Slight dealer niggle

[maddog]

After my car was serviced recently i checked the oil when the car was returned and found it was low* , almost 1 litre low in fact so i had to go and buy a gallon of Mobil 1 cost me (£57!!!)

I spoke to the service manager at the dealership and commented that while i was happy with their service and how extra work was dealt with i was dissapointed for the car to come back in this condition , he assured me the fault was with a piece of equipment in the garage and apoligised adding they would fill the car up with diesel for me as a goodwill gesture as i had another visit planned to repair some bodywork which had started to rust 10 months after it had been painted

So forward wind to today and i get the car back from the dealers after the bodywork has been sorted for the second time and whilst some fuel has been added the car is far from full up , it has just under 3/4's of a tank so would take a good £20 to fill up

Now i reckon as things have gone i'm up on the deal 1 litre of oil even at MB prices is less than the £30's worth of fuel they have put in my car and so far my car has spent around 3 weeks at the dealers with them putting right their past mistakes

The point is they said they would fill it and they havent , question is do i bother to complain in writing to the dealer or do i just bitch about it on internet forums ??

I feel really disappointed after

a) The goodwill rust repair around the bootlock only lasted 10 months before coming back

b) The bonnet that i paid to have resprayed at the same time as the goodwill work due to my concerns about paint matching started to rust after 10 months (the bonnet wasnt even rusting before they painted it!!) they charged me £550 BTW!!

c) When they did the goodwill rust repairs they missed a repair meaning the car had to go back and the paint subsequently doesnt match on that panel

d) When they sprayed the bonnet they got overspray all over my engine so they car had to go back for that

e) My car was due back on Friday but i didnt get it back till today with no explanation or apology offerred

I think the trust has gone now and bearing in mind my only other dealer is even worse i think i will be forced to go independant from now on


*this happened last time they serviced it as well hence me checking

 

[Rory]

Thanks for posting that - makes me feel better that I'm not the only person constantly dissapointed by my dealer!

 

[neilrr]

Wow. I'd look for another dealer.

That is just terrible, one screw up after another.

 

[IanA2]

Wow. I'd look for another dealer.

That is just terrible, one screw up after another.

+ 1

 

[rf065]

When I picked my car up after a warranty repair for burning oil, I asked the service manager if they had topped the oil up to the correct level after repairing it. (Mobil 1 ain't cheap)

He assured me they had, but checking it when I got home, it was a litre short on oil, the same as it was when i took it in. It seems you cannot take the word of anyone who works in a Mercedes service department anymore.

In future I will invite them to show me the level is correct before leaving the premises. I thought Mercedes were above this sort of behaviour?

Russ

 

[stats007]

It's not Brentford by any chance?

 

[franey]

Name the Dealer......... so others can avoid them.

 

[maddog]

This is a well respected dealer in the Basingstoke area i only started using them due to reccomendations on here

Prior to that i used the dealer in Newbury , they were even worse ie bad attitude and on one visit they dented my car and then accused me of trying to pull a fast one

Best one was they wanted me to sign a £5000 excess if i damaged their loan car while mine was in for a service!!!

The dealer in Basingstoke at least collects my car each time , i wont drive the loaner Fiesta the Mercedes bodyshop offers.

I thought Mercedes were trying to sort this out , there is no way i will buy a new Mercedes whilst the dealers are this bad. You could of course say i drive an old car and they figure i'm a lost cause but i did buy it at 3 months old , i do occasionally buy £40k cars.

I get 10 times the service when i take in my wifes Skoda for a service no problem getting a loaner either

 

[190E 2.6]

Brentford?

Have you had a experience there?

I know,I will NEVER go there

 

[Howard]

Join the club ...

I've had a couple of run ins with Brentford , never again ...

 

[Doodle]

I am surprised, TP have always been very good in the past. However, I haven't used them for a couple of years now...perhaps standards are slipping?

Newbury I only ever use to order parts...sales and service blotted their copybook with me a long time ago.

 

[Chattonmill]

My car came from Newbury Mercedes........ but luckily I bought it from Newcastle Mercedes who seem to be on the ball.

 

[Rory]

Have called my dealer 3 times in the last couple of weeks and each time been told someone will call back - no-one has. I haven't spoken to them for some time so they can't know why I'm calling.

Rang today and asked for service manager - the name I had has left and it sounds like the Parts Manager is now also Service Manager. Anyway he was busy with end of month (it the 18th!!) "calculations" and will call me back.
I better not hold my breath.

I get the impression they're really struggling....

 

[raymont]

I’ve used TP Basingstoke for a good number of years and have had good service from their workshop.

However, I also had some rust repairs carried out by their bodyshop on two occasions ( 210 estate usual stuff under warranty).

The first time it was OK, no more than that. The second time it was sub standard, paint runs and , poor colour match. Didn’t pursue the matter as the car was replaced shortly after the second visit.

I think part of the problem might be, and this is no excuse, that MB approved bodyshops were / are obliged to carry out the work at the very low rates specified by MB.

 

[maddog]

I think part of the problem might be, and this is no excuse, that MB approved bodyshops were / are obliged to carry out the work at the very low rates specified by MB.

Thats my first thought but having a bonnet rust after less than a year especially being charged £550 for it to be painted and now after the remedial work it doesnt match the wings properly which was the whole reason for having it painted in the first place

Exasperated as much as fustrated !!

Its now a choice of Greenoaks in Reading or The dealer in Oxford , although i bought the car in Reading i havent been back as its a bit too far as is Oxford , cant see them collecting from my house but i'll try

Failing that its time to go indie, i already use Olly for extra work but maybe i 'll get him to do the routine servicing and forgo the benefits of MBFSH.

 

[BlackC55]

Why take it to a dealer anymore?

 

[maddog]

Why take it to a dealer anymore?

Breakdown cover and goodwill i guess , as well as the normal rust repairs MB have just paid for a new crossmember

I reckon i have had over £3000 in goodwill spent on my car by MB , i've spent less than £2k to service it during that period