Broken prop shaft on new SLK

[Mintos]

Hi
This is my first post on here and it is with sadness that I ask for advice.

I took delivery of my new SLK 250 CDi AMG sport at the end if July. I love the car and everything was going well. Palladium silver, crystal grey leather, panoramic roof. Unfortunately after 8 weeks the bubble burst and the prop shaft broke!! and for the past four weeks she has been sat in the local MB compound waiting for a part Apparently this kind of manufacturing defect is unheard of these days and there are no spares lying around. The part is on "back order" and so far we have had 3 delivery dates, the latest being the middle of next week
customer services say that it has been escalated to highest priority and head office are aware, but there is nothing they can do. I should add that they have given me rental car for the duration.

This sort of thing has never happened to me before and everyone is saying I should ask for a refund of my deposit (car is on agility) and cancel contract or demand a replacement. What would be considered a reasonable amount of time before I go down this route?

Also has anybody else experienced this kind of thing?

Thanks

 

[Mintos]

Sorry, I appear to have posted this in the wrong place.

 

[jaymanek]

I dont think cancelling at this point would be reasonable. Its unfortunate but ike you say, a one off manufacturing defect...

Unfortunately back order parts can take a while but they do come so just sit tight if you can.

 

[jpwilliams]

If the rental car is of an equivalent or better vehicle,then I would live with it. No point in paying higher rental on an inferior vehicle.

I hope that you get sorted soonest.

Regards
John

 

[grober]

Hi
Unfortunately after 8 weeks the bubble burst and the prop shaft broke!! and for the past four weeks she has been sat in the local MB compound waiting for a part Apparently this kind of manufacturing defect is unheard of these days and there are no spares lying around. The part is on "back order" and so far we have had 3 delivery dates, the latest being the middle of next week
customer services say that it has been escalated to highest priority and head office are aware, but there is nothing they can do. I should add that they have given me rental car for the duration.
This sort of thing has never happened to me before and everyone is saying I should ask for a refund of my deposit (car is on agility) and cancel contract or demand a replacement. What would be considered a reasonable amount of time before I go down this route?

Also has anybody else experienced this kind of thing?

Thanks

I would contact them again and express your sincere condolences that the entire SLK 250 CDi production line has now come to a complete halt due a lack of parts.

Mercedes do seem to be experiencing lots of component supply problems at the moment - witness recent A/B class delivery dates due to gearbox supply problems. The famous Toyota inspired "Just in time" Kaban system seems to be increasingly replaced with the Mercedes Benz "Sorry if I'm a bit late! " production system

 

[Red C220]

What rental car have you been provided with?

 

[Red C220]

I dont think cancelling at this point would be reasonable. Its unfortunate but ike you say, a one off manufacturing defect...

Unfortunately back order parts can take a while but they do come so just sit tight if you can.

At what point does the wait become unreasonable?

Is there a defined period legally?

1 months is ok. What about 2 months, or 3 months or even 6 months?

Genuinely curious if this is legally defined?

 

[st13phil]

At what point does the wait become unreasonable?

A question that I'd be interested in hearing an answer to.

My guess is that there probably isn't a defined period, but that the test would be "what a reasonable person would find acceptable". In this case, it's hard to believe that Mercedes-Benz have stopped manufacture of all SLK 250CDI's, so by definition they do have the part available, it's just that they choose to allocate it to new car production rather than as a spare. Under those circumstances it's difficult to see that a "reasonable person" would accept a substantial delay of more than (say) 4-6 weeks even if a courtesy car is provided for free.

The argument gets more complex if the customer is significantly disadvantaged by not having their own vehicle - for example, it's the height of summer and they want to use their drophead car for a holiday, but the courtesy car is a saloon.

 

[Mintos]

I am now in an an e class diesal so can't complain. Originally an SLK 350, but as time went on asked to be replaced with a diesel as it was costing a fair bit in fuel.

If the part fails to arrive again next week then I will consider carefully and perhaps get advice, as that will be 5 weeks. I'd rather not loose car and I imagine it would be a long drawn out process, but at the same time i dont want to be a pushover. I did ask why they can't take part from production supplies but I was told they can't do that. CS did say that once the car was fixed I could apply for "some goodwill". Did sign up for service contract, but maybe I could push for free servicing?

Thank you for all you replies.