Mercedes Approved Used Scheme Let Me Down — Dangerous E400d, No Apology or Compensation

[Bobby Dazzler]

I'm feeling like the odd man out here but I've never test driven a car which is under warranty.

I suppose that I take the view that I can always return it for fixing and the best test drive is the drive home, usually from bloody miles away.

You’re not alone. It’s a valid strategy. What you’ve written confirms that you’re half expecting an issue - and therefore the need to return it - because you chose not to test drive it, and realise that unfortunately stuff breaks.

However if someone buys a car from the opposite side of the country (or too far to travel back to for repairs); expecting it to be perfect (or meet their own high standards); without checking that it’s perfect (or meets their own high standards); and is not prepared to give the vendor an opportunity to repair it when there’s an issue then disappointment seems inevitable.

Expect perfection - expect to check.

 

[MSG2004]

In today world there's no way Id carry "a few hundred" in my wallet.....one day it will be spotted by the wrong people. £20 or £30 tops.....and most of the time it never gets touched. Cant imagine what sort of emergency could not be sorted by card or, at worst case, a trip to the cash machine.

do guys still car wallets?

I've not carried one since my money started getting paid into the bank when i first worked for the coucil about 40+ years ago - though when going away to family in the midlands i often have a few hndred in 50's - mrs has the cards etc but if more than a hundred in notes i put it in my pocket and if in a pub etc - i will tke out some money before going into pub put it in the other pocket as hopefully not to attract inbreds.

Otherwise i am almost cashless

I do carry x amount of change and a nit in the cars boot under the rear cover/base and this can't be opened without the tailgate being open. I never leave anyhting in sigth, not even an empty bag ot jacket etc

 

[ALFAitalia]

I still use one...got to put all those debit and loyalty cards and licence somewhere. Plus of course what littke notes and change I do carry!

 

[DSM10000]

I still use one...got to put all those debit and loyalty cards and licence somewhere. Plus of course what littke notes and change I do carry!

I never use my mobile 'phone to pay. It seems to be very intermittent.

 

[SpikyMikey]

I'm bringing home a car which is under warranty on 4th August. But I wouldn't have dreamt to not have test driven it before handing over my hard earned. It's a bit late when you're halfway down the motorway before realising the car isn't driving correctly.

Or you can't live with the ride quality, or the seat doesn't go back far enough, or the radio is rubbish, or...

 

[DSM10000]

Two words.

"Caveat emptor"

 

[SpikyMikey]

Or as a friend of mine says "Cravat Emptor"

 

[Darrell]

Bet you are carrying a £1k iPhone though?

But the average junkie who’d stab you for a tenner won’t mug you for a £1k phone.

 

[SpikyMikey]

Or as a friend of mine says "Cravat Emptor"

Is that "Buyer should wear a tie"

 

[DSM10000]

Is that "Buyer should wear a tie"

Emptor cravatam gerere debet?

 

[Ted]

Emptor eo domus!

 

[chic0821]

Our local German barber - Herr Kutts is cash only.

The Spanish carwash run by Jose and his brother Hose B are also cash only.

The mobile Indian Karaoke business run by Gupti Singh prefers notes to digital.

K

Bit of a theme here, wonder why

 

[chic0821]

Imagine the shame?

What phone you got? Give it to me now!

Huh? What’s this? A bloody £100 phone? Keep it, here’s a tenner, buy yourself a beer.

FFS, are you homeless, hang on a minute, I'll get you a better one

 

[MancRick101]

A test drive should have spotted the wheel issue, a test drive may have even caused the other fault to show . Unfamiliar roads and a sales person wouldn't detract from noticing the wheel issue as described by the OP.

Either one would have been cause for refusing the car and not handing over £40k and the subsequent angst.

Are you seriously suggesting that you would spend that amount on a car and not ensure you were happy with it before driving 200 miles home?

A test drive would likely not have revealed the wheel(s) issues. The car drove nicely around the local town; it was only at motorway speeds that the vibrations were apparent.

