John Bowles
Member
The steering on my 12 year old car drives 10 times better than my new E class and it seems Wilfred Steffen (DaimlerChrysler UK CEO) does not care.
I used to have a sticker on my old VW that said, “my other car is a Porsche”. I took the sticker off and I got myself a brand new E class 320 petrol. That was after a lunch meeting with Carl Keeling (area after sales manager) when he promised me that the car would be trouble free, as he would personally look after us.
I really have been unfair to the old VW. It's time the E class had a sticker saying, “my other car is an old banger and it drives better”.
I have written to Wilfred Steffen explaining the situation, confident that he will take action and resolve the issue. He didn’t even have the courtesy to reply. I phoned his secretary Lesley several times asking politely for a reply, she said that she would explain my situation to him and she would call me back. She never did, instead I got the directors team calling me saying that I am not to call his office and telling me to raise any communications through the solicitors.
It all starts at the top in any organisation. Wilfred Steffen just does not care.
This is what I wrote to Wilfred Steffen, sent to his home address.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr Steffen
I note from Whatcar.com that you are hoping to improve Mercedes’ results in customer
satisfaction surveys. I would like to take you at your word and ask you to consider the
treatment I have received from the Mercedes dealer in Dartford, Kent.
I have had a problem with my car from day one. Initially I put my trust and faith in the dealer
but instead of dealing with the situation in a way that might promote customer satisfaction,
I was faced with unhelpful responses, numerous delays and an inability to resolve the problem.
This left me with a complete lack of trust in both their ability and integrity and with no option but to seek legal advice. In the end I am no further forward and both parties have ended up with expenses which could have been better spent in resolving the situation.
I bought a new Mercedes E 320 petrol in July 2004 from Mercedes Benz, Dartford.
The day after collecting it from Stuttgart I reported to MB Dartford that there was a problem
with the steering, noticed as I drove it through France. Today, nearly 2 years later the problem has not been resolved.
I have a thick file of correspondence and transcripts of conversations with various MB
employees (most of which I taped in order to enable me to keep an accurate record). You are welcome to see the file and/or listen to the conversations, but I have included some examples of what has been said towards the end of this letter.
In short, after numerous (ten) unsuccessful attempts by MB Dartford to resolve the problem
they then decided to say they did not think there was a fault but instead it was a characteristic of the car. I found it amazing that not only did it take around a year for the management to make this claim but also that it was contrary to what I had been told by their own engineers.
In June 2005 I obtained an independent report on the vehicle from a member of the IAEA which supported my claim (copy enclosed). The mileage on the car at the end of the test was 5,000 miles.
A meeting was arranged with the After Sales Manager and the Technical Complaints Resolution Manager. They rejected the independent report and indicated they did not know of or recognise the IAEA. They continued to maintain there was nothing wrong with the car but nevertheless, as a “gesture of goodwill” replaced the power steering and pump. This changed the steering slightly but did not resolve the problem, as confirmed by a further independent report (copy enclosed).
I then received a letter from Mr Peter Jiggins (General Manager Dartford) suggesting a meeting to discuss the possibility of supplying me with another vehicle on terms he was “confident I would feel advantageous”. That offer consisted of an 8% discount on the purchase price of a new car (subsequently increased to a 10% discount) and £28,000 part exchange on my vehicle, which he agreed was in excellent condition with very low mileage. The list price of the car when I purchased it was £41,600. I found this offer laughable if not insulting.
Following that meeting at the end of July 2005, I appointed solicitors to take the matter forward on my behalf. By mid September both parties had agreed to accept the view of another independent engineer. The engineer selected (proposed by MB Dartford) is also a member of the IAEA. Strange, given I was made to believe this was not an organisation to which MB gave any credence. However, what should have been a relatively simple process was drawn out for six months as MB Dartford continued to put up obstacles and engaged in what I consider to be delaying tactics. Including at one point, refusing to allow me to accompany the engineer on the test drive, even if he requested that I do. This refusal was subsequently withdrawn but, if not a delaying tactic, what does that say about their confidence in the car?
