Poor dealer service?

[kheath74]

I have just had my S320 2002 in for a pre MOT service, my MD had arranged the service with a Stratstone dealership and said the company would cover the cost so I naturally jumped at the chance.

Car went in with a couple of faults, Air Con Off light on permanent, judder at 80mph down length of car, but generally I wanted it to pass the MOT.

Well they had it for three days and returned it with this good news, they replaced all the disks and brakes! All for £1300!

They have claimed I have Brabus brake callipers on the car, I do have a Brabus body kit, and so normal brake disks wont fit the callipers and they had to buy "special" disks and pads for the car. Now I dont know if this is true or not, the car has 19" AMG alloys and does have a Brabus body kit but I dont know the history before that. Can you have Special brake callipers that can only take the drilled disks?

To add to this the dealer didnt fix my aircon, they missed the light and said, "we drove it and cold air came in" I asked was it a cold day and they said yes, well perhaps it was just air blowing in from outside?

The have damaged the Parktronic too, the rear sensor that sits in the bumper has fallen inside to the rear sensor is always on maximum now and when I have driven the car the sensors sometimes beep and then show two bars of red on each monitor then the Parktronic switch displays red as it switches off.

I am pretty hacked off about the Parktronic and have been on to my MD to get this resolved with his contact at Stratstone. I would like some advice on the brake disk issue and I am suspicious now I have been taken for a ride on this.

 

[Hertfordshire Merx]

I have just had my S320 2002 in for a pre MOT service, my MD had arranged the service with a Stratstone dealership and said the company would cover the cost so I naturally jumped at the chance.

Car went in with a couple of faults, Air Con Off light on permanent, judder at 80mph down length of car, but generally I wanted it to pass the MOT.

Well they had it for three days and returned it with this good news, they replaced all the disks and brakes! All for £1300!

They have claimed I have Brabus brake callipers on the car, I do have a Brabus body kit, and so normal brake disks wont fit the callipers and they had to buy "special" disks and pads for the car. Now I dont know if this is true or not, the car has 19" AMG alloys and does have a Brabus body kit but I dont know the history before that. Can you have Special brake callipers that can only take the drilled disks?

To add to this the dealer didnt fix my aircon, they missed the light and said, "we drove it and cold air came in" I asked was it a cold day and they said yes, well perhaps it was just air blowing in from outside?

The have damaged the Parktronic too, the rear sensor that sits in the bumper has fallen inside to the rear sensor is always on maximum now and when I have driven the car the sensors sometimes beep and then show two bars of red on each monitor then the Parktronic switch displays red as it switches off.

I am pretty hacked off about the Parktronic and have been on to my MD to get this resolved with his contact at Stratstone. I would like some advice on the brake disk issue and I am suspicious now I have been taken for a ride on this.

Well that was nice of them! Did they contact you or your MD for authorisation to carry out any of the work? I cant comment on the brakes without seeing the car personally, but they should ask for authority prior to fitting anything irrespective of cost. The damage to your Parktronic sensor needs to be addressed if it was damaged at the dealership, so it can be worked out somehow through discussion.

Best of luck.

 

[kheath74]

Well as my MD had agreed the work I signed off the paperwork when I dropped the car off and I remember the paper work saying I authorised work to be carried out, of course I didnt know it was going to be £1000, I had it in for faulty aircon, vibration and an MOT. Is it standard practice at a main dealer to sign paperwork agreeing parts before work, when I used my indie dealer he always calls me to explain the work and costs before I agree to anything?

 

[television]

Oh dear and another thread like poor Lulu01 a rip off again

 

[Cole@MBS]

This is becoming a patten now Malc, every week theres a dig at a dealer!!

 

[television]

This is becoming a patten now Malc, every week theres a dig at a dealer!!

A dig at the dealer,, lulu's bill was £1300 as well,,maybe its the new going rate

 

[Chas]

A dig at the dealer,, lulu's bill was £1300 as well,,maybe its the new going rate

My daughters 10 year old Clio 1.4 cost £1,200 to fix an ECU problem.

The car is only worth £1,100 !!!!

10 hours pugged into some rip off Renault sharks diagnostic equipment.

I tell you, its a licence to print money

 

[Xtractorfan]

Cant see any reason for fitting brabus discs, to a bog standard car, unless the standard discs looked small with the 19'' rims.. you need to check your car against another standard model or do a previous owner check to be sure.

 

[robertjrt]

Well, here we go again!

Authorised or un-authorised work, is it me, or has there not been another
£1300 repair recently? Is this the new way to earn very good money for what is a simple job while the car is on a ramp?

Was there any indication the brakes were worn? A warning light on, perhaps?

I always changed the disks/pads myself, I enjoyed doing it, especially after I had a good quality trolley jack It also gave me the chance to examine the suspension and a thorough check of the tyres for an damage/half buried nails etc.

It would seem that it is back to writing on the "authorisation for work" paperwork "no work except as stated without my consent".

Do not be surprised to be told the Parktronic was "fine" when the car left the garage.

Good luck, you will be following a well worn path

 

[kheath74]

I imagine they will try the Parktronic was fine argument too, luckily the chap my MD chose for the work is the Service Manager so he can put a little pressure on him I hope.

I didnt think I would need Brabus Disks for a S320, is there such a thing as calipers that will only fit certain disks as opposed to standard disks? For a S320 are there many manufacturers disks to choose from?

If I can prove this chap has taken the mick out of my MD, he will not pay him, we have this on account so no money has passed hands yet.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

There was a time when a fully stamped service book mean't better residuals for any MB and this probably still does apply to the high end models today. Now MB has recreated itself as a mass producer I'm not sure that past a Mercs third bithday this rule particularly applies.

