03 W211 270 cdi and failed glycol test

[league67]

...and the saga continues...

After not getting any info for two days called MB-Customer Services again today and the result of that call.

Still refusing to acknowledge existence of problem ; ' I'm not technical so service bulletin wouldn't mean anything to me'

Apparently they increased their contribution so my part is now 'around' £1700, 'because after all car is outside the warranty' . Dealer failed to contact me and pass on their increased offer (wouldn't be accepted anyway so not crucial).

If I'm not happy with that offer I need to let them investigate further and get back to me. Refused to give any indication of when appart from , when I pressed, 'it will be less then months sir'. If I'm not happy with their final offer I can take it further up with MB Customer Service ?!?

Any ideas where written requests should be sent to ?

My conclusions ;

It will need to be done in writing. Am tired of wasting my time explaining the 'story' over and over again. To the people who suggested this , thanks.
Saddens me that after all the talk of improving customer service its still same old, at least in my case.

As much as I hate it, I'll have to consider legal avenues.

Regards Voya

 

[glojo]

As much as I hate it, I'll have to consider legal avenues.

Regards Voya

Hi Voya,
I feel for you and sadly this type of issue is always best dealt with in a cool, calm, polite manner. I am NOT accusing you of being anything other than being a cool, calm, perfect customer, but I feel this needed to be but in writing right from the beginning.

Others will offer a more constructive address, but I have always wrote to the 'Managing Director' at Milton Keynes. There will be a post room that deals with any and all incoming correspondence.

I am sure there are members of this forum that will encourage you to take legal action and that is your right.

Sadly I am not of that opinion.

Good luck getting this issue resolved.

John

 

[panason1c]

Might be an idea to contact the MB dealership that dealt with 'pathelo', who had the same problem as you and who, in his case, carried out a foc repair (reference my earlier link on page 1)....they are clearly aware of this particular problem and might hopefully do the same for you.

 

[league67]

..thanks...

Panason1c ,
Thanks for the post. I've just finished writing a letter to MD of MB UK.

will post on this forum how it gets on.

PS Anyone with postal address for mb uk. can only find phone and email addy.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

PS Anyone with postal address for mb uk. can only find phone and email addy.

You have a PM sir

 

[Satch]

Only authorised a gearbox swap out if the glycol contamintion was above a threshold? Above 400 somethings per whatever IIRC.

 

[league67]

.... and saga continues part II ....

Bobby Dazler, thanks.

Well according to dealers service MANAGER, there is no such thing as FOC repair for this problem never happened never will. They are 'doing their best to reduce the cost as much as possible and get MB authorization to pay as much as possible but not FOC.'

They'll give me a call sometime in next couple of days.

Whatever. Sending letter to md mb uk.

Getting really annoyed with the whole thing now.

 

[marcos]

Bobby Dazler, thanks.

Well according to dealers service MANAGER, there is no such thing as FOC repair for this problem never happened never will. They are 'doing their best to reduce the cost as much as possible and get MB authorization to pay as much as possible but not FOC.'

They'll give me a call sometime in next couple of days.

Whatever. Sending letter to md mb uk.

Getting really annoyed with the whole thing now.

Hi Voya

Tell your crappy dealership to speak to MB Hertford, that is where we go and thats where they carried out the change of the gearbox, radiator, torque convertor and other bits completely FOC. Saying that there is no such thing as a FOC job for this work is utter crap. Our dealership actually said that the parts were obviously faulty and not fit for the job, so they changed the lot for nothing, my Dad didn't pay a bean.
Print this link out and send it too them http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=27051&highlight=marcos
also let them know that my Dads car was 6 months out of warranty when this happened not one month like yours.
Best of luck

BTW where is your dealer?

 

[Dieselman]

Marcos
I'ts not the dealer (Dealer (MB London Hampstead)), resisting changing the parts it's DCUk.

Apparently this is not a known problem and hasn't been subject to any recall or service advisory!!

 

[league67]

....

Hi,

Marcos, first of all thanks.
Need clarification again. Information that its not going to be free of charge came actually from the service manager at MB Hampstead. MB UK (HQ) advised that is not a known problem. Service manager at MBHampstead ; 'Car is out of warranty, we filled 'online' request BUT MB UK WILL NOT pay repair in full.
Funny thing, I called certain gerbox specialist in West London whose total quote was less then my part if I agreed to pay 'my part' (ie MB UK to pay for the 'remainder' and get the car fixed by dealer.
Oh and btw MB Hampstead labour rate is £115 + VAT. Probably not the cheapest one around. When I questioned if 'my part' has discount on labour (20% for over 3yr) already included, answer was 'oh, no, but better to give you 'worst case scenario and then when you come to collect the car we would discount it'. Whatever.

Also found out that head of Customer Services in UK is Ms Angela Sheppard (spelling probably wrong). Letter sent to her.

Thanks everyone for help.

 

[Flash]

Good luck - DC UK Customer Services are "hard work" and lack common sense and Customer Service skills from personal experience. Stick to your guns and you should be fine.

 

[league67]

...and the saga continues part III...

