Please help. Merc A160 gearbox RIP! Merc = c@#ts

[MarkGolf]

Hi,

Im trying to help my mum out..

She has a Merc A160 Avantguard TIPTRONIC

Its an X reg and has covered 32,00o miles...

Has a full service history blah blah

The gearbox is totally dead, will only select reverse. The car has only done 32k for gods sake! Must be made of chocolate or somehting..

Anyway, Mercedes seem to want nothing to do with it but I think this takes the ****, the car has done very few miles and should not go like it has! Gearbox garages are asking a minimum of £1.5k to get it going again which is alot of cash to spend on such a ****e car.

Apart from the obvious 'burn it', 'get it lifted' blah blah, do you think there is anything that can be done, anything that can be used against Mercedes?

We have been told that this is a common fault, so why was there not a recall?!

Please help my mum out!!

MANY THANKS!!

 

[jberks]

Yes, gearboxes do seem to be a weak spot on the A class. Plus unfortunatley X was during the legendary MB cost cutting era. Also, whilst that's precisely what it was supposed to have been built for, 32k of town driving means that the gearbox will have more wear than a 100k one, not that this is an excuse.
I can't see you getting anywhere with MB and I suppose to recon an A class Auto box will be pricey. The only other thing I can suggest is a breaker. Have you tried Mercman etc?
Also, try the back of the auto trader - usually something listed there.

 

[hawk20]

Let's take it piece by piece. First is it a one owner car? If not, what proof is there that the mileage is genuine? Or that it has always been looked after properly? They will need that.
Second: you say FSH but is it full MBSH? If not to expect them to correct a fault on a 5/6/ ?? year old car, way out of warranty, serviced by others to standards they know not what, is asking a bit much.

But if it is a one owner car, or was bought from a Mercedes dealer with known history, and if it has been regularly service by a Mercedes dealer (or maybe even a reputable known independent Merc specialist) then I think you have some chance. Contact Mercedes Customer Service: -
CustomerService.UK@cac.DaimlerChrysler.com Write them a polite letter trying to get them on your side. That's important. Try to answer the points I've made in as much detail as you can for them. Then ask for help on a 'goodwill' basis.
Other than that, if your mother is a good customer of the local Merc dealer (e.g. bought the car there, has it serviced there regularly etc) see if she can get them to take up her case. They often do. (I've just been reading a guy with a 97 E class had lot of work done by Mercedes all under goodwill. It can happen).
If they can't help, bear in mind that they cannot know how the car has been treated, or how it has been used, and that the guarantee ran out some long while ago. And as Jberks says stop/start motoring in a city, and short runs, harm a car far quicker than big miles wafting along a motorway in top gear. Eighty per cent of engine wear occurs in the first ten minutes after starting.

Getting a box from a crash car is one way of solving the problem, but also there are many auto-box specialists in London who will recondition yours for sensible money. Others will know the best mags to find these in, but Exchange and Mart was one source I remember, when I lived up there. Good luck. Remember with Customer Service (hard though it may be) calm and reasonable works. Anger and abuse comes a very poor second, however justified.

 

[Blobcat]

Hi & Welcome,

As per above I would search out an auto gearbox specialist, Honest John from the Telegraph is always recommending one in London. Pls do a search on the Honest John website.
Low mileage unfortunately can cause more damage due to the reasons quoted above than high mileage