The customer collection catch 22

[Aviator]

I ordered a new E350 CDI estate on the 21st of September and made it clear to the MB dealership that I wished to have the car registered on Jan 1 2011 and wished to pay in full before Jan 4 when the Vat increases.
This was not a problem so we speced the car and went ahead with the order on the basis that it would be a November build with a projected delivery date of 10 December.

No problems so far and starting to get excited and decided that to add to the excitement that we would take the factory collection option visit the MB museum in Stuttgart visit the Christmas market and take a couple of day to enjoy the car on the way home.

The plan was then to take it to the dealership for the normal pre delivery checks and registration and pick it up on the 1st of Jan or whenever they opened after the holidays.

Everything was set up thru MB Personal collection team in Milton Keynes very efficiently until I asked the question about the insurance of the vehicle whilst it was in the care of the local dealership between dropping it off from collection and delivery post registration. They did not know the answer and referred me to MB customer service.

You have to pay for the car in full prior to pick up at the factory, seems reasonable, and the insurance for the trip home is arranged by MB in Germany under German export plates.

It seems because the ownership has passed from MB to you, the customer, that the dealership and MB insurance no longer covers the vehicle. It seems that you are responsible for insurance but in order to arrange insurance you need a registration number which is only available a few days before the beginning of the month and this is over a holiday period.

I have tried speaking with my insurers Saga about covering it as a second car but they will only discuss within 28 days or insuring.

I can find no warning of this in the brochures and MB customer service in Maastrict have confirmed that they have no solution to the problem.
It appears to me that any body that uses the MB personal collection service could be exposed to a hefty loss if a car in the car of the dealership is stolen or in the event of a fire.

All in all a bit of a catch 22

Has anybody else come across this problem and found an easy solution

 

[davidjpowell]

How do the dealers cover cars before they are registered?

 

[Colin_b]

It seems that you are responsible for insurance but in order to arrange insurance you need a registration number which is only available a few days before the beginning of the month and this is over a holiday period.

Has anybody else come across this problem and found an easy solution

When I collected my SLK, I arranged the insurance without a reg no. Used the VIN which Tesco needed, then added the reg no. when it was fitted.Took a few days, as the car came direct from the factory home and bypassed the dealer who posted the plates. No problem.

 

[Palfrem]

With an AUC MB Insurance give you 7 days free cover - would this be available on a new one too?

 

[MicB]

I ordered a new E350 CDI estate on the 21st of September and made it clear to the MB dealership that I wished to have the car registered on Jan 1 2011 and wished to pay in full before Jan 4 when the Vat increases.
This was not a problem so we speced the car and went ahead with the order on the basis that it would be a November build with a projected delivery date of 10 December.

No problems so far and starting to get excited and decided that to add to the excitement that we would take the factory collection option visit the MB museum in Stuttgart visit the Christmas market and take a couple of day to enjoy the car on the way home.

The plan was then to take it to the dealership for the normal pre delivery checks and registration and pick it up on the 1st of Jan or whenever they opened after the holidays.

Everything was set up thru MB Personal collection team in Milton Keynes very efficiently until I asked the question about the insurance of the vehicle whilst it was in the care of the local dealership between dropping it off from collection and delivery post registration. They did not know the answer and referred me to MB customer service.

You have to pay for the car in full prior to pick up at the factory, seems reasonable, and the insurance for the trip home is arranged by MB in Germany under German export plates.

It seems because the ownership has passed from MB to you, the customer, that the dealership and MB insurance no longer covers the vehicle. It seems that you are responsible for insurance but in order to arrange insurance you need a registration number which is only available a few days before the beginning of the month and this is over a holiday period.

I have tried speaking with my insurers Saga about covering it as a second car but they will only discuss within 28 days or insuring.

I can find no warning of this in the brochures and MB customer service in Maastrict have confirmed that they have no solution to the problem.
It appears to me that any body that uses the MB personal collection service could be exposed to a hefty loss if a car in the car of the dealership is stolen or in the event of a fire.

All in all a bit of a catch 22

Has anybody else come across this problem and found an easy solution

I may have misunderstood....what are you trying to insure. I collected my car from Bremen and I am certain insurance was seamless.

Whilst the car is in the care of your dealer are they not responsible for maintaining security and insurance of all their customer's cars.

A lot of car dealers are going to be making sales between 01 and 04 January 2011......cannot be beyond the wit of man or even Saga.

Mic

 

[Burger]

Am I understanding you correctly? You're worried about the insurance for the period of time the vehicle is at the dealers in the UK once you've got back? In which case I expect this to be no different than when buying a new car that's delivered direct to them. It's on their insurance until you take delivery surely. After all, you cannot insure the car without the registration, they cannot tax it without the insurance. However, they should be able to tell you what it's registration number will be and you should be able to insure it over the same period if you're really worried about it. Unless I've completely misunderstood?

