Main Dealer Speeding in my Car!!!

[carnut13]

My car went into my MB dealer recently for some minor item. I didnt let the car out of my sight of course. Not even when they offered to put some petrol in it as recompence for the inconvenience of having to bring it in

I drove the Dealer man to the garage for the petrol and told him about this thread
he said that
1 only qualified mechanics over 25 could drive certain cars
2 If it had happened at his dealership the guilty party would have certainly lost his job

He was genuinely appauled at the story. I believed him

 

[st4]

I agree, but we give them permission to use it too, either to fault find, or road test after.

They give us a loaner and yes the T&Cs are there but if I fancy 'seeing what it'll do mister' on the A3, and I don't get caught, no damage to the car etc then the dealership is none the wiser. I see mechanics thinking the same, particularly on the tastier motors.

ETA - Clause 3 on the MB T&C rules against speed testing etc and unreasonable use etc. It's all there in black and white but it doesn't stop us does it? (If we are honest)

Nothing ever handles like a hire car.

That wonderful feeling of the revs nearly boucing off the limiter, the screech of the tyres as you hunt down a Golf GTi in a 1.1 Panda (and win!!!), the snappy gearshift which takes much less time to change gear than in your own car.

Happy days.

I do the same when I test drive a car, MB Edinburgh lent me a C320cdi, was like driving an F1 car, slide on the roundabout, 120 in not time at all.

So you are right, what is the difference.

I think it comes down to expectations, where we expect the dealer to take care of our possession, as WE pay THEM to do so. When you are given a hire/courtesy car (in your case because your car is in trouble) its because THEY'VE messed up and YOU are paying THEM for the use of that car.

Ergo, you see you are more entitled to rag that car because your money has bought you that entitlement (ignoring clause three). But if you pay someone to look after your goods, they really ought to, and in the OPs case, they did not.

 

[Jon Stead]

And don't forget the go faster chip that are mandatory in all cars that are loaned or hired to you!

 

[190E 2.6]

Totally scandalous.

£500 and alot more. A personal face to apology from the driver, the dealership principal.

Free servicing for as long as you have the vehicle. You cannot let them off the hook so lightly.

 

[drmw]

 

[whitenemesis]

Nothing ever handles like a hire car.

That wonderful feeling of the revs nearly boucing off the limiter, the screech of the tyres as you hunt down a Golf GTi in a 1.1 Panda (and win!!!), the snappy gearshift which takes much less time to change gear than in your own car.

Happy days.

I do the same when I test drive a car, MB Edinburgh lent me a C320cdi, was like driving an F1 car, slide on the roundabout, 120 in not time at all.

So you are right, what is the difference.

I think it comes down to expectations, where we expect the dealer to take care of our possession, as WE pay THEM to do so. When you are given a hire/courtesy car (in your case because your car is in trouble) its because THEY'VE messed up and YOU are paying THEM for the use of that car.

Ergo, you see you are more entitled to rag that car because your money has bought you that entitlement (ignoring clause three). But if you pay someone to look after your goods, they really ought to, and in the OPs case, they did not.

Steven, Steven!! You still get points even when on a test drive

 

[whitenemesis]

Will the OP get back to us with the outcome to this?

Or has he let it go.........

 

[st4]

Brilliant pic David-using now as my facebook profile pic

Steven, Steven!! You still get points even when on a test drive

I know, and I was about to undertake entering a motorway on this rapid beast when I saw a marked car, so I put on the anchors and merged normally. Good brakes too....

I, for 2010, Peter endevour to drive more slowly and carefully. After the unmarked car incident and the near miss due to the oncoming car I will now speed less and save more (with yorkshire and scottish blood in me saving £ is an appealing prospect)

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I, for 2010, Peter endevour to drive more slowly and carefully. After the unmarked car incident and the near miss due to the oncoming car I will now speed less and save more (with yorkshire and scottish blood in me saving £ is an appealing prospect)

Good man. Paradoxically Steve, slowing down does not generally mean that it will take you any longer to get there, but it does mean that you will be less conspicuous! Well done.

 

[whitenemesis]

Good man. Paradoxically Steve, slowing down does not generally mean that it will take you any longer to get there, but it does mean that you will be less conspicuous! Well done.

So true Alex. I do, on occasion, "push on a bit" in my 100 mile cross country commute and in general it doesn't shave any significant time at all. It's more fun but then it just great to waft along too!

 

[dizzy lizzy]

I really would like to know the outcome of this case-does the op not frequent the forum much - will he be back to let us know - have i got to put an ad in the paper-the suspense is killing me.............i await with anticipation ..........:roll::roll:

 

[turbopete]

Nothing ever handles like a hire car.

