Mobilio to the rescue......now to see if Warranty Direct pays out.??

[crockers]

Driving up the road the car goes into "Limp Mode" and the engine management light comes on. I turn around and drive the half mile to my home - engine has no power etc.

Get indoors and call my local MB garage - they advise me to call Mobilio. I do so and a Service Technician is here - plugs his Star in and advises me that the inlet port shut off motor is registering a fault - in fact it has registered this 7 times before going into Limp mode. Car is booked into MB Swindon and I will be going in at 4pm - Mobilio have arranged for me to have a hire car whilst mine is there for upto 3 days and it will be there waiting for me (wonder what it will be).

Also on Star there is registered a Glow Plug fault on cylinder 3.

Having read through my Warranty Direct booklet I can see no mention of inlet port shut off motors - either in the covered section or in the exclusions - so I am anticipating an interesting conversation.

The Mobilio guy reckoned that this job could be a 7 hour one. Is he scaring me???

Anyway I am covered for all MB franchise labour + 90% of the parts with a £50 excess. If they honour that then the bill shouldn't be too onerous..if not then a mighty big OUCH.

Fingers crossed and I'll let you know how it goes....

Oh gotta say - Mobilio is great - one of those things that you don't appreciate until you call it into action.

 

[crockers]

Just got back from the dealer. Have a W204 200k petrol to play with.

Dealer says he will try for a MB goodwill gesture - but doesn't hold out much hope - and if not he will push WD to cover it. Also reckons the labour is around 3 hours not the 7 the mobilio guy said.

So perhaps I ought to start a poll....will WD cover this or not....answers on the back of a postcard.. Will MB give any goodwill

 

[DSLiverpool]

Sorry for your misfortune - how old is the car please

 

[crockers]

Sorry for your misfortune - how old is the car please

December 2005 ......so 4 months out of warranty - mileage is 63k though -

 

[Rory]

It seems to be quite a common fault so maybe MB will pay. As to whether WD will pay, I suppose a lot depends on how the dealer describes it to them - it doesn't obviously drop into their list of covered parts. Not sure I understand what the valve does, but it looks like it's part of the EGR system, in which case you might be lucky.

If all else fails, there's one on eBay (for 99p at the moment!):
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MERCEDES-benz-inlet-port-shutoff-motor_W0QQitemZ270377138290


ETA: Be interesting to hear from anyone who might have inside knowledge how helpful the dealership will be - I imagine they'll get a much lower hourly rate from WD (or indeed Mercedes if it's done under goodwill) so it works to their advantage if the claim is refused.

 

[davidjpowell]

I had a W210 where the fuel pump died about 4 months out of warrenty. Despite the fact that the last service had been done by a indie, MB made a goodwill payment of about 85% - so you may get lucky.

I did have to call customer services myself, and I may have left them thinking that my faith in the marque had been damaged at a time when I was thinking of changing my vehicle.

It may be an avenue if WD play up.

 

[robert.saunders]

not great news, but good luck with it/the claim

nice to read Mobilo coming up trumps

 

[vijilants]

So are they just going to replace the glow plug no 3 or are you going to get the whole lot replaced ?

If I were you I'd get the whole set replaced in one go.

Re warranty direct, I've used them for claims 3 - 4 times so far. It can depend on who handles the claim and how the fault is worded by the dealer and how they interpret it.

They do tend to be quite strict when it comes to going by the book. Check the policy and see if it is listed. More often than not, if it isn't listed they won't cover it.

 

[crockers]

This part isn't listed - but then it isn't a part you find on all cars. It isn't excluded either...

 

[robert.saunders]

It's almost exciting!

 

[Rory]

This part isn't listed - but then it isn't a part you find on all cars. It isn't excluded either...

I thinkk you should work with the dealer to try to find a description which does fit something that is listed!

 

[BlackC55]

I delt with WD today.

What a bunch of &%$%$$^

I doubt they will pay out unless the service advisor lies to them.

 

[Baron_Samedi]

The people at warranty firms do like to stick to the letter of their policy.

"Sorry, seatbelt feeder isn't on the list of covered items"

Ho hum, kinda putting me off buying a warranty to be honest...

 

[ringway]

Years ago, I bought a 18 month old 2.5cdx Omega from Fords Of Winsford.
Took out the top warranty to cover every eventuality.

After a week I noticed a vibration from the engine between 2500 - 3500rpm.
Took car to Vauxhall Dealer 4 or 5 times over a 3, month period to diagnose. Had workshop, rolling road, out on road (hooked up to diagnostics) tests, and was told the vibration was "a characteristic of the car".

