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My 2020 C300 that I recently turned in at lease end is currently for sale at Mercedes-Benz of Gilbert Arizona as a CPO with one glaring issue, the Carfax. The car is being misrepresented with a cleaner history than it has. The linked Carfax report shows one “minor” accident in February of 2022 described as “minor dents and scratches.” The accident in question is actually accident number two. Accident number one (more severe) isn’t even reported on the Carfax. The sad truth is, BOTH accidents were moderate to severe.
THE DEALER IS AWARE AND IS ACTIVELY CHOOSING TO MISREPRESENT THE VEHICLE.
ACCIDENT ONE: happened in January of 2021, two weeks after purchase. I was rear ended by a distracted driver while approaching a red light. Speed difference was estimated to be about 25-30 mph. In the C300, the seatbelts blew, meaning the car needed not only new seatbelt pre tensioners, but recalibration of the airbag module by the dealer. The total invoice was 15k. I would consider this accident to be moderate to severe. The vehicle was still operational, however it was unsafe to drive as its safety system had deployed. The vehicle also called emergency services upon impact. While (somehow) the frame was undamaged, the trunk, bumper, quarter panel, taillight, and many ‘under the skin parts’ were severely damaged, pictures do NOT do it justice. Repairs took over a month to complete. I’ll attach pictures of the accident as well as the invoice.
ACCIDENT TWO: this is the accident that is referenced on the Carfax, however the severity was greatly reduced. In February of 2022, while the car was reversed parked, someone drove straight into it while trying to park. What resulted was 9k in damages and a month worth of repair work. One of the criteria’s for a ‘moderate accident’ on the Carfax is for it to be non operational/ towed. The vehicle was in fact non operational and towed from the parking lot straight to the body shop. The accident is listed as ‘minor dents/ scratches’ on the Carfax, which is false. I’ve also attached photos and the invoice from this accident.
I would not care if the accident(s) simply involved a bumper respray/replacement. Those are minor and have no bearing on the safety or operation of the vehicle. Dealers will often do this on CPO cars to render them more attractive. However, these accidents were not minor and should be made clear on the vehicle’s listing and Carfax.
I have contacted Carfax with all supporting documentation including proof of ownership, but they said they couldn’t do anything as it was no longer my car. Instead the dealer should contact them.
I contacted MBUSA who brushed it off and made it evident they did not care.
I’ve contacted MB Gilbert TWICE. The first time they said they would make the manager aware. After not hearing back and nothing being updated I contacted them again. They said the manager was “aware of the situation.” I told them the vehicle was being misrepresented and that buyers should be aware of its history. I was told the manager would contact me but I haven’t heard anything and nothing continues to be done. At this point this is plain fraud. They are aware of its history, and are knowingly continuing to falsely represent the vehicle to unsuspecting buyers. I will be leaving them a negative review and linking this thread with the vehicle’s vin. Hopefully it will force them to do the right thing or stop a prospective buyer from making an expensive mistake (if they find this thread).
As I am a SoCal resident, the car was returned to MB Carlsbad who was made aware of its history, although the car was not their responsibility. It was quickly transported to MB Gilbert where it now resides under a false history report.
The Carfax also has gaps in the service history, although I am not worried of this as it was always serviced at an MB dealer so all those records are in their database and easily accessible.
I had a similar situation in 2017 with an E350 I had given back on lease return. It was side swiped by a driver under the influence a month prior to lease end. It got a new door and quarter panel. I actually never got the car back after the accident, it went straight back to the dealer. It was returned to MB San Diego who was obviously aware of the accident, but the car was subsequently shipped off to MB Wilsonville where it was then listed as a CPO with a clean Carfax. I contacted the dealer, giving them the benefit of the doubt, and provided them with all supporting documentation of the accident. Within a day, the Carfax and listing were updated accordingly.
