sadpanda

Hey everyone,

Long-time lurker, first-time poster. MBWorld was instrumental in helping me make my purchase decision and the vast knowledge that's already been spread on this forum helped me a great deal through the purchase and early ownership process.
That said, I've had bad luck with the CPO 2013 C300 that I bought from a dealer in a nearby state last month, and would really appreciate all your suggestions about the following two things:

Here's the most onerous issue: the car was vibrating from the moment I test drove it. A quick conversation with the sales rep led me to believe that it was just a matter of tire pressures. Drove the car home and the vibrations were still there. Cut to three weeks later and I finally have the chance to take the car for a proper drive. Realized that it definitely wasn't the tire pressures and brought the car to my local dealer. The dealer diagnosed three bent rims. They had a guy come in to repair those rims. The vibrations got better, but didn't go away. And just to kick my car when it's down, when I took it car to the best independent in town for a Road Force balance, they found that not only were the three worked-on rims still out of round, but the 4th is as out of round well. The independent said that the damage is so bad that there's no way to fix the wheels any further and refused to do the balance because it'd be a waste of money.

So, I'm stuck with a lot of wobbling and vibrating, and the new tires that were put on as part of the CPO process will soon start to wear unevenly. Because it seems like I'll have to pay more the longer I wait, I've decided to purchase a complete set of replacement rims. The cost from the local dealer is $1,850 (including mounting with the existing tires, balancing and a 10% discount), and that's for refurbished rims (they couldn't find any new ones in their system).

Does anyone have any alternative suggestions? I'm extremely wary of buying refurbished rims from a non-dealer. Other dealers have quoted even higher costs. I've looked at aftermarket wheels, but I haven't been able to nail down which specific 17" or 18" ones would be highly durable, and I don't want to risk pouring more money down the drain.

All in all, I'm looking at almost $2,500 for repairing/replacing all 4 rims within six weeks of purchase. I'd definitely appreciate any suggestions on how to find a cheaper solution without risking that I'll end up with equally substandard replacement wheels. Do any of you think I should just stick with the wobbly wheels? Anyone recommend any aftermarket brands over OEM for durability?

babyboxer1

My suggestion to you is to start with your salesman, and escalate as required. Let them know you've been anxious and looking forward to buying your first MB, but this experience is falling way below your expectations. You also bought your car CPO instead of through an ad because you wanted the peace of mind that comes from CPO. I have to ask though, if the car was vibrating from the moment you test drove it, why didn't you follow up earlier? The good news is you mentioned it to your salesman, and hopefully he doesn't have a sudden case of amnesia, but if you still noticed it on your drive home after delivery, you should have turned back. My last 2 CPO's, I agreed in principle and asked for certain things to be changed / fixed before I sign off on the purchase. The dealer will make those changes, I go inspect the car and drive it again if needed and only sign when everything is to my liking. Good luck

jbt56

In agreement with babyboxer1, I would immediately contact your selling dealer, starting with the salesman (who may likely promise just about anything- good luck), but escalating quickly to the sales manager. It's too bad you accepted delivery of the car- I would have demanded that it be FIXED before driving it home.
If the wheels are, indeed, bent/out of round, the selling dealer knew it if they mounted new tires. Demand they make it right- it won't cost them much to swap the wheels and will gain them much goodwill.
Good luck!

sadpanda

Thanks for the advice so far. I should have mentioned that I don't expect to get any assistance from the selling dealer after going back and forth with them. I don't really have the time or emotional energy to crusade against them, so I'm just trying to find the best fix on my own. That's the bottom line, but I might as well describe my ownership experience in greater detail for those who are interested in the full picture (and at least there's a tl;dr at the end):

The last time I bought a used car, I first drove it to two separate dealerships for a pre-purchase inspection. This time, I made the mistake of driving to another state - even though I couldn't find a good place there to do an independent inspection - and allowing myself to be constrained by time that day. I have to admit that my perception of the CPO process from all the advertisements gave me the impression that I could let my guard down, be less suspicious, and trust the CPO certification process. I was also far too patient with the car right after I bought it. I rationalized non-damage explanations -- "the new front brakes just need bedding in", "the new tires need a few miles on them and the right pressures". The dealer never contacted me after the purchase to follow up on my satisfaction, and I didn't think to call them until the odd driving experiences turned into a definite diagnosis.

