Certified Pre-Owned 2013 E 350 question
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Newbie
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 8
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From: Lithia, Fl
MB 2013 E350
Certified Pre-Owned 2013 E 350 question
Hello all! I'm hoping to get some clarification on a problem I am encountering with my Certified Pre-Owned 2103 E 350 purchased at my local Mercedes Benz dealership. I purchased the car at one dealership in November 2018 having 35K miles on the odometer and the car had its first service "A" at a different dealership this past week having 44K on the odometer. I have driven the car approximately 9K miles in nine month's time and I drive very gently as most times I'm carting around my two young children. The servicing dealership went through it's normal inspection process during the "A" service and came back telling me I need rear brake pads immediately as they are worn down to 3 mm. They charge $570 for replacement of rear pads and rotors. I'm questioning how this is possible considering I've only put 9K miles on the car and in order to become a CPO (by Mercedes' own definition) the brake pads must have greater than or equal to 50% of their life left? I'm not sure exactly how to handle this and wondering if I have any recourse whatsoever with the dealership who sold me this car? Is it possible to wear down that much rear brake pad within 9K miles? Thank you for any input or advice.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 738
Likes: 163
From: Orlando, FL
2016 E400 Coupe (C207)
The CPO process is more of a theory than a reality. Over the years, I've purchased three CPO BMWs and one CPO Benz (my current car). The alleged and highly-touted "multi-point inspection" doesn't really happen in most cases. The only real value of buying CPO is the guarantee that a dealer will have to fix any problems that YOU discover (they rarely actually identify and address problems prior to putting a vehicle up for sale). In your case, the challenge is getting them to address something that is considered a maintenance issue (as opposed to a failure). If your CPO agreement states that the pads must have at least 50% remaining life at time of sale, I'd say your best chance of obtaining any satisfaction is to go to the original dealership (meaning the one that sold you the car; your servicing dealership isn't likely to help) and complain that the pads should've been replaced prior to certification. They may offer to pay 50% of the service charge as a "good will" gesture, and that's probably the most you can hope for. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Lithia, Fl
MB 2013 E350
The CPO process is more of a theory than a reality. Over the years, I've purchased three CPO BMWs and one CPO Benz (my current car). The alleged and highly-touted "multi-point inspection" doesn't really happen in most cases. The only real value of buying CPO is the guarantee that a dealer will have to fix any problems that YOU discover (they rarely actually identify and address problems prior to putting a vehicle up for sale). In your case, the challenge is getting them to address something that is considered a maintenance issue (as opposed to a failure). If your CPO agreement states that the pads must have at least 50% remaining life at time of sale, I'd say your best chance of obtaining any satisfaction is to go to the original dealership (meaning the one that sold you the car; your servicing dealership isn't likely to help) and complain that the pads should've been replaced prior to certification. They may offer to pay 50% of the service charge as a "good will" gesture, and that's probably the most you can hope for. Good luck.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 738
Likes: 163
From: Orlando, FL
2016 E400 Coupe (C207)
Don't feel bad, you're hardly the first to fall victim to the CPO sales ploy. Just prior to purchasing my current vehicle, I purchased a very similar example from another dealer. While inspecting the car prior to the test drive, I inquired about what appeared to be paint overspray on the top edge of the grille and the salesman dismissed it as nothing to be concerned about. When I got the car home, a closer inspection revealed that the front end had sustained some type of damage that required the entire hood to be repainted. I called the dealership immediately and told them that I was driving it straight back to them for a full refund.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 5,289
Likes: 9
From: So Cal
W213 '17 E43 ///AMG - W211, W208 no more
I recently bought a CPO Benz and I tried very hard to get the full service report during the CPO process but the advisor was very reluctant to give me a print out due to some internal service & dealer codes he was worried he couldn't release. I just wanted a line item service record (not the CPO checklist of what was done and was pass/no-pass) of everything done and measurements taken so I know what I was up against regarding wear & tear items.
Thankfully, in the CPO process, they replaced all 4 brake pads, rear rotors and rear tires. Front tires were pretty close to new as well.
Regarding brake pad wear, the rear brakes aren't as thick and hefty as the front and new is only about 8-10mm thick (fronts are about 12mm). So, if when you bought it and it was >50% at 4-5mm, its foreseeable that you wore it down another 1-2mm over 9K miles of driving. Heavy stop-and-go traffic we wear out brakes more. But I would start with insisting you get the CPO report with measurements if you feel strongly that the rear brakes should not have worn out that fast if it truly was over 50% when you purchased it.
Brakes are one of the easiest services to perform as a DIY or from an independent shop. Perhaps check with an independent shop if you don't like the dealer prices....
Thankfully, in the CPO process, they replaced all 4 brake pads, rear rotors and rear tires. Front tires were pretty close to new as well.
