Buying an approved MB from Inchcape. shall I get the extended warranty too?

[sam3003]

Hi there,

I am considering buying an E220D 2017 (approved mercedes) and part exchanging my car. Any tips as to what I should check during the test drive?
Is it true that if I fianace the car with them, I might be able to add inchape 2 or 3 year extended warranty free of charge?
I was told the extended warranty costs around £1200 for two years
Is inchape waranty as good as the MB one?

If I fianace the car and get the inchape extended warranty free of charge and then pay off the debt say in 6 or 12 months, does it invalidate the warranty?
The inchape part exchange offer is around 2K less than the autotrader sugggested asking price, can I ask for a better part exchange offer?

Sorry for the many questions.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Smiley]

You are probably thinking that "MB approved used" means that the car will have been thoroughly prepared and any faults rectified before you take delivery. From many posts on here over the years it is clear that you can not assume that at all. The car needs to be inspected, the service history checked - you will need to check it as though you were buying privately - many stories on here of complete lack of prep of "approved used" cars over the years. I would recommend keeping hold of your existing car and selling it privately after you are happy with the car; that way you will have a car to use if you need to reject the new one.
You should go on line and read the terms of the MB extended warranty - it is an insurance policy provided by a third party. Make sure you read what is NOT covered, when I looked at it the (long) list of items excluded was very surprising and very different to other premium used car warranties.

 

[markjay]

1. Ignore the 'Approved Used' status, and inspect the car as if you were buying it from a bloke on eBay - check everything. Twice. Seriously.

2. Ask for a printed copy of the service history before you sign on the deal. Either in hardcopy, or PDF. Do not settle for a summary in an email, or for a cursory glance at the salesperson's screen.

3. If the car was serviced by the same dealer or same network, ask also to see the full history including any repairs. They might not give this to you though, citing GDPR.

4. Anything that you agree on with the salespersin - new tyres, new brakes, sorting out bumper scuffs, repairs to worn leather, etc etc - must be completed before collection. If you come to collect the car and something isn't ready, no matter how small, do not collect it and ask them to let you know when the car will be ready for collection including all items agreed on.

5. Keep in mind that issues related to the condition of the car during the sale will be covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, but not by the Approved Used warranty. This means that such issues can only be dealt with by the supplying dealer, and not by any MB dealer. This is relevant in the event that the supplying dealer isn't near to you - more of a reason to check everything, because you won't be able to just pop-in at your local dealer and ask for a repair under the Approved Used warranty for issues that should have been spotted and rectified by the supplying dealer prior to delivery.

6. Check the condition (and make) of the tyres, and ask for a report regarding the % of wear of the discs.

7. Ask for both a firmware update to the infotainment system as for the latest maps to be installed by the dealer FOC as part of the deal - before signing, of course.

8. If Apple CarPlay or Android Auto are important to you, ask the salesperson if these options are fitted to the car, and if so get it confirmed in writing (email). Surprisingly, many MB cars were not specified with this option when new, and retrofitting them isn't always straightforward.

9. On a more general note, think twice if you want to buy a car fitted with a BLUETEC engine and the infamous AdBlue system...

Sorry if this sounds a bit off-putting... but do it right and you'll get a great car. Good luck.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Well those posts would have cheered him up and not taken the excitement out of buying a "new" car at all! Jeez!

You could do all of the above and still get a lemon...or none and get a peach....it's a complicated mechanical device....so luck plays a BIG part in how it will go.

I've had FSH cars that have been nothing but problems ...I've bought high miles, next to no history cars (for the right price of course) that have never missed a beat (like my current 171,000 miles ALFA).

 

[sam3003]

You are probably thinking that "MB approved used" means that the car will have been thoroughly prepared and any faults rectified before you take delivery. From many posts on here over the years it is clear that you can not assume that at all. The car needs to be inspected, the service history checked - you will need to check it as though you were buying privately - many stories on here of complete lack of prep of "approved used" cars over the years. I would recommend keeping hold of your existing car and selling it privately after you are happy with the car; that way you will have a car to use if you need to reject the new one.
You should go on line and read the terms of the MB extended warranty - it is an insurance policy provided by a third party. Make sure you read what is NOT covered, when I looked at it the (long) list of items excluded was very surprising and very different to other premium used car warranties.