When I bought this car, I was also distracted by a giant chip in the windshield and getting the dealer to give me a written guarantee that they'd pay for a replacement at my local dealer. They did agree to do that, after the salesman initially told me that "the CPO warranty will cover it". I also experienced brake pulsing from the get-go and put that down to the new front brakes needing some bedding in. When I got back to Ann Arbor, I got the car inspected and they found that the rear rotors were highly rusted. The selling dealer did take responsibility for that and offered to cover most of the replacement cost, so I hope I'll get a check for that soon. In their last email, the selling dealer essentially wrote, "we offered to fix those things, so why bother us with the wheels?" Even though the problem was there from day one and multiple inspectors including the local dealer have told me they're certain all this wheel damage couldn't have occurred during my brief ownership, the seller has denied responsibility. I tried to get MBUSA to mediate, but they haven't helped at all. Even if all wheels were somehow fine when I bought the car, four bent rims in a month is crazy. I've been completely courteous and empathetic throughout, but don't think I'm getting anywhere.

It's a shame that the wheel debacle has happened, because the C300 was looking like a solid car. On good days, I could see myself becoming a Benz fan and progressing to an E400 once we have a kid in a year or two. I also like the people at the local dealer. But after sleeping on it last night, I think I should put money down on one of the first Jag XE deliveries and look to sell the C300 as soon as I get the XE. It's not worth trading the C300 in, since I already bought the CPO warranty extension and various add-ons. But I'm also not going to screw over the next owner, so I definitely need to make sure that the wheel situation is straightened out (no pun intended). I won't pass the buck to the next owner.
Getting a brand-new, untested model - and a Jag no less - sounds like the exact opposite of the smart thing to do after this MB ownership experience. But the point is that I'd know what I'm getting myself into. I know there will be lots of hiccups. But I also trust the brand (thank you, Tata). And there's a vast difference between a new XE and one of the final model years of a proven W204 design. You expect the latter to have all the kinks worked out. And you certainly don't expect something as absolutely basic as really bad-quality wheels. Not fancy electronics, not turbochargers, not telepathic sensors that adjust massage and fragrance settings - just plain, simple 17" wheels.

I've owned some crazy, maintenance-intensive cars - e.g. two Range Rovers, a Phaeton, etc. - and with that comes an expectation that things will go wrong on high-end vehicles with unproven technology. I spent over three grand a year to maintain my Range Rover Supercharged, and that's with a full warranty! After I sold that SUV sooner than expected two weeks ago (friend of a friend made a good offer), I went in to see my LR service advisor and we gave each other a big goodbye-for-now hug. She's on my Christmas card list (and I'm Jewish).
No matter the cost of repairs, we've gotten along great, because that LR dealer learned that I have a realistic, empathetic attitude, and I learned that they will go to bat with the warranty reps and will give me a good price for a frequent customer. 99% of service advisors are like that. They do a job, they take pride in it, and their day sucks just as much as yours if emotions fray. You need to know what you're getting yourself into, and have faith in the people whom you have a business relationship with - for the sake of your wallet and your emotional health.

When I bought the C300, I drove off with some ML and GL brochures on the passenger seat. I was already considering a Benz SUV to eventually replace the Rangie, but now I'm going to stick with Land Rover. It's sad, because I would have loved to have divided loyalties and jump between MB and LR products on a regular basis. But having faith in people or companies needs to also come with being willing to walk away when that faith isn't met. I know that the vast majority of you have had great experiences with Mercedes-Benz products and I wanted to share that. It's a shame that didn't happen, but that's life. Crap, that was a long post. Sorry about the length.


