Mobilo : good value or not?

[gr1nch]

Hello folks,

My recent experience of Mobilo (not being able to get a part to me over a weekend, recovery only offered, no hire car matching as advertised) is not a positive one. It doesn't seem for good value for money. I've read a few threads on Mobilo here.

Do you think Mobilo represents good value for money or worth paying the extra for enhanced peace of mind?

Mobilo advertises that they will loan you a car, like for like. I was told over the phone it was not possible in my case. Also Mercedes Grimsby said they mainly had C-class courtesy cars and certainly no S-Class. Nor one of their demonstrators.
It does not seem right that we Mercedes owners pay through the nose for a servicing plan that does not deliver on its promises. Has anyone got redress for this?

Finally, are there alternatives to Mobilo - pperhap high end recovery services?

My experience
A couple of weeks ago on a very wet and windy night on a dark, slightly winding road, I inadvertently drove through a small puddle on the inside of a bend and all hell broke loose. A massive impact, with an incredibly loud, metallic sound - together made me think on that instant the bottom of the car had got the road possibly the discs. I had driven into very nasty pothole. I limped the 100m or so to my friend's house (where we were due to catsit) just before my front nearside tyre (a Pilot Sport 4S) went totally flat.
Mobilo answered the car's dedicated, internal communication system to them quick enough. They had the car data which had been automatically sent to them and could see the tyre pressure was near zero. Now the fun starts.

The Mobilo agent says they'll pass this onto their technical handlers (RAC) who will bring a "universal tyre" out to me and fit it to get me going. I'm convinced the nearly new tyre needs replacing as the tyre mend kit in the boot isn't going to fix the undoubted cut in the tyre which I can't see. Unfortunately my mate's drive is completely covered in deep gravel and it was tipping it down: I thought better of getting the jack out to find out, if even possible, how badly damaged the tyre was.
I ask about this "universal tyre" that the RAC will bring with them and was told it would fit any sized wheel! Well that was a new one on me and I queried this, but he was adamant that the tyre carried by RAC would fit my 245/40R20. Dubious, I then waited the call from the RAC, who unsurprisingly told me
* they don't carry such a tyre, even if one did exist
* They can't get a tyre to me until Monday
* They will only bring me a courtesy car of they take mine away
* If they take mine away it will be locked in a secure storage compound somewhere, before they take it to the tyre garage (I preferred my local one).
I decided to wait till Tuesday in the end because that was the day my tyre garage could guarantee getting a replacement tyre.
On Tuesday, though, this turned up!
IMG_20190129_153944.jpg

The driver said the car loaded in before mine was Guy Martin's souped up vintage Volvo! So we go to the tyre place who gives me the bad news that both tyres on the left have had it and both rims are bent! I agree to them straightening the worst one and they said they'll take a lot of care to ensure they would not crack the rim. Unfortunately they didn't manage it.

I wasn't happy now, seeing the extent of the damage, that this might not be just a wheel problem and decided to get Mercedes to give the car a proper once over and they could do the service that was due soon.
It turns out, Mercedes say, that not only do both tyres and wheels that need replacing, but also the entire steering rack!

Mercedes lent me a C220d on receipt of my car. They've had it two weeks and it is only today that my insurance company will have an assessor on site. Mercedes Grimsby have assured me they sent all the correct estimate information twice. I've had to get involved and chase up both NFU Mutual and Mercedes. I'm not happy about this.

In the end I expect my car to get fully repaired, for the insurance company to cover it, for them to claim back off the council. I hope it turns out that way.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Does Mobilo cover accidents as well as break downs?

As regards value, I understood it was free (as long as you don't start to analyse the cost of MB servicing)!

 

[markjay]

Does Mobilo cover accidents as well as break downs?

AFAIK yes, but I think that part of the problem here is that the call-out started as a breakdown issue ('simple' case of flat tyre) and later escalated into an accident management issue (signifant damage caused due to hitting a pothole at speed).

The T&Cs are different in each case.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

AFAIK yes, but I think that part of the problem here is that the call-out started as a breakdown issue ('simple' case of flat tyre) and later escalated into an accident management issue (signifant damage caused due to hitting a pothole at speed).

The T&Cs are different in each case.

I never knew that.

I would have called my insurer following an accident.

Incidentally, when my S class broke down I was given a CLS by Enterprise, I narrowly missed a Range Rover, the hire company driver wrote it off the same afternoon.

Gutted.

 

[markjay]

I never knew that.

I would have called my insurer following an accident.

Incidentally, when my S class broke down I was given a CLS by Enterprise, I narrowly missed a Range Rover, the hire company driver wrote it off the same afternoon.

Gutted.

Just checked it:

Mobilo Roadside Assistance

'Accident assistance
Regardless of fault, we’ll get your car home or to your chosen Mercedes-Benz Retailer, whichever you prefer.'

 

[markjay]

Also:

'If your car needs to be recovered into the Mercedes-Benz Retail network, we can provide you with a replacement for up to 3 working days (excluding RTA).'

