5 Weeks And Still Not Fixed

[MoonWalker]

Hi just really need some advice or a friendly thought.

I purchased a c200 coupe nearly 6 weeks ago. On the 40 minutes drive home to engine managment light came on so it was run straight to my trusted garage where an ecu error was causing a cylinder misfire. I rang the car front who told me they would deal with it. The car was took back the next day. Now for the last 5 weeks i've been pulled from pillar to post by this dealer and the car has now gone to 2 different garages. The one it's at now is the mercedes Benz bedford dealership. I've tried for the last week to no avail to find out when I'm likely to get the ecu replaced but they still can't give a defianate answer.

So what I want advice on really is wether the car can be driven like this if I go to collect as i really can't take the wait and the stress is too much. And if it can does anyone know of a good garage in the London area who could order the part and replace it?

Thanks

 

[MoonWalker]

And apologies for the spelling and grammar I typed this out on my iPhone

 

[Sp!ke]

Was the car bought privately or through a dealer?

(I'm just wondering if the issue is covered by the sellers warranty or not)

ECU's dont come cheap.

 

[MoonWalker]

It was through a dealer albeit not a mercedes one. He wasn't interested untill I contacted trading standards and he agreed to pay the cost. Up to now it's been very friendly but he'll defiantley be hearing from myself tomorrow.

Do you know how much an ecu will cost as I have £500 warranty and the rest I'm prepared to lump up and suffer.

Is the car driveable with a cylinder misfire?

 

[Charles Morgan]

Frankly with a car with a fault as sudden as this and with a dealer who is has washed his hands of the problem, I would reject it under the sale of goods act and ask for your money back straightaway. A lawyer or CAB should be able to help, but I would not lump it.

 

[MoonWalker]

He has agreed to pay for it albeit through a garage of his choice. But I'm left for 5 weeks so far without a car which has cause all sorts of problems.

What my friend at the local garage stated was that the ecu light can be switched off for an hours worth of driving and he did show me how this is possible. This is obviously what the lying b*****d has done.

Trading standards have told me that since he greed to payfor the repair I don't have a foot to stand on as he can take as long as he likes which I was shocked to hear. Is there anything that I can do that you know off where I can return the car with a full refund.

 

[stevesey]

Trading standards have told me that since he greed to payfor the repair I don't have a foot to stand on as he can take as long as he likes which I was shocked to hear. Is there anything that I can do that you know off where I can return the car with a full refund.

TS are right in that as a general rule you have to give the seller the opportunity to repair faulty goods. By the sounds of it he has offerred a repair and you have accepted. However this should also be done in a reasonable time and without excessive inconvience.

From Which: Your rights - Understanding the Sale of Goods Act - Your rights - Which? Advice

Under the Sale of Goods Act, the retailer must either repair or replace the goods 'within a reasonable time but without causing significant inconvenience'. If the seller doesn't do this, you are entitled to claim either:

• reduction on the purchase price, or
• your money back, minus an amount for the usage you've had of the goods (called 'recision').

If the retailer refuses to repair the goods, you may have the right to arrange for someone else to repair it, and then claim compensation from the retailer for the cost of doing this.

 

[MoonWalker]

Thanks for the help mate. What would be considered a reasonable time. Would there be anyway that I could claim for a rental car as I need to travel for my work.

Thanks

 

[bennesspipers]

Go back to TS & tell them you think the 'reasonable time' has passed, i wouldnt stand for what you're putting up with.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Googling 'rejecting secondhand car sale of goods act' pulls up a BBC link that says you can ask for replacement car while yours is repaired, or ask for money to cover the cost. I see no reason why you shouldn't demand such, as your inconvenience has been remarkable.

 

[MoonWalker]

Thanks for the help guys makes me proud to be part of the forum. Im going to use all the information gained and hit the crook with it tomorrow, although Mercedes Bedford should be in touch to let me know when i can expect the ECU. Ill post feedback once i hear from them.

 

[MoonWalker]

Hi Guys

Got the park back Friday and all was running smoothly for a couple of hours driving on Saturday. When I got in the car on Sunday the same light came on. The car was promptly taken to Mercedes Thurrock where they have stated it was never the ECU unit in the first place.

What they have suggested is changing the coil pack and stripping the cylinder. Now im no expert but is there anyone out there who can tell me the reasoning for this and how much this is going to run me for.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Baron_Samedi]

Well, there are wiser on here in this regard than I, but the ECU governs the activity of the coil pack(s).

If there were a damaged coil pack, the ECU would sense this and act accordingly throwing a warning at best or being damaged itself (in the case of cars such as Peugeot 206).

What surprises me is that the ECU was diagnosed as faulty without checking other sub-systems (lambda probe(s), coil packs, MAF connections, both air and signal) prior to assuming the ECU was faulty.

 

[BaldGuy]

At this point I'd want a full run down what the previous guy did and also be sending him a solicitor letter with costs that you have incurred. Also the bill from where it is at the moment.... Failing that demand a full refund, there are plenty of other cars out there...

 

[bpsorrel]

This sounds suspiciously like a fault we had with my wife's C180K coupe. On a drive on the M1 one night, suddenly the car went into limp mode with the engine management light glowing. Next day I called Milton Keynes who sent their van round within an hour. The technician whipped out the laptop, connected it to the car and diagnosed a misfire. He then changed one of the coils, re-booted the system and hey presto, fully working car again. As it happens, he then changed all the coils for me as a future precuation! Could be worth asking the dealer to check the coils...

 

[MoonWalker]

The car has now been booked in under warranty to a Mercedes Benz franchise for coil changes and so forth. I have also been told by an independent source that these cars have a problem where excess silicone leaks from the electrical relay?

Lets just say the plot has thickened quite dramatically and all will be revealed in due course. Sorry to beat around the bush but dont want to go into too much detail just yet.

 

[BlackC55]

I suspect either water in number one plug hole, a dodgy coil or poor compression.

 

[MoonWalker]

An independent garage has already ruled out the coils and compressions but since im not paying and this is a proper Mercedes garage might aswell give it a go.

 

[MoonWalker]

Seeing as the car is now going back i can indulge the details. As previously stated ive had nothing but problems from the car. The coil change and compression test failed to cure the problem so this was going to lead to a cylinder change then a block change which im not prepared to pay for. The dealer i bought the car from has been useless and complained about having to spend money even though this has caused me nothing but stress and money.

Ive rung up the dealer on numerous occasions and now have told him im coming down for a full refund which he wasnt happy about but tough.

Anyway heres the suspicious part. The ECU was initially changed but i travelled and picked up the car instead of the dealer. When the dealer found out he was absolutly mortified and started shouting then he begged for the box back. Once all the delivery note and part numbers were relayed to him i got constant phone calls asking if we could send back the part box. On closer inspection the invoice only stated an hours labour had to be paid for and no ECU unit. So putting two and two together i have now realised he was on the thieve up.

So heres my question to you: After sending the car back and getting a full refund would you inform the main Mercedes head office of this or would you leave it and let him get off scot free.

Im thoroughly disappointed that i have to get rid of the car but obviously this problem is too much. Its led me being put of the Mercedes brand unless i was buying brand new.

Once i get my money i will publish full details of the car and dealership so no one makes the mistake i did.

Sorry about the long post but had to get it off my chest.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Report him to Trading Standards. If a Mercedes dealer, report also to Mercedes. While the car hasn't been up to standard, I can't see how Mercedes can be considered responsible for the crooked behaviour of a non-Mercedes dealer.