Tl;dr: All in all, I put too much trust in the "CPO" moniker and, coming from a long work trip overseas, was too mentally worn out to maintain a high level of vigilance and suspicion. Don't let your guard down with a CPO! I guess it was worth posting this ownership experience in case anyone considering a CPO car comes across it: do an independent inspection. Every time. Bring the CPO inspection sheet (I've still never seen it, despite asking - that should have been my red flag, come to think of it). Pay the third party-inspector double to have the car gone over with a fine-tooth comb. And read this article by Steve Lehto about what rights CPO actually gives you. I can't say whether Steve is completely correct when it comes to no legal recourse for selling a car that shouldn't have passed a CPO inspection, but I think it's important to operate from his very pessimistic baseline when considering a purchase.

Doanster

Sorry to hear of all your troubles. There were red flags everywhere here from both the car's standpoint (windshield, brakes, wheels/tires) as well as the dealer, which is unfortunate.
Sounds like you just want to get the wheel situation resolved quickly so you can enjoy the car once and for all. My suggestion would be to buy a set of replicas from one of the sponsors here. Powerwheelspro has a great reputation here, both service as well as quality of the wheels themselves. Great pricing as well.
I have no affiliation with them, btw. Just a longtime member who's seen many threads and good feedback from them. I was going to buy a set of 19s from them a couple weeks ago, but they were out of stock.
Good luck and hope you can get back to enjoying the drive soon!

s4rs

With all the advertising that manufacturers do for CPO I can see how people get a false sense of security. I owned an allroad and a member of the forum I followed purchase a CPO allroad and shortly after the purchase found the frame bent so bad the car could not be properly aligned. It took him a year but he got the dealer to buy the car back.

It seems like your car was driven pretty hard and hit more than one pot hole. I wouldn't condemn the car for that. No reason to not pursue a MB SUV. Just be more careful and make sure when you drive a car there are no issues.

I would push the dealer for new rims. There is no way your rotors will stay true with bent rims. I learned long ago Mag/Aluminum rims need to be true, and torqued correctly to keep the rotors true. In fact at this point your rotors might need to be shaved.

The selling dealer should do all of this. They probably made 5-7K on the sale, they have room. Just keep pushing. Again beware of any CPO and don't assume the car is like new as the TV ads claim.

thomles

Very sorry to hear about CPO issues. Would not have expected such problems as I assume you paid some premium for CPO in the total price of vehicle. Quickest way is to get a set of wheels. As noted, some very nice wheels can be had for prices well below MB OEM wheels. But I have also seen nice OEM wheels for very good prices via eBay.

ghlkal

OP, this is terrible. You purchased the car from a MB dealer as CPO and all of the wheels were bent?!

MB CPO states that it includes a wheel inspection
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/cpo?&u...t=cpo-warranty


BTW, I wouldn't think twice about getting some good aftermarket wheels. It will be less expensive and obviously better than what you were sold as "inspected"

Good luck getting this resolved

Worth the wait

Why wouldn't you simply contact MB USA?
Clearly this car was never properly inspected.

I would ask MB to either fix all that SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESED IN THE CPO INSPECTION, or refund the premium you paid for the CPO.
Dont let them push you around!

MB Marko

100% agree if they push you around i would take legal action because thats ridiculous...

sadpanda

Thanks again for all the feedback. I'll reach out to Power Wheels Pro and see what they quote me for a set of equivalent wheels. It'd be sad to have to resort to replica wheels, though, because that's a decent-sized knock on the resale value. Whether I take the hit when purchasing the wheels or on the resale value, I'm essentially on the hook for the full cost of OEM rims either way. BTW, I just checked the price of new 20" OEM Range Rover wheels, and they are cheaper than remanufactured 17" Mercedes ones. How crazy is that?

From all the literature that came inside the owner's manual holder, I pieced together that the car was previously leased by a married couple (pediatrician/lawyer) with a young kid. I doubt they ever went crazy with this car, apart from curb damage when parking (the independent found evidence of repainting of all 4 wheels). I get it when a fast car enthusiast leases a C63 and the dealer resells it, but for a literal family car to have this much wheel damage? Wow.

In terms of pursuing further redress from the selling dealer, I'm trying to avoid being the kind of poster who rants about, "suing those *******s" and such. I really don't want to poison this well-run technical forum with angry language. That's what therapists are for.

