Technophobe
Member
I didn't get off to a very good start with my pre-owned C200. Paid main dealer rates (i.e. above the odds) and had problems from the start with the vehicle - delivered to me with a puncture, 2 tyres (including the punctured one) were well below Mercedes minimum of 3mm and the car was due for a major service in just over 3 months (i.e. just outside the time when they would be required to service it prior to delivery). After a lot of toing and froing, we came to a settlement. They replaced both tyres and covered the cost of the service. Result.
At the service, I got an advisory about a leaking turbo pipe. They said it didn't need doing yet but was an advisory for the next service (by which time the car will of course be out of warranty).
A few weeks ago, when I had owned the car for about 6 months, it developed a dreadful rattle - I took it in and was told it was loose bolts on the anti-roll bar, which were tightened f.o.c..
Last night the car developed a dreadful howl on cornering, so I called out Mercedes Assist - they sent a local recovery company who identified a "catastrophic" (their word not mine) failure of the power steering which had leaked fluid all over that area of the engine compartment and the reservoir was empty. I was told not to drive the car and to ring the dealer this morning. The vehicle was collected and taken to the dealers who have scheduled to look at it on 2 January 2014 (well, it is Christmas).
Frankly, this failure is the last straw and I no longer have faith in the vehicle. They've had it back for different things 4 times now in 7 months, making it the second most unreliable vehicle I have had in 40 years of car ownership (In case anyone is wondering, a 1987 Lada Riva had a slightly worse reliability record!!!!)
So, it's a 2010 C200 with 61k on the clock, a full MBSH and cost me £15k seven months ago. I am due to speak to the Dealer Principal on Monday and intend to tell him I no longer want the vehicle. Leaving aside discussions about the Sale of goods act, 6 months as a "reasonable period" to reject a vehicle and other such well exercised arguments, am I going over the top in not wanting the car any more?
What do people think?
At the service, I got an advisory about a leaking turbo pipe. They said it didn't need doing yet but was an advisory for the next service (by which time the car will of course be out of warranty).
A few weeks ago, when I had owned the car for about 6 months, it developed a dreadful rattle - I took it in and was told it was loose bolts on the anti-roll bar, which were tightened f.o.c..
Last night the car developed a dreadful howl on cornering, so I called out Mercedes Assist - they sent a local recovery company who identified a "catastrophic" (their word not mine) failure of the power steering which had leaked fluid all over that area of the engine compartment and the reservoir was empty. I was told not to drive the car and to ring the dealer this morning. The vehicle was collected and taken to the dealers who have scheduled to look at it on 2 January 2014 (well, it is Christmas).
Frankly, this failure is the last straw and I no longer have faith in the vehicle. They've had it back for different things 4 times now in 7 months, making it the second most unreliable vehicle I have had in 40 years of car ownership (In case anyone is wondering, a 1987 Lada Riva had a slightly worse reliability record!!!!)
So, it's a 2010 C200 with 61k on the clock, a full MBSH and cost me £15k seven months ago. I am due to speak to the Dealer Principal on Monday and intend to tell him I no longer want the vehicle. Leaving aside discussions about the Sale of goods act, 6 months as a "reasonable period" to reject a vehicle and other such well exercised arguments, am I going over the top in not wanting the car any more?
What do people think?
