and purchased a vehicle from R.A.B. Overpromise and Underdeliver...way under! Against the advice of friends and colleagues, I gave in to temptation and purchased a vehicle from R.A.B. Motors. Now I have a new $80,000 vehicle that handles like a '76 Chevy Nova with speakers that sound like a transistor radio and a navigation system that requires a Ph.D. in Chinese algebra to operate. The vehicle has been in the shop 3 times in the first 90 days, and they have yet to address any of the problems. The dealer's response, essentially, has been "Hey, your car...your problem". In fairness, I should disclose that they did kindly offer to buy the vehicle back....AT $18,000 below the payoff amount and $14,000 below the wholesale value. "First class customer experience"...please - it's the same customer experience that you'll get at Vinny's Auto Sales (complete with the smarmy sales representative who will run back and forth between his office and "his manager" and "the finance guy" about a dozen times "to get you the absolute best deal"). The second you sign on the dotted line, your just another sucker that's stuck with an expensive vehicle. They know it, you know it, and they know that you know it - and you know what? That's the whole idea - that's actually their business model. Do yourself a favor folks, run - don't walk - and find yourself a reputable dealer. You'll be glad you did. More

I would strongly encourage any prospective buyer to be cautious in terms of purchasing any new Mercedes at R.A.B. Motors - particularly if it's a virtual "not in stock" or "build-to-order" buy; that is, i cautious in terms of purchasing any new Mercedes at R.A.B. Motors - particularly if it's a virtual "not in stock" or "build-to-order" buy; that is, if it's a transaction where the vehicle is not physically on the R.A.B. Motors' sales lot. In short, I had a very bad experience and question R.A.B.'s commitment to customer service at all levels - from sales and, with all due respect, to ownership. While perhaps an aberration, our experience with R.A.B was at best sloppy & unprofessional and.... at worst, our experience was full of misrepresentation(s), dysfunction, disingenuous and disrespectful behavior. Notably, we ended up buying the same model from a another dealership via (of all things) our Costco Membership - Strange, but true! More