Hello ejboyd5,
Got it. But we'll take your message as you speaking for yourself, not the rest of us, ok? And a number of us disagree with you.
Your data and logic is a little flawed regarding your point about all the supposed time being consumed by MB over there re data cards, the need for "leveling the playing field", etc. Please. If supporting their collector base with free data cards was such an unbearable task and expense for them, why did they wait --forty years-- or more to start charging for them? The answer is that it wasn't nearly as big a deal or expense as you're trying to make it sound.
Furthermore, as a very experienced software and database developer, I can assure you that a database holding even millions of individual cars' data, indexed by VIN, is tiny and simple compared to other parts of MB's systems. And they would obviously be maintaining this database regardless of whether data cards were being provided to the customer base or not.
Also, you make a pompous, incorrect assertion that those wanting a data card "apply for "free" information that they mistakenly believe is important to their ordinary production vehicles." How do you know they're "mistaken"? You sound as arbitrary and arrogant as those over at MB Germany who came up with this $150 data card policy. Do you by chance work for or with them?
Please consider what I originally wrote about this to Michael Kuemmerle below.
To the rest of our group who are interested in this, I'm not going to keep beating the drum on this matter. I appreciate your interest and, again, encourage you to make thout thoughts known to the folks over at MB.
Thanks.
Cole.
Sent to Michael Kuemmerle on Jan 2. 2019:
"There are a few related points here that are worth considering:
* There's obviously many, many Mercedes collectors and lovers all around the world who regularly buy various cars, parts and services from MB and/or its associates. While this is probably not at the top of MB's revenue list, I would expect it is, nonetheless, a substantial income source for MB and alone defrays or could be seen to defray any lesser expenses in maintaining your archive of data cards and satisfying collectors with them.
* While your archive of ten million data cards is certainly a lot of data cards, such a database with today's technology, as we both know, is fairly minimal considering that it's likely a simple database indexed and accessed by VIN; and once the data was loaded, its use has probably been mainly a matter of retrieval for data cards or similar purposes.
* To fulfill a data card request, it is likely just a matter of verifying the validity of the request, retrieving the data card from the database and emailing a copy to the requester --the main point being that it's not a terribly complicated or expensive proposition.
* The reasons for needing and wanting a data card can vary, but one scenario is to help a buyer confirm the specs of a given car before actually buying it. And it can obviously happen that the data card discloses something that disqualifies the purchase leaving the buyer with a $150 data card and no car. It's clear that the simplest solution is for the data card to be free, the way it's been for years.
* In short, with all the intelligence, resources and affluence that Mercedes Benz possesses, as well as the fact that many or most MB collectors around the world are already paying well for Mercedes cars, parts and services, MB does not need to resort to this $150 charge. To do so is inappropriate and cheapens Mercedes image. It can easily assimilate the minimal database and organizational expenses and if necessary, comfortably defray these costs elsewhere in the company.
The simple and clear solution is return to the earlier policy of offering data cards for free."