So an RTA does not entitle you for a replacement car (presumably because the insurer is expected to do that).

 

[flowrider]

The problem was that you had an accident and in hindsight should have called your insurance company rather than Mobilo. Now that your car needs a damage assessment and insurance is involved you will possibly lose some NCB and will certainly suffer an insurance increase when you renew. Unfortunately in an accident no one gets off scot free.

 

[Deleted member 126969]

Sadly, it's a no-claim bonus, not a no-blame one isn't it. I've had protected NCB for years now, although even I'm not daft enough to think they don't load the premium in the event of a claim.

@gr1nch sadly, it seems the MB experience isn't all they crack it up to be is it. The glass and chrome palaces promise one thing but the reality seems rather different - at least in my limited experience anyway.

I called Mobilo once when my C350e refused to accept a charge. They told me to take it to the dealer. Friendly enough on the phone, but despite telling me they would alert the dealer I was on the way, when I later called said dealer to let them know I wouldn't be coming after all (problem resolved by "turning off & on again"), the dealer knew nothing about it. If they cannot even do that simple thing, doesn't bode well.

 

[PaoloT]

Hello folks,

My recent experience of Mobilo (not being able to get a part to me over a weekend, recovery only offered, no hire car matching as advertised) is not a positive one. It doesn't seem for good value for money. I've read a few threads on Mobilo here.

Do you think Mobilo represents good value for money or worth paying the extra for enhanced peace of mind?

Mobilo advertises that they will loan you a car, like for like. I was told over the phone it was not possible in my case. Also Mercedes Grimsby said they mainly had C-class courtesy cars and certainly no S-Class. Nor one of their demonstrators.
It does not seem right that we Mercedes owners pay through the nose for a servicing plan that does not deliver on its promises. Has anyone got redress for this?

Finally, are there alternatives to Mobilo - pperhap high end recovery services?

My experience
A couple of weeks ago on a very wet and windy night on a dark, slightly winding road, I inadvertently drove through a small puddle on the inside of a bend and all hell broke loose. A massive impact, with an incredibly loud, metallic sound - together made me think on that instant the bottom of the car had got the road possibly the discs. I had driven into very nasty pothole. I limped the 100m or so to my friend's house (where we were due to catsit) just before my front nearside tyre (a Pilot Sport 4S) went totally flat.
Mobilo answered the car's dedicated, internal communication system to them quick enough. They had the car data which had been automatically sent to them and could see the tyre pressure was near zero. Now the fun starts.

The Mobilo agent says they'll pass this onto their technical handlers (RAC) who will bring a "universal tyre" out to me and fit it to get me going. I'm convinced the nearly new tyre needs replacing as the tyre mend kit in the boot isn't going to fix the undoubted cut in the tyre which I can't see. Unfortunately my mate's drive is completely covered in deep gravel and it was tipping it down: I thought better of getting the jack out to find out, if even possible, how badly damaged the tyre was.
I ask about this "universal tyre" that the RAC will bring with them and was told it would fit any sized wheel! Well that was a new one on me and I queried this, but he was adamant that the tyre carried by RAC would fit my 245/40R20. Dubious, I then waited the call from the RAC, who unsurprisingly told me
* they don't carry such a tyre, even if one did exist
* They can't get a tyre to me until Monday
* They will only bring me a courtesy car of they take mine away
* If they take mine away it will be locked in a secure storage compound somewhere, before they take it to the tyre garage (I preferred my local one).
I decided to wait till Tuesday in the end because that was the day my tyre garage could guarantee getting a replacement tyre.
On Tuesday, though, this turned up!
IMG_20190129_153944.jpg

The driver said the car loaded in before mine was Guy Martin's souped up vintage Volvo! So we go to the tyre place who gives me the bad news that both tyres on the left have had it and both rims are bent! I agree to them straightening the worst one and they said they'll take a lot of care to ensure they would not crack the rim. Unfortunately they didn't manage it.

I wasn't happy now, seeing the extent of the damage, that this might not be just a wheel problem and decided to get Mercedes to give the car a proper once over and they could do the service that was due soon.
It turns out, Mercedes say, that not only do both tyres and wheels that need replacing, but also the entire steering rack!

Mercedes lent me a C220d on receipt of my car. They've had it two weeks and it is only today that my insurance company will have an assessor on site. Mercedes Grimsby have assured me they sent all the correct estimate information twice. I've had to get involved and chase up both NFU Mutual and Mercedes. I'm not happy about this.

In the end I expect my car to get fully repaired, for the insurance company to cover it, for them to claim back off the council. I hope it turns out that way.

My personal and quite long experience is that being a lot of the Mobilo service in outsourcing (Rac, Europe car) quite a lot is left to a chance, I had good and bad experience, apparently now they change the policy wording saying if your Mercedes is older than 3 years you are not due a Mercedes as loan car even if available at Europe car!
the alternative to Mobilo is get the Cover trough the car insurance and get the car serviced to a different garage from Mercedes where they. do the same service at much less…