Mercedes giving none MB warranty
Discussion
Bought a used Merc from a main dealer. Sales guy say 3 years warranty if bought through MB finance.
2 months later I get an email from car care plan saying y2 & y3 warranty with them.
Now my experience of such companies is they’re utterly useless, I expected MB warranty. Dealer says tough luck, poke it, if you’d asked we’d have told you. Signed MB Order form says 3 years premium warranty.
I wouldn’t have bought it had I known it was none MB warranty. Doing the ombudsman thing, next step solicitors for description of goods.
Thoughts?
2 months later I get an email from car care plan saying y2 & y3 warranty with them.
Now my experience of such companies is they’re utterly useless, I expected MB warranty. Dealer says tough luck, poke it, if you’d asked we’d have told you. Signed MB Order form says 3 years premium warranty.
I wouldn’t have bought it had I known it was none MB warranty. Doing the ombudsman thing, next step solicitors for description of goods.
Thoughts?
McLaren official extended warranty is provided by a third party - and I'm pretty sure that's also car care. At least for McLaren, it is extremely comprehensive, covers far more than most manufacturer extended warranties and - apart from the cost to renew - rarely gets any complaints.
Whether that's a reflection on car care, or the contract McLaren have with them I don't know. But it might mean your warranty isn't as bad as you think (I share your view on generic 3rd party warranties)
Whether that's a reflection on car care, or the contract McLaren have with them I don't know. But it might mean your warranty isn't as bad as you think (I share your view on generic 3rd party warranties)
How else were you going to finance the car?
Did the car come with 1 year MB warranty regardless of how it was financed?
How does the MB warranty differ from the 3rd party warranty.
Is a warranty not a warranty, not a warranty.
It looks like you’ve got an extra couple of years warranty by taking out MB finance for free. Enjoy
Did the car come with 1 year MB warranty regardless of how it was financed?
How does the MB warranty differ from the 3rd party warranty.
Is a warranty not a warranty, not a warranty.
It looks like you’ve got an extra couple of years warranty by taking out MB finance for free. Enjoy
Strikes me as an ommission if they allowed you to believe it would be 3yr "Mercedes" warranty.
I say "Mercedes" as, is the Mercedes extended warranty their own, or is someone else's branded in Merc's name? I think it's the latter.
Generally re Merc dealers and 3rd party warranties - I ran mine from 6yrs old to 11yrs, with WarrantyDirect. Only claimed a couple of times and no particular issues in the way the dealer handled it.
I say "Mercedes" as, is the Mercedes extended warranty their own, or is someone else's branded in Merc's name? I think it's the latter.
Generally re Merc dealers and 3rd party warranties - I ran mine from 6yrs old to 11yrs, with WarrantyDirect. Only claimed a couple of times and no particular issues in the way the dealer handled it.
I think Volvo are the same without looking at the paperwork.
All done through Volvo themselves with official Volvo paperwork but the warranty is underwritten by CarCarePlan and is pretty inclusive in what it covers.
Only had to claim once on it and it was seamless. The dealer found a dodgy sensor during a service and simply replaced it straight away claiming on the warranty. I only knew about it when I was presented with the invoice and it was highlighted as an £0.00 entry.
All done through Volvo themselves with official Volvo paperwork but the warranty is underwritten by CarCarePlan and is pretty inclusive in what it covers.
Only had to claim once on it and it was seamless. The dealer found a dodgy sensor during a service and simply replaced it straight away claiming on the warranty. I only knew about it when I was presented with the invoice and it was highlighted as an £0.00 entry.
Sheepshanks said:
Strikes me as an ommission if they allowed you to believe it would be 3yr "Mercedes" warranty.
I say "Mercedes" as, is the Mercedes extended warranty their own, or is someone else's branded in Merc's name? I think it's the latter.
Generally re Merc dealers and 3rd party warranties - I ran mine from 6yrs old to 11yrs, with WarrantyDirect. Only claimed a couple of times and no particular issues in the way the dealer handled it.
More than likely the paperwork that the OP signed would have been clear in stating the different warranties, but it is sometimes easy to be hoodwinked by slick salesmen. I say "Mercedes" as, is the Mercedes extended warranty their own, or is someone else's branded in Merc's name? I think it's the latter.
Generally re Merc dealers and 3rd party warranties - I ran mine from 6yrs old to 11yrs, with WarrantyDirect. Only claimed a couple of times and no particular issues in the way the dealer handled it.
If it were me I wouldn’t expend energy fighting for something that you may or may not use, or may not be covered for at some point in the future. The glass is half full with a 3 year warranty, but it is also half empty if a fault develops in year 2 or 3 and it is not covered by the warranty, or it is.
Live and let live and enjoy.
I recently had an Abarth Spider that had two years warranty from Abarth, and the third from another warranty company.
I was also worried like yourself, but I had several warranty claims in the 3rd year with no quibbles I'm pleased to report.
Crap thing for the sales person to say to you though "if you'd have asked, we'd have told you"
That would certainly get my back up.
Dealers are not allowed to withhold information that may have affected your decision to buy a car.
I'm not sure this would qualify though if they said "premium warranty"?
If they'd have said "Mercedes warranty" then I think you'd have a case.
I was also worried like yourself, but I had several warranty claims in the 3rd year with no quibbles I'm pleased to report.
Crap thing for the sales person to say to you though "if you'd have asked, we'd have told you"
That would certainly get my back up.
Dealers are not allowed to withhold information that may have affected your decision to buy a car.
I'm not sure this would qualify though if they said "premium warranty"?
