problems with MB direct

[garyh]

I am looking for any advise that anyone can offer. I have opted out of the company car scheme & bought my 1st merc, a E320 Cdi Est, a month ago from MB direct. Its a Y, 73k miles, & I paid £15k so I thought this was a good deal.
However, when I scrutinised the service history a few days after collecting the car, I realised that it was a European import & the service history was not complete as promised (B services only at an independant from 33k miles). When I reported this to MB they offered a full refund, but I opted to hang on to the car until MB could find a suitable replacement.
3 weeks later I have today received a call from MB stating that they cannot find a replacement car & they want the car returned this friday under their 30 day return policy. This will leave me without a car, & as I am a salesman & do 20k miles per year this is a major headache.
My expectation is that MB should do everything they can to source a suitable replacement for me & it is totally unacceptable to demand that the car be returned.

I would like to know if anyone else has had problems like this with MB and what happened?

 

[blassberg]

I would think it reasonable to offer you some non-equivalent options eg a higher model or a lower model with a (reasonable under the circumstances) price adjustment.

 

[garyh]

My thoughts exactly. With all the resources MB have at their disposal I can't believe that they can't help - if they want to.

This is really disapointing, I've wanted a merc for ages & in truth I haven't been disapointed by the car itself. But the attitude of the dealership seems to reinforce all the negative reports I have read about arrogant dealerships.

I presume that MB are interested in their reputation?

 

[clive williams]

I agree, MB Uk are the most arrogant of all. Look at the way they have reorganised the dealerships since the removal of the block exemption. The more we publicise this negative the greater the chance we have of getting things changed.
Unfortunately for Gary I can't think of a solution or strategy to help other than get the press involved (little chance of success)
WE need a combined strategy to make MBUK sit up and recognise its customer base.

Clive

500E
320CDIT210

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

No dought you have considered keeping the car, this may be your best option especially if you can persuade MB Direct to grant you some perks like extra warranty or free servicing. As you like the car your only problem might be trading it on.

15K for this particular model and age is a very attractive price especially with the signature warranty. Talk to MB about what the car will be worth after two to three years ownership perhaps there may be a further discount in the offing.

Hope you get a good resolution to your problem,

 

[garyh]

Thanks. I made an official complaint to MB Direct complaints dept. I was told that all complaints are referred back to the original dealership to be resolved by them, & that dealerships can effectively do what they want. No wonder they are so complacent.
On a positive note MB have extended the deadline by 2 weeks & may be be prepared to offer a discount on my car, so thats something to work on.

 

[garyh]

Does anyone know what effect on price it would have on the car being an import and having only part independant SH (some B service stamps only)?

Any thoughts would be appreciated...

 

[DC_insider]

The quick answer to this is no, it is not unreasonable for MB Direct to demand that you return the car.


Now for the long answer:

They have offered you a refund in full if you wish to return the car. The condition they have attached to this is that you must return it in 30 days. The reason for this is that as you are using the car it is decreasing in value. If you return the car in 30 days and they give you your money back you have will used the car for a month for free.

To offer you this option for 30 days is fair.

To extend by another 2 weeks is generous.

To think that you can have the car for as long as it suits you and still have your money back in full is unreasonable behaviour on your part.


If you still feel that this is unfair then you could take MB Direct to court on the grounds that the car was not as described.

However, if the you did not ask about the car being an import and they did not describe it as official UK supplied car then you will have no grounds for a claim.

If the car was described as having a full MB service history then it will depend if the court agrees that this is a 'mistake' or 'misrepresentation'.

If it is a 'mistake' (i.e. genuine error) then each party would be entitled to be returned to the situation they were in before the deal was done. You would be entitled to your money back in full and the dealer would be entitled to the car back in the same condition - crucially this would mean that the car must have the same mileage as the day it was supplied. If the mileage has increased then the car will have decreased in value. The court will take this into account and reduce the amount that the dealer has to refund to you. In short, you will be worse off than if had returned the car when they asked you to.

If you can prove that the car was intentionally 'misrepresented' as having a full MB service history then you may be entitled to your money back in full. However, it may be difficult to prove the car was intentionally misrepresented unless you were provided with or shown forged documentation (and could prove that). In this case you may end up with what you want but you could also end up with a large legal bill.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

An Independant Merc specialist should be able to provide you with a current valuation at retail prices as the vehicle stands. Get a couple of these and that will give you the negotiating platform you require.

 

[garyh]

DC, I would expect MB to inform a buyer if a car is an import and that the onus shouldn't be on the buyer to find this out. I thought MB were of a higher standard than Arthur Daley Motors.

Anyway, when I raised the problem with MB I told them that I was looking to return the car because they had missold it and not under the 30 day return policy. I thought that this had been agreed, until yesterday morning, when MB invoked the 30 day return period.

I do accept that it is reasonable for MB to have the car back and I am not looking to take legal action, and I am not trying to turn this into a case for compensation. However, I do think it reasonable to expect MB to explore options with me and agree a deadline for the return of the car if that is to be the outcome. This didn't happen until I visited the dealer last night.

I am just very disapointed with the experiece so far and think that in these days of customer care that more could and should be done. Perhaps I am expecting too much?

 

[DC_insider]

DC, I would expect MB to inform a buyer if a car is an import and that the onus shouldn't be on the buyer to find this out. I thought MB were of a higher standard than Arthur Daley Motors.

Why would the dealer tell you if it was an import? I doubt very much that anyone part exchanging an imported car with a dealer or selling it privately would volunteer that information.

