Approved Mercedes Problem

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markuk2009

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I was wonding if anyone had any thoughts on this problem I have.

I recently purchased a approved 2008 Mercedes C220 Sport with just 6,000 from one of the main London dealers. I have since noticed the horn did not work so I took it into my local Merc dealer and was told ' did you realise this car has been in a front end accident?' They then showed me that there was parts missing from the bumper (ie: headlamp washer missing) and overspray in various locations. I have now been told that these problems will not be covered by the warranty.

The Mercedes global register has also been checked and there is no information of this work being carried out.

Now they have mentioned this I did notice a few months back when washing the car that the number plate was poorly fixed and slight paint has been flaking from the grill but did not think too much of it.

I have had the car about four months now and I have done around 4K miles.

I have spoken to the dealer and also head office but they said it will take a few days to look into but I was wondering if anyone had any similar experiences.

Obviously my main concern is:

1. Any other problems occur with car they can use the excuse of the accident to not make a repair under warranty

2. Do I really want a car that has had a front end crash without knowing exactly what happend?

Finally, I bought this car as an approved Mercedes so it took the risk from buying private. If I had bought it private and seen it had been in an accident I would not of touched it.

Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated.

Mark
 

*Thumper

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If they did'nt tell you of the repairs to the car ... They have misrepresented the sale .............. you would be entitled to a refund ........... but you will probably need a Solicitor to achieve this.

You may be happy to keep the car ........... but may feel it was'nt worth the purchase price, now the facts are known ............. again, a Solicitor, and a return of some amount is due.

An approved used car, should be just that (what does the marketing blurb say)

You been mis-sold !!
Bad luck my friend !
 

SQ_W211

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I agree with Thumper, You have been mis-sold, Go back to the company who sold it to you and question this. This can only go 2 ways, they may refuse or offer you some sort of compensation.

If they refuse then as Thumper says, take it to tribunal court and take legal action.

Its always a good practice to give the company a chance to make a correction and if they fail then you have all the right to take legal action.

Good luck and keep us posted or at least post the company details so that we can all be aware such scammers
 

hamario

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Blimey, sorry to hear that.

You'd think buying an approved car directly from a Mercedes dealership would mean you are guaranteed a quality undamaged vehicle!
 

stumpy

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MB direct by any chance?
 

television

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I think that you could get another car or your money back.

Your car is finished in Nano paint,,but I should have said was, Nano paint cannot be applied after the car was built or during a repair,, so a simple way out is,,you say that you have read the advantages of Nano paint and this is why you bought a newish car as you did not want all of the rust problems.

The car clearly has not been repaired to any worthwhile standard
 

jibcl500

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Mercedes approved!!! well if thats their level of approval then it needs to be questioned, if the car has xenon lights then the headlamp wash needs to be there by law and it wouldnt pass an mot without it.

Might be worth your while doing a HPi check to see if the damage was recorded, you might want to chat with trading standards also.

Mercedes should have checked the condition of the car before it was sold ans if parts are missing then they should have been fitted prior to sale.

jib
 

MSG2004

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'Mercedes Aproved' is their top flight cars that are FULLY covered under their warrant which equates to a new car under 3 years old. So everything must ber covered as lng as car is serviced as required as your is.

Ordinariliy, the car has not ben in an accident, if it has,very light crash.

You should/must be covered.

However, they could challange you n state the car was in 'A1' condition when sold to you and you had it repaired.

When a merc main dealer buys a car, ther inspection like most other dealers depends on who is doing it, & how much the car s worht, ie, if its a chear/aution resale they will not bother too much, or 10/15k, shoud get the works.

Jeep does a very, very intensive check.

Sorry about your troubles, but the moral is even if you buy from a merc dealer and car is 'approved' = may e worth ac AA/simialr check to evsre car is puka.

Good luck.

Was it the outfit the other member said?
 

television

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Another very important thing here,,the car needs going over with a paint thickness gauge ,, if it has more than the 170 m of paint where it has been repaired,,MB will not do anything in the future should you get a rust or paint problem
 
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markuk2009

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Thanks for all your replies.

Just a quick update, they are collecting the car on Monday to inspect it and they said they will then contact me with their findings and take it from there!

As for the dealer, yes it is main Merc main dealer in London and not Merc direct. The car was only about 7 months old when I purchased it. Also thanks for pointing out about the xenons which I do have on my car. I have checked again and there is no headlight washer to be seen on the off-side just an empty hole!! also the number plate has many holes behind it where they have tried to fit it to the bumper and then given up and then glued it!

