New member looking for advice - about to give up on MB for good

[tribologist]

Register of Indies

I note that lots of you are really upset with main dealers, and to be honest my experiences have not been good (my main dealer changed all 6 injectors and a maf on a 320CDi as a cure for an engine knock, tuned out to be 2 main bearing caps off!!), so I was wondering if the forum has a UK list of Indies, perhaps we should have a register like the 'Good garage guide'??

Tribologist

 

[Gurmot]

I note that lots of you are really upset with main dealers, and to be honest my experiences have not been good (my main dealer changed all 6 injectors and a maf on a 320CDi as a cure for an engine knock, tuned out to be 2 main bearing caps off!!), so I was wondering if the forum has a UK list of Indies, perhaps we should have a register like the 'Good garage guide'??

Tribologist

A good idea. I'm don't know of any (good or not) in Somerset.

 

[television]

Which part of Somerset are you

 

[jamesmc]

I would suspect that some of the items listed may not have needed replacing (just way too many to all fail one after the other like that) but who is to know the real truth except the dealers that appear to have mistreated you so badly.

Given that so many items have been replaced I'd keep the car and use an Indie from this point on.

 

[Gurmot]

Which part of Somerset are you

Hi Malcolm. I've pm'd you.

 

[television]

You have Cornerstone in illminster going east

The best one is MBS in Exeter

 

[mercmadjim]

so I was wondering if the forum has a UK list of Indies, perhaps we should have a register like the 'Good garage guide'??

Tribologist

I am not sure that would work, I know a lot of people swear by local indy, and yet I will never go there again, and yet my main dealer is very helpful, I think it's maybe a case of one man's meat is another man's poison.

 

[television]

I am not sure that would work, I know a lot of people swear by local indy, and yet I will never go there again, and yet my main dealer is very helpful, I think it's maybe a case of one man's meat is another man's poison.

Yes agreed, a very controversial subject

 

[Dave's E55 AMG]

Hi Gurmot,

I think if you have a look for other posts of mine (I think I became a tad infamous when I had my C240 W203, 2003) you'll see that I came close to £5000.00 in just one year, Including servicing.

The car was lovely to drive and looked great (apart from the rust, but that's a whole different story) but was one of the most unreliable and cheapest feeling cars I've ever owned. And the Merc dealer I used (Tony Purlsow in Guildford) were patchy at best.

If you still have the car and it's not too old I can whole heartedly recommend MB Service Plus. It's not cheap but will make those nasty expenses easier to plan for.

Or do what I did, sell the car for a massive loss and buy a BMW.

btw, Macolm, stumpy, blobcat, lyn, Hanz, et al, the other site went bang so I'll hang around here for a bit. Sorry Hawk, I'm back........(I'll try to be good though, now I have rid myself of my three pointed albatross)

Hi Neil, welcome back it's nice to hear from you again - sorry to hear about the other site.

 

[ALFIEBEARD]

The same outfit tried to pass off a serious battery drain fault to a guy this week on a 2 year old SL where he had to use the key after 2 days as the battery was so flat, I put the man striaght and they took the car back to do as I suggested.

Why Why Why do they do this.

Because they can Malcolm because they can.
Alfie B

 

[ALFIEBEARD]

That goes some way to explaining the apparent cultural problems in the SW. However, it doesn't explain the way I was treated by Mobilo when I tried to get their help.

As a wise man once said "a fish rots from the head".:neutral:

I agree with what you say regarding Mobilo I was told they had no record of my car ever being serviced so would not recover my car for a dangerous SBC fault, I showed the service manager my docs and he said ooh mobilo often get it wrong, OH YEH THE RIGHT WAY ROUND THOUGH, B*$tard$.

Alfie B

 

[ALFIEBEARD]

Dry your eyes,
Just joking, if your leaving Mercedes then get a Honda. pound for pound they are the best car you can buy and just dont go wrong.

I agree but maybe not the Diesels as they tend to be using large quantities of oil at low mileages, I bought Mazda 6 Diesel 1st one 80k no faults at all, 2nd one 2008 latest shape 12,500mls dpf problems etc etc. bought the wife a Toyota Carina Diesel 150k untouched apart from services, then replaced it with a Toyota Avensis D4D 125k 1 fault EGR Valve needed cleaned, brilliant car, my wife laughs at My E211.

Alfie B

 

[ALFIEBEARD]

I note that lots of you are really upset with main dealers, and to be honest my experiences have not been good (my main dealer changed all 6 injectors and a maf on a 320CDi as a cure for an engine knock, tuned out to be 2 main bearing caps off!!), so I was wondering if the forum has a UK list of Indies, perhaps we should have a register like the 'Good garage guide'??

Tribologist

Absolutely brilliant my thoughts entirely, and I bet they said they had checked the oil pressure and it was fine eh, its not the cars its the tossers who work on them in the main dealers, lovely white coats and a tin of tyre black.
Regards
Alfie B

 

[paul c]

Also in WSM

Like you i used WSM and had lots of quite large bills in the 5yrs i had the car a very big year last year nearly two grand the last straw was when it started to rust round the wheel arches and they told me it was one month over the eight year warrenty and would do nothing i now own a BMW which i am very happy with so far so good.

 

[Gurmot]

Like you i used WSM and had lots of quite large bills in the 5yrs i had the car a very big year last year nearly two grand the last straw was when it started to rust round the wheel arches and they told me it was one month over the eight year warrenty and would do nothing i now own a BMW which i am very happy with so far so good.

I think this is a common problem. Mine went in for bodywork partly under warranty (I had to contribute towards their "goodwill" payment even though it has a anti corrsion warranty). The manager of the MB approved body shop told me he'd seen lots of cars around the age of mine with the same problems. He said there was a cost-cutting exercise around 2002 where they reduced the anti-corrosion treatment and the subsequent corrosion problems have cost them big-bucks in warranty claims. I have a feeling that this "contribution" is held on record and they've now decided that my car (and me) has cost them too much and they've withdrawn any form of customer service or further goodwill.

I think I may print some large signs showing the cost of ownership, stick them in the windows and park the car just outside the main dealer.

 

[Phil D]

I've held off posting on this issue as I'm aware that a "bitter & twisted " accusation could easily be levelled against me but .. the facts speak for themselves
loved Mercedes since walking past a showroom on my way to school every day (very) many years ago.
Thought I'd died & gone to heaven when I finally got one - W202 - as a company car in 1998 - wonderful car - best I've ever had
Bought my own (facelift) W203 - 9 months old - 10,000 miles -in 2005 with great expectations, only to experience the least reliable car I have had in 20 years. Countless trips to the (very helpful) dealers for a variety of faults, ranging from the niggly, to the "thank god the warrranty is paying for this" variety.
My maintenance budget was £80 a month which was more than used over my 3 + years of ownership - this would easily have been more than doubled without the warranty
as far as the earlier comment about a "mythical Friday afternoon car" is concerned - I can only surmise that they have a lot of Fridays in South Africa - never again !

 

[chalcedony-blue]

keep going

Hi I 2 am very dissappointed in MB, I have clk cabriolet and after 3 half years trouble free driving, i have recently had the oil in breather system and wiring harness problem which turns out to be common on my particular car, so much so MB made modified part for it! Anyway i felt it should have been a recall, I have written to MB head office and been fobbed off!!

I love my car, I will never go to a MB stealership, but I would never be without her, my advice to you is do what ever repairs you possibly can yourself, buy good quallity parts and use the guys on this site for help and advice, everyone is so helpful. Myself and my DAD totally repaired my car ourselves, Im female and dont mind admitting, not very knowledgable around cars, but with the help of all the guys on this site my car is a dream again, the only expense was the parts needed, oh and buying my dad a full english breky (well deserved)
Julie

 

[paul c]

my car was also a w203 v6 model it was produced in Germany where some are but it still didnt stop my problems and it going rusty and i only kept faith with dealer for the so called rust warrenty

 

[br0ke]

I left BMW after 10 years and came to MB - purely due to the attitude and arrogance of the BMW stealers.

I really hope the Merc never has to see the inside of the dealers just so that I don't have dubious the pleasure of dealing with them.
As far as I can tell, the german dealers are tarred with the same arrogant brush.

An AUDI receptionist told me to move my Astra van around the back as it shouldn't be parked out front with the customers cars. I was only meant to be on site for 10 minutes to check some phones but they kept me waiting 40 as they were having their afternoon tea. Total lack of respect and I would NEVER consider an AUDI.

BMW wanted £1100+vat for a new wiper rack assembly when a £5 part had worn out. I drove home in the rain (not very safe), googled the fault bought the part and it lasted 8 years. Had a right old set to in the middle of the showroom and never went back again. Brilliant car pity about who you have to buy them off

Toyota - wifes Yaris for 8 years, 1 recall and 25 litres of complimentary fuel.
changed for a new 2.2d Verso 1st service £150. The complimentary coffee and cream buns from BMW cost more.

I wonder how the dealers in Germany treat their customers....

 

[Micman]

The last straw has been applied and my back is broken. I've decided to sell the car and buy something Japanese.

Now if you are still with me, perhaps you could offer some insight.

Is this normal? Is it me?

Thanks for your time, I hope you have more luck than I have with MB.

Simon

Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear your troubles but I can't help feeling the main reason you racked up such huge costs was the fact you used a main dealer for all the repair work!!

The car was already 4 years old when you got it and yet you continued to use the main dealer for servicing and associated repair work as and when needed.

I notice one thing in particular, you say £300 for wheel alignment. Hate to tell you this but I had a four wheel alignment on my car carried out for £30.00 at a local independent garage.

Whatever car you change too, be it Japanese or otherwise - Don't use the main dealer for repairs then wonder why your wallet is being bled dry.
Main dealers equal big bills - FACT.