coming home

[DMT60]

Finally after so many weeks (since 16 june)my girls coming home,it went in to mb body works for warrenty work due to rust on 2 front wings,2 rear wings & roof.Supposed to have been 20-21st august but when i rang the bodyshop (Avonstrand)on friday,they said that as they had the car so long that it was having a full valet and that the carpets and leather work would not be dry so they would deliver back to me on tuesday.Can't wait,it will be like getting a new car again.i'll report on the standard of work when she gets home and see if i can post some pic's:arrow::-D:-D

 

[DMT60]

well car came back yesterday at 4.30 approx,it had'nt got off the delivery lorry when i noticed the first fault(chips on bonnet).by the time it was on the road i had already told the driver to put it back on,there were so many faults,1/ of was that they had sprayed the rear seatbelts on both sides. 2/ not done the rust warrenty work on roof. 3/bad paint work on b pillers where the new rear wings had been fitted 4/a thick line of paint on closing edge of both rear doors. 5/ rubber between front wing & door badly fitted (loose) 6/valetting inside car very poor (seem to have removed polish-shine from burr wood) and left masking tape on door shut.This only a few of the faults so far.I have a rep from Avonstrand coming to view the car this morning ,hopfully it wont be another 10 weeks.ARRRGGGGGGG

 

[jberks]

this is getting to be a common theme .....
Spot on right though - just reject it out of hand.

Ridiculous considering all they need is a bit QA. If the bodyshop manager went over each car and signed it off, these mad situations wouldn't arise. 5 mins a car and they wouldn't get them back.

I can only think that 99% of the population simply don't notice. Looking at many cars on the road I suspect this is all too often true. They just accept whatever poor workmanship they get. I always remember a relative proudly showing us his brand new Fiat many years ago. The first think I saw was a big dint in the middle of the bonnet. Its amazing what some people will accept!

When mine was delivered it was missing some trim. I couldn't get across to the manager, the irony of the fact that they'd polished the paintwork where the trim should have been. Just simple carelessness.

 

[DMT60]

guy came from Avonstrand, the car now will go back this week to be valetted properly so i can at least do my friends wedding next week.Then it will go back for the faults to be put right,the guy left with 1 1/2 pages(A4) of faults and a tail between his legs and considering the money they charge MB for warrenty work that the car would be returned perfect.I give good service to our customers and i expect it in return,so i wont sign off on the car untill I'M satisfied.

 

[colechelle]

have to agree with jberks, this is coming up now so many times, where has the standards gone with these bodyshops, i bet they charge mb for everything and they are only doing a cheap and cheerful job!!!

 

[EGBM]

Yes this is definitely a common theme - topical in my case as we had some work done on an MB just after we bought it (we'd belatedly spotted some paint damage which looked to have started some corrosion). MB were more than accommodating in repairing it, and the car came back in a superb condition, all defects repaired.

So far so good.

BUT the other day I was washing the car when I noticed that the paintwork a few feet away from the repair felt a bit rough. Sure enough - overspray. It's one of those "blind men would like to see it" type things, but honestly. For the sake of some decent masking, or even a protective sheet thrown over the affected panel, no secondary damage would have been done. This all of course after I was on here proclaiming the virtues of the repair

So it does appear the most basic precautions, and subsequent inspection and sign-off, is a dying art. I though my industry (software) had the reputation for this sort of slack behaviourm but it appears it's spreading. The most disappointing aspect is that it's a Mercedes we're talking about!

I've registered my disappointment but I'll resolve the overspray privately with a local expert (Auto Detox) as I'm loath to cart the car all the way back to the dealers and have their "bodyshop" but a dent in it, or whatever they cack handedly decide to do!

Best of luck with your car DMT, accept nothing less than what you're perfectly happy with - and take time to look for overspray while you're inspecting it! :wink:

 

[DMT60]

On the note of paint on the rear seatbelts,how can they remove the paint with a solvent that wont harm the integroty(can we have smell check please)of the webbing??also if they have wiped the walnut wood with a solvent and removed the laquar(spell check again)then would they have to renew them???
will see if the woman in MB bodyworks is in tomorrow and take the car in so she can advise.will keep you posted.

