Dealer swaps my wheels or something

[bpsorrel]

I agree with Jay. (a familiar sounding line...) When I worked for dealerships, the decent ones always took a flexible attitude towards "reasonable" defects, even if the garage were fairly sure they didn't technically need to do the repair. The reasoning was always to keep the customer happy, with a mind to future business. Only in cases of obvious "try on" did they refuse and in most cases the customers walked away.

 

[bpsorrel]

I have no issue with your reasons, it just maybe come across, to me anyway, the wrong way.
I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure even if the MOT is in-house, it would still be independant because whilst the MOT is being carried out, the tester is technically being employed by VOSA.

In the good garages, yes - but I have experience of garages with MOT stations deliberately failing a car to provide work for their workshop. One case I actually caught them at it and reported it to VOSA. The upshot was that many others had complained also and the garage lost their MOT facility. So don't assume a garage with an MOT station will be unbiased and independent....

 

[Deleted member 37751]

In the good garages, yes - but I have experience of garages with MOT stations deliberately failing a car to provide work for their workshop. One case I actually caught them at it and reported it to VOSA. The upshot was that many others had complained also and the garage lost their MOT facility. So don't assume a garage with an MOT station will be unbiased and independent....

My point was that, technically they are independant at the time of testing.....

 

[bpsorrel]

yes, technically............

 

[tpwuk]

Re: MOT's...remember my situation after I bought the CLK? Kwik-Fit pulled out all the stops and I must say was very impressed with their customer service. There's a lot to be said about using a nationwide based chain for MOT's as opposed to a small independant garage.

 

[crockers]

I haver my car MOT'd at MB Swindon - suppose it's down to two things..one is trust and the other is cost..

 

[flango]

Flannaia has frequently referenced his garage and the services it offers to readers of this forum. Furthermore, he quotes the law on many motoring-related issues. In so doing, he is establishing himself as somebody with an opinion that carries a degree of authority.

If a registered trader comes onto this site and then completely mis-represents the consumer's statutory rights with regard to the purchase of a car, then I for one am happy to take issue - it certainly seems we were all happy to have a pop at the MB garage for failing to respond appropriately to a percieved lack of consumer protection.

By the way, Flannaia's garage does its own MoTs. I am confident they are carried out with care and without bias. However, they cannot be said to be "independent".

Lets get one thing perfectly straight I have NEVER referenced our business on this forum nor directly the services it offers.

My opinion DOES NOT carry any degree of authority on legal matters but my wife and best friends DOES

I am stating what the extreme point in law would be if a case like this went to court, not taking into good will of the sale, customer satisfaction etc..

My other half and my pal have helped loads of people on here from a legal point of view that has resulted in satisfactory outcomes for them, more than you ever will know.

I already have one issue with abuse against me on this forum and If I or the business are mentioned by name or referenced in any defamatory posts, I will have no hesitation in seeking prosecution against the person or persons responsibile.

It's times like this when you wonder if it really is worth all the trouble of doing your best to try and help people and maybe it's time to say goodbye as quite frankly I've got more important crap to think about.

Now I have said all I am going to say on this particular matter end of!

 

[219]

The only truly independent MOT testing stations are the council run ones who only do testing and do not carry out repairs - thus have nothing to gain by failing or passing vehicles .

Our vehicle workshops ( Strathclyde Fire and Rescue ) carry out MOT tests for members of the public , but do not do repairs other than to our own vehicles .

Many council workshops up and down the country offer a similar service .

 

[st4]

All this is all well and good, but my car had covered 10k miles before the new ball joint was fitted. There is evidence of the other side of the cars ball joint being fairly new, so its probably been changed prior to being sold to me.

Whether the other one was I do not know, so I do not know whether MB Glasgow changed a perfectly good one, but its clear there is a very new one on there from them, and a pretty damn new on the otherside. I therefore got what I paid for. I cannot take up a defect on a car, after 10k miles, which is a wear and tear item. Big heavy car, low profile tyres, heavy engine up front, its not a recipiency for long last components. MB Hull were good at resolving other minor issues that came up, just after point of sale.

Don't know how tricky they are to get off, but they've made a bit of a mess down there trying to get the old one off. Ask 47p2 on the other forum who has also seen under the car if you do not believe me. There is no damage, but its a it shoddy looking.

 

[clk270]

And the final outcome was ??

 

[st4]

My car is there as we speak.

I am getting a new tyre fitted and the gearbox work redone as it still is not right all FOC.

I was going to do a post once I have the car back, but I have had their A160 since Tuesday.