At this stage, the situation seems like a fairly clear-cut case of 'sue or suck it up'. I don't think it's worth discussing the former option in public. Both the dealer and MBUSA have been uncooperative when it comes to repairing the rims, let alone replacing them. In fact, they've contradicted each other: the one time I was able to speak with my MBUSA case manager (after the 12th attempt), he said that the MBUSA policy is to replace rims, never repair them. That was the only substantive piece of feedback MBUSA ever gave me. And that information was news to me, because I'd never heard that from either the selling or the diagnosing dealer, who both recommended repair. When I mentioned the corporate policy to the selling dealership's used car manager and expressed my concerns about simply repairing them, I got this written reply:



How do you even respond to such a statement of confidence in Mercedes-Benz manufacturing quality, from someone who sells Mercedes-Benz cars for a living? At that point, it was clear that reimbursement for outright replacement wasn't going to happen, with some possibility of partial reimbursement for repair. So, I went with both dealers' assurances and spent $480 to repair three rims and get a rebalance as per the selling and local dealers' guidance. Lo and behold, that ultimately did nothing, and the 4th wheel then turned out to be bent as well. Add the failed repair to the cost of new OEM wheels, and the out-the-door price to buy this car suddenly jumps by about $2,500 (let's hope the warped rims didn't damage the brakes or tires). And that's why I'm now on track to sell this car on principle - don't reward bad manufacturer behavior with further patronage.

I bought the car precisely because I didn't want to do deal with unpredictable maintenance visits and costs while I go through some intense clinical years in my medical career. I purposely didn't go for a W205, because the W204 seemed like a perfect mix of European driving experience and above-average reliability. I maxed out on the extended warranty* and prepaid maintenance so that I could have fixed maintenance costs for the next three years. I needed mechanical reliability and financial predictability (which reminds me that getting a Jag XE is probably a bad idea. Maybe a Lexus, instead. Boring but reliable).

Instead, by the end of next week, I'll have spent at least three workdays addressing all the faults; I'll have spent at least $3,050 on repairs/replacements; and I will have received exactly zero reimbursement (with $500 offered in writing for the brakes but not yet received).
On top of that, between the rim repair and finding out that the 4 wheels were all (still) bent, I went out and bought a 'plus' tire and wheel service contract in case there was ever any new damage**. How could I not do that, when the selling dealer was emailing me statements like "Mercedes-Benz wheels are soft and bend easy" (separate quote from above)? That tire & wheel coverage was another $1,390 that I didn't expect to have to pay. Altogether, that purchase brings me to unplanned expenses of over $4,440 after 53 days of ownership - plus the opportunity cost of lost income from constant dealer visits, having to do research about the damage, communicating with MB, etc. That's a greater dollar amount than the difference between the cost of a CPO C300 and a CPO E350 at my local dealer (same year, same mileage). That's the vacation of a lifetime, or enough funds to prepare our house for a newborn, or $43,000 in extra retirement funds when I turn 65. How can I look my partner in the eye and say, "I think we should stick with the Benz"? I'd risk making a complete fool of myself.


*BTW, another thing to look out for if you're a potential CPO customer who found this thread: the selling dealer insisted (in writing, no less) that I could only purchase the CPO warranty extension at the time of sale. MBWorld saved me $1,100 by making me aware that this claim was false and that I could shop around at other dealers.

**Of course, that coverage doesn't include pre-existing damage. Sure, at the time when I bought the coverage, I had an inspection sheet from the local dealer which explicitly stated that the tires were now in good condition (I think their 3rd-party rim repair guy screwed both them and me). But I'm not going to debase myself - legally or ethically - by claiming that any or all 4 rims were somehow magically (re-)bent between when I bought the tire & wheel coverage on Monday, and when I went to the independent shop on Thursday. I'm not playing these kinds of games. To sound like a broken record, owning something major like a car shouldn't negatively affect your mental health or self-image, and turning into a huckster myself would definitely affect the latter. If you're reading this thread because you're also having a bad experience with a dealer/manufacturer, be healthy and don't stoop to their level.

s4rs

I'd grep the forum concerning "soft rims". 19" and above rims are risky in cold weather states. In MA where I live people running 19"s in the winter are asking for trouble. 18" do fine, there is enough rubber to protect most rims from the average pothole hit.

