Cluster f#$k

[Jimmydong]

Evening all,

So my 2013 CLS went into mercedes for a new dash cluster under warranty due to a faulty LED. I get a phone call to say the jobs complete but now the dpf is showing at 400% full. I picked it up and the engine management light was on and car went into limp mode, I dropped it back at the garage within 5 minutes as it was unsafe to drive and now they want to charge me £300 plus for a forced regen, is the garage at fault here? Bare in mind I've had this car for 5 weeks bought approved used so apparently the dpf was cleaned before being sold, and I've only covered about 1k which includes two 400 mile trips.

 

[LostKiwi]

1. It shouldn't need a forced regen if everything is working correctly as you've obviously done some decent trips.
2. It's a bit of a coincidence it goes in with one fault and comes out with another.
I'd be pursuing them on the basis of it being under warranty and something obviously not working as it should.

 

[KennyN]

Still under their used car warranty so it is their problem.

The miles you have covered in the last five weeks should show them that they cant use the "not being used enough for a regen" excuse. If a clean (their words) DPF blocks up within five weeks then there is something wrong which will be evident by a drop in your MPG and again their warranty problem.

Looks like they are trying to pull a fast one , surprisingly.

K

 

[rorywquin]

Why would a service advisor / mechanic be trying to "pull a fast one"? Surely they do not benefit from ripping customers off.

I could understand if it was a small independent but I don't believe any MB dealer will have advised it's employees to lie to customers.

 

[Bogus]

You put the car in to have a fault attended to. Whilst attending this fault, they somehow have created a new fault. Job card for original fault all signed off and filed, so they want to allocate and charge the time to investigate the new fault and don't want to entertain that they created it, or have to explain time being allocated to a job with no hours billed or its possible they sold you a car with a dpf which was close to being choked. Either way, they are “at it “

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

From your account of the usage the car had prior to going in for a new cluster there is no way that the DPF could be saturated with soot if the car was regenerating the DPF as designed tell them this and demand they put the fault right there should be no cost to yourself.

 

[KennyN]

Why would a service advisor / mechanic be trying to "pull a fast one"? Surely they do not benefit from ripping customers off.

Profit , nothing else. They do benefit from it until the customer realises and takes their cash and car elsewhere.

According to the OP , he purchased an approved used car with a clean DPF and 1000 miles later it is showing 400% full yet they still expect him to pay £300 to carry out a forced regen - seriously.

Either the DPF wasn`t cleaned prior to purchase or it doesn`t need cleaned and they are trying to recoup some of their "cluster fix" outlay , either way someone is telling porkies and something doesn`t add up - based on what we have been told.

K

 

[rorywquin]

Profit , nothing else. They do benefit from it until the customer realises and takes their cash and car elsewhere.

According to the OP , he purchased an approved used car with a clean DPF and 1000 miles later it is showing 400% full yet they still expect him to pay £300 to carry out a forced regen - seriously.

Either the DPF wasn`t cleaned prior to purchase or it doesn`t need cleaned and they are trying to recoup some of their "cluster fix" outlay , either way someone is telling porkies and something doesn`t add up - based on what we have been told.

K

I repeat my question. Why would a service advisor / mechanic be trying to "pull a fast one"?

If the car dealers had their staff doing underhand stuff on their behalf, we'd soon find out.

More of the "man did not walk on the moon" and "every car dealer is a crook" conspiracy stuff.

 

[Bogus]

I repeat my question. Why would a service advisor / mechanic be trying to "pull a fast one"?

If the car dealers had their staff doing underhand stuff on their behalf, we'd soon find out.

More of the "man did not walk on the moon" and "every car dealer is a crook" conspiracy stuff.

I thought posts 5,6 and 7 pretty much covered it, however a more succinct answer would be.

To cover up their possible errors and shortcomings from both the customer, and their own bosses. Its nothing to do with conspiracy theories and all car dealers being crooks.

