Roowah

First, apologies for this long post, but I'd be grateful for any assistance or suggestions. I've had my 2017 GLC since May 2017, and from the start have been plagued with a myriad of issues over the last 18,000 miles.

- Gas pedal squeaking : Replaced gas pedal assembly
- Creaking noise from center console: Felt taped
- Rattling noise from right front wheel area: Replaced right front strut and upper mount
- Creaking noise from dash area: Glove box mounting pin missing - added pin and felt taped area
- Rattling noise from back of vehicle: Felt tape on door panels and replaced rear shocks
- Driver's seat squeaking: Felt taped back of seat. Fixed for awhile then came back
- Buzzing sound from left side of dash: Replaced left A pillar air distribution actuator and flap assembly - Needed to REMOVE ENTIRE DASH!
- Hollow noise in the rear over bumps: Broken internal baffle in muffler. Replaced mufflier
- Fuel door hinge cracked: Replaced
- And most recently, hissing sound when releasing brake: Actuator rod seal. Replaced brake booster

I think understandably I have been very disappointed with the quality of my first Mercedes-Benz. Coming from almost 14 years with BMW, I have never had even close to the problems I've had with this vehicle. At the advice of my dealer, who has actually been excellent, I contacted MB customer care and was assigned an executive service manager. After a lot of discussions, both through the phone and through email, I was told that they were sorry for the problems I'm having, but they would not do a repurchase or replacement of the vehicle. They offered me only 2 options. Option 1 was a 2 year extension of the warranty, which I rejected since that would just mean I'd be just kicking the can down the road 2 years before I'd have to pay for more inevitable problems. Option 2 was to accept $4000 to be used for the purchase of a new MB. I'd be responsible for negotiating the new vehicle, and the value of the trade in of my current GLC. $4000 is nothing compared to the depreciation hit I'm going to get on my trade, plus having to pay again for taxes and fees.

So I decided to send a formal email to the VP of Customer Service at MBUSA. A few days later, I hear back from my original executive service manager that he received my email but the offer still stands. Not even a direct email back from him, or an offer to look into and assist further.

From my perspective, I feel that MB really doesn't care much about their customers, and are not interested in owning up to their tagline "The Best or Nothing". I told them that I don't think every GLC is like mine, but maybe my particular GLC was a inferior manufacturing anomaly. I don't trust that this car will ever be at all reliable.

So my question is what should my next step be? Does anyone know of an attorney that specializes in negotiating with an auto manufacturer on repurchasing vehicles? Would the service history of this vehicle qualify for lemon law? With the exception of all the issues, I do like my GLC but I'm honestly not sure if I want to stay with MB or move back to BMW or try Audi. Thank you in advance!

Chrisk03

BlueRidge

Roowah

Sorry to hear about your problems. I think many here have had an issue here and there ( a squeak, noisy brakes in the cold, bad radio reception, etc) but the problem is usually just one or two things. I would also suggest contacting an attorney. I think if an attorney contacted MB, that may push things along to a better conclusion.

Also, out of curiosity, where was your GLC made?

rustybear3

These problems sound more like annoyances than major issues, and they have fixed those problems...no? If I were you and outside of these problems you like the car, I'd go with the extra 2 years warranty. If you don't like the car, I'd make up your mind if you want to take the $4000 and try again, or just sell your car and move on. Most lemon laws require major problems which have not been repaired to satisfaction as a litmus test.

BobbyT

Frankly, I don't see any issues here that should cause you to mistrust the reliability of the vehicle. Aside from the cracked fuel door, all of the other nine problems listed are noises, and your dealer addressed all of them. They are probably annoying, but nothing that affects the safe or reliable performance of the car.

Lemon laws are a legal solution available to owners of vehicles with a history of reliability or safety-related issues that the dealer can't resolve within a prescribed time frame. Your state law is articulated here, and has a one-year, 15,000 mile coverage limit. Even if you were still within that coverage limit, I doubt that your situation meets the threshold criteria: https://www.mass.gov/guides/guide-to-new-car-lemon-law.

My 2017 GLC is my seventh MB, and it has been excellent. There was a small issue of wind noise early on, which the dealer promptly corrected by replacing the front door windows with acoustic glass.

Hopefully you have found all the niggling noises. Maybe it is time now to give the car a fair chance to make you happy.

ygmn

As said...

For lemon law to take place the dealer has had to attempt to repair a couple of more times and cannot.

In your case they fixed everything
You must have great hearing!
LOL as only one thing was an actual broken part the rest just needed a little tweaking to quiet down.

Take the warranty and sleep better knowing you are covered for another 2 years!

