Make/Model: 2002 C230 Coupe
Purchased Date: Dec 2001
Current Mileage: 5600
Location: Seattle, WA
Dealer Ship: Mercedes-Benz Of Bellevue (Barrier Motors Company)

To all expert out there, I really need your help and advise for the problem I have with this car, I know totally nothing about the car, and I am having on going problem with it and have taken back to the dealer for repaire many many times, and I am very frustrated and don't know what I suppose to do. There are 2 on going problem:
1) Having problem to start the car in the morning when it is kind of cold (It is not that cold in the morning here in Seattle), the car just will not start right away, you can hear the engine is not starting correctly and cranking, but start smoothly the second time arround (This happen almost every day now unless it is very sunny and hot), I have taken the car back to the dealer 2 times for repair this problem, but it is still not fixed, this problem is not bothering me that much compare to the other problem.
2) The Panoramic Sunroof is not working (This is the problem bother me the most), this happen the first day I see this car in the dealership, the sales person was trying to show me how it (Sunroof) work, but he can't get it to open, so he arranged for repair after I purchased the car (I did not sign the thing that said the car is sold as is), I have my car for almost 9 months now, I have taken the car back to service for this problem more than "5" times (the problems are the sunshade will not close, or will not open, or will not open all the way, or close half way), everytime that they repaired it, they change the new sunshade, and the last time, they again changed the new sunshade for me, when I picked up my car, I noted that the shade was different than the old one, it has a "plastic" thing attached at the end, which is very ugly, and when you open it, it won't go all the way, it has a 2" gap, you can push it in with your hand, so I told the service advisor about that, he checked and told me now Mercedes-Benz are using this new sunshade, but he said if I want, I can have it re-install one more time to see if it will open all the way.
I was really unhappy with that, so I cantact the Mercedes-Benz USA directly via email, and told them that I was having on going problem (Same problem) with my car, the dealer sold me this junk (I paid full MSRP for it), the sales person told me it was a small problem and it will be fixed easily, and that is why I bought it!
Anyway, I received a replied from M-Benz U.S.A, they said they will have their own person take a look at the car at the dealer service departmet, and have arranged for the service again which took place on 9/10/2002, I was notify to pick up my car the same day, they have again installed the new sunshade, but this time, they put the original style on, which look much better than the ugly new one with plastic.
Today, 9/22/2002, 12 days after I got this car back from the service, I opened the sunshade in the morning (I do this once in a while not because I want to open it, I open it because I want to make sure it is working), guess what??, it will not "Close", and it is only the 4th times I opened the shade to check sinced I got this car back.
I will contact Mercedes-Benz tommorow, but before I do, I would love to hear from your comment on this, and what would you suggest me to do, I am thinking about filing for Lemon (I don't really know how it work and or if I must hire a lawyer and what the cost will be??), because I have no more confident the problem will be fix, I bought this car with full price and was promised everything will be taken care of, and I am very sure if I sell my car, the value will be reduced big time if the buyer see all the paper work with the on going problem that I have.
PLease please help me and give me respond as I have no one to turn to , and thank you very very much for your time.

ben

 

Perhaps it's operator error

 

Make sure you keep copies of all service invoices and records of phone conversations. Then, contact a Lemon Law lawyer in your state. Most will evaluate your case for free. They will best know if your car qualifies as a lemon in your state.

 

Both problems are very irritating and should be fixed.

Have you ever considered taking the car to a different MB dealer to see if they can do a better job? I can't see why several successive sunshades should fail on your car, unless there's something wrong with the car's bodyshell (sunroof aperture too small or too big??). Before giving up and lemoning the car, try another dealer.

The car should start on the first turn of the key - anything else is not normal.

Now let's hear dissenting opinions from the professional lemon-members

 

You definitely need to put pressure on Mercedes-Benz. I used to have similar situation like yours and after 8 months of negoitation with Mercedes-Benz Canada, including filing CAMVAP (similar to Lemon Law in the States, but less powerful and not a legal lawsuit), exposing my complaint in local presses and keeping sending complaint letters to Germany and the national head office, I finally got a 2003 replacement. However do keep in mind that you have to pay for the use of vehicle if they agree to exchange a car for you. How much?? that's another issue you need to talk to MB. In my case I pay CAD$1500 on an identical 2003 C230 after one year of use. Good luck!

