I need neutral advice on my Benz dealer situation. I purchased my first Benz on December 5, from a local Mercedes dealership. It was a pre-owned 2004 C230 Kompressor Coupe. It has 46,000 miles and is in seemingly great condition. I also purchased a comprehensive 4 year warranty from the dealer.

Here is my situation: Upon purchase, I requested the saleman go through the features with me before I left the dealership. I knew nothing of the capabilities of the vehicle, other than what was explained to me, most especially the Sport / Comfort mode. 2 weeks into owning the vehicle I read the operator's manual and noticed this feature, and also the fact that the switch on my vehicle is malfunctioning. I promptly called the salesman, who said the situation would be covered under my warranty. The service department called me to schedule an appointment and began to nearly fight with me over whether the issued would be covered or I would be financially liable. After speaking with the salesman again, he assured me it would be covered under warranty.

My thoughts are that the dealer should cover the cost of the repair themselves or produced an explicit and detailed report that their inspection found the Sport/Comfort mode to be in perfect working condition pior to sale. Of course, this should have been requested BEFORE the sale, so I take fault here. They seem unresponsive to admitting responsiblity for the issue. Granted, I should have been an informed consumer, and ultimately, I should have known all the features and tested them, not relying on the promise of the saleman that the car was fully inspected to be free of defects. Seems like a no brainer in hindsight (aren't all things! lol). I'm a bit nervous at what other issues may come my way, and not sure I want to deal with this Benz dealership.Other than this issue, I am very happy with the vehicle, and have gone though all the other features, etc to ensure no more surprises.

So what should I actually be expecting of the dealer and this sale? I'm thinking expect nothing, but should I shop around for a new Benz dealer to fix the work? Thanks for any replies you can give to me

 

Schedule a service appt and when you go in, grab the salesman when you sign in at the service dept and make sure he backs you up in getting it fixed.
If he doesn't and the service dept gives you grief, ask for the GM and dont move til he arrives. MB is about service, and they usually come around, as they hope your next car will be an MB.

 

JKMSAIL,
Thanks for the advice! I will do that when I take her in for service.
I've absolutely fallen for this car, even though she is 8 years old and preowned, she is a work of art and such a pleasure to drive. I do hope this is the first in many MB owing experiences for me

 

Read your sales contract and warranty agreement carefully. Make sure you understand the details of what you signed and they agreed to before you go in.

More importantly, read your owners manual. Learn all the features and controls before your hit the road. I just bought my first Mercedes and am still learning all the features.

 

SOUTH 40:

That operator's manual is invaluable, isn't it? Just read mine cover to cover. I'm doing a lot of research now, so I can know my vehicle in & out.

As far as the warranty contract, I keep the a copy of the contract in the operator's manual so I can reference it. I learned what each term means and went through it line by line. Luckily, the company also answers their phone and emails, so I have been in contact to know just what they will & won't cover, the specific terms of my contract, and the process of how to make the claim properly.