Roowah

Thanks everyone for the responses and advice! Very much appreciated! Replies below. Overall, my thought is that this car was built at the very end of the 2017 model year, and was put together rushed with parts at the bottom of the parts barrels.

That's the big question, whether to stick with MB or move on. I'm not sure which way to go, as I was taken by surprise by the number of problems. The dealership I bought the car from and have it serviced at does know about the $4K from MB, but I'll need to make it clear that I can and will shop their deal with other local MB dealerships for the best price (I wouldn't tell them!). You're right, it may not be a lemon law situation, as it doesn't focus on 1 particular problem that cannot be resolved. Rather it's been a continuous stream of problems.

I think you're right, that an attorney may escalate the situation and have it taken more seriously. I would be fine if it were just a few things, it happens. But it's to the point that every time I bring home a loaner vehicle, the neighbors say "Car's back in the shop again?" Fortunately, the dealer has excellent coffee! My GLC was manufactured in Germany.

True, they haven't been major issues like engine or transmission malfunctions, and it hasn't stranded me. They've fixed most of them, except many of the rattles seem to be unsolvable, requiring me to just turn up the radio so I don't hear them. But there have been problems beyond the rattles and squeaks, including one that required removing my whole dash. I feel that when they start removing large pieces of the interior of the vehicle, especially when it's so new, the integrity of the interior just won't be the same as from the factory. The broken fuel door, missing glove box pin, broken muffler, broken air distributor, and broken brake booster (which the service manager said is extremely unusual), have me concerned about its future reliability.

Yes, many were based on noise, but they found and had to replace a lot of defective new parts, such as shocks and struts, a broken muffler, broken air distributor, broken brake booster, etc. I had the issue with the wind noise as well, and they replaced the front door windows as well with acoustic glass, which made a big difference. I didn't list it because from my research, it was a common problem. You're right that the car may not qualify for lemon law because of its time frame and that it's not focused on 1 particular major cause that is unresolved. My concern is its future reliability. I'm willing to believe that my GLC's list of problems is an anomaly. I'm glad to hear that you've had an excellent experience with MB over the years and with your current GLC. Positive experiences like yours is why I'm still considering trying again with ordering another one.

Honestly, you don't need great hearing to identify these problems. They're pretty obvious. I've had my wife in the car many times where she'd ask me what all the noises are, and that she didn't hear that one before!

Yes, it definitely seems like it technically wouldn't be a lemon law case, but maybe an attorney that specializes in lemon law cases would have the experience to communicate with MB regarding my concerns more effectively than I currently am. It's disappointing that they are not acknowledging that this particular vehicle may not have been built well and to their quality control standards, and that they would try more to replace the vehicle and make it right. Are German cars typically as reliable as a Toyota or Honda? Of course not. But from my experience in the previous 14 years with BMW, and before that VW, I've never had this number of problems, and am concerned that they will continue after the warranty is done. Taking the extra 2 years will just "kick the can" down the road until I have to start paying for all of the many guaranteed future problems from my own wallet. My plan was to actually keep this purchase for a long time.

BobbyT

Thanks for the clarification. You've had more problems than outlined in your original post. I better understand your frustration.

For me, owning any of the current crop of new cars after they are out of warranty is too risky. There is just too much stuff that can break or malfunction, repairs are very expensive, and few can be done without specialized tools and knowledge. This expense is exponential to the price/extra features of the vehicle. That is an underlying reason that I lease Mercedes rather than buy.

At the other end of the spectrum is my 24-year-old Porsche. I don't drive it much, but it is as solid and reliable as an anvil. I understand it and can still do the routine maintenance and repairs myself. Plus it is an appreciating asset, a rare thing in the automotive world. "They don't make 'em like this any more."

Chrisk03

If the price were to be "right" on a new MB replacement, I personally would give MB one more chance, but that's from an outsider perspective. If I actually experienced all that you have, I might have a different outlook. For me, it would depend on price, dealer and if there really was that something else, vehicle-wise, that I would want over another GLC. Thing is, I'd want the updated 2020 model and who knows how that would work out, quality-wise. I don't envy your situation. Good luck!

Roowah

Good point about the new model. The problem is that their cash offer expires likely before the 2020 models are introduced, so that adds another consideration. Buy the 2019 model knowing that a newly restyled one with a bit more power and possibly an updated dash will be introduced a few months later, making mine quickly outdated. Also knowing the 2020 could have some "growing pains". Or go with a new model that was introduced a year or so ago so there won't be any refreshes for awhile......

mtberman

I have been through a buyback process. In my case it was a true lemon law situation where they acknowledged the car could not be repaired. They offered two choices: They could buy it back, including reimbursement for all taxes and registration costs, or they could give me a $7000 credit through my dealer for the purchase of any new car of the same brand.