I am Jeff

I agree that **** happens, but **** shouldn't happen when you're paying $149 dollars an hour for labor!

You said it yourself, you made the mistake when you forgot to put the cap back on. You really have no one to blame but yourself for that one, it's a lesson learned. At a minimum, the dealership should clean up that mess and comp that service.

Autosport7

This^
Exactly why I said not to be so hard on the guy. There will come a time when you do something just as dumb as forgetting the oil cap, just hope that if the incident involves another individual, they are as lenient as you were on the dude who forgot the oil cap.
Goes around comes around. All Im trying to say.

Imagine this:
Guy hand tightens the drain plug and forgets to torque her down.
Your driving down the road and you see your oil pressure has dropped.
You don't know how long the oil pressure was low, but you pull over immediately.
Car seems ok, but your not sure. The dealer tells you sorry, but your car is just fine. They do nothing for you as no visible malfunction is evident.
A year goes by and your car decides to **** the bed. Now what...?

This to me is a real problem.
I say all this, but it didn't happen to me, Id probably be upset as well, but I would def take into consideration we are human and make mistakes.

Ingenieur

Doctors, lawyers and engineers make mistakes and for a lot more than $150/hr
Cost does not correlate to quality
A common misconception

When should they happen?
$120 per hour
$100?
What is the cut off
Lol

Autosport7

I don't care if you're paying $1000/hr, this type of stuff happens, obviously, it has happened in op's case.
All Im trying to say is let the dealer take care of their mistake as I am sure they will.

Autosport7

Right on the mark!

Ingenieur

Pilots have drpped bombs on and killed their own men
If we held ourselves to the same standards we hold others the world would be a perfect place

I am Jeff

When doctors, lawyers, and engineers make mistakes, they or their company pays for the mistake. Same logic applies to the tech that ****ed up. I never said that they couldn't make mistakes, I'm just saying that some form of compensation is due. Mistakes warrant rectifying.


The $$ amount is not the point, the point is that the OP paid for a service. A mistake was made, compensation is due. When a doctor messes up, they get sued. When a Lawyer doesn't perform their due diligence, they can be sued. I'm not telling the OP to sue them or get a new engine, I'm stating that he should get the dealership to clean up the mess and compensate him in some shape or form.

Ingenieur

Try becoming undead when a doctor makes a mistake
Or getting out of jail when a lawyer makes one
Try suing a lawyer for bad judgement...good luck lol
Or an engineer after the plane you're on crashes

People have such an outlandish sense of entitlement and righteous indignation
Judge yourself before you do others
Hold yourself to your perfect standard
It's a car
Clean it up
Don 't cry over spilt oil

bhamg

The sad thing is the shop will just shoot degreaser over everything and blast it off, probably several times. Never mind that no one will mask off the electronic components or ensure that caustic or corrosive agents don't infiltrate plugs and terminals. This unfortunately will be one of these jobs the prep shop "I don't give a ****" kids will do.

Critter

Autosport, does that look like fresh oil on top of the motor, that looks like the "service tech" maybe was in a hurry and maybe forgot to drain the old oil or maybe just forgot about the cooler or maybe just forgot what he was getting paid 12.50/hr to do


Your comment on the oil pressure drops, that means there is no oil or little in the pan, oil pressure is made by the pump that should be submerged in the oil. By the time you see the oil pressure has dropped and pull over, it is too late. The engine would not last a year.

I am Jeff

I'm not sure why you think my suggestion to the OP to ask the dealership to clean up that mess and comp his service is a sense of entitlement? I'm not suggesting that he demand a new car, but I find it hard to believe that you and autosport suggest to the OP that he should just let it go and chalk it the tech having a bad day. This tech wasn't doing you a favor for free. OP paid for a service, it is fully expected to be completed in a professional manner. This is not a sense of entitlement.

Ingenieur

Compensation is generally not due in excess of the damages
I dont believe punative damages apply

So what should they do?
Clean it up
That is all they are obligated to do

Now to keep a customer somewhat happy they may offer him something
Free oil change
Some swag
Etc
But they do not owe him that

This was a mistake not neglect or willful misconduct

What is the OP owed beyond cleaning it?