The car with comes the a 12 month MB warranty. Correct me if I am mistaken, but if the car has any major faults then they should come up and be fixed during the first year or so. under warranty.
I will ask for the service histroy and check it thoroughly.
thanks for the advice about keeping my car till I am happy with the new car

 

[sam3003]

9. On a more general note, think twice if you want to buy a car fitted with a BLUETEC engine and the infamous AdBlue system...

Thaks for the tips.
Re. the adblue system.
You are correct. That is why my plan is to keep the car under warranty as much as possible and then sell it in 4 years time. Inchape warranty is for car les than 10 years or less than 100K. Mercedes :10 years or less than 120K
The warrnty will cost me between 400 to 700 a year.
The inchape extended warranty could work out cheaper. I have checked the warranty document and from what I understood the adblue system is covered:

===

What is covered
Covers most major mechanical and electrical parts against breakdown or failure
Helps protect against the costs of replacing parts and the labour to fit them
No limit to the number of repairs you can claim for, up to a total of the original purchase price of the vehicle
Temporary hire car while warranty repairs take place
Up to 60 days’ warranty cover while the vehicle is in the EU or the EFTA (European Free Trade Association)


The warranty can be transferred to the new owner if the vehicle is sold privately

For vehicles up to 10 years old and less than 100,000 miles when bought

The new improved warranty cover

Our new and improved warranty now also covers the following (if your vehicle has them).

Diesel particulate filter

Parking sensors

Infotainment system

LED lighting

Wiring harnesses and connections

Catalytic converter

Exhaust systems (when repairs are needed due to sudden failure, unforeseen circumstance)

Airbags

Oil leaks

What is not covered

This warranty does not cover the following.

Body parts such as strikers, hinges or any part which may need adjusting from time to time

Body panels, paintwork or glass

Interior trim, seats and seat belts

Recharging the air-conditioning unit (unless this is needed as part of a covered repair)

Replacing brake parts due to wear and tear or overuse of the brakes

Renewing any clutch parts due to wear, incorrect adjustment or misuse

Clearing fuel lines, filters, throttle body and pumps and repairing damage caused by using incorrect or contaminated fuel

Replacing batteries (see note to the right), bulbs and wiper blades, balancing and aligning wheels, replacing or repairing wheels and tyres

Repairs that are needed as a result of damage to the vehicle, or parts of the vehicle, caused by water

Any damage caused by frost or lack of antifreeze, an accident or negligence

Radios, cassette players, CD players or any other in-car parts not fitted by the manufacturer

Exhaust failures that are not due to sudden or unforeseen faults to any weld or joint, modifications, parts added after you bought the vehicle or parts not fitted by the manufacturer, accidental damage caused by speed bumps or kerbs, or any type of wear and tear or corrosion

Normal maintenance, servicing and replacing items such as spark plugs and plug leads

Weather strips and body seals

Any damage to or loss of parts that are not directly covered under this warranty

Burnt-out, sticking or pitted valves

Damage resulting from the failure of a timing belt which has not been replaced in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations (We will only cover this damage if you can provide proof that the timing belt has been replaced in line with the manufacturer’s service schedule.)

 

[sam3003]

Well those posts would have cheered him up and not taken the excitement out of buying a "new" car at all! Jeez!

You could do all of the above and still get a lemon...or none and get a peach....it's a complicated mechanical device....so luck plays a BIG part in how it will go.

I've had FSH cars that have been nothing but problems ...I've bought high miles, next to no history cars (for the right price of course) that have never missed a beat (like my current 171,000 miles ALFA).

to be honest with you, I was planning to keep the car but it will cost me 3000 to 4000 to fix all the issues. The indie told me this week that this is the best time to sell the car after he checked and fixed EML fault. He said that if the light comes on again, other parts might need repalcing.

