Has anybody else had a really horrible customer experience with Mercedes?

I'm at the point where I want to declare my 2003 SLK230 a lemon. It has an intermittent problem where it will suddenly and completely lose power in traffic. Two of the last three times it's happened while I was on the highway in a high-traffic situation. Fortunately, I didn't get in an accident either time, but only because the drivers behind me were paying attention.

After it spectacularly failed in the middle of a big merge, I brought it into the dealer for the fifth time with this same problem. I tried to help them out by providing a detailed incident report, as well as a letter explaining all the contributing factors that I could identify. They took the car in, ignored the letter. At the end of the week, they called me up and said they'd fixed the problem by replacing the mass airflow sensor. I told them they were wrong, since that was the part they'd replaced the very first time I'd brought it in with this problem, and it had manifestly not fixed it (as they would have known if they'd read my incident report). They said "Well, we tested it, and it was out of spec so that's the problem." I insisted that it wasn't the problem, because it hadn't fixed it before, and, hey, if it had gotten that badly out of spec twice in 18 months, maybe something else was going on. The service rep looked at me patronizingly and said "Well, we replace a lot of those sensors." I told him I'd be back with a broken car and I'd be really upset when I was.

Unfortunately, I was right. Four days later, I'm on my way home, and the engine cuts out completely again. Luckily, this time it happened on the surface streets near my place, so I didn't almost die. I brought it in the next morning, and declared that I wanted a new car, because this car was completely unsafe, and I was in fear for my life every time I get in the car.

Now they're giving me the runaround and telling me that "Oh, this time we can fix it", which makes me wonder why I should believe them when they failed the previous five times. And they're threatening to unleash "Corporate" on me for daring to ask for a new car. It's unbelievable. I'm incredibly pissed off. I had a cheap Saturn for 8 years and 100,000 miles. It never once left me in doubt as to whether I was going to get where I was going. I finally save up and buy myself a nice car, and it's a complete disaster, putting my life in danger multiple times in less than two years. And Mercedes won't admit anything is wrong.

Am I crazy? What would you do if your Mercedes were conking out on you every month or two, necessitating a trip to the dealer? Am I overreacting? I'm so angry I can't think straight any more, so I figured I'd toss this out to other owners to see what I should do.

 

sell it now and buy a Porsche. I sold my '03 SL500 after 18 mos. and replaced it with an '05 911. No problems at all with new car -- the SL was a nightmare -- read my other posts. MB cars are terrible these days.

 

Hi All,

Just thought I’d share my experience so far with a 2000 CLK55 with just 43,000 km's on the clock when I purchased it in November 2004....with a "Starmarque Warranty".

Within 4 months the car has been returned something like 6 times, these are some of the problems I’ve had.

!. Exterior Trim needed refitting.

2. Inspection /access flap hanging down from front passenger side.

3. No tool kit...Was told by the dealership the car didn't come with one so I supplied the part number and it was ordered.

4. Hesitation at around 1,000 rpm on steady throttle causing the car "Kangaroo" between 1,000 rpm and 1,700 rpm first time misdiagnosed as a MAF sensor turns out it was something to do with the EGR valve, still not 100% but I can live with it.

5. Some of the pixels in the instrument display not working.

6. Noisey rear brakes.

7. Damaged (cracked) front spoiler.

A second 116 point check was then requested.

8. Wheel wobble at + 90 km's...dealership rebalanced the wheels, still had the wobble, dealership rebalanced again, still had the wobble dealership replaced the front tyres, still had the wobble....so I jacked the front of the car up myself and checked for excessive movement and found the steering linkage to be worn!!!! this was found after a second 116 point check mind you.

9. Car broke down at dealership.....turns out only 2 strands of wire were attached on the earth cable between the gear box and the chassis.

10. Broken Fog light bracket.

11. Air Conditioner Compressor leaking oil.

Most of these things have been fixed, but now I have a bad rattle/knocking in the engine mainlyaround 1700 rpm, and on overrun not diagnosed yet, oh boy!!! and this, with a car that was something like $200,000 new and has travelled less than 50,000 km's.

This is the second Benz I have owned the first a ’98 E320 was traded in on this car after about 8 months of ownership because of problems.
I should have learned from the first M/B but i thought an AMG would be better...I was wrong just another expensive P.O.S.

As they say .....Buyer Beware regardless of promises made and by whom.

Regards David

Previous cars....930 Turbo bullet proof, WRX ok but no character, XYGT nice sound at 5500, Austin 1800 don’t laugh they were great cars, the others not noteworthy enough to mention but at least they were reliable.

 

Request an appointment with Mercedes Regional Representative.

Also, keep all service statements showing the problem.

One time, I prepared a letter itemizing out the problems, local incompetence was unable to take care of, I faxed it REPEATEDLY to Paul Halata at MBUSA. After a couple of hours his secretary called to tell me they received it and someone would be in touch with me. This was the regional rep, he gave me his cell phone, we met, worked at getting items repaired properly.

The problems with your dealer may just be the incompetence in their service department. Our local dealer services VW, Porche, BMW, and Mercedes. Obviously they can't be proficient in servicing all these manufacturers cars. I would suggest you find a dealer who has a large service department and works on a lot of cars and give them a shot at your car. I suspect they will be able to find out what is going on. After they fix it go kick the previous technician in his nuts.

 

I think this problem is half crappy quality of newer Mercedes cars and half incompitence on the part of the dealers b/c I've had similar experiences with MB of San Antonio. They are HORRIBLE! No one likes them. I have talked to many Mercedes owners here of both newer and older models and they ALL complain about that dealer. They're opening one in Beorne, Tx about fifteen min. from my apartment and HOPEFULLY they will be better. My anti-dealership in ANY case friend, loves his Honda dealer. Starting to make me think...

 

StephenK is right, go that route first. If all else fails have your atty. write MB a letter stating there is a safety issue and you will hold them accountable in the event of an accident.