Thinking of buying a CLS55....thoughts/opinions please

[rockits]

You don't need to shred the paperwork, you just need to redact it.

I would agree with this 100% they just need to redact it. No need to shred the paperwork but some will as they are rightly apprehensive so belt and braces. Some who don't understand the regulations fully may take evasive or extreme action when not required as a little scared of the consequences. Which is of course understandable.

All I was asking Sytner for was a overview of the work they had completed with no personal data. I will see what the response to my response will be.

 

[rockits]

I guess my problem is I don't trust that work has been done unless there is a bill to prove it even if it has a fully stamped book. I guess evidence of the work is more important. Even then I have heard of many stories of many main dealers that charge for work that didn't get done! I had it with Grange Jaguar on the XJ. The car had to go back to be correctly serviced as booked and paid for. It was a multitude of comical c0ck ups!

 

[E55BOF]

Are Sytner refusing to provide anything at all relating to the car before you owned it, not even basic details of service visits, e.g. when, what mileage, and what service? I can understand them being cautious, but surely anyone with half a brain can see that there is no personal data whatsoever there, so if that is their position, one hopes that your follow-up will be looked at by someone with at least half a brain...

 

[rockits]

Yes, they are declining to supply anything historical prior to the date of my would be ownership. I have not had a reply back yet.

 

[Will]

I think it’s easier for them just to supply the bare minimum of information, than to perhaps slip up and accidentally supplying you with documentation that could contain phone numbers, addresses, names etc.

If it’s on the Mercedes electronic records you should be able to access them later on down the line if you find someone a bit more relaxed about this sort of thing.

This is probably part of the reason the whole service history stuff is done ‘digitally’ now. It shows the important stuff like the dates, mileages, service performed and additional periodic stuff like plugs/filters etc but no personal information. Much easier than MB being asked to redact stuff where the risk of accidental breach is quite high.

 

[rockits]

I think it’s easier for them just to supply the bare minimum of information, than to perhaps slip up and accidentally supplying you with documentation that could contain phone numbers, addresses, names etc.

If it’s on the Mercedes electronic records you should be able to access them later on down the line if you find someone a bit more relaxed about this sort of thing.

This is probably part of the reason the whole service history stuff is done ‘digitally’ now. It shows the important stuff like the dates, mileages, service performed and additional periodic stuff like plugs/filters etc but no personal information. Much easier than MB being asked to redact stuff where the risk of accidental breach is quite high.

Agreed and certainly makes a lot more sense.

 

[moodi]

I guess my problem is I don't trust that work has been done unless there is a bill to prove it even if it has a fully stamped book. I guess evidence of the work is more important. Even then I have heard of many stories of many main dealers that charge for work that didn't get done! I had it with Grange Jaguar on the XJ. The car had to go back to be correctly serviced as booked and paid for. It was a multitude of comical c0ck ups!

Exactly the reason I have a ring binder full of itemised receipts. Always have for all my cars and makes the special builds even more special. One of the things that sealed the deal on the CLS is that it had hundreds of pages as well as a fully stamped up book. I am now onto my second folder(!)..

 

[rockits]

Indeed. My Chimaera history was immense as was all the way back to 1998! Took me 3 long evenings scanning it all in to a nice chronologically ordered binder and PDF binder!!

Any pics of your CLS55?

 

[Teego]

For all my cars and bikes I've always kept invoices and spreadsheets of work done, parts purchases, MOTs, self-services etc, all set against date and mileage. When I buy a used car I recreate the previous history using all resources including online stuff from DVLA etc.

 

[moodi]

Indeed. My Chimaera history was immense as was all the way back to 1998! Took me 3 long evenings scanning it all in to a nice chronologically ordered binder and PDF binder!!

Any pics of your CLS55?

Not on here, will be the next time I clean/detail!

 

[mbzclk]

I owned a CLS 55 (formally belonging to whitenemesis) a very well documented car and well maintained (even had hazy headlamps entirely replaced and the dynamic seat pump replaced)

Under my ownership I had to replace a few items given the age and mileage: Alternator, BCM, Both Batteries, Airmatic Strut and Pump, AC Compressor, and a few other ‘lesser’ items.

It had a high mileage of 146,000 but it’s value was around 8250. I accepted 8,000 for an incredibly quick sale (15 minutes from test drive to payment, all concluded within 30) but it took a while for the buyer to appear.

I don’t think it’s worth paying over book for, I had a well maintained example however age and mileage will mean certain items will fail and some will be big ticket - A clean engine bay won’t stop the alternator from failing.

Add all the above up I think these failures added up to around 4k, luckily the warranty literally paid out on every occasion and I only had to make slight top ups for genuine or Mercedes refurb rather than accept OE copies from
ECP (All the above repairs only cost me a smidge over £500 - I paid for the batteries for example)

I still miss the CLS 55 it’s an epic car and I replaced my dash (£60 eBay) and 3M DiNOC wrapped other bits. No more ghastly wood.

I recommend the car, whilst the slow gearbox annoyed me at times, that V8, supercharger whine and immense performance is brilliant.

 

[John]

I would agree with this 100% they just need to redact it. No need to shred the paperwork but some will as they are rightly apprehensive so belt and braces. Some who don't understand the regulations fully may take evasive or extreme action when not required as a little scared of the consequences. Which is of course understandable.

All I was asking Sytner for was a overview of the work they had completed with no personal data. I will see what the response to my response will be.

A company like Sytner should be in a position where they can print out the history of a car but it only contains details of the car.

It's not complicated.

 

[sjprime]

I had my car serviced yesterday at Drayton Mercedes Stafford on a service plan,B4 inc brake fluid. Given a 69 plate E class loaner, free nav update, remote batteries x 2 (only changed one 2 weeks ago)
On collection on the back of the service paperwork was printed all previous services showing dates and mileages from new, no personal details included. I hadn't asked for this but you can never have too much history.

 

[DITTRICH]

A mercedes dealer will not release any electronic service history unless you can prove you are the owner of the vehicle. This is a consequence of GDPR. I tried to get this information on the car I subsequently bought before I bought it, but no joy.

 

[rockits]

I don't think it makes any difference if you are the owner or not or can prove it or not. Any release of personal data is a contravention of GDPR. There is no issue to release service history details without releasing personal data as the previous poster has confirmed. This is not a contravention of GDPR as no personal data is being release/given.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I had my car serviced yesterday at Drayton Mercedes Stafford on a service plan,B4 inc brake fluid. Given a 69 plate E class loaner, free nav update, remote batteries x 2 (only changed one 2 weeks ago)
On collection on the back of the service paperwork was printed all previous services showing dates and mileages from new, no personal details included. I hadn't asked for this but you can never have too much history.

It’s lookers now, rather than Drayton.

 

[sjprime]

It’s lookers now, rather than Drayton.

Sorry, yes it is. I was looking at a card on the original sales folder.

 

[Cyclone1]

When I bought my current CLS I had a similar issue with MB. However after emailing them the advert from the selling garage (Porsche Specialist), as well as mentioning I had the current owners consent they shared the info I needed. I wanted to know what warranty and recall work the car had had done, plus to confirm the service history (which looked correct anyway). With that I negotiated the right price and bought the car.