Regarding brake pad wear, the rear brakes aren't as thick and hefty as the front and new is only about 8-10mm thick (fronts are about 12mm). So, if when you bought it and it was >50% at 4-5mm, its foreseeable that you wore it down another 1-2mm over 9K miles of driving. Heavy stop-and-go traffic we wear out brakes more. But I would start with insisting you get the CPO report with measurements if you feel strongly that the rear brakes should not have worn out that fast if it truly was over 50% when you purchased it.
Brakes are one of the easiest services to perform as a DIY or from an independent shop. Perhaps check with an independent shop if you don't like the dealer prices....
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Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 8
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From: Lithia, Fl
MB 2013 E350
I recently bought a CPO Benz and I tried very hard to get the full service report during the CPO process but the advisor was very reluctant to give me a print out due to some internal service & dealer codes he was worried he couldn't release. I just wanted a line item service record (not the CPO checklist of what was done and was pass/no-pass) of everything done and measurements taken so I know what I was up against regarding wear & tear items.
Thankfully, in the CPO process, they replaced all 4 brake pads, rear rotors and rear tires. Front tires were pretty close to new as well.
Regarding brake pad wear, the rear brakes aren't as thick and hefty as the front and new is only about 8-10mm thick (fronts are about 12mm). So, if when you bought it and it was >50% at 4-5mm, its foreseeable that you wore it down another 1-2mm over 9K miles of driving. Heavy stop-and-go traffic we wear out brakes more. But I would start with insisting you get the CPO report with measurements if you feel strongly that the rear brakes should not have worn out that fast if it truly was over 50% when you purchased it.
Brakes are one of the easiest services to perform as a DIY or from an independent shop. Perhaps check with an independent shop if you don't like the dealer prices....
Thankfully, in the CPO process, they replaced all 4 brake pads, rear rotors and rear tires. Front tires were pretty close to new as well.
Regarding brake pad wear, the rear brakes aren't as thick and hefty as the front and new is only about 8-10mm thick (fronts are about 12mm). So, if when you bought it and it was >50% at 4-5mm, its foreseeable that you wore it down another 1-2mm over 9K miles of driving. Heavy stop-and-go traffic we wear out brakes more. But I would start with insisting you get the CPO report with measurements if you feel strongly that the rear brakes should not have worn out that fast if it truly was over 50% when you purchased it.
Brakes are one of the easiest services to perform as a DIY or from an independent shop. Perhaps check with an independent shop if you don't like the dealer prices....
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 3,243
Likes: 933
From: New Orleans Area
2015 E400 Sedan
YOur dash has a warning light when pads need replacing.... as a sensor is "plugged" into pad and when it hits rotor is grounded out and a brake pad light is lit up on dash....
Time to get them changed then.
Also I suggest turning off Lane Keeping Assist as it uses rear brakes to pull car into lane as required if you have it... which wears out brake pads etc.
Time to get them changed then.
Also I suggest turning off Lane Keeping Assist as it uses rear brakes to pull car into lane as required if you have it... which wears out brake pads etc.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 5,289
Likes: 9
From: So Cal
W213 '17 E43 ///AMG - W211, W208 no more
Thanks for your reply and helpful information. I ended up taking the car back to the service shop at the dealership where I purchased the vehicle. The shop measured the rear brake pads and tell me they measured 4 mm and I should be fine for another few thousand miles or so before they need replacing. Seems the dealership that wanted to replace the brake pads was jumping the gun in order to make a sale. I've learned quite a bit in this process and that you can't really trust the dealership's service department when they insist you need this or that done to your car. Being a trusting individual and incapable of measuring or knowing these things myself, I believe them when they tell me my car needs something. I've learned to go more by my car's maintenance manual and to possibly get a second opinion before any expensive work is done. I will also treat any vehicle I purchase, CPO or not, much differently in the future knowing that the CPO process seems to be very "fluid" to put it nicely. Knowing the status of these maintenance items that are not covered under CPO warranty could certainly work in my favor when negotiating price.
ygmn
YOur dash has a warning light when pads need replacing.... as a sensor is "plugged" into pad and when it hits rotor is grounded out and a brake pad light is lit up on dash....
YOur dash has a warning light when pads need replacing.... as a sensor is "plugged" into pad and when it hits rotor is grounded out and a brake pad light is lit up on dash....
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 14,678
Likes: 4,578
From: unbegrenzt
2017 GLE350 4MATIC
Dealerships are in business to make money. The service department is a 50% margin, and higher, profit center. They sell whatever they can, whenever they can, to whomever they can. Being in possession of this information is helpful to consumers.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 738
Likes: 163
From: Orlando, FL
2016 E400 Coupe (C207)
I did get a full refund, and I took back my BMW, which I had traded in. They wanted me to pay them for having done paintless dent removal on a very small body imperfection on the BMW, but I refused because they shouldn't have done anything to my trade-in until their 5-day, no questions asked refund period had elapsed.
