Any ideas on successfully complaining to MBZ?

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dino645

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
Messages
170
Location
Warwickshire
Car
Mercedes E320 CE/ML270
Inchcape Stratford-upon-Avon: Has anyone used this garage for servicing?

You can see my recent posts regarding problems with incorrect diagnosis, cowboy repairs, and to top it all off this Christmas, I walk out of Sainsbury's to find two guys throwing sand around my car, because after spending £4.5k servicing about 6 weeks ago, they had noticed a horrendous leak of fluid underneath the car.

Worried after a major service, it may be brakes, or power steering, I parked the car up over Christmas. I have now taken it back to MBZ to correct problems they have invoiced me for and assured me are fixed, yet I discover they have not even looked at, and they tell me it could a stone that caused it, or it could be the auto gearbox.

Could it not be that during the service when they changed the transmission fluid, that they didn't fix it up properly, causing the leak?

I am going to wait to see how they handle this, but subject to a good outcome which is unlikely, I need to know who I can complain to so that I can be compensated, or how to cause a headache with Mercedes-Benz(Europe) over the poor service quality, and customer service.

Has anyone complained directly to Mercedes Benz, and is there anything to gain from this?
 
£4,500 on servicing. What did they do. Do you have a list ? That is one expensive service.

No, I have never written to MB so can't help you there. It is the service cost that has caught my interest.
 
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Ask to speak to their dealer principal first with the service manager and go through exactly what has been done. make sure you try and make a diary of what's been said. If you're not satisfied then you could write to Daimler Chrysler UK, tell the garage of this and I'm sure they will sort out the problem there and then, rather than let it go that far.
 
Reading your post(s) I'm horrified at the possible consequences of continuing to allow the dealer to work on your car. Have you considered speaking to Trading Standards at least?
 
Inchcape Stratford-upon-Avon: Has anyone used this garage for servicing?

You can see my recent posts regarding problems with incorrect diagnosis, cowboy repairs, and to top it all off this Christmas, I walk out of Sainsbury's to find two guys throwing sand around my car, because after spending £4.5k servicing about 6 weeks ago, they had noticed a horrendous leak of fluid underneath the car.

Worried after a major service, it may be brakes, or power steering, I parked the car up over Christmas. I have now taken it back to MBZ to correct problems they have invoiced me for and assured me are fixed, yet I discover they have not even looked at, and they tell me it could a stone that caused it, or it could be the auto gearbox.

Could it not be that during the service when they changed the transmission fluid, that they didn't fix it up properly, causing the leak?

I am going to wait to see how they handle this, but subject to a good outcome which is unlikely, I need to know who I can complain to so that I can be compensated, or how to cause a headache with Mercedes-Benz(Europe) over the poor service quality, and customer service.

Has anyone complained directly to Mercedes Benz, and is there anything to gain from this?

My farther has bought a CLS from them, uncle a E55 and sister a c class and all comment how s*** the service is, i too visited this dealer when i was looking to buy an E class ''we will get a car in for you to test drive sir'' that was 1.5 yrs ago still waiting for the call, uncle called them regarding a test flight in an E63 still waiting 14mths on! dad had a service on the CLS only covered 6500mls (05) 8mls later coolant light comes on! sister had mud flaps fitted, next day 3 were hanging off! on refitting them they had the cheek to try and bill her again!! also she had the center armrest replaced due to the lid being faulty and they sent a bill for that even though its still under the MB 3yr warranty, she wrote to MB and guess what? no reply at all!! i could go on...but seriously avoid this dealer like the plague.
 
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The first invoice I had was for £3600. The car was away for 5 weeks. I didn't even get offered a courtesy car.

The invoice was for servicing, repairs, MOT etc. It's my first merc, and I like to drive a problem free car. I knew that buying an older car I would be in for a few bills, and if the quality of servicing was up to scratch, I really wouldn't have minded. But even simple repairs like changing the aerial because it had been bent through a car wash, resulted in a problem: They fitted a new aerial, and didn't test it before I collected the car. It took 2 trips back to get it working. So I wonder when they claim to have fixed the front suspension, why I am still getting suspension problems.

Why I had to forcefully tell them, when they incorrectly diagnosed a relay problem and the Service guy came out of the Managers office explaining that I would have to pay for the part that was originally replaced, and hadn't fixed the problem, but they wouldn't charge me for labour and diagnostics (£310), that I wasn't paying for it. It took a second trip to the Managers office, to credit the £310. I don't expect to have to haggle with them over responsibility.