Don't take this wrong but I think you are crazy to ditch a car because of rims. c300's as a whole have proven to be a pretty solid car. I think the issues you are having are dealer issues. If I were you I'd find an indi in your area that has a good Merc reputation. Indi's are allowed to work on cars with factory warantees and charge Merc. I did this with my A6. I hate my local dealer, would take the car to an indi who is great. Just a thought.

sadpanda

I hear you. I really want to take that point of view. The whole point of something as basic as rims is that they shouldn't make you question your car ownership. At this point, though, the basic wheels (and I mean really basic - standard 17") are on track to add 20% to the the purchase price. That's nuts. With a situation this obvious, one would expect the dealer to step up. Failing that, the manufacturer. That hasn't happened at all.

If it has cost me an extra five grand after six weeks of ownership, how much extra will the C300 cost me after six months? Two years? I bought this car because the numbers worked out best for three years of ownership versus other options. Not for an emotional experience or intangibles. It's a C300, not an AMG or an Aston. If anything, I think my previous high-maintenance cars made me too lenient initially towards the C300. I can't afford for a compact commuter car to become a money pit.

If MBUSA won't stand behind the basics of such a straightforward car, I expect them to shirk their responsibility when it comes to more complex failures. Especially with a car in warranty, you're buying not only the car, but a healthy relationship with the manufacturer when things go wrong. I can't just think to myself, "ah well, who needs five grand, plenty of people have good Mercedes experiences, so I should just hope that things get better". I have to base future expectations on past performance. I'm still hoping that things will work out, but I'm not going to bear the full financial brunt of these repairs - actually, ANY brunt - and stick with a manufacturer based on the vague hope that they decide to play nice the next time they screw up. Unless it's an Aston. I'm totally open to being placed in a situation where I'd have to figure out whether I'd stick with an Aston.

Morning-after edit: s4rs, you're definitely right. I've been forcing myself to smile, be polite and patient with MB throughout this process, and that's worn me down. Sometimes, it takes more energy to stay calm than it does to get angry. I think I'm glad that I was able to describe/vent things anonymously on MBWorld (and my experience will hopefully help future CPO buyers), and I think I've vented enough to be able to jump back into communicating nicely with MB and hoping to straighten things out.

bop11

Sorry to hear your problems. I also got tired of the cost of ownership after 4 Rovers. My wife and I have owned 5 MB and put over 250,000 mile each on a couple of the 300 SD's they use to makes. Now I have a 2010 GLK with 90,000 and my wife has a 2014 C300. My wife had gone through several wheels on her 1999 CLK when she had it. So much so that I had a set of winter and summer rims. The winter with hydrophobic Bridgestone tires were after market Tire Rack wheels that looked similar to the originals but were steel not aluminum.
Replacement wheels should run from $99 to $250 each so probably will cost ~$800 for good looking ones. Add $150 for installation and balance so you are go to go for less than $1000
As stated by many, I would talk with MB national and try to retrieve that money. Also I would look carefully at the front struts to insure that there is no damage there as potholes big enough to bend wheels can also do damage to the mounts.
When I weighed the original wheels vs the replacements I bought, the originals were much lighter. However, my wife never bent the replacements, but did destroy 2 of the originals which cost Mucho Dinero to replace.
The joke in this part of PA is that the BMW dealer digs a pot hole in front of his dealership every spring, just to make money on the sale of rims.

C300Sport

Agreed. It sounds like they are skimping on the CPO process and just hope the unlucky new owner doesn't notice or doesn't demand to be given what they paid for.

