Sponsored feature: Mercedes of service: In a league of one

Over the past year Mumbai-based Yash Dwivedi has picked up three Mercedes-Benz cars: a GLS, GLC and an E-class. “A Mercedes-Benz makes a big difference, especially if you are a businessman,” says the realtor. He especially likes the GLS. “It’s big, it can handle everything from bad roads to construction sites, and it’s very comfortable at the back,” he says. He picked the E-class over its competitors because his dad, who suffers from a back pain, uses the car and Dwivedi was impressed by the lumbar support its seats provided. Dwivedi has also signed up for the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Assurance Extended Warranty Program. “See, I drive my cars a lot. The GLS has already done 20,000km, and it’s always better to be shielded from unforeseen events,” says the 25-year-old.

Businessman Mulraj Mody is a lot older than Dwivedi, but like him, he is a total car buff. Mody also drives his own cars. “What’s the point of liking great cars if you don’t drive them? In fact, most people in my family drive their own cars,” says Mody, who currently drives a Mercedes-Benz
GLE. His family had several Mercedes-Benz cars over the years, including a W123, two E-classes
and a C-class.

It’s not that he has not tried other cars. “The other luxury cars I’ve owned were not necessarily bad. But I’m also a practical man and very particular about aftersales service, and Mercedes-Benz has been providing me with consistently good service all these years,” he says. When he picked up the GLE relatively recently (it has done over 17,000km since), Mody signed up for a couple of ownership programmes. He says he picked the Advance Assurance Extended Warranty Program and Star Ease Maintenance Packages because he found that it worked for him when it came to his previous Mercedes-Benz purchases. “It’s a sensible thing to do,” says Mody. “For example, our C-class clocked some 79,000km. The tyres were changed twice, the brakes, too, and the wheel rims; but, thanks to these packages, I don’t think I’ve ever had to pay a lot of money for maintenance, and that’s primarily because I made good choices. I’m happy I did that.”

It isn’t easy making well-informed customers such as Mody and Dwivedi happy because they are folks who expect nothing but the best. But, apart from their cars, Mercedes-Benz’s aftersales initiatives, which come under the broad umbrella of ‘My Mercedes. My Service.’, ensure that their customers have no reason to complain. Aftersales might lack the glamour of new model unveilings, but, at Mercedes-Benz, it gets as much attention and focus as a new car launch. The ‘My Mercedes. My Service.’ initiative is proof of that. Last month, we took a look at how it optimises technology to offer both, quality service and convenience to Mercedes-Benz customers. In this issue, we take a look at the other pillars of Mercedes-Benz’s comprehensive aftersales initiative.

A 360-degree approach

Every aspect of Mercedes-Benz India’s aftersales setup is well-thought-out and programmed towards a fundamental end: peace of mind for the customer.

Consider the Advance Assurance Extended Warranty Program, for instance. Developed by Daimler Financial Services and Reliance General Insurance, the warranty programme kicks in after the completion of the standard three-year warranty. Customers can opt to either extend it for the fourth year, the fifth year, or right up till the sixth year.

The Advance Assurance Extended Warranty Program scores over others of its kind because of several reasons. It can be bought anytime within three years of date of the sale; since it is transferable, it actually improves the resale value of your car; it is honoured at all Mercedes-Benz dealerships across the country; and, apart from maintenance repairs, a customer can look forward to not being inconvenienced by unexpected expenses during the insured period. Also importantly, subscribers to the programme get priority handling as well as express processing of their claims, if there are any.

Mercedes-Benz also offers another warranty programme known as Certified Assurance, which is a Break-in-Warranty. There are four products with comprehensive engine and transmission coverage for either one year or six months, with a mileage limitation of 20,000km or 10,000km, respectively. Certified Assurance can be bought once the standard three-year warranty expires, provided some terms and conditions are fulfilled.

The Star Ease Maintenance Package is another offering in the Mercedes-Benz service products bouquet that can be entirely customised. The Star Ease maintenance packages consist of different plans suited to different individuals; and all of them let you freeze tomorrow’s service costs at today’s prices. In short, you are protected from spare parts and service cost inflation with Star Ease, in which the packages cover periods ranging from two years to 10 years. The packages also include an offering that comes with a no-mileage restriction.

With its footprint extending up to 900 locations across the country, Mercedes-Benz’s Mobilo
On-Road Assistance Service will be by your side should you be ever need help while out on the road. Among other services, Mobilo – which is available in both Plus and Lite options – offers vehicle towing (to the nearest Mercedes-Benz vehicle partner); hotel accommodation up to three days, in case you are away from your city of residence; onward travel, vehicle pick-up and repair and a replacement vehicle (for up to three days). Mobilo is available for up to the eighth year of ownership of your car.

Mark of authenticity

Mercedes-Benz is in a league of one; and so are the spare parts that go into the cars. Owners will be glad to know that Genuine Parts replaced under chargeable basis, at any Mercedes-Benz authorised dealer across the country, come under the Parts Warranty for up to two years. This advantage is over and above any prior warranty.

Preserving the Classics

Every Mercedes-Benz is special, right from the AMG GT to, say, a 280 SE Cabriolet. And when it comes to classics, Mercedes-Benz understands the passion and the tender loving care that their owners reserve for them. Which is why it goes that extra mile to manufacture and deliver genuine spare parts for classic cars to their proud owners. Mercedes-Benz India supports the upkeep of classic cars. Customers can write to mbclassicsindia@daimler.com to check on the availability of spare parts for their classic cars. Queries received through this channel will be routed to the nearest Mercedes-Benz authorised dealership. Mercedes-Benz India is also an active participant in the Classic Car rallies organised in India.