That wonderful feeling of the revs nearly boucing off the limiter, the screech of the tyres as you hunt down a Golf GTi in a 1.1 Panda (and win!!!), the snappy gearshift which takes much less time to change gear than in your own car.

damn, are you only meant to do that in hire cars? the puma seems to do all that nicely........:twisted::twisted::twisted:

 

[mbenz76]

Brilliant pic David-using now as my facebook profile pic



I know, and I was about to undertake entering a motorway on this rapid beast when I saw a marked car, so I put on the anchors and merged normally. Good brakes too....

I, for 2010, Peter endevour to drive more slowly and carefully. After the unmarked car incident and the near miss due to the oncoming car I will now speed less and save more (with yorkshire and scottish blood in me saving £ is an appealing prospect)

I used to be quite heavy footed but what finally slowed me down was rounding a bend at speed to be confronted with a speed camera van.

Not normally a major problem, but I already had 9 points!

I carried on for a while before turning back and asking the policeman manning the camera if he had got me or not - I had to know!

Luckily he hadn't as he had it set quite high and I wasn't going as fast as I was a few seconds before because of the bend.

He gave me a bollocking for speeding and off I went - a changed man - you just don't know where they are going to be hiding these days. It's not worth it.

 

[BRABUS R230]

No Final Outcome as yet

I really would like to know the outcome of this case-does the op not frequent the forum much - will he be back to let us know - have i got to put an ad in the paper-the suspense is killing me.............i await with anticipation ..........:roll::roll:

Sorry but I have again been so busy and have only now had time to update, at the moment there has been no agreement.
When I last spoke to the manager, he said that on my next visit ask for him and he would sort out my request for the £500 service voucher, I have not been back since but decided to inform you all of my experience, one of the forum members suggested that the money should be given to the Haiti Earthquake appeal and I thought that was a great suggestion, being self employed and very busy I have had very little time on my hands to deal with this but I do intend to see this through, I am not trying to gain financially from the dealer, the other reason for posting this was to find out what others would do had they been in my situation, I have read all of the threads and it has been a very interesting read, what could be done to please me? well perhaps nothing could, perhaps just a letter of apology, hush money, engineer losing his job or maybe all of the above, lets be honest here and state the obvious, i am sure no harm was done to the car, the car was made for autobahn speeds and that was before it was customised by BRABUS, so no harm done. I was never aiming to gain sympathy for what happened to me as i admit like many of you I to have broken the speed limit so I don't want to be a hypocrite but after some thought I said to my self it would be a chance for me to put this main dealer over a barrel and spank them!

 

[The German Flower Pot]

2 things from my point of view

if i had your car id be on the A1/M from peterborough to huntingdon trying to reach 200mph

secondly id write to MB and tell them all about it and milk them for every penny

harsh but thats what id do (for both things)

 

[MSG2004]

OP, your machine is awesome. I lightly considered bying a new shape SL with the smallest engine, but not practical and possibly too costly for me to use daily.

In 2008 when i got my second merc a W203 2007 Avtg auto se 180, i had considered the 320cdi - but felt I'd end up getting banned. I usually only go slightly over the speed limit on motorways subject to favourable road conditions but never speed down side streets or built up areas.


Anyway, great car - I may get an SL in a few years if i'm lucky

 

[M80]

.............and they all lived happily ever after.

 

[parthiban]

A lot of valid points in this thread for both sides of the argument, but for me the big ones are firstly the huge lack of respect for someone to take your car and commit a serious crime with it (that sort of driving would get you a jail sentence wouldn't it) and secondly if this was actually in central london at 110mph it's unbelievable someone wasn't killed with all the cyclists and pedestrians who can jump out at any second.

I can understand anyone just giving the car a quick blast to see what it's like, but 110mph in central london in the middle of the day has seriously crossed a line.

Thing is after a few months pass and the guy forgets about it, what's to stop him doing it again in someone else's car? It's not the car that's the big concern here, but what if next time he isn't so lucky and someone does step out in front of him?

 

[ama singh]

my first response is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a system - i only hope big brother does not make this type of system mandatory through legislation!!

Best thread i have read and certainly the best story i have heard regarding to what goes on after you hand over ya keys!!

On a very serious note, it's very concerning that a responsible organisation who is trusted with our most precious METAL can be so blatantly reckless.

Thank you Brabus for making me smile

 

[kieron1]

I wonder how many of that garages customers are reading this article... not to mention their future clients.....
I would like to see you video of the meeting with the garage big cheese and naturally have it then uploaded
No doubt there is a vacancy at that garage now ... and a local mercedes Independant will be picking up a Merc trained technician( as they call them now adays ) .... to be honest I feel sorry for both parties but I would go all out for what I could get with no strings attached, as sadly I have been ripped off by many garages with poor service and high prices
I am sure this thread will become very popular in and outside of this forum
Cheers