Warranty - what is the point?!?!

[markjay]

It is no longer a prestige car, just a product. Replacement cycles are quicker, quality is not what it was. Mercedes are no longer built like bank vaults, they are just the same as anything else, manufactured to make money. There are now many more about than there were in my childhood and they are no longer exclusive. I know this because these days, even I own one!
I would assert that it is easier to find a good 20 year old car than a good 10 year old car and with the reduced durability, Mercedes dealers are getting used to not seeing repeat business.

Agree, but only up to a point.

My South African made W203 may not be as tough as my father's 1969 220 was, but it is still considerably better built that the Renault Scenic II, Kia Soul 2, and the two Vauxhall Omega which I had in the past 20 years. It only lags behind our 1997 Toyota which is still going strong.

(I have had each of the car's above for 4 years or more, so have a good idea about built quality and reliability)

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Totally agree with you! I've only bought one warranty and soon realised it was a total waste of money as nothing is covered/everything is excluded! I mistakenly thought buying an approved used car would mean a comprehensive warranty that was actually of some use - wrong! Will take my time an buy privately a lot cheaper next time - as I said above you get the same warranty cover! Don't have to service at MB either - £380 for an A service - oil, filter (if they actually bothered - must check!) and a wash/vac just so I can keep my pointless warranty!

I thought that you said that the faults with your car were being repaired under the warranty?

 

[Power_n_Glory]

It's a world of polar opposites. New car warranties are worthwhile, used ones will cover only the most major of failures and nothing wear and tear at all, which you can understand I suppose, even if they cause catastrophic failure. I witnessed a warranty being voided because it didn't cover bolts breaking and a transmission blew up because... of a broken bolt. No claim.

I take whatever is on offer (usually the 3 month legal requirement from any kind of dealer) as a freebie but never extend, no matter how 'tempting' coz they aren't. I believe some are better than others (I remember the Quentin Wilson one came out ok, from the reviews I read when I was tinkering with the idea for my MB, but at £1000 for a year...) but there is nothing that comes close to a new car warranty. You takes yer chances whatever. I totally agree with the nonsense of getting the car serviced at over the top prices to keep your warranty - I thought that no longer possible, recent legislation, as long as it is serviced with OEM or equivalent parts. I always ask specifically, even with new vehicles including m/bikes, and so far all have agreed that it can be serviced elsewhere legally although they say it will be much more difficult to argue in a marginal case, although that seems to be the case anyway!

This doesn't put me off buying from dealers but you go in with your eyes open and price accordingly.

 

[flango]

Save yourself a whole world of pain as an insider from the trade none of the used warranties are worth Jack Schitt. Work out what a warranty would cost and put that monthly amount in a separate bank account to pay for repairs, if you don't use it you get a nice holiday or a nice leg up into a new car.

The best advice is check the car well up front, check the service history, check the recalls, check the well known faults for that model have been rectified, in other words don't rush in and buy a lemon, do your homework and buy a car that hopefully will be trouble free.

If you are one of life's risk averse then the best warranty company out there to deal with by a mile for authorizing claims is Warranty Direct far better than MB that was always and argument with a non technical idiot who knew the square root of sod all about vehicle repair, which really sums up the technical knowledge of MB dealers in the UK

So to answer the OP question Warranties whats the point? There isn't one it's a product designed for life's risk averse so if you don't fall into that category then there's no point at all.

 

[Charles Morgan]

I agree with you entirely Ian about setting money aside, I've never bought a warranty. However, I did have a warranty on my W124s bought from Nick Froome (for the life of me I can't remember who provided it - not warranty direct) and they paid out with no argument or delay when I needed a new cylinder head gasket. Also, I did review Jaymanek's Mercland warranties for him when coming up to launch and they did seem fair.