Now I have nothing to gain from doing this with my former C class. However, I would not feel good knowing that some unsuspecting buyer got ripped off. I do not care if they keep the car as a CPO, I care that they represent it honestly and truthfully. Before returning the vehicle, MB sent a representative out to do a pre-return inspection. He very quickly was able to point out the accidents and took note of it. Quite frankly this just proves the total BS that their ‘CPO 165+ point inspection is.” Even with the most basic of basic inspections, it would be pretty clear of the accident history.
The accidents are precisely why I did not buy the lease out for the low price of 26k, which was well below market value. This car is simply not worth the 33k MB Gilbert is asking.
Moral of the story, if buying a used car, even CPO, invest in a paint meter. Dealers lie, Carfax lies, but the paint meter does not lie!!
Since absolutely nothing has happened I decided I’d give it another shot today. No manager has contacted me, the car remains for sale with an incorrect history. When I called MB Gilbert they said they can’t connect me to any general manager, they can’t even give me an email. The only way for me to get to one would be through the representative at the front desk. I explained to the lady on the phone that this is why the TWO times I’ve asked to be contacted by one that nothing has happened. They’ve completely shielded themselves away from any responsibility by not allowing ANYONE to contact them unless through the front desk, where they obviously never bother to respond to anything negative.
On the bright side the first thing that pops up when I google the vin is this thread.
According to their website, they have multiple general sales managers. Jonathan Harris, John Ajluni and Omar Robles. They ought to be absolutely ashamed of themselves. They are completely aware too, at least according to my second phone call from a few weeks ago as mentioned earlier in the thread. I am absolutely disgusted by the dealer and by MBUSA to allow stuff like this to happen. I will NEVER buy a CPO MB. It is all shady BS.
if the car repaired to Mercedes OEM specification, so what's the problem?
someone rear ended my Mercedes 4 years ago, it repaired by a body shop recommended by a local Mercedes dealer.
i just checked my carfax report, it shows No accident or damage reported to Carfax
if the car repaired to Mercedes OEM specification, so what's the problem?
someone rear ended my Mercedes 4 years ago, it repaired by a body shop recommended by a local Mercedes dealer.
i just checked my carfax report, it shows No accident or damage reported to Carfax
Are you serious? How isn’t it a problem? These weren’t just bumper resprays, they were pretty significant involving a lot of work. It could cause issues down the line. Or say the owner discovered the history after they bought it, or someone they tried selling it to had it inspected and discovered the true history, they would take a large depreciation hit over something that wasn’t their fault. There is a reason why cars with accidents have lower value and why things like a Carfax exist and why they should be corrected. If you try to sell your car private party and just disclosed the Carfax, while knowing it had been hit especially while you owned it, the next owner could get you in a lot of trouble if they found out. It’s shady business not only for the dealer but it can cause liability issues to the next owner, “OEM specification” or not. It won’t hold up in a court of law!
By the way, in California there is a law where insurance companies do not need to provide you with OEM parts if your vehicle is over a year old. When the Jeep hit my car I fought tooth and nail with the insurance to get OEM parts and not some cheap aftermarket crap. I didn’t want MB going after me for not having OEM parts on the car. All the more reason disclosure is important because most people wouldn’t know and non-OEM parts could cause problems down the road, they simply aren’t as good as OEM.
Are you serious? How isn’t it a problem? These weren’t just bumper resprays, they were pretty significant involving a lot of work. It could cause issues down the line. Or say the owner discovered the history after they bought it, or someone they tried selling it to had it inspected and discovered the true history, they would take a large depreciation hit over something that wasn’t their fault. There is a reason why cars with accidents have lower value and why things like a Carfax exist and why they should be corrected. If you try to sell your car private party and just disclosed the Carfax, while knowing it had been hit especially while you owned it, the next owner could get you in a lot of trouble if they found out. It’s shady business not only for the dealer but it can cause liability issues to the next owner, “OEM specification” or not. It won’t hold up in a court of law!