If they'd have said "Mercedes warranty" then I think you'd have a case.
The official extended MB warranty that you can take out once your factory warranty or approved used warranty runs out is administered by a 3rd party - is this what you have been told?
"Mercedes-Benz Extended Warranty is underwritten by AWP P&C SA and administered in the UK by AWP Assistance UK Ltd, registered in England No. 1710361. Registered Office PO Box 74005, 60 Gracechurch Street, London EC3P 3DS."
"Mercedes-Benz Extended Warranty is underwritten by AWP P&C SA and administered in the UK by AWP Assistance UK Ltd, registered in England No. 1710361. Registered Office PO Box 74005, 60 Gracechurch Street, London EC3P 3DS."
I think its a bit cheeky of M-B not to mention that years 2 and 3 of a multi-year warranty are administered by a third party, especially when marketing the overall three year warranty as "Mercedes Premium Warranty" (or words to that effect).
It falls into the category of "lies of omission", which admittedly isn't the crime of the century, but leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Personally, I feel the OP has a point, but frustratingly, there's not an awful lot he can do about it.
As others on this thread have said, the third party element covering years 2 and 3 may well be of a decent standard, which should give some comfort.
It falls into the category of "lies of omission", which admittedly isn't the crime of the century, but leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Personally, I feel the OP has a point, but frustratingly, there's not an awful lot he can do about it.
As others on this thread have said, the third party element covering years 2 and 3 may well be of a decent standard, which should give some comfort.
In all likelihood (unless you are dealing with Tesla or outside the mainstream brands) you are not buying from the manufacturer instead it is likely to be a franchise (Arnold Clark, Lookers, Pendragon, etc) operating under the Mercedes banner. And all of these separate services come together to be the main dealer experience.
All that the warranty does is pay for the repairs so whichever organisation provides the warranty on behalf of the franchise holder is largely irrelevant. And it is not in the interest of a franchise holder / main dealer to sell anything detrimental to the customer as they are regulated and risk losing their franchise.
Incidentally, if you choose to extend the warranty with Mercedes via the manufacturer's website, that service is provided by a different warranty provider, AWP Assistance UK Ltd.
All that the warranty does is pay for the repairs so whichever organisation provides the warranty on behalf of the franchise holder is largely irrelevant. And it is not in the interest of a franchise holder / main dealer to sell anything detrimental to the customer as they are regulated and risk losing their franchise.
Incidentally, if you choose to extend the warranty with Mercedes via the manufacturer's website, that service is provided by a different warranty provider, AWP Assistance UK Ltd.
davek_964 said:
maz8062 said:
Is a warranty not a warranty, not a warranty.
You must be kidding.Getting upset will only sour your enjoyment of the car and the brand.
maz8062 said:
No, not really. A warranty is just an insurance policy - one hopes not to ever have to use it but it’s there just in case. The op has an insurance policy on a car that he has just bought - a 3 year insurance policy, so why worry about what may or may not happen in the future, today?
Getting upset will only sour your enjoyment of the car and the brand.
The idea that all warranties are the same is utterly naive.Getting upset will only sour your enjoyment of the car and the brand.
It was Inchcape MB. On the MB headed order form it says retailer options Warranty Prestige 24 months. There’s nothing to suggest it isn’t MB.
This warranty runs after the official MB warranty expires at 12months.
If they’d been upfront I would had not bought the car. My experience of third part warranties is that they’re not worth the paper they’re wiped on. My Sprinter van EML came on - ‘All sensors are specifically excluded’ is case in point.
The car’s now borked anyway after 2 months use - new fuel tank due to adblue sensor embedded in it, brake booster and various others. With the garage now, off the road for a month minimum. I reckon 3rd party warranty I’d be paying.
MB customer service drop it, Ombudsman 6 month on the minimum.
TBH I’ll just trade it at 12m but wouldn’t buy a Merc again, ever. Be very careful with your orders folks.
This warranty runs after the official MB warranty expires at 12months.
If they’d been upfront I would had not bought the car. My experience of third part warranties is that they’re not worth the paper they’re wiped on. My Sprinter van EML came on - ‘All sensors are specifically excluded’ is case in point.
The car’s now borked anyway after 2 months use - new fuel tank due to adblue sensor embedded in it, brake booster and various others. With the garage now, off the road for a month minimum. I reckon 3rd party warranty I’d be paying.
MB customer service drop it, Ombudsman 6 month on the minimum.
TBH I’ll just trade it at 12m but wouldn’t buy a Merc again, ever. Be very careful with your orders folks.
dfen5 said:
It was Inchcape MB. On the MB headed order form it says retailer options Warranty Prestige 24 months. There’s nothing to suggest it isn’t MB.
This warranty runs after the official MB warranty expires at 12months.
Did the paperwork clearly indicated that the warranty provider would be AWP for the first year and then another company for year 2 and 3? (presumably the Company whose product is "Warranty Prestige".) This warranty runs after the official MB warranty expires at 12months.
If so then you probably don't have much chance of recourse.
You could be forgiven for believing a car salesman as a lot of them are honest but because a lot of them lie through their teeth, I personnnaly assume that every word they say is a fib, sadly, and I stick to contracts and written agreements.
Having a third party provide the warranty outside of the Manufacturers 3/5/7 years is standard practice for a lot of them, but the warranties are very good & cover most things.
I wouldn't be too quick to involve solicitors etc, maybe ask for clarification on what's covered if you want added peace of mind.
I wouldn't be too quick to involve solicitors etc, maybe ask for clarification on what's covered if you want added peace of mind.
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