So you are in an accident, the mbrace operator talks to you and either doesn't send any emergency response or gives them a wrong address...something where they clearly fouled up. What's your recourse?

1) Any dispute goes to arbitration..

2) Their total liability even if they clearly mess up is to return what you paid for service.

That's not exactly giving me a warm feeling about counting on them...they have absolutely no liability....

You might want to consider the T&C's before you sign up for this service....I'll be cancelling at the end of the trial.....

Now in fairness, this is no different than the alarm system on your home...if you read that contract, it doesn't matter if they repaired your system and it doesn't work when they leave..or if they get an alarm and do nothing with it....their limit is usually $500.

I just hate these companies that claim to be doing wonderful things, assure you that they are going to take care of you....and take your money....but then give you T&C's that say they aren't responsible for anything if they don't provide what they advertise and tell you in their brochures that describe what you are signing up for.

 

I'm not sure I've ever fully read any T&C's, LOL....
but it doesn't shock me.......I agree with you on this one.....
sounds lame, hope you never need it

 

I didnt even accept the trial since they wanted a credit card to start it.
i will never use it so i just declined right off the bat.

 

That *is* pretty lame but I guess the alternative is not seeing things like this introduced at all.A serious foul up certainly could cause bigtime PR headaches for MB even if it didn't cause direct financial loss.My guess is that that would be motive enough for them to avoid foul ups when possible.

 

Well it's probably good that thier liability is limited cause lawyers will sue a ham sandwhich if they thought they could get any money out of it. Then the price would be so high the rest of us couldn't afford it. So if they totally mess up, what worse off are you than if you didn't have the service at all? Also what's the likely hood that they could mess up and has this even been a problem? I think a system that gives them your exact location would be hard to mess up.

 

Mercedes would just say it's subcontracted completely to Hughes and they have no involvement, culpability or legal liability.

Sure, it probably works most of the time. I just wanted folks to understand that if it doesn't work in an emergency and even if it is clearly their fault, you have no recourse except to get your $20 a month back and that's if you win the arbitration.

 

Just carry an emergency personal locator beacon (EPIRB) for REAL emergencies where you do not have cell phone service and your life is on the line. I keep one in each car. It works anywhere in the world via satellite. MBrace is nice and I keep mine active but useless in a desolated road with no cell phone service.

 

How can you predict whether you might have a need for ACN at some future point? While the ancillary services of mbrace are nice, one really doesn't plan to use or not use ACN.

 

This is spot on, of course.

Incidentally, BMW Asisst and OnStar have similar limitations on liability if I recall correctly.

 

Mbrace uses satelite and cellular technology. So it should always work unless you crash out of cellular range under a large bridge.