 

[Smiley]

Well those posts would have cheered him up and not taken the excitement out of buying a "new" car at all! Jeez!

You could do all of the above and still get a lemon...or none and get a peach....it's a complicated mechanical device....so luck plays a BIG part in how it will go.

I've had FSH cars that have been nothing but problems ...I've bought high miles, next to no history cars (for the right price of course) that have never missed a beat (like my current 171,000 miles ALFA).

Too many stories on here of people buying approved used cars thinking everything will be perfect and then discovering that it is not like that. It's better that the OP knows to check everything.

 

[Will]

Ask for an extended test drive, and take it to a different MB dealer for a ‘health check’

 

[Smiley]

Thaks for the tips.
Re. the adblue system.
You are correct. That is why my plan is to keep the car under warranty as much as possible and then sell it in 4 years time. Inchape warranty is for car les than 10 years or less than 100K. Mercedes :10 years or less than 120K
The warrnty will cost me between 400 to 700 a year.
The inchape extended warranty could work out cheaper. I have checked the warranty document and from what I understood the adblue system is covered:

===

What is covered
Covers most major mechanical and electrical parts against breakdown or failure
Helps protect against the costs of replacing parts and the labour to fit them
No limit to the number of repairs you can claim for, up to a total of the original purchase price of the vehicle
Temporary hire car while warranty repairs take place
Up to 60 days’ warranty cover while the vehicle is in the EU or the EFTA (European Free Trade Association)


The warranty can be transferred to the new owner if the vehicle is sold privately

For vehicles up to 10 years old and less than 100,000 miles when bought

The new improved warranty cover

Our new and improved warranty now also covers the following (if your vehicle has them).

Diesel particulate filter

Parking sensors

Infotainment system

LED lighting

Wiring harnesses and connections

Catalytic converter

Exhaust systems (when repairs are needed due to sudden failure, unforeseen circumstance)

Airbags

Oil leaks

What is not covered

This warranty does not cover the following.

Body parts such as strikers, hinges or any part which may need adjusting from time to time

Body panels, paintwork or glass

Interior trim, seats and seat belts

Recharging the air-conditioning unit (unless this is needed as part of a covered repair)

Replacing brake parts due to wear and tear or overuse of the brakes

Renewing any clutch parts due to wear, incorrect adjustment or misuse

Clearing fuel lines, filters, throttle body and pumps and repairing damage caused by using incorrect or contaminated fuel

Replacing batteries (see note to the right), bulbs and wiper blades, balancing and aligning wheels, replacing or repairing wheels and tyres

Repairs that are needed as a result of damage to the vehicle, or parts of the vehicle, caused by water

Any damage caused by frost or lack of antifreeze, an accident or negligence

Radios, cassette players, CD players or any other in-car parts not fitted by the manufacturer

Exhaust failures that are not due to sudden or unforeseen faults to any weld or joint, modifications, parts added after you bought the vehicle or parts not fitted by the manufacturer, accidental damage caused by speed bumps or kerbs, or any type of wear and tear or corrosion

Normal maintenance, servicing and replacing items such as spark plugs and plug leads

Weather strips and body seals

Any damage to or loss of parts that are not directly covered under this warranty

Burnt-out, sticking or pitted valves

Damage resulting from the failure of a timing belt which has not been replaced in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations (We will only cover this damage if you can provide proof that the timing belt has been replaced in line with the manufacturer’s service schedule.)

It looks like it has been improved since I looked at it; at least it now includes electrical wiring and oil leaks; not sure why they were excluded before. IMHO there should be no exclusions other than for service items and failure due to the owner's negligence or failure to follow the servicing requirements.

 

[Smiley]

I suppose you could book it in for a health check with a different dealer the day after buying it.

