Peter Alexander, owner of BenzNinja, sells a service to fix cars remotely but calls it a club to evade responsibility for his actions, which includes breaking my car.

Here is the history. I bought a car and did an inspection that shows two issues. The rear camera cover would not close, and the trunk partition flap would not operate. He updated software for the rear SAM and other modules. It did not fix the problems, but it added a new problem. The gas flap would not open.

After he reverted the software to the original version, the gas flap would open. But now, there were two new problems. The trunk and glove box would not unlock. Both open with Xentry actuations, so the hardware is fine.

When I complained that he made my car worse, he became rude and aggressive. He berated me while saying how great he was. This was not a one-time thing but rather ongoing and pattern behavior. I just ignored it in the past. But this time it was much worse. He was outright insulting me and calling me stupid. Then, he said that the only way he would continue is if I agreed that he would not be responsible for the results. I said no. Because if he breaks it then he fixes it.

He refused to fix what he broke and said to go to the dealer.

I told him I want my money back. He agreed to refund but first he wanted me to send him the latop and hardware and give him remote access to my laptop to check the system date. That seemed fishy. Because I bought the hardware on eBay so why should I return it to him? Given how badly he is acting, I suspect he was trying to trick me. I confronted him with this. He admitted he would have wiped out the laptop.

He kept on saying how great he is and how everyone is so happy with him and I am the only person who has ever complained. Ever? I am sure there are satisfied customers. I was too until he broke my car, refused to take responsibility, insulted me, and tried to trick me. This amounts to bad faith business practice.

 

I dunno man. You have 31 posts here....(may or may not mean anything). Peter has a stellar reputaion here and on other MB forums.

With any repair, things happen. God knows if a mechanic looks at an M157 a freaking water line may break. Many things can happen. As for his refund policy? Heck, I would have the same. You have his TANGIBLE items. "Work Product" has no real value beyond the skills of the person providing it. His tuning things? Yeah, I would get them back, verify functional and then look at a refund.

I am not sure what country Peter is in (or State). But, becareful - slander is tough battle to fight. You done and went openly public about it BEFORE you even attempted to send his things back to him.

 

It is not slander if it is true.

 

Not surprised.

 

I am -NOT- one who in general goes into these hornets nests....BUT....if the car you are playing with is the 2005 that is on your profile - heck, anytime the car starts is a blessing. 2005, no? Then again, what 2005 had a camera cover?

What the hell does a gas flap have to do with the CAN? Ever consider you have a failing CAN? While I am only inferring what I can only imagine your voice on the phone must be like....judging by your thread here...I would have probably hung up on you as well.


Note: I am not a BenzNinja customer - I know a few. None have ever had your venomous behaviors. All of them know that sometimes **** happens. Maybe you should have taken your car to the dealership? Lesson learned? Go to the dealership next time (they would not have touched your car).

 

I would imagine that if we knew the other side of the story, what you are saying would make more sense. As it stands, you are a disgruntled customer who had a bad experience, and may have been called names which may or may not be accurate descriptions of your character, and may or may not be pertinent in our understanding of the situation. Not trying to cast aspersions, but you said he called you stupid, so that issue may be placed on the table.

 

Who wouldn't be upset if someone broke their car, then said they have no responsbility for it? Are you implying that I wouldn't have posted this if he had not insulted me? Perpahs, you're right. Had he been more professional and polite maybe I would not have posted this. On the other hand, he has a long history of reminding me that I don't know what I am doing and how he is so smart. Even if that is true, who says that, especially to a customer? Regardless, the car history is factual.

 

There are always two sides to a story. It takes two to tango. Peter is French. They speak their mind and are direct. Maybe you are not used to that. As said above, anything can break once you touch something, and unless it's complete negligence, then it's part of the nature. I'm a software consultant. I can't take responsibility if an update that I didn't create causes more issues than it solves. I'm just the one hired to install it. If it breaks even more, the customer will have to pay me to try to fix it. If I can't fix it, they'll have to contact the vendor who developed the software and get support from them. That's how it works. Peter can only install updates that come from MB. If they break more than they fix, that's your risk. If there's a bigger underlying issue such as a hardware issue causing the CAN bus to malfunction for example, then an update may indeed make things worse. Computers are complex. I'm a member of the "Club" and had a few interactions with Peter. He was always helpful and respectful and I was respectful in return. I'm not defending him. I wasn't privy to the conversation, and we don't know his side of the story.

 

But when you install an Software update Sir, you follow the exact instruction of the developer or the producer. You have first hand information and I am sure you will never install a "look like" file saved from another equipment hoping that will match. You don't have to invent the wheel as at your job all the correct information's is present, so the "stupid" client or the "smart" technician will only have to follow simple instruction like - do not disconect, reset,et.

Here is not the case as the SW that this guy install on club members is "made by him" although is not and is even is copyrighted.

 

Both of your original problems were mechanical involving moving parts. Why on earth did you conclude that these malfunctions could be corrected with software before investigating the mechanisms themselves? On a 20 year old vehicle maybe all you needed was a couple squirts of WD-40.

 

Wait, this is CRAP!!!! I can only up vote a comment one time?