 

[KennyN]

I repeat my question. Why would a service advisor / mechanic be trying to "pull a fast one"?

I repeat my answer , to make more money (profit) from the customer hoping they would not question the dealers motives.

If the car dealers had their staff doing underhand stuff on their behalf, we'd soon find out.

I did find out , the main dealer was not doing the work they should have been doing, and were charging me for ,during the annual service. At a meeting with the service manager he put it down to an "oversight" on the part of the technician , yea right.

More of the "man did not walk on the moon" and "every car dealer is a crook" conspiracy stuff.

Not at all , just the facts - why attempt to charge for a repair / diagnostic that should be done under their own AUC warranty ?

I had a few AUC warranty claims with my CLS and was never asked to pay anything. I was also informed that i had a tack in one of my rear tyres and they could replace it for just £140 and should they go ahead ? ,once i established it was in the "repairable area" i said no and they repaired it FOC.

As a business it is their job to make as many £££ as possible , whatever way possible which comes down to the ethics / morals of the person giving the advice.



K

 

[star]

Why would a service advisor / mechanic be trying to "pull a fast one"? Surely they do not benefit from ripping customers off.

I could understand if it was a small independent but I don't believe any MB dealer will have advised it's employees to lie to customers.

Really, all the mb indies I know work for the customer and not the share holder. There are far more rip offs from a dealer service as they always try to generate profit from each car.

I doubt when selling a used car a dealer of any sort would check the fill level of the dpf, just because the light wasn’t on, doesn’t mean it’s empty.
I suspect something needs to be taught in.

 

[rorywquin]

I thought posts 5,6 and 7 pretty much covered it, however a more succinct answer would be.

To cover up their possible errors and shortcomings from both the customer, and their own bosses. Its nothing to do with conspiracy theories and all car dealers being crooks.

Conspiracy theories...the dealers are not out to get us. Every staff member would have to be in on it.....and remain silent.

 

[rorywquin]

Really, all the mb indies I know work for the customer and not the share holder. There are far more rip offs from a dealer service as they always try to generate profit from each car.

I doubt when selling a used car a dealer of any sort would check the fill level of the dpf, just because the light wasn’t on, doesn’t mean it’s empty.
I suspect something needs to be taught in.

At the indie, the extra money goes straight into his pocket. At the dealer, the employee does not benefit from crooking a customer the benefit goes to the business owners.

 

[star]

At the indie, the extra money goes straight into his pocket. At the dealer, the employee does not benefit from crooking a customer the benefit goes to the business owners.

Generally he does Benefit due to the bonus scheme, plus the techies are told to up sell.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Example of main dealer behaviour today (albeit BMW but you get the point )
During my MOT they advised a pass but rear tyres are 2mm and 3mm so we can replace at £295/each + Vat sir....no thanks, quick check Oponeo on line , same tyres £140/each inclusive (my local will fit, balance etc for £15 each)....no doubt the service advisor is on a commission but the majority is going to the corporate mouth which is considerably bigger than an ‘independents’ ....I doubt its an actual ‘intent’ to rip off frankly so much as a lack of consideration really

 

[LostKiwi]

"every car dealer is a crook"

They are (almost)!

 

[Wighty]

About 6 years ago on an MB Main Dealer service , I got a phone call that the front discs need replacing, I politely refused their kind offer .( On about 40k miles at the time) . Quick way to make £300 , who knows ?
Fast forward to now , I’ve just bought a set of Brembo discs to replace those same front discs (at 100k ) .

 

[Jimmydong]

Thanks all, finally had a decent update today after the car being sat 6 days in the garage, I have to pay for the dpf regen but the garage i purchased the car from are going to cover the costs if it's not a faulty sensor which it would then be covered under warranty.

 

[star]

£300 for a dpf regen says it all.

 

[Wighty]

£300 for a dpf regen says it all.

Those big glass showrooms need paying for somehow buddy