By the way, in California there is a law where insurance companies do not need to provide you with OEM parts if your vehicle is over a year old. When the Jeep hit my car I fought tooth and nail with the insurance to get OEM parts and not some cheap aftermarket crap. I didn’t want MB going after me for not having OEM parts on the car. All the more reason disclosure is important because most people wouldn’t know and non-OEM parts could cause problems down the road, they simply aren’t as good as OEM.
that depends on what insurance you have !
yeah, you car got rear ended, it's not like they going to repair that bumper, that bumper got replaced with a new one just like from the Mercedes factory.
i have AAA, they always give me OEM parts since i always take my car to the most expensive or dealer recommended body shop.
oh, i also replaced my windshield twice with Mercedes OEM windshield, AAA have no problem reimbursed me after i paid the deductible.
This is interesting in many respects. Carfax gets its vehicle histories from insurance companies, repair shops and police reports, for which ( I'm guessing) Carfax pays a fee. Carfax's business is selling reliable complete vehicle histories, and allows individual DIY owners to post service info. Carfax has every incentive to collect every event pertaining to a car.
Used car dealerships are another matter. Any seller (private or commercial) has an oblgation to disclose what is known about the vehicle. I traded a car a couple years ago, and provided the dealer with its complete history -- service records as well as receipts for repair of a minor fender bender (and I kept copies). That completed my obligation to disclose. The dealer, having possession of all this, should have legally disclosed it to all prospective buyers. But he could have shredded it all and sold the car "as is", aka caveat emptor, what you see is what you get, claiming ignorance. Obviously used car dealerships have every incentive to conceal anything that compromises a sale at the highest price possible.
Your integrity and honesty is admirable, but you're swimming with sharks here. You fulfilled your obligatory disclosure. It's now between the dealership and the buyer.
Thank you for raising the red flag on this. I think every buyer should do their due diligence with every purchase. Get both a car fax and auto check, and get a PPP, CPO or not.
This is interesting in many respects. Carfax gets its vehicle histories from insurance companies, repair shops and police reports, for which ( I'm guessing) Carfax pays a fee. Carfax's business is selling reliable complete vehicle histories, and allows individual DIY owners to post service info. Carfax has every incentive to collect every event pertaining to a car.
Used car dealerships are another matter. Any seller (private or commercial) has an oblgation to disclose what is known about the vehicle. I traded a car a couple years ago, and provided the dealer with its complete history -- service records as well as receipts for repair of a minor fender bender (and I kept copies). That completed my obligation to disclose. The dealer, having possession of all this, should have legally disclosed it to all prospective buyers. But he could have shredded it all and sold the car "as is", aka caveat emptor, what you see is what you get, claiming ignorance. Obviously used car dealerships have every incentive to conceal anything that compromises a sale at the highest price possible.
Your integrity and honesty is admirable, but you're swimming with sharks here. You fulfilled your obligatory disclosure. It's now between the dealership and the buyer.
I agree, my obligation at this point is well over, however I am “that guy.” I just have too much time on my hands, might as well try and stop someone from getting ripped.
Originally Posted by Thrilla
Thank you for raising the red flag on this. I think every buyer should do their due diligence with every purchase. Get both a car fax and auto check, and get a PPP, CPO or not.
My 2020 C300 that I recently turned in at lease end is currently for sale at Mercedes-Benz of Gilbert Arizona as a CPO with one glaring issue, the Carfax. The car is being misrepresented with a cleaner history than it has. The linked Carfax report shows one “minor” accident in February of 2022 described as “minor dents and scratches.” The accident in question is actually accident number two. Accident number one (more severe) isn’t even reported on the Carfax. The sad truth is, BOTH accidents were moderate to severe.
THE DEALER IS AWARE AND IS ACTIVELY CHOOSING TO MISREPRESENT THE VEHICLE.