 

Thanks for your advised, I would like to included some additional information on my car, it has 500 miles on it when I first got it, the sales person told me it was displayed in a local auto show, I don't know if it has anything to do with the problem that I have.
I have keep all the paper work, but I looked at the last one, it is kind of weird, it do not say what was replaced or repaired unlike others which stated very clear, and there is no comment post by the MB Rep (MB sent one of the rep to look at the car).
ben

 

you might want to try another dealer..but since you hav already written to MB and they sent the rep to address it and now it's still not fixed, then by the lemon law you can lemon it.. it just depends on if you want to go through that or would like to try another dealership...

just do a search on lemon laws on this forum and you will see that it has been discussed alot and you will find a lot of valueable info

good luck....

 

Did your invoice say that your car is a new car even it had been displayed in Auto Show? Actually you don't need to bother what they had replaced or what they had fixed on your car. Being an owner, we have no responsibility to explain or analyse the result of the work done in the shop. The fact was that your car has been failing to service in many times, and MB has to take care of your case seriously. Visiting different dealers is just an alternative way but not essential. MB assumes that every dealer has the same level of service quality and that their customers has no liability to visit different shop in order to address a problem(s) properly. Go ahead and file a complaint in the head office and in Germany first. If they don't repsonse your case positive enough, pursue legal action.

 

Thank you very much for all your advised, you guys are very nice.
To be honest, to file for lemon is really my last option, I was very very happy and very proud when I first puchased this car, I can't even sleep that night (Almost), I am still very pround of having this car right now. but these on going problem is really killing me, and I think I have gave them enough time to solve the problem which they have failed everytime, I don't know nothing about car, but I agreed with "Mike: said that there are something wrong with the bodyshell, because the first time they repair my car, they have remove a broken chip that was located in the back, the edge of the shade cover (I don't know what to call that area), you can feel that broken chip with your finger.
And also the service advisor told me there are the same problem (Sunshade) with some other car, and none of them are as bad as mine.
I am not upset with MB but just very disappionted with them, yes, I can try to bring it to another dealer, but I just don't think the problem can be fix totally, and I really have no more trust with them and time to take to the service every month or so, and I will have to sell the car eventually before the warr expire, I don't think I can afford the repair cost.
So if I wait more, I will have to loose more, I mean if I sell it in the future, who is going to buy it when they see that many problem with the car, I know I would not.
Anyway, I have check out the lemon law washington state web site , but I am little confuse, do I write to MB to request a replacement /repurchase, if they fail to make a agreement than I file the Lemon law, or the other way arround??
Thank you once again for all your helps.
wish me luck
ben

 

... with the sunshade. Took it Phil Smart Seattle... not only did they fix the sunshade but they said the whole P.Roof was sqweeking (which i didn't really notice) and they replaced the entire thing. I found that Barrier (where mine was bought) service center sucks in comparison to PS and I will not use them. Good Luck

 

goodluck man!

 

i hope Ben's 2 YEAR OLD problem has been fixed !!!

 

 

didn't catch that!

-Danny

 

I used to have the exact same problem as you. The car did not start well in the morning. They changed my crankshaft sensor... my fuel pump and a few other sensors. They found out the problem was the onboard main computer of the car. After changing that the car was fine. It took them 2 weeks to point and fix the problem, but atleast its fixed.

 

 

 

problems suck

 

You can't lemon law it, it is more than 2 years old and you are not the original owner. Unless it has been less than 30 days since you purchased it, you are stuck with it. Even if you didn't sign the "Sold As Is", you did, by signing the purchase contract, it was inferred, read the fine print. It should say something like, "Unless otherwise stated, warranty, blah, blah.. Best advice is to get rid of it.

Take it to another dealer, trade it in and take a loss... Sorry man..

 

why are people responding to a 2 YEAR OLD thread ???

if Ben still has this car, you should buy it !!

 

Didn't realize it was 2 years old.. my bad... Maybe you should buy it for me.