MERCEDES BENZ TIER 1 EXTENDED WARRANTY
Discussion
I've just been quoted £789 for another year's Tier 1 warranty. When the Tippex Tracy on the other end of the phone read out the list of 'Normal service replacement items and other components subject to routine maintenance or periodic repair or replacement that are excluded', this included 'Sunroof cables, convertible roofs and straps' - a significant change from last year which just referred to 'sunroof cables'.
My view is that the vario roof fitted to the SL and SLK is a 'factory fitted mechanical part' and not something 'subject to normal service replacement, routine maintenance or periodic repair' - which I queried.
This wasn't in her script, so I was transferred to some Kevin-in-a-suit who alleged that no, SL and SLK roof mechanisms are not covered under this expensive policy....
My dealer disagrees with 'Kevin-in-a-suit' and his interpretation - does anyone else have any experience of this topic?
Insurance companies invariably want to weasel out if they can find a way, but surely a reputable company such as Mercedes should have sufficient faith in the vario roof to include it in their extended warranty cover? Particularly as the vario roof is such a major part of the SL and SLK.
My view is that the vario roof fitted to the SL and SLK is a 'factory fitted mechanical part' and not something 'subject to normal service replacement, routine maintenance or periodic repair' - which I queried.
This wasn't in her script, so I was transferred to some Kevin-in-a-suit who alleged that no, SL and SLK roof mechanisms are not covered under this expensive policy....
My dealer disagrees with 'Kevin-in-a-suit' and his interpretation - does anyone else have any experience of this topic?
Insurance companies invariably want to weasel out if they can find a way, but surely a reputable company such as Mercedes should have sufficient faith in the vario roof to include it in their extended warranty cover? Particularly as the vario roof is such a major part of the SL and SLK.
nickwilcock said:
surely a reputable company such as Mercedes should have sufficient faith in the vario roof to include it in their extended warranty cover?
People's experience with Mercedes seems far too variable. If they suggest it's not covered up front then they're not likely to be keen to accept your claim.Will the dealer put their opinion in writing?
It seems that my dealer had the same brush off from the same Kevin-in-a-suit.
So I've written as follows:
The vario roof system fitted to the Mercedes SL and SLK is a factory fitted mechanical part of the vehicle. Just as the boot, bonnet and doors are.
It is not a 'normal service replacement item or component subject to routine maintenance or periodic repair or replacement' such as a tyre or a spark plug.
Hitherto, the roof mechanism of the SL and SLK has been fully covered within your Tier 1 ( under 60000 miles at date of purchase) scheme. However, there is now some element of doubt as to whether the system is covered, due to changes in the wording of the policy introduced in June 2009.
Please confirm that Tier 1 cover for sub-60000 mile SL and SLK vehicles does include mechanical or electrical failure of the vario roof system. This is a significant component of such cars which has a high reliability index, so should certainly be covered under your extended warranty scheme for these cars.
In your Insurance Owner's Handbook, you state that there are certain qualities of Mercedes-Benz vehicles which owners are entitled to expect:
'Certain things you are entitled to expect from a Mercedes-Benz, regardless of its age. Ingenious engineering, unrivalled build quality, style, safety and reliability'.
And that must surely include the SL and SLK vario roof system - if not, then why not?
So I've written as follows:
The vario roof system fitted to the Mercedes SL and SLK is a factory fitted mechanical part of the vehicle. Just as the boot, bonnet and doors are.
It is not a 'normal service replacement item or component subject to routine maintenance or periodic repair or replacement' such as a tyre or a spark plug.
Hitherto, the roof mechanism of the SL and SLK has been fully covered within your Tier 1 ( under 60000 miles at date of purchase) scheme. However, there is now some element of doubt as to whether the system is covered, due to changes in the wording of the policy introduced in June 2009.
Please confirm that Tier 1 cover for sub-60000 mile SL and SLK vehicles does include mechanical or electrical failure of the vario roof system. This is a significant component of such cars which has a high reliability index, so should certainly be covered under your extended warranty scheme for these cars.
In your Insurance Owner's Handbook, you state that there are certain qualities of Mercedes-Benz vehicles which owners are entitled to expect:
'Certain things you are entitled to expect from a Mercedes-Benz, regardless of its age. Ingenious engineering, unrivalled build quality, style, safety and reliability'.