ACCIDENT ONE: happened in January of 2021, two weeks after purchase. I was rear ended by a distracted driver while approaching a red light. Speed difference was estimated to be about 25-30 mph. In the C300, the seatbelts blew, meaning the car needed not only new seatbelt pre tensioners, but recalibration of the airbag module by the dealer. The total invoice was 15k. I would consider this accident to be moderate to severe. The vehicle was still operational, however it was unsafe to drive as its safety system had deployed. The vehicle also called emergency services upon impact. While (somehow) the frame was undamaged, the trunk, bumper, quarter panel, taillight, and many ‘under the skin parts’ were severely damaged, pictures do NOT do it justice. Repairs took over a month to complete. I’ll attach pictures of the accident as well as the invoice.
ACCIDENT TWO: this is the accident that is referenced on the Carfax, however the severity was greatly reduced. In February of 2022, while the car was reversed parked, someone drove straight into it while trying to park. What resulted was 9k in damages and a month worth of repair work. One of the criteria’s for a ‘moderate accident’ on the Carfax is for it to be non operational/ towed. The vehicle was in fact non operational and towed from the parking lot straight to the body shop. The accident is listed as ‘minor dents/ scratches’ on the Carfax, which is false. I’ve also attached photos and the invoice from this accident.
I would not care if the accident(s) simply involved a bumper respray/replacement. Those are minor and have no bearing on the safety or operation of the vehicle. Dealers will often do this on CPO cars to render them more attractive. However, these accidents were not minor and should be made clear on the vehicle’s listing and Carfax.
I have contacted Carfax with all supporting documentation including proof of ownership, but they said they couldn’t do anything as it was no longer my car. Instead the dealer should contact them.
I contacted MBUSA who brushed it off and made it evident they did not care.
I’ve contacted MB Gilbert TWICE. The first time they said they would make the manager aware. After not hearing back and nothing being updated I contacted them again. They said the manager was “aware of the situation.” I told them the vehicle was being misrepresented and that buyers should be aware of its history. I was told the manager would contact me but I haven’t heard anything and nothing continues to be done. At this point this is plain fraud. They are aware of its history, and are knowingly continuing to falsely represent the vehicle to unsuspecting buyers. I will be leaving them a negative review and linking this thread with the vehicle’s vin. Hopefully it will force them to do the right thing or stop a prospective buyer from making an expensive mistake (if they find this thread).
As I am a SoCal resident, the car was returned to MB Carlsbad who was made aware of its history, although the car was not their responsibility. It was quickly transported to MB Gilbert where it now resides under a false history report.
The Carfax also has gaps in the service history, although I am not worried of this as it was always serviced at an MB dealer so all those records are in their database and easily accessible.
I had a similar situation in 2017 with an E350 I had given back on lease return. It was side swiped by a driver under the influence a month prior to lease end. It got a new door and quarter panel. I actually never got the car back after the accident, it went straight back to the dealer. It was returned to MB San Diego who was obviously aware of the accident, but the car was subsequently shipped off to MB Wilsonville where it was then listed as a CPO with a clean Carfax. I contacted the dealer, giving them the benefit of the doubt, and provided them with all supporting documentation of the accident. Within a day, the Carfax and listing were updated accordingly.
Now I have nothing to gain from doing this with my former C class. However, I would not feel good knowing that some unsuspecting buyer got ripped off. I do not care if they keep the car as a CPO, I care that they represent it honestly and truthfully. Before returning the vehicle, MB sent a representative out to do a pre-return inspection. He very quickly was able to point out the accidents and took note of it. Quite frankly this just proves the total BS that their ‘CPO 165+ point inspection is.” Even with the most basic of basic inspections, it would be pretty clear of the accident history.
The accidents are precisely why I did not buy the lease out for the low price of 26k, which was well below market value. This car is simply not worth the 33k MB Gilbert is asking.
Moral of the story, if buying a used car, even CPO, invest in a paint meter. Dealers lie, Carfax lies, but the paint meter does not lie!!
