used car purchase woes
Discussion
I need some advice on this one as I don't know which way to turn. In May this year I purchased a mercedes r class form a used car dealer, within 2 weeks it developed a fault with the air suspension. I called the dealer and he agreed to have his mechanic look at it and sort it out, because the dealer is 200 miles away the only day I can travel to and from is a Sunday so he lends me a little 2 seater van. Roll on 2 weeks and his mechanic has diagnosed the problem and ordered a part from the mercedes main dealer but it's on back order. seeing as the car is still driveable i go and collect my car with a view to returning when the part was in. roll on another couple of weeks and the part has now failed completly. Over the last week or so i have spoken to the dealer and he is going to send me the part when it arrives and i will arrange to have it fitted locally at my expense but having spoken to the mercedes dealer that he has ordered the part from they say that there are no parts available either in the uk or germany and that the part will not be available in the uk until september 5th. Parts guy has said it's being pushed as hard as possible but that still leaves me without a car until 8th/9th september at best. where do i go from here? i can't be without a car that long, work have lent me a van to get to and from home but i cannot put family members in it due to insurance and to complicate matters child number 4 is due 31st august. where do i go from here? do i go back to the dealer i sourced the car from or the mercedes dealer or further up the mercedes chain?
I feel for you, that is bad luck :-(
I had a CLS 500 with air suspension and was constantly worried about the suspension units failing - I escaped unscathed fortunately.
I recently ordered a rear windscreen seal for my Mercedes 500 SEL which is 33 years old and was advised there were none in any UK dealers (unsurprisingly enough) and that it would be put on backorder as there were none in Germany either.
I was advised it could be some time before it arrived. I got a text two days ago to say it was in after only about a 10 day wait, somit could be better than expected.
Having previously worked for AML in Heritage parts supply I know that the people that complained, shouted and threatened to write to the CEO got everyone jumping up and down to sort it.
Check if possible that it is a VOR back order ( vehicle off road ) as they are treated with greater urgency - there also may be companies that can refurbish thenunit more quickly.
I apologise for posting a vaguely helpful and empathetic response to your situation as I know that is not the PH way and fully expect a lifetime ban to ensue ;-)
Good luck.
I had a CLS 500 with air suspension and was constantly worried about the suspension units failing - I escaped unscathed fortunately.
I recently ordered a rear windscreen seal for my Mercedes 500 SEL which is 33 years old and was advised there were none in any UK dealers (unsurprisingly enough) and that it would be put on backorder as there were none in Germany either.
I was advised it could be some time before it arrived. I got a text two days ago to say it was in after only about a 10 day wait, somit could be better than expected.
Having previously worked for AML in Heritage parts supply I know that the people that complained, shouted and threatened to write to the CEO got everyone jumping up and down to sort it.
Check if possible that it is a VOR back order ( vehicle off road ) as they are treated with greater urgency - there also may be companies that can refurbish thenunit more quickly.
I apologise for posting a vaguely helpful and empathetic response to your situation as I know that is not the PH way and fully expect a lifetime ban to ensue ;-)
Good luck.
Yes the part is on VOR order and i agree the dealer has been as helpful as he can be. Part has already been on order for nearly a month. A couple of pub lawyers have just told me to retunr the car to the dealer and demand a refund but i don't want nor do i believe i'm entitled to do that. Car is financed, would the finance company have any more clout with mercedes than i would? Getting my heavily pregnant wife to and from appointments is really difficult, hiring a suitable car until spetember is not affordable either.
paintman said:
If you haven't already tried would it be worth trying to find a specialist Mercedes breaker & seeing if you can source a used part to get you out of trouble until the new one turns up?
I have found a remanufactured Arnott part on eBay but that is £600, a figure I just don't have at the momentThe dealer are seeing you right on the fault.
The delay is down to Mercedes - if you'd had the car from new, you'd still be in the exact same position here. What I would be asking the dealer nicely about, though, is whether they can provide you with something a bit more suitable as interim transport.
The delay is down to Mercedes - if you'd had the car from new, you'd still be in the exact same position here. What I would be asking the dealer nicely about, though, is whether they can provide you with something a bit more suitable as interim transport.
Try contacting these guys and see if they have the part in stock. If they do find out how much and work out shipping etc.
https://www.arnottindustries.com/part_mercedes-ben...
If they cannot ship it over for you i could ask a friend if he would act as intermediary and they could post it to him and he could forward it on to you.
https://www.arnottindustries.com/part_mercedes-ben...
If they cannot ship it over for you i could ask a friend if he would act as intermediary and they could post it to him and he could forward it on to you.
wolfie1978 said:
JM said:
Dealer should be offering to either refund you or providing a suitable car for the duration yours is unusable.
Why do you say that? The problem is Mercedes, the dealer has ordered and paid for the part and it would have been fitted by his mechanic if it was availablejimmybobby said:
Try contacting these guys and see if they have the part in stock. If they do find out how much and work out shipping etc.
https://www.arnottindustries.com/part_mercedes-ben...
If they cannot ship it over for you i could ask a friend if he would act as intermediary and they could post it to him and he could forward it on to you.
Do you have any experience of using their parts? Thank you for the linkhttps://www.arnottindustries.com/part_mercedes-ben...
If they cannot ship it over for you i could ask a friend if he would act as intermediary and they could post it to him and he could forward it on to you.
JM said:
Your dealer has supplied you a faulty car. It is up to them to put it right and in the meantime ensure you are not inconvenienced.
Indeed, the dealer's supply problem is their problem, not yours. I feel your pain, I had an R-class for a brief period - singly the most hideously unreliable car I've ever owned and I was glad when WBAC took it off my hands.JM said:
wolfie1978 said:
JM said:
Dealer should be offering to either refund you or providing a suitable car for the duration yours is unusable.
Why do you say that? The problem is Mercedes, the dealer has ordered and paid for the part and it would have been fitted by his mechanic if it was availableThe dealer must either repair the car, supply a replacement or refund. They can't simply walk away from a September delivery date because they don't like it.
While it's hard on the car dealer, that is the business they are in and I suspect they know exactly what they should be doing....
When you bought the Mercedes R Class did you get a new 12 months MOT as part of the deal.If you did as the MOT involves checking the suspension if it passed ok and then developed the fault 2 weeks after collection I am not sure the dealer is responsible so their actions have been very good in my opinion.
btcc123 said:
When you bought the Mercedes R Class did you get a new 12 months MOT as part of the deal.If you did as the MOT involves checking the suspension if it passed ok and then developed the fault 2 weeks after collection I am not sure the dealer is responsible so their actions have been very good in my opinion.
They sold a car with a fault that appeared within 2 weeks, they are legally liable unless they can prove the fault was due to user 'error' in the two weeks the new owner had the car.btcc123 said:
When you bought the Mercedes R Class did you get a new 12 months MOT as part of the deal.If you did as the MOT involves checking the suspension if it passed ok and then developed the fault 2 weeks after collection I am not sure the dealer is responsible so their actions have been very good in my opinion.
Would the air suspension problem that popped up have been an MOT fail? Given it was, seemingly, drivable for a while after the light went ping, probably not.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff