Main Dealer or Independent Merc Garage/Mechanic

[diana f]

I am looking for an indie in south east london (Greenwich, Woolwich, Bromley) for my 2005 C200 CDI. Should i stick with main dealer?

I have just been to Mercedes Dartford, was charged £180 to replace the alternator pulley which had been showing excessive play. All i had reported was a noise at the front after my first start for the day. the noise would stop once the temperature gauge of the car had moved from 40 degrees. Initially i thought the belt needed tightening, however i was advised of a corrosive pulley that needed replacing.

Following on from this, in February they (Mercedes Dartford) charged me £1112 - service B £460, Boost pressure hose £210, EGR valve £328, brake pads £114.
The cost of the parts was £412.17, labour £555.52, VAT £145.15. This is ridiculous. Are these genuine prices?

The C200 CDI is my first ever merc and i am thinking of selling in now. i bought it in September 2008.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Di

 

[teddycatkin]

Hi Di --are you a bank manager by any chance ?

 

[diana f]

Hi Teddycatkin,

No I am not. Curious to know why you thought i was one?

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

Hi Diana,
you must look like a very rich lady?
Your correct in your growing suspicion that your being ripped off.
Rusty Alternator pulley............how did they keep a straight face?
For example a set of OE front brake pads from A good motor factor will depending on your model retail at around the £35 to £50.00 mark.

It would be worth your while to perhaps visit Black in Portsmouth? he's having a Open Day I believe on th 16th May that would be a good time to meet some nice people who are very knowledgeable regarding your car and honest too!

Alternatively there're a number of mobile techies operating in the SE I 'm sure one of them will help you!

 

[television]

Though MB will match indie prices in some cases, its not easy if you do not know what is wrong. With the amount of post that we get, it is clear that many object to the £110 plus VAT per hour, and it is a very expensive exercise when you get the bill. long my the indies live.

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
If you do take your car out of the main dealer network I think you,ll lose Mobilo life which is a free breakdown recovery service operated by MB UK, (please correct me if i,m wrong anyone).
I have a friend who lives in South West London and rather than pay the alleged £150 per hour he travels down to Pentagon Southampton £100 per hour I believe plus 20-40% discount as the car is over 5 years old. We also try to anticipate the "extra" work they could find i.e. plugs, brake fluid, air/fuel filter etc. if these were done previously by a VAT registered garage, and you can provide the reciept, they can,t refuse to stamp the history, which they tried with me.
But as previous I can thoroughly reccommend BlackC55 (Olly), he is about an hour/hour and a quarter from the Dartford tunnel. You could make a day of it and go shopping in Gun Wharf, visit the dockyard in Portsmouth etc.

 

[jberks]

You would lose the breakdown cover.
Anyway - yes those prices are rediculous
"Following on from this, in February they (Mercedes Dartford) charged me £1112 - service B £460, Boost pressure hose £210, EGR valve £328, brake pads £114"

A Service B is £460 if you walk in, open your wallet and say "help yourself". What many people don't realise is that these prices are highly negotiable and 20% off, just for the asking is not uncommon, especially these days. I have seen 50% off if you haggle hard enough. Just because its a fancy dealership, don't be afraid to ask for a discount.
The Boost pressure hose and EGR valve - on these, its a 2005 C class. You don't say what the mileage is but assuming its under 100k then these failures are wholly unnaceptable. My dealer would have been on the phone to MBUK to get me a big goodwill contribution. I'd have expected that £670 to cost me between nothing and maybe £100 tops. My car is a year older than yours and I recenlty had 1 days labour to replace some seals paid for by MB, simply because I believed they shouldn't have gone on a car of this age and mileage. MB picked up the tab. Not sure what the hose is or its cost but I had a turbo hose replaced on my 2004 E270 last week (bigger engine so presumably a bigger hose than a 200cdi) and it cost me £45 plus 5 mins labour. I'd be going back to the dealership and demanding they get off their backsides and do something for the customer. (Point out that this has soured your view of MB and are considering buying something else).
Brake pads - well ok inc labour I guess.
The pulley - I believe there is a clutch issue on an alternator pulley but again I'd expect a considerable contribution as this is a manufacturing fault. It simply shouldn't fail at that age and mileage.
Speak to your service manager and explain you're not happy.

That said, it does seem to be a fact that London dealers are particularly bad, but I guess they do reside in the most violent, unhelpful and unfriendly city on the planet so I guess they're just acting to their environment really. How you all bear the place I really don't understand but you have my admiration!

 

[Sam.slc]

Afraid did get ripped off

Hi Di,

Sorry to say Teddy and the folks are correct you seem to have either been ripped off, or picked up a 'stinker' of a C Class. I'd be straight on to MBUK.

Folks buys Mercs for reliability and reputation. As the others have said;

A These items should not have failed.
B It should not have cost you this much.

Plenty of great places in London both indie and Dealers. If New Malden on the A3 is'nt far then I would recomend 'MB Direct' or MB in Chelsea, very down to earth and 'Real'.

Welcome to the MB family, you've made a wise choice, do not let one experience get you down.

Sam

PS Don't even get me started on Mobilo-loo

 

[diana f]

Sam.slc, Television, Jberks, Biasotonuk, Mr Teddy Bear, Teddycatkin - Thank you for the information. I will contact MBUK and see what they can do for me (customer). Wish me luck....

Di

 

[Daeths]

I know Merc Dartford well...and would NEVER EVER go there again...even if it was free.

Just my opinion tho :wink:

I went to Olly (Black55) a few years back when he opened up and he was absolutely brilliant, honest and superb value for money. I'm not surprised he's still going strong, good trustworthy mechanics are like shooting stars !!

Took me 1 hour ten mins and well worth the trip. I guess I am pretty close to you, am just off the A20 from the M25.

As per others, go back to MB Dartford and tell them you are not at all happy. Push them hard...you wont (unlikely) get a refund but you may get a credit for future work...if you are brave enough to go back.