 

[sam3003]

Thank you all for your contributions.
One last question please, I might part exchange my car at MB. The car had some EML issues in the past. During my last visit to the indie, he said that some deep clearing was needed for the Adblue system and all tests were fine afterwards and I was charged for labour.
MB did put forward an offer which is £1500 to £2000 less than the car market price if i sell privately. My question is: Will MB still take the car if the EML comes on again just before the hand over date, or will they reduce the offer again?

 

[markjay]

My experience with dealers (not MB) is that once the car has been inspected as a Px and a price agreed, it is not inspected again when you bring it in (typically a few days later). It might be different with MB dealers, or when the time laps is greater (e.g. if you waited several months for your new car).

However, you need to look at it from the dealer's perspective. Your old car will be shipped to an auction house. The dealer only cares to inspect your car to the extend that the auction house will, because that's how the auction house prices it when it buys cars. The auction house will be in a similar position - they only care about the things that a trade buyer in an auction can see: make, model, mileage, history, MOT, paintwork, alloy wheels, two keys, etc etc are the main differentiators, while the condition of engine, transmission, and the suspension only need to be good enough to pass a cursory inspection to the level that a trade buyer in an action will be able to inspect them. The actual cost of getting the car to be in 'marketable condition' again is incurred by the trade dealer who buys is from the auction house, which is also in part the reason why they have to get these cars very cheap in the first place (alternatively, the cost will be incurred by the naive second-hand buyer, in the event that the trade dealer is being dishonest and masks the issues instead of fixing them).

 

[sam3003]

My experience with dealers (not MB) is that once the car has been inspected as a Px and a price agreed, it is not inspected again when you bring it in (typically a few days later). It might be different with MB dealers, or when the time laps is greater (e.g. if you waited several months for your new car).

However, you need to look at it from the dealer's perspective. Your old car will be shipped to an auction house. The dealer only cares to inspect your car to the extend that the auction house will, because that's how the auction house prices it when it buys cars. The auction house will be in a similar position - they only care about the things that a trade buyer in an auction can see: make, model, mileage, history, MOT, paintwork, alloy wheels, two keys, etc etc are the main differentiators, while the condition of engine, transmission, and the suspension only need to be good enough to pass a cursory inspection to the level that a trade buyer in an action will be able to inspect them. The actual cost of getting the car to be in 'marketable condition' again is incurred by the trade dealer who buys is from the auction house, which is also in part the reason why they have to get these cars very cheap in the first place (alternatively, the cost will be incurred by the naive second-hand buyer, in the event that the trade dealer is being dishonest and masks the issues instead of fixing them).

This is the stragne thing because the car has not been inspected. I was only asked if the car has full service history and two keys and I was then quoted the part exchange price.

 

[DSM10000]

Hi there,

I am considering buying an E220D 2017 (approved mercedes) and part exchanging my car. Any tips as to what I should check during the test drive?
Is it true that if I fianace the car with them, I might be able to add inchape 2 or 3 year extended warranty free of charge?
I was told the extended warranty costs around £1200 for two years
Is inchape waranty as good as the MB one?

If I fianace the car and get the inchape extended warranty free of charge and then pay off the debt say in 6 or 12 months, does it invalidate the warranty?
The inchape part exchange offer is around 2K less than the autotrader sugggested asking price, can I ask for a better part exchange offer?

Sorry for the many questions.
Any help would be appreciated.

Why not put these equations to the dealer?

Only they would know what terms and conditions apply and only only they can look at the trade in price.

 

[Benz17]

This is the stragne thing because the car has not been inspected. I was only asked if the car has full service history and two keys and I was then quoted the part exchange price.

When I PX my previous W2111, deal was done over the phone, as I was in London, Mercedes dealer was in South Wales, but subject to their car being as described, in the advert and the video, and and also my car being as described.

I had a full folder of service history, and receipts, salesperson didn’t even look in it, and just gave the body work and interior a glance all over. Didn’t even turn the engine on. As it was a 2007 plate, so in 2019 it was 12 years old, with approx 125k miles, he did say it would be going to auction.