The test finally took place in March this year (mileage: 5515). However, the engineer first went out on a test drive with a Mercedes engineer, which I found slightly odd at the time. He then went out with me for considerably less time. The time spent with the Mercedes engineer was over 50% more than the time he spent with me. He refused to take the car on the motorway with me, saying it was not necessary as he had already done that with Mercedes, and in my view implying that he had witnessed the problem at higher speeds. His report comments that the tyres do not indicate any abnormal wear, implying some significance in that fact but he had been told both verbally and in writing that the wheels and tyres had been changed. While out on the test with me he opened up a totally inappropriate conversation with reference to the country/region in which I was born and told me how he did not believe it was possible to have a multi cultural society. Needless to say, I am disputing the report which I do not believe was conducted in an unbiased manner.
Enough is enough. I have a new car which I have had almost no pleasure in owning and which I am not using. It has completed a little over 600 miles in the last 12 months, virtually all of which were spent driving to, from or on test drives in connection with the fault.
I already have an independent report which supports my claim, a copy of which I am enclosing, and, should you wish, I can forward a copy of the transcript and/or a recording of the conversations I have had. You can then hear for yourself some of the conversations with DC and Mercedes personnel. Comments include:
• Ashley (engineer): “maybe it is something not quite right when it left the factory obviously because you had this problem from day one, but I think there are a few cars around that are like this.”
• John Williams (head of team): “Lee (senior diagnostic technician) has been out in your vehicle and he is not sure that it is something that we can rectify to be honest.” and “cause we’ve had your car in few times, we’ve done few repairs and we haven’t ffff cured it”
• Paul Marinner (Sales person): suggests that I ask for my money back and that I should speak to Carl Keeling.
• Peter Jiggins, (GM Dartford): “I don’t know what’s causing the fault.”
So far I have been extremely patient, but I find the way I have been treated totally unacceptable and I am not prepared to be treated like this any longer. Is this really the level of customer care Mercedes Benz offer? I hope your answer to that is no and that you will take the necessary steps to arrange a refund in exchange for the vehicle without any further delay.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
John Bowles
-----------------------------------------------------------
Last communication I received from DC UK, was a letter from Mr Williamson (MD DC Retail Ltd) with an ultimatum indicating that Garry Morris should be allowed to test drive the car and that his findings as far as they are concerned will be final. This is no more than an empty gesture, as he is the one who left us in this situation In first place.
The car may be classic in design, finish and looks, but driving it is very Harsh and UGLY.
To view the reports please visit:
www.johnbowles.co.uk/MercedesReports/Report1.gif
http://www.johnbowles.co.uk/MercedesReports/Report2.gif
I used to have a sticker on my old VW that said, “my other car is a Porsche”. I took the sticker off and I got myself a brand new E class 320 petrol. That was after a lunch meeting with Carl Keeling (area after sales manager) when he promised me that the car would be trouble free, as he would personally look after us.
I really have been unfair to the old VW. It's time the E class had a sticker saying, “my other car is an old banger and it drives better”.
I have written to Wilfred Steffen explaining the situation, confident that he will take action and resolve the issue. He didn’t even have the courtesy to reply. I phoned his secretary Lesley several times asking politely for a reply, she said that she would explain my situation to him and she would call me back. She never did, instead I got the directors team calling me saying that I am not to call his office and telling me to raise any communications through the solicitors.
It all starts at the top in any organisation. Wilfred Steffen just does not care.
This is what I wrote to Wilfred Steffen, sent to his home address.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr Steffen
I note from Whatcar.com that you are hoping to improve Mercedes’ results in customer
satisfaction surveys. I would like to take you at your word and ask you to consider the
treatment I have received from the Mercedes dealer in Dartford, Kent.
I have had a problem with my car from day one. Initially I put my trust and faith in the dealer
but instead of dealing with the situation in a way that might promote customer satisfaction,
I was faced with unhelpful responses, numerous delays and an inability to resolve the problem.
This left me with a complete lack of trust in both their ability and integrity and with no option but to seek legal advice. In the end I am no further forward and both parties have ended up with expenses which could have been better spent in resolving the situation.
I bought a new Mercedes E 320 petrol in July 2004 from Mercedes Benz, Dartford.
The day after collecting it from Stuttgart I reported to MB Dartford that there was a problem
with the steering, noticed as I drove it through France. Today, nearly 2 years later the problem has not been resolved.
I have a thick file of correspondence and transcripts of conversations with various MB
employees (most of which I taped in order to enable me to keep an accurate record). You are welcome to see the file and/or listen to the conversations, but I have included some examples of what has been said towards the end of this letter.
