Expectation of manufacturer approved used

[Paft Dunk]

I’ve had a look at a couple of Mercedes ‘Approved Used’ and have been expecting a certain standard, the most recent of which fell way short IMO.

In the 24 hours between me arranging a viewing and actually seeing car the price went up by £5k. That had me annoyed from the off, and not something I expected from MB. I queried if all cars went up in price when someone showed interest and got a mumbled ‘speak to the manager’ type response.

Car bonnet was peppered with stone chips, front lip scuffed and some obvious lumpy touch-up-paint from diy chip repairs. Alloys had surface corrosion as well.
For an £80k car I am expecting the approved used mark to meet a certain level of cosmetic standards and the above issues shouldn’t be present because they will have been fixed in prep for sale - or am I way off in my expectations from MB and they just px a car and chuck it on for forecourt?

[Riq]

Every MB dealer I ever contacted or interacted just seemed laboured. I had to chase down everything. Often they’d never ring me back.

They did a recall on my car and somehow destroyed a tyre in the process. Had to leave it another day so no way to get home. Couldn’t have been less help if they had actually tried.

I thought it was just because it was a £25k car and they didn’t so care so now I feel better if it happens to people buying £80k cars

[Truckosaurus]

Indeed. You'd understand if it was a backstreet dealer selling cheap cars with narrow margins who'd not want to spend money on prep until you had a punter on the hook, but you'd think that a main dealer would have the margin in a 25K car (let alone an 80k car) to do things up front.

[Paft Dunk]

It’s a vastly different experience to the majority of Indy Porsche dealers I did the rounds of a couple of years ago, all their cars were in great condition and ready to drive away. That’s what I am expecting from MB

[bitchstewie]

I've seen this at quite a few main dealers recently.

Assumption seems to be "we'll sort all that when it's sold".

I have no idea how they expect people to stick around on the forecourt when they see "manufacturer approved" cars in that kind of cosmetic condition.

[vikingaero]

The OP is doing the right thing in checking the cars out and viewing them in person

During the Covid shortage, most independent dealers barely washed the cars, let alone fix small items or carry out smart repairs. They knew they could take the car back for a refund and sell it to some other chump for a higher price.

It doesn't matter what the Approved Used Scheme says - treat every 99 point, 199 point 1,099 point check as a lie.

The only way you can really complain is to the manufacturer about the state of their AUS.

[andymc]

Paft Dunk said:

It’s a vastly different experience to the majority of Indy Porsche dealers I did the rounds of a couple of years ago, all their cars were in great condition and ready to drive away. That’s what I am expecting from MB

mercedes will be of the opinion someone will still buy it, you are viewed as a headache to them

[anonymous-user]

bhstewie said:

I've seen this at quite a few main dealers recently.

Assumption seems to be "we'll sort all that when it's sold".

I have no idea how they expect people to stick around on the forecourt when they see "manufacturer approved" cars in that kind of cosmetic condition.

That is my experience as well, I was quite shocked at the standard of a lot of cars at main dealers. Maybe my expectation of it being ready to literally drive away that day is not realistic anymore?

[06andiano]

I found the exact same thing across multiple franchised dealerships (BMW, Jag and MB), "we will rectify all those bits that you point out when you buy the car." At which point they have your cash (deposit or some exchange of funds) and you are in a weaker position to complain.
It does seem very backward and doesn't reflect well on dealerships with lots of poor quality stock on their forecourt.
For the car I eventually bought (BMW) it was in a very good condition (maybe a previous sale had fallen through) but they still insisted on a week to prep it before I could drive it away! What is the point in a massive forecourt of cars if none of them are available to drive away the same day!
Again the car industry baffles man.

[bitchstewie]

Joey Deacon said:

That is my experience as well, I was quite shocked at the standard of a lot of cars at main dealers. Maybe my expectation of it being ready to literally drive away that day is not realistic anymore?

Put it this way I was on a Volvo dealers forecourt a couple of weeks back, tyre kicking admittedly, but a £25K estate had alloys that looked like they'd been gone at with an angle grinder.

I'll be the first to admit I'm a picky sod but if I had £25K to spend I'm not sure I'd be trying to find someone in sales to discuss whether they'd refurbish them if I bought it I'd just think "what a state" and walk away and try and find a nicer one.

Might just be me.

[Sheepshanks]

Riq said:

I thought it was just because it was a £25k car and they didn’t so care so now I feel better if it happens to people buying £80k cars

It's a regular complaint on the Merc forums that they treat everyone equally badly.

[Paft Dunk]

I heard back from the dealer this afternoon and was told the car had only just come into stock and is "awaiting cosmetic preparation". I do wonder if that will actually happen given the car is on Autotrader and their own website. As an earlier poster said, who I now agree with, they would probably rather shift the car to someone quickly who has not seen it or is not bothered. No way I'd be handing over a deposit and then waiting to see if the respray job was OK.

This isn't the only unsatisfactory MB dealer experience that's made me walk away. Same model a few weeks ago magically gained a missing service after I queried the advertised full service history.

I initially called and asked for a copy of the digital service history. A document was emailed dated a couple of days previously and showed the 2020 and 2021 services. So the one due August 2022 was absent and never completed. I called back, queried the missed service and four hours later I was sent a new document dated that day along with an apology for sending the wrong document(!) and now the car had a full digital service history with 2022 on there, almost a year to the day from the previous service and completed by the garage now selling the car. Who knows what the story is, but I took it as dubious. It's either piss poor admin or straight out dodgy neither reflect well.