The largest imported car maintenance shop in Korea has emerged. It is the 성동 Service Center operated by 한성자동차. This facility boasts the largest workforce, the most workshop bays, and cutting-edge facilities. Every issue with Mercedes-Benz vehicles can be resolved here. It is significant not only for its size but also due to its historical importance as the first Mercedes-Benz service center in Korea, now transformed into the largest of its kind. What started small has grown into something magnificent.
On the 6th, 한성자동차 held a media tour event to celebrate the opening of the 성동 Service Center. This center traces its roots back to the 군자 Service Center, established in 1988. After the establishment of the 용답 Service Center, the current 성동 Service Center was created through the integration and expansion of both centers last August.
한성자동차 CEO Wolf Ausprung also attended the media event, emphasizing that “the 성동 Service Center showcases Korea’s largest scale and facilities, together with a digitized state-of-the-art service environment”.
The 성동 Service Center stands as Korea’s largest imported car maintenance center, with eight floors above ground and three below, totaling 38,000 m² of floor area. It has 80 service bays including 45 for regular repairs and 35 for accident repairs, boasting uninterrupted capacity. Furthermore, plans are underway to continually expand the number of work bays until 2025, while steadily adding to the current staff of 137 employees.
The reception area on the first floor creates a lavish yet cozy contrasting atmosphere. Customers waiting for service sit in comfortable chairs, watching monitors that display the progress of their vehicle repairs, taking a moment to relax. To the left, a lifestyle collection sales area displays an array of clothing and bags, waiting for customers.
The second floor is dedicated to EQ vehicles. From EQA to EQS, Mercedes has the first full lineup of electric vehicles among imported cars. Last year, electric vehicle sales reached 4,962 units, accounting for 6.1% of total sales (80,976 units). With the increasing sales of electric vehicles, the number of service inspections is also on the rise. At the 성동 Service Center, four certified technicians with Mercedes-Benz’s EQ-Expert qualifications manage customers’ vehicles.
On a table lay batteries dismantled from the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC and EQB vehicles, used as teaching tools. The technician, relating to recent electric vehicle fire incidents, stated, “There have been recurring cases where passengers cannot escape,” demonstrating that “Mercedes electric vehicles allow for easy escape, even in emergencies.”
As soon as the driver’s door opens, a gentle touch reveals a covering; underneath, a red line is shown. The instructor emphasized, “In emergencies, you can cut the red line to disconnect the vehicle’s power supply.”
Heading to the third floor, this level is dedicated to AMG and Maybach. A Maybach S650 Pullman awaited the journalists, positioned on a lift capable of hoisting vehicles weighing over 6 tons, available only at this location in Korea. In addition, Mercedes’ certified diagnostic equipment, Gentry, assesses customer vehicles.
A Maybach S600 with 250,000 km on it arrived due to issues caused by the replacement of non-genuine fuel lines. The technician identified the issue as stemming from using unofficial tools in non-official service centers and stated, “It is crucial to use official service centers that employ certified diagnostic equipment and genuine parts.”
On the fifth floor, we moved up. This floor, along with the sixth and seventh, is dedicated to repairing accident cars. The fifth floor handles frame damage restoration and bodywork for vehicles with serious damages. A machine called Car-O-Liner is employed, which accurately measures the twisted angles of the vehicle’s frame to restore it to its original condition.
The sixth floor handles minor collision incidents like bumper replacements, while the seventh floor is reserved for painting and sanding accident vehicles. The spray booth on the seventh floor is the largest in the country, featuring two spray areas and seven sanding areas. However, due to the continuous influx of accident vehicles like the S-Class, Maybach S-Class, Maybach S-Class Pullman, and G-Class, the 성동 Service Center plans to double its capacity, expanding to six spray booths and twenty-four sanding areas, allowing it to handle up to 600 accident repairs per month.
Starting as Korea’s first imported car service center, the 성동 Service Center has continuously improved customer satisfaction for domestic Mercedes-Benz customers over the past 35 years. It will be exciting to see what new histories they will be making in the future.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr