Another newbie - C63 AMG Coupe

[FallGuyC63]

There’s always some issue that needs rectified when buying S/H cars, even approved used. Dealers retail cars knowing full well there are issues, but they don’t fix them until you point them out. They use it as negotiation which is why I never believe their sales speil ‘the price is the price’.

 

[C60Free]

There’s always some issue that needs rectified when buying S/H cars, even approved used. Dealers retail cars knowing full well there are issues, but they don’t fix them until you point them out. They use it as negotiation which is why I never believe their sales speil ‘the price is the price’.

This x100.

A lot of the time what enthusiasts or the more observant will pick up, a lot of people wouldn’t and thus the dealer has saved themselves a few quid.

Hopefully you get everything sorted, it’s unfortunate that these sorts of issues take the shine off a new car.

At least it sounds like it’s being paid for and you can enjoy the 6.2 for summer!

 

[Stevie1982]

Thanks folks! Woke up this morning feeling a bit less glum. Yes it was bought from a dealer in Southampton, I live in Aberdeen so using a local garage to assess the issues and put them right. They are run by an ex-Mercedes master tech, we used them for our old M class a few years ago and they are first class. If they're telling me they don't believe the cam cover is cracked/just needed tightened I wouldn't hesitate to believe them, but they may just be mistaken - we'll see after a few more drives.

So far the dealer has authorised everything to be sorted other than the front wheels. The garage said they are fairly sure they wouldn't pass an MOT, although the car was MOT'd just before sale (possibly the usual pre-sale test done by Stevie Wonder) so I'm not sure what'll happen there. Hopefully they can be straightened and repaired properly, there is a good wheel place near us so I'll ask the dealer about that.

I believe to reject a car you have to give the dealer a fair chance to sort things out first. Not sure if they'd have the right to insist on having the car inspected themselves in person or at a garage of their choosing though which would mean taking it back to Southampton. If it really does come to that then that's what I'll have to do but we're not there yet. The only thing that I think might drag on is the wheels.

I'm in a similar spot, recently bought a used E63 from a non mercedes yet still a main franchised dealer. Fee of small niggles, front radar sensors not working, Passenger dynamic seat model playing up and the dealer have sent payment in advanced to have it repaired at my local mercedes main dealer for one issue, the other will be covered under warranty once it's been diagnosed by the mercedes main dealer. The third is a worn inner edge on a front tyre which is something I'll sort as the car has Pirelli P Zero's fitted and I can't stand them so all for will be going to PS4S's anyway.

Re yours and with what you've said, in particular that you've got a local and trusted specialist working on the car I think you're in safe and good hands. Re returning the vehicle especially that as you say they are authorising all the repairs I think you'll struggle to get them to take it back or be successful at a small claims but that's justy opinion. As frustrating and as heart breaking as the situation is I'd try to stay positive, get the final issues addressed and worst case buy a set of (assume) front alloys off ebay have them repaired and swap the wheels over and sell yours on stating they require a refurb. Send the bill to the supplying dealer and ask for a refund.

Very few dealers spend any time with the car so will not see or know all the faults, I'd suspect a 5 to 10 minutes test drive at best before is washed and put on the forecourt so it's plausible that some of the issues you've encountered they wouldn't have known about, the guy who traded it in sure would have and no doubt why it was px'd. Remember most dealers are buying through the likes of BCA who own webuyanycar. Now we've probably all used them and what actual checks do the guys taking the car in do other than pull your pants down for every small scratch and chip.

Easier said then done yet get it fixed, put it all behind you and enjoy the car

 

[8bit]

Thanks all! Yeah I've been here before, my wife's current Jag XF barely worked at all when we got it (from one of the large dealership chains who's name quite rightly rhymes with "shark"), that was never out of the place for the first six months. We had a ML320 a few years back as an approved used car, I think the local MB dealer washed it more times in the first year than we did.

Took it for a run today, the rumbling at high speeds is still very much there so think that'll be the front wheels. The oil leak is also still present, I can see fresh oil on the passenger-side exhaust manifold when I got it home. Back in to the local specialist on Wednesday. They said yesterday that the wheels are no longer made so hopefully they can be repaired...

 

[ALFAitalia]

I'd suspect a 5 to 10 minutes test drive at best before is washed and put on the forecourt so it's plausible that some of the issues you've encountered they wouldn't have known about,

Maybe....but they should have picked them up between the sale and delivery when it was in the workshop being prepared.....so no excuse really.

 

[8bit]

Maybe....but they should have picked them up between the sale and delivery when it was in the workshop being prepared.....so no excuse really.

The laugh of it is that the dealer made a big deal about being an RAC accredited dealer and the car coming with 6 month's RAC warranty and full RAC inspection prior to sale. I have a copy of the inspection report - clearly not worth the paper it's printed on!

 

[FallGuyC63]

Don’t worry, I bought a 2yr old RS6 from a main dealer with four buckled wheels. So much for the 149 multi point checklist it went through. The car would vibrate terribly over 60 mph. When I took it back and they checked, they came back and said it was a common issue on the 21” alloys fitted

Do your due diligence and check everything as best you can, but you won’t catch everything, every time . That’s what warranties are for I guess.

Edit - I guess the other thing is knowing when to cut your losses, not sure I’ve figured that one out yet

 

[Stevie1982]

Maybe....but they should have picked them up between the sale and delivery when it was in the workshop being prepared.....so no excuse really.

You'd have hoped right. Reality is unfortunately a very different thing. A few years back we bought a 2015 Nissan Qashqai from Nissan West London as we wanted the security of it being through a main dealer and a proper warranty. Few days in the CEL light came on so booked it into our local dealer ring Reading. The video we were sent was outrageous, the car had been in a heavy front end, things were bent out of shape etc and both the main dealer and I had HPI the car. Needles to say they took it back once they were supplied the footage and report from Reading.

As frustrating as your situation is, the dealer is making attempts to put it right which is more than what some would do and I've been in that situation as well. I'm sure you'll get it all sorted and once all the gripes are done you'll have a very well spec'd limited colour run car with an amazing engine, saw a 62 plate diamond white coupe this afternoon while I was stood next to the E63, needless to say the owner gave it some beans as he pulled away

 

[8bit]

I messaged the dealer this morning to report my findings over the weekend and he's accepted the issue and given a lot of reassurance. He even went as far to say that it'll get new wheels if that's what it needs. He did suggest going the route of replica wheels - I'm sort of thinking that if the originals can be repaired then maybe do that and I'll get a set of replicas to use while I have the car, but keep the originals to swap back on when the time comes to sell the car.

 

[Stevie1982]

I messaged the dealer this morning to report my findings over the weekend and he's accepted the issue and given a lot of reassurance. He even went as far to say that it'll get new wheels if that's what it needs. He did suggest going the route of replica wheels - I'm sort of thinking that if the originals can be repaired then maybe do that and I'll get a set of replicas to use while I have the car, but keep the originals to swap back on when the time comes to sell the car.

That's great news. If they are willing to buy a set of new replica then I'd stick to having two used OEM and more importantly Genuine fronts bought and refurbished. You can the have them swapped out and send them the buckled wheels. Glad you're getting it sorted and hopefully you'll get it done and put it all behind you.

 

[Spider10]

Excellent news for you well done

 

[leef44]

That's great news. If they are willing to buy a set of new replica then I'd stick to having two used OEM and more importantly Genuine fronts bought and refurbished. You can the have them swapped out and send them the buckled wheels. Glad you're getting it sorted and hopefully you'll get it done and put it all behind you.

I always understood that buckled wheels shouldn't be repaired. I had a buckled wheel once and both a wheel specialist and Indy specialist said this should not be repaired but replaced because the heat cycle required to do the repair leaves the wheel with less strength from metal fatigue.