Got call today from Customer Services (MBHQ). Well not from head of dept. but from someone that 'work there'.
Final offer is my part comes to £1790 or thereabouts. Mercedes 'goodwill' payment covers the rest.
Got told 'Your car is out of warranty sir.' like a gazzilion times. Whatever I was saying ... out of warranty. Got the name of Wuilfried Steffen as head of MB UK. I'm sending another letter to him. Without the car for about 5 weeks now. More then money, the principle of it is bothering me. Was looking to change to CLS beggining of 2007 but no its not going to happen now.
I do understand that cars break down. When they do I don't have a problem paying even dealer rates to get it fixed. But if its defective to start with ? No, I'm going to take car to independent in West London, pay what needs paying and look at the first oportunity to jump the ship.
All these talks, in my case at least, of MB wanting to improve the image amout to zero, nada, zilch.
They could of picked up the bill, and get a lot more money from me then 1700.

Rant over.

 

[glojo]

Got call today from Customer Services (MBHQ).

I hate telephone conversations and have continually voiced that opinion! In my opinion telephone calls should only be made when things are going our way!

I would still respectively suggest this incident has been handled wrongly right from the 'get go!'

Usually when folks start to threaten others with solicitors then I back away, my choice, my personal decision.

However in this instance it appears that Mercedes-Benz have ALLEGEDLY stated there is no problem with this issue? I say allegedly simply because I have continually asked for this saga to be conducted via a proper written letter. NOT e-mail. That way we can all see both sides of the debate.

Now here is the non existant problem with designated hours for its remedy.

I am only posting this because of the allegation.

These vehicles will have usually exceeded the warranty period so a soft approach will always be better than a loud one. If you think your getting a rough deal, then nip across to the Audi forums and read about all the awful transmission problems they have.

I disagree with how you have handled this dispute but will cross my fingers that you can still recover the situation.

Regards,
John

 

[league67]

....

John,
Thanks for posting the whole bulletin. Appreciated.

Regards Voya

 

[panason1c]

I cant understand why MB seem to be so resistant to accepting that there IS a problem with the radiator and carrying out FOC repairs...after all, the fault is down to a manufacturing defect of the radiator by VALEO and i'm sure MB are re-imbursed by Valeo every time faulty ones are replaced!

The dialogue probably goes like.....

"We (MB) buy zillions of radiators from you (Valeo) and if you dont reimburse us every time for the costs of damage to our prestigious vehicles incurred as a result of your faulty radiator batch we will cancel your valuable contract and find another supplier!"

Just a thought....Maybe MB DO get reimbursed by Valeo but also try to charge the customer as well......might account for why MB sometimes relent when the customer pushes hard...?

Nice little earner?

 

[glojo]

Just a thought....Maybe MB DO get reimbursed by Valeo but also try to charge the customer as well......might account for why MB sometimes relent when the customer pushes hard...?

Nice little earner?

I think we are all entitled to our opinions, I tend to always look on the bright side. There have been documented cases of this repair being carried out free of charge on vehicles outside of warranty? I am NOT even going to attempt to understand the reasoning behind this, but from being on this forum for a short period of time I have seen more than one happy customer that has received a goodwill repair outside of the vehicles warranty period.

As you say.......... Just a thought!

Regards,
John

 

[panason1c]

There have been documented cases of this repair being carried out free of charge on vehicles outside of warranty
John

EXACTLY!!.......So therefore, why is it that (when out of warranty) SOME will get a free repair but SOME will have to pay?.......why is there not a uniform policy?

It illustrates my thoughts that MB probably do get reimbursed by Valeo but, in some cases, also try to charge the customer.

 

[prprandall51]

The dialogue probably goes like.....

"We (MB) buy zillions of radiators from you (Valeo) and if you dont reimburse us every time for the costs of damage to our prestigious vehicles incurred as a result of your faulty radiator batch we will cancel your valuable contract and find another supplier!"

But I think they did find themselves another supplier, didn't they - Valeo was dropped after this, wasn't it? (read on another thread a few days ago).

Unbelievably, radiators are part-made from plastic nowadays. My BMW one went at 5 years and the BMW garage told me it had lasted well!

I think these should really be treated as a consumable since they are much cheaper to replace than to fix when they go (leaving you stranded by the roadside at best case and possibly taking the engine with it in the worst case).

Philip

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Mentioned it to my dealer today. I have a Valeo on mine. They said it's more of an issue on E and S-Class, so I should be fine - not convinced though having seen C-Class owners affected in the states.

I don't agree with Philip that a radiatior should be treated as a consumable. If it is then it should be included in the service schedule. If it fails after just 3 years of use, then it's either a manufacturing fault, or it's not fit for the purpose it has been designed for.

I wonder what Citizens Advice would say?

 

[prprandall51]

Hi Bobby Dazzler - actually, I don't think it should be a consumable, either. I am with you on this.

But, having had the thermostatic housing go at 3.5 years (made of plastic, "They all do that, sir") and then the radiator at 5 years (made of plastic, "It lasted well, sir") and in both cases been left stranded (=hassle) and in each case costing at least £200 more for the incidental damage and checks caused by their failure over and above the simple replacement cost, I think they should be classed as consumables and their replacement put into the service schedule.

It is disappointing that cars are made this way nowadays but that's progress.

All I am saying is that I would prefer to replace than have them fail on me unexpectedly.

Philip