help - Merc have damaged my car - what to do next

[belmont 1]

For my 40th birthday I recently purchased a 04 plate SLK. I've had it a couple of weeks and today the service department came to collect it for some minor works as part of the warranty.

The driver who arrived scrapped the passenger side along the wing and door quite badly. I'm disappionted that he wasn't more concerned and I'm now awaiting a call about what they proposed to do.

I'm confident that the paint work will be repaired ~ but is there anything else I should be worried about?

Thanks

 

[240D 3.0VNTi]

The dealer or dealer's insurance company should cover the repair since it was in their care when it happened.

 

[verytalldave]

The only thing that I would say is once a repair is completed, ensure its done to your COMPLETE SATISFACTION. Dont sign any documents after repair until you are satisfied and its been fully checked for proper repair and colour matching.

 

[jberks]

The only thing that I would say is once a repair is completed, ensure its done to your COMPLETE SATISFACTION. Dont sign any documents after repair until you are satisfied and its been fully checked for proper repair and colour matching.

Seconded!!
Most dealers don't have their own bodyshop but use a local specialist site instead. Many are excellent....but some are not,plus at the end of the day, it's down to the experience and proffessionalism of the bloke doing the work. So, even if they are recommended, go over it with a fine tooth comb and don't be fobbed off with a handover in a dark rainy car park!

I assume they are providing a loan car of equal standard to your own whilst this work is going on...!

 

[television]

You cant say thirded, but I also go along with all of the above, making sure that ther is no difference in the colour to the surrounding panels.

This can only be seen in sunlight.

 

[screwloose]

Hope the dealer gives you the service and repair without any grief mate !

 

[Speedmaster]

A similar thing happened to many quite a few years ago with my Mercedes 190 at the main dealer. It had been in for a service and the valeter had washed it afterwards and driven too fast round into the customer car park, hitting their demonstrator SL and another customer's car. My car was bashed up the side wing and door. Their SL was worse. To be fair they were very apologetic, repaired it all v well inhouse, the service was all free (thankfully it was a pricey one with tyres etc ) and gave me new ML for a week. They also offered to buy the car when I chose to sell it at a fair price

 

[shadowninja]

don't be fobbed off with a handover in a dark rainy car park!

You will not believe how difficult it is to spot scrapes and bad paintwork in such conditions! I would refuse to sign it off until the weather and lighting was better if it was a dark, rainy car park.

 

[Captain Flack]

..and don't forget to ask for your next service to be done free of charge for the inconvenience.

 

[philharve]

A query

Seconded!!
Most dealers don't have their own bodyshop but use a local specialist site instead. Many are excellent....but some are not,plus at the end of the day, it's down to the experience and proffessionalism of the bloke doing the work. So, even if they are recommended, go over it with a fine tooth comb and don't be fobbed off with a handover in a dark rainy car park!

I assume they are providing a loan car of equal standard to your own whilst this work is going on...!

Hi All

A query.

If a vehicle is repaired at an MB approved bodyshop at MBs expense, who is responsible for subsequent repairs if, in the course of time, repairs are needed to the original repair? Furthermore, is the MB 30-year corrosion warranty still valid after the repair or is it substituted by the bodyshop's own warranty, which may be for a lesser period?

I am posing the query because my car recently underwent a corrosion repair, under warranty, at an MB approved bodyshop and an excellent job they did too. However, my indie asked me who I thought was responsible if subsequent repairs were necessary? Is it MB or does the bodyshop's own warranty supercede the MB warranty? I couldn't provide an answer ... but neither could the indie.

Reading through the bodyshop's brochure it 'seemed' that the repair did not affect the 30-year clause which remains intack. I understood this to mean that the repair was of such a high standard that the end result was equal, or better, than when the car left the factory. This sounds impressive.

But not all bodyshops perform work to the same standard, even though they may be MB approved. Consequently, which warranty is in force? MB or the bodyshop? Maybe both? Any thoughts?

I will be contacting the bodyshop for clarification but I would like to hear other members' experiences if they found themselves in this situation. What was the outcome?

REGARDS

Phil

 

[jberks]

My understanding is that if it's an MB approved bodyshop then the MB cover stands. Presumably they lay down strict rules around what equipment they have and how the work is done.
I guess its the same as any other manufacturer. When the Mrs bumped her 1 year old Audi, the ins co wanted it to go to their approved bodyshop. When we asked if it was Audi approved, they said no. They didn't seem to get he concept that if it wasn't Audi approved, we'd lose our warranty. when we explained it in very small words, it ended up at the Audi dealer.

 

[belmont 1]

Help - Merc have damaged my car UPDATE

Thanks for the advice ~ will take on board. I need a new wing and door and the sill also has to be repaired.

Quite disappointed that I haven't had an apology, there is just a mantra that MB will put it right.

Replacement car for those who are interested is a C220 (I think), not quite my SLK, but the alternative was a smart car!

 

[philharve]

My understanding is that if it's an MB approved bodyshop then the MB cover stands. Presumably they lay down strict rules around what equipment they have and how the work is done.
I guess its the same as any other manufacturer. When the Mrs bumped her 1 year old Audi, the ins co wanted it to go to their approved bodyshop. When we asked if it was Audi approved, they said no. They didn't seem to get he concept that if it wasn't Audi approved, we'd lose our warranty. when we explained it in very small words, it ended up at the Audi dealer.

Hi jberks

I thought that might be the advice I would receive because I recently had a second repair undertaken to a previous repair that had been performed under the MB warranty.

But if MB permits repairs to repairs then there must come a time when they will say, 'no more warranty repairs'. I wonder what age the vehicle has to be before MB cries, 'enough'? I suppose if MB has confidence in its approved bodyshops' abilities, that age could well be 30 years. However, I have never seen the 'official age' printed anywhere. Could it be variable and dependant upon circumstances?

REGARDS

Phil

 

[jberks]

Hi jberks

I thought that might be the advice I would receive because I recently had a second repair undertaken to a previous repair that had been performed under the MB warranty.

But if MB permits repairs to repairs then there must come a time when they will say, 'no more warranty repairs'. I wonder what age the vehicle has to be before MB cries, 'enough'? I suppose if MB has confidence in its approved bodyshops' abilities, that age could well be 30 years. However, I have never seen the 'official age' printed anywhere. Could it be variable and dependant upon circumstances?

REGARDS

Phil

Hi Phil,
I suspect that if the car remains with FMBSH, then they're likely to stay with it, theoretically for the full 30 years. The number of cars that will continue to meet the criteria beyond, 10 years is likely to be extremely minimal so the cost of honouring the warranty will be very small. After all, post 04 cars aren't likely to need the warranty anyway. Then there is the fact that cars will get bashed and chipped over time. A new owner, spending £40k may well let the dealer sort out the scraped wheelarch, but after only 3 months of having mine (so 15 months old), when the Mrs wiped out my wheelarch, I baulked at the dealer cost and booked it into a reputable, but not approved bodyshop - so technically, the N/S rear wing and door on mine are already exempt, and she isn't 3 yet!.

But if the only people that ever touch the car are Merc dealers and you're prepared to let them continue to work on a 20 year old car at £100 per hour for a mechanic that's never even sat in that model before, let alone attended a course on it, then I strongly suspect, they'll continue to fix the rust!

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

This is a interesting point, because I have just had my corrosion repaired by the dealer on a 9 year old car. I have had a verbal assurance that the work is guaranteed for life! As I have paid for the work the guarantee doesnt depend on dealer serviceing.
TB