And that must surely include the SL and SLK vario roof system - if not, then why not?
Edited by nickwilcock on Monday 13th July 17:22
RESULT!!
I've now had a satisfactory outcome to my dispute with M-B regarding 'Tier 1' extended warranty cover of the vario roof.
Today I received a letter from the Quality Standards Team Leader stating:
"In view of your concerns I have spoken with the National Account Manager and can confirm that the mechanical and electrical components of the roof are covered under the policy. These would be specifically those components that carry out a mechanical or electrical function and would exclude therefore items such as (but not limited to) bodywork, trim, glass, convertible roof material and straps, (where the roof is not metal folding), fixings, fastenings, hinges and roof seals."
Sometimes it IS worth kicking up a fuss, it seems!
I've now had a satisfactory outcome to my dispute with M-B regarding 'Tier 1' extended warranty cover of the vario roof.
Today I received a letter from the Quality Standards Team Leader stating:
"In view of your concerns I have spoken with the National Account Manager and can confirm that the mechanical and electrical components of the roof are covered under the policy. These would be specifically those components that carry out a mechanical or electrical function and would exclude therefore items such as (but not limited to) bodywork, trim, glass, convertible roof material and straps, (where the roof is not metal folding), fixings, fastenings, hinges and roof seals."
Sometimes it IS worth kicking up a fuss, it seems!
Edited by nickwilcock on Wednesday 12th August 12:44
I've just been approached to renew the extended tier one cover on my E Class. However, when I took this car to the dealer with a battery warning light illuminated (minus 20 degrees and more last winter) they said the battery had been affected and needed replacing. BUT they wouldn't be obliged to replace the battery under the tier one warranty until I had paid them £240 plus vat to check the entire wiring of the car (the wiring isn't covered they informed me). I asked for my keys and promptly left the mercedes dealership - the battery light is still on and the car is fine, the light does go off sometimes after a very long run but the next time the car starts the light is on again - i've become quite attached to the big red light in the middle of the dash board.....
I am now trying to get hold of some terms and conditions for the tier one cover, first of all to see if it is actually worth renewing, secondly to see if the behaviour of the mercedes dealership surrounding the battery is actaully correct under the terms of the warranty.
My experience of mercedes over the last two and a half years has been dire, however this E class on a 55 plate is a fantastic car even with the big red battery light constantly on. I've had the E Class for 11 months but this was only as a result of telling mercedes where to stick the new C class I bought from them about two and a half years ago. I had non-stop trouble with the c class; indicators flashing on the opposite side to that which was indicated, then all four indicators flashing at once, then unable to cancel the indicator if flashing in one direction or the other or all four at once. ABS failed when avoiding a car that pulled out on me, all four wheels locked solid and it was nearly a nasty result, lucky I was in a 30mph zone and actually doing 30mph. Oh yes, some of the other safety features worked though, the odd seat belt tensioner went off and 'whirred' away for ages afterwards for some reason. The ESP didn't work either, roundabouts in the wet were very carefully dealt with until I switched the ESP off and never had any further driving difficulties in the wet or dry. The headlights used to flicker on and off and it looked sometimes as though you were flashimg oncoming traffic. The worst event though was when I entered a 3 mile stretch of roadworks on the motorway (NO HARD SHOULDER FOR 3 MILES) at night in a torrential downpour and it was busy with large articulated lorries - the windscreen wipers stopped operating once I had entered the roadworks and was sandwiched between lorries, front back and at the sides, in the two motorway lanes that were being used. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE BELEIVE ME!
You couldn't make it up. And to cap it all they couldn't even get it right supplying and delivering the replacement cars when I had the damn thing recovered, many, many times. It was like dealing with the 'chuckle brothers' but I wasn't exactly smiling........
My E class is great (even the big red light) more economical than the c class, handles much better, etc etc. BUT i wouldn't recommend anyone at all actualyy buys a mercedes, the service is dire at every level particularly the dealerships. Even my brilliant E class has numerous plastic rattles from all over the place BUT nowhere near as bad as the mercedes courtesy cars that I drove whilst the c class was being 'repaired' - now that's a laugh, after 12 months of hassle mercedes in stuttgart advised the dealership to fit 5 electrical relays which would cure the problems, but the problems persisted BUT hey the faults were now registering and being logged in the computer - fantastic!!! I drove a new S class, plastic rattles galore, a newer style E class with the worst driver's seat I've ever sat in, plus plastic rattles all over. Maybe mercedes used to make a good car once upon a time but not now, in my experience - I TELL EVERYONE I MEET OF MY EXPERIENCE AND ADVISE THEM NOT TO PURCHASE A MERCEDES!!!