Yikes, I would try reposting that negative review but this time don't put any links, I wonder if Google removed it or the business has the ability to remove it, which doesn't make sense because that way business can just remove negative reviews. That is why I suspected that a link in the review was what flagged it to be taken down.
Unrelated, what car did you end up getting? Curious.
If you're really determined to follow through on this, here's what you could consider doing:
1. Keep monitoring the dealer's used car inventory to see when the vehicle is no longer listed, and has presumably sold. You could call and ask if the car is still available you want to make sure it's been sold.
2. Wait a couple months for the vehicle's registration to be completed (assuming it remains in AZ).
3. Put copies of photos and accident records in a large envelope, weigh it and put sufficient postage on it. Include your contact information if you want to.
4. Go to the AZ Dept of Motor Vehicles office and sit down with one of the clerks. Make sure you have your old registration card with the VIN. Tell him or her that you found service records that could be useful to the new owner, and ask if the car has been registered in AZ. If yes, ask the clerk to address the envelope to the new owner and mail it for you. (you don't need to ask for the new owner's information, which probably would not be given to you if you asked for it).
5. Let the new owner decide what action to take.
I did this once after trading in a car when I found the valet key for it a couple months later. The DMV clerk had no problem addressing the envelope and mailing it for me.
Yikes, I would try reposting that negative review but this time don't put any links, I wonder if Google removed it or the business has the ability to remove it, which doesn't make sense because that way business can just remove negative reviews. That is why I suspected that a link in the review was what flagged it to be taken down.
Unrelated, what car did you end up getting? Curious.
The Google review is still up, I had another on some dealer rating website and that one got taken down.
I haven’t replaced the car yet. I’ve been doing a lot less miles in the last 8 months so I’m not in a rush. I would’ve bought out my lease had it had a clean history. I’ve had a couple W206 deals come by but nothing has materialized. Right now I’m driving the SL more, I barely did 1300 miles over the last 2 years in it and I try to aim for 1500-2000 a year in it. Also driving the Tesla more but it kind of sucks for any drive over 200 miles.
If you're really determined to follow through on this, here's what you could consider doing:
1. Keep monitoring the dealer's used car inventory to see when the vehicle is no longer listed, and has presumably sold. You could call and ask if the car is still available you want to make sure it's been sold.
2. Wait a couple months for the vehicle's registration to be completed (assuming it remains in AZ).
3. Put copies of photos and accident records in a large envelope, weigh it and put sufficient postage on it. Include your contact information if you want to.
4. Go to the AZ Dept of Motor Vehicles office and sit down with one of the clerks. Make sure you have your old registration card with the VIN. Tell him or her that you found service records that could be useful to the new owner, and ask if the car has been registered in AZ. If yes, ask the clerk to address the envelope to the new owner and mail it for you. (you don't need to ask for the new owner's information, which probably would not be given to you if you asked for it).
5. Let the new owner decide what action to take.
I did this once after trading in a car when I found the valet key for it a couple months later. The DMV clerk had no problem addressing the envelope and mailing it for me.
Thats not a bad idea, wonder if I can do it without having to go all the way to AZ as that would be a pain. They do seem to be having a hard time being able to sell it as they’ve dropped the price by 2 grand.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by AzurSL
The Google review is still up, I had another on some dealer rating website and that one got taken down.
I haven’t replaced the car yet. I’ve been doing a lot less miles in the last 8 months so I’m not in a rush. I would’ve bought out my lease had it had a clean history. I’ve had a couple W206 deals come by but nothing has materialized. Right now I’m driving the SL more, I barely did 1300 miles over the last 2 years in it and I try to aim for 1500-2000 a year in it. Also driving the Tesla more but it kind of sucks for any drive over 200 miles.
I see, I misread it, I thought you meant Google review, as I understand youtube also remove comments with links automatically or very least you can choose that as a channel owner. That is why I thought of Google Reviews being removed if it contains links.
02-17-2024, 08:19 PM
