Hi Liftman,
You had never made it clear before that you actually purchased your car from France?

I realise in the perfect World that it should not make any difference where you purchased a vehicle, but we all know that the perfect World does not exist.

The repairing dealer must have the patience of a saint dealing with all your complaints. UK residents buy cars in Europe to take advantage of getting a better deal, I think there are plus points for this and minus points. Mercedes-Benz pay for warranty work, but the dealer must get the work authorised and any unresolved problems actually cost the dealer which he might not be able to recover.

If I were a dealer I would make sure I treated my loyal and prospective customers like royalty and give them priority whenever possible. Why should they treat the person who goes abroad to buy a car the same? Obviously the person that goes to Europe to save a few pounds will scream foul, but as I have said, this is the real world.

I wonder what sort of service the French dealer will offer?

Having said that I carried out a lot of research into buying my particular model with exactly the same specifications from a number of European countries and the savings were quite simply not worth the hassle.

There were considerable savings to be had though on other types of Mercedes-Benz, but your post has frightened the hee-bee gee-bees out of me and there is no way I would contemplate buying from abroad.

When I had problems with my Mercedes-Benz V-class it took just six weeks for Mercedes-Benz to replace the vehicle and during this time they instructed the dealer to buy beautiful bouquets of flowers for my wife and ply me with my favourite tipple. The dealer was excellent and could not have been more helpful. They treated me like 'Royalty' and have earnt loyalty (not by the 'bribe' but by their atitude)

Saving a few pounds can sometimes be a very costly exercise,
John

A very sunny cool day in Torquay

 

Glojo,

Sorry you totally misunderstand, it’s a business tip, and the car is a UK sourced vehicle with the standard 3 year Mercedes warrantee.


As you say you pay European prices you get the standard European warrantee which I believe is 1year although this could have changed.


As for dealer loyalty I suppose the purchase of a new R171 SLK last September (2004) from the same UK dealer for the wife’s 40th birthday demonstrates that despite all the problems.


I have always maintained both UK supplying and repairing dealer has done everything to resolve the issues but I believe MB UK technical has not supported them.

The French dealer comments is based upon me having lost all faith in the vehicle and fear a breakdown of the vehicle!

Hope this clears up any false impression.


Liftman

 

Good afternoon Liftman,
Your right, the comments you made have certainly confused me.

Regards,
John