Maybe I shouldn't be surprised if the tier one extended warranty is a load of rubbish, but I don't want to be unfair and assume this, I would rather find out properly - I don't want to tell any lies if I ever mention my experience of the tier one warranty to EVERYONE I MEET.
By the way this is all fact and I haven't flowered anything up either, I've actually left some things out believe it or not.
Grahame.
I am now trying to get hold of some terms and conditions for the tier one cover, first of all to see if it is actually worth renewing, secondly to see if the behaviour of the mercedes dealership surrounding the battery is actaully correct under the terms of the warranty.
My experience of mercedes over the last two and a half years has been dire, however this E class on a 55 plate is a fantastic car even with the big red battery light constantly on. I've had the E Class for 11 months but this was only as a result of telling mercedes where to stick the new C class I bought from them about two and a half years ago. I had non-stop trouble with the c class; indicators flashing on the opposite side to that which was indicated, then all four indicators flashing at once, then unable to cancel the indicator if flashing in one direction or the other or all four at once. ABS failed when avoiding a car that pulled out on me, all four wheels locked solid and it was nearly a nasty result, lucky I was in a 30mph zone and actually doing 30mph. Oh yes, some of the other safety features worked though, the odd seat belt tensioner went off and 'whirred' away for ages afterwards for some reason. The ESP didn't work either, roundabouts in the wet were very carefully dealt with until I switched the ESP off and never had any further driving difficulties in the wet or dry. The headlights used to flicker on and off and it looked sometimes as though you were flashimg oncoming traffic. The worst event though was when I entered a 3 mile stretch of roadworks on the motorway (NO HARD SHOULDER FOR 3 MILES) at night in a torrential downpour and it was busy with large articulated lorries - the windscreen wipers stopped operating once I had entered the roadworks and was sandwiched between lorries, front back and at the sides, in the two motorway lanes that were being used. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE BELEIVE ME!
You couldn't make it up. And to cap it all they couldn't even get it right supplying and delivering the replacement cars when I had the damn thing recovered, many, many times. It was like dealing with the 'chuckle brothers' but I wasn't exactly smiling........
My E class is great (even the big red light) more economical than the c class, handles much better, etc etc. BUT i wouldn't recommend anyone at all actualyy buys a mercedes, the service is dire at every level particularly the dealerships. Even my brilliant E class has numerous plastic rattles from all over the place BUT nowhere near as bad as the mercedes courtesy cars that I drove whilst the c class was being 'repaired' - now that's a laugh, after 12 months of hassle mercedes in stuttgart advised the dealership to fit 5 electrical relays which would cure the problems, but the problems persisted BUT hey the faults were now registering and being logged in the computer - fantastic!!! I drove a new S class, plastic rattles galore, a newer style E class with the worst driver's seat I've ever sat in, plus plastic rattles all over. Maybe mercedes used to make a good car once upon a time but not now, in my experience - I TELL EVERYONE I MEET OF MY EXPERIENCE AND ADVISE THEM NOT TO PURCHASE A MERCEDES!!!
Maybe I shouldn't be surprised if the tier one extended warranty is a load of rubbish, but I don't want to be unfair and assume this, I would rather find out properly - I don't want to tell any lies if I ever mention my experience of the tier one warranty to EVERYONE I MEET.
By the way this is all fact and I haven't flowered anything up either, I've actually left some things out believe it or not.
Grahame.
Killwilly said:
It never ceases to amaze me why companies such as Mercedes and BMW can only offer a warranty for three years when Kia can give 7 years. Perhaps it's lack of confidence in their product!
...because the cars are aimed at a market that will buy them new and change them at 2-3 years. They don't give a toss about owners of older cars, they want to sell new ones.My car has just come off Mercedes ServicePlus, a fantastic package which they don't offer any more. I asked the Service Manager at the dealership what I should do now for coverage and he shrugged and said "it's time to buy a new car"!
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