 

[flango]

I take whatever is on offer (usually the 3 month legal requirement from any kind of dealer) as a freebie

There is no legal requirement on a used car dealer to offer any warranty or guarantee this is an urban myth. The car dealer also does not legally have to give you a refund or provide a repair at your request because the car suffered from a problem after purchase. It is up to the purchaser to prove the car was not fit for purpose or of satisfactory quality at the time of sale and that is very difficult to do.

Most good dealers will listen and come to an amicable agreement but purchasers do try it on, see the case on here of a clutch that went.

Another reason why used warranties are worth the square root of sod all

 

[flango]

I agree with you entirely Ian about setting money aside, I've never bought a warranty. However, I did have a warranty on my W124s bought from Nick Froome (for the life of me I can't remember who provided it - not warranty direct) and they paid out with no argument or delay when I needed a new cylinder head gasket. Also, I did review Jaymanek's Mercland warranties for him when coming up to launch and they did seem fair.

I think that's actually a very good point Charles, warranties from trusted sources like Nick and Jay that you know are likely to be honored and not wriggled out of probably fall into a different category and probably do have worth

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Ian, I don't disagree with your general sentiment around 3rd party warranties, however, the OP is grumbling about the Tier 1 MB warranty that comes with their used cars which is paying out.

My tier 1 experiences have been equally happy having seen new battery and cats on the SLK with E class estate courtesy car each time.

Back to the OP, I'm curious why he is still bitching about his experience even though it has been resolved to his satisfaction.

 

[flango]

Ian, I don't disagree with your general sentiment around 3rd party warranties, however, the OP is grumbling about the Tier 1 MB warranty that comes with their used cars which is paying out.

My tier 1 experiences have been equally happy having seen new battery and cats on the SLK with E class estate courtesy car each time.

Back to the OP, I'm curious why he is still bitching about his experience even though it has been resolved to his satisfaction.

I've had some real battles with MB on Tier 1 warranties they usually just dont understand the technical argument and its not until you escalate it to a higher level that you get resolution.

Maybe the OP point is he has had to battle to get the warranty honored instead of a claim just being processed under the T&C's

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I've had some real battles with MB on Tier 1 warranties they usually just dont understand the technical argument and its not until you escalate it to a higher level that you get resolution.

Maybe the OP point is he has had to battle to get the warranty honored instead of a claim just being processed under the T&C's

Ah yes, I see what you're saying. Yes, maybe, it was my charm and natural assertiveness that brought my experience to a quick resolution.

 

[Power_n_Glory]

There is no legal requirement on a used car dealer to offer any warranty or guarantee this is an urban myth.

Well I've learned something today!

When I bought mine from a non-MB second hand car dealer (priced accordingly) and then the auto box kept selecting first when at standstill, the dealer was excellent I have to say and tried hard to resolve the issue, no quibbles. So I was very pleasantly surprised that they took the problem seriously.

I was less impressed with the MB specialist they took it to who tried to persuade me that the steering wheel selector buttons were not originally fitted to the car and wanted to bypass them! Pah! But anyway, things were greatly improved.

I agree with he checking it over very carefully first and if in any doubt get an inspection - much better investment than the warranty.

 

[flango]

Well I've learned something today!

When I bought mine from a non-MB second hand car dealer (priced accordingly) and then the auto box kept selecting first when at standstill, the dealer was excellent I have to say and tried hard to resolve the issue, no quibbles. So I was very pleasantly surprised that they took the problem seriously.

I was less impressed with the MB specialist they took it to who tried to persuade me that the steering wheel selector buttons were not originally fitted to the car and wanted to bypass them! Pah! But anyway, things were greatly improved.

I agree with he checking it over very carefully first and if in any doubt get an inspection - much better investment than the warranty.