ChuckinTucson

If you paid $1,390 for the wheel and tire package, I am having trouble figuring out why the dealer (either local or selling) isn't honoring that warranty. I have that on my ML and have used it numerous times, from getting new tires due to road hazards, to getting wheels replaced due to curb rash. Granted I've bought numerous cars from the same dealer, but this warranty is through Mercedes Benz, not the dealer, so it should be honored by any Mercedes Benz dealer. I'd be raising holy hell with MB Corporate. What's the point of spending extra on a CPO car?

blitzkrieg69

A word of caution if you decide to buy reps from Power Wheels Pro: Get a hold of them either via email or phone before purchasing. Do not just order off of their website. They accept the payment before filling the order or even checking the shelves. I noticed that several models they sell were marked "out of stock", or "pre-order", but the ones I wanted were not. I placed my order. They kindly accepted my payment. The following day I received an email stating "The wheels you ordered are on back order, but we will have them in about 4 weeks". They did immediately offer a refund, but it's been a week now, and my credit card company still has no record of a refund being initiated. I actually had to file a dispute with my credit card company.

I have read great things about them on here and elsewhere, and I'm sure they're nice enough guys, but I personally think accepting payment for an item they don't have, and haven't marked as back ordered is crap customer service.

sadpanda

I bought the wheel and tire coverage in the short period (2 days) between the local dealer confirming that the 3 rims were repaired properly and the independent dealer finding that all 4 were actually (still) bent. I wanted that confirmation in writing precisely to document that the wheels were in good condition at the time I bought the coverage. But, as much as I'd like to say that something must have happened during those two days, logically, the repair was never done correctly. So, I'm working on getting a refund of that repair. Once I get the new rims installed, I can be certain that I am fully covered by the wheel and tire plan. Right now, it would be unethical to make a claim and pretend the damage wasn't pre-existing.


Of course, all of you are right to question the point of buying a CPO car if it comes with bent rims. That's covered by CPO inspection checklist items in the form of wheel condition and road vibrations. If MB can't guarantee that the items will be found prior to sale, then you'd expect them to provide hassle-free remedy once they are. I'd understand ambiguity if months have passed since ownership, but we're nowhere bear that timeframe where one could reasonably ask whether the damage occurred after purchase.

Thanks for the heads-up about Power Wheels Pro, blitzkrieg69.

sadpanda

Here's an update:

The selling dealer upped their reimbursement offer for the wheels to $425. The local dealer has been very cooperative and friendly - discounted new OEM wheels, free installation and a credit towards future purchases to make up for the failed wheel repairs. They're also waiting to hear back from MBUSA about any goodwill assistance.

As it stands, I'd still be paying $1,391.93 out of pocket, but that's good progress from the previous figure of over $2,000 just a few days ago. I'm not including another ~$300 in that amount for all the independent inspections I've had to have done, but I can live with that for now.

I'm also setting up an appointment with some automotive engineers at my university to have them look at the old wheels once they're off the car - should be a fun puzzle for them to figure out the cause of the damage.

MB Marko

take them to judge Judy she will straighten them out but seriously you bought CPO sue you live in america you can sue for everything there. Plus those rims could of put you in great danger on the road.

s4rs

Still sad you have to pay anything. I'd continue to fight this.

I was also thinking for the money you are spending I would go up to Tirerack, buy a nice set of winter rims and tires, put them on, drop off you bent rims at the dealer and say take care of these and I don't want to pay a dime.

If they say the rims are fixed have them put on a demo car and drive it to make sure all is OK.

magendim

That's unfortunate that you're having all that trouble after a purchase. It really seems like the dealer failed to inspect and road test the car properly as part of the CPO.

When I bought my C250 CPO this past summer, it was my first purchase from this dealer, although I have my other Benz serviced there sometimes. So, first thing, I talked talked to my service advisor about the car and I had mentioned a couple of small things that needed fixing (small door dent, pull to the right, loose tow point cover). One of the things he said was make sure you get any issues or problems that need fixing put in writing on a We Owe document. When I brought these things up with the salesman, they tried to brush it off saying things like some dings they can't remove, the pull is nothing to worry about, etc. But, I knew an alignment, ding removal, etc would end up running me $400-500, so I insisted and they wrote it up no problem.

