Matt32AMG
Active Member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2007
- Messages
- 667
- Location
- Dorset UK
- Car
- June 2002 SLK32///AMG. OCT 2007 CLK350 AMG Sport Convertible.
So I ‘m there at the dealership, again, with regard to my CLK alloy wheels.
They have been refurbished three times in total all within the last year. The last time they were done was the back end of November 2008. The reason they were refurbished instead simply providing new wheels on warranty was because one wheel had been refurbished prior to my purchasing the car. The MB salesman didn’t allude to this fact at point of purchase. The car was an approved MB car with all the approved warranties, except it would seem the wheels. This again was not pointed out at time of purchase. The car was an unmarked example with 12000 miles on the clock, today it has covered 16000 in total and hasn’t been exactly issue free.
Anyway to continue, I went down to the dealership the day before yesterday to say that three times you have attempted to put this right and here I am again with a similar complaint, the lacquer is peeling off and the paint has started to pickle. (I was speaking with the sales manager who I’ve not met before and it would seem a new man on the job). His response to my concerns after giving him the history was "lets go have a look". On looking at the wheels he said “They look alright to me”. I said “you have got to be having a laugh look!” I pointed at clear areas of concern where the paint was pickled and lacquer had flaked off. He said “They look fine to me and besides, you probably washed the lacquer off!!” At this point I expressed in only the way I can when annoyed, that he was in fact insulting my intelligence and was.... p_ _ _ing me off! I went and fetched the Service Team Manager to point out the areas of concern to the Sales Manager. This I have to say he did without hesitation. I explained “Your 'man' here can’t seem to find fault with my alloy wheels, could you be so kind as to point out the various areas of concern as discussed the day before etc? I deliberately pointed to the flaking lacquer on the wrong wheel. “No” said the Service Team Manager, “it’s on the other wheel, the paint pickling is on the nearside alloy”. This did everything I hoped in that it underpinned what I was saying to the Sales Manager, who was off with me for referring to him as the service team mangers 'man'. (He said as such in hushed tones in my left ear, like I'm bothered though have taken mental note). After the clear points of issue having been pointed out he conceded to refurb two wheels. I said “No you can refurb all four wheels and do the job properly, and that means bead blasting back to metal etc, not just a light rubdown and blow over”. I went on “Your organisation have had three goes at this already using non approved MB shops to do this work” (I found this fact out prior to my last visit), but this time you will do this work in an approved MB outlet, and you will convey to me the processes being used! I then went on to ask who the directors are of this establishment, as I would be speaking with them regarding this entire fiasco.
I haven’t yet spoken with the directors in question as yet, this is happening Monday, but I actually believe, given the circumstances, I should be asking for four new alloy wheels, I will also be pointing out that I certainly will have huge reservation regarding ever purchasing another car from them, and will refuse to have anything else to do with the sales manager, he’s a T_ _ _ _ r, who talked to me in a threatening manner. Call me a snob here, but his whole appearance, dishevelled and unshaven combined with his offhand dismissive demeanour ran me right up the wrong way. He seemed to forget, it’s people like me who pay his wages!
Depending on outcomes here I may even withdraw all my cars from their care I feel that strongly about this experience.
Thoughts ???
They have been refurbished three times in total all within the last year. The last time they were done was the back end of November 2008. The reason they were refurbished instead simply providing new wheels on warranty was because one wheel had been refurbished prior to my purchasing the car. The MB salesman didn’t allude to this fact at point of purchase. The car was an approved MB car with all the approved warranties, except it would seem the wheels. This again was not pointed out at time of purchase. The car was an unmarked example with 12000 miles on the clock, today it has covered 16000 in total and hasn’t been exactly issue free.
Anyway to continue, I went down to the dealership the day before yesterday to say that three times you have attempted to put this right and here I am again with a similar complaint, the lacquer is peeling off and the paint has started to pickle. (I was speaking with the sales manager who I’ve not met before and it would seem a new man on the job). His response to my concerns after giving him the history was "lets go have a look". On looking at the wheels he said “They look alright to me”. I said “you have got to be having a laugh look!” I pointed at clear areas of concern where the paint was pickled and lacquer had flaked off. He said “They look fine to me and besides, you probably washed the lacquer off!!” At this point I expressed in only the way I can when annoyed, that he was in fact insulting my intelligence and was.... p_ _ _ing me off! I went and fetched the Service Team Manager to point out the areas of concern to the Sales Manager. This I have to say he did without hesitation. I explained “Your 'man' here can’t seem to find fault with my alloy wheels, could you be so kind as to point out the various areas of concern as discussed the day before etc? I deliberately pointed to the flaking lacquer on the wrong wheel. “No” said the Service Team Manager, “it’s on the other wheel, the paint pickling is on the nearside alloy”. This did everything I hoped in that it underpinned what I was saying to the Sales Manager, who was off with me for referring to him as the service team mangers 'man'. (He said as such in hushed tones in my left ear, like I'm bothered though have taken mental note). After the clear points of issue having been pointed out he conceded to refurb two wheels. I said “No you can refurb all four wheels and do the job properly, and that means bead blasting back to metal etc, not just a light rubdown and blow over”. I went on “Your organisation have had three goes at this already using non approved MB shops to do this work” (I found this fact out prior to my last visit), but this time you will do this work in an approved MB outlet, and you will convey to me the processes being used! I then went on to ask who the directors are of this establishment, as I would be speaking with them regarding this entire fiasco.
I haven’t yet spoken with the directors in question as yet, this is happening Monday, but I actually believe, given the circumstances, I should be asking for four new alloy wheels, I will also be pointing out that I certainly will have huge reservation regarding ever purchasing another car from them, and will refuse to have anything else to do with the sales manager, he’s a T_ _ _ _ r, who talked to me in a threatening manner. Call me a snob here, but his whole appearance, dishevelled and unshaven combined with his offhand dismissive demeanour ran me right up the wrong way. He seemed to forget, it’s people like me who pay his wages!
Depending on outcomes here I may even withdraw all my cars from their care I feel that strongly about this experience.
Thoughts ???
I'll keep you posted
). I had a bit of a bubble on my front wheel when the car was 2yrs 6 months old. Went to the dealer - he looked at it (why involve the sales side - I went straight to service) - agreed it wasn't right - took a photo and then went over the other three wheels and spotted another I had missed. Sent photos off to HO..within 4 hours I had a call saying warranty REPACEMENT with new wheels had been approved.
