Peeling paint

[RAB36]

They told me it had to have a new bumper which needed spraying before they could sell it used approved so I think it was definitely down to them.

that’s a great reply and very helpful. My problem will be if I quote that I would expect MB to ask me who gave me that opinion and did they look at it. I don’t expect they’ll accept a forum quote. Don’t really know what to do to be honest. I suppose you don’t get if you don’t ask but as the first offer was a touch I don’t expect much. Then again, that was the salesman so maybe a manager will be different??

Yeah think you hit nail on the head ask to speak to someone higher up as that guy is more than likely a floor manage (at best) so he will want to avoid going to his superior as he will be in the $hit for letting a job like that go out, demand to speak to a higher person if all else fails unfortunately your just have to treat it as a learning experience and try to get it rectified yourself.

 

[jaffajim0]

Update.
the dealer had the car back on Friday to do the “patch repair” which I reluctantly accepted. Confusion over whether it was today or tomorrow to get the car back so I rang this morning and he told me they tried to patch repair it 3 times but each time the paint reacted (to what I don’t know) and bubbled. They now need to send it to another facility (presumably somewhere a bit more geared up for full on resprays) so it can be completely stripped back and fully resprayed. I’m happy because that’s what I wanted in the first place but it means I’ve got a full week driving the GLA they gave me. The difference is massive.

 

[RAB36]

Update.
the dealer had the car back on Friday to do the “patch repair” which I reluctantly accepted. Confusion over whether it was today or tomorrow to get the car back so I rang this morning and he told me they tried to patch repair it 3 times but each time the paint reacted (to what I don’t know) and bubbled. They now need to send it to another facility (presumably somewhere a bit more geared up for full on resprays) so it can be completely stripped back and fully resprayed. I’m happy because that’s what I wanted in the first place but it means I’ve got a full week driving the GLA they gave me. The difference is massive.

Goes to show how crap the paint materials are there using and dodgy prep is underneath if its reacting, well fingers crossed for you mate hopefully with those melons out the picture the other shop can get it right or at least get what seems to be an impossible task of getting paint to stay on a panel

 

[jaffajim0]

Goes to show how crap the paint materials are there using and dodgy prep is underneath if its reacting, well fingers crossed for you mate hopefully with those melons out the picture the other shop can get it right or at least get what seems to be an impossible task of getting paint to stay on a panel

I’m no expert but I always thought the prep must have been substandard as to go right down to the black plastic can’t be right.

 

[jaffajim0]

Are Mercedes dealers normally this crap?? I still don’t have my car back and the earliest will be Thursday but even that’s a fingers crossed estimate!!! If I don’t get it then it will have to be the following Monday as I’m away for the weekend. Trouble is I’m powerless. What can I do except to keep on at the dealer??

 

[oldguy57]

Answer to first question - Yes sometimes they are (but not much different to most car dealers). Second question - not much really except as you say. Least you have a loan car. Pretty awful service I agree.

 

[MrGreedy]

Your only option is to reject the car at this stage, but it's a bit extreme.

From some of the forum member's experiences, if the car isn't right, it looks like the best option is rejection to avoid months of faffing. In this case, you can expect the worst outcome for you is having to get the bumper replaced and repainted yourself in the future, even if that is an unlikely risk.

 

[RAB36]

Are Mercedes dealers normally this crap?? I still don’t have my car back and the earliest will be Thursday but even that’s a fingers crossed estimate!!! If I don’t get it then it will have to be the following Monday as I’m away for the weekend. Trouble is I’m powerless. What can I do except to keep on at the dealer??

Its defiantly not a "Mercedes dealer" issue, you cant tarnish a specific make because of that one shocking branch, I've worked at two Mercedes approved body shops one an award winning shop the other a highly reputable rally specialist and we never had any issues, you have just been unlucky unfortunately mate, its all paint, plastic and metal no specific issues should arise because it has a Mercedes badge, like many other games you get good and bad places no matter how fancy the building may look from the outside its not always a guarantee workmanship is better, the same goes to the rougher looking places most of the time there the ones that hold the actual talent.

 

[raspy]

Its defiantly not a "Mercedes dealer" issue, you cant tarnish a specific make because of that one shocking branch, I've worked at two Mercedes approved body shops one an award winning shop the other a highly reputable rally specialist and we never had any issues, you have just been unlucky unfortunately mate, its all paint, plastic and metal no specific issues should arise because it has a Mercedes badge, like many other games you get good and bad places no matter how fancy the building may look from the outside its not always a guarantee workmanship is better, the same goes to the rougher looking places most of the time there the ones that hold the actual talent.