In short, after numerous (ten) unsuccessful attempts by MB Dartford to resolve the problem
they then decided to say they did not think there was a fault but instead it was a characteristic of the car. I found it amazing that not only did it take around a year for the management to make this claim but also that it was contrary to what I had been told by their own engineers.
In June 2005 I obtained an independent report on the vehicle from a member of the IAEA which supported my claim (copy enclosed). The mileage on the car at the end of the test was 5,000 miles.
A meeting was arranged with the After Sales Manager and the Technical Complaints Resolution Manager. They rejected the independent report and indicated they did not know of or recognise the IAEA. They continued to maintain there was nothing wrong with the car but nevertheless, as a “gesture of goodwill” replaced the power steering and pump. This changed the steering slightly but did not resolve the problem, as confirmed by a further independent report (copy enclosed).
I then received a letter from Mr Peter Jiggins (General Manager Dartford) suggesting a meeting to discuss the possibility of supplying me with another vehicle on terms he was “confident I would feel advantageous”. That offer consisted of an 8% discount on the purchase price of a new car (subsequently increased to a 10% discount) and £28,000 part exchange on my vehicle, which he agreed was in excellent condition with very low mileage. The list price of the car when I purchased it was £41,600. I found this offer laughable if not insulting.
Following that meeting at the end of July 2005, I appointed solicitors to take the matter forward on my behalf. By mid September both parties had agreed to accept the view of another independent engineer. The engineer selected (proposed by MB Dartford) is also a member of the IAEA. Strange, given I was made to believe this was not an organisation to which MB gave any credence. However, what should have been a relatively simple process was drawn out for six months as MB Dartford continued to put up obstacles and engaged in what I consider to be delaying tactics. Including at one point, refusing to allow me to accompany the engineer on the test drive, even if he requested that I do. This refusal was subsequently withdrawn but, if not a delaying tactic, what does that say about their confidence in the car?
The test finally took place in March this year (mileage: 5515). However, the engineer first went out on a test drive with a Mercedes engineer, which I found slightly odd at the time. He then went out with me for considerably less time. The time spent with the Mercedes engineer was over 50% more than the time he spent with me. He refused to take the car on the motorway with me, saying it was not necessary as he had already done that with Mercedes, and in my view implying that he had witnessed the problem at higher speeds. His report comments that the tyres do not indicate any abnormal wear, implying some significance in that fact but he had been told both verbally and in writing that the wheels and tyres had been changed. While out on the test with me he opened up a totally inappropriate conversation with reference to the country/region in which I was born and told me how he did not believe it was possible to have a multi cultural society. Needless to say, I am disputing the report which I do not believe was conducted in an unbiased manner.
Enough is enough. I have a new car which I have had almost no pleasure in owning and which I am not using. It has completed a little over 600 miles in the last 12 months, virtually all of which were spent driving to, from or on test drives in connection with the fault.
I already have an independent report which supports my claim, a copy of which I am enclosing, and, should you wish, I can forward a copy of the transcript and/or a recording of the conversations I have had. You can then hear for yourself some of the conversations with DC and Mercedes personnel. Comments include:
• Ashley (engineer): “maybe it is something not quite right when it left the factory obviously because you had this problem from day one, but I think there are a few cars around that are like this.”
• John Williams (head of team): “Lee (senior diagnostic technician) has been out in your vehicle and he is not sure that it is something that we can rectify to be honest.” and “cause we’ve had your car in few times, we’ve done few repairs and we haven’t ffff cured it”
• Paul Marinner (Sales person): suggests that I ask for my money back and that I should speak to Carl Keeling.
• Peter Jiggins, (GM Dartford): “I don’t know what’s causing the fault.”
So far I have been extremely patient, but I find the way I have been treated totally unacceptable and I am not prepared to be treated like this any longer. Is this really the level of customer care Mercedes Benz offer? I hope your answer to that is no and that you will take the necessary steps to arrange a refund in exchange for the vehicle without any further delay.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
John Bowles
-----------------------------------------------------------
Last communication I received from DC UK, was a letter from Mr Williamson (MD DC Retail Ltd) with an ultimatum indicating that Garry Morris should be allowed to test drive the car and that his findings as far as they are concerned will be final. This is no more than an empty gesture, as he is the one who left us in this situation In first place.
The car may be classic in design, finish and looks, but driving it is very Harsh and UGLY.
To view the reports please visit:
www.johnbowles.co.uk/MercedesReports/Report1.gif
http://www.johnbowles.co.uk/MercedesReports/Report2.gif
