MB Dealership - serious issues!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Ancaster, ON
C63 AMG
MB Dealership - serious issues!
CLIFF NOTES - MB Dealership orders wrong tires, stretches them to get them on my rim, tells me that it's only "slightly unsafe" and is giving bad all-around service, at my $$$ expense.
*** *** ***
I recently (a month ago) bought a new-to-me '09 C63. I'm used to Audi dealerships and always got premier service from them.
I had to leave Canada for work a few weeks ago, so prior to leaving, I contacted the dealer to order winter tires for the C63. I ordered Pirelli Sottozero's --- I normally always use Hakkepellita R's, but decided on Pirelli as they were MB-recommended, and will last longer. This way, my wife just had to go in, get a road-force balance, check alignment, put tires on (and old ones in trunk), and be on her way. 2 hours, maybe 3 - easy as pie.
Alright, here's what I've gone through --- one of the front summer tires, they say the "belt had slipped from the sidewall" and it was defective. Ordered a replacement. Defective tire had less than 500miles on it.
Then they tell her that the rear winter tires were being stretched, and it's "slightly unsafe" but that the tech "does it for his buddies all the time." They were putting 225's on a 9.5" rim. Service Manager says it's within Pirelli's recommended limits; I called Pirelli directly who said it's not unrecommended, but UNSAFE to put their 225 RFTs on a 9.5" rim.
Service Manager can't put the summer tires back on so my wife can drive home, because they "misplaced which front tire was defective and which one was good."
So, the car now has no tires, my wife is stranded, and it takes me calling the Dealership from another continent for them to have the sense to loan her a car. They also claim that the Sottozero does not come in a 235 or 255 width that will fit my car. I tell them to check again (as I know it does, just not in an RFT).
She goes back in today (a few days after) when she receives a call saying the car is ready. The price has gone up, the labour has gone up, they're installing 225RFT in front and 235 non-RFT in rear (which the Pirelli guy said is not unsafe but not recommended). They then claim that the issue is that I had requested "winter rims with matching tires" and that they installed the tires from that rim order --- too bad my wife produced the original quote stating 4x tires, the price and the sizes.
I'm waiting for the owner of said dealership to call me or I'm going to make a ****storm. Releasing a car that they admit is "slightly unsafe" --- a lawsuit waiting to happen. If they're not retracting the labour, I'm having them remove their tires and flatbed my car, at their expense, to a tire guy I know not too far away from them.
I hope this isn't par for the course with Mercedes Dealerships and Star-Certified Technicians .... I won't say which dealership this is unless they refuse to sort out the issues.
Needless, my wife is scared to drive our new car and upset with the runaround we've been getting, and I'm ****ing LIVID.
Any thoughts/comments on solutions --- short of calling Mercedes Benz Canada or the Better Business Bureau --- are greatly appreciated!
*** *** ***
I recently (a month ago) bought a new-to-me '09 C63. I'm used to Audi dealerships and always got premier service from them.
I had to leave Canada for work a few weeks ago, so prior to leaving, I contacted the dealer to order winter tires for the C63. I ordered Pirelli Sottozero's --- I normally always use Hakkepellita R's, but decided on Pirelli as they were MB-recommended, and will last longer. This way, my wife just had to go in, get a road-force balance, check alignment, put tires on (and old ones in trunk), and be on her way. 2 hours, maybe 3 - easy as pie.
Alright, here's what I've gone through --- one of the front summer tires, they say the "belt had slipped from the sidewall" and it was defective. Ordered a replacement. Defective tire had less than 500miles on it.
Then they tell her that the rear winter tires were being stretched, and it's "slightly unsafe" but that the tech "does it for his buddies all the time." They were putting 225's on a 9.5" rim. Service Manager says it's within Pirelli's recommended limits; I called Pirelli directly who said it's not unrecommended, but UNSAFE to put their 225 RFTs on a 9.5" rim.
Service Manager can't put the summer tires back on so my wife can drive home, because they "misplaced which front tire was defective and which one was good."
So, the car now has no tires, my wife is stranded, and it takes me calling the Dealership from another continent for them to have the sense to loan her a car. They also claim that the Sottozero does not come in a 235 or 255 width that will fit my car. I tell them to check again (as I know it does, just not in an RFT).
