Main Dealer Speeding in my Car!!!

[BRABUS R230]

Hi All, I have a very interesting story to tell you, during December 2009 I had taken my BRABUS SL55 K8 to my Main MB Dealer in Central London, my car was taken there for a check up, I was due to pick up my car the following day, I had dropped my car off at around 9:30 that morning but at around 1:00 pm my car called me then text ed me informing me that it was currently travelling at over 110 MPH!!!
You see my car is fitted with a very advanced security system that not only can be tracked but among many other things will inform the owner of its speed at any time and if the driver exceeds the preset speed alarm the system will call a pre programmed number, if the call is not answered then it will send a text with the speed, GPS location and time to the phone, well as you can imagine I was so furious that I could not even manage to dial the dealer as I had a mental block I could not remember how to use my phone!
anyway after my Brain kicked back in again I called the said dealer and asked to speak to my service manager, I was told that he was on lunch at the moment, she then asked me for my registration, after providing this i was the told that my car is currently being worked on in the workshop, I then said "know it's not, it's being driven at over 100 MPH in a 40 MPH Zone" the phone went silent for a few seconds and she then said that she was told by the workshop that my car was in the workshop being worked on, I asked to speak to the most senior person available immediately, when he eventually came to the phone "I let him have it" he seemed to be lost for words, he said that he could not comment until the engineer returned back with my car and he had spoken with him, he the said "somebody could lose their job over this" I then said that my intention was not for anybody to lose their job but for action to be taken for something like this not to happen again to anyones car, he agreed and said that further investigation would be done and he would call me later that day. later that day I received a call offering me a £250 service voucher, I refused that offer and said nothing less than £500 would be accepted!
My question is what would you?

 

[6pot]

Hi All, I have a very interesting story to tell you, during December 2009 I had taken my BRABUS SL55 K8 to my Main MB Dealer in Central London, my car was taken there for a check up, I was due to pick up my car the following day, I had dropped my car off at around 9:30 that morning but at around 1:00 pm my car called me then text ed me informing me that it was currently travelling at over 110 MPH!!!
You see my car is fitted with a very advanced security system that not only can be tracked but among many other things will inform the owner of its speed at any time and if the driver exceeds the preset speed alarm the system will call a pre programmed number, if the call is not answered then it will send a text with the speed, GPS location and time to the phone, well as you can imagine I was so furious that I could not even manage to dial the dealer as I had a mental block I could not remember how to use my phone!
anyway after my Brain kicked back in again I called the said dealer and asked to speak to my service manager, I was told that he was on lunch at the moment, she then asked me for my registration, after providing this i was the told that my car is currently being worked on in the workshop, I then said "know it's not, it's being driven at over 100 MPH in a 40 MPH Zone" the phone went silent for a few seconds and she then said that she was told by the workshop that my car was in the workshop being worked on, I asked to speak to the most senior person available immediately, when he eventually came to the phone "I let him have it" he seemed to be lost for words, he said that he could not comment until the engineer returned back with my car and he had spoken with him, he the said "somebody could lose their job over this" I then said that my intention was not for anybody to lose their job but for action to be taken for something like this not to happen again to anyones car, he agreed and said that further investigation would be done and he would call me later that day. later that day I received a call offering me a £250 service voucher, I refused that offer and said nothing less than £500 would be accepted!
My question is what would you?

nice comprehensive alarm. what did the manager have to say btw?

 

[Donald 300TD]

£500??? You could get a lot more out of them! You just need to mention the police,national newspapers,trading standards and so on.

 

[stumpy]

A similar thing happened to me with a BMW M5. I got a letter from Surrey speed partnership stating that my car had been clocked at 41 in a 30. The car was on a road test at the time and to be fair the dealership were very apologetic etc.

This is different though as your car was going way over the limit and in a 40 zone too. Personally I would take it all the way and obtain evidence from Navtrak people to back up your case. Compensation is a side issue for me in this case. This cannot be allowed to continue.

It does raise an interesting issue though. I had a wheel wobble which only occurred between 75 and 90 when I drive a lot on the continent (ahem) the dealer quite rightly said they were unable to roadtest it to diagnose the fault.

I doubt you had reported instability at over a ton though!