Ingenieur

Any Expectation beyond cleaning is a sense of entitlement

Btw a mechanic is a trade not a profession

I am Jeff

We're essentially stating the same thing. I misunderstood your interpretation of "entitlement" applied to the dealerships responsibility to clean it up. The OP should expect the dealership to clean up the mess, if the low oil caused any additional damages, that should also be repaired or replaced. The dealership giving him any additional compensation would be goodwill.

Ingenieur

We can't expect businesses to pay for their mistakes beyond the actual damages
Heck, why would anyone go into business if every opportunist could gut you
Not saying the op is one but the world is full of them

evodan

I try to buy oil for my clk63 black series at the dealer. First they gave me oil for Diesel engine.Told them to confirm with the tech , then they change it and try to sell me 5w30.I told them I use 5w40.They said they only use 5w30 only., included amg.

Ingenieur

We live in a world of incompetence
And we all contribute to it
Lol it gets frustrating at times but all you can do is chuckle

Autosport7

A) I disagree.
B) The scenario was hypothetical.
I never said let it go. Matter of fact I said just the opposite. They should fix the mistake made. I just said to let the dealer fix it as I am sure they will.

Some people take life way to serious. Lol

biggking

Regardless of how much someone gets paid or what job they have DOUBLE *******G CHECK. That's all I ask. Double check the bolts, double check fluid levels, DOUBLE CHECK THE OIL CAP. The guys working on your car are paid to do a job and I understand they're not $50/hr MB Cert Mechanics but it is their job to double check their work since they're the ones working on it AND GETTING PAID TO DO IT (On top of that we all how knit picky dealers are when it comes to warranty claims on cars, did the customer do it>>YES>>DENY). Same can be said about engineers, heart surgeons, lawyers, those who do their jobs well do it because they DOUBLE CHECK THEIR WORK. Stop defending a dumbass who didn't do his job right, I paid for it do your job and STFU.

Anyways 'nuff on the rant, I bought myself 3 of these bad boys. 1 for evac, one for holding 10l of oil, and spare on the side.

Leonard roccamo

its a 2013 so i got 4 years of warranty or so left, they could had caused an accident while i was on the highway, besides the whole mess and possible damage to the engine down the road

coladin

Happens all the time, it is the cost of doing business and retaining clients. I'm sure this dealership was embarrassed by this and will not only clean it up but pay for the service as well.


In business, it is obviously beneficial in keeping mistakes to a minimum, hiring competent mechanics is a start.

Ingenieur

I owned majority share and ran as president a risk prone business for many years
I know the 'deal'
E & O insurance is not cheap and a single claim may sink you

So you do your best to avoid that
Varying degrees of scrutiny
I sold out (actually retained 1/6 of it) and got a low stress semi- retired gig
Couldn't just sit around the house

roadtalontsi

This is sad and very true. I can promise if it's a waiter, you're the one getting the dis-service. It's best to ask for the amg specialist or tell them you dont want some dumbass working on the car. It's unfortunate in the automotive industry how good techs get paid so poorly in comparison to the bad techs. Right now mercedes is booming too so it's only going to get worse. Get to know your techs and ask for them by name. Typically if they actually own and drive a sports car they are an enthusiast and actually care.

roadtalontsi

lol. the dealer makes the 140-150$/hr. Top techs in some areas are making 32$/hr max. Usually not even that. Back in the 80's when it was 60$/hr dealer the top techs were making 20$/hr. As the dealership charges more and makes more the tech makes less and the time given to perform a job is decreased further decreasing their overall pay.
Keep in mind these top techs are typically not given services or easy work as that is considered a waste of their abilities and less profit for the dealer when they can pay a quick service tech 15$/hr.

Benz engineers make the mistakes.... the techs get paid pennys on the dollar to fix them. interesting....

daemo

This really sucks...

There are only a few things to check after oil change:
- Check oil level
- Tighten drain plug, oil filter, and oil cap

Hopefully everything works out.