She goes back in today (a few days after) when she receives a call saying the car is ready. The price has gone up, the labour has gone up, they're installing 225RFT in front and 235 non-RFT in rear (which the Pirelli guy said is not unsafe but not recommended). They then claim that the issue is that I had requested "winter rims with matching tires" and that they installed the tires from that rim order --- too bad my wife produced the original quote stating 4x tires, the price and the sizes.
I'm waiting for the owner of said dealership to call me or I'm going to make a ****storm. Releasing a car that they admit is "slightly unsafe" --- a lawsuit waiting to happen. If they're not retracting the labour, I'm having them remove their tires and flatbed my car, at their expense, to a tire guy I know not too far away from them.
I hope this isn't par for the course with Mercedes Dealerships and Star-Certified Technicians .... I won't say which dealership this is unless they refuse to sort out the issues.
Needless, my wife is scared to drive our new car and upset with the runaround we've been getting, and I'm ****ing LIVID.
Any thoughts/comments on solutions --- short of calling Mercedes Benz Canada or the Better Business Bureau --- are greatly appreciated!
Last edited by divo; Oct 29, 2012 at 01:17 PM. Reason: Accidental font-size upgrade.
Banned
Joined: Feb 2006
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Likes: 36
turns out there are incompetent MB dealers around the world.
try to make them resolve your problem and after that avoid them like plague.
if they mess up your tire order what's next in line?
dealership in my city has a vision on their plaque.
I qoute:
Our goal is to be the best MB dealer, to be competent and worthy all our customers.
what a crock.
turns out they took over all competitor dealerships and now being a huge chain of MB dealership.
I'm now scared of big bad wolf, I have nightmares every night from them.
try to make them resolve your problem and after that avoid them like plague.
if they mess up your tire order what's next in line?
dealership in my city has a vision on their plaque.
I qoute:
Our goal is to be the best MB dealer, to be competent and worthy all our customers.
what a crock.
turns out they took over all competitor dealerships and now being a huge chain of MB dealership.
I'm now scared of big bad wolf, I have nightmares every night from them.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Ancaster, ON
C63 AMG
I wish it was "You get what you pay for" but in this case it's "Buyer beware."
Shoddy service I can handle, but when someone knowingly releases a car as "slightly unsafe" and the Services Manager defends this as an acceptable job, they need to lose their business.
I'm just glad it won't be at the expense of my family's safety.
Shoddy service I can handle, but when someone knowingly releases a car as "slightly unsafe" and the Services Manager defends this as an acceptable job, they need to lose their business.
I'm just glad it won't be at the expense of my family's safety.
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Joined: Mar 2012
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From: Walnut Creek, CA
Vivid Racing '09 C63 AMG
Wow...
I think your alternative of getting them to comp the labor and transport your car to a tire shop you trust is completely reasonable. Probably what I would do.
I think your alternative of getting them to comp the labor and transport your car to a tire shop you trust is completely reasonable. Probably what I would do.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Ancaster, ON
C63 AMG
Update is they're comping the labour, doing the alignment right now with the proper tires. Service Manager was pretty apologetic; I'm still going into the Dealership to have a face-to-face conversation.
In the end, I've been made whole and paid less than I would have with "normal" services - I have to be happy about that. What's unsettling is that they were fully prepared to let stretched run-flat tires go out the door like it was no big deal, and the Services guys were giving my wife a hard time (even today) about what was ordered, what was delivered, and what we have to pay for.
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e300
Kinda crazy MB Roadside service doesnt know how to properly load a car LOL. They should be specialized in AMG and low to the ground cars. Thats unacceptable they failed to load a car. You put 2x4's under the tires so the car doesnt scrap, its really simple. Either the tow-truck driver is a moron or they don't train their employees. Sorry to hear your story. Potholes are the worst.
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12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
Kinda crazy MB Roadside service doesnt know how to properly load a car LOL. They should be specialized in AMG and low to the ground cars. Thats unacceptable they failed to load a car. You put 2x4's under the tires so the car doesnt scrap, its really simple. Either the tow-truck driver is a moron or they don't train their employees. Sorry to hear your story. Potholes are the worst.
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e300
Mods- Your posting system has an issue, it’s not me I promise. Lol
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12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
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'04 E55 (Gone but not forgotten), '13 C63 P31 (RIP), another '13 C63 PP
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