Very poor practice by dealership - possibly my last Mercedes

[et0609]

I have had my own experience with my local dealer and the "diagnostic check" when they were unable to diagnose a faulty air con compressor and this issue went on for an age. I ended up winning my battle with them, however, I did learn that the dealers hands are tied in some respects when it comes to warranty claims. There is an extensive list of items that an extended warranty does not cover and before I bought mine, I made the effort to read the small print, that way I wont be surprised when they say no. However, having used the same main dealer for the past 15 years and the numerous MB's I have owned in that time, I would say that building a relationship with the service manager and getting them on side counts for something. When it comes the Mercedes rejecting warranty claims made by the dealer, it certainly helps to have them on your side.

 

[garystu1965]

You really cannot help those who will not help themselves.

You feel superior now ? Well done. Very helpful. If you haven't anything constructive to say keep mouth shut.

 

[garystu1965]

What size engine do you have culpano ,
2143 or 1950 cc ?

Hi mate. 1991cc.

 

[garystu1965]

Wonderful warranty. So I pick up car and the "door sounds like a van" creak is a failed door hinge.

"Sorry Sir, not covered by warranty. £307 it will cost". Just checked the cost. They are £15 each.

Robbing so and so's. These stealers won't get another penny out of me.

 

[DSM10000]

You feel superior now ? Well done. Very helpful. If you haven't anything constructive to say keep mouth shut.

Another keyboard warrior! Just what we need.

"Keep your mouth shut"

Have you not left the playground yet?

Grow up, if you cannot take replies that disagree with you then do not post. I and others will comment as we see fit. You have posted on a public forum and have zero rights to tell anyone here what they may or may not comment on.

Your posts promotes an image of someone who only thinks of their rights without responsibilities.I very much doubt that you would dare to talk to anyone like this face to face.

I would have not been surprised if the warranty company had voided your warranty for ignoring a fault for a year as further issues could have been caused by your ignorance.o ,dyou o realise that the fault code will have been logged with a date and time stamp so MB could easily see that it has been ignored?

Actually I cannot be bothered with discussing this with someone with such arrogance and ignorance so I will happily put you in the ignore list with others of your ilk!

 

[garystu1965]

Learn some manners new boy!

I and others will comment as we see fit. You posted on a public forum and have zero rights to tell anyone here what they may or may not comment on.

Your posts promote an image of someone who only thinks of their rights without responsibilities.

I would have not been surprised if the warranty company had voided your warranty for ignoring a fault for a year as further issues could have been caused by your ignorance.

You do realise that the fault code will have been logged with a date and time stamp so MB could easily see that it has been ignored?

Actually I cannot be bothered with discussing this with someone with such arrogance and ignorance so I will happily put you in the ignore list with others of your ilk!

But it's just not helpful is it ? I'm smart enough to know that if a light comes on immediately after a service (second time Mercedes have done this) then there's nothing wrong with the car - the sensor must be at fault. This is the second time this has happened. Last dealer (not Merc) say they will have done this during service and fixed it. I drove it around for a few weeks with no issues. Its a yellow light so not some fatal issue. I was pretty peed off that they told me the £192+ vat fee when they should have looked at it which is why I didnt take it in. Ok with you ?

 

[Gazwould]

Hi mate. 1991cc.

Does that make it an OM654 ?

 

[Benz17]

Jiorn

Wonderful warranty. So I pick up car and the "door sounds like a van" creak is a failed door hinge.

"Sorry Sir, not covered by warranty. £307 it will cost". Just checked the cost. They are £15 each.

Robbing so and so's. These stealers won't get another penny out of me

Hope they are not fibbing, had the clickety noise on mine, did a search on the forum, and found that there are small bolts by the door hinge, which loosens over time, just needed tightening, which I duly did, and job done.

 

[ChipChop]

Does that make it an OM654 ?

Yep if the car is a w213 220d. 1950cc like you said.

Like MJ said in an earlier post (#11) maybe @culpano should ask the dealer if they have applied a Nox? software update when they worked on the car. Recall others stating this update can cause the Nox sensors to go bad.

 

[Rory]

However, having used the same main dealer for the past 15 years and the numerous MB's I have owned in that time, I would say that building a relationship with the service manager and getting them on side counts for something. When it comes the Mercedes rejecting warranty claims made by the dealer, it certainly helps to have them on your side.

Agree with that, and it's worked well for me on numerous marques we have in the family. Issue with Mercedes (and I also had this with a VW dealer, so it's not a "presticge" thing) is there often isn't a Service Manager now - what you get is someone gloriously called an After Sales Director and they really don't like dealing with customers. So the Service Advisors try and keep you away from them - indeed it can be a battle in some dealers to even get to a service advisor as they use call-centres to handle calls.