 

[Phil D]

£500??? You could get a lot more out of them! You just need to mention the police,national newspapers,trading standards and so on.

on the basis of the old, but still true saying that 2 wrongs don't make a right, what is the basis for this - I've got them in a corner so here's a chance to make some money??

can fully understand the owner being unhappy - I would - but this smacks of naked opportunism

 

[rpe2]

If you are that miffed (which is understandable), forward the evidence to the police (after you have received your free service etc..)

Where on earth can you drive at 110 mph in central london?

 

[Mic]

Hi All, I have a very interesting story to tell you, during December 2009 I had taken my BRABUS SL55 K8 to my Main MB Dealer in Central London, my car was taken there for a check up, I was due to pick up my car the following day, I had dropped my car off at around 9:30 that morning but at around 1:00 pm my car called me then text ed me informing me that it was currently travelling at over 110 MPH!!!
You see my car is fitted with a very advanced security system that not only can be tracked but among many other things will inform the owner of its speed at any time and if the driver exceeds the preset speed alarm the system will call a pre programmed number, if the call is not answered then it will send a text with the speed, GPS location and time to the phone, well as you can imagine I was so furious that I could not even manage to dial the dealer as I had a mental block I could not remember how to use my phone!
anyway after my Brain kicked back in again I called the said dealer and asked to speak to my service manager, I was told that he was on lunch at the moment, she then asked me for my registration, after providing this i was the told that my car is currently being worked on in the workshop, I then said "know it's not, it's being driven at over 100 MPH in a 40 MPH Zone" the phone went silent for a few seconds and she then said that she was told by the workshop that my car was in the workshop being worked on, I asked to speak to the most senior person available immediately, when he eventually came to the phone "I let him have it" he seemed to be lost for words, he said that he could not comment until the engineer returned back with my car and he had spoken with him, he the said "somebody could lose their job over this" I then said that my intention was not for anybody to lose their job but for action to be taken for something like this not to happen again to anyones car, he agreed and said that further investigation would be done and he would call me later that day. later that day I received a call offering me a £250 service voucher, I refused that offer and said nothing less than £500 would be accepted!
My question is what would you?

That is an interesting story and whilst I am not surprised at the absolute speed I am astonished that it was recorded in a 40mph zone.
When I first got my car I complained that at about 105mph-110mph the tightness of the 'seal' between the driver's door window and the rubber surround broke free giving a 'window ajar' noise in my right ear.
MB Oxford sought to make whatever adjustments were necessary but I was advised that they could not test as to the effectiveness of their work because that would mean driving in excess of the legal limit. I had to do the testing.
Perhaps I should have gone to your central London dealer ???????

What would I do?
If the proposed, or negotiated, voucher is given as an unconditional apology then accept it. If it comes with ''strings attached'' such as your agreeing that the matter goes no further, you might consider refusing it if only because you do not want to be complicit in the road traffic offence. You have not suffered any harm nor damage and therefore not entitled to compensation.
It probably depends, after a few nights sleep, how strongly you feel about the matter and how high up the MB food chain you want to go in the vain hope that you will prevent such behaviour. Another test drive, another day, another mechanic..........probably not in your car next time because your file will be marked.

Mic

 

[*Thumper]

You need to decide what you want here .................. a warning to the mechanic ? . his job ? ............ and on the recompence front ............... a free service ............ or servicing for life ?............ large amounts of cash ?

Realisticaly .. the engineer will have been given one almighty bollocking ...and should be left "inhouse" ..............on the recompence front ........... I woulod want "total assurance that it never re-occurs, in writing .......... a full check on the wear and tear caused ........... maybe a new set of tyres ( was he spinning it up aswell ?) ........... and a complimentory service.

And finally a meeting with the dealer principle, to smuggly show him your system ..... and dress him down a peg or two ................. the latter, just for self gratification !!

I'd loved to have been a fly on the wall, when they realise the system you have in your car ..............

 

[mercmadjim]

Sorry Brabus, I would want somebodys job here, 110 in a 40 zone is criminal...what would have happened if he had hit someone??

No sorry...someone should lose their job for this!!

 

[hairyg]

Apart from your horror at MB, I think you have a duty of care to the general public. If this speed was done on public roads in a 40 mph area (not on a rolling road, for example) then the driver needs a bit more than a rap on the knuckles from his employer.

