Mercedes-Benz Chelsea
Why do you persist in calling my mobile when I advise you repeatedly that I have poor signal reception at home and you should use the landline! And this is clearly flagged on the service worksheet! WHY?
Why, when you nevertheless persist in calling my mobile do you not leave the vital four digit extension when you know the MB phone-bot (on 020-7349 1420) requires it and provides no alternative! WHY?
Battery replacement fiasco – breach of warranty
MB Chelsea’s service department advised in June 2020 that both the main starter battery and the ECO stop-start battery on my C250 (2012 Reg.) needed replacement: I had flagged up a problem with the ECO “stop-start” functioning intermittently; I had not reported a problem with the main starter battery. However, I had both batteries replaced.
At a subsequent B service, on 21 March 2022, I reported that the ECO stop-start system was again functioning intermittently (since mid-February). MB “investigated”, said no fault was found, put the battery on charge overnight, said all was fine, but I should keep a careful note of dates and times should it fail again (to assist diagnostics), which of course I did.
The ECO stop-start system worked fine until it failed again on the morning of 15 April; it then functioned OK until the afternoon of 19 April when it failed again (after being driven for 10 minutes or so) and has not functioned since. This was reported to MB Chelsea and the car booked in for further investigation (under the battery warranty). This time I was advised that the battery may well be performing poorly but the warranty had been invalidated by me because the car had not been driven sufficient miles (approx 3,400); that in effect I had invalidated the two-year warranty by not using the car enough during the Covid pandemic lockdowns! Yet the main starter battery has functioned properly throughout and is unaffected by the light use! MB Chelsea again offered to put the battery on charge overnight for collection the following day (not knowing or forgetting they performed this trick in March). And of course this could have been done over the previous night when it was resting in your workshop because MB did not return my calls?
So what tests have been carried out to determine the battery is failing for the reason proffered and does not have a fault? No answer yet given. Did MB check that sufficient charge is reaching the battery? Why is the main starter battery unaffected by the alleged light use during the pandemic? No answers yet given.
Is this fast and slippery practice by MB Chelsea? - Just what one might expect from a backstreet dealer? – It’s certainly not worthy of the Mercedes-Benz brand – and quite possibly unlawful. A warranty is a warranty; I was not advised in June 2020 or March 2022 that a minimum regular mileage was stipulated to keep the warranty valid. Show me the warranty conditions attaching to the stop-start battery when it was fitted?
Why would I buy the Mercedes EQ that I have my eye on for later this year? Why would I reward such behaviour by MB Chelsea when the choice of EVs is so extensive?
Why do you persist in calling my mobile when I advise you repeatedly that I have poor signal reception at home and you should use the landline! And this is clearly flagged on the service worksheet! WHY?
Why, when you nevertheless persist in calling my mobile do you not leave the vital four digit extension when you know the MB phone-bot (on 020-7349 1420) requires it and provides no alternative! WHY?
Battery replacement fiasco – breach of warranty
MB Chelsea’s service department advised in June 2020 that both the main starter battery and the ECO stop-start battery on my C250 (2012 Reg.) needed replacement: I had flagged up a problem with the ECO “stop-start” functioning intermittently; I had not reported a problem with the main starter battery. However, I had both batteries replaced.
At a subsequent B service, on 21 March 2022, I reported that the ECO stop-start system was again functioning intermittently (since mid-February). MB “investigated”, said no fault was found, put the battery on charge overnight, said all was fine, but I should keep a careful note of dates and times should it fail again (to assist diagnostics), which of course I did.
The ECO stop-start system worked fine until it failed again on the morning of 15 April; it then functioned OK until the afternoon of 19 April when it failed again (after being driven for 10 minutes or so) and has not functioned since. This was reported to MB Chelsea and the car booked in for further investigation (under the battery warranty). This time I was advised that the battery may well be performing poorly but the warranty had been invalidated by me because the car had not been driven sufficient miles (approx 3,400); that in effect I had invalidated the two-year warranty by not using the car enough during the Covid pandemic lockdowns! Yet the main starter battery has functioned properly throughout and is unaffected by the light use! MB Chelsea again offered to put the battery on charge overnight for collection the following day (not knowing or forgetting they performed this trick in March). And of course this could have been done over the previous night when it was resting in your workshop because MB did not return my calls?
So what tests have been carried out to determine the battery is failing for the reason proffered and does not have a fault? No answer yet given. Did MB check that sufficient charge is reaching the battery? Why is the main starter battery unaffected by the alleged light use during the pandemic? No answers yet given.
Is this fast and slippery practice by MB Chelsea? - Just what one might expect from a backstreet dealer? – It’s certainly not worthy of the Mercedes-Benz brand – and quite possibly unlawful. A warranty is a warranty; I was not advised in June 2020 or March 2022 that a minimum regular mileage was stipulated to keep the warranty valid. Show me the warranty conditions attaching to the stop-start battery when it was fitted?
Why would I buy the Mercedes EQ that I have my eye on for later this year? Why would I reward such behaviour by MB Chelsea when the choice of EVs is so extensive?
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