C250 CDI - Should I refuse to have it back?

[Matt@Felsham]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for your thoughts and advice if you have a moment, or experienced some of the awful after sales service I have had from MB.

Some of you may have read my posts with regard to not being to sure on my change over from my ex W204 C320 CDI Sport into a 2011 (New model) C250 CDI Sport 125 Edition.

I really wanted to update you all on how it was going, and to be honest for the first few days I was growing to like the car and enjoying the 40MPG + more than anything! Despite missing the sheer power of the old V6.

Well after feeling more positive about the car, I noticed that some of the hard wired feautures that are meant to work with my phone and comand were not. (music streaming etc). I took the car straight back to the dealer, after trying different leads and phones it was agreed there was a problem. It might sound petty, but I paid more to find a car with comand, it should at least fully function!

I took my car down to them last Friday (10 days ago) and by the Thursday no one had even bothered trying to contact me with what was wrong with the car, and when I might get it back. After 3 days of chasing and promises of further information, I have finally been been told this afternoon that the problem lays within the wiring loom. To add insult to injury I previously noticed some of my wheels have peeling laquer. This is also going to be addressed! Oh as well as some mismatched tyres on the rear (Mercedes say in their AUC statement that this is not allowed, along with that everything MUST work!)

So, according to MB Retail Used Cars (I wont say which branch yet) where I purchased that car, tell me that I may have it back by the end of the week. I hope so because I'm getting rather bored of their old model B160 SE that I have as a loan car. I'm more worried about further problems after the warranty period should I keep the car more than 3 years.

I could exchange under the 30 day scheme, however when your read the terms MB are under no obligation to provide you with the same spec car for the same price. My car was £23990 plus I had it star protected.(waste of money I know!) I've searched on Approved used and cant find a 08/2011 (11) C250 CDI Sport Saloon Auto anywhere as cheap as mine with Comand. You also cannot chose a car that is less in value. It must be the same or more, and you have to pay any difference.

I'm running out of time and options if I want to exchange. I took delivery on the 1st September. I'm on holiday on the 28th - 1st of October.

Should I keep the car and persue a good will gesture? If so how's best to do that? MB UK?

Give them the car back and demand my money back on the basis that I've lost confidence in the car?

Exchange - and try and demand the same spec car for the same price?

OR just roll over like a good boy as the dealer wants me to!

This is my 4th C Class and I can honestly say I am more than disappointed in MB.

Best Regards

Matt

 

[kianok]

If they are going to resolve the issues then i would wait until the end of the week and keep the car you have.

I bought mine from MB retail used cars in Solihul and they were superb whe it came to sorting my wheel alignment problem.

 

[Red C220]

Under the scheme can you reject for a full refund?

 

[Matt@Felsham]

Under the scheme can you reject for a full refund?

Sadly no. An apology would have been nice, but I haven't even had one of those!

 

[Red C220]

I've had a bit of a google and a read on line about the exchange policy.

Before you decide where to go ask yourself:-

Am I happy with it as it is, but with a goodwill gesture (i.e. is it about money).

Do I really want to go with the exchange option?

Having had a think about it. I go to the dealer and have a chat with them. Ask them if it will be fixed and fully working before the 30 day exchange period expires.

If it's no or not sure I would then say I'd like an exchange please and see where that particular avenue takes you.

If they are confident it will be fixed and back to you inside the 30 day period then I'd wait and see first.

I think it is important a firm decision is made within this 30 day period as it removes all sort of contract "wiggle room".

 

[st13phil]

I'm running out of time and options if I want to exchange. I took delivery on the 1st September. I'm on holiday on the 28th - 1st of October.

I know it's difficult, but try to answer the question "Will I be happy with this particular car" if it comes back at the end of this week with everything fixed and working.

If the answer's "yes", then you will have got what you paid for, albeit having gone through the disappointment of the faults and driving their loan car for two weeks.

If the answer's "no", then you should exercise your rights under the exchange scheme now, regardless that the car is still in their workshop.

If the answer's "maybe", then get written confirmation that as the car has been in the dealer's posession for 14 (or whatever) of the 30 days allowed for an exchange, the exchange period will be extended past the original 30 day period, by the same number of days they've had it. If that's not forthcoming, go for the exchange now.

As far as getting a goodwill gesture, talk to the Dealer Principal now, before the car's returned, and make sure (s)he fully appreciates your disappointment and that to keep you happy you're expecting the car to be returned to you with everything fixed and working, and that a gesture of goodwill would help turn you from a reluctant customer into a happy one. If that gets nowhere, call MB UK, complain that the dealer concerned has failed to supply a car that complies with their AUC scheme, and leave them under no illusion how unhappy you are.

 

[Paul/]

If they are going to resolve the issues then i would wait until the end of the week and keep the car you have.

I bought mine from MB retail used cars in Solihul and they were superb whe it came to sorting my wheel alignment problem.

I concur- I had a minor issue with a vehicle bought from Brooklands (4hrs drive from me), and they immediately offered to pay for my nearest dealer to fix it.

Re the swap pricing issue- I discovered that at least some used approved stock is priced according to what the car cost to bring in (e.g. p/ex or returned at end of contract), rather than book vaue, so there probably are discrepacies between price and condition/spec etc and so could cost them to provide an identical but higher-priced replacement.

As you specifically wanted the Comand features with your phone you are quite right to take issue over it. Fingers crossed.

 

[markjay]

...Well after feeling more positive about the car, I noticed that some of the hard wired feautures that are meant to work with my phone and comand were not. (music streaming etc). I took the car straight back to the dealer, after trying different leads and phones it was agreed there was a problem. It might sound petty, but I paid more to find a car with comand, it should at least fully function!...

