SilverBulletAMG

For those of you following my saga, I've had my car at the stealership for nearly 40 days for the following repairs and just got the car back. After they tried to double dip and charge both me and my warranty and having to threaten to take them to court, they did the repairs for free and decided it wasn't wise to try and stick me with a $3k+ bill. The complaints I brought the car in for, their response, parts ordered and prices are listed below right off of their 4 page invoice. I'll save the best part for last...

*CUSTOMER STATES WHEN CAR HEATS UP LOSES POWER, POSSIBLE INNER COOLER PUMP - PERFORMED ENGINE SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS AND REPLACED AIR CHARGE RECIRCULATION PUMP
PT#000-500-03-86 COOLANT PUMP
PART: $276.00 LABOR: $80.00 TOTAL: 356.00

*CUSTOMER STATES WINDSHIELD FOGS IN CENTER, WORSE WHEN AC ON - CUSTOMER DECLINED UPDATED VENT REPLACEMENT (Reason being warranty would not cover it due to it being an "updated part")

*SHOWS ESP MALFUNCTION AT TIMES - ONLY CODES STORED DUE TO LOW VOLTAGE (Car mainly brought in because battery kept dying = low voltage and no codes stored)

*CUSTOMER STATES HAS A FLAPPING SOUND IN DRIVERS SIDE AC VENT, WORSE WHEN WINDY AT 70-75 - UNABLE TO VERIFY COMPLAINT (They obviously didn't take the car up to 70-75mph because it does it every time!)

*CUSTOMER STATES BOTTOM FLAP ON CUPHOLDER BROKEN - CUSTOMER DECLINED UPDATED CUPHOLDER BRACKET (again, warranty would not cover "updated part" and they wanted a ridiculous amount to replace)

*CUSTOMER STATES AUTO UP AND DOWN ON FRONT WINDOWS WILL NOT WORK AT TIMES - REPLACED LFT AND RT DOOR CONTROL MODULES
PT# 203-820-14-85 CONTROL UNIT $155.00
PT# 203-820-15-85 CONTROL UNIT $84.00
PARTS $239.00 LABOR: $208.00 TOTAL: $447.00

*BATTERY KEEPS GOING DEAD - CK AND REPLACED LEFT AND RT SEAT CONTROL MODULES DUE TO EXCESSIVE DRAW
PT# 211-870-46-26 CONTROL UNIT $145.00
PT# 211-870-47-26 CONTROL UNIT $276.00
PARTS $421.00 LABOR: $176.00 TOTAL: $597.00

*CUSTOMER STATES HAS A ROUGH IDLE, WORSE WHEN COLD - NO PROBLEM FOUND (Figures....)

*CUSTOMER STATES POWER MIRRORS MOVE WHEN YOU TURN OFF CAR, WONT HOLD ADJUSTMENT - REAPAIRED W/DOOR CONTROL MODULES REPLACED ON LINE G

*CUSTOMER STATES STEREO COMES ON WITH KEY OUT OF IGNITION WITH CAR NOT PREVIOUSLY RUNNING - NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE (Is this true?! Your cars stereo will come on without the key on or car off?)

*CUSTOMER STATES BOTTOM OF DRIVERS SEAT WILL NOT HEAT - REPLACED LEFT FRONT SEAT CUSHION (LOWER) TO REPAIR SEAT HEATER OPERATION
PART# 203-910-43-46-9C05 COVER $625.00
PARTS: $625.00 LABOR: $184.00 TOTAL: $809.00

*CUSTOMER STATES OVER BUMPS HAS A THUMP IN FRONT - GAVE ESTIMATE FOR RT SIDE TORQUE STRUT AND BEARING AND ALIGNMENT. CUSTOMER DECLINED REPAIR (warranty would cover left side, the damaged side, but would not cover the right. they had to replace both sides with an updated part, warranty would not cover other side and dealership wanted a small fortune for repairs. thanks, but no thanks)

*CUSTOMER STATES AT ABOUT 1500RPMS, SHIFTS HARD - PERFORMED TRANS. SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS, AFTER EXTENSIVE TESTING, FOUND VALVE BODY IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT W/UPDATED TRANS. CONTROL MODULE.
PART# 140-270-06-06-88 VALVE GEAR $606.00
PART# 032-545-12-32-26 TRANS. CONT MODULE $986.00
PART# 001-989-45-01-10 TRANSMISSION $10.00
PART# 140-277-00-95 TRANS OIL FILT $14.50
PART# 140-271-00-80 GASKET, TRANS $11.00
PART# 140 991-00-55 LOCK PIN $0.70
PART# 015-997-06-45 SEAL RING $2.00
PART# 015-997-05-45 SEAL RING $2.40
PARTS: $1702.60 LABOR: $396.00 TOTAL: $2,071.60

*CUSTOMER STATES DRIVERS SEAT CONTROLS WORK IN REVERSE AT TIMES - REPAIRED BY CONTROL MODULE REPLACEMENT LISTED ABOVE.

TOTAL BILL - $4,533.11 (and we wonder why it's so hard to get an aftermarket warranty for our cars!

