Does anyone know an insider?

[et0609]

Rant first. Bought car 2 months ago. Passeneger seat has a very small hole which we missed when we looked at it. Its 1mm diameter, has a shiney ring around it, the grain all pulls into it and theres a brown colour through the hole which I assume is the untreated leather below.

Went to Edinburgh 3 weeks ago. Asked them to do something to it. "oh that may be a warranty job" they said. They woudl need to email pics to MB and let them decide. Trouble was this was a Saturday and we were leaving to return to Caithness. Take it to your local dealer and they will take pics and email MB and they will decide.

Phoned Inverness and asked them if I could email pics to them myself as its a 200 mile round trip. "no we have to use our special camera".???

So today, I endured 30 caravans blocking the A9, cyclists and a 3 hour nightmare drive to Inverness. The bloke comes out with a digitial camera that looked like something they had bought from Ebay 10 years ago. Takes 1 pic and declares "Fag burn - no warranty" "go back to where you bought it"

Now, Edinburgh is a 500 mile round trip, London, a 1500 mile round trip and I completely disagree with the verdict of a fag burn. I think its where the cow got caught on barbed wire and MB missed it, or ignored it, as it was one of their cars. I genuinely believe that, Its definately not a fag burn. I dont smoke and I dont think the last driver did.

What I want to do is to go straight to MB themselves with pics of my own and my own opinion and have them decide. Does anyone know someone there who is helpful or had any dealings with anyone there who may help me at the head office in Milton Keynes? If its a fag burn, then Im quite happy to stump up the £400 they want to replace it, or I may go through the insurance, but I sort of want to win this one so the useless people at John R Weir in Inverness have to do it.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[scumbag]

take the piccies anyway, send them by email to the 'contact us' on the Mercedes Benz uk website, with all your comments on the email itself. Facts only, and see what comes of it.

not withstanding some better advice from others.

 

[rf065]

I bought a leather suite a few years ago that had marks like you decribe.
The shop sent a guy who specialises in leather repairs to inspect the suite and he confirmed the marks were caused by barbed wire.

Maybe you could ask a leather repair specialist to view it and give his expert opinion to MB to help your case. In my case, he repaired as many defects as he could & I was refunded 10% of the suites cost by the shop.

Russ

 

[neilrr]

Save the petrol money & angst. It's not worth the hassle.

Get a good valeter to fix it for between £30-50.

 

[ecossebev]

In all my years as a car valeter, I have never seen a cigarette burn leather. I agree with Neil...pay a local SMART guy to repair it. Probably spend more on fuel sorting it out in the long run.

 

[et0609]

Heres a picture. I had to use my mobile as my camera is at work. You can see the hole and if you run your finger over it, you can feel a slighter harder area underneath. You can make out the grain pulls in towards the hole. Surely this is a flaw in the leather??

 

[MBK]

That does look like a flaw in the leather to me,

K

 

[scumbag]

thats never seen a burn has it?


perhaps you might wish to email that pic to the dealer and ask them to provide some kind of evidence that it is a burn by way of other identical images from other vehicles.


I doubt MB would stand the argument.

 

[hawk20]

Heres a picture. I had to use my mobile as my camera is at work. You can see the hole and if you run your finger over it, you can feel a slighter harder area underneath. You can make out the grain pulls in towards the hole. Surely this is a flaw in the leather??

Looks like a cigarette burn to me. Been there. Done it. I used to smoke. Small hole, little brown ring. There are firms who can fix quite cheaply. Most dealers know them as they use on trade-ins.

 

[oldcro]

Was the car new or second hand when bought?

How about a leather experts opinion, I'm thinking of a saddler or anyone who makes riding tackle who might offer a valid opinion.

 

[Sp!ke]

Looks like a cigarette burn to me too.

Leather doesnt burn though so it must be 'taxi leather'. In which case no cows to blame either.

You could touch that up with appropriate coloured dye and you'll not spot it.

 

[neilrr]

Where on the seat is that? Squab, backrest, R or L?

 

[et0609]

Its on the seat part, on the front section. I see a couple of people agree its a fag burn but I dotn see how that would pull the grain in towards the hole and make it go hard underneath. Im no expert though. Im going to phone the dealer I bought it from and see if they are willing to do anything for me too.

 

[Beetnik]

Have to say (done similar myself ) that it looks like a cigarette burn.

 

[andy_k]

it looks like a match head burn to me - I'd guess that would be hot enough to go through the thin leather and harden the under surface

 

[Sp!ke]

Its on the seat part, on the front section. I see a couple of people agree its a fag burn but I dotn see how that would pull the grain in towards the hole and make it go hard underneath. Im no expert though. Im going to phone the dealer I bought it from and see if they are willing to do anything for me too.

Its definately a burn and there is no grain as its not leather. Its gone hard because its melted... leather does not melt. (try it on something leather)

 

[neilrr]

MB Tex or leather?

Mercedes-Benz Club Russia | Mercedes-Benz / VIN

 

[KNU7S]

its a fag burn why would you go to these lenghts to try and claim on waranty? £50 and you would not see it with a mobile smart repair

 

[andy_k]

Its definately a burn and there is no grain as its not leather. Its gone hard because its melted... leather does not melt. (try it on something leather)

the leather used in cars will very often burn through becaus it's quite thin.

You are 100% correct saying that leather doesn't melt but what does melt is the plastic coating which manufacturers use to seal the leather and protect it - a whole new discussion why leather re-conditioners are, for the most part a complete waste of time and money on modern automotive 'leather' products

The end result of a cigarette on leather ends up looking a lot like this

which is not a million miles away from the original picture

 

[et0609]

According to my cars info, its proper leather, not the man made stuff. The reason I was looking at a warranty claim is because MB Edinburgh told me to claim through my local dealer, but they dont want to. Also, there is no mobile repair compaines anywhere near me so I would have to travel. If I do have to travel, I might as well try to get the whole seat cover replaced under warranty.