Good dealers will always try and help but some people really try it on

A different car brought back for repair with the number plate changed over from the car that was originally sold (why do they think cars have VIN's)

Attempted bodged repair by the purchaser expecting dealer to correct it, that's why parts have numbers

Batteries swapped to their friends car and then the sold car brough back with a "duff battery"

New parts put on a car before its sold taken off and swapped to another car with the old parts being put back on the sold car which is then returned to be repaired at the dealers cost

Purchasers are just like the dealers there are honest and crooked ones out there but scamming is getting more and more prevalent

 

[Power_n_Glory]

Blimey, what a very disappointing world out there... I'm quite happy in my innocent place, but explains the dealers' cynicism!

I suppose my point about the +- buttons on the steering wheel was that they are standard on my model, that was the reason they were not on the factory options list for my car when he looked them up; I had hoped a specialist would know that.

 

[Wayne.clk]

If there is a problem with the car you can return it to the dealer and ask for a full refund, sale of goods act 1979 providing it's within a reasonable time, I do believe this to be within 4 weeks

 

[ian1676]

Ian, I don't disagree with your general sentiment around 3rd party warranties, however, the OP is grumbling about the Tier 1 MB warranty that comes with their used cars which is paying out.

My tier 1 experiences have been equally happy having seen new battery and cats on the SLK with E class estate courtesy car each time.

Back to the OP, I'm curious why he is still bitching about his experience even though it has been resolved to his satisfaction.

I'm still "bitching" as they still want to charge me £186 for "diagnosing the faults as diagnostics are not covered by the warranty" according to the service manager! Will find out today whether he's sticking to that.

 

[flango]

If there is a problem with the car you can return it to the dealer and ask for a full refund, sale of goods act 1979 providing it's within a reasonable time, I do believe this to be within 4 weeks

This is an Urban myth, there is no automatic right of return and refund on a used car the paragraph below is what the lawyers say on the subject, note the word MAY. It is up to you to prove the car was not fit for purpose at the time of sale, a thing very few people have ever done.

Returning a second hand car purchased from a used car dealer

If there's a problem with a second hand car soon after you've bought it, for example, the car develops a problem you wouldn't expect for the car's age and mileage, or it turns out not to be what you’d been led to expect, you may have the right to reject and return the car and get your money back. But you only have a reasonable time to reject a second hand car.

While there's no clear definition of what a reasonable time is – it probably needs to be within three to four weeks – less if it's an obvious problem.

And if you reject a second hand car you must stop using it.

 

[Rory]

If you are one of life's risk averse then the best warranty company out there to deal with by a mile for authorizing claims is Warranty Direct

Phew

So to answer the OP question Warranties whats the point? There isn't one it's a product designed for life's risk averse so if you don't fall into that category then there's no point at all.

I have one and the reason is that my car has to be available for work. If anything happens, I really can't be messing about trying to find a cheap fix etc, it's just got to be done. I've made one claim and it was pretty easy - dealer took care of it online. I had to pay and WD refunded.

Mine cost £43/mth for full dealer rate cover and the cost just gets lost in the noise. I am way out of pocket with it, and I hope it remains that way. Where it would fall apart is if they messed me about over a claim that I felt was genuine.

 

[72 dudes]

I'm still "bitching" as they still want to charge me £186 for "diagnosing the faults as diagnostics are not covered by the warranty" according to the service manager! Will find out today whether he's sticking to that.

Diagnostics ARE covered by the Tier 1 Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (not warranty) if the diagnostics lead to a failed part which is covered. Read the Tier 1 booklet carefully.

You should only be charged for diagnostics if the failed part is NOT covered by the insurance.

 

[Grovsie31]

After my E220 rusted away from beneath me, and was not covered under the 25 year anti-perforation warranty because MB did not change the engine oil, I now really enjoy my Ford Mondeo ............... well done MB.

Lol I can believe that. Obviously if MB had changed the oil themselves it wouldn't of rusted.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Lol I can believe that. Obviously if MB had changed the oil themselves it wouldn't of rusted.

I suppose that MB would argue that they could have spotted the rust a lot sooner had they inspected the car at service time.