On most test drives, you’re instructed which route to take (in my experience and I’ve done test drives since this incident, prior to and including buying the BMW). You also have a stranger sat in the passenger seat, often talking, and you’re often in an unfamiliar vehicle.

I have several friends who would not have picked up on the vibration and if I had not been coming from a W213 to another 213 and knowing how it should feel, I may not have noticed either.

So would that have been ok? We’re talking about vibrations that were noticeable to me as I’m very much in tune with the E Class, yet even I didn’t notice immediately. I would hazard that most people would have accepted it as a characteristic of the car. I didn’t, and got it checked, which revealed two buckled wheels.

I can assure you that the gearbox fault would not have been evident on a test drive, even as 200 mile test drive and nor would the EML.

Neither would the intermittent knocking noise.

Are you saying that it is acceptable for Mercedes dealers to sell 40k+ cars without plugging them into Star, checking for faults and thoroughly inspecting the vehicle?

It comes across (not just by yourself, but one other poster also) that this was all my fault, in your opinion?

I, like many enthusiasts, look for a very specific spec car when I’m buying. I don’t just drive to the local dealership and take what they’ve got on offer; I search nationwide, particularly as well specced IC cars are seemingly outnumbered by EVs.

I’m not going to drive 200 miles to test drive a car, then drive back home after giving the go ahead, to then wait while they ‘prep’ the car and drive back to collect.

This is why I only buy new or approved used, as AU previously has provided a level of comfort and an assurance that the vehicle is in good health. This car had not just one fault, but several, culminating in it grinding to a halt 220 miles later.

The point is, the car should have been checked, fixed and roadworthy at point of sale, regardless of test drives. The law confirms this.

In my case, it was not. If it was my fault the car was sold in a ‘state’, then I apologise.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

A test drive would likely not have revealed the wheel(s) issues. The car drove nicely around the local town; it was only at motorway speeds that the vibrations were apparent.

On most test drives, you’re instructed which route to take (in my experience and I’ve done test drives since this incident, prior to and including buying the BMW). You also have a stranger sat in the passenger seat, often talking, and you’re often in an unfamiliar vehicle.

I have several friends who would not have picked up on the vibration and if I had not been coming from a W213 to another 213 and knowing how it should feel, I may not have noticed either.

So would that have been ok? We’re talking about vibrations that were noticeable to me as I’m very much in tune with the E Class, yet even I didn’t notice immediately. I would hazard that most people would have accepted it as a characteristic of the car. I didn’t, and got it checked, which revealed two buckled wheels.

I can assure you that the gearbox fault would not have been evident on a test drive, even as 200 mile test drive and nor would the EML.

Neither would the intermittent knocking noise.

So if you wouldn’t have picked up the buckled wheels, gearbox issues and intermittent knocking noises on a test drive are you also saying that the Approved Used checks also wouldn’t have picked up on these issues too?

Makes sense if so.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Are you saying that it is acceptable for Mercedes dealers to sell 40k+ cars without plugging them into Star, checking for faults and thoroughly inspecting the vehicle?

How do you know they didn’t plus the car into STAR, and would STAR have even picked up on the buckled wheels, gearbox issues and intermittent knocking?

Dealers plug cars into STAR fairly routinely, but I’m not sure STAR would have detected the three issues you mentioned in your post today?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The point is, the car should have been checked, fixed and roadworthy at point of sale, regardless of test drives. The law confirms this.

In my case, it was not. If it was my fault the car was sold in a ‘state’, then I apologise.

The service you received after rejecting the car sounds like it was poor, especially regarding the refund although there may be reasons for that.

However if the issues you have described would not have been detected on a test drive - and may not have been detected by STAR - then there’s nothing the dealer could have done before you drove away in it.

I would be interested to hear what the Ombudsman concludes. I’m not clear that which issue - the buckled wheels, gearbox issues or intermittent knock - would make the car unroadworthy.

