BigB333

My dad has agreed to get me a C230 when I go off to college. Of course I am just thrilled to be given such a car, and of course I CANT WAIT. But I am also iritated with MB. If I get the car I would want to do things to it to fit my taste and make it look custom, such as puting new wheels on it, lowering it with H&R springs (so it fits the wheels), tint the windows and puting a new sound system in there. I talked to the MB dealership today and of course everything I want to do voids the warenty. My dad said I CANNOT void any warenty except the audio warenty. But I am even confused about that because the lady I talked to said messing with the speakers will void the ELECTRONIC warenty. So if the electronics go out in the engine they wont fix it because I put new speakers in there? Can Mercedes lower it for you and not void the warenty?

It just iritates me that MB charges you 1000 dollars for a 6 disc cd changer that you can get at car toys for 200 bucks. They just ***** you with the warenty.. err lol

BlackC230Coupe

the only way u can have mercedes do it with out voiding the warrenty is get AMG springs and have them do it. but i dont think AMG has springs out for the coupe. so your not in luck right now. and if they had the AMG springs out it would not really look that much lower. by the way that thing u said about the speakers voiding a electical warrenty is B.S. i got a complete new system for my car and they even said it just voids the audio warrenty and noting else. maybe they were wrong but thats what they told me.
good luck

jack230

Welcome to the world of Mercedes-Benz. You have to take the bad with the good.

Changing out the stereo could not possibly "void the warranty." Under the Magnuson-Moss Act (federal consumer protection legislation), the aftermarket modifications must have caused the damage/failure in question.

Of course, the greater and more drastic the changes/additions, the easier it is for the dealer and manufacturer to argue that the mods caused the damage.

BigB333

ok do you know if the Command system can control subs output?

tommy

Any MB dealer can say that anything voids the warrranty. Simple as that. Unless you want to hold a gun to their head, you'd either have to find a more sympathetic dealer or take them to court. Merely saying "they have to prove it" is a little too simple of a picture of how the process would work.

So, tread lightly.

MB-BOB

Perspective folks. Perspective, please.

This focus on MB is not fair, folks. All car manufacturers have warranties, and they all threaten voiding such warranties with such modifications. Every one. So, this is not a reason to focus a b!tch at Mercedes-Benz. So, don't say, "Welcome to the world of Mercedes-Benz," it's more like "Welcome to the world of new car ownership." Some people would give their family jewels to buy a new car with a new car warranty.

The only difference is that with a VW warranty, you only have to wait 2 years (pre 2002) before voiding the warranty didn't matter. With Mercedes-Benz, the wait is 4-years. Now some folks would say 4-years or 50,000 mile warranties are a good thing.

BigB333

that is a good point MB Bob, but I still wish they would be more flexible... Oh well I will be extremely happy if I can get one this summer. If not il have to wait until next summer when I graduate.

Lynn

If the car is going to be ordered, and you really, really want a fancy sound system, you might try to order the car without the factory sound system. There is a order code for this. Your aftermarket system would only be connected to the battery and not any other part of the cars's electronics, so there shouldn't be any warranty issues. You wouldn't have the ability to adjust the volume and change stations with the steering wheel buttons, however.

jack230

"When I said 'welcome to the world of M-B,' I meant that it's easy to become frustrated because of the difficulty and expense of adding accessories--i.e., $1000 for a cd changer and a possibly "voided warranty" if you tread down the aftermarket route. I'm fully convinced that the beeping of the stereo system when the cassette door is open is to deter a person from using a cassette adapter for a portable cd player. Mercedes-Benz does use a great deal of proprietary technology to increase revenue, and for the most part, the people in M-B's demographic are willing to pay for a $1000 cd changer and a $1500 phone.

Of course, all car manufacturers are going to act the same regarding car warranties. They're big businesses, and they have an enormous advantage when dealing with consumers who are relatively uninformed regarding their legal rights.

My father had trouble with a warranty claim on his E430; dealer said it was "abuse." (My father's never abused a car in his life; the part simply failed.) A polite, but to the point, letter on my letterhead to the dealer and MB USA took care of that problem in less than a week. Sometimes you have to play hardball with them, and it usually doesn't take a lawyer, either. It helps to be one, though.

That being said, I think that M-B makes the finest automobiles out there.