Forget the Typical Test Drive. This Mercedes-Benz Shopping Experience is Simply Epic

Yahoo

13-02-2025

Creepy salesmen. Tip-toeing around a too-quiet showroom. The pressure to sign a deal without thinking it over. A quick drive around an unfamiliar neighborhood with that salesman in the passenger's seat. Sound familiar? It's the typical test drive experience and it's often awful.
For many car buyers, its a thing of the past, especially for Mercedes-Benz shoppers.
That's because they've traded the dealership test drive for a weekend at a five-star hotel, a fleet of luxury cars to drive and a free-reign drive route followed by cocktails and dinner on the patio and an exclusive concert under the stars. And no salesman will call.
Isn't that a better way to test drive your next car?
This story is 100% human researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. Additionally, I was a guest of Mercedes-Benz for this experience.
You may know Auberge Resorts Collection as those iconic, idyllic properties that look Instagram-perfect, chic buildings accented by olive trees and glinting sunlight. Properties that invite you to come in and get lost, dip into the pool, be subdued by a massage, lounge on expensive sheets.
We sampled this type of test drive at the Commodore Perry Estate in Austin, Texas recently as Auberge and Mercedes hosted hotel guests and their own current and future customers for a weekend of elegant dining and an exclusive performance by Maren Morris.
Needless to say, it was an amazing time. We test drove the G-Wagen, toured a guest room, had a lovely dinner and danced along to 'My Church' (though we didn't stay for night, sadly).
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On event weekends—Mercedes and Auberge hosted three in 2024—the team rolls in with a true fleet of cars: Maybachs, G-Wagens, SUVs and sedans. You could spend all day driving the test cars. But there's more to do: you also have to see the Manufaktur Atelier.
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Not every Mercedes-Benz buyer indulges in Manufaktur, but many do, especially those who buy G-Wagens and AMG models. The more exclusive models with a higher price tag should come with a more bespoke look and feel, right? And that's the idea of Manufaktur: To pick your leathers, paint and trim details and really customize your new car.
At the Atelier, which Mercedes sets up on event weekends, specialists guide you through the leather choices, the stitching, the metals, woods paint colors and finishes. And so you can feel what that leather is really like, they send you off with a small gift: A card case or small folio made of the Manufaktur leather.
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Part of our experience was a very intimate performance by Maren Morris, one of three Auberge Concert Series performances held in 2024; the other artists included Kate Hudson and LeAnn Rhimes.
At the Commander Perry Estate the concert was held in the property's chappell, a smallish hall with excellent acoustics that seats up to 129 people. Yes, 129. We lounged on stuffed sofas while servers brought us drinks.
Two tables away was an actress (who I won't name) from one of the most popular HBO series ever. THAT will make you feel like a VIP.
The good news is that test drives are available all year long, so if you miss an event weekend or can't get a room (they sell out fast!) you can still pop into an Auberge Resort for the weekend and test drive a number of models. Mercedes is the official car partner of Auberge Resorts so there's always one on hand for you to experience.
Test models at the Commander Perry Estate include this GLC SUV and a G 550 G-Wagen. If you'd really just rather ride along, the hotel staff is happy to ferry you to local restaurants and shopping in the Mercedes-Benz fleet.
The room I toured was set up for the Auberge Concert Series/Mercedes-Benz weekend, replete with a hand-written welcome note and a snack. Each room is unique at the Commander Perry Estate, where the theme is historic heritage, filled with textiles and decor that you might find in the grand estates of the Old South. Vintage or modern, the Auberge ethos is always the same: warm and gracious.
Auberge Resorts, like Mercedes-Benz, is known for personal touches, a high standard of excellence and refined sensibilities, and that completely comes through in all they do. You feel as if they know who you are, have anticipated your needs and are longing to see you smile. That must be what it's like to be a celebrity; the feeling is certainly very VIP.
And for good reason: No creepy salesmen, no pressure, no bad experiences. It was cold and rainy during our test drive and the environment is so lovely you just have to shrug it off. We simply turned on the heated seats and sunk a but further into the leather upholstery to shield ourselves from the weather.
But isn't that the idea of a privileged experience? To separate us from all that hurts or irks us, and preserve those good moments as memories. Such as a test drive you'll never forget.
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