Handing back a B180 - likely costs
Discussion
Hi,
I'm about to hand back my B180 as a voluntary termination, getting a 3GT instead. How much do Merc generally charge for minor repairs versus getting them done elsewhere in advance?
I need two alloys refurbed as they were kerbed, and there's a cut in the headlining at the boot entrance due to over-exuberance when packing the car up. Finally, rear bumper has a scratch that probably won't polish out.
Am I likely to get ripped off by leaving it to them to repair or is it cheaper letting them do the work?
Finally - there's something in the booklet about matching tyres per axle - do they check this as I don't think mine are the same?
I'm about to hand back my B180 as a voluntary termination, getting a 3GT instead. How much do Merc generally charge for minor repairs versus getting them done elsewhere in advance?
I need two alloys refurbed as they were kerbed, and there's a cut in the headlining at the boot entrance due to over-exuberance when packing the car up. Finally, rear bumper has a scratch that probably won't polish out.
Am I likely to get ripped off by leaving it to them to repair or is it cheaper letting them do the work?
Finally - there's something in the booklet about matching tyres per axle - do they check this as I don't think mine are the same?
In the Ts&Cs for my C Class there is a paragraph about 'budget' tyres. It seems that it can't be handed back with a cheap set of rubber... No guidance as to a definition though.
I would guess that getting the wheels refurbed yourself would be cheaper than sending the car back and waiting to be invoiced.
I'd be interested how you get on. Got mine for a little bit longer though. Due back in 2016.
I would guess that getting the wheels refurbed yourself would be cheaper than sending the car back and waiting to be invoiced.
I'd be interested how you get on. Got mine for a little bit longer though. Due back in 2016.
@jimi - the returns standard is quite prescriptive, but I'm looking for real world experience whether these standards are adhered to, or if they're likely to just take the car and drop it at an auction place immediately without following the detailed checks they allude to.
@rix - I think we paid around £310 a month for it. Not a performance car by any means, but great for fitting bikes + dog in and getting around in comfort.
@rix - I think we paid around £310 a month for it. Not a performance car by any means, but great for fitting bikes + dog in and getting around in comfort.
I work for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
The Inspectors we use follow the guideline to the tee. The inspection report will show the level of work required which if it's outside the standard will be billed to you. If its small insignificant things then it may be worth returning it and paying a small charge - larger things such as the roof lining marks I would have Smart repaired before you return it - this would most likely be cheaper for you.
The cars dont go straight to auction either.
Cheers
The Inspectors we use follow the guideline to the tee. The inspection report will show the level of work required which if it's outside the standard will be billed to you. If its small insignificant things then it may be worth returning it and paying a small charge - larger things such as the roof lining marks I would have Smart repaired before you return it - this would most likely be cheaper for you.
The cars dont go straight to auction either.
Cheers
jimi said:
I work for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
The Inspectors we use follow the guideline to the tee. The inspection report will show the level of work required which if it's outside the standard will be billed to you. If its small insignificant things then it may be worth returning it and paying a small charge - larger things such as the roof lining marks I would have Smart repaired before you return it - this would most likely be cheaper for you.
The cars dont go straight to auction either.
Cheers
Thanks for that. I was hoping that the standards were aspirational to scare people into getting the fixes done in advance but it's fine for me to fix. The Inspectors we use follow the guideline to the tee. The inspection report will show the level of work required which if it's outside the standard will be billed to you. If its small insignificant things then it may be worth returning it and paying a small charge - larger things such as the roof lining marks I would have Smart repaired before you return it - this would most likely be cheaper for you.
The cars dont go straight to auction either.
Cheers
How much do you adhere to the matching tyres as this is the first time I've heard this? Also, what is the likely lead time between submitting the form and the car being returned?
Cheers,
Alasdair
I figured I'd put an update onto this in case the same question comes up.
I had the bumper scratch smart repaired, and a poor paintwork repair concealed with a polish job. I didn't bother with the alloy repairs as Merc were quoting the same as the local guys to just repair them on the spot, and chanced my luck with the headlining stains and tear.
No costs from Merc after handing the car back, so despite the car failing their published standards, they didn't charge for it.
YMMV though, but this was my experience of the return process.
I had the bumper scratch smart repaired, and a poor paintwork repair concealed with a polish job. I didn't bother with the alloy repairs as Merc were quoting the same as the local guys to just repair them on the spot, and chanced my luck with the headlining stains and tear.
No costs from Merc after handing the car back, so despite the car failing their published standards, they didn't charge for it.
YMMV though, but this was my experience of the return process.