I'll keep this updated with what happend next week
 

PeterCLK

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Why does a company like Mercedes that manufactures premium products put up with dealers like this?

It is de-grading their product image and makes all of us wary of official Mercedes dealers.

Mercedes UK must be an incompetent lot if they allow dealers to operate like this.
 

gre1591

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This takes me back to the days of buying my car new in 1995.Having sold my Porsche I had set my heart on a family car this time and decided that a new White C220 Elegance Auto with black interior would just suit me perfectly. I have a bit of a stiff back sometimes and seating is important to me so I ordered the car with an orthopaedic seat adjustment (air bags that blow up the lumber support) fairly expensive and uncommon option at the time if I remember right. It was spring time when I placed my order and I was told it would be about five months delivery which I accepted and paid my £1000 deposit and waited .

On the way back from my holidays on a Friday night in the August I called in at the dealers off chance and sure enough in the incoming new car compound was a white C220 Elegance with orthopaedic seat adjustment. It was just after closing time and there was no one about but I went home excited that my car had finally arrived.

The following day I rang up to speak to the salesman I was dealing with and it was his day off .I was told to ring back Monday .I did and to my amazement according to the salesman my new car had not arrived but was expected shortly. I said I had seen one to the same spec as mine in the compound! but it was shrugged of as another customers (with orthopaedic seats and exactly my spec!!!?) car.

The following Friday I got a call to say my car had arrived and it was on the display roundabout in the showroom window and would be available on the road early next week if I would like to call in and finalise the deal.

After tea that evening I drove through to the dealers to have a look at it in the window .As it circled round on the electric turntable to the drivers side my heart sank and my blood drained !!!!

Both the drivers door and rear passenger door where very finely rippled and to my keen eye had obviously had paintwork.

I called in at the dealers the following day and the salesman denied all knowledge of any paintwork . I said it wasn’t a new car all rippled like that and no good to me. He offered to take two doors of another white stock car to make it as new but after that it was all he could do and I could have my money back as they could sell my car easily just as it was.

I left it ,got my money back and wrote to Mercedes to explain and complain. Their reply was that it had indeed been in a pre delivery accident at the dealers and repaired to their standard and was perfectly ok and would have a full warranty.

Not for me it wasn’t and I eventually I bought a C200 (in stock ) elsewhere not exactly to my spec but at least it was physically there and in perfect condition. I even got a 5% discount which was rare in those days.

But it just shows how untrustworthy some of these dealers are . I recon it was my car I saw the first time and it was in perfect condition but somehow they had damaged it repaired it and tried to fob me off with it as a perfect new car.
 

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It is amazing what they try and get away with gre1591 They probably live on the fact that someone who does not know better will buy these things,,I know and deal with people like that, and I have seen many boobs that people have made,,but they do not know. A friend of mine damaged his 6 month old golf on a rear door,,I took it to my coach builders and we found that that corner had been repainted 7 times,,the paint was so thick the screw holding on the door handle could not be done up,,As he was a friend I told him, his reply was "oh no,,that salesman was so nice and it could not be so"
 

Cole@MBS

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There is always of course the fact that they bought the car in as a part ex, the car was smashed up and repaired on the "side"!!

its only a thought!!
 

PeterCLK

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There is always of course the fact that they bought the car in as a part ex, the car was smashed up and repaired on the "side"!!

its only a thought!!

Well if they did they should have spotted it - glued on bumper must have been a bit of a give away.

Integrity and some Mercedes dealers is an oxymoron.
 

Cole@MBS

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Well if they did they should have spotted it - glued on bumper must have been a bit of a give away.

Integrity and some Mercedes dealers is an oxymoron.

Is looking at both sides of the story that bad??

Not sticking up for the dealer, but they do buy in on faith,

I know, i have worked for some!!
 

gre1591

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Yes I think that may be the case that the big London main dealer has actually taken the car in not realising its had a minor smash ,repaired on the side and pushed onto them without them twigging it.

I am a bit suspicious that they never spotted the washer not working and/or the abortive screwing and subsequent gluing of the number plate so it will be interesting to hear their report.

Some of these dealers are not all that bright ,they are run by accountants ,salesman ,and receptionists and the guys with any real knowledge or understanding of the cars (the Mercedes trained technicians) are kept well away from customers in case they say the wrong thing.

There is usually a smooth talking customer relations officer in main dealers that keeps a barrier between them that know and them that don’t!
 

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What I do not understand is if I can see any panel that has be resprayed,,why cant they,,they are in the business
 

dizzy lizzy

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yes i would have thought even if this was taken in part exchange it would have been checked over?
 

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