 

[Brian WH]

The dealer will know, or can allocate the number before you go to collect the car, as they need to get the road Fund for your return. You can ring them before you go and then tell the Insurance to cover you when you get back, as the car is insured on the journey back by MB.

 

[saorbust]

u can insure on the basis of VIN. I've done this with a number of insurance co's and it's never been an issue. Admiral do it, Tesco do it, most brokers will do it - particularly given your circumstance. Alternatively buy a cherished plate for it and insure that with the model...

 

[NewMB]

The dealer will know, or can allocate the number before you go to collect the car, as they need to get the road Fund for your return. You can ring them before you go and then tell the Insurance to cover you when you get back, as the car is insured on the journey back by MB.

The RFL is included in the export plates that the car gets from Germany and valid in the UK.

 

[Brian WH]

The RFL is included in the export plates that the car gets from Germany and valid in the UK.

That is only till you get back to the Dealer and is date sensitive, normally 5 days after collection. I am talking about UK Road Fund Licence.

 

[mbenz76]

As others have said, the dealer surely must cover any vehicles in their care so you should be covered - worth checking for peace of mind though.

Although I didn't collect from Germany, when I bought my E350 back in March I got 7 or 14 days (can't remember which) free MB insurance, so you should be able to get that I would think.

 

[Aviator]

"Whilst the car is in the care of your dealer are they not responsible for maintaining security and insurance of all their customer's cars."

According to Mb customer service it would appear not.

 

[NewMB]

That is only till you get back to the Dealer and is date sensitive, normally 5 days after collection. I am talking about UK Road Fund Licence.

Spot on. I have done it back in 2006

 

[Aviator]

Am I understanding you correctly? You're worried about the insurance for the period of time the vehicle is at the dealers in the UK once you've got back? In which case I expect this to be no different than when buying a new car that's delivered direct to them. It's on their insurance until you take delivery surely. After all, you cannot insure the car without the registration, they cannot tax it without the insurance. However, they should be able to tell you what it's registration number will be and you should be able to insure it over the same period if you're really worried about it. Unless I've completely misunderstood?

That is exactly the problem. Once you have paid for the car it is no longer on their insurance according to MB customer service and are unable to advise the registration number until a few days prior to the beginning of the month of registration.

 

[mbenz76]

But when you take your car in for service (for example), were it to be damaged or stolen then I would not expect my insurance to pick up the bill as it was in their care.

I would confirm the situation with your dealer - they must do these day in-day out so should know the answer.

And surely, until the car is on UK plates and registered in the UK it's not "yours" as such. Just like when collecting from the dealer - it's "your responsibility" once they have done the PDI and handed you the keys.

The only difference I see is that with a factory collection the customer takes the role of delivery driver prior to PDI. Everything else should be the same.

 

[Aviator]

But when you take your car in for service (for example), were it to be damaged or stolen then I would not expect my insurance to pick up the bill as it was in their care.

I would confirm the situation with your dealer - they must do these day in-day out so should know the answer.

And surely, until the car is on UK plates and registered in the UK it's not "yours" as such. Just like when collecting from the dealer - it's "your responsibility" once they have done the PDI and handed you the keys.

The only difference I see is that with a factory collection the customer takes the role of delivery driver prior to PDI. Everything else should be the same.

That is exactly what I thought when ordering the car. However on checking with the dealership they say their insurance does not cover it. I then checked with the personal collection team who referred me to MB customer service in Maastrict. They had not encountered the problem before so were going to check with MB UK and the dealership. When they called back today it was confirmed that the car is not insured and is up to the customer to arrange.
I do feel that mine cannot be an isolated case and many people using the customer pick up may not be aware that their vehicle is uninsured when delivered to the dealership on return.

My problem has partly been created due to the build being much earlier than I originally asked for.

Thanks for your comments

 

[mbenz76]

But are customer vehicles insured while being services etc.?

 

[MicB]

I think there has to have been a misunderstanding. Any vehicle left in the care of a dealer for whatever purpose whether it is for a few hours or a few days has to be the responsibility of the dealer. You have handed over the car and the keys and left the premises......how can your own insurers possibly accept liability for the vehicle?

Mic

 

[jaymanek]

You insure it under the vin number. You insurance company will be used to this.

 

[GordonTarling]

If I take my car to the dealer, for servicing, then I'd expect any damage done whilst it was in the dealer's care to be covered by their insurance. I fail to see how this is any different.