 

Indeed a Crap is when you upload a new software for a mechanical problem without a proper diag. As the Amex data fraud based membership is vaguely related with MB expertise, that's the procedure. Keep the client laptop busy till some data will be revealed.

 

I did not conclude anything. I called Peter to discuss. He concluded that software updates may fix the problems.These features are in the 2021 E53. They do not exist in the 2005 SL55.

 

This post isn't even about the car or software. The car and software issues were mentioned to show the chain of events.

This post is about Peter's conduct. On one hand, I didn't want to post this because it does not help me. On the other hand, if he is talking down to me and resorting to trickery, he is probably doing the same to others. Maybe this will make him stop and treat his customers better.

 

So why is this not 100% warranty work?

 

I have no personal experience with Peter, but others on this forum regard him highly for his knowledge and ability to resolve problems and assist with modifications. Diagnostics and troubleshooting remotely is not an easy undertaking, and is entirely dependent on providing accurate and complete information, and communicating in a clear and comprehensive manner. Patience is paramount -- an expectation of instantaneous solutions is unrealistic. You should seek a local mechanic who can examine your problems in person and recommend solutions. Try benzshops.com for locating assistance near you.

 

Of course, for certains issues. But for simple settings I can do it myself with a better system. For example, the glove box locks when the car locks. There must be a single setting that enables/disables this funtion. His system does not provide me access to toggle that setting, but a more complete system would. Hence, I call him to toggle that setting. That puts an unecessary workload on him (which he complains about agressively) and an inconveneince on me. But that is his business model not my doing.

There are a couple issues: 1) His SW update broke this. I ask him a simple question, where can I toggle this setting? Rather than answer the question, he insults me and tells me he is so smart. Why not just answer the question? Why is such a simple problem taking days to be addressed and still not being fixed? Why is he complaining that I am taking up so much of his time when he is the one who broke it and can't fix it? 2) Regardless of the technical issues, you don't abuse your customers.

 

MB warranty is 4 years/50,000 miles in USA.

 

Since I can’t edit the original post, I want to clarify a few things. When I said he ‘doesn’t get to abuse his customers,’ I was describing how the communication felt to me at the time. I’m not making any claims about his intentions or how he treats anyone else — I’m only speaking to my own experience. The same applies to my comment about ‘trickery.’ I used that word to describe how the situation came across to me when he asked for remote access to my laptop for one reason and then later said he would wipe it as part of a refund. That was my personal reaction to the sequence of events.

I also want to summarize part of our private messages. He told me he had no responsibility to fix anything because it was a ‘club’ and not a business, even though I paid for a membership that was advertised as including remote diagnostic help. He also said he would wipe my laptop as part of a refund. The laptop is my personal property, and I purchased the hardware myself on eBay, so I didn’t understand why either of those things would need to be returned to him or erased. That raised concerns for me because I didn’t know what recourse I would have if he wiped my computer and took hardware I bought independently, and then still refused to issue the refund. I’m only sharing my personal experience so others understand why I felt the way I did.

 

The power supply connected to the car during flashing is 20A. Is that sufficient or should it be 70A+?

 

Bigger the better, but 20A should be enough for a short time flash like SAM if can maintain over 12V.

 

That is where you are wrong, and IMO are falling into a common trap of modern society. If you do not like someone, dont work with them. Many "Experts" do not sugar coat and hand hold. So ,many thing we are supposed to be nice at all times - wrong.

Based on what I know - BenzNinja is an expert. Period. Based on what I assume, he does not "need" your money. It is a pastime/second income / hobby of sorts. If he has a remote job, great, if not - I get the feeling he has a ton of hands on things (that pay higher per hour).

With what I do, I am an "expert". In my job I have low tolerance for people who do not want to do things the correct way (not just my way, the correct way). I had a kid who asked a TON of questions, seeminly stupid questions...ticked me off every time. My stand point was "just do it and do not question"...maybe, just maybe this is his stand point (SoupNazi???).

To that, we are all (everyone of us on this forum) so blessed. Even those who struggle wtih the finances and repairs and ownership - we as humans are so blessed. We get to play with great cars, a great communiity and great comroderie. 90% of the humans on this planet have no access to the internet...let alone discussing on if my trunk camera flap is going to open if I pass gass while the left turn signal is ajar....

 

Clue the rest of us in -- why do you need a 20 amp power supply connected to your car to flash a SAM?

 

That struck me as odd as well.

 

It’s honestly surprising to see a post like this about a club that’s been around for over 10 years, and has never had a single negative comment or rating from a member. Because of that, I reached out to BenzNinja to understand what happened, and he shared the full history of your conversations since you joined. (He also said any club member can request this, just by asking.)

Mr. Scallawalla, after reviewing those messages, there’s no place where he insulted you. That claim simply isn’t backed up by the conversations. From what I can see, he also spent close to 20 hours updating and configuring modules on your car, work that no dealer would do without charging thousands of dollars.

It’s also worth mentioning that this was done to help fix a camera issue; the problem later turned out to be a broken gas flap mechanism, where the flap motor was no longer attached. In the end, the main concern seems to be that the gas flap works now, and that you don’t want to go back to your local dealer because they’re no longer willing to work with you.

Taken together, this tells the full story.

Have a good evening. A very happy club member!