 

[8bit]

Just collected the car from the local garage. The front discs and pads have been done, the leaking N/S rocker cover gasket has been replaced and the alignment has been done. Still feels like the steering wheel is off center to the right a little but I'm not sure what sort of equipment that garage has for alignment and geometry. I usually get my cars checked and corrected every couple of years anyway so I'll take it to a specialist once everything else is squared away.

The sunroof apparently needs a new motor so the dealer has been advised of the cost but is yet to authorise this. Besides that just the front wheels to get repaired if possible, or replaced. Will speak to the dealer again on Tuesday to see what the plan is for those.

 

[badgx]

Just collected the car from the local garage. The front discs and pads have been done, the leaking N/S rocker cover gasket has been replaced and the alignment has been done. Still feels like the steering wheel is off center to the right a little but I'm not sure what sort of equipment that garage has for alignment and geometry. I usually get my cars checked and corrected every couple of years anyway so I'll take it to a specialist once everything else is squared away.

The sunroof apparently needs a new motor so the dealer has been advised of the cost but is yet to authorise this. Besides that just the front wheels to get repaired if possible, or replaced. Will speak to the dealer again on Tuesday to see what the plan is for those.

Hi buddy, was it the gasket that needed changing or the plastic rocker cover? Some members report its usually the plastic which cracks.

 

[8bit]

The garage said it was just the gasket but I thought that the covers had the gaskets attached at the factory rather than these being separate items? I guess if they'd had the cover off then they'd have spotted a crack. It still seemed to smell a bit when I got home and there was a little smoke going on when I checked under the bonnet but that could just be residual oil burning off. I'll take it for a longer run tomorrow and check for fresh oil again after that.

 

[badgx]

That's the residual oil burning off from the exhaust manifold. If they had used an old rag could have captured most of the oil.

Camera equipt Hunter or John Bean wheel alignment should give an accurate reading and printout. Toe is adjustable but both caster and camber need special camber/caster bolts and you can only adjust them one way either positive or negative by a small amount. If its way out of spec, may have other suspension parts that need checking

 

[8bit]

Probably yeah, will give it a bit of time and keep checking. There are two or three Hunter-equipped places near me, crucially ones that know what they're doing with them Once we've got the other bits and pieces sorted I'll get it booked in to one of them. Don't want to go spending money on the car until it's all sorted out amicably with the dealer, if he ends up trying to get out of sorting things out then I have no qualms about moving to reject the car. Fingers crossed we're on the right path now though.

 

[Spider10]

Sounds like he's trying ref the cam cover I have my old 1 in the garage which is cracked but you couldn't see the crack (bottom rear) everyone ive spoken to had a new 1 fitted rather than mess about with gaskets

 

[Stevie1982]

Glad to hear it's moving forward. Curious to know, what's the cost for the motor and fitting? Did you make a call re the alloys with having refurbished or reps

 

[8bit]

Sounds like he's trying ref the cam cover I have my old 1 in the garage which is cracked but you couldn't see the crack (bottom rear) everyone ive spoken to had a new 1 fitted rather than mess about with gaskets

So as far as the garage are concerned, I am not the customer - that's the dealer. If he's said to them to try the cheap fix first (or "just clean up the oil and monitor") then that's what they'll do. Other than the hassle of repeat visits I don't mind that, so long as the correct fix is eventually found. If it still persists to leak after the gasket then it'll go back again.

Glad to hear it's moving forward. Curious to know, what's the cost for the motor and fitting? Did you make a call re the alloys with having refurbished or reps

Apparnently it's close to £1k! The dealer did say today he just needs to find somewhere that can do the alloys so I guess he's hoping they can be repaired. In that event (or if he opts to get a used pair of fronts) I'll probably buy a set of replicas to use and swap back to the AMG wheels when the time comes to sell.