@RAB36 Yeah, it's just bad luck. When I bought my used C class from a MB dealer, it had some stone chips here and there, which would be considered normal for a car that's done 27k miles.

Anyway, when I picked it up, I was pleasantly surprised that the dealer had a paint person go round the car and touch up every single stone chip (no matter how tiny) prior to me arriving for handover. I wasn't expecting that attention to detail for a used car!

 

[RAB36]

@RAB36 Yeah, it's just bad luck. When I bought my used C class from a MB dealer, it had some stone chips here and there, which would be considered normal for a car that's done 27k miles.

Anyway, when I picked it up, I was pleasantly surprised that the dealer had a paint person go round the car and touch up every single stone chip (no matter how tiny) prior to me arriving for handover. I wasn't expecting that attention to detail for a used car!

Yeah there are some good out there half the battle is finding it.

 

[jaffajim0]

Its defiantly not a "Mercedes dealer" issue, you cant tarnish a specific make because of that one shocking branch, I've worked at two Mercedes approved body shops one an award winning shop the other a highly reputable rally specialist and we never had any issues, you have just been unlucky unfortunately mate, its all paint, plastic and metal no specific issues should arise because it has a Mercedes badge, like many other games you get good and bad places no matter how fancy the building may look from the outside its not always a guarantee workmanship is better, the same goes to the rougher looking places most of the time there the ones that hold the actual talent.

I'm not tarnishing an entire brand, just asking what other peoples experiences are of Mercedes. I've only dealt with Audi before and apart from being highly miffed at getting a £45 bill to change a 38p bulb I couldn't fault them.
To me the most important thing is that this is really spoiling my opinion of the brand and I WANT MY CAR BACK!!! I am happy to believe that this is a one off but as this is not just one person it is becoming hard to do that. I could accept a crap salesman but now it's gone somewhere to be repaired and they've failed so it's gone somewhere else to be repaired and they can't even tell me when it's going to be done for sure. The communication is diabolical with me chasing them all the time. Plus the inevitable grief from my wife!!!

 

[ShaunB]

I'm not tarnishing an entire brand, just asking what other peoples experiences are of Mercedes.

I purchased my current car from Mercedes of Manchester Central, the car was only a few months old and was a management car.
The car had about 3.5 K miles on it.
When I brought it home to N.Ireland, it was taken to a detailer, on completion of paint correction and ceramic coat, he said the paintwork wasn't too bad and said it must have been looked after pretty well, as dealer supplied cars normally need a good amount of correction.
He also said the front tyres are getting a bit low and to keep an eye on them which surprised me.

That's the boring background bit.
I took the car to a tyre place, they measured all tyres. All good with the rears, but the fronts were down to about 3.5mm, now I know this car can be hard on front tyres due to tyre skip issue in cold weather.
Anyway, I rang the Mercedes sales guys in Manchester and sent him the report.
He rang me back two days later and said, go ahead and change the front tyres, send me the bill and we'll reimburse you.
They did, so the dealers are not all bad, but the majority of them are all just a franchise.

 

[jaffajim0]

Just to let you know how shockingly bad this dealership are. I STILL do not have my car back. The latest was that I was to get the car back Thursday afternoon. I was in Cardiff but arranged to come back earlier than planned to make sure I was home when the salesman himself delivered the car back to me. At about 17:00 I had a call from him saying sorry but the car won’t be coming back today as he wasn’t happy with the way the bumper had been reattached and there was no one available to do it!!!!!!! Next date for delivery will be Monday, as I’m not home till then. My wife now thinks they have damaged it and are playing for time or they’ve sold it. By the time I get it back on Monday they will have had it for 18 days.

 

[Spider10]

That's a complete joke
Hope it's up to standard on return
You can paint a complete car quicker

 

[Benz17]

Just to let you know how shockingly bad this dealership are. I STILL do not have my car back. The latest was that I was to get the car back Thursday afternoon. I was in Cardiff but arranged to come back earlier than planned to make sure I was home when the salesman himself delivered the car back to me. At about 17:00 I had a call from him saying sorry but the car won’t be coming back today as he wasn’t happy with the way the bumper had been reattached and there was no one available to do it!!!!!!! Next date for delivery will be Monday, as I’m not home till then. My wife now thinks they have damaged it and are playing for time or they’ve sold it. By the time I get it back on Monday they will have had it for 18 days.

