New Info On Mobilolife

[hawk20]

There are several threads running on MobiloLife at the moment. I've started a new thread to save members reading through pages of older stuff to find this information.

There is -or has been recently- an error on Mercedes website and in some of their literature saying that punctures and other "minor mishaps" (losing the key, running out of fuel etc) are only covered for two years by MobiloLife on cars sold since 2004. I have raised this with Mercedes at a high level and can now confirm the correct position.

MB Germany only give a two year guarantee in Europe. And two years MobiloLife cover for minor mishaps. This on cars purchased and registered in Europe (ex UK).

In the UK we have a 36 month guarantee, two years from the factory and one extra year paid for by MB UK.

Minor mishaps cover used to run for the full 30 years, provided all services were done at an MB dealer, BUT when changes were made to MobiloLife a few years back (2004?), for cars purchased and registered in the UK, MB Germany removed 'minor mishaps' cover except for the first two years. BUT MB UK added a third year (to match the guarantee period).

This third year is not clear from the website (but it will soon be made clear) and I sent our threads to Mercedes to show the confusion and have had this situation confirmed by a director of MB UK.

He says: -
"To address your concerns with regards to "minor mishaps" cover, which
includes attendance for punctures, the situation remains as per our
earlier conversation. The European offer from the
factory is for two years only, but for all vehicles purchased and
registered in the UK we add a further year to provide a total of three
years "minor mishap" cover.

I have looked at the website and will ensure that this is made clearer in
the future."

I also raised the confusion about whether if FullMBSH had lapsed could MobiloLife be reactivated by returning to getting services done at an MB dealer. Some have been told yes by dealers and others have been told no. He confirms that it can be reactivated even after a significant gap: -
"It is true that for vehicles registered after 1st January 2004, you can
re-enter the Mobilo programme at anytime by having your vehicle serviced at
an Authorised Mercedes-Benz repairer and whilst I understand concerns
at this statement we feel that the more we can do to encourage lapsed
customers back into our network the better for all concerned and we do not
wish the lack of Mobilo cover to be a barrier to that eventuality."


I hope members find this helpful.

 

[oldcro]

Thanks for that Hawk20, very usefull information.

 

[hawk20]

Thanks oldcro. But how sad we now have no cover for minor mishaps after 3 years.

 

[jberks]

Thanks Hawk - I didn't know that, very useful.
Complicated isn't it. Nice to have the extra confirmation about the resumption issue too.
So the only mishap they cover is an accident that immobilises the car presumably (which your insurer will sort anyway). Other than that it has to be mechanical failure of some sort. Fair enough for me I guess (I can swing a wheel brace with the best of them) but a tricky issue for the Mrs as if she gets a puncture in my car, she'd want to call someone out.

Also, what is calssed as a minor misshap - leaving the lights on and flattening the battery for example. Always tricky when there are exclusions but I guess the rule of thumb is that they'll come out is something in the car has failed.

 

[Topboy]

Hawk,

Really appreciate the clarification.

I did not know about the 'minor mishap' and am sure that when I purchased the car from MB in Nov 2004 was told that it covered me for everything (I'm sure the phrase 'including the kitchen sink' was used!)

I just wonder whether it would be useful to have say, RAC cover running alongside Mobilolife to cover all eventualities.

 

[100%Bitch]

If that's the case it would be cheaper for somebody like myself to have their car serviced by an independant and pay for RAC or AA cover.

 

[hawk20]

If that's the case it would be cheaper for somebody like myself to have their car serviced by an independant and pay for RAC or AA cover.

Precisely the point I have made to Mercedes and sadly got nowhere.

 

[hawk20]

The interesting issue remains as to whether older cars who were sold with minor mishap cover for 30 years subject to FMBSH, still get that cover. I don't want to give a firm view on this as I have asked for confirmation from Mercedes. BUT I think that around 2004 is when Europe poked its wretched nose in and said servicing with a main dealer cannot be a condition for any guarantees. So the rules for the guarantee and to some extent Mobilo had to be rewritten. Prior to that IIRC we all had 30 years breakdown and rust guarantee but you had to keep full MBSH. I assume -maybe wrongly- that on pre 2004 cars the old rules still apply.

 

[Bluegrass]

My W210 RHD was originally bought and used in Germany by a NATO staff member.Would this put my car in the 30 year cover for the minor problems?

Also you should check very carefully any rust rectification done under this Mobilolife plan.My car went in for rust problems on the driver door under the rubber seal in 2007.The rust is back because they only sprayed on top of it.I could have done a better job myself.

 

[Phil D]

The "minor mishap" issue is a problem. A year ago, when my car was one year and 364 days old I had a fairly spectacular blow out on a front tyre on the M6.
I phoned mobilo & in fairness they handled everything perfectly well, getting me back on the road in about an hour, but the person on the end of the phone said that I was very lucky as a day or two later I wouldn't have been covered.

When he arrived the breakdown guy struggled to get the wheel off and my other half would have had no chance whatsoever - making a bit of a nonsense of the story the salesman gave me when I bought the car - "here's the spare but don't bother about it because if you have a problem just phone & someone will come & sort it for you"

 

[hawk20]

Also you should check very carefully any rust rectification done under this Mobilolife plan.My car went in for rust problems on the driver door under the rubber seal in 2007.The rust is back because they only sprayed on top of it.I could have done a better job myself.

I think you should take it back because if an approved bodyshop has done substandard work they will have to answer to Mercedes. Other bodyshops in other threads have done good work.

 

[Rory]

The "minor mishap" issue is a problem. A year ago, when my car was one year and 364 days old I had a fairly spectacular blow out on a front tyre on the M6.
I phoned mobilo & in fairness they handled everything perfectly well, getting me back on the road in about an hour, but the person on the end of the phone said that I was very lucky as a day or two later I wouldn't have been covered.

Hmmm...While no doubt MB told Hawk20 that it's 3yrs in the UK, I did rather assume that getting benefit in reality would be somewhat more difficult.

I guess though, that even once is out of cover, as long as you've got Mobilolife to call on you can always just pay. How often have people needed to call anyone to change (or replace, if blown out) a tyre on the road in practice?

 

[hawk20]

Hmmm...While no doubt MB told Hawk20 that it's 3yrs in the UK, I did rather assume that getting benefit in reality would be somewhat more difficult.

I guess though, that even once is out of cover, as long as you've got Mobilolife to call on you can always just pay. How often have people needed to call anyone to change (or replace, if blown out) a tyre on the road in practice?

I have asked the powers that be to remind the staff who answer Mobilo calls that UK cover is three years. I had an occasion where they told me it was only two years and I had to get them to go higher before they agreed the UK figure was three years.

As for punctures, I have had one on the move several times and MobiloLife have come to the rescue. My brother in his A160cdi had an amazing situation of two punctures (one in each rear tyre) when visiting me last year and by morning (he stayed the night) we noticed both rear tyres were flat. MobiloLife came and fixed both. Good service.

 

[hawk20]

New thread to pull together both the original 'new info' and the answers to members queries which I have now received: -
http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?p=232038#post232038