Now, take a look at the part number for the TCU. It's completely different than what they initially gave me as a part number and about double the original price quoted. They are trying to tell me its "an update to the updated TCU". Sounds like their blowin smoke to me. They go on to tell me they would have thrown that in for free for my "troubles" of them taking a month and a half to fix my car which makes me even more suspicious. I'm wondering if they even replaced it now.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! So after sitting in a back office with the manager an hour past closing trying to get this settled outside of court we come to an agreement and I walk out of there with no out of pocket expenses. I sit in the car for some time looking everything over before I leave the lot, adjust the seats, mirrors, etc. and decide it's good to go. I make it a mile down the road in stop and go traffic and hit the brakes for the first time (beside tapping in parking lot of course) and am amazed to find the pedal is rock hard, the steering wheel shakes like crazy when the brakes are pressed, there is a horrific metal on metal sound coming from the front end and you can feel the grinding through the steering wheel and brake pedal! I immediately call back the dealership and get another manager on the phone and let them know I would be dropping the car off again first thing in the a.m. to have my brakes looked at because they seriously jacked something up. I would have drove straight back to the dealership but wanted to make sure there wasn't anything else wrong with it before I took it back! When I got home I was looking at the front rotors and they are all scratched to hell with gouges, were SMOKIN hot (rear rotors were cold to the touch) and could feel bumps in the rotors like it was starting to warp. Regardless it looks like the rotors need turned and probably new pads depending on how bad they screwed it up. They chipped the hell out of my front rims where the lug nuts go and the car was filthy when I picked it up, so who knows what other nicks and dings are on the car now. When I left I shook their hand and agreed to keep this out of the courts. Now I'm not so sure!

Now, I understand that for the most part it isn't so much the cars fault as it is the fault of having the worst dealership on the planet working on my car....but at this point I am seriously looking to do what others on here have done and just dump the car and get a freakin honda until I move closer to a REAL dealership within feasible driving distance.

Sorry for the extremely long winded post and if you've made it this far I applaud you! Believe it or not this is the VERRRRRY short version of a 40+ day drama that is sure to continue now.

rlee02135

wow..this really sucks.
glad you didnt have to pay

BTW, the radio will turn on if key is out of ignition, ONLY if you press the power button

moorfan

Now, take a look at the part number for the TCU. It's completely different than what they initially gave me as a part number and about double the original price quoted. They are trying to tell me its "an update to the updated TCU". Sounds like their blowin smoke to me. They go on to tell me they would have thrown that in for free for my "troubles" of them taking a month and a half to fix my car which makes me even more suspicious. I'm wondering if they even replaced it now.

Wow dude,
sounds like a complete and total thrash.
I saw several interesting things about your bill.

1. The TCU part number of 0325451232 is apparently the correct updated TCU. There are several different TCU's that you can purchase for our car, namely one for the C320 or one for the E500 or for the E55.
Regardless of this issue, that part number TCU cost me $306 from Duval Motorcars (a M-B dealer).

2. When I first got my car the driver's side bottom seat heater was not working, and under purchase warranty I had the work done. The cost to the seller (CarMax) was $582 labor and $502 parts. Interesting how the same seat cover is over $100 different from dealer to dealer.

It seems to me that the relationship between you and the dealer is now, at best, contentious. It sure sounds like the dealer is not the best one, and I would question if you will ever get fair service from them again.

Regards and best of luck,
Pete

splinter

Holy mother of all mechanical nightmares. Would not blame you in the least for bailing after that treatment. Sorry to hear how it all went so wrong for you.

Is it any wonder why the Asian marques continue to gain market share?

SFML320

SilverBulletAMG,

What kind of warranty do you have that the dealer is giving such a hard time on.

14cue

what a nightmare!

i applaud you my friend for taking this so well. i would have lost my cool when they mentioned money. let us know what happens next. I am sure it will work out in the end. get a good lawyer and settle this thing once and for all.

good luck.

SilverBulletAMG

I am actually a JAG (attorney) for the Air Force and work with 10 other senior attorneys. It will work out in the end.

SilverBulletAMG

I have a full warranty through Mercury and have no deductible through them. The problem was they don't cover any updated parts....only OEM. Since a majority of the new parts were updated parts, they wouldn't cover it. The other problem was with the suspension. They would cover one side that was damaged, but not the other since it was fine. They can't replace the damaged side with the OEM part since it has been discontinued and "updated"...hence no coverage.
The so called Mercedes dealership is mainly Pontiac, GMC and just so happends to have ONE tech on hand and they have a few Mercedes on the lot. They in no way shape or form represent Mercedes. It wouldn't be fair of me to blame Mercedes as a whole since any other dealership I've ever dealt with has been top notch. I live in Gulfport, but will be taking my car to Mobile, AL from now on for service. Well worth the hour drive.

SilverBulletAMG

Thanks for the info, Pete! That does give me some reasurance at least.
It is strange how prices can vary so much from place to place. You'd think it would be a standard thing across the board...obviously not!