Most new cars change hands in the first three years and the second owner when the warranty period expires finds themselves drawn towards dealer servicing which is understandable. However in these days of slim margins on new cars the dealers are turning to servicing to try and balance the books.

My advice to anyone owning a post three year old MB would be to find a good independant who you can talk to, there appears to be a good choice of independants nationally and most come highly recommended. I'm sure there are good dealers out there but at £100+ ph and practices like the ones mentioned be prepared for a wealth check.

 

[Daz Of Naz]

I agree with Malcolm210.

I intend to keep my current car until the oil companys run out of product, so why do I care that my service history won't only be from MB garages? I'll be using independent garages every opportunity I get.

Most of the local garages that I've been recommended are owned/run by ex-MB techs any way. The Service manager at my local dealer has recently quit and set up in the same town privately, and only charging £50-60 per hour + VAT.

What are ya gonna do? Is that MB stamp that important?

I think not...

 

[Seeker_UK]

What are ya gonna do? Is that MB stamp that important?

I think not...

Unfortunately, if, like me you intend to swap the car after the PCP expires, they're very important. Although there are EU rules about not having to use franchised dealers for servicing etc, arguing over that with MB when they want compensation for not sticking to the PCP rules is probably an exercise in futility.

 

[jberks]

It should be easy to tell whether it bas Brabus calipers - they should say brabus on them. If it does then they're probably right and you do need brabus disks and pads. Sure it doesn't need them but if someone has had them fitted - presumably for asthetic reasons, that's what you've got and if it needed disks and pads then, yes its going to cost a fortune.
My car has uprated wheels. It doesn't need them, it would handle perfectly well on the standard 16" ones, but they look good. As a result, each tyre costs substantially more, but I can't blame anyone for that.
Your boss knows the service manager and presumably he just says 'do it' so they used the same approach on yours.
Its not necessarily a rip off.

I'm sure a word in the right ear will sort the parktronic - it's not a big job.
All that said, incompetence, like the ignoring defective aricon is all to common. I suspect we've all been to collect a car, had the worksheet read out (to justify the bill) only to have to say, great, but what about the problem I reported with the ..........?

 

[gre1591]

After about four years old it doesn’t mater that you have used an independent as long as you have invoices to prove servicing was carried out at the relevant mileages and an invoice listing the items replaced by a bona fide business with a good reputation..

The depreciation on all modern cars is so steep that after eight to ten years or so they are worth very little and something like a Mercedes that may need a load of work on it can be a liability if you let a main dealer loose on it as can bee seen by the OP.

 

[turbopete]

i do all the work on mine and dads cars, where i have the facilities and equipment to do so! we know its right too unlike some of the tales we here/have experienced with dealers!

 

[*Thumper]

Unfortunately, if, like me you intend to swap the car after the PCP expires, they're very important. Although there are EU rules about not having to use franchised dealers for servicing etc, arguing over that with MB when they want compensation for not sticking to the PCP rules is probably an exercise in futility.

I can't see the issue .... the finance house will send the car to auction, without even looking at it.

Mines on a PCP, and I'm going indie ! ....... why, cos I'm gonna do a million miles in 3 years, and I want it looked after well ............... and an MB history will be worth bugger all, on a car worth 8K after 3 years !

 

[Mercfunder]

Unfortunately, if, like me you intend to swap the car after the PCP expires, they're very important. Although there are EU rules about not having to use franchised dealers for servicing etc, arguing over that with MB when they want compensation for not sticking to the PCP rules is probably an exercise in futility.

Surely with a PCP the garunteed future value has been written into the agreement when you signed up. If the Ts & Cs say it has to be serviced at a main dealer than fair enough, if not why pay out, you are only renting the car so the reiduals will mean nothing to you.
Remember a PCP is just a hire agreement, unless you pay the ballon it will never be your car.

I paid my own cash for mine and therfore have it serviced at a good indie.
I am the second owner and will keep the car for some time, before probably seeling it privately.
Alright I may not have a new reg every 3 years, but it is bought and paid for!

 

[hawk20]

It should be easy to tell whether it bas Brabus calipers - they should say brabus on them. If it does then they're probably right and you do need brabus disks and pads. Sure it doesn't need them but if someone has had them fitted - presumably for asthetic reasons, that's what you've got and if it needed disks and pads then, yes its going to cost a fortune.
My car has uprated wheels. It doesn't need them, it would handle perfectly well on the standard 16" ones, but they look good. As a result, each tyre costs substantially more, but I can't blame anyone for that.
Your boss knows the service manager and presumably he just says 'do it' so they used the same approach on yours.
Its not necessarily a rip off.

I'm sure a word in the right ear will sort the parktronic - it's not a big job.
All that said, incompetence, like the ignoring defective aricon is all to common. I suspect we've all been to collect a car, had the worksheet read out (to justify the bill) only to have to say, great, but what about the problem I reported with the ..........?

How wonderful to read such sense and someone who doesn't immediately assume a conspiracy.

 

[teddycatkin]

I took our Astra into the garage for pre MOT yesterday--I did the usual checks myself with the mechanic so knew it was done properley and I was not being conned !
--Jobs Required -Top up screenwash blow through jets with airline -new brake light bulb offside--Grease rear brake pipes and unions by wheel cylinders.
Total cost £1.30 (for bulb) It came as a pleasant surprise ---just the opposite of what your usual MB owners seem to be getting ?