IBN
Active Member
Hi Everyone
I hope someone out there can offer me some constructive advice. I'm the owner of a 1990 W129 300SL (US Spec) which has only 30K on the clock.
On 10th August I took the car into Davis Dieppe my local dealer (I live in France) for a service, and an adjustment to the roof. I asked when the car would be ready and was told that I could pick it up that evening but they wouldn't have time to look at the roof that day .... so I told them they could keep the car a few days to do the roof. They said they would ring me when the car was ready.
4 days later (in absence of a call) I rang them to find out when it would be ready and was told that there was a problem with the ignition lock and that the mechanic had broken the key. They asked me if I had another key ... I told them there was a spare in the driver wallet. I asked them to ring me back and let me know that they found it and it worked. Again no call, so I rang back ... they confirmed they had found the key but had not had time to try it. Next day, I rang again and was asked if I had ever used the key because it didn't work .... I told them both keys worked. They said they would have to order another key from Mercedes and would ring me when it arrived (They warned me this could take up to 2 weeks). I waited for 2 weeks but got no call.
After the 2 weeks were up I called the dealership and was told they had received a "provisional key" but that hadn't worked, so they would have to order a new lock cylinder from Mercedes. I waited another week and
went into the dealership to check things out and was told the cylinder hadn't arrived because the car was a US spec. and when I inquired about what had happened they Receptionist told me that after I arrived he started the car without problem and drove it into the workshop but after the mechanic had finished the service he couldn't restart the car
(the key would't turn) and had broken the key off in the lock, they were able to removed the key blade with a set of pliers. I said that I wasn't happy and hoped that they weren't going to charge me for the repair.
The receptionist just shrugged his shoulders. I asked to speak to the General Manager but was told he was out so I asked for his email address.
I sent the GM an email and said that the car was working properly when I brought it into their premises so I didn't expect to be charged for the repair. I'm still waiting for a response.
I emailed Mercedes France Customer Service asking for their assistance
in clarifying the position regarding the cost of the repair and in getting the spare part to the garage quickly. I received no response, so I resent it ... again no respose, so I sent a stroppy email and this time got a reply which said that the dealership said the lock cylinder had failed though wear and tear, so I would have to pay for the repair and they couldn't do anything regarding speeding up delivery of the part because the dealership had to do that.
Last week (week 7) I went into the dealership and they offered to fit a provisional lock cylinder at a cost of 550 euros and that they still had no idea when the proper cylinder would arrive.
Yesterday (week 8) I spoke to the dealership again and said I didn't want a provisional cylinder fitted and I would be contacting Mercedes France Customer Services.
I spoke to a really stroppy woman in Mercedes France Customer Service
this morning and she said:
1. As far as they were concerned I would have to pay for the repair because the dealership had said the part failed though usage ... the fact that the car had covered less than 30K and was working perfectly when I took it there was irrelevant.
2. They couldn't help me regarding availability of the part because that was the dealer's job. When I said that Mercedes France Parts had told the dealer that they didn't know when the part would be available because they were awaiting information from the factory in Germany, the woman just said "so now you know".
I'm now stuck, 8 weeks on and the dealer is being polite but not able to tell me anything other than he expects me for the repair and Mercedes France Customer Service saying "tough luck ... you'll have to wait until the system finally works"
Help !!!!!!!
I hope someone out there can offer me some constructive advice. I'm the owner of a 1990 W129 300SL (US Spec) which has only 30K on the clock.
On 10th August I took the car into Davis Dieppe my local dealer (I live in France) for a service, and an adjustment to the roof. I asked when the car would be ready and was told that I could pick it up that evening but they wouldn't have time to look at the roof that day .... so I told them they could keep the car a few days to do the roof. They said they would ring me when the car was ready.
4 days later (in absence of a call) I rang them to find out when it would be ready and was told that there was a problem with the ignition lock and that the mechanic had broken the key. They asked me if I had another key ... I told them there was a spare in the driver wallet. I asked them to ring me back and let me know that they found it and it worked. Again no call, so I rang back ... they confirmed they had found the key but had not had time to try it. Next day, I rang again and was asked if I had ever used the key because it didn't work .... I told them both keys worked. They said they would have to order another key from Mercedes and would ring me when it arrived (They warned me this could take up to 2 weeks). I waited for 2 weeks but got no call.
After the 2 weeks were up I called the dealership and was told they had received a "provisional key" but that hadn't worked, so they would have to order a new lock cylinder from Mercedes. I waited another week and
went into the dealership to check things out and was told the cylinder hadn't arrived because the car was a US spec. and when I inquired about what had happened they Receptionist told me that after I arrived he started the car without problem and drove it into the workshop but after the mechanic had finished the service he couldn't restart the car
(the key would't turn) and had broken the key off in the lock, they were able to removed the key blade with a set of pliers. I said that I wasn't happy and hoped that they weren't going to charge me for the repair.
The receptionist just shrugged his shoulders. I asked to speak to the General Manager but was told he was out so I asked for his email address.
I sent the GM an email and said that the car was working properly when I brought it into their premises so I didn't expect to be charged for the repair. I'm still waiting for a response.
I emailed Mercedes France Customer Service asking for their assistance
in clarifying the position regarding the cost of the repair and in getting the spare part to the garage quickly. I received no response, so I resent it ... again no respose, so I sent a stroppy email and this time got a reply which said that the dealership said the lock cylinder had failed though wear and tear, so I would have to pay for the repair and they couldn't do anything regarding speeding up delivery of the part because the dealership had to do that.
Last week (week 7) I went into the dealership and they offered to fit a provisional lock cylinder at a cost of 550 euros and that they still had no idea when the proper cylinder would arrive.
Yesterday (week 8) I spoke to the dealership again and said I didn't want a provisional cylinder fitted and I would be contacting Mercedes France Customer Services.
I spoke to a really stroppy woman in Mercedes France Customer Service
this morning and she said:
1. As far as they were concerned I would have to pay for the repair because the dealership had said the part failed though usage ... the fact that the car had covered less than 30K and was working perfectly when I took it there was irrelevant.
2. They couldn't help me regarding availability of the part because that was the dealer's job. When I said that Mercedes France Parts had told the dealer that they didn't know when the part would be available because they were awaiting information from the factory in Germany, the woman just said "so now you know".
I'm now stuck, 8 weeks on and the dealer is being polite but not able to tell me anything other than he expects me for the repair and Mercedes France Customer Service saying "tough luck ... you'll have to wait until the system finally works"
Help !!!!!!!