 

[avsdoyle]

Sorry to hear about the shabby treatment of your car. I hope MB bodyworks does the correct thing and compensates you for the inconvenience. The dealer in Belfast, whilst expensive, usual operate to excellent standards

 

[Blobcat]

On the note of paint on the rear seatbelts,how can they remove the paint with a solvent that wont harm the integroty(can we have smell check please)of the webbing??also if they have wiped the walnut wood with a solvent and removed the laquar(spell check again)

If you download the Google toolbar then you can use the spell checker built into that for posting on the forum.

 

[DMT60]

took the car to MB Bromley today and they could'nt belive that the car had been sent out in it's condition,MB are doing a full valette on wednesday so it's clean for my friend wedding on saturday.the burr trim may have to be done by a specalist to bring back the shine,still not sure about seatbelts,even to guy in MB said he could not say weather cleaning with solvent to remove the paint would damage the webbing in later months and would like to see them renewed as a matter of safety.Avonstrand will now call me tomorrow to disscuss the other issues.This is going to get expensive for them to put right.

 

[jibcl500]

I think due to the nature of the seat belt and what it does replacement is the only option, where in the hand book does it say seat belts can be cleaned with a solvent, the belts are a man made fibre!!!! solvent wouldnt be a good idea really would it.

jib

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I think due to the nature of the seat belt and what it does replacement is the only option, where in the hand book does it say seat belts can be cleaned with a solvent, the belts are a man made fibre!!!! solvent wouldnt be a good idea really would it.

jib

Entirely agree. This is a great opportunity to cite "Elf'n Safety"!

After all, seat belts which have been used in anger are supposed to be replaced, in spite of how good they may look afterwards - and they have not been exposed to solvents! :wink::wink:

 

[DMT60]

Ok,just to keep up to date.After my friends wedding the car went back to Avonstrand bodyworks on the 8/9/08 to sort out the previous faults.Car was retured to me on the 18/9/08,so armed with my list i opened all doors,bonnet and boot which i promptly shut and told the driver to take it back to Avonstrand.Faults that i had been told would be personally checked by the rep (Mr Paul Miller)had not been done,and the car was again valleted poorly with compound covering the engine compartment as well as baddly fitting trims.So now i'm a little p***ed off,Avonstrand have rang me today to say the car is again ready for return to me as they have sorted out the faults.Mr David Rixson from MB body services is going to view the car tomorrow to make sure that the faults have been done,and i have a meeting with him at MB Bromley on Wednesday and hopfully get my car back.But who do i ask for compansation for the 3 days off work,loss of road tax,insurance for the last 13 weeks let alone my phone bill??????? Lets hope it's up to scratch.Will keep you all updated.

 

[television]

Quite a few bad reports from Bromley including me

 

[jibcl500]

You want to try MB cambs, they use Hiltons, I'm still buying parts not replaced after the repairs to the coop, the front bumper had to come off again at the weekend.

MB approved bodyshops means nothing.................................


jib

 

[DMT60]

what happened to you Malcom???by the way glad to see you back.

 

[DMT60]

Finally got my car back today,Mr Rixson of MB body services saw the car yesterday at avonstrand and passed the work.i had a meeting with him today and walked round the car to make sure the faults had been done,which they have.So why the hell did'nt they do this the first time??? only problem now is i have no radio,cd,phone ect,but it booked in tomorrow to hopfully put this right, but at least i've got her home.Now i have to wait till Mr Rixson meets with avonstrand to see what compensation i came expect,what with not having the car for 3 months,3 days off work,loss of road tax,insurance, phone bill ect.What do you guy's think would be acceptable???? any advise would be more than welcome.

 

[television]

what happened to you Malcom???by the way glad to see you back.

One could say a hic cup

 

[television]

I do not know what to advise,,but I am pleased that you have it back

 

[hawk20]

have to agree with jberks, this is coming up now so many times, where has the standards gone with these bodyshops, i bet they charge mb for everything and they are only doing a cheap and cheerful job!!!

I know you work for MB colechelle, but I hope you won't mind my saying that it is time that MB either had its own bodyshops as part of all main dealers OR it should the police properly the standards of the bodyshops it is recommending to its customers. The OP should be able to show the car to his MB dealer and they should deal with the inadequate bodyshop. What is happening now is just not good enough.

One customer can do little. But the MB dealer could examine the work and say to the bodyshop: 'one more case like this and we will never recommend you again'. That is all it needs.

BTW our local MB approved bodyshop is excellent (Triangle Sprays at Cadnam) so I intend no criticism of them.