Another thing to bear in mind is that everyone in the dealership is there to screw as much money out of each customer as possible. Everyone gets bonused on it and probably gets fired if they miss target too much. They're not there to do you favours or be helpful. If they can get £192 out of you for nothing then that's a big win for them.

As it happens I've never yet had to pay a diagnostic charge at any dealer, I've always managed to get it waived. However the indie I use insisted I pay it - twice. Apparently it's to cover their Star subscription. Bearing in mind each time generated £500 of work for them I was a little miffed.

 

[HB]

Wonderful warranty. So I pick up car and the "door sounds like a van" creak is a failed door hinge.

"Sorry Sir, not covered by warranty. £307 it will cost". Just checked the cost. They are £15 each.

Robbing so and so's. These stealers won't get another penny out of me.

Sorry I apologise in advance but if you haven’t got them to fix it, just go into a decent bodyshop, they’ll do it for you much much cheaper. Bring it to Glasgow I’ll get it done free for you.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I’m confused. The Check Engine warning light came on as you left the dealership after a service (and presumably software update) and you were cool with that - and happy to wait a year to get it looked at - but you seem to be outraged that the dealer didn’t know you have a warranty or service care plan.

I have just booked a service last night. After giving my registration number and mileage the next question was “Do you have a service care plan?”. But even if that was not the case, why not just say “Can I book my car in for a service using my service care plan please?” or “I’m dropping my car off for a service, it’s on a service care plan”. Seems easy enough to me.

 

[Gazwould]

Yep if the car is a w213 220d. 1950cc like you said.

Like MJ said in an earlier post (#11) maybe @culpano should ask the dealer if they have applied a Nox? software update when they worked on the car. Recall others stating this update can cause the Nox sensors to go bad.

If OM654 it's not a good engine

 

[et0609]

The other issue with the diagnostic test is that unfortunately these days, the workshops at these dealers are full of people who are lacking the necessary mechanical skills, knowledge and experience to diagnose problems without the help of a computer. Unless the computer gives them the answer they are all scratching their heads. When someone in the warranty department asks "what was the result of the diagnostic test" if inconclusive, their default position is rejection of the claim. If the dealer doesnt even do the test, its a non-starter.

 

[Smiley]

Wonderful warranty. So I pick up car and the "door sounds like a van" creak is a failed door hinge.

"Sorry Sir, not covered by warranty. £307 it will cost". Just checked the cost. They are £15 each.

Robbing so and so's. These stealers won't get another penny out of me.

I think you are spot on with your assessment. I came to the same conclusion many years ago after the service levels at the main dealer (where I had been going for years and years) steadily declined. In the end it felt like all they were interested in was how to maximise the size of the invoice. The final straw was advice to replace brake parts which I did not authorise and upon checking discovered that they did not need replacement at all. I have never been back to a main dealer. From what I have seen on this forum is that things have generally become much worse. imho you are much better off with a slightly older car, cover the bills yourself and use a good independent, no need to step foot in the main dealer ever again. Job done.

 

[Smiley]

You were joking when you wrote this, weren't you? "Anyway after much arguing I left it and just covered the light with a piece of tape as it was annoying to see."

Did you think it was just a decorative light ?

As regards warranties provided by most car manufacturers, they are provided and managed by third party risk management organisations. That enables a dialogue to happen between the car dealership and the insurer which keeps the cost "reasonable."

Changing car brand, of itself, won't move you away from that kind of dialogue.

Given that the car presumably ran OK for a year maybe it is just a decorative light?
Maybe everyone is being conned out of money to turn off a light that means very little in the real world?

 

[Dryce]

But it's just not helpful is it ? I'm smart enough to know that if a light comes on immediately after a service (second time Mercedes have done this) then there's nothing wrong with the car - the sensor must be at fault.

That's not convincing diagnostic logic.

This is the second time this has happened. Last dealer (not Merc) say they will have done this during service and fixed it. I drove it around for a few weeks with no issues. Its a yellow light so not some fatal issue. I was pretty peed off that they told me the £192+ vat fee when they should have looked at it which is why I didnt take it in. Ok with you ?

I think I would have bought a cheap diagnostic code reader off the internet and done a bit of basic cheap homework before doing this.

 

[DSM10000]

That's not convincing diagnostic logic.



I think I would have bought a cheap diagnostic code reader off the internet and done a bit of basic cheap homework before doing this.

Unfortunately you cannot argue with stupid.

 

[BigJase88]

They have to pay for their fancy showrooms somehow. They in the money game

 

[markjay]

Given that the car presumably ran OK for a year maybe it is just a decorative light?
Maybe everyone is being conned out of money to turn off a light that means very little in the real world?

AND, now it's an MOT failure, too... so putting it off doesn't really help, because it will need to be fixed before the next MOT is due.