 

[davidjpowell]

All this is all well and good, but my car had covered 10k miles before the new ball joint was fitted. There is evidence of the other side of the cars ball joint being fairly new, so its probably been changed prior to being sold to me.

Whether the other one was I do not know, so I do not know whether MB Glasgow changed a perfectly good one, but its clear there is a very new one on there from them, and a pretty damn new on the otherside. I therefore got what I paid for. I cannot take up a defect on a car, after 10k miles, which is a wear and tear item. Big heavy car, low profile tyres, heavy engine up front, its not a recipiency for long last components. MB Hull were good at resolving other minor issues that came up, just after point of sale.

Don't know how tricky they are to get off, but they've made a bit of a mess down there trying to get the old one off. Ask 47p2 on the other forum who has also seen under the car if you do not believe me. There is no damage, but its a it shoddy looking.

Steve

Just seen this. When the W210 needed ball joints under warranty (it was about 2.5 years old IIRC), MB replaced both. I was surprised, and the reaction from MB was that if one needed doing, I would only be back in a short while....

 

[st4]

I get my car back tomorrow.

The good:

They are changing one of the tyres FOC to a good year efficient grip tyre. I should have a matching tread, albiet one is 2mm up on the other.

The bad:

They have not got back to me re the body work. Now 7 weeks in.

They have not been able to fix the gearbox jolt. They recommend an ATF change and filter but no advice on whether this will fix it. The cost £380 including resetting my adaptions (again). For reference Olly at PCS did the same job for £154.

I have told them no, the ATF was done 12k miles ago, and there is no leaks. There is nothing wrong with the fluid in my car, it was done at MB Hull. £380 for that job is daylight robbery.

They have at least quoted for this, rather than just doing it and hitting me with a bill, but the quote is far too much.

I'll be taking my car elsewhere from now on.

 

[crockers]

How often should the ATF be changed on the 7 speed box?

 

[st4]

Every 37500 miles. It was done only the once on my car, at 45,000 miles. It now has 57,000 miles on it.

 

[kamalpatel12448]

Every 37500 miles. It was done only the once on my car, at 45,000 miles. It now has 57,000 miles on it.

What do these MB dealers do - trial and error, mainly error! There should be a no fix no fee basis on repairs. I sense we are paying for them to train up on our cars - since when did we consent to our cars being an experiment!

 

[jaymanek]

I thought you had warranty on this car?

 

[finisterre]

Presumably a gearbox jolt can only be caused by something mechanical moving incorrectly?

Do Mercedes still restrict access to workshop manuals?

 

[BaldGuy]

I really feel for you Steve, When i bought my 55 I had no end of issues at my expense, Alps also had nightmares with his 55... We all drive high end Mercedes vehicles and I really think as others have stated the dealers are a joke and if it wasnt for very good indies that we all use, there would be many burning cars on waste ground....
Now "touch wood" my car is having a spell of not eating my money, it does get better dude... your love for the car wil come back in time.... as it did for me.....

 

[st4]

I thought you had warranty on this car?

Full tier 1.

It doesn't cover consumables or oil.

It did give me a new inlet port shut off motor at the grand sum of £500.

Presumably a gearbox jolt can only be caused by something mechanical moving incorrectly?

Do Mercedes still restrict access to workshop manuals?

Yes, and they have failed to actually get the car to jolt. In their defence its an intermittent issue when the car is cold. They did say the ATF they would put in was a different spec and of thinner nature so would perform better in the cold, and has been used before with cars with shifting issues.

However, they after I was not willing to pay £380 for an oil that although thinner, could see a higher mechanical wear rate, that it was not necessary and not a definate fix. They were not so like that when trying to get my hard earned from me.

I really feel for you Steve, When i bought my 55 I had no end of issues at my expense, Alps also had nightmares with his 55... We all drive high end Mercedes vehicles and I really think as others have stated the dealers are a joke and if it wasnt for very good indies that we all use, there would be many burning cars on waste ground....
Now "touch wood" my car is having a spell of not eating my money, it does get better dude... your love for the car wil come back in time.... as it did for me.....

Soon as its out of AUC warranty, back to the indies. Olly did my last ATF change on my 220cdi when was down at his meet in May. Ok he did me an MBClub rate but was half that cost, and some more. And he got ALL the fluid out, and reset adaptions on STAR.

I do like driving the car, its lovely to drive, and a decent turn of speed and good on the fun roads and on the boring stuff. I had a brilliant holiday with the car and am a bit more enthusiastic about it after getting it back after the a160 for the week.