Handback Trouble

[COOPS38]

Finally, if I do try to do a hand-back, what problems am I likely to face? I have heard that MB are not very forgiving when it comes to small scratches, or curbed wheels. Which unfortunately my car has suffered thanks to the ability of the average british driver.

I can safely say you will have issues handing back.
Merc Finance is totally unsympathetic to the average driver.
My SLK is 2 years old and yes there are scratches and a wheel is scuffed, but I have been presented with a bill for nearly £1000. It appears they want to return the car to showroom condition.
Even telling me the was a dint over the wheel arch I could not see or even feel.
I am disgusted in their fault finding and also their cost of repairs, owners beware.
I can’t believe I am the only person who has suffered this type of cost?? Anyone else had this sort of issue.?

I was very happy with the car so -

To add insult to injury I have agreed to purchase another new vehicle under another deal. I am now faced with losing my deposit or facing a similar bill when that vehicle is due to be returned.
Can anyone help?

 

[Rory]

You should have got return standards documentation with the vehicle and there's a video on the MB website.

If you knew it was bad then it would have been better to get it refurbed (either by an authorised Mercedes dealer) or by someone who guaranteed it would pass MB's return standards (there are such firms around).

Mercedes (and VW) are notorious for this. Did they provide pictures of the damage? If you think they really are outrageous then tell them to get stuffed.

 

[Royston59]

I had similar issues in the past but a few notes from experience,
1) They do give you a hand back spec so you really should be armed with what to expect and if you ignore it then you prtetty much deserve what you get.
2) They ARE negotiable so try an offer.

ATB
R

 

[Ricardo_e220]

Refuse to accept the invoice, have a look on the Internet and on here, this is standard practise I'm afraid.

This is the reason I am buying my car in 5 months time, it will have 130k miles on..20k less than contracted but I bet the buggers would still hit me with charges to return a car to showroom condition, and it wasn't spur and new when I got it......

I will never go down the pcp or lease route again.

 

[Peter De La Mare]

Having leased 3 MBs over the years, I've never had any additional charges when handing them back.

I just made sure the wear and tear was within allowed limits. Dents and scuffs upto a specified size are allowed.

The unfortunate truth is that you just didn't take care of your car.

 

[Peter De La Mare]

Refuse to accept the invoice, have a look on the Internet and on here, this is standard practise I'm afraid.

This is the reason I am buying my car in 5 months time, it will have 130k miles on..20k less than contracted but I bet the buggers would still hit me with charges to return a car to showroom condition, and it wasn't spur and new when I got it......

I will never go down the pcp or lease route again.

Making a lot of assumptions based on Internet hearsay there.

 

[Ricardo_e220]

Hmm.. Maybe, but there seems to be too much printed, or typed for it to be consequence...

£1000 damage after 2 years sounds like either misuse or mischarge....you won't know unless the op posts pics etc.

I bet that I would be charged for the corroded alloys which mb refused to repair... No curbing on all 4 despite 123k miles. I bet I would be charged for the seat repair..where the artico has split after 5 years... That is not abuse...but I would hazard a guess those dont fall under their wear and tear rules...

If you cover 5k miles a year then maybe it works. Pcp or lease is supposed to remove the risk of depreciation etc. seems interest only to the pcp sellers

 

[blib_blib]

When opportunities for ambiguity exist, so will disputes.

There will be guidelines or ranges of damage that fall within "acceptable wear & tear" and in their opinion, the damage falls beyond that range. The important thing is that there will be a subjective element to that which gives space to negotiate and balance.

In most negotiations, knowledge is power so immerse yourself in the small print of the contract (the bit you might have skimmed two years ago when you took delivery!). If you know that better than the salesman, you'll be fine. Look at their car thoroughly and through their eyes and be ruthless with yourself - as if you are buying it - you'd want it perfect right..? So why wouldn't they want to return it to showroom condition?

Their estimate for repairs will of course be top dollar/retail and not necessarily represent the cost to them for doing the work - that's always a good starting point: ie "How much would you charge a customer for this work?" vs "how much will this work cost you to do?"

Somewhere between your two opinions there will be a mutually acceptable settlement...

Bon chance.

 

[Ricardo_e220]

http://mercedes-finance.blogspot.co.uk/

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=84986

 

[Rory]

Having leased 3 MBs over the years, I've never had any additional charges when handing them back.

I just made sure the wear and tear was within allowed limits. Dents and scuffs upto a specified size are allowed.

The unfortunate truth is that you just didn't take care of your car.

You only keep them for a short time, don't you?

 

[Rory]

Making a lot of assumptions based on Internet hearsay there.

I have a fair bit of experience (but not with MB, although they do use a common company for this work) of trumped up end-of-lease charges.

 

[Rory]

If you know that better than the salesman, you'll be fine. Look at their car thoroughly and through their eyes and be ruthless with yourself - as if you are buying it - you'd want it perfect right..? So why wouldn't they want to return it to showroom condition?

You're not dealing with a salesman in these cases and, while I'm sure they'd love to get the car back in showroom condition that's not reasonable for a car which has been subject to everyday use for 2 or 3 years.

 

[blib_blib]

You're not dealing with a salesman in these cases and, while I'm sure they'd love to get the car back in showroom condition that's not reasonable for a car which has been subject to everyday use for 2 or 3 years.

Sorry: "If you know that better than the person you are dealing with..."

They don't: They want to return it to showroom condition, so that they can sell it to someone else. That's what they want the money for...

 

[NP46]

Call their bluff and tell them you're going to trade the car in against a BMW.
Surely if MB finance get their settlement figure, no matter from where, they won't care about the vehicle condition.
Just a thought......