what does approved used in reality mean

[premuu]

Hello to all mercedes club members.I have recently purchased a 2 yr old mercedes 350CLS via the internet from a main dealer.It is the first Mercedes that I have bought.It has 19inch AMG alloys.It is going into the garage under the mercedes benz approved used scheme.
My question is what does does this mean particularly with regard to the alloys/bodywork/tyres.It says that they are checked but does not actually say that faults are repaired or what it is minimum tyre depth that they will sell it at.ie what can I insist or expect to be done by the time I collect it?Also should the cars be serviced annually or is it all computerised.
Would value your thoughts?

 

[gbjeppm]

hello and welcome.

Everything you need to know is here

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/con...gercars/home/Approved_Used/approved_used.html

 

[Dryce]

Everything you need to know is here

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/con...gercars/home/Approved_Used/approved_used.html

Actually this doesn't cover everything you need to know.

It just gives an overview. I think you'd have to write for MB and ask for a full set of Ts & Cs and if there really is such a thing you might get a copy.

I'll be cynical:

Basically the Approved Used car scheme means that your car will have a cursory set of checks performed and will have been serviced if one was due within 3000 miles.

Apart from that it is basically a warranty. So if you have a valid complaint it will be dealt with.

As regards tyres assume that they'll only check they're legal.

Car servicing with these vehicles is a mystery. With hindsight if given the choice (and if the option was available at purchase) I would have annualised it.

We've had two used MBs bought at 1 year old. The purchasing experience was better than we have had when buying new cars. Both cars were immaculately presented. They were happy for us to have two test drives of the vehicles before purchase.

I would suggest you talk to them beforehand. Ask for a test drive as this gives you an opportunity to check the vehicle before handover. It's down to the dealer as to how good the attention to detail is. Some are better than others. Check the interior trim, tyres, wheels, and bodywork before accepting. They'll have the HPI details and will show them to you if you ask.

On handover they should allow enough time for a decent explanation of the features of the car. It's wise to set a time to collect not too late in the day and try and stick to it so they don't get caught out.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The Approved Used warranty is the same in all but name as the Tier 1 Extended warranty, which is the same in all but name as the Manufacturers New Car warranty.

I can't speak highly enough of all three.

If it's two years old, at best you'll have a full 12 months of New Car warranty, and worst some New Car plus a top of Approved Used warranty to make sure there's at least 12 months on the car.

If the paintwork is original and there's a defect, they should make good. If it's been repaired and is acceptable but isn't to your standards then warranty won't cover that - you need to negotiate that before sale.

Likewise wheels. They're swapped under warranty if they corrode - which they often do.

 

[bolide]

Surely you should be asking the dealer this question? What is their answer?

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[st4]

This is what an MB salesman told me:

Approved Used cars tend to be have been kept within the dealer network and are therefore known to them. An MB retailer won't sell a dud, i.e. a car thats given a lot of trouble early on as its past behaviour will indicate that it may act up in the future, meaning the warranty on the car its economically viable. It will also give a customer a bad experience, which means we probably won't get them back to buy another one. Any duds are usually auctioned off into the trade.

 

[travelininstyle]

I concur with *** on this one,as I recently purchased a car through the AU Programme.To be fair,the warranty is probably the most valuable element of the purchase.I had two minor problems corrected within one month of purchse - one was my fault,one was an issue with the aircon - it stank - anyway,I was treated reasonably well,I felt that maybe they could have explained the warranty and service side in more detail,as most of what is missing I have had to rely on filling the gaps from this great site - its fine to say ask the dealer - but what if you do not know what to ask - I was assured that I would not incurr any cost re. only having had the car a month at the time and they were true to their word - but use this site - knowledge is power.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Not sure Approved Used cars tend to be known cars. They come from all sorts of sources - take a look in the motoring press - you'll see buyers from the main MB dealer groups with WANTED ads.

Generally they offer for sale whatever they think they can make a margin on. They can because if they satisfy as warranty picks up the cost of most faults on nearly new stock which is the core of what they sell.

 

[Maz]

Tyres will be at least 4mm, car will be in mint condition ie: No scuffs on paint or wheels, no major scratches, no dents, clean and mint interior etc.

At least 12 months warranty, and 9 months MOT, At least 3000 miles or 3 months till next service due.

List goes on........

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Didn't someone buy an E class that was approved used but clocked?

That might be a debate worth re-opening!

Shame I'll be busy over the next few days though.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Didn't someone buy an E class that was approved used but clocked?

That might be a debate worth re-opening!QUOTE]

No please don't, it'll give poor Donza nightmares!!

All that needs to be said is that you still need to be vigilant when buying a car from a franchised dealer, and if something seems awry then you should firmly but politely exercise your rights as a consumer.

There, no need to re-open the debate.

Phew.

