The following was published in the most recent issue ot the Mercedes-Benz Club of America Magazine “The Star” regarding changes Mercedes Benz has announced to the Roadside Assistance Program. When I worked as a sales person on the showfloor I used to love to be able to say… “If you ever need a jump start, if you ever need a flat tire changed or if you ever run out of gas and need a few gallons you can call the 800 number on your sunvisor and a Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance representative will come out to you, wherever you are, and jump start your car, change your tire or put a couple of gallons of gas in your tank, no matter how old your Mercedes Benz is, no matter how many miles it has on it, forver.” Sales people can’t make such a sweeping statement after January 1, 2011.
Once again, long term Mercedes-Benz Club membership is rewarded. If you’re not a member now, for $45 a year it is WORTH IT to join… even if you never attend a meeting, never participate in an event… you’ll at least be eligible for the $1,500 gift card if you buy a new car from a franchised dealer or $750 if you buy a used car. In any case… some changes are being made to the Roadside Assistance program, see below:
(from “The Star” Magazine, December 2010)
Mercedes-Benz USA has just announced changes and improvements to their Roadside Assistance Program, including some special privileges for long-term members of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America.
Letters announcing the changes, which will be effective January 1, 2011, were recently mailed to U.S. owners whose ownership information is in the MBUSA database. The major improvement to the program is that any car that is eligible for Roadside Assistance Service will be towed, at no cost in most circumstances, to the nearest Mercedes-Benz dealer if necessary. Previously, towing was complimentary only for repairs covered under warranty. This service is in addition to the basic assistance services of jump-starting the car, replacing a flat tire with a spare, or providing enough gasoline to get the car started and to the nearest service station.
The changes are being made to reward loyal Mercedes-Benz service customers, add to the value of dealership service, and encourage Mercedes-Benz owners to consult with their local dealer, where you can always be sure of finding a knowledgeable, highly-trained technician with access to approved Mercedes-Benz parts.
MBUSA Roadside Assistance will be available to any Mercedes-Benz car that is currently under new vehicle, extended, or Certified Pre-owned (CPO) warranty; was purchased from a full-service Mercedes-Benz dealership prior to January 4, 2011 and is still owned by the same owner; or is serviced regularly by a full-service Mercedes dealership (having made a single transaction of at least $100 in the 18-month period prior to the Roadside call).
As part of the continuing cooperation between MBUSA and our Club, the company has announced that MBCA members will also have access to the Roadside Assistance Program for their Mercedes-Benz cars. To be eligible for the program, the member must have been in the Club for at least 12 consecutive months prior to January 1, 2011 and be a current member in good standing. This is definitely another good reason to make sure that if your membership is due for renewal this year, you renew it on time.
For MBCA members whose cars don’t already qualify under the standard conditions (warranty, dealership purchased, or regularly dealership serviced), when you call the MBUSA service number you’ll need to have your membership number available. If you don’t, the representative will be able to search the MBCA data base, but only for the member’s name exactly as it is spelled in the database. (We suggest that you look at the mailing label on this issue, and copy your name and membership number onto a card that you can tape inside the glove compartment of each of your cars.)