Dealer declining rust claim.

[wobbly]

Last October I noticed a small area of rust around the tailgate handle on my ML, this same area had rust, about two and a half years earlier and was dealt with under warranty.

I had contacted the dealer several times regarding this, and in January the car was booked in to be inspected, I had to take my log book, and service history (full MB)

After a four week wait I receive an email from the body shop manager saying the claim had been accepted, but I would have to make a 30% contribution, and they would contact me with the costs.

Three days later I received a email, refusing the claim, as the paint around the area was too thick, and the vehicle must have been repaired previously.

I called the manager, and explained yes it had been repaired about three years ago, it was a warranty repair, but he said there was no record of my car ever having been repaired by them.

Emails have been exchanged for the past week, they are still denying the repair, which was carried out at a local body shop, which they arranged, and bore the full costs. I tried contacting the body shop direct to see if they had any record of the repair, but it seems they went out of business six months ago.

Any ideas where I should go now, should I peruse this through MBUK, or get it repaired myself, and forget about using MB to service my car, and keeping up the full MB history.

 

[Rory]

Presumeably MB UK should have a record of this as they would have covered the cost.

I have to say that the new 2012 ML looks very interesting to me but I tend to keep cars for a few years and I would be devastated to running into issues like this. Things can go wrong but what you don't need is a load of hassle in getting them sorted out.

 

[ringway]

Full Mercedes-Benz service history, eh? It really isn't worth keeping up the history in my opinion. LINK.


This poor chap can't even get a resolution to the problems with a 61 plate Vito Sport X. LINK.



Such cases of deplorable Mercedes-Benz customer service are commonplace.


Unless a Vicar is stood over one of my vehicles issuing the last rights, they'll never visit a Mercedes-Benz dealership again.

 

[whitenemesis]

Always worth drawing the distinction between the dealership and MB UK. 9 times out of 10 MB UK don't know what's being done in their name as few customers escalate their problems to MB. The dealerships can be deplorable and MB UK need to be made aware so they can 'remind' them of their franchise T&Cs ...

 

[SilverSaloon]

if they authorised the repair then MB-UK should have a record of it and be able to sort it out. I would contact them, explain the shambles and tell them to sort it.

do you not have any paperwork/emails/insurance details/contact insurer at the time regarding the previous repair so you can prove what you say?

 

[John]

Always worth drawing the distinction between the dealership and MB UK. 9 times out of 10 MB UK don't know what's being done in their name as few customers escalate their problems to MB. The dealerships can be deplorable and MB UK need to be made aware so they can 'remind' them of their franchise T&Cs ...

Out of interest - have there been any examples of this on this forum?

Call me cynical but I imagine MB UK would laugh as much as the dealers at wobbly's expense.

 

[wemorgan]

Any ideas where I should go now

Have you not got the receipt for the original work done?

 

[ShinyF1]

Have you not got the receipt for the original work done?

If organised by the dealer, he won't have a receipt.

Wobbly - did they give you a courtesy car while he original repair was carried out? Might be a route to validate your position?

 

[Harrythedog]

Did you get a courtesy car, they are supposed to record details of who has what car.

 

[whitenemesis]

Out of interest - have there been any examples of this on this forum?

Call me cynical but I imagine MB UK would laugh as much as the dealers at wobbly's expense.

It has been mentioned many times and with varied results.

In my own experience the one time my dealer refused to honour a 2yr parts warranty a quick call to MB UK had the dealer calling me back to arrange a convenient appointment. They were most apologetic!

Give MB UK a chance to assess the situation, they apparently ok'd the repair, only once the bodyshop spotted the 'thick' paint was it rejected but was it MB UK that then rejected it?

 

[wobbly]

I have no receipt for the work carried out, as MB covered the full cost, so no bank statement with an amount paid to MB.

I did receive a courtesy car, it was Corsa, that I believe the body shop supplied, I had to insure it, for the few days I had it, so maybe my insurance company at the time may still have some record.

The emails I have been receiving over the last week from the dealer are virtually saying there is no record, so we didn't do it, but someone paid for it, and it wasn't me.

It seems like I will have to get in touch with MBUK, and see what they have to say. I did ask the dealer for the contact details for someone at MBUK to contact, their reply was "Customer service details are in your service book"

I have kept all the emails from the dealer, so I will be including them in the letter I will be sending.

 

[davidjpowell]

It seems like I will have to get in touch with MBUK, and see what they have to say. I did ask the dealer for the contact details for someone at MBUK to contact, their reply was "Customer service details are in your service book"

What fantastic customer service. I'm beginning to think that MB could take some lessons from Ford/Vauxhall/McDonalds.....

 

[jonthetourist]

If organised by the dealer, he won't have a receipt.

Wobbly - did they give you a courtesy car while he original repair was carried out? Might be a route to validate your position?

When they did very extensive work on mine, the bodyshop supplied the courtesy car and no paperwork on the repair existed at any time. Built-in deniability, I imagine.

Jon

 

[Deleted member 37751]

What fantastic customer service. I'm beginning to think that MB are taking lessons from Gerald Ratner.....

Fixed that for you.

 

[whitenemesis]

What fantastic customer service. I'm beginning to think that dealer could take some lessons from Gerald Ratner.....

Fixed that for you.

 

[wemorgan]

I have no receipt for the work carried out, as MB covered the

Interesting that not even a zero value receipt was issues, because this would at least document the work done and the date. But what's done is done.

Can you contact the body shop direct as they should have records of work done on your car.

All this paperless transaction strikes me as very odd and not the way B2B is usually done; RFQ, purchase order, invoice, receipt.

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

This must be standard these days. I had warranty work done on the Aircon, and I had them change the polly belt at the same time. I had a receipt for the polly belt, but not for the warranty work. I did ask in case I had problems at a later date, they replied that the work done would be 'on the system'.

 

[trapperjohn]

This must be standard these days. I had warranty work done on the Aircon, and I had them change the polly belt at the same time. I had a receipt for the polly belt, but not for the warranty work. I did ask in case I had problems at a later date, they replied that the work done would be 'on the system'.

Perhaps to be "lost in the system" later. This sounds similar to the Toyota thread about - fix nowt, say nowt - unless they complain. Sucks really.

 

[John]

The emails I have been receiving over the last week from the dealer are virtually saying there is no record, so we didn't do it

I love this fantastic use of quantum physics to get out of it.

'There is no record' does not mean they didn't do it. It simply means their record-keeping is as inept as their customer service and rust-proofing capabilities.

The very fact they are in effect accusing you of lying makes it even more unbelievable.

 

[davidjpowell]

Perhaps to be "lost in the system" later. This sounds similar to the Toyota thread about - fix nowt, say nowt - unless they complain. Sucks really.

Father in law is in process of buying a yaris in place of his c class. I've kept the article to show him.... Out of the frying pan