 

[Ste.2]

I just purchased a 2006/56 reg. Mercedes R320 CDI online from a main dealer with a 12 month Mercedes approved warranty and even during delivery there was a fault notified to the dealer by the driver and then to us on delivery. The dealer is saying this will be repaired under warranty, but I don't want to use the value of my warranty and I feel the car should be fixed at a cost to the dealer as it was already faulty before we got it. Also the rear tyre depth was on 3-3.3 mm level and I raised this, as their visual check was quoting 4.8-5mm. I have raised this also and they don't want to know. What experience does anyone else have of this and what are my rights. The dealer really has been very poor and Mercedes Customer Services have got involved and can't get them to budge - any advice would be much appreciated. Otherwise the car is great, but starting to understand what I have often heard about Mercedes dealers!

 

[Dryce]

What experience does anyone else have of this and what are my rights. The dealer really has been very poor and Mercedes Customer Services have got involved and can't get them to budge - any advice would be much appreciated. Otherwise the car is great, but starting to understand what I have often heard about Mercedes dealers!

I would refer you back to my previous post:

Basically the Approved Used car scheme means that your car will have a cursory set of checks performed and will have been serviced if one was due within 3000 miles.

Apart from that it is basically a warranty. So if you have a valid complaint it will be dealt with.

As regards tyres assume that they'll only check they're legal.

Not sure why you're bothered about the fault on delivery being dealt with on the AU warranty. That's what it is there for.

Or is it the case that your car is just outside the 6 year AU age limit and has been sold as a used car with some sort of separate after market warranty?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Didn't someone buy an E class that was approved used but clocked?

That might be a debate worth re-opening!QUOTE]

No please don't, it'll give poor Donza nightmares!!

All that needs to be said is that you still need to be vigilant when buying a car from a franchised dealer, and if something seems awry then you should firmly but politely exercise your rights as a consumer.

There, no need to re-open the debate.

Phew.

Whatever happened to Donza?

He was great value, wasn't he going on about stitching 2 suits together to make a massive one?

 

[b1g1an]

There's several misquotes in this thread of what an approved used car is so just to correct them and confirm others...

Tires must be at least 3mm or 4mm if a full fat AMG.

All maintenance due within 3 months or 3,000 miles must be done.

MOT must have at least 9 months left and the warranty covers up to £750 of repairs for next test within 12 months.

There is no limit to how old an AU car can be, it is limited by the warranty ie Tier 1 can only be applied to cars up to 100k miles.

The Tier 1 warranty is very good but it is NOT like a new car warranty it only covers things that fail, eg they won't spend hours stripping a car to find some little rattle or squeak as they would in the first three years.

It is not guaranteed to be in mint condition aesthetically but they would normally do things that won't put off a prospective purchaser and anything else is down to negotiation before parting with the readies.

Most dealers, if you're polite to them, will look after you if you find things wrong that aren't covered by the warranty for a short time after purchase, we're mainly talking the aesthetic stuff here, you have to be realistic but always ask as you never know.

 

[John]

I thought they washed it, printed a pre-ticked set of boxes on some cursory form made in WinWord and stuck it on their forecourt as is - and then laughed in someone's face when they bought and paid for it.

 

[Ste.2]

Hi and thanks for response.
I guess i start from the position that as the value of the warranty is limited to the price i paid for the car, i am covering my bets as i don't know if it will be a reliable car or a lemon, with major issues. The car has already been in with Mercedes for 4 days and they didn't fix it so its going back again - who know how long it will take - all this after they knowingly supplied a car with a fault makes me feel it is also a matter of principle. I paid £12,500 for the car and the work could cost in the region of £1,000 - more if for some reason they need to change the fuel tank? I have been really astonished by what the promise, and what they actually deliver on - poles apart! I bought my other car off ebay and it has been very reliable other than an air con fault (which even though bought privately, out of warranty and 6 years old they paid 70% of the cost) and the service has been impeccable from Volvo, so by comparison Mercedes should be totally ashamed of themselves. I chased customer services today (4 days after their first response which said its already been fixed under warranty, so case dismissed) and they are almost dismissive and rude on the phone! The car is booked in in 3 days time and i can see them dragging their heals until then, because once the work has been done, they can't do anything. No way to run a business! Thanks again for your response and hope you now understand why i have been fighting this - although i am starting to lose the will to carry on with it they are so very difficult
Steven

 

[moff]

Approved cars also have full vehicle due diligence e.g. HPI check to ensure it's not clocked, stolen, written off, outstanding finance etc.

 

[flat6buster]

Approved used: a vehicle we happened upon that fits the loose criteria our insurance company set in order for us to be able to offer it with an approved used warranty. Any idea these cars come with some copper bottomed promise they are cherished and loved cars is an idea folk need to be disabused of.

 

[artyman]

"Approved Used" translates as "Yes we approve this car has been used"