Brought it in for a service, they did an alignment, tire rotation - pull gone, ding gone, still have to bring it back to pop on the tow cover since they had to paint it, but cost was $0. I know this doesn't help the OP much but hopefully some helpful info for anyone buying a CPO benz....

sadpanda

Absolutely agreed, a We Owe is a must. If you're buying from a dealer far from home, it's also important to not just get the We Owe, but a written agreement to cover the cost of repairs at your local dealer. Otherwise, an unscrupulous seller might say, "yes, we agreed on the repairs, but only at our facility".

When we discovered the giant chip in the windshield during the test drive, the salesman's first response was, "don't worry, that'll be covered under the CPO warranty" (red flag......again). Luckily, I wasn't duped on that one and insisted on the We Owe. On the flipside, I was so focused on that big, obvious windshield that I didn't closely scrutinize the dealer's claims about the state of the wheels and brakes. So, lesson #37 of used car buying: don't be distracted by the glaring stuff, because there may be more.

sadpanda

Final update:

My local dealer replaced the wheels a few weeks ago. I'm glad I spent that $2,087, even though even that wasn't the end of the saga: I still noticed vibrations. So, I took the car for another inspection at an independent. They found significantly uneven tread wear on both front tires. "Luckily", I only had to pay $80 to have them replaced under the manufacturer warranty. If I had waited to replace the wheels, they would have had an even more extensive effect on the my other components, like tires and brakes. I'd have paid a lot more in the long run.

The car finally runs great, but yesterday I finally decided to sell it. Since the wheel replacement, I've tried to retain faith in the system. I've stepped back and let the local dealer handle the case that's open with MBUSA (the local guys are good to go). Sadly, MBUSA hasn't even returned their calls about the matter. If they can't be bothered to talk to their own dealer, let alone me, I don't want to have any business relationship with that company anymore. I went over my experience with a no-win, no-fee consumer law firm in Ohio, and they pushed me to sue the selling dealer for fraud. I don't want to do that, either, because I have enough stress in my life. I might post the name of the dealer that sold me the car once I've replaced it - just as an FYI to everyone interested in where this all started - but that'd be the last of it.

My partner and I have a baby in the works and I just sold my Range Rover, so I'd have wanted to upgrade to something larger soon, anyway. Funnily enough, I really liked my W212 loaners, but I think the MBZ ship has sailed. It looks live I've found a good deal on a Jag XF AWD, and there are some BMWs, Volvos and Land Rovers in the running as well.

Anyway, the car is listed here in the Classified section, if any of you are interested. It really is finally in CPO condition, and you can take it for as many pre-purchase inspections as you'd like.

sadpanda

I'm very happy to report that Mercedes-Benz USA came through and resolved everything:

On Monday, I finalized the price on a BMW by email. Exactly three minutes later, I got a call from the service manager at my local MB dealer. He'd finally gotten through to the regional MBUSA rep and went to bat for me. As a result of the service manager's persuasion, the regional rep offered the dealer a trade incentive to essentially buy back my car.

I have to admit: the offer came completely out of the blue. I'd given up on Mercedes and was ready to move on to a BMW or Jaguar this week.

Instead, after a couple days of low-stress negotiations with Mercedes-Benz of Ann Arbor, I took possession of a new 2015 C300 last night. MB of Ann Arbor gave me a deal that will give me the exact same 3-year cost to own as on the 2013 C300. I'm still a few grand in the hole on the old car's repairs, but I think this is the best outcome I could get (short of suing the Ohio dealer that sold me the old car).

I wish that this mess with the old W204 hadn't happened in the first place. That's on the dealer in Ohio. I also wish that MBUSA had handled all this about 6 weeks ago, which would have saved me a ton of time and stress. But - and it's a big but - MBUSA did ultimately step forward to offer a substantial amount of financial support.

I'll be a Mercedes-Benz customer for at least another three years, I've gained a hugely positive impression of my local dealer, and I expect to realize in the coming weeks that I've also gained a significantly better car for the same price.

I guess I did finally learn why Mercedes-Benz USA is at the top of the customer satisfaction rankings.

I hope this thread gives people a lot of pointers and, ultimately, hope that everything can work out when dealing with MBUSA.