Waiting at a junction, the car died, all 24 Valves became the wrong shape, resulting in a £4500 bill (inc car hire).

Fords of Winsford = Not Interested. (nothing to do with us sir)
Vauxhall Dealer = Not Interested.
Warranty Company = Not Interested. (You are wasting your time sir!)

It transpired that an engine repair had taken place necessitating in the removal of the woodruff key and the huge bar that runs through the middle of the crank/pulley.
Because of the pressure used to tighten the bar (250nm I think,) the bar distorts (which is normal). However, the bar should NEVER be re-used (which it had been), it should always be replaced with a new one that is not distorted.

This caused the problem (similar to the cam belt snapping) and we traced the repair to 2, possible Vauxhall dealers, neither of which would own up to carrying out the works.

So, I'm up sh*t creek without a paddle..

Called What Car? Magazine and explained the problem.
The got involved, came down and took pictures of me and the car (I new I'd make it as a centrefold) and ran it as their lead story.

On hearing of the impending publication:

Fords of Winsford = "We're sorry to hear about a problem with a car we have sold, and would like to pay for the car hire as a goodwil gesture.."

Warranty Company = "We feel this is a case where we think our policy holder has been unlucky and we would like to pay for the whole engine repair and out of pocket expenses".

Talk about changing your tune!

If you play hard enough, you'll get a result.

 

[Rory]

On hearing of the impending publication:

Fords of Winsford = "We're sorry to hear about a problem with a car we have sold, and would like to pay for the car hire as a goodwil gesture.."

Warranty Company = "We feel this is a case where we think our policy holder has been unlucky and we would like to pay for the whole engine repair and out of pocket expenses".

Talk about changing your tune!

If you play hard enough, you'll get a result.

Every week I sit fuming at WatchDog at the companies who've put people through hell and then cave in as soon as the BBC calls them. I have more respect for the ones who stick to their guns and continue to be hard-faced - at least you know where you stand then!

 

[Phil Thomas]

The people at warranty firms do like to stick to the letter of their policy.

"Sorry, seatbelt feeder isn't on the list of covered items"

Ho hum, kinda putting me off buying a warranty to be honest...

I had a MB warranty for several years from 2000 on. It was great, and always paid up. As we have a 1999 W210 it was well used: it must have cost them a bomb.

I wish we still had the warranty!!!

 

[Dryce]

I have more respect for the ones who stick to their guns and continue to be hard-faced - at least you know where you stand then!

....... the Ryanair approach

 

[glojo]

Years ago, I bought a 18 month old 2.5cdx Omega from Fords Of Winsford.
Took out the top warranty to cover every eventuality.

After a week I noticed a vibration from the engine between 2500 - 3500rpm.
Took car to Vauxhall Dealer 4 or 5 times over a 3, month period to diagnose. Had workshop, rolling road, out on road (hooked up to diagnostics) tests, and was told the vibration was "a characteristic of the car".

If I had bought a car from a main dealer and it went bang after just one week of ownership then 'No sir' would not have been an option.

I think anyone that gets Watch dog, Witch or anhy other consumer program involved in their claim is an EXTREMELY lucky person as I understand that these programs recieve quite literally thousands of letters each week, all of which are legitimate grievances.

What did you do to get your case highlighted?

 

[crockers]

An Update...............................

Right it's been a frantic day..

Had a phone call from Mercedes - WD want them to fax over some details - then arrange for an engineer to visit to see the part. Then they will review the situation and let the MB dealer know. Dealer a little worried as my Mobilio car would need to be returned. Reason being they have the part and are able to do the repair - why should MB pay for a hire car whilst WD make up their minds. (Which is a fair point)

Got home at 2.30 and called WD, asked what is going on? After a fairly long conversation - which was friendly (I played the "I don't understand what is going on approach) - they called MB later this afternoon and have approved the repair. WD called me and confirmed this and also that they will approve the replacement of No3 glowplug as it is listed in the schedule.

I called MB and he was amazed as not even MB would authorise a Glowplug as it is a fair wear and tear item. He did say that if they didn't approve it he would just charge me for the part and do it free. (MB Swindon - top marks). Any how he said he would call back WD to double check this. If so I will have all 5 replaced (one was replaced in December under warranty) ...thinks ....that goes against what I just wrote...hmmmm no idea why.

Bottom line is all I have to pay is £50 excess and 10% of parts as the car has done over 60,000 miles. So I reckon a result ........:bannana::bannana::bannana::bannana::bannana::bannana::bannana:

 

[Dieselman]

So I reckon a result

Not 'arf..