Without doubt a poor customer experience, but I’m not yet convinced it’s unlawful with the faults you’ve described. Had the dealer been given the opportunity to resolve the issues then the experience may have been different.

Wishing you the very best with your new car.

 

[DSM10000]

A test drive would likely not have revealed the wheel(s) issues. The car drove nicely around the local town; it was only at motorway speeds that the vibrations were apparent.

On most test drives, you’re instructed which route to take (in my experience and I’ve done test drives since this incident, prior to and including buying the BMW). You also have a stranger sat in the passenger seat, often talking, and you’re often in an unfamiliar vehicle.

I have several friends who would not have picked up on the vibration and if I had not been coming from a W213 to another 213 and knowing how it should feel, I may not have noticed either.

So would that have been ok? We’re talking about vibrations that were noticeable to me as I’m very much in tune with the E Class, yet even I didn’t notice immediately. I would hazard that most people would have accepted it as a characteristic of the car. I didn’t, and got it checked, which revealed two buckled wheels.

I can assure you that the gearbox fault would not have been evident on a test drive, even as 200 mile test drive and nor would the EML.

Neither would the intermittent knocking noise.

Are you saying that it is acceptable for Mercedes dealers to sell 40k+ cars without plugging them into Star, checking for faults and thoroughly inspecting the vehicle?

It comes across (not just by yourself, but one other poster also) that this was all my fault, in your opinion?

I, like many enthusiasts, look for a very specific spec car when I’m buying. I don’t just drive to the local dealership and take what they’ve got on offer; I search nationwide, particularly as well specced IC cars are seemingly outnumbered by EVs.

I’m not going to drive 200 miles to test drive a car, then drive back home after giving the go ahead, to then wait while they ‘prep’ the car and drive back to collect.

This is why I only buy new or approved used, as AU previously has provided a level of comfort and an assurance that the vehicle is in good health. This car had not just one fault, but several, culminating in it grinding to a halt 220 miles later.

The point is, the car should have been checked, fixed and roadworthy at point of sale, regardless of test drives. The law confirms this.

In my case, it was not. If it was my fault the car was sold in a ‘state’, then I apologise.

A lot of

How do you know they didn’t plus the car into STAR, and would STAR have even picked up on the buckled wheels, gearbox issues and intermittent knocking?

Dealers plug cars into STAR fairly routinely, but I’m not sure STAR would have detected the three issues you mentioned in your post today?

Precisely.

 

[MancRick101]

So if you wouldn’t have picked up the buckled wheels, gearbox issues and intermittent knocking noises on a test drive are you also saying that the Approved Used checks also wouldn’t have picked up on these issues too?

Makes sense if so.

I’m not naive enough to think the dealership was completely unaware of the faults.

Yes, I believe there’s a high probability they would have identified issues if they’d scanned the car properly using STAR diagnostics.

I also think that if they’d prepared the car properly, they would have carried out a wheel balance and, ideally, a tracking check.

Someone else has already pointed out the awkward, argumentative tone coming from certain ‘veteran members’ in this thread. Just look at who ‘liked’ your post — another veteran member. Hardly surprising.

If you want to carry on believing the dealership is entirely honest, honourable, and had no knowledge of these faults before selling me the car, be my guest. But let’s not pretend that’s the only logical conclusion!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I’m not naive enough to think the dealership was completely unaware of the faults.

Yes, I believe there’s a high probability they would have identified issues if they’d scanned the car properly using STAR diagnostics.

I also think that if they’d prepared the car properly, they would have carried out a wheel balance and, ideally, a tracking check.

Someone else has already pointed out the awkward, argumentative tone coming from certain ‘veteran members’ in this thread. Just look at who ‘liked’ your post — another veteran member. Hardly surprising.

If you want to carry on believing the dealership is entirely honest, honourable, and had no knowledge of these faults before selling me the car, be my guest. But let’s not pretend that’s the only logical conclusion!

Wishing you the very best with your new car