I'm no fan of speed limits, preferring to make my own judgment of safe speed in the circumstance I can see, but 110 in a 40 area looks like it should be referred for psychiatric reports, a step I think the courts would probably take.

As for compensation from MB, I suggest a year's insurance premium could be a good guideline, without any strings attached of course.

 

[Captain Chris]

Mic has a very good point. All of this has happened before and will happen again to other owners of performance cars - whether or not they find out about it is another matter.

It may be just as well to not make a fuss about it as it could work even more in your favour as you will always have 'one over' the dealership and they may well be willing to do more for you in future. IMHO you might have more respect and future cooperation from the dealership by not making a fuss, than if you went down the 'big song and dance' press release approach.

Chris

 

[rovingHawk]

Free FULL service, set of tyres if they are anything less than excellent condition, apology & the offender's head on a platter next to his P45.

Once you have that, a report to the police & have the offender prosecuted.

RH

 

[James99]

Really sorry to hear of this with your lovely car. As has been said, 110 in a 40 is absolutely criminal. And if it was "from the lights" won't have done your tyres and drive train much good at all. Have you tried looking up the GPS location on Google maps to see where it could have been done? That sounds an excellent security system by the way.

 

[Phil D]

Free FULL service, set of tyres if they are anything less than excellent condition, apology & the offender's head on a platter next to his P45.

Once you have that, a report to the police & have the offender prosecuted.

RH

dear me - and presumably campaign to bring back hanging!

 

[dizzy lizzy]

I think i would think about this - carefully before i jumped in. The most shocking thing is the speed of 100 in 40mph zone. This is not obviously a one off - if it was not for your tracking system no one would have been the wiser. I do think you should be compensated -no strings attached - but i would also think of the duty to the general public - for the employee to lose his job would not give me satisfaction - but I would like him to be brought to book for his actions and hopefully it would deter him and others from doing it again. On the other hand if he was named and shamed it would put out a message to all others who are abusing customer's trust. This could have had a very different outcome if he had killed somebody.

 

[Donald 300TD]

on the basis of the old, but still true saying that 2 wrongs don't make a right, what is the basis for this - I've got them in a corner so here's a chance to make some money??

can fully understand the owner being unhappy - I would - but this smacks of naked opportunism

Naked Opportunism! Of course!!!

How many times has Mercedes conned and made money out of people in the past.Here is fantastic opportunity to get something back from them.Imagine the car had hit a child going at those speeds,does'nt bear thinking about.The speeds the car was going is beyond belief.

I say get the most you can out of them

 

[Miffy]

Whilst you have every right to be well and truely upset about this, you can not demand the offender be dismissed as that is against all of the employees rights to a fair and correct disciplinary hearing.

If it was me, I would settle for the cash offer on the table, and a free full service.

I love that alarm, I notice they do not advertise any prices, so it must cost a fortune lol

 

[Stulc]

Thats absolutely disgracefull and MB should know alot better than that, I fully aggree with mercmadjim....whoever it was should loose their job!. Also aggree with thumper, I too would like to see his/her face when they realise you have that fancy warning system.

But as a few have said too, its blantant oportunisn end of!, if it were me, I too would wait till to get it "ironed out" with them then report it.

How the mighty then fall...

 

[Poisson1]

It could have been worse. Here in Australia your car could be impounded for a month, then you have to pay $900 to get it back - even if the mechanic's driving.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/07/2787603.htm

 

[BRABUS R230]

Off With His Head!!!

Sorry Brabus, I would want somebody's job here, 110 in a 40 zone is criminal...what would have happened if he had hit someone??

No sorry...someone should lose their job for this!!

I had given this some thought about this but It would not have given me any satisfaction for him to lose his job especially so close to Christmas, I had not thought about the possibility of him knocking someone over and possibly killing them I was just angry that I put my car in a MB Dealer (Owned by MB by the way) and it was being taken for a joy ride.
The manager informed me that when he questioned the Mechanic he said that he was driving fast but not sure how fast he was going!!!
I was told by the manager that they are not disputing my evidence and want to reassure me this will never happen again. the service adviser said to me "why did you not tell us that you had such a system?" I angrily replied "I should not have to, as I did not expect my car to be taken out for a joyride and driven excessively over the legal speed limit while at a MB owned Dealership!" he then said no more.