Some of the forum members helped me out with the diagnosis, but MBZ hadn't got a clue. When I told them that it could be a relay, they ordered the part. I asked if this would fix the problem, and they advised me that if it didn't work, it may be the ignition switch!! But in the meantime, they are charging me every time I collect the car.

I'm not happy with MBZ.
:mad:
 
Where are you based? Worcester is much better me & andy_cyp are pretty much pleased with there service. i dou't by my family's experience that Stratford carry out what they say on customers cars:crazy:

Don't let a dealer put you off Mercedes cars.
 
MB will be very interested in this.

In cases like this and I've seen a few you have to cut the cord with the dealer and find another because every time you go in things get worse.

I know of people who have car's lemoned (USA) due to 1 issue with the car and 100 caused by the dealer, I've also seen people almost accept bad service because the dealer is close to them and they don't have to travel far and other crap like that, they always use the argument that they should not have to travel far because the service they get should be great and i can see what they mean but at some point they have to realize things wont change and by continuing to use the same dealer they are risking the 'health' of the car they love so much.

I've said before that i hate issues like this because it makes us all look bad and i hope it gets sorted for you but the best advice i can give you is use another dealer.
 
Good morning,
I note that so far you have not got an address, so I will post the one I always use. Times have changed and it might be better to use Mercedes-Benz instead of DaimlerChrysler but it really does not matter as the post will presumably go into a mail room where it will get forwarded to the relevant department. I think wee fool ourselves if we believe the head honcho opens letters all day. :)

Managing Director
DaimlerChrysler UK Ltd
Tongwell,
Milton Keynes,
Buckinghamshire
MK15 8BA


The most important thing is to write a conventional letter (not e-mail) and keep it polite. The cost of the service might be excessive, but the garage might be able to jusdtify every penny which would not acheive anything. List everything that was agreed and itemize every point you feel is wrong, or was not agreed before hand.

I am more than surprisded that someone has wrote to Milton Keynes and not received a reply. As omeone that has wrote more than their fair share of letters to Milton Keynes ;) I can honestly say I have always received an acknowledgement. The reply has sometimes been waffle, but they have always replied. (I was told that the E-class navigational software was wrote by TeleAtlas)

Be sure of your ground, be polite, don't make threats, and especially do not threaten legal action (unless you have taken expert legal advise and been told to say this)

Good luck
Regards
John
 
Yes I agree with John DO NOT threaten legal action to begin with...you often get more response by being polite and firm .... and then you have left something to fall back on if needed.

Once legal action is mentioned - defensive mechanisms go into play......
 
4.5 k :crazy: .....:eek: and no car ....... that better be one spanking car then ......
 
John has summed it up nicely - go straight to MK and point our your dissatisfaction in a polite way - I did it with the dealer trouble I had and it was all resolved quickly and to my satisfaction.
 
John has summed it up nicely - go straight to MK and point our your dissatisfaction in a polite way - I did it with the dealer trouble I had and it was all resolved quickly and to my satisfaction.

If it's the dealer I'm thinking of....R's of P.....then I think they've had a few staff changes.....front of house seems to be a bit better organised of late.....parts are helpful with some old school MB guys......I still won't use them for servicing the M class...I drive an extra 20 miles to N'n.
 
I would blame the reliance on computers to diagnose problems which means if the staff are a bit thick when it comes to fixing old mercs you will pay for their inexperience.

I prefer independent garages as they tend to be more experienced and don't charge for their mistakes.

Try writing to autoexpress or What car magazine for help
 
If it's the dealer I'm thinking of....R's of P.....then I think they've had a few staff changes.....front of house seems to be a bit better organised of late.....parts are helpful with some old school MB guys......I still won't use them for servicing the M class...I drive an extra 20 miles to N'n.

I would say that's the one & same dealer I was referring to ;)

Of course, I haven't had reason to go back there of late, but if the chap still works there with the seasonal name for this time of year, I will steer clear :D
 
I won't be put off mercs through the servicing experience, because when it is fixed properly, it is a very good car. Hard to value when you have spent so much, but all I want is something reliable to drive.

Thanks for your advice.
 
Dino

I agree it is bad service.

However you acknowledge it is an old car (approx 12 years old) and therefore it is actually inappropriate for you to take it to a main Mercedes dealership.

They mainly concentrate on doing warranty work on new cars under 3 years old and employ technicians that are only used to the star diagniostic machines (unable to use old fashioned non computer techniques).

The technicians were still in junior school when your car was a current model.

The appropriate thing to have done was to do research before you bought the car and you would soon have realised that a specialist Merc independant was the route to go for service and fault finding on older Mercs.

A lot of those guys worked in dealerships as technicians when your car was a current model and know the various foibles of the different 124 models inside out.
 

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