 

[television]

Hpi

When you spend that much on a car it is worth having it checked with HPI.
You will know if it has had major damage. import, stolen, mileage, and in this case it would told of any owners and mileage before it came to the UK, and much more, all for £39.
At the right price there is nothing wrong with an import if you have the info from HPI and the spec is OK. Mercedes knew that it was an import, its on their data base. As for the service book, Have an independent check if all is ok in a few years time it will not matter if it has service history or not, It will sell on it's condition.
Malcolm

 

[OlafMaxwell]

My humble advice would be return the car and dont replace with another Merc. The hassle of dealing with them is terrible, the warranty is appalling and the customer attitude the most arrogant you will ever see. As for compensation I would count myself lucky at getting out of it.

The W210 is not a good car and has a lot of inherent faults which cost and arm and a leg if you have to pay for them. This includes serious body rust issues which you can read about here. I still drive mine because I have the Mobilo intact and I have told them anytime I get a problem I will just keep calling it in for pick up service and the threat worked a treat. You would of course need to get it in writing from them that you still have the Mobilo warranty if you were keeping the car. So far I have had new doors and a host of other items under this, two breakdowns, one of them abroad.

 

[garyh]

MB have already confirmed that mobilo is invalid because the car was serviced by a non approved garage.

Can anyone explain what the benefit of mobilo would be. Presumably I could just take out RAC cover and a warranty from someone like Warranty Direct instead?

 

[garyh]

Television, thanks for the advice. I never thought to have the HPI check for this one because I thought I was safe buying from MB.

 

[television]

Television, thanks for the advice. I never thought to have the HPI check for this one because I thought I was safe buying from MB.

If you do not know what to do You can ring HPI and they do it over the phone with a print out in 3 days.

Malcolm

 

[The Editor]

Oh boy.... Yet ANOTHER example of the crap customer service we have to endure in this country !!

I'm soooooooooooo proud to be British (NOT) !!

Whatever happened to 'The Customer is always right' approach?

It's always 'Well prove this, prove that blah, blah and make sure you can prove blah blah are you sure it wasn't YOU the customer that cocked everything up and blah blah you might have ripped pages out the service history blah blah'.... God I so loath the customer service in this country.

I try and buy as much as I can from the States either in person or over the World Wide Interweb for this very reason. Yes I know that's a bit difficult with a vehicle but sooner or later this arogant apathetic dealer attitude has got to stop. The trouble is the Brits will just put up with things as they are and carry on throwing money at inferior products. Other countries wont - They will vote with their wallets and stop buying a brand/product if they deem it to be crap. Then the manufacturer HAS to take notice or go bust.

It's a British stiff upper lip thing left over from the war.... !!!

Cabbage Crates over the briney... chocks away................


The Ed (Having a rant )

 

[television]

Oh boy.... Yet ANOTHER example of the crap customer service we have to endure in this country !!

I'm soooooooooooo proud to be British (NOT) !!

Whatever happened to 'The Customer is always right' approach?

It's always 'Well prove this, prove that blah, blah and make sure you can prove blah blah are you sure it wasn't YOU the customer that cocked everything up and blah blah you might have ripped pages out the service history blah blah'.... God I so loath the customer service in this country.

I try and buy as much as I can from the States either in person or over the World Wide Interweb for this very reason. Yes I know that's a bit difficult with a vehicle but sooner or later this arogant apathetic dealer attitude has got to stop. The trouble is the Brits will just put up with things as they are and carry on throwing money at inferior products. Other countries wont - They will vote with their wallets and stop buying a brand/product if they deem it to be crap. Then the manufacturer HAS to take notice or go bust.

It's a British stiff upper lip thing left over from the war.... !!!

Cabbage Crates over the briney... chocks away................


The Ed (Having a rant )

Do you think it is funny living in the world of servce.In my 55 years I have repaired some 250.000 items. Imagine some guy coming in and saying " ever since you fitted that new gearbox I keep getting puncture's in the back tyre" or "you repaired this 3 years ago and it has never been right sinse so I have not used it,but I need it this afternoon" anything for nothing, when the customer is always right, these days I tell him to p### off and find someone else. Malcolm

 

[SLinKyjoe]

Do you think it is funny living in the world of servce.In my 55 years I have repaired some 250.000 items. Imagine some guy coming in and saying " ever since you fitted that new gearbox I keep getting puncture's in the back tyre" or "you repaired this 3 years ago and it has never been right sinse so I have not used it,but I need it this afternoon" anything for nothing, when the customer is always right, these days I tell him to p### off and find someone else. Malcolm

point proved i think!!

companies today who provide a service let themselves down by not providing good customer service and it is this which will lead to thier downfall. the companies that trade with good customer service will win.

have you ever thought that your approach to the customer may have been wrong and that it was your approach that caused the situation? or is this a case of the customer is always wrong?

 

[television]

In My field I have been more successful than most: My service has always been first class. I work from home and have not needed to advertise since 1968. Nothing or no one is perfect, sometimes new parts break or go wrong.People go away on a holiday, come back and claim for a new camara they lost, Ha ha ,some people are not nice to deal with, for the best part most are thankful and very nice.But at 70 I feel that I can choose what I do.
In a hand book from Japan around 1980 it said,
When the customer comes to you he is upset because his xxx has gone wrong,be nice to him, make him a cup of tea, humour him, do not make rash promises, ask him, how is Mrs xxx and the kids.
If I can find it I will post it to MB.

Malcolm