Setting aside the wheels and tyres issue... are you confident that the dealer know what they are doing? COMAND is a complex system with several variants and many options, it is not impossible that they are chasing a feature that's just isn't there - either it's a known issue, or it may be down to some option or upgrade that your COMAND is missing. Before letting them strip it down and try replacing looms etc assuming their a fault in the hardware, I would make sure they understand the COMAND system belong reading the WIS bulletins and following email instructions from Stuttgart.

 

[@MARK]

Under the scheme can you reject for a full refund?

No but he may have rights under the sale of goods act.

 

[Red C220]

No but he may have rights under the sale of goods act.

A bit early for that still in the 30 day period.

I realise this is probably rather a specialist subject of yours now (and a somewhat open sore) but I think a decision within the 30 day period here is what's important.

 

[chelle]

Hi Matt

You shouldn't accept the car back, if your still inside the exchange period you should get a another car with the same spec.
If they are taking a long time to get the car fixed and not getting in touch with you, then there must be a serious problem with the car especially with the mismatched tyres.
Where your tyres mismatched with the wrong size or the thread?
The rear tyres have to be 255/35.
Which MB Retail Used Car did you purchase your car from?

You should try getting in touch with MB Retail Used Car head office in Milton Keynes.

 

[kianok]

Keep us posted on how you get on.

 

[sinewave]

It would be worth a phone call to Comand Online to double check that the features you want are available as mentioned above.

I'd trust them over an MB garage to know whats what!

Comand Online Ltd

 

[Matt@Felsham]

Firstly, a big thank you to everyone for their posts and comments. I'm not sure how to do a multiple thank you to all of you!

To answer a couple of questions:

The rear tyres were just different makes and patterns. Dunlop vs Continental. Looked a bit odd on a 10k mile car! The lacquer is a known problem. As long as your wheels have not been damaged where it is peeling or refurbed, they will replace.

6 or so sales chaps looked at the Command problem and said they have never seen one with this fault before. Comand will just not recognise any hard wired input from the armrest. Extensive forum searches indicate the same.

I think I'm going to personally go and chat with the Sales manager before I leave for my long weekend in warmer climates! The parts should be here tomorrow. I'm guessing the car will either be fixed or it will not by Thursday. Either way I'm going to express my concerns.

If it is not fixed by Thursday, I think i'd be well within my rights to ask for the exchange programme to be extended (as it will have spent 14 days with MB Heathrow) while I have a think about what I'd like to do. I might go completely mad and go for an E Class Coupe as an exchange!

Finally, strangely the dealership appears to be more worried about what I am going to put on their customer survey than anything else. Perhaps they have had a rough run of things lately. At least perhaps I have a small bargaining tool. I could argue that the car is not fit for purpose, but I seem to recall from reading other posts I have to give the dealer a chance to rectify the problem.

I'm not as unreasonable to know that most modern cars can have problems, it's just the way it has been handled and the fear of months of potential ongoing electrical gremlins that concerns me. I'm a freelance surveyor, without a car can't operate. Going backwards and forwards to the dealer takes time and money.

I'll be back to update you all as soon as I hear anything.

And thanks again!

Matt

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Reject the piffy little 4 cylinder and get another V6 diesel Matt, you know you want to...

 

[@MARK]

Finally, strangely the dealership appears to be more worried about what I am going to put on their customer survey than anything else. Perhaps they have had a rough run of things lately.

The results from those surveys have a direct result on the bonuses that the dealer gets fromMercedes Benz each year. That's why they are quite keen to get a good score.

Oddly in almost a year and more visits than is healthy, I have never been invited to complete such a survey!

 

[kianok]

To answer a couple of questions:

The lacquer is a known problem. As long as your wheels have not been damaged where it is peeling or refurbed, they will replace.


Matt

As yours were like that when you bought it it shouldn't be a problem regardless.

Mine went scabby on my last car (also bought from MB retail) and my local dealer replaced them all under warranty.

I think I'm going to personally go and chat with the Sales manager before I leave for my long weekend in warmer climates! Matt

Always worth making friends rather than enemies! Give him/her a chance to sort things and express your concerns in a reasonable manner is always the way to go.

If it is not fixed by Thursday, I think i'd be well within my rights to ask for the exchange programme to be extended (as it will have spent 14 days with MB Heathrow) while I have a think about what I'd like to do. Matt

Perfectly reasonable, good luck!

 

[st4]

Why don't they replace the COMAND under warranty?

 

[markjay]

If it is not fixed by Thursday, I think i'd be well within my rights to ask for the exchange programme to be extended (as it will have spent 14 days with MB Heathrow) while I have a think about what I'd like to do. I might go completely mad and go for an E Class Coupe as an exchange!...

This may prove tricky , and the dealer may not have the powers to change MB Retail's T&C.

I would be very careful about relying on the dealer's word (as opposed to having it in Writing directly from MB Retail).

Some years ago I had a minor issue which I showed to my local (MB owned) service centre. I was told that it will be looked at when I next bring the car in for servicing. The next service was due shortly after the 3 years warranty expired. By that time, MB closed down the local service centre and customers were referred to a main dealer in North London instead (the main dealer is also MB owned). Of course the service advisor wasn't the least but interested in my story... and also ruled-out any goodwill warranty either.

 

[Valkirk]

Why don't they replace the COMAND under warranty?

From an earlier post it looks like it's the wiring loom rather than the unit so will be taking quite a bit of the car apart to replace.