Feel for you, I would be a touch miffed with this situation, but the most important thing is the car is repaired to the highest order, if that is the case, then the wait in the long run would be worth it, and eventually you will have forgotten about it, even though there has been some inconvenience for you.

long job/good job is better then a quick job/ bad job, but yes 18days does seem to be pushing it.

 

[jaffajim0]

Feel for you, I would be a touch miffed with this situation, but the most important thing is the car is repaired to the highest order, if that is the case, then the wait in the long run would be worth it, and eventually you will have forgotten about it, even though there has been some inconvenience for you.

long job/good job is better then a quick job/ bad job, but yes 18days does seem to be pushing it.

Latest is Mañana, hopefully!!!! He's not sure they have anyone free to bring it back to me yet. a 2 hour journey which I'm not free to do otherwise I would.
How bad are they if it took a salesman to spot the bumper wasn't put on correctly?? I will be naming and shaming once I've got my car back and I'm happy with it.
By tomorrow they'll have had it back longer than I had it from purchase, just for a resprayed bumper.

 

[jaffajim0]

I purchased my current car from Mercedes of Manchester Central, the car was only a few months old and was a management car.
The car had about 3.5 K miles on it.
When I brought it home to N.Ireland, it was taken to a detailer, on completion of paint correction and ceramic coat, he said the paintwork wasn't too bad and said it must have been looked after pretty well, as dealer supplied cars normally need a good amount of correction.
He also said the front tyres are getting a bit low and to keep an eye on them which surprised me.

That's the boring background bit.
I took the car to a tyre place, they measured all tyres. All good with the rears, but the fronts were down to about 3.5mm, now I know this car can be hard on front tyres due to tyre skip issue in cold weather.
Anyway, I rang the Mercedes sales guys in Manchester and sent him the report.
He rang me back two days later and said, go ahead and change the front tyres, send me the bill and we'll reimburse you.
They did, so the dealers are not all bad, but the majority of them are all just a franchise.

Glad to know you can find good ones but when you have cause to complain, is it worth complaining to MB UK as well as the franchised dealership??

 

[Benz17]

How bad are they if it took a salesman to spot the bumper wasn't put on correctly

Yes that would be a concern, for the body shop this should be run of the mill job.

 

[Benz17]

Glad to know you can find good ones but when you have cause to complain, is it worth complaining to MB UK as well as the franchised dealership??

When I purchased my car, the sat nav was out of date, as my car was 2 years old, and it came with free updates for 3 years, so I booked the car in for an update at my local dealer, dropped it off in the morning, they said it would be ready in 3 hours, come 5pm I get a call to say unfortunately it couldn’t be done, for whatever reason, and I may have to book it in again, and they would give it another try, but can’t guarantee if they manage to do it, think they were trying to avoid doing the update.

Next day I sent an email to MB UK explaining what happened, within 3 hours I get a phone call from the said dealer manager, who books it in for the next day, and arranges for a courtesy car, and the update is done the following day, so MB UK do hold great influence, and good to contact them if a issue needs resolving.

 

[jaffajim0]

When I purchased my car, the sat nav was out of date, as my car was 2 years old, and it came with free updates for 3 years, so I booked the car in for an update at my local dealer, dropped it off in the morning, they said it would be ready in 3 hours, come 5pm I get a call to say unfortunately it couldn’t be done, for whatever reason, and I may have to book it in again, and they would give it another try, but can’t guarantee if they manage to do it, think they were trying to avoid doing the update.

Next day I sent an email to MB UK explaining what happened, within 3 hours I get a phone call from the said dealer manager, who books it in for the next day, and arranges for a courtesy car, and the update is done the following day, so MB UK do hold great influence, and good to contact them if a issue needs resolving.

Thanks for that. I will contact them but in my case now (hopefully!!!!) it will be an after the fact complaint about this debacle so apart from an apology I can't see me them doing anything to make me happy. Why would they. To be fair I can't think of anything that would take the sour taste away, I just need to let them know how crap this dealership has been. The funny thing is, when I bought the car the salesman was very keen to let me know how important a good review was to him even saying that if he got an 8 or less he may not get his commission!! I'm glad I waited to leave my review.