I haven’t posted for a while but I thought I would share my recent experience at the hands of my local Merc dealership.
My A45 was due for a B service during lockdown so I got it rescheduled to yesterday. I requested that they investigate the following warranty covered issues.
a) Rubber seal in engine compartment was loose (I assumed just needed glueing back on).
b) When travelling on a straight section of road the steering feels as though it has a little free play, not too much but enough for me to notice.
c) I also asked them to check the stop/start and auto handbrake because occasionally I was having difficulty getting them to activate. I felt this might be pilot error as I’ve not driven the vehicle very much since purchase due to winter months and lockdown.
They requested the vehicle for a full day, so yesterday I dropped it off at 9.30 am.
At 12.30 pm my Mercedes me app informed me that the doors on my car had been unlocked, so I checked the app and could see that the vehicle had moved into the workshop. I thought 3 hrs and no movement not an issue as I appreciate they will have a workshop schedule. I must admit I was tempted to try and lock the doors whilst they were working on it (childish I know).
At 4pm I get a phone call to say that my car is ready for collection. The lady on the phone explained that the stop / start function needed a new part and also they didn’t have time to upgrade the sat nav (5 hrs apparently required to update).
When I went to collect the keys I was told that the service had been completed and the new part from Germany had been ordered (no uk stock apparently). I arranged a future date for the further work to be completed.
I asked about the two further warranty covered issues.
In relation to the loose rubber seal they couldn’t find it. I just smiled and requested that a technician accompany me to the car so I could show him. I therefore showed the young technician the loose seal and he said it just pushes back onto its fitting when it comes loose without any adhesive. I felt a bit of a berk at first but then I thought what a poor quality item. Anyhow that’s not the best bit.
I returned to the service desk and asked about the potential free play in the steering and I was told that they couldn’t find any on the test drive. I collected my key and left the building safe in the knowledge that my car had been serviced and issues checked over by a qualified technician.
I returned to the car and I was just about to set off when I had one last task to do. When I drop a vehicle off for a service I always take a photo of the mileage to see how far the vehicle has been driven whilst in their care (I’ve had previous unaccounted excessive mileage).
I had to double check the mileage because by my reckoning apart from the trip to the workshop (25 yards) the car hadn’t moved.
What about the test drive I thought. What test drive I thought !!
It was persisting down and I couldn’t be bothered to go back into the showroom and voice my concerns.
Today I decided to take the car for a little run and spend some time ’playing’ with the cars bits and bobs.
I finally got the stop / start function and auto handbrake to work as described to the point that I decided there was nothing wrong with it.
I began to wonder wether Mercedes have just ordered the new stop / start part based on my initial claim that it wasn’t working plus when he’s done the so called ‘health check’ on the car he couldn’t see anything wrong with steering so he decided he wasn’t going to take it for a test drive. He clearly hasn’t driven it and the sensation of free play is still there.
I did wonder wether the current coronavirus climate prevent him from taking the car on a test drive but there again why would they lie. What have they to gain. I’m perplexed.
I‘m now left with the dilemma of wether I should tell them I don’t want the new part fitted and just get the sat nav updated. At least on my return visit I will be able to ‘express’ my concerns over the alleged test drive and steering issue.
I must admit that the experience has left a bitter after taste.
A previous visit with a C63 left scratches on one of the wings because they didn’t use the wing covers during service. On that occasion the service manager was apologetic and arranged for the wing to be machine polished.
Who can you trust in this day and age to do what it says on the tin ?
Apologies for long post.
Rant over.
My A45 was due for a B service during lockdown so I got it rescheduled to yesterday. I requested that they investigate the following warranty covered issues.
a) Rubber seal in engine compartment was loose (I assumed just needed glueing back on).
b) When travelling on a straight section of road the steering feels as though it has a little free play, not too much but enough for me to notice.
c) I also asked them to check the stop/start and auto handbrake because occasionally I was having difficulty getting them to activate. I felt this might be pilot error as I’ve not driven the vehicle very much since purchase due to winter months and lockdown.
They requested the vehicle for a full day, so yesterday I dropped it off at 9.30 am.
At 12.30 pm my Mercedes me app informed me that the doors on my car had been unlocked, so I checked the app and could see that the vehicle had moved into the workshop. I thought 3 hrs and no movement not an issue as I appreciate they will have a workshop schedule. I must admit I was tempted to try and lock the doors whilst they were working on it (childish I know).
At 4pm I get a phone call to say that my car is ready for collection. The lady on the phone explained that the stop / start function needed a new part and also they didn’t have time to upgrade the sat nav (5 hrs apparently required to update).
When I went to collect the keys I was told that the service had been completed and the new part from Germany had been ordered (no uk stock apparently). I arranged a future date for the further work to be completed.
I asked about the two further warranty covered issues.
In relation to the loose rubber seal they couldn’t find it. I just smiled and requested that a technician accompany me to the car so I could show him. I therefore showed the young technician the loose seal and he said it just pushes back onto its fitting when it comes loose without any adhesive. I felt a bit of a berk at first but then I thought what a poor quality item. Anyhow that’s not the best bit.
I returned to the service desk and asked about the potential free play in the steering and I was told that they couldn’t find any on the test drive. I collected my key and left the building safe in the knowledge that my car had been serviced and issues checked over by a qualified technician.
I returned to the car and I was just about to set off when I had one last task to do. When I drop a vehicle off for a service I always take a photo of the mileage to see how far the vehicle has been driven whilst in their care (I’ve had previous unaccounted excessive mileage).
I had to double check the mileage because by my reckoning apart from the trip to the workshop (25 yards) the car hadn’t moved.
What about the test drive I thought. What test drive I thought !!
It was persisting down and I couldn’t be bothered to go back into the showroom and voice my concerns.
Today I decided to take the car for a little run and spend some time ’playing’ with the cars bits and bobs.
I finally got the stop / start function and auto handbrake to work as described to the point that I decided there was nothing wrong with it.
I began to wonder wether Mercedes have just ordered the new stop / start part based on my initial claim that it wasn’t working plus when he’s done the so called ‘health check’ on the car he couldn’t see anything wrong with steering so he decided he wasn’t going to take it for a test drive. He clearly hasn’t driven it and the sensation of free play is still there.
I did wonder wether the current coronavirus climate prevent him from taking the car on a test drive but there again why would they lie. What have they to gain. I’m perplexed.
I‘m now left with the dilemma of wether I should tell them I don’t want the new part fitted and just get the sat nav updated. At least on my return visit I will be able to ‘express’ my concerns over the alleged test drive and steering issue.
I must admit that the experience has left a bitter after taste.
A previous visit with a C63 left scratches on one of the wings because they didn’t use the wing covers during service. On that occasion the service manager was apologetic and arranged for the wing to be machine polished.
Who can you trust in this day and age to do what it says on the tin ?
Apologies for long post.
Rant over.