First negative Mercedes experience

[Emma concannon]

I have a service plan with Mercedes in place for my GLS, I think it’s about £45 per month. I had one in place when I had my GLC also without any problems.
So I got my GLS in March 2020, it’s service was due November 2020. Booked it in and the day before I take it in, the warning light flashes on that my rear left indicator light bulb has gone. Once I click ok on the notice, it never pops up again. The morning of the service, I take it in and tell them about the warning the previous day. Mercedes tells me they’ll take a look at it whilst they’re doing the service. Half way through, the service guy comes out and asks what the warning message was, I had taken a photo so showed him. He shrugged and went off. At the end of the service the rep comes up and tells me that because it’s an led light I have to change the whole unit. £300. I questioned why an led unit less than 3,000 miles in has gone when they’re supposed to last much longer. Anyway, booked it in to get replaced. When I get home I wondered why the service guy didn’t know what was up - when I checked the indicator myself I found it to be working soundly. And it has continued to do so. So when they checked it during service it was working, but they told me I would have to replace it anyway knowing it was working. I was fuming! Made a complaint, and still never heard anything back to this date. Makes me really mad that there was nothing wrong with the light unit but they told me to change it anyway. Just made me lose my faith / trust in them. Rant over now but thanks for listening!

 

[robin.large]

Sadly this happens. Most likely a loose connection. Me? I would have had a strong conversation with them about faulty product if they had suggested that I pay for an LED unit.
I can (just) accept that a filament type bulb could be considered a service item, but an expensive LED unit is more akin to electronic hardware!!

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

 

[Petrol-Head]

Write to the MD of the dealership and explain your disgust about the incident and the lack of any response. You never know you may get a good response to restore your faith.

I did it with an Audi dealer a few years back. The group MD cc'd me into an internal email to ALL staff (showing my complaint) basically warning if any of them ever treat a customer in that way they could look for another job..... Incidentally, I went across the road and bought a Mercedes the same day!!

 

[Srdl]

Mercedes Dealers not returning customer's calls sound pretty normal to me. Certainly is at Mercedes Southampton. I just post something on Twitter tagging the Marshall Group CEO and it is usually sorted pretty quickly after that! If your Desler is part of the Marshall Group, I can let you have the details.

 

[EmilysDad]

does anyone actually return a call these days?

 

[Emma concannon]

Thanks for the advice, I’ve sent an email to the branch of Mercedes that are responsible. I would normally let stuff like this go but I just feel like I’ve spent a ton of money with them and been a loyal customer and for what? Maybe because I’m female they think it’s easier to just rip me off

 

[peterws1957]

Thanks for the advice, I’ve sent an email to the branch of Mercedes that are responsible. I would normally let stuff like this go but I just feel like I’ve spent a ton of money with them and been a loyal customer and for what? Maybe because I’m female they think it’s easier to just rip me off

Some MB dealers hate negative Google reviews, but if you want to maintain at least a basic relationship with the dealer, it's probably not the route to go down. I doubt that they saw you as an easy target, everyone seems to get treated in the same manner, in terms of selling parts that aren't required.

 

[rorywquin]

Write to the MD of the dealership and explain your disgust about the incident and the lack of any response. You never know you may get a good response to restore your faith.

I did it with an Audi dealer a few years back. The group MD cc'd me into an internal email to ALL staff (showing my complaint) basically warning if any of them ever treat a customer in that way they could look for another job..... Incidentally, I went across the road and bought a Mercedes the same day!!

Yep - speak to the organ grinder - not the monkey.

 

[rorywquin]

..................... Maybe because I’m female they think it’s easier to just rip me off

I don't think so. The mechanic and other employees there have no vested interest in ripping anyone off. They are just useless.

 

[mioba]

MB loyaltiy went out the window when all the big franchises came in, I have been with MB for what 30 years when the dealer one of the local guys and the customers were special, we are now only a number.
MB have no interest in repairing only replacing.
For services I use the dealer to keep mobilo (costs kept down by providing oil myself), for anything else its my indy.

 

[Tony Dyson]

My car is due for a service soon and I was contacted by two branches of Mercedes dealerships at Skipton and Bradford requesting I book my car in for a service, I responded with my mileage which was just over 1,000 miles since my last annual service which was at this time last Year and a request for a detailed list of proposed works with a costed estimate? and not surprisingly I'm still waiting for an answer from both of them! I had already decided 2020 was the last Year MB were going to carry out any regular servicing on my car.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Forgotten where you are Emma, which MB are we talking about please?

 

[Wighty]

If you bought from Mercedes Dealer less than 12 months ago , is the LED unit not covered by the Tier 1 years used warranty ?
Sometimes MOT failure protection is part of the used car cover , could this help ?
If the used LED unit they replaced anyway when it was working , did they give it back to you so you can sell it ?

 

[Emma concannon]

Forgotten where you are Emma, which MB are we talking about please?

The dealership is Manchester Central

 

[John Laidlaw]

The dealership is Manchester Central

Thanks Emma, they're LSH Auto unfortunately. I know the new aftersales Director of Inchcape Mercedes but that's won't help sorry! I know she wouldn't put up with that service in her dealerships....I presume LSH have an equivalent person

 

[Emma concannon]

Thanks Emma, they're LSH Auto unfortunately. I know the new aftersales Director of Inchcape Mercedes but that's won't help sorry! I know she wouldn't put up with that service in her dealerships....I presume LSH have an equivalent person

Thank you! I’m sure I’ll get it sorted out eventually, it’s just been a frustrating process

 

[Emma concannon]

If you bought from Mercedes Dealer less than 12 months ago , is the LED unit not covered by the Tier 1 years used warranty ?
Sometimes MOT failure protection is part of the used car cover , could this help ?
If the used LED unit they replaced anyway when it was working , did they give it back to you so you can sell it ?

Sorry I have no idea what this tier 1 is, I’m going to have a google. I ended up telling them to cancel the part and I didn’t get it replaced, because it was working fine and no other warnings popped up again. It’s still working fine to this day

 

[Emma concannon]

My car is due for a service soon and I was contacted by two branches of Mercedes dealerships at Skipton and Bradford requesting I book my car in for a service, I responded with my mileage which was just over 1,000 miles since my last annual service which was at this time last Year and a request for a detailed list of proposed works with a costed estimate? and not surprisingly I'm still waiting for an answer from both of them! I had already decided 2020 was the last Year MB were going to carry out any regular servicing on my car.

Seems the customer service has just gone right down hill this past couple of years or so

 

[Emma concannon]

I don't think so. The mechanic and other employees there have no vested interest in ripping anyone off. They are just useless.

I had assumed stupidity / disinterest was the main culprit here really but just makes you skeptical

 

[Emma concannon]

T

Write to the MD of the dealership and explain your disgust about the incident and the lack of any response. You never know you may get a good response to restore your faith.

I did it with an Audi dealer a few years back. The group MD cc'd me into an internal email to ALL staff (showing my complaint) basically warning if any of them ever treat a customer in that way they could look for another job..... Incidentally, I went across the road and bought a Mercedes the same day!!