Hi Alasdair - my SLK is due back in December and BCA Defleet rang this week to arrange the collection (for MBFS) and a 'pre-collection inspection' a fortnight prior... to give me time to rectify any snags they spot at that stage. Did you get the same thing? If so, curious as to how that analysis compared to the snagging at time of collection?! I've got a couple of 'borderline' scuffs that might/might not need doing depending on their analysis!
I just thought I'd add my experience of returning the SLK. Very similar to AlasdairMc above. I'd pre-arranged for Dent Man to come and pull two car park dings out of the drivers and passenger door as I felt they exceeded the allowed standards. Similarly, I had a bonnet stone chip and alloy kerb that I felt were too large.
The BCA chap that came for the pre-inspection just said it was a nice car and not to worry about doing the door dings. No quibbles either from the guy that collected it a fortnight later. Received letter from MBFS over the weekend thanking me for exceeding their return standards and there'll be no additional charges.
Very good service.
The BCA chap that came for the pre-inspection just said it was a nice car and not to worry about doing the door dings. No quibbles either from the guy that collected it a fortnight later. Received letter from MBFS over the weekend thanking me for exceeding their return standards and there'll be no additional charges.
Very good service.
No, it doesn't need a full years tax but I presume it does need some. Mine was on a two-year lease from 20th December 2011 and got a '31st December' tax disc (so I gained ten days in the first year.) BCA should have collected it on 20th December 2013 but couldn't come till Monday 6th January so it sat at work for two weeks over Christmas. I effectively SORN'd it on 31st December as tax ran out then but as long as it's within tax in your lease period you're fine.
Another thing I found a bit ambiguous was whether it needed a 2nd service. Mine was showing 23 days till service when it should have gone back and I was told that as long as it wasn't overdue it was fine.
Another thing I found a bit ambiguous was whether it needed a 2nd service. Mine was showing 23 days till service when it should have gone back and I was told that as long as it wasn't overdue it was fine.
Hi Stuart,
Interesting. Between posting and your reply I called MB Finance and asked about this. They said it needed to be collected with tax...but I don't hold that to be true if as you say they needed to tax yours to collect. She also said people in my situation can hand it back early.
I think I would be happy to give it back a few days early if I also didn't need to pay for the second year service, which sounds like it's possible to do. So I guess your first year service was 23 days after it was initially due? Which subsequently resulted in you not needing the service on the day it was returned.
Interesting. Between posting and your reply I called MB Finance and asked about this. They said it needed to be collected with tax...but I don't hold that to be true if as you say they needed to tax yours to collect. She also said people in my situation can hand it back early.
I think I would be happy to give it back a few days early if I also didn't need to pay for the second year service, which sounds like it's possible to do. So I guess your first year service was 23 days after it was initially due? Which subsequently resulted in you not needing the service on the day it was returned.
I've not been back to this topic for a while, as I'm no longer a Merc owner I suppose.
Tax-wise, I returned mine with about six months on, and got the disc back from BSA when they collected the car.
I would take a look at the prices for repairs too - I couldn't get alloys fixed cheaper than their estimates so just left them as is. I'm glad I did that as it saved me some cash.
Servicing - mine was about two months out from its service date, but I had a service plan paid up to date. I got a refund of ten months of payments back because I'd essentially paid for a service I'd not taken.
That said, service plan costs on a basic Merc are appalling compared to a BMW. Just over a year of payments to Merc covers the BMW for four years...
Tax-wise, I returned mine with about six months on, and got the disc back from BSA when they collected the car.
I would take a look at the prices for repairs too - I couldn't get alloys fixed cheaper than their estimates so just left them as is. I'm glad I did that as it saved me some cash.
Servicing - mine was about two months out from its service date, but I had a service plan paid up to date. I got a refund of ten months of payments back because I'd essentially paid for a service I'd not taken.
That said, service plan costs on a basic Merc are appalling compared to a BMW. Just over a year of payments to Merc covers the BMW for four years...
Handed back the wife's SLK today to Mercedes of Northampton". Two year lease, went back with just over 10k miles on it.
Had three pretty bad scuffed wheels, a couple of small car park scratches/scuffs and a mark on the door interior. An hour appraisal and then told all within wear and tear.
We chuffed.
Audi A1 1.4 tfsi sportline turns up on Monday.
Thank goodness for the C63
Had three pretty bad scuffed wheels, a couple of small car park scratches/scuffs and a mark on the door interior. An hour appraisal and then told all within wear and tear.
We chuffed.
Audi A1 1.4 tfsi sportline turns up on Monday.
Thank goodness for the C63
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