I am very familiar with the Asbury group. Sent from my iPhone
> On Feb 11, 2016, at 9:10 PM, Dan Penoff via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > wrote: > > My dealership is owned by a huge conglomerate, Asbury Group, based in > Atlanta. There is no local ownership any more around here. > > Fortunately, they appear to have left the worker bees in place for the most > part, so it has no effect on my business with the place. > > I will say that people keep telling me about how there is no longer anyone on > the shop floor with a brain in their head, and anything that is more than 5-6 > years old is looked at as some sort of alien intruder. A fellow R129 owner I > know in the area took his 1999 SL500 in to have the brake system flushed. > His car has staggered AMG Monoblocks on it, as it’s an AMG edition. One of > the gorillas in the shop used a rattle gun on the lug bolts, and cross > threaded one so badly that it can’t be removed. > > He found this out after the fact. > > When he returned to the dealership to confront the service manager, they flat > faced lied about not taking the wheels off. Thing is, because of the > Monoblocks and how deep they are you can’t get to the bleeders on the > calipers without taking the wheels off. > > When he challenged them to try it, they told him to leave and take his > business elsewhere. > > Dan > > >> On Feb 11, 2016, at 8:43 PM, clay via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: >> >> The owners are not only the low end folks. Lots of SUV or at least E class >> people. Very popular with the Asian and African population. Not many >> Latino in a Benz. We do not have many rich latins, so it is economic >> discrimination. The Owner of the Stealership downtown and to the north is >> Arab, and peddles his wares to the Asian market (main as well as South). He >> purchased the shop from a long time White family business who had the BMW >> concession as well. The old guard was huge on local support for charities >> and causes. Boy Scouts, childrens hospitals, economic development in many >> neighborhoods. They even commissioned a mural that made it onto the cover >> of of the MBCA rag. New owner destroyed the mural and has had no >> involvement with any local issues. They advertise heavily in the Asian >> language rags and in the land of the Lotus Flower. >> >> Our local section is actually really superior. We have traded the overlord >> position from provincial PDX to VAN. Now all the PNW sections play well >> together and support each other with interesting events for various tastes. >> Sometimes there is a drive, or a meal date, if not a tech session or visit >> to a real hardware heavy event. I am not big on the social events, which >> the dames like. The interesting drive or shop/collection visit are my cup >> of tea. We are lucky to have many independent shops that work on our cars, >> as well as some car loving types who collect interesting examples. There is >> bound to be something to do between BC/WA/OR/ ID and MT. >> >> Earlier in the SLK era there was a bunch of female interest in the brand. >> Now this population has evaporated. That leaves the old farts and their >> wives. The white boys get together to visit wrench twisters and lifts. We >> have no trans members that I know, but AC/DC boys just love getting their >> cars on a lift or getting to drool over an interesting collection of cars. >> The women are more interested in social events like a drive or visit to a >> place to gobble victuals. For some reason these events do not appeal to >> the ethnic of family friendly owners. The few kids that show up are eyeball >> glued to electronics, so gain no value or love for the marque or hobby. >> >> >> >> >> clay >> >> 2002 s430 - Victor, a Stately & well tailored chap >> 1974 450sl - Frosch - Two tone green >> 1976 300D - Blei Vanst - it looks silvery >> 1972 220D - Gump - She was green, simple and ran >> 1995 E300D - Gave her life to save me against a Dame in a SUV >> POS 1987 SDL - Beware Nigerian Scammers >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >>> On Feb 11, 2016, at 2:53 PM, Dan Penoff via Mercedes wrote: >>> >>> Interesting that you say that about new owners, as I never thought about it >>> until now, but you’re right - most of the owners I see at my dealer are not >>> WASPs nor Anglos. I hadn’t really thought about that, but now that I do, >>> you’re right. >>> >>> However, in all fairness, with the Cheap Class being well within the >>> average car owner’s price range, especially when leased, it doesn’t >>> surprise me. >>> >>> As for the local section, that has always been the issue with the Tampa Bay >>> Section. It’s the geriatric crowd who thinks a cool get-together is a >>> drive to Mount Dora (central Florida small town known for antiques and >>> quaint houses) for brunch. They have no interest in the cars themselves, >>> especially older stuff with the exception of the occasional R107 owner >>> amongst them. It’s a purely social club, you could pretty much hang >>> anything on a shingle and take the cars out of it and it would appear no >>> different. >>> >>> No “Cars and Coffee” events, nothing with any of the local dealerships, >>> nothing tying in to service or technical stuff. >>> >>> When I got MBoT to try and set up a cars and coffee event, they were really >>> pumped and were going to assign a couple of techs and 3-4 service bays for >>> free inspections. The marketing guy I worked with to make it happen was >>> stunned when they ignored him. I wasn’t. >>> >>> Dan >>> >>> >>>> On Feb 11, 2016, at 3:18 PM, clay via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> Not sure how many of the newer owners actually join the club. MBCA. From >>>> the many hours I wasted at the stealership over the past month, the brand >>>> has become aspirational. The bulk of the service center users were >>>> ethnic. It could be that shop's marketing, but I am thinking it covers >>>> the regional dealers. There are four within a 30 mile radius. Most in >>>> well paid (tech) ethnic areas. Could be Lease car, but probably CPO >>>> owners. On the road the drivers are many shades of cafe in the newest >>>> models, and sun challenged in the older examples. >>>> >>>> The club events make the Oscars look like Ellis Island. AARP has nothing >>>> on our membership. And our selection of vehicles are past warrantee. We >>>> have taken time to learn and know our cars, unlike those who just came to >>>> the brand and show no excitement in owning fine examples of German >>>> Engineering. Then, again, it could be the cars they are driving are far >>>> less than exciting to own and drive. The current crop of models are more >>>> Asian with a star than German magic >> >> _______________________________________ >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> >> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
