What a rip off

[DaveE320CDI]

Harmon Kardon Amplifier does not work anymore!! in a £75,000 car when new, now 4yrs old and 87k miles everything is failing, lost sound on not only radio but satnav,tv stopped working, and dvd nothing!because of the amp failing,whats happening with things with Mercedes nowadays? they used to last seemingly for ever, I could go buy a 1980 ford escort and the radio would still work! but worse still they want £1200 exchange for a replacement, and it seems like a closed shop getting them repaired only mercedes! nobody will touch them even in the electronics trade, totally pi%%ed off with all this but what else do you buy? cheers Dave

 

[television]

I understand how you feel, yes while I have spent the best part of my life in top audio servicing the problem here is that there is no way that I could join up to a suitable test bed to get started.

Foe anyone to charge £1200 for an exchange unit is outrageous. If you are going to sell such things for the cars then suitable repair facilities should have been put into place.

It is a scandal without a doubt

It it is intermittent then soldering could fix it

 

[V6Matty]

worth maybe speaking to Command Online see what they could suggest?

agree with you Malcom, dry joints on one of the boards maybe?

 

[Rory]

I know people have very polarised opinions about them, but one of the main reasons I have an extended warranty on mine is in case the COMAND system fails.

 

[npuk]

We took out an extended warranty for the Audi and it paid for itself when the BOSE amp failed.

There was a thread about the S class amps failing recently if you search.

Edit: It was your thread. Comand replied to it saying they have been able to repair them previosuly so speak to them.

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=118300

 

[EdGasket]

Agreed. The basic engineering is very good but all the technology, while very clever, detracts from the reliability because there is so much extra to potentially go wrong. I think a lot of people would be happier with the old Merc reliability and less unnecessary technology features although I admit some are necessary for economy and emissions.

 

[shine]

Exchange replacement, so you get a used, repaired working amp back from MB and they repair your amp and send out to someone else and you pay £1,200 a time ?

That is some rip off if that is the way it works

So how much would a brand new amp cost from MB with no exchange\replacment...£5000

 

[television]

The cost on manufacturing electronic goods is based on something like this

1 off = say £100
10 off= £90
1000 off =£70
100,000 = £50
500,000 = £35
1m = £25

With the HK in Mercedes most are sold in the USA, HK is an American company, some manufactured in the USA and other in the Taiwan block and around.

These amps are no longer just amps, they have interfaces, muting, fibre optics and more so without the car it is near on impossible to service. the other thing is lack of service information. Yes it is possible sometimes with luck to find the fault, if it is an IC, that will be special to HK and nothing known about it, just the same as with Bosch and the early Comands where you need the service code to get into them.

Just think on the new S class 222 where you can have the choice of what HI FI goes in. Its OK for me as I know the boss of Burmister in Germany, but by the time I get one I will be too old and all my service gear out of date.

This subject does show that the manufactures are too clever for their own good, no modern car will be serviceable soon after a few years.

 

[shine]

Thank you, Malcolm, very interesting, I think I will go back to my old 928s Porsche to a more simpler place in time!

 

[Rockall]

Thank you, Malcolm, very interesting, I think I will go back to my old 928s Porsche to a more simpler place in time!

or a good reliable, fixable, appreciating classic like a 124 or 126

Regards

Bill

 

[television]

or a good reliable, fixable, appreciating classic like a 124 or 126

Regards

Bill

The 140 is reasonable in this respect, my 1998 CL has it all but at the same time so easy to work on

 

[Nailzy]

BBA Reman used to repair the Harman Kardon units where possible - may be worth calling them.

 

[Corned]

Agreed. The basic engineering is very good but all the technology, while very clever, detracts from the reliability because there is so much extra to potentially go wrong. I think a lot of people would be happier with the old Merc reliability and less unnecessary technology features ...

How about the SBC fly-by-wire braking system then? I'd love to meet the bloke who sanctioned that one for inclusion in MB production vehicles. :roll:

 

[DaveE320CDI]

Thanks everybody for your replys to this thread, my work partner with a w221 has just had his audio fail exactly the same this week! so how many w221 s classes are doing the same? on a other forum somebody mentions that it could be a module that makes the car sleep? and then wakes it up? this making the audio system intermitent? any thoughts Malcolm or anybody, cheers Dave

 

[DaveE320CDI]

Spoke to comand on line and would you believe £600.00 exchange! not bad for a dry joint?

 

[Nailzy]

Dry joint is just speculation and one of the possible causes - £600 is a more than fair price for that unit. This expense comes with the territory I'm afraid.

Have you tried getting intouch with BBA reman to see if they will repair your unit.

 

[V6Matty]

Spoke to comand on line and would you believe £600.00 exchange! not bad for a dry joint?

dry joint is a thought but will take a fair bit of time to explore all the possible faults and repair the unit, 50% cheeper than Mercedes quoted you so yes still not cheep but you do get the satisfactory that you will be getting a unit thats been worked to the highest standard.

not saying BBA Reman wouldn't be good but never seen their work so can't comment.

 

[Rotorhead500]

Other alternative is to push back to Mercedes:

1. Do they consider 4yrs a 'reasonable' life expectation for one of their high-end options? (Or standard fit for that matter).

2. Challenge whether they genuinely see £1200 as a reasonable cost of repair for an electronic device (bearing in mind TV's cost breakdown for supply of OEM parts - having worked with suppliers, including HK, whilst with JLR, I sincerely doubt MB pay £1200 per unit when new).

3. (This is always my favourite part) - If they have seen fit to set up a rectification/repair/refurb service, they clearly feel there is sufficient cause to do so! Which must bring into question the fit-for-function aspect of a suitably expensive, factory-fitted piece of equipment. (And then refer them back to question 1).

 

[cleverdicky]

How reliable is your expensive 'state of the art' hifi / media system at home?

How reliable would it be if you stood it on a running washing machine that is left outside in the cold damp utility room and used it ?

 

[Rotorhead500]

How reliable is your expensive 'state of the art' hifi / media system at home?

How reliable would it be if you stood it on a running washing machine that is left outside in the cold damp utility room and used it ?

Agree in principle, but the design-intent of your home stereo isn't to sit on a running washing machine, or in a damp utility room - hence the usual disclaimers in their paperwork.

For me, especially on a fairly high-end MB of all things, design intent really should expect a life cycle that exceeds 4 yrs at the very least, and that's the way I would push; what supports that argument is the fact they have a refurb set-up in place (even if that is simply returning the unit to HK